Authors: Marie Rochelle
“Other people’s opinions or negativity about our love isn’t my concern. My only interest is making True happy. If she’s hurts, I feel her pain. When she’s in trouble, I want to be the man she comes to.”
Hayward
confessed. He hoped his words were getting through to Ms. Pinson. “So, you see, Ms. Pinson, True is worth everything I have. I would give up all my money, power, and friends for her. Without her love and affection I know I couldn’t go on,” he whispered softly.
Ms. Pinson brushed the tears from her eyes with back of her hand. How could she be so wrong about something? She had no business giving
Hayward
her opinion about his relationship. She just t
hank
God, she never voiced her thoughts to True. Touching
Hayward
on the back of the hand she corrected her mistake. “I apologize for my earlier comments.”
She quickly got up from the table and started cleaning up the breakfast dishes.
“I’ve lost my appetite.”
Hayward
muttered getting up from the table. “I think I’ll go back upstairs and take a shower.” He didn’t even look back at Ms. Pinson as he left the room.
After showering and getting dressed,
Hayward
finally made it to his office. Sitting behind massive oak desk he turned on his computer and deleted all the spam until he saw a familiar email address. He clicked opened the email from his brother.
Hey little brother,
Dad sorted through some of mom’s clothes yesterday and donated most of them to a women’s shelter. He found a black box in the back of the closet with your name on it from mother, so he mailed it to you.
How is
True
doing? Did you finally spend the quality time you wanted to with her? Speaking of True is her gorgeous friend
Jenisha
still there?
Well, I better go. I’ve a pile of paper work staring back at me from my desk.
Clinton
Typing back a quick response,
Hayward
clicked the send button and shut down the computer.
He was surprised that
Clinton
had asked about
Jenisha
. His brother usually didn’t go for the shy type of woman. He wondered what True would think if she knew
Clinton
had a crush on her best friend?
Chapter Eighteen
Two days later,
True
stood at the side of the bed and watched
Jenisha
race around the room trying to get her bags packed. She couldn’t believe the school called
Jenisha
back early. She had so many things planned for them to do together; now all of it was ruined. “Do you really have to leave early?” She asked in disappointment. “Isn’t there someone else that they can call instead? I know how much you were looking forward to this mini vacation.”
“No. There isn’t anyone else that they can call I wished there was. Charisma wouldn’t have called me unless it was an emergency.”
Jenisha
replied rushing around the room looking for all her personal items. “Most of the substitute teachers are out sick and I’m the only one left that can teach a higher grade.”
“I wanted us to do some sight-seeing while you were here.” True sighed as
she
helped
Jenisha
fold clothes and place them inside her suitcase. “I found this wonderful travel guide about wildlife watching.”
“You’ve always been into nature.”
Jenisha
commented, taking the gray skirt from her hand. “You know the wilderness isn’t my thing.”
“You would have liked this.”
She insisted.
Jenisha
grinned at her. “Knowing how persuasive you can be, I might have enjoyed it.”
Placing her hands on her hips,
Jenisha
looked at the clothes scattered across the bed, then brought her gaze back over to her. “Why did I let you talk me into buying all these outfits? I never go anywhere so I’ll never get a chance to wear them back home.”
Smirking,
True picked up a fire engine red bra and tossed it at her best friend. “You never know maybe the man of your dreams will appear out of nowhere.”
Picking the underwear up off the bed,
Jenisha
rolled her eyes and shoved it to her suitcase. “I gave up on finding my dream man a long time ago.”
“Do you need anymore help?”
She asked changing the subject.
“Yes. Could you get my items from the bathroom?”
Jenisha
replied looking up from the suitcase.
“Okay, I’ll go and get those for you.” True said walking into the bathroom. Gathering all of
Jenisha’s
things she brought them back to the bed.
Jenisha
always had the best smelling shampoo and hair products.
“You should do a hair care commercial.” She stated looking at the soft curls bouncing around
Jenisha’s
shoulder as she rushed around the room “Your hair looks so amazing every day.”
Turning,
Jenisha’s
eyes stared at
True’s
thick black hair in a braid and her eyebrows rose in amazement. “What are you talking about?” Her friend was so crazy sometimes and now was one of those moments. “You can style yours so many different ways. My curls are one way and I can’t even straighten them.” She complained running her fingers through them. “I’m the one who’s jealous of your hair.”
Jenisha
confessed shoving her beauty products into the smaller suitcase at the end of the bed.
“I never knew you paid any attention to my hair.”
“True, you have so much going on for you.”
Jenisha
said as she sat down on the edge of the bed, with a polka dot scarf in her hands. Twisting the material around her hands she continued. “Since
Hayward
came in your life you’ve become more confident. Have you realized you aren’t the same woman that came to
“Well, I do have to give a lot of credit to
Hayward
.” True confessed. She felt so assertive and stronger with him around. He was her soul mate in each and everyway a man should be. “He has brought me out of my shell.” True said. “I know there’s a man out there that will do the same thing for you.”
“Girl, being in love is messing with your brain. No one falls in love at first sight. All that nonsense exists only in romance novels.”
Jenisha
whispered. “People in real life have struggles and problems. Some problems are so bad it will make a woman swear off finding the right man.”
“What are you hiding from me?” True asked placing her hand on top of
Jenisha’s
.
Jerking her hand away
Jenisha
jumped up off the bed and shoved the scarf into the suitcase then slammed it shut. “I’m not hiding anything for you. I’m just tired.” Lifting the suitcase off the bed, she carried it over to the bedroom door. “I’ll check the bathroom one last time to make sure nothing was left in there.”
Jenisha
dashed from the bedroom, trying to get away from her.
“Fine, I’ll be waiting for you downstairs at the front door. After you finish in the bathroom we can leave.” True yelled to
Jenisha
as she got off the bed and proceeded out the door.
* * * *
True got
Jenisha
to the airport as her flight number was being called. With
Jenisha
being here for only this short amount of time, she realized how much she missed having a female friend close by. “I’m worried about you.” She stated, giving her friend one last quick hug.
“Don’t worry about me I’ll be fine.”
Jenisha
insisted. “I’m a lot tougher than I look.” Grabbing her bag off the floor,
Jenisha
winked at her; then turned and ran toward the line for her plane.
She stayed in the airport until
Jenisha’s
plane took off and then made her way back to the parking lot. She couldn’t get rid of the strange feeling someone was watching her every move. When she glanced around the airport, the only thing she saw was passengers happy to see their loved ones waiting for them. “Stop it,” she scolded herself, hurrying out to her car. Getting inside, she slammed the door shut, turned the key in the ignition and shot out of the parking lot.
On the way back home, True decided to surprise
Hayward
instead of going straight back to her house. Pulling in his driveway, she noticed a black box by his door as she got out of the car. Picking it up the box, she held it under her arm and rang the doorbell. Ms. Pinson opened the door a few minutes later and smiled at her. “Good Afternoon True it’s good to see you again.”
“Ms. Pinson, it’s nice to see again too,” True replied going inside the house.
“What’s inside the box?” Ms. Pinson asked closing the door.
She shrugged. “I don’t know it was outside by the door.”
“Well, if you want to you can take it to
Hayward
. I think he’s in the library. I believe he’s in there working on some paper work.
If he’s not there, try his bedroom he has been working early into the morning and not getting enough sleep, so he might be taking a nap.”
True found the idea of
Hayward
taking an afternoon nap very cute. She hoped he was upstairs in his bedroom. Hurrying to the library, she found it empty and sat the box on a table then she left.
Making her way upstairs True stopped outside
Hayward
’s bedroom door and listened for any kind of sound, but she didn’t hear a thing. So, she pushed open the door and went inside.
Doesn’t he look so
cute?
Hayward
was lying on his side sound asleep facing the door with one hand slid underneath his pillow. Grinning at him, she closed the door softly; her footsteps were silent in the thick carpet as she eased over to his sleeping figure. Pulling a chair closer to the bed, she sat down and watched his steady breathing.
“Do you know how much I love you?” She asked brushing a lock of black hair off his forehead. She felt such an endless satisfaction in being this close to the man she loved. “I never understood the love two people could share until you. If it hadn’t been for your stubbornness and your refusal to back off, I would have remained content to be alone for the rest of my life. T
hank
you for giving me my life back.”
Leaning over, she brushed her lips softly across his, so he wouldn’t wake up. As she rose back up,
Hayward
’s hand grabbed her arm and flipped her over on the bed. “Hi gorgeous,” he growled as his blue eyes stared down into hers.
“I thought you were asleep!” She screamed, hitting him in the chest with the palm of her hand.
Hayward
grabbed her hand kissed the palm then laid it beside her head.
“I heard you come in. I was going to say something, but you started talking and I didn’t want to interrupt you. It’s not everyday a man hears his woman confess her love for him.”
“Am I your woman,
Hayward
?”
Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited from him to answer.
“You have been mine since the first day you moved in. I just didn’t want to admit it.”
Leaning back,
Hayward
looked down at her. “What are you doing here? Today is Tuesday
Jenisha
doesn’t leave until Saturday.”
Running her fingers through his hair, she kissed his jaw. “
Jenisha
got a phone call to come back early, her plane left an hour ago.”
Untangling his body from hers,
Hayward
jumped off the bed and dashed over to the closet. Pushing open the door, he snatched up the bag from the bottom of the closet. Bringing it back, he dropped it beside her on the bed. “Okay, kitten I’m ready for the fashion show.” He grinned rubbing his hands together. “Remember, I’ve been a good boy.”
True sat up on the bed and burst out laughing at the eager look on
Hayward
’s face, “Darling, I’m not ready for the fashion show yet. I still have to pack my overnight bag.” She said sliding off the bed.
“I thought if I was a good boy I would get the fashion show as soon as
Jenisha
left.”
He sulked looking like an upset five year old.
She watched his dark eyebrows slant down into a frown.
He looked so cute when he didn’t get his way.
“If I do it now, handsome I won’t have all the items to accompany the
nightie
.
I thought you would want to see the whole package not half, unless I was wrong?”
His ego wouldn’t resist her challenge
.
Growling,
Hayward
grabbed her underneath her arms and pulled her closer to him. “Are the accessories worth the wait?”
He asked, his warm soul-teasing breath whispered by her ear.
Shivering, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. “I think you will be very pleased if you wait a few more hours.” She would teach him patience if it killed her. “Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to make the time move more quickly?”
Hayward
smiled with satisfaction as he laid her back down on the bed. Covering her with his body he asked? “Can I a least get a pre-show?”
She brought his mouth back down to hers. “I think I can allow that.” She muttered, whilst nibbling his lips. A quiver surged through her veins. The feel of his mouth on hers brought heated her blood like a slow burn.
Hayward
tried his best to let her take the lead, but she could tell it was too much for him. Her slow tender kisses were making his body brush against hers. True sensed he craved more passion from this kiss and she wondered when he was going to take it.
“Baby, I tried my best to let you take the lead, but I need just a little bit more than you’re giving me.”
Hayward
stared into her eyes.
“Just how much more do you need,” she teased playing along.
“I need to look at you before I go crazy.”
Hayward
’s hands quickly undid the buttons on her red top. A wolf whistle sounded from his lips when he shoved the material aside to reveal a matching bra. “I love when you wear this color against you skin.” He moaned, planting kisses on her breasts. “For some reason it makes it sexier and hotter for me to touch.”
He moaned.
His left hand reached out and cupped her breast, “You are so beautiful.”
Hayward
placed his mouth against hers for a long wet kiss. Slowly his tongue eased inside her mouth; he showed her what his body wanted to do later. Temporarily his appetite was sated and he finally let her go.
“You don’t play fair.” She responded, trying to regain some of her senses.
Lifting her off the bed,
Hayward
re-buttoned her shirt and his knuckles accidentally brushed over her nipples. “A man in love never does.” He confessed. “We better go downstairs unless you want to end up back on my bed before tonight.” He threatened, as he observed the big comfortable empty bed behind them.