Sweetness, he said

by Starr, Jude

  The room became awfully quiet after Krys walked out. Our gazes met and we stared at one another for a long time. The distress in his eyes worried me, but I also saw all the love he held for me in them, too.

  “Talk to me, Calvin. Tell me what you’re going through.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t do that to you, Iris. Not after what you’ve been through, you don’t need to hear my problems.”

  “I’m okay. I’m honestly okay.” I tried to think of a better way to explain myself. “Since I was a kid, keeping my mouth shut has been hard. It has always gotten me into trouble, but never like last night, trust me. Yes, everything hurts, but I’ll heal and be okay.”

  “How can you say that? The guy hit you with your skateboard, for Christ’s sake! The doctor said your back is completely covered in bruises! Seeing you like this, Iris, is like watching what my mom went through, all over again. Growing up, I couldn’t do anything to save her because my father was dangerous and I couldn’t stand up to him. This time, I couldn’t stand on the sidelines and do nothing.”

  “What have you done?” I asked the question, but deep in my heart, I already knew.

  “He’s still alive, don’t worry. But he’ll never hurt a woman again. Trust me.”

  “Calvin… I… I don’t know what to say. I would never have asked you do something like this!

  “I know. It was my decision, not yours.” He looked away, but not before I saw the hurt and worry in his eyes.

  “Thank you, anyway. I wish you hadn’t done it, but I appreciate you looking out for me. Later in the morning, the doctor will put my hand in a finger splint.”

  Calvin glanced down at my bruised fingers. “Does it hurt?”

  “No, not really. The pain meds are keeping a lid on things.”

  “Shit,” he cursed. “It kills me to see you like this, kitten. It fucking kills me. I grew up watching my mom recovering from shit like you went through last night. She called her bruises ‘dark clouds’ to make them sound not so bad. For me.” He cupped my bruised cheek tenderly. “I don’t like seeing you like this. It hurts me in way I don’t even know how to explain. I swear, you’re gonna heal and you won’t ever be hurt like this again. I’ll never leave you alone so get hurt, I’ll be so close and keeping an eye on you, you’ll get sick of me.”

  “Never.”

  “God, I love you so much. I’m taking a few days off and I’ll stay home to care for you. I’m gonna make sure you have everything you need.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” I protested. “I’ll be fine. You have work to do. You’ve already been away for a couple of days.” The pain in my head returned swiftly, making me wince.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Give me a second.” I tried to push the ache away, not willing to let this ruin our conversation. We needed to talk and now seemed like a good time.

  “Let me get the nurse, kitten.” He was out the room before I was able to stop him. I knew they would give me more drugs and I would be asleep in no time. I didn’t want this; I just wanted him. No drugs.

  “Cal… Cal…” I tried to say his name louder. “I’m okay.” I lied.

  He returned alone. “They should be here soon.”

  “I’m okay. Calvin, and please, don’t call my parents, okay? I don’t want them to know.”

  He nodded. “I’m here for you. You can ask me anything and I’ll do whatever I can.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Don’t ever thank me for something like this.”

  The nurse came in but I lied and told her the pain had gone away, avoiding Calvin’s suspicious gaze. I asked when I would be able to go home. Hospitals were definitely not my cup of tea. The cold air, the shitty mattress – everything about this room sucked compare to Calvin’s home.

  Thinking about the penthouse, I cringed as I remembered the state I’d left it in. “I’m sorry; the apartment was messy when I left yesterday. I had planned on cleaning it up after I got home from work.”

  He laughed dryly. “Do you really think I care? It’s great, having your stuff in there, it brings everything to life.”

  Wait, Iris. Not here, not now. My desire to tell him about my decision to move in with him kept taunting me, but I wanted to surprise him and he’d had more than enough emotions to deal with tonight.

  By the time the sun started to rise, my body ached and I gave in to taking more pain killers. Calvin’s looked exhausted.

  “I think you should go home, baby. I’ll get some sleep, and you should too.” I could tell from the look on his face, he was about to protest. “No, I’m serious, Banks. You’re exhausted, so am I. Honestly, the meds are kicking in. I’ll be out for hours. Go on, please. I want you back in good shape and ready to pick me up in a few hours.”

  Calvin shook his head. “I don’t know what I did to cross your path, but damn, I don’t deserve someone as wonderful as you. But I have to tell you, this idea of yours, I hate it. My place is here with you.”

  “Come on, Calvin, a tall man like you can’t possibly sleep on that tiny wooden chair.” I yawned and even that movement freaking hurt. “Go home, take a shower and get some sleep. Bring me back some clean clothes, too.” I smiled.

  He grinned and winked. “That means I get to pick what you’ll wear to go home. I might come back with lingerie,” he warned.

  “Don’t be such a guy.” We both laughed and I winced as my head pounded. “Just bring me some comfy gym clothes. Please.”

  He kissed me, stared at me for a long moment and then kissed me again before leaving.

  *o*o*

  When Calvin arrived at the hospital a few hours later, I’d been released and was ready to leave. “Take me home, Calvin.” I saw the hesitation in his eyes, as he tried to decide where home was. I didn't add any more, this was a subtle hint that I planned to be moving in with him in the next couple of days.

  “Can you walk, or do you need a wheelchair?” he asked quietly. “I could carry you in my arms, instead.” He tried to make it sound like a joke, but I knew my injured condition was responsible for taking the sparkle from his eyes.

  “I'll try to walk, if you hold my hand.”

  He kissed my temple. “Anything, I’ll do anything you need.”

  Trying to remain inconspicuous under his beanie, Calvin walked with me down the hospital's hall. Even so, heaps of people stopped to watch him curiously as we went passed. I hated that some people might think he was responsible for the bruises covering my face.

  “I love you, Calvin,” I said to him, when one man stared at us and then gave Calvin a suspicious glare.

  He helped me into the SUV and drove calmly to his place. He never asked about driving to Broadway Hall. Calvin had apparently decided that my home was his and I loved that.

  The apartment had been clean. It smelled good, the scent of citrus in the air.

  The sheets on the bed had been changed, and the bed was prepared for my arrival. More pillows, a bottle of water, some magazines and the remote control for the TV was sitting on the nightstand. It was obvious Ms. Clare had been busy. What caught my eye was the gigantic bouquet of purple flowers, sitting on the table in the living room. A mix of different varieties, including some irises – it smelled so refreshing. Their fragrance relaxed me.

  “It’s beautiful, Calvin, thank you.”

  “I told them to add some irises, because it didn't seem complete without them,” he explained. “It’s like my life. You complete me, Iris.”

  I was deeply touched by his words. “You're the other half of me, too. You complete me, in every way possible.”

  Unable to hide his joy, he pulled me closer and held me carefully in his arms.

  “What do you want to do, kitten?”

  Every movement was uncomfortable, whatever we decided to do, I was certain I didn’t want it to include any movement.

  “What about watching a movie?” I loved the idea of being settled on the couch, lying against his chest.

  “Alrigh
t. Are you hungry?”

  “A little.” I wasn’t thinking about food. I twirled a strand of his hair around my finger seductively.

  He laughed, and a beautiful smile reached his eyes. One that I recognized. When he spoke, he sounded more like himself. “No way, kitten. Not for a few days, anyway. There isn’t a single square inch of your skin that isn’t bruised.”

  “I thought it was cool. Almost like tattoos.” I joked trying to diffuse the situation.

  “You’re still beautiful, kitten. So stop making it harder for me to stay away, or I might not be able to control myself.”

  I blushed. In fact, I liked it when he wasn’t able to control himself. It made him raw and outrageously sexy, and it gave him an edge. It aroused me.

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but whatever it is, please stop. We’re not doing anything today. I know you’re in pain.”

  With an exaggerated sigh, I acquiesced. “You’re right. I am hungry. Feed me.”

  I settled carefully onto the couch and waited for him to return from the kitchen.

  My head itched beneath the bandage and I really wanted to remove it. I apparently had seven stitches in the side of my head. My hair was dirty and I daydreamed about taking a shower. A warm shower would help to remove the sterile hospital scent from my skin.

  “Baby, I’ll be in the bathroom,” I announced, walking towards the bathroom. I removed my clothes swiftly, wanting to get in the shower quickly.

  I didn’t want Calvin to see me like this. He’d seen some of the bruises, but not all of them. The reflection in the mirror was horrifying; the guy had totally wrecked me. Being stubborn, I removed the bandage, even though I was supposed to keep it on until the following morning. I wanted to wash my hair, or at the very least, rinse the blood away. The hospital hadn’t told me I couldn’t get it wet, but I figured I probably shouldn’t use shampoo on the injury.

  I turned on the water, keeping the temperature cool. I washed myself quickly and rubbed some shampoo into my hair on the opposite side to the injury. The water developed a reddish tint, which made me slightly nauseous. I avoided looking at it anymore and rinsed my hair of all the bad memories.

  I added more hot water; it had never felt so good to shower. Admittedly, a shower with Calvin had to be the best damn thing in the world, but this was a close second.

  As I’d suspected, it only took a minute or two, for Calvin to show up in the bathroom to check up on what I was doing.

  “What are you doing, kitten?” Exasperated, he removed his t-shirt to help me finish rinsing my hair, without stepping inside the shower. “Be careful. You weren’t supposed to remove the bandage, Iris. I would really love to stay home tonight. I’ve seen enough of the hospital for today, the last thing we need is to have to take you back to the hospital because you’re head starts bleeding again.”

  “I had to wash it, Cal.” I didn’t think I needed to explain myself. Who doesn’t want a shower, when half their hair is covered in blood? I figured he wouldn’t be happy about the situation, but he would understand.

  Turning of the water, he helped me dry myself and got me one of his t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants to wear.

  “Are you feeling okay?” he questioned.

  I wasn’t. Dizziness came on swiftly and my emotions suddenly surged. “I don’t know,” I said, tears beginning to run down my cheeks. “I think I need to sit down.” He lifted me in his arms, holding me close to him as he sat on the couch with me in his lap.

  “I’m here, Iris. Cry if you need to.”

  Cuddling with my man was the best feeling ever. I had missed him so much in the past few days. “I love it here, you holding me, it makes me feel safe.”

  “That’s because you are safe here, kitten.”

  I heard the beep of the oven from in the kitchen. Calvin didn’t move, however, he kept his arms wrapped gently around me and peppered my neck with kisses. “Are you feeling better now? Do you need your medication?”

  I shook my head. “I just need you.”

  “I’m right here, sweetheart.” He brushed away the tears running down my cheeks, removing them with the sleeve of his t-shirt.

  My stomach growled loudly, impossible to ignore. “I think I’m hungry,” I suggested with a smile.

  “I’ll go grab the food, okay? I’ll be right back.” He lifted me as if I weighed nothing and settled me down on the couch, ensuring I was comfortable.

  He returned a moment later with a plate of warm nachos drizzled with melted cheese and salsa. It smelled absolutely delicious, making my mouth water and my stomach growled again.

  “Now, eat up, you need to regain your strength.”

  We ate as if we hadn’t seen food in days. The plate was empty in no time and I sat back on the couch my belly full and satisfied.

  Calvin pulled me gently towards him, and we sat back and cuddled in silence. Calvin had brought my medication in from the kitchen and placed it on the coffee table. My back and head had started hurting more during our meal. I flinched when I was trying to find a more comfortable position and Calvin noticed, immediately handing me the pain killers.

  I was getting tired and Calvin was yawning too, but I wanted to tell him my plan before we went to bed. All my life, I had struggled with keeping surprises a secret. This time, it was different but I was dying to tell him.

  “Before we both pass out from exhaustion, there’s something I want to tell you. It’s important.”

  His facial expression went from happy to freaking worried within a split-second, and I loved the way he reacted to everything I said, his emotions clearly visible. He remained silent, watching me with cautious eyes.

  “My answer is yes,” I announced.

  Calvin looked momentarily confused. “But I didn’t even ask you to marry me, yet.”

  I laughed, but the action hurt my cheek and pain crashed directly through my skull. I shook my head at him. “I want to move in with you, baby. I thought about it a lot when you were away and I don’t see how we could be apart again.”

  “Fuck, you make me so happy.” He kissed my temple. “So fucking happy.” His lips found every inch of available skin. His kisses were soft, lovely and my favorite thing. I swore to myself, I would never spend a day without enjoying them again.

  Chapter 21

  We landed on the main island late in the afternoon, as everything was about to disappear into darkness. I didn’t see a lot of the island, but there was definitely something in the air that hinted tropics. The salty air and high-humidity level was the first thing that struck me. I tried to look around out of curiosity, but as soon as we were on safe ground, Calvin and another man packed our luggage into a small boat, and we were off to our little piece of heaven on earth. When we arrived on the island, the night had taken us into total blackness. The only light came from the flash light the boat guy used, to show us the way out of the boat and up onto the small wooden dock.

  I held Calvin’s hand with all my strength. Darkness had always scared the crap out of me and I had no idea where we were, or where we were going. We stepped off the dock and onto the sand, and approached a small walkway created out of flat rocks. We followed the boat guy, who walked too fast for my tastes. I was feeling a little anxious and uncertain.

  Suddenly, our destination appeared. With light glowing from each of the windows, the small white house exceeded all my expectations. It looked so beautiful rustic. The man opened the door and put our luggage inside. We entered the house and I swear, my heart skipped a beat. “Wow!”

  The guy handed Calvin a key and then he left, leaving us alone in this beautiful house.

  Excited and overwhelmed, I kissed Cal on the cheek and ran around the place, looking at everything. I must have looked crazy because I heard Calvin laugh from behind me. I opened a door which revealed a small bedroom and a second door led to a small laundry room. The third door led into a beautiful all-white bedroom with a double French doors giving access to the beach. I let myself fall on the m
attress. “This is too good to be true.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I think, too, every morning when I wake up beside you.”

  I sat on the edge of the bed with a happy sigh. “Thank you, baby.”

  “Anything for you.” He pulled his hair back into a bun. “Wait until the sun is up, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

  *o*o*

  Waking up with no other sounds than the waves rolling into the shoreline seemed too good to be true. No traffic noise, no police sirens, absolutely nothing but the gentle sound of the waves crashing onto the sand. “Thank you for bringing me to heaven.”

  “I promised you we would go somewhere together to relax once you recovered. Here we are, kitten. I came here for the first time after my interview had aired. It did me a lot of good. I want us to relax and have a good time.”

  The last three weeks had been incredible, but kind of crazy. I moved in with Calvin right after the attack. It was the best decision I’d ever made. I needed ten days of recovery at home before I started returning to school, gradually increasing how long I managed to stay each day. Calvin had our bedroom remodelled last week, incorporating a more feminine design. I had never complained about his old bedroom, but apparently, he wanted to make me feel at home. I already did, but I figured it would be a waste of time to try to tell him otherwise.

  I had finally met Ms. Clare and we bonded right away. I was helping her with the cooking, every chance I got. She reminded me a lot of mom.

  Calvin had signed the football player he met with in Texas and he’d met with another one in New Jersey. His business was keeping him busy and away from me but I understood. It wasn’t every day he could sign great athletes.

  Watching him planning his proposals to them amazed me. Not only was he good to me but he obviously cared about these young man.

  “The sun agrees with you, kitten. Your hair shines like gold nuggets.”

  I chuckled. “Gold nuggets?” I thought about what I could say, wanting to tease him a little. “Your green eyes shine like sea grass.”