Teach Me Tonight

by Jacquelin Thomas

  “Micah, before you say anything more, I need to make this clear to you. I don’t want you hanging around because of the baby or because you feel sorry for me.”

  “Why would I feel sorry for you?” Micah asked. “Tamara, I happen to think that you’re the bravest person I know. Not many people could have gone through something like that and be the person that you are now. Even back then, you were always smiling. None of us had a clue that anything was wrong.”

  Tamara met his gaze straight on. “I’m not sure I understand. How was I brave? I let my mother convince me not to press charges or go to the police. She told the doctor that I had been raped, but she didn’t tell him that it was Lucas. There’s no bravery in that.”

  “Yes, there is,” Micah countered. “You silently carried the weight of your stepfather’s abuse to protect your sister all these years. You’re still protecting her from the truth. Callie has no idea what kind of man her father really is and that’s thanks to you. Lucas is afraid of you, Tamara, because you hold all the cards. One word from you and he could lose his daughter.”

  “I used to worry every time she would go over to visit him,” Tamara confessed. “I was afraid he would do the same thing to her.”

  “Are you sure that he hasn’t?”

  Tamara nodded. “Callie would have fallen apart. That’s not something she would be able to deal with. I just found out last week that she’s going to have a baby.” She glanced up at Micah. “I just pray this baby is a boy. He didn’t touch Callie, but I don’t know about a grandchild. I couldn’t be quiet about this if I thought my niece was in danger.”

  “He should have gone to prison,” Micah uttered. “Sweetheart, you have a quiet strength—I’ve always said that about you. It’s one of the things that I love about you. Life can get crazy at times but during those times, you can’t crumble. You have to stay strong.”

  “It’s not an easy task,” Tamara confessed. “I have just never been one to give up, but I will tell you that. I’m tired, Micah. That is one of the reasons I’m alone and not in a relationship. I just don’t have time for drama.” She put her hands to her face. “I’m really tired emotionally.”

  “I’m sure I added to the stress and for that, I’m sorry,” Micah told her. “Honey, you don’t have to face all of this alone anymore. I’m here for you. Tamara, you can tell me anything. I want you to know that.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek. “Right now, I just want you to hold me, please.”

  Micah wrapped an arm around her. “I am really sorry about the way I’ve been acting. I had no idea that you had this kind of chaos in your life.”

  “There wasn’t any way that you could have known, Micah. I wouldn’t let you see my pain. Then we both just assumed the worst about the other when it came to our hearts. I’m not saying it’s a good thing. We’re just scared of getting hurt.”

  “I did the same thing to you that I accused you of—that’s not cool.”

  “Micah, I don’t hold it against you,” Tamara assured him. “I just didn’t know what I’d done wrong. I had no idea what upset you at the time, but I do see your point, and if it were me, I would probably have felt the same way.”

  “Well now that we’ve gotten all of this out—it’s time for us to bury the past and look to the future, so I think we need to talk about the baby. Tamara, are you absolutely sure you’re pregnant?”

  Tamara looked him straight in the eye because she had nothing to hide. “I went to the doctor, and he confirmed it last week, Micah. I went in because I thought I had a virus but found out that it was a baby.”

  “I’m confused. I know we had the issue with the condom breaking the night we made love,” he stated. “I thought you told me that you were on the pill or did I misunderstand?”

  “I was on the pill, Micah.” Tamara replied.

  “Then how did this happen?” he asked.

  “A few months ago, I had to get a lower dosage than what I was using before. I guess in my case, they weren’t a strong enough dosage. I started having a reaction to the ones I was taking.”

  Micah agreed. “I take it that you’re going to keep the baby.”

  “Of course,” Tamara responded. “There aren’t any other options as far as I’m concerned.”

  Micah held up his hands in defense. “Hey, don’t hit me…. I had to ask—No more assumptions, right?”

  “Right,” Tamara agreed. “We’re not making any assumptions. We didn’t plan to conceive a child and I know this is as much a shock to you as it was to me. I also know that we’re not a couple, which is why I won’t force you to play a role in—”

  Micah cut her off by saying, “I intend to be a part of my child’s life. I want to make sure that you’re hearing me on this, Tamara. You’re right that we didn’t plan to have baby, but we did create one and I’m not going to run away from the situation. I’m not that kind of man.”

  “I never thought that you were, Micah. That’s why I wanted you to know that you had a child and to give you the option of being in his or her life. Like you, I didn’t grow up with a father, so I would really like for this baby to have two parents.” She yawned. “I’m sorry. I get tired pretty quickly these days.”

  Tamara glanced over at the clock on the mantel of the fireplace. “We can talk some more tomorrow because I’m sure Sunni must be wondering when you’re coming home.”

  Micah shook his head. “Sunni’s going back to Los Angeles tomorrow. I told her about the baby. I needed to make her know that there’s no future for us. There never was.”

  “How did she take it?”

  “Pretty good, I thought,” Micah responded. “She knew it all along that there was only one woman for me.”

  She glanced up at him. “What are you saying? I know that you’ve been wanting to tell me something and I’ve cut you off. What is it that you want to tell me?”

  Micah took her hand in his. “I want you to know that I care a great deal for you, Tamara. I tried ten years ago to let you know how I felt about you. You shot me down and as much as I wanted to forget you I couldn’t.”

  Tamara’s eyes never left his face. “Micah, what exactly are you telling me?” she asked.

  “That what I feel for you is much more than friendship,” Micah confessed. “It goes much deeper than that. Tamara, I love you. I always have.”

  Her eyes filled with tears as she smiled. “Micah, I love you, too. I can’t believe that we’ve wasted so much time.”

  He kissed her. “Well, we’re here now, so let’s not waste another minute more.”

  Micah lay in bed beside Tamara, propped up on his arm as he watched her sleep. Stunned by Tamara’s revelation, he felt the urge to protect her. He prayed he was never in the same location as Lucas Devane. Micah wasn’t sure how he would react.

  He couldn’t imagine how hard it was for Tamara to keep such a dark secret from him and the rest of her friends. Having learned all this, Micah better understood why she reacted the way that she did graduation night. Any woman fighting inner demons, such as what she lived with, would respond the same way.

  Micah was still stunned over how well Tamara was able to hide this from him. He had always assumed she was a happy-go-lucky girl with this sunny personality; all the while she was suffering in silence.

  “I won’t let anyone hurt you ever again,” he whispered. “I will protect you and our child with my life. I promise you, sweetheart. I’m going to keep you safe.”

  She moaned softly and turned over to her side.

  Micah eased out of bed and walked over to the window, staring out at the heavens. Atlanta nights were always a vision of beauty, but this night seemed especially beautiful. The stars painted across the heavens and the moon seemed brighter than usual.

  I’m going to be a father.

  He and Tamara were going to have a child together. The thought thrilled Micah to no end. He had loved her all of his adult life, and the fact that they now shared a child that bonded them forever.

&
nbsp; Micah wasn’t complaining. He had always desired something permanent between them. If it had been up to him, he and Tamara would have gotten married years ago. He had always known that she was his soul mate.

  His heart raced as he recalled her declaration of love. Tamara loved him in return. It surprised him to find out that she had loved him for as long as he loved her. Too many years were spent in misunderstandings and wrong assumptions. Micah didn’t want to waste another precious minute. He and Tamara would talk tomorrow about their future to make sure that they were on the same page.

  I’m not going to lose her again.

  Chapter 14

  Saturday, October 17

  Tamara woke up to the mouthwatering aroma of sausages cooking. Yawning, she climbed out of bed and padded barefoot into the bathroom to take a quick shower.

  Fifteen minutes later, she walked out wrapped in a towel.

  Humming softly, Tamara slipped on her robe and headed downstairs to the kitchen.

  “Good morning,” Micah said when he saw her standing in the doorway. “I hope you don’t mind that I made breakfast. How are you feeling?”

  Tamara smiled as she sat down in one of the chairs at the breakfast bar. “I’m fine in the mornings. I don’t get nauseated until the afternoon or in the evening.” Micah’s presence in her home gave her great joy. This was a dream come true for her.

  “Since when did you start cooking?” she asked.

  He gave a short laugh. “I had to learn if I wanted to eat. Did you think that I ate out all the time?”

  Micah handed her a glass of orange juice.

  “Thanks,” she murmured.

  Tamara took a sip before saying, “I thought that maybe you had a chef on staff or something.”

  He shook his head. “No, I do my own cooking.”

  “Do you need any help?” she asked.

  Micah shook his head no. “I have everything under control. You just sit there and look beautiful.”

  She talked to him while he finished cooking.

  Micah fixed their plates and placed them on the breakfast bar. He came around and sat down beside her.

  “Tamara, you know that my mom was a single parent,” Micah stated after blessing the food. “It wasn’t easy for us, but we managed to have a good life. I know that this is a really confusing time for both of us and with our penchant for misunderstandings, I want it to be clear to you that I don’t want that for my child. I’m not talking about the money aspect of it—I missed out on having a father. That’s what I wanted most.”

  “Micah, I already told you that I won’t keep you away from your child,” Tamara said. “I mean that. If it’ll make you feel better, we can have some type of legal document drawn up for visitation.”

  He met her gaze straight on. “Sweetheart, what I’m trying to tell you is that I don’t want to be a part-time father, either.”

  She lay down her fork and wiped her mouth on the edge of her napkin. “Micah, what exactly are you saying?”

  “I’ve always been crazy about you, Tamara. Now that I know you love me as much as I love you, I’m saying that I want you to be in my life. We made love last night—it wasn’t two people having sex.”

  Micah sliced off a piece of sausage with his fork and stuck it in his mouth. “I have always wanted to be in a committed relationship with you.”

  Tamara finished off her scrambled eggs. “I don’t want to rush into a relationship just because I’m carrying your child, Micah.”

  “That’s not what this is,” he responded. “Tamara, we’ve known each other for fourteen years, remember? Look, if you’re not interested in—”

  “That’s not it at all,” she quickly interjected. “It sounds to me like we want the same things, Micah. I definitely want you in my life and not as just my friend. I want a relationship with you but we have to consider the fact that you live on the West Coast and I’m here in Atlanta. All I’m saying is that there’s a lot to talk about—like if you’re moving here or if I’ll be moving to L.A.”

  “You’re right,” Micah stated. “I know that we won’t be able to figure it all out this weekend, but we have to start somewhere. Right now all I want to do is pamper the woman carrying my unborn child. Now that I’ve fed you, I want you to go upstairs and get back into bed. We’ve got a lot going on today, but before that, I have some people coming over.”

  Tamara reached for the jar of apple jelly. She loved putting some on her toast and was touched that Micah remembered. “What people? Who’s coming to the house?”

  “Relax, sweetheart,” he told her with a small chuckle. “I have a massage scheduled for you. You’re going to get a manicure and pedicure, facial—whatever you want. Oh and a hairstylist will be here, as well.”

  “You don’t have to do this, Micah. I don’t need to be pampered.”

  “Yeah, you do,” he countered. “You deserve to be treated like a queen. As long as we’re together, I intend to spoil you and our child.”

  Tamara reached over and took him by the hand. “Micah, all I want is your love. I don’t need anything else. Love is all I’ve ever wanted—not money, material stuff or anything like that. I only want your love.”

  The telephone rang.

  “It’s my mother,” she announced, glancing over at the caller ID. “I’ll call her back later.”

  Micah leaned over and kissed her. “You have to forgive your mother, sweetheart. I know that you find her motives suspect, but I believe she was well intentioned. She only wanted to secure you and your sister’s future.”

  Tamara nodded and replied, “I know you’re right about the forgiveness part, but I’m just not as sure as you are about my mother’s motives.”

  “Look at how much time we missed because of our assumptions,” Micah pointed out. “Talk to your mother and really listen to her without judgment. Listen to her heart. That’s where we went wrong in the first place.”

  “Micah, I’ll think about what you’ve said,” she responded.

  He sent her upstairs to wait for the massage therapist to arrive and set up.

  Tamara felt like a new woman.

  The therapist used a floor cushion and utilized foot pressure and techniques along the musculature of Tamara’s body. She felt a total release as tension left her body.

  “This was a wonderful idea. They also have prenatal massages. I’m going to schedule some, but I have to wait until after my first trimester,” she told Micah afterward. “Thank you.”

  He smiled. “You’re glowing.”

  She hugged him. “That’s because I’m deliriously happy. I never thought I would ever be this happy. I love you, Micah.”

  He reached out and took her face in his hand. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

  Tamara’s eyes brimmed with tears of happiness. She would never tire of hearing him say those words or the little catch in his voice as he said them.

  Without another word spoken between them, Micah picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the bedroom.

  “We need to get ready,” Tamara reminded him as he sat her down gently on the bed.

  Micah shrugged. “It’s a tailgate party. We’ll be fine.”

  He untied her robe as he told her, “You are my dream come true, Tamara.”

  They kissed.

  She eased under the covers and watched him as he undressed.

  Micah joined her in bed and pulled her into his arms. “Sweetheart, are you sure you’re feeling up to this?”

  She nodded. “I want you, Micah Ross.”

  His hands explored the soft lines of her back, her waist and her hips searing a path of desire through her. Tamara surrendered blissfully to the deep feelings drawing them together.

  Micah kissed her repeatedly, courting her senses with sweet and fiery sensations. Tamara matched him kiss for kiss. His love-filled gaze traveled over her curves. She was so exquisite and sexy that Micah shivered with passion for her.

  His lips seared hers aggressively as he pulled her closer
to him. Tamara clutched him tightly because she never wanted to let him go.

  Together, they rode the waves of passion, crying out their pleasure when their desire peaked out of control.

  When their pulses returned to normal, Micah and Tamara spent a few moments cuddling before getting up and showering together.

  He was dressed and ready before her, so Micah went downstairs to make some phone calls.

  Tamara dressed in a pair of skinny jeans with matching jacket. She paired the outfit with a white lace shirt. She fingered through her hair and then paused briefly to place a hand to her belly where the child she created with Micah was growing.

  After all these years, she and Micah were finally together. Tamara could hardly contain her joy.

  “Are you almost ready?” Micah shouted, his voice carrying through the apartment.

  “I’ll be right there,” she stated.

  When Tamara came down, she found Micah sitting in the living room giving instructions to Bette.

  “Schedule a meeting for me here in Atlanta,” he stated. “I’ll extend my stay here for a few more days.”

  Micah glanced over at her and winked.

  Tamara walked over to a nearby mirror to give her look one final perusal.

  “You look beautiful,” he said from behind her.

  She turned around. “Mr. Ross, you don’t look too shabby yourself.” Tamara liked the jeans and crisp linen shirt he wore.

  An hour later, they were ready to leave the townhouse.

  “I told you that we were fine on time,” Micah stated as he opened the passenger door to his Mercedes luxury sedan for her. He had her pack an overnight bag because she would be spending the rest of the weekend with Micah at his home in Buckhead.

  Micah stopped at a nearby grocery store so that they could pick up hot dogs, buns and sodas for the tailgate party.

  Back in the car, Micah reached over and took her hand in his. “I really love you, and I’m happy about the baby. The timing is off, but I already love this child.”

  “I had just found out that Callie’s pregnant the week before. You can imagine my shock when I found out that I was having a baby, too,” Tamara commented. “I kept telling my doctor that it was a mistake. He explained that most likely my dosage was much too low. I had to get them changed because the side effects were awful.”