9 Ways to Fall in Love

by Caroline Clemmons

  “You’re entitled, Alex. I’ve got two ears and a big heart, if you want to talk.” She touched my arm gingerly.

  “I’d rather talk about Harrison. I think he likes you,” I said, as I cleaned up the last bit of glass and wine.

  “I like him too. Hey, how do you tell them apart?” She giggled and shook her head.

  “Yes, they look alike, but are very different personality wise. It took me some time studying them to tell them apart, but I didn’t have the pleasure of having them together at first. It was always one or the other. Anything you want to ask me before they get back? I don’t know their life story, but maybe I can fill you in on some of the blanks.”

  “For starters, I think Harrison may be too old for me. I won’t turn thirty until the spring. Also, does he live in Chicago or just travel in and out of there? And finally, has he been married or have kids?” She was giving me reasonable questions, trying to find excuses why he couldn’t be perfect.

  “Well, no ex-wives or children that I know of. Only Zoe, the sister that lives here, whom you’ve met. Their parents passed away. He has a fabulous penthouse in Chicago. He’s a true Bears fanatic like me. He even gave me his season tickets, but I’ll be giving them back since I won’t be able to go. He’s an attorney and a venture capitalist, providing funding to start-up businesses. Money is no problem. He’s thirty-seven, that’s not too old for you, is it?”

  I heard the door and we both stopped the 20/20 on Harrison for the time being. We joined the guys in the kitchen. My handsome guy opened the wine and handed me half a glass, but not before he gave me a delicious kiss. “Keep that up bro’ and you’re gonna need a room!” Harrison said, smirking at Grayson.

  “Hey, I got one on stand-by right around the corner!” He gave me a wink while pulling me close to him.

  The guys changed our menu to steaks instead of pasta since it was a beautiful evening to grill out. Monica and I worked on the potatoes and salad while the guys tended to the grill. It was fun and lively having friends to hang out with. We had fun just watching the twins argue over who had the best grilling chops. Secretly, my heart was full of love for both of them and what it meant to have them together at last, acting normal. The sight brought tears to my eyes just as Grayson walked back in to the kitchen. I tried to turn and cover, but he busted me.

  “What happened? What’s wrong?” With tight arms, he grabbed me by the shoulders and turned my face up to his. When I didn’t answer right away, he kissed me sweetly on the corner of my eye and then my lips. “You can tell me anything. Something happened.” He took in a deep breath. “Care to share?” He took me to his chest and I could feel his heart beating very fast.

  “Nothing’s wrong. It made me happy to see you with Harrison, that’s all.” I placed a sweet kiss on his mouth. A lingering, tender kiss that said I want you and I need you.

  “Keep that up and we’ll have to disappear for a while!” He stroked his fingers down my arm sweetly.

  “I’ve missed you. I’ve missed us.” I reached around his waist and pulled him tightly to me. My skin tingled for him, my heart heavy with wanting to be alone with him, skin to skin.

  “You’re safe with me now. I’ll never let anything happen to you ever again. I don’t think I could live through not being with you.” He kissed my forehead and walked away after giving me a cute wink, trying to lighten my mood. Monica and I gave each other a look and went back to our kitchen duties without saying anything.

  We enjoyed our dinner, wine, and conversation. We even did a little spontaneous dancing in our small kitchen and dining area. Harrison asked Monica to go for a walk with him, obvious that he wanted to be alone with her, and Grayson helped me with the dishes. With our special playlist providing a sweet back drop, he slowly held me to him and swayed us to the music. We danced, enjoying each other and just being together again. My body was still mending from the events and I tried my best to hide my discomfort.

  “It’s good to have you to myself. Have I told you today just how much I love you?” He twirled my hair with his fingers.

  “Yes, but it is lovely to hear you tell me again. You’re my world. I don’t know what I was thinking. I’m so sorry, I, hmm, this is all...” I couldn’t finish my words, my voice hushed by his soft lips.

  When he pulled his lips away, he said, “You are the love of my life. What happened isn’t your fault. There’s no blame here in my heart.” He took my hand with his and touched the left side of his chest. “I thought I’d lost you forever. I never want to go through that again. My heart hurts for our little one, Alexandra. I’m just devastated, but I promise, we’ll have a baby.”

  He led me to the sofa and sat down, easing me onto his lap. “In front of me and everyone else you try to put on a strong face, but I’ve heard you cry in the bathroom and I see your eyes are all red. Do you wanna talk?”

  “I love you,” I began quietly, “but I’m stubborn and that annoys you. I’d do anything to have listened to you, I have so much regret. We’d still be having our baby. It was my fault. If only I’d listened to you, my heart wouldn’t be hurting so bad. Another baby won’t replace our loss for me. I’m not ready to think about another one. I’m okay with it being us for a while.” I buried myself into his neck, but he wouldn’t have it. He pulled my head back so that he could meet me eye-to-eye.

  “This was NOT your fault, none of it. Believe it and move on with me. Our pregnancy had issues from the beginning, it happens. Nothing you did or didn’t do caused this. I’m ready to start a family with you whenever you are, just say the word. We do have a lot going on and getting our own place is a damn priority for me. Speaking of which, I was saving this for later, but I think now is the perfect time to discuss the house out in Rockwall. Everything’s perfect about it except the location. Have you thought about the house at all?”

  “The location isn’t ideal. I’d be happier with something in this area, so I could spend more time with you. You’ll be busy with work and you’ve got your speaking engagements for Parson Medical. If we stay in town, we’re closer to our friends and your office. The house is beautiful out on the lake, just not practical. Although I’ll never forget the part it played at our engagement.” I kissed him sweetly on the cheek and then nibbled my way to his lips. My body couldn’t hide my desire for him. I hungered for him and that physical connection, I needed the satisfaction that only he could bring.

  “I asked Cooper to pull the listings for this area. I had a feeling that with everything going on, you’d want to stay around here for our first house. Who knows where we will want to be in five years or so? He said that he would put them on his desk. When you’re ready, we can look at them.”

  “I think I want to wait. Can’t we just extend your lease for six more months?” I wanted to shut down the conversation about a house and move on to being close to him. I kissed his neck and took a deep breath, inhaling his manly scent of body wash and cotton. I couldn’t process buying a house at the moment. It was all just too much.

  Propped on his knees, I leaned back and looked at him. “I just want some kind of normalcy, maybe just you, me, and a dog named Rosco!” He smiled like I had given him the moon.

  He pulled back to look me in the eyes, “Fine, we can extend, but you have to tell your dad.” He made a tight frown, furrowing his brows together. What did that frown mean, I asked myself?

  “Dad? What does my dad have to do with this?” I took a second to ponder what he said. “For real? Geez, that man doesn’t wait on anything. The house... He was going to buy us the house for a wedding present, wasn’t he? He is so predictable! Please tell me that he hasn’t bought it already?” My body tensed up for yet another round of drama.

  “Nope, no time, thank god. When I called him to ask for your hand he was so excited and offered his gift. If you’d rather live at my place you can do it any time before the wedding, but when we get back from Bora Bora, you will be moved into my place, agreed?” The look was stern. I knew that look, it wasn’t
the time for a debate. I agreed with him that we needed our own place and it couldn’t happen soon enough.

  “Your place, it is. I just want us to be together. I love you so much it hurts.” I took his face in my hands. I searched his eyes. They were deep with want. I felt it. He felt it.

  “If you are not ready to try again for a baby, we’ll need lots of birth control.” He chuckled as his whiskers nuzzled my neck and I felt his desire under my hip, he was hard. His kisses were becoming aggressive. I knew that he needed release as much as I did. I pushed back from him. “I’m scared. What if we are meant to be parents? What if I can’t give you a child?” I needed his approval to wait, but I needed to hear his commitment to me more.

  “Where’s this coming from? I don’t understand why you won’t to try again, but if you want to wait, I will.” I could see the disappointment in his eyes.

  “I want nothing more than to have your baby, it’s failing that terrifies me. It’s just the thought of losing another one, one tragedy after another. Let’s talk about it later. Right now, I just need you, need to feel you…” My body responded to his caresses, and I kissed him deeply, taking his breath for mine. “I love you with all my heart, Grayson.” Overcome with passion, with need for him, I kissed him feverishly. His love warmed my soul more than anything I’d ever known.

  He carried me to the bedroom and quickly removed our clothes before placing me on the bed, taking his place beside me. His hands caressed my body, his kisses sweet and tangy from the wine on my lips. His fingers massaged my swollen nub and I found my hips grinding against his palm for friction. I no longer had control, sexual gratification was what I wanted. His mouth claimed mine in a fury of desire. Our pent up cravings were uncontrollable. “Yes,” I cried out. “I need you, please,” I begged. My skin tingled, my breath heavy and hard to grasp.

  “Just let yourself go. If it feels good, scream it. ”

  My body shuddered from a beautiful orgasm as I screamed his name. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw him propped up on his elbow just deviously smiling down at me with satisfaction. “I love the way your cheeks glow when you come. Your lips get so red. That’s why I started calling you Red. I never told you that, although I’m sure you thought it was because of your beautiful hair.” He grinned, flashing me his beautiful pearly whites and twisted a curl around his finger.

  He took to sucking a beaded nipple, teasing it with his teeth as he continued to stimulate my overly sensitized clit. On the brink of another climax, I begged him, “Please don’t stop, that feels amazing.” I arched against his hand just as my body blazed with ripples of ecstasy once more. I could barely catch my breath and the back side of my eyelids were speckled with glitter for a moment. He nuzzled my shoulder and allowed my body to slowly return to normal.

  “Feel better now?” he asked with a cocky smile.

  “Um, hmm,” was all I could muster for a response. I cherished the feeling of his arms around me. I didn’t want to deny him the release he needed. “Stand up beside the bed, sweetheart.”

  “What for?” He was either half-a-sleep or playing coy.

  “Humor me, will ya cowboy?” I shook my head and teased him back.

  I took him in my mouth and teased the purple cap of his erection. I stroked his length with my grip. His shaft was rigid, the veins ripe. He held my head in his hands and couldn’t contain himself. He began to thrust his hips in and out of my mouth.

  “Yes. Feels. So. Good.” He bobbed in and out of my mouth with force. He was losing himself in me with raw need. I looked up at him through my eyelashes. His eyes were closed, head thrown back, and he was panting through tight, pursed lips. My nails gripped his ass tightly as I held on for the ride. He moaned my name as he reached his climax.

  He quickly pulled out, “Baby, I’m sorry, I got carried away.”

  I shook my head, “You needed me. I wanted you, too.”

  He fell to the bed on his back with a smile on his face. He pulled me to him and wrapped me in his arms, covering us with the bedding. We were quiet, both of us asleep within minutes.

  Chapter 4

  Coffee, yum, I smell you. I reached out, but the other side of the bed was empty. Hmm, Grayson must’ve made breakfast. How did I get so lucky? I landed a sexy guy that could cook. I found him in the kitchen making an omelet. “Just in time, my angel awakes.” He handed me a cup of coffee and sweetly kissed me good morning.

  “How did I ever get so lucky as to find a handsome Prince Charming who can do double duty in the kitchen?” I giggled, wrapped my arms around his waist, and snuggled into his back. The feel of his body close to mine was comfortable.

  “Good morning, sunshine! I think I could spend all day debating that I am the lucky one.” He turned around to kiss me softly on the forehead. “I wanted to spend all day with you in bed, but unfortunately, I have a big surgery schedule today before we have dinner with your parents tonight. Seven o’clock, correct?” He finished gobbling his toast and chased it with juice.

  “Yes, seven. I wish you didn’t have to go.” I took a seat at the bar beside him and pouted. He took my shoulders and turned me to face him, pausing for only a moment, but it seemed like eternity. “Promise me you’ll take it easy, those stitches don’t come out until Friday. You calling Dr. Stewart today?”

  “I was awake part of the night thinking about trying again for a baby.” Pausing, I took his hand and kept my voice sweet, trying to smooth things over. I knew he was hurting and just wanted to jump back into baby mode, but the fear of failure shredded me. “I think that we should place it in nature’s hands. No birth control, just let it happen when it’s supposed...” I found myself being whisked into his arms before I could finish.

  “I love you for agreeing to try! Our honeymoon is going be delicious in more ways than one!” He cupped my breast and kissed my neck.

  He murmured into my neck, “But it’s going to be painful for the next few weeks not making love to you!”

  “Dr. Mason said that we only had to wait a couple of weeks to have sex, but there’s nothing wrong with a little creativity,” I belted out with a laugh. I could feel his erection stiff against my pelvis. He wanted to claim me as much as I needed him to make wild, passionate love to me all day.

  “It’s going to get difficult to refrain from sex with you here all the time. Maybe you should go back to your place. Ugh, I don’t know if I can take the tension!” I gave his gorgeous tight backside a swat and then pushed him away.

  “No! If I can take it, so can you. Besides, Harrison and Monica have invaded my apartment!”

  “Already? You Brooks’ boys move at lightning speed, don’t you? I could tell that they were both in to each other immediately, just like us. I really like her and I enjoyed having girl time yesterday. I wanted to ask her help in picking out a wedding gown with Cooper. It might come as a shock, but I’m also inviting Gretchen to join us.”

  “That’ll make your dad happy.”

  “Hmm, what will make you happy?” I leaned over and licked his neck tenderly before kissing him. That drove him nuts.

  He took my face in his hands and touched his forehead to mine. “You make me happy.”

  ***

  I started my shower as Grayson finished his breakfast and came to brush his teeth and tell me bye. “Please wait to undress and get in the shower until after I leave. All this play this morning has left me with a raging hard-on. I can’t take much more and seeing you naked in the shower will make me late for work.” His grin lit up the bathroom. He was more relaxed than I had seen him since we’d been back home. I love his manly, chiseled features.

  “I can think of a few ways to take care of that problem, doctor. Do you need my assistance?” My finger in between my teeth was a torture to him. It drove him wild.

  “No, stop that! I’m late for work. We should have started this play time sooner. But I’ll take a rain check for dessert after dinner?”

  “Mmm, dessert.”

  He gave me a sweet kiss
goodbye. “Dessert!” he shouted on his way out the door.

  I spent my day unpacking work files, part of the joy of keeping so many records for clinical research when launching a new product. My belongings had also arrived from the apartment in Chicago. Cooper lent a hand unpacking clothes and shoes while I worked on my work files and attended a few work conference calls. The corporate office forwarded the conference schedule to me. Right after our honeymoon, I had a conference in San Antonio, which Grayson would be speaking at as well. I’d never been there, so the idea of exploring the riverwalk with my new husband seemed romantic.

  Cooper and I grabbed a quick lunch and just had fun hanging out together. We didn’t have as much time to do that as we used to. It was a blessing to have him in my life and I felt grateful for the bond that we shared.

  The day passed quickly and I hadn’t realized what time it was when Dad and Gretchen arrived early for dinner. We spent the extra time just catching up. Gretchen was delighted when I asked her to help shop for a bridal gown. I figured she would accompany me out of politeness, but I didn’t expect her to be so excited. Dad came up to me in the kitchen and gave me a big hug.

  “I’m happy that you asked Gretchen to go with you on the wedding gown search, kiddo. Thank you for making her a part of all this.” When I looked up at him, there were tears in his eyes.

  “Dad, please don’t do that. It’s going to be okay.” I paused for courage, knowing I was about to disappoint him, “Well, except one thing that is. I know you wanted to get the house in Rockwall for us. I figured out your plan, but there’s been a change. We’ve decided just to be a normal couple for a while before we get into a house. Although we love the Rockwall place, we both agreed that it’s too far out for what we need. We’re going to look around here for our first home. I loved your surprise, but we’re just going to delay things for a while, no need to rush now that we’ve lost the baby.” By now, my cheeks were streamed with tears. It was difficult to talk about the loss of our little one, but everything we did seemed to revolve around the fact that we were pregnant.