by Darrien Lee
“Someone’s really trying to get in touch with you,” Tori stated breathlessly as Kyle covered her mouth with hot kisses.
Frustrated, Kyle looked at the phone and said, “It’s just Ramsey. I’ll call him back later. I’m busy right now.”
Tori giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “And I like the way you work.”
He winked at her and said, “Then you’re going to love this presentation,” just before disappearing under the sheets.
Tori let out a sensual moan as Kyle’s soft lips came in contact with her center.
Ramsey put his cell back inside his jacket.
“No answer?” Keilah asked.
“His voice mail came on. I guess he’s busy. If he calls back, I’ll just invite them over for New Year’s Eve, if they don’t already have plans.”
She stepped into the elevator ahead of him and said, “Sure. I’m glad they’re dating. Oh, and make sure you invite Neil too, since he didn’t get to come the last time.”
Ramsey laughed and asked, “Are you sure about that?”
“Neil’s okay. He just needs to settle down and stop being a dog with women.”
They walked to their vehicle, and Ramsey opened the door for her and said, “He will eventually. Where do you want to get your steak?”
“You know J&G Steakhouse has the best, and I can’t wait.”
He closed the door and said, “J&G it is.”
Across town, a very satisfied Kyle checked his voice messages while Tori showered.
When she returned to the room, wrapped in a plush towel, she lay across the bed and asked, “Is everything okay?”
He hung up the phone and said, “Yeah, it was just Ramsey calling to invite us out to dinner with them.”
“Ah, that was nice. Is it too late?”
While massaging her foot, he answered, “Yeah, I’m sure they already have their entrées. Maybe we can do something with them on New Year’s Eve. Is that okay with you?”
She sat up and kissed his neck and said, “I’ll go anywhere with you, Kyle.”
He looked into her eyes and asked, “Are you serious ?”
Tori crawled on top of him and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his chest and whispered, “Anywhere.”
“In that case, I have the perfect place if you’re up to it.”
She kissed his neck and said, “Just tell me when and where, and I’m there.”
He pulled her hips closer to him and said, “In that case, pack a bag, because there’s somewhere we have to go ... tonight.”
“Tonight?”
He smiled and repeated, “Tonight.”
Chapter Fifteen
In Virginia, Michael sat alone at the hotel bar and finished off his rum and Coke. He had spent a long day in the commandant’s office, filing his complaint against Lieutenant Colonel Biggs, and was due to go back in the morning to finish the interview and sign off on the official complaint to kick off the investigation. He hadn’t been able to get any video of Biggs assaulting any more cadets, because as soon as he left his office, the lieutenant colonel threw the gift he had given him and smashed it on the floor. Michael knew he was at the point of no return, but he also knew it was something he should’ve done years ago, and that was the only regret he had.
He pulled out his cell phone to make a call, and that was when he realized he had forgotten to turn it back on after his deposition. Once he pushed the power button, the phone lit up, alerting him to several messages. One was from his aunt, another was from one of his military buddies, and the last one was from Keilah and it quickly caught his attention. As he listened to her message, he couldn’t imagine why she was calling. Once he finished reviewing all the messages, he looked at the time and contemplating calling Keilah. Her voice had a sense of urgency in it, so he dialed her number and hoped he wasn’t disturbing her.
“Hello?” she answered softly.
“Keilah, it’s Michael. I apologize for my delay in calling you back. I’m just getting a chance to check my messages. Is everything okay?”
“No, Michael, everything is not okay,” she answered as she exited the restaurant’s bathroom. “We need to talk as soon as possible.”
Michael asked the bartender for another drink as he tried to figure out why Keilah wanted to talk to him after making it clear that she didn’t want to see him again.
“Sure, Keilah, whatever you need. I’m out of town right now, but I should be back in a couple of days. What is this about?”
“You told me investigators might come asking questions about us. Well, they came.”
“You mean someone came to see you today?”
“Yes, today! Some fool from the Washington Press. Why would you do that?”
“I didn’t do anything, Keilah. I’m just as confused as you are.”
“Then what the hell were you talking about? You said investigators might come see me. Ramsey almost killed that guy.”
Michael twirled the ice around in his glass and tried to figure out who could’ve approached his ex.
“I wish I had answers for you, but I don’t. This doesn’t make sense. What I was referring to hasn’t even been put in motion, but I’ll do my best to get back to you soon once I look into this a little more, but it won’t be until after New Year’s. If I can find out what’s going on before I return, I’ll call you back.”
“Do whatever the hell you need to do to get to the bottom of this nonsense, and call me as soon as you hit the city limits,” she answered before hanging up the cell phone.
Michael hung up his cell and whispered, “One crisis at a time,” before downing his third rum and Coke. He was starting to feel the effects of the rum, and at that moment it soothed his anxiety. He knew there was no way that the press could’ve gotten wind of his allegations against Lieutenant Colonel Biggs, because the military was just beginning their investigation. He had no idea why the Washington Press would’ve approached Keilah about their past. Then a lightbulb went off, and a wave of anger swept over his body. This was a matter that needed to be handled in person, so he ordered one more drink and returned to his hotel room and called it a night.
It looked like the Stones night ended full of frustration, but at least they were able to get in touch with Michael, who assured Keilah he would get back to her as soon as he returned to town. In the meantime, Ramsey wanted to lighten the mood. So after saying good night to Camille, they headed upstairs to look in on Neariah. She was sound asleep, but Ramsey couldn’t help but pick her up and give her a kiss.
“Don’t wake her,” Keilah whispered. “That’s why she’s spoiled rotten now.”
He gave his sleeping daughter one more kiss before placing her back in the crib.
“Stop hating. That’s my daughter, so I’m going to love on her anytime I feel like it,” he said as they exited the nursery and he pulled Neariah’s door closed. “Come. Let me give you your Christmas gift.”
“I can’t wait,” she replied as she rubbed her hands together.
In the privacy of their bedroom the couple sat on the sofa, and Ramsey presented her with a box the size of a jewelry box, placing it in her lap. He had very good taste in diamonds, and there was no telling what sparkling gem he was presenting her with this year.
“I love you, Keilah. I just wish it could be more.”
She kissed him gently on the lips and said, “I love you too, baby, and whatever it is, I know I’ll love it.”
He watched as his wife ripped open the box and pulled out a set of shiny gold keys. She held them up and asked, “What is this?”
“Open the card, baby.”
Keilah opened the card and read it aloud.
To my beautiful wife, who happens to be the love of my life, Keilah, I wish I could give you the world. Since I can’t, this is just a small token of my love.
Merry Christmas, sweetheart.
Love,
Your Devoted Husband
Tears welled up in Keilah’s eyes as she clutched t
he card to her chest. “This is beautiful, babe, but what are the keys to?”
With a big smile on his face he said, “They’re the keys to your new beachfront vacation house in Clearwater, Florida.”
Her eyes widened with excitement as she asked, “Are you serious? That’s not far from Keith and Xenia.”
“You’re right. It’s only about a half hour away from them. You’re going to love it, Keilah. It’s has Key West–style characteristics, and it’s located on an exclusive, gated, private island. It has a boat dock, a heated pool and spa, and water views that you wouldn’t believe.”
“How many bedrooms does it have?” she asked.
He kissed her neck and said, “It has five bedrooms, with three bedrooms downstairs, plus it has a separate guesthouse, all with private entrances. You know we have a big family. The guesthouse is equipped with a half kitchen, a full bath, and an elevator to its own garage, and it has complete privacy as it’s separate from the main house. You’re going to love the master suite, because it has a sitting area and a huge bathroom.”
“I’m ready to go now,” she admitted. “What about a pool?”
“It has one of those infinity pools that you’ve been talking about.”
The tears fell out of Keilah’s eyes onto her blouse. She couldn’t love Ramsey any more than she already did. She had been sort of joking when she told him she wanted a vacation home in the Caribbean, but he’d been listening and he did what he could to make her happy.
“You didn’t have to—”
He put his finger up to her lips and said, “I did this for us. I’m planning on retiring early so I can enjoy you and our children. We’ve established our businesses to the point where we can do it. We have a great management team that we trust, so we should take more time off to relax, and this house is exactly what we needed.”
Keilah hugged his neck and said, “I wish we could pack up and go tonight.”
“Don’t tempt me,” he answered. “You can look at the picture gallery of the house on my laptop. On a serious note, after the New Year, and once we get this mess settled with Michael, we’re out of here. Agreed?”
She stood and said, “Agreed. Now, are you ready for my gift?”
He pulled her body close to his and said, “All I need is right here in front of me.”
She giggled and wiggled out of his grasp and said, “Later, Stone. I want to give you my gift first.”
He watched as Keilah disappeared into their closet. She returned with her hand behind her back.
“I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought this, but I know it’s something you’ve been talking about for several years.”
Keilah handed him a black velvet box, and when he opened it, he jumped up and let out a loud scream before picking his wife up in his arms and twirling her around.
“Yeah, baby! Now, that’s what I’m talking about!”
She hugged his waist and said, “I know you’re happy, but I have some ground rules, Stone.”
He gave her a long kiss on the lips, and when he came up for air, he said, “Anything you say, babe. Damn! I love you!”
Ramsey was excited to get the keys to a 2011 Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage Classic motorcycle, which cost Keilah only seventeen thousand dollars and change.
“Where is it, babe?”
Keilah sat down on the side of the bed and crossed her legs and said, “Kyle has it in his garage, but, Ramsey, seriously, I was apprehensive about buying that bike for you because they’re so dangerous, and then I thought about what we do for a living. You work very hard and you deserve a toy, but you have to promise me that you’ll be careful when you ride it.”
He laid her down on the bed and hovered over her, his eyes beaming with love. “I promise you I will be on my best behavior when I ride, especially when you’re on the back with me.”
She rolled over and scooted off the bed and said, “I don’t know about that.”
“Come on, Keilah. You have to be my biker babe.”
She started undressing and said, “I’m your babe, but I don’t know about getting on the back of that bike.”
Within seconds she was down to her lacy undergarments. Ramsey stared at her in silence, in a trancelike state.
“What I wouldn’t give to have you on the back of my bike just like you are right now.”
She seductively walked over to him and leaned over him to give him a bird’s-eye view of her full breasts. She nibbled on his ear and whispered, “I’ll make you a deal. You take me for a ride tonight and I’ll think about being your little biker babe tomorrow.”
He flipped her onto her back on the bed, and while towering over her, he kissed her cleavage and said, “You got yourself a deal.”
On New Year’s Eve Ramsey and Keilah once again hosted dinner for their friends. First to arrive was Neil and his date, a dispatcher at the 911 center.
“Keilah, Ramsey, this is Olivia King. Olivia, this is Keilah and Ramsey Stone.”
Olivia held out her hand and said, “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard nothing but great things about you, and your home is very beautiful.”
“Thank you,” Keilah answered as she led them into the family room and offered them champagne and hors d’oeuvres in front of a roaring fire.
Ten minutes later the doorbell rang again. Ramsey answered the door and found Tori and Kyle in a passionate kiss when he opened the door.
“Damn! It’s not midnight yet,” Ramsey joked, interrupting the couple.
“Stop hating, Ramsey,” Tori said as she stepped into the foyer and gave him a hug.
Ramsey gave his best friend a brotherly handshake and said, “Y’all are acting like a couple of sixteen-year-olds.”
Kyle blushed and then hugged Tori’s waist after helping her out of her coat. “We’re no different than how you are with Keilah.”
Ramsey bumped fists with him and with a smile said, “You’re right about that. Come on, you two. We’re in the family room.”
Neil introduced his date to Kyle and Tori, and they all continued to enjoy the champagne, the soft music, and the hors d’oeuvres until Kyle got everyone’s attention.
“I know we’ve been sort of MIA for a while, but for good reason,” Kyle explained. “One, we’ve been extremely busy, and two, we’ve been spending a lot of time together.”
When Tori picked up her champagne glass, Keilah screamed, startling everyone.
“What the hell, Keilah?” Ramsey asked.
Speechless, Keilah pointed to Tori’s hand. She’d spotted the huge diamond resting on her best friend’s ring finger.
“Are you serious? You’re engaged?” Ramsey asked.
With tears of joy in her eyes, Tori smiled and said, “No, we’re not engaged. We’re married.”
“Married?” Keilah, Neil, and Ramsey asked in unison.
Tori held Kyle’s hand and said, “Yes, and I couldn’t be happier. We had hoped to tell you all during dinner. I didn’t expect Keilah to spot the ring so quickly.”
“How could I not see that huge rock blinding me?” Keilah replied as she held Tori’s hand to get a closer look. “I’m speechless.”
Kyle held his hands up to calm everyone. “Listen, guys, I know this might seem like a whirlwind romance to you, but I’d never been so sure about anything in my life until I met Victoria.” Kyle looked into his new wife’s eyes and said, “I knew she was the one for me the moment I laid eyes on her.”
Neil took a sip of champagne and said, “You mean to tell me you got married after only dating a few weeks?”
Kyle looked at Neil and said, “That’s all the time I needed with a beautiful, intelligent, and classy woman like Victoria.”
Ramsey hugged Kyle and said, “Well, I’m happy for you, bro. You both made a great choice.”
“Thanks, Ramsey.”
Ramsey kissed Tori on the cheek and said, “Congratulations, Tori. He’ll make you the perfect husband.”
“Thank you, Ramsey,” Tori answered as
she looked over at her best friend, who had her hand over her heart.
“I’m sorry, but I’m still stunned,” Keilah said as stared down at the large diamond on Tori’s finger again.
Ramsey shook his head and said, “Babe, congratulate them.”
Keilah hugged Tori and said, “I’m sorry, Tori. I’m happy for you and Kyle, but I’m just shocked.”
Tori held Keilah’s hands and said, “I know, Keilah. We haven’t even told our families yet.”
Neil’s date held up her glass and said, “It seems like they deserve a toast.”
“I agree,” Ramsey replied as he held up his glass. “Kyle, you’re like a brother to me, and I couldn’t be happier for you. Tori, you’re a beautiful, smart, sassy, and nurturing woman. You’re all the things Kyle needs, and I have no doubt that the two of you will live long, love hard, and have a wonderful life together. Congratulations. We love you guys.”
After hugs and kisses were exchanged, Tori joined Keilah in the kitchen as she helped set the dinner table.
Keilah smiled at her friend, with tears in her eyes. “I’m so happy for you, Tori. I still can’t believe you guys are married.”
Tori leaned against the kitchen island and stared down at her wedding ring. “I know, right?”
“You’re in love and happy. That’s all that matters.”
Tori picked up her champagne glass and said, “I was beginning to think I wouldn’t find a good man, and along came Kyle.”
Keilah closed the oven and said, “Well, you hit the jackpot. He really is a great guy.”
Tori took a sip of Keilah’s champagne and frowned. “This is not champagne. What is this?”
