by Blue Saffire
I suck in a breath and nod my head. I stand again and move to the mirror. I bite my lip, as I take my dress in. It was Stevie’s choice.
“Are you two sure this isn’t too much,” I sigh.
The platinum bandage dress hugs my body like a glove. The neckline dips low, right below my breasts, proving a healthy amount of cleavage. The color looks great against my bronzed skin.
The dress stops a few inches above the knee. The strappy blue ankle booties, give my legs some length. I may have three kids, but running behind my children has kept me fit.
“Girl, if you don’t stop,” Wendy rolls her eyes.
“I love your hair. If I would’ve had to look at that busted ponytail one more day, girl,” Stevie drags out the last word.
“Shut up,” I giggle. “Thank you, guys.”
My sisters have been helping me all day. Stevie washed and blow out my hair, giving me a much needed trim. I look more like my mother with my hair flat ironed straight down my back.
“You’re welcome. I’ve always liked Caleb,” Wendy shrugs. “I think you guys can work this out.”
“Think, girl, did you not see his face at breakfast, this morning. I thought he was going to eat her alive, right at the table,” Stevie cackles.
“Yes,” Wendy fans herself. “The man can’t even hide his desire for you. Shit, I think it’s sexy.”
“Exactly why I refuse to settle. I want to be looked at like that,” Stevie huffs.
“Oh, here we go. Ramon does look at you like that. You’re just too busy looking at everything but him,” Wendy grumbles and crosses her arms.
“Excuse me,” Stevie gasps. “What are you talking about?”
“You are so blind. You went running off to teach that fool, John a lesson. Ain’t nobody got time for him. You need to let John’s behind move on to wherever he’s been trying to float to,” Wendy says as she looks at her fingernails.
“What does John have to do with Ramon,” Stevie blinks dumbfounded.
“Nicole, did she just ask me that?”
“I’m saying nothing. I just found out about John. I thought something different was going on,” I shrug.
I had thought Stevie was running from Ramon. Not some other guy. I mean the two are always together.
“News flash, baby sister,” Wendy sings. “Ramon is in love with you. If you would open your eyes, you would see that.”
Stevie blinks a few times, before a rueful smile takes over her lips. She looks between me and Wendy. Then burst into laughter.
“My best friend, Ramon. The Ramon that’s engaged, Ramon. You two have lost your damn minds,” Stevie laughs.
“Oh, God,” I groan. “She’s so delusional.”
“I know, right,” Wendy shakes her head. “Stevie listen to me Honey,” Wendy says very slowly. “Ramon is in love with you. Has been for as long as I can remember. If he could have you over little miss, missy, he would drop her like a bad habit. That’s a marriage of convenience. If they ever even make it to the alter.”
Stevie’s mouth flaps open and closed a few times. “Oh, oh…oh, my God. That’s what he was trying to tell me. Oh, shit,” Stevie gasps.
She jumps up from lying on her stomach across the bed. Wendy and I lift a brow at each other. Our sister shoves her feet into her shoes frantically.
“Where are you off to,” I chuckle.
“I…I have to talk to Ramon,” she huffs and races from the room.
“Now that,” Wendy points. “Is how you go get your man.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “I can’t believe she didn’t know. Seriously?”
“Okay, now for you,” Wendy says pointedly. “You don’t have to torture him, but let Caleb work for it just a little. I think you guys will be better for it. He can’t be letting his mother in his ear, every time he can’t cope.”
“It’s not like this has happened before,” I bite my lip.
Wendy stands up and walks over to me. She leans her head on my shoulder, looking like my twin in the mirror. Wendy is just a little shorter than me with dad’s hazel eyes.
I’m the only girl that didn’t get dad’s hazel eyes, but my own light brown color, almost hazel, but not quite. I cup my sister’s face and kiss her forehead. Her hazel eyes meet mine in the mirror.
“And after this, it won’t happen again,” Wendy says. “Don’t be like me, Nicole. I let my husband walk all over me. I never gave him reason to be accountable for his shit.”
“How are you holding up,” I say softly.
Wendy shrugs. “My husband was an asshole. He cheated, repeatedly. Then he died and left me with a ton of debt,” Wendy’s lips tremble as she nods. “So, yup, I’m great. Never better.”
I kiss her forehead again. “You’re the best big sister in the world. You will find love, true love and it will make up for all the bad.”
“You’re the best brat I could’ve asked for in a baby sister. Now let’s go make that fine ass husband of yours drool,” Wendy cackles.
I shake my head at her, taking one last look in the mirror. I’m still nervous, but I’m ready to get this show on the road. I miss Caleb, I can’t wait to see what he has in store.
~B~
Caleb
“Okay, Daddy,” Monica starts. “You look very handsome. That’s a start.”
I look at the light grey suit, in the mirror. The white shirt and blue silk tie look sharp. Or at least, I hope they do to Nicole. I look down at my dress boots. It’s not exactly what I wear to propose to Nicole, but similar.
I’m hoping the little details will work in my favor tonight. We’ve been dancing around each other all day. I can’t seem to stay too far away from her.
“Wait ‘til you see Mama,” Morgan grins.
“Shh, don’t give it away,” Monica says to her twin. “Right, now Daddy. Did you get Mama some flowers?”
“There will be flowers when we get there,” I reply.
These two are adorable. They mean business. They busted in here a few minutes ago, chirping about operation get Daddy back with Mama. If what I’ve done didn’t sting so much, I would’ve found it heartwarming.
“Girls,” I sigh and sit in between them on the bed. “I promise you I’ve got this. Daddy got your Mama to fall in love with him once. I’ll do it again.”
Monica eyes me warily. Morgan climbs into my lap and runs her hands down the front of my tie. I pull Monica into my side, kissing their heads in turn.
“I think you look handsome, Daddy. Mama doesn’t stand a chance,” Morgan nods.
“Thanks, Baby.”
“Come on, Daddy,” Morgan says sliding off my lap. “Mama should be ready.”
The girls grab one hand each, leading me out to the foyer of the house. I’m lost in their little chatter until the most beautiful women in the world comes into view. I stagger to a stop and lick my lips.
“God, you’re gorgeous,” I breathe.
The others around us snicker, but it’s just one of the things I register. I can’t take my eyes off of Nicole. Her hair is so long and straight, falling down around her shoulders. The dress she has on…thank God, I’m taking her somewhere private for this date.
There’s no fucking way I would let anyone else get a look at all that beautiful brown skin. I don’t even want the driver getting a look at her to be honest. The way her breasts are pushing out of the dress, has my jaw ticking under my skin.
“Nicole, Darlin’, that dress was made for my eyes only,” I mumble.
More laughter fills the foyer. The girls drag me the rest of the way to their Mama. I release their hands as we reach Nicole. Cupping her face, I bend and devour her purple painted lips.
A few throats clear, causing Nicole to place her hand on my chest and gently push. I release her lips, staring down into her eyes. With her other hand, she reaches up to wipe my lips.
“You’re very handsome yourself,” she chuckles.
“You two get out of here before this goes from PG to something else
,” Wendy teases.
“I think it already did,” Mrs. Joy laughs.
“Sorry, Ladies,” I blush.
“You’re fine, Caleb. It’s obvious you miss your wife,” Mrs. Joy says.
“Yes, Ma’am I do,” I turn back to Nicole and say.
“Come on, you promised me a date,” Nicole gives me my special smile.
My heart swells. I tuck her under my arm and start for the door. I won’t lie. I’ve had a little help from Cam and my in-laws on this date. I hope it works out as I imagined.
I watch Nicole closely as we leave out of the front door. She stops abruptly when the rented Rolls Royce, Phantom, comes into view. I reach to brush her hair out of her face so I can see every nuance.
“Caleb?” Nicole whispers. “I-I…you.”
“Remembered,” I murmur. “Yeah, when you were in labor with Caleb, I asked you what our wedding would have been like, if we had one the way you wanted. You said you wanted to ride in a Rolls.”
“Yeah,” Nicole nods, as she blinks back tears.
“Come on,” I smile and tug at her waist.
We climb into the car and I keep my eyes on her the entire road. The small smile on her lips says a thousand words to me. I know Nicole. She’s thinking, that smile means it’s good thoughts. My hope is growing.
I’m sweating bullets by the time we reach the pier and board the rented yacht. Mrs. Joy and Mr. Gunner arranged the boat’s rental, pulling some last minute strings for me.
The Manhattan backdrop is perfect as we move across the water. Nicole and I are having a private dinner on the main deck. It’s a romantic setting, with candles and lights all around us, just like the night in the café, when I proposed.
Nicole’s beauty face is shining, in the candle on the table. She looks up from her plate of pasta and a smile lights up her face even more. She tilts her head and starts to study me back.
“What’s on your mind, Mr. Perry,” Nicole says, in her sweet voice.
“You,” I say, after wiping my mouth with my napkin. “You’ve always told me how perfect you think I am. I don’t know if I’ve done the same. I’m sorry.”
“Um,” Nicole tilts her head to the other side. “I don’t know about that, but there’s something I would like to know.”
“Ask,” I reply. “Whatever you want to know, I’ll do my best to give you an answer.”
Nicole places her fork and knife down. Her eyes search my face for a moment. Then, a decision fills her eyes along with tears.
“Where did I go wrong?” she chokes out. “We used to be able to talk to each other about any and everything. I gave you my heart. I was patience when you needed. Why didn’t you trust me this time?”
I look down at the table, avoiding her eyes. I wrinkle my brows and blink rapidly. I should be ready for this. The group sessions with Dr. Winsor prepared me for this. I knew this moment was coming, but now my words are stuck.
I push to speak. “When I woke up from the surgery, you were lying next to me. You were so beautiful and peacefully asleep. I started to think about our life, without me playing baseball.
“I didn’t know what I would do. I felt like I was losing everything. I would be home more, which would be a barren to you. It dawned on me how little I knew about raising our kids.
“My thoughts started to get the best of me. Then Mama showed up. She kept at me. Playing on all my insecurities.”
“I still don’t get it, Cal. You should’ve told me how you felt,” Nicole says. I look through my lashes to see her face. Sadness, that’s what I see.
“Baby, when I met you, I yearned so badly to be seen as a man. You saw me. All the shit going on in my head and what Mama was planting there, made me think that maybe I couldn’t be the man you needed me to be.
“I didn’t feel like I deserved to touch you, to have you. I didn’t know how to explain the shit I was thinking. I forgot that you wouldn’t judge me, or change me. I should’ve trusted you with how I felt.”
“But a divorce?” Nicole’s brows knit. “I told you repeatedly to talk to me. That I would be there for you.”
I look back down at the table again. “Yes, you did, but my Mama made it sound so right. I would let you go and you could find someone to give you and the kids what y’all need.”
“Okay, so what’s different now? How do I know you won’t second guess us again and take off running? I can’t let you do this to our babies again,” Nicole says with trembling lips.
I stand from the table and move to kneel in front of her. I cup her face in my hand. I run my thumb over her sweet lips.
“It’s always been about me. What I can take, what I can handle, what I need. It won’t be like that this time. You and the kids come first. You tell me where you want to live,” I say.
“I don’t think I want to go back to Texas,” Nicole breathes out.
“Okay, then we’ll find a place here like the girls said,” I nod. “You tell me if we’re done having babies.”
A smile tips Nicole’s lips. “I like making them, I just don’t know if I want to have any more yet. I think our three are a handful. Can we reserve that decision for next year?”
“Yes, Darlin’.”
“Good, and we’ll decide together, when the time comes,” she nods.
“Okay, together. Now, I have one more thing we need to get straight. I robbed you of a wedding. Our anniversary is coming. Do you have enough time to plan the wedding of your dreams for this year? Or do we need to wait for next year?”
“Oh, Caleb, we don’t have to do that,” Nicole shakes her head, as tears spill over.
I reach in my pocket, pulling out the ring box I’ve had with me, since I left Texas to come and claim my family. I’m going big or going home. I mean to show my woman, I mean business.
I open the box to reveal the four-carat emerald cut diamond ring. Nicole’s eyes never leave mine, though. She cups both sides of my face.
“I never want to see you give anything up for me again. I’ve had a lot of time to think about our relationship. You’ve sacrificed for me so many times.
“It won’t be like that anymore. I’m going to lay the world at your feet. I’ll swallow my own shit to give you and my family what you need and deserve. That’s how the man I want to be would do things.
“That’s how I’m going to do things from here on out. So, when are we having that wedding, Baby?”
Nicole moves her hands to cup my ears and tug me into her. She presses her lips to mine. I don’t pull away, but instead, cup the back of her neck and kiss her hard.
“I’ll have to see if I can swing the wedding in such a short time. So, let me get back to you on that,” Nicole says against my lips. Her tongue flicks out over my bottom lip. “Cal, you’re making me fall in love with you all over again.”
I take her lips in a searing kiss, wrapping my arm around her waist and standing. I shove the ring back in my pocket for now. I head inside to the master bedroom that has been prepared for us to spend the night in.
Presumptuous of me, yes, but this is my wife. I’ll be happy to spend the night with her in my arms, or with my face between her legs. Either will do.
I break the kiss long enough to see where we’re headed. Nicole’s dress is too tight for her to wrap her legs around my waist, so I tighten my grip, fastening her body to mine. Finding our room, I push the door open and step inside.
We’re greeted by more candle light filling the room. Music is flowing low from the sound system. Playing a mix Stevie insisted on.
Nicole takes hold of my ears, lowering her face to mine for a kiss. I sip from her mouth like it’s the finest wine ever made. I groan when she purrs into my mouth.
Breaking the kiss, I start to kiss her chin, dragging my lips across her skin to underneath her jaw. She tastes so sweet. I feel like I’m drowning in her flavor.
Reaching down, I tug her dress up over her ass to free her thighs and hips. Insistently, her legs wrap around my waist. I grab her lush ass
and start to knead it.
“Tell me what you want to do, Darlin’. If you don’t want my cock inside you, it’s going to kill me, but we won’t go that far. I can just make you come,” I rasp.
“Caleb, don’t make me freaking hurt you. If it were up to me, I’d sit on your dick for a straight week. We’re fucking, Cal. Not making love, not having sex. We’re fucking, hard,” Nicole looks me in the eyes and pants.
I growl and pull her into my throbbing, pulsing, heat. Nicole grinds her hot pussy against my bulge, causing my eyes to nearly cross. I attack her sweet-scented throat again. I need to taste every inch of her.
The song changes and Nicole gasps. “Tank, I love this song. Babe, I’ve been masturbating to this song since you left. Please, I need to have you to it,” she purrs.
My eyes grow wide, when her words sink in. “Fuck, I want to watch. I swear, I’m going to fuck the shit out of you. Show me what you did without me,” I say huskily.
I’m so turned on at the thought of her making herself come. Images of her writhing under her own fingers take over my thoughts. Nicole slides down my front, breaking free of my hold.
I stand, watching her intently. She moves to the tablet remote for the sound system and fiddles with it for a few seconds. The smirks on her lips, causes me to study her more closely.
“You want to watch, Sexy?” Nicole purrs.
I nod my head and start for her. Nicole shakes her head, holding up her hand for me to halt. I knit my brows, as I let my eyes travel over her body. She’s exposed from the waist down, just a sheer, thin thong covering her most delicious secret. I lick my lips.
I tilt my head, “Are you going to do it for me?” I ask.
“Yes, big boy, you’re going to get your show. I just need you to do something for me too,” Nicole’s smirk grows.
I lift a brow and blink. “What do you need me to do?”
“It’s simple,” Nicole says, but she doesn’t explain further.
She moves to the foot of the bed. Slowly, she reaches behind her back and lowers the zipper on her dress. I swear the sound is intensified with my wanting. I watch her wiggle free of the dress, wanting to pounce, but holding perfectly still.
