Proposal for Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

  With a slight nudge of his legs, he spread her thighs wider and inched into her slick entrance. She was so tight. Her interior walls wrapped around him and Nate reveled in her sweetness.

  He moved slowly, allowing her to adjust to his size. Everything within him wanted to go hard, but he didn’t want to hurt her. He also wanted their time together to last forever. They found a rhythm that bound their bodies as one, and a wave of passion flowed between them. Being with Liberty like this exceeded his expectations, and all he could think was – I’m never letting her go again.

  His body craved more of her, and he increased the pace, loving how she matched him stroke for stroke. Their moans filled the quietness of the room and Nate could feel the eagerness of her body course through his. But it was when she wrapped her long, smooth legs around his waist, making him go even deeper, that he knew he wouldn’t be able to hang on much longer.

  This woman. This beautiful, sexy woman was going to be the death of him with her erotic sounds and the way she moved beneath him. The faster he moved, the more she pulled him in, and the more out of control he felt.

  He wasn’t the only one on the brink. Liberty’s grip on his arms tightened, and those erotic cries grew louder. Her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow, and her thighs trembled as she pulsed around his shaft.

  Nate gritted his teeth not wanting this to end yet, but the pressure building inside of him was on the verge of exploding. And that’s when she cried out. Shattering beneath him, her body shuddered, and he gave one last powerful thrust and was right behind her. A tide of fiery passion swirled within him, and he gave in to the force that took him over the edge.

  Panting, Nate rested his forehead on the pillow next to her head, trying to catch his breath. He couldn’t move but tried not to put all of his weight on her while he got his breathing under control.

  Damn, that was intense.

  Minutes ticked by, and Nate was about to ask if she was alright, but then she placed a lingering kiss against his jaw and sighed. No words were needed. At that moment it was as if all was right in his world.

  Chapter Sixteen

  After another round of lovemaking, Liberty lay cradled in Nate’s arm, her head on his chest. Though a little sore, she couldn’t ever remember feeling so sexually satisfied. Ever.

  “How do you feel?” Nate asked, as if reading her mind, his hand caressing her hip.

  “Amazing.” His talented mouth and skilled hands had pleased her beyond anything she had ever experienced. Liberty didn’t want to think about how Nate gained his proficiency in pleasing a woman, but he had learned well. The man had worshiped her body into complete submission.

  “We got a little rough there. Are you sore?”

  “A little.” The slight ache between her legs was nothing when she considered the pleasure that came with the discomfort.

  “Are you still a fan of bubble baths?”

  Liberty smiled, touched that he remembered. Though her current bathroom was super small, she still preferred baths over showers. They just weren’t as enjoyable. The tub wasn’t very deep and there wasn’t much space for candles.

  “Some things haven’t changed. I love them.”

  “I’ll get the water started.” Nate untangled himself and Liberty immediately missed his warmth. She watched him cross the room appreciating the view of his firm backside. Her body stirred and the desire to go another round grew, but maybe he was right in them taking a short break.

  Liberty turned onto her side toward the pair of windows. The past year had been one of the loneliest years of her life, but now, being there with Nate felt like a dream come true. The guilt she usually felt when she remembered how she had left him wasn’t as strong. He hadn’t actually come out and said he forgave her, but she knew him well enough to know that they wouldn’t have had sex if he hadn’t.

  “Ready?” Nate asked from across the room.

  Liberty turned to find him standing in the bathroom doorway still with no clothes on. Goodness, the man’s body was a work of perfection. Yeah, she was ready alright, but for something even steamier than a bubble bath.

  Instead of telling him that, she climbed out of bed and padded toward him, not missing the hunger in his eyes as he looked her up and down. He reached for her before she could pass by him.

  “I had fun with you,” he mumbled against her neck, sending desire racing through her body all over again. “How do you feel about me joining you for your bubble bath?”

  She smiled, though taken aback by the question. “I would love that.”

  He led her into the bathroom and Liberty stopped short. She hadn’t seen his bathroom, but it was bigger than her bedroom and more luxurious. The tray ceiling with a bamboo ceiling fan and similar material throughout, along with the dual vanities were gorgeous touches. As was the raised shower that required you to go up two steps to reach the all-glass enclosure. But it was the standalone soaking tub that was definitely the focal point.

  The room was semi-dark. A single light over a leather bench in the corner of the bathroom and candles flickering on the vanities and on the wall shelves near the tub created a romantic feel. Soft jazz filled the space.

  “Nate, this is…this is breathtaking. This room is by far my favorite spot in the house.”

  “I’m glad you like it.” She followed him to the tub.

  “Thank you for preparing the bath.”

  “My pleasure.”

  Once Nate was settled into the water, holding her hand, he guided her in. A woman could easily get used to the attention he’d been giving her. Sitting between his legs, she rested her back against him and sighed with contentment. The water a perfect temperature with bubbles everywhere soothed her to the bone.

  “Any regrets about what we did this afternoon?” Nate asked, his voice quiet near her ear as his hand cupped one of her breasts, gently tweaking her nipple.

  Liberty moan with pleasure. “No regrets.” If anything, she wanted to do it over and over again, and never leave. But that might be asking too much. “What about you? Any regrets?” she asked, holding her breath.

  “Not a one.”

  A classic instrumental by Grover Washington Jr. played through the speaker in the background. Sometimes Nate came off as an old soul, even his choice of music made her forget they were close in age. While they dated, he listened to jazz more than any other genre, not caring what some of his buddies thought.

  Nate grabbed one of the wash cloths that was laying across the edge of the tub and dipped it into the water before running it across Liberty’s chest. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment of him pampering her.

  Neither of them spoke for the longest until Nate said, “I have a request.”

  She opened her eyes. “What’s that?”

  “No more secrets. I’ve learned more about you in the last few weeks that I should’ve known shortly after we started dating.”

  Yeah, she could say the same thing about him. Each time they got together, she discovered something new. Something that should’ve come out in college.

  “I’d like to keep seeing you,” he said, a slight hesitation in his tone. “I want us to get to know each other again. How do you feel about that?”

  Liberty never imagined that they’d get a second chance, but was she ready? She was still trying to put her life back together. Could she be all that Nate needed? He had already proven that he was everything she wanted. If she waited until her life was perfect before getting into another relationship, she might miss out on the only man she’d ever loved.

  “I would love a second chance with you, Nate. But are you sure about this?”

  “Honestly…no, I’m not.”

  Liberty bristled at his admission, but who could blame him? She had walked away from him once, without much of an explanation. Though she knew that would never happen again, he didn’t know that. He didn’t know that he was the only man she could ever see herself being happy with.

  “But…” he wrapped his a
rms around her, bubbles tickling her chin, “…I care about you. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have reservations, but we owe it to ourselves to see if there’s something still between us. I think there is.”

  “I won’t hurt you again,” Liberty said, hoping he could hear and feel the sincerity in her words.

  Seconds ticked by before he spoke. “I know you won’t. Not intentionally. And I’m going to do my best to treat you like the special woman you are.”

  Liberty turned slightly to look at him. “You already do.”

  She moaned against his lips when he kissed her sweetly. Neither of them knew what the future held, but it said a lot about him as a man that he was willing to give her another chance.

  Liberty settle back against him.

  “Going forward, if you have a problem or are unhappy, you have to tell me. No more keeping everything inside. I can’t help if I don’t know what’s going on.”

  “I’ll try, but I’ve relied on myself for so long. It might not be easy to always open up and share. I assure you, what happened between us before, will never happen again. I’m older, wiser, and I really do want to make this…you and I, work.”

  “Earlier at the driving range I talked about you going into law, assuming that was still something you wanted. Was I wrong?”

  Liberty had dreamed of being a lawyer for as long as she could remember. Her marriage to Isaac hadn’t been ideal, and he was a jerk most of the time, but the first few years he supported her goals. He had even paid for her law degree. Of course it was mostly for selfish reasons, wanting them to be that power couple who dominated the Chicago business world. Liberty bought into the fantasy, and had tried to make the marriage work. Their union wasn’t romantic, but they wanted some of the same things. To be successful and they both had wanted a family.

  Though Liberty enjoyed the work at the Culpepper’s law firm, she didn’t like some of the lawyers she supported. Isaac being one of them. She hadn’t asked for any special treatment from him, but she had expected to be respected. Isaac belittled her in front of his colleagues and her co-workers. Over the years, that behavior spilled into their home life. With the everyday stresses, she started shutting down emotionally. Then she found out she was pregnant.

  Liberty closed her eyes as memories of that time flooded her mind. The baby news shocked her. She and Isaac had been very careful. The plan was for her to take the bar and get her law career going before they started a family. Though she was happy about being pregnant, Isaac made living with him almost unbearable. She had fallen into what she now knew was depression, and had lost the baby at eighteen weeks into her pregnancy.

  “Liberty?” Nate kissed her cheek, his arms tightening around her.

  Instead of discussing the reasons that hindered her from taking the bar, she said, “I still want to be an attorney. I want to practice law.”

  “Have you started studying for the bar again?”

  She nodded. Liberty hadn’t planned to share that bit of information with anyone just in case she didn’t pass.

  “I had studied and had planned to take the bar, twice, while in Chicago.” The test was only given twice a year. The first time she was scheduled to take it, Isaac sabotaged the plan with an overseas trip, insisting she travel with him. He told her he would support her dream of becoming a lawyer. Yet, with his controlling behavior, he always found a way to disrupt her progress.

  Nate was silent. Instead of asking what happened, he placed a kiss on the side of her head.

  “I’ll do whatever I can to support you. I have a feeling you’re going to pass this time.”

  Liberty didn’t know what she had done to deserve this man, but she was grateful he was back in her life. “I have a feeling you’re right.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Are you kidding me? You guys are dating?” Demi stopped, her mouth hanging open. “How? When?”

  Demi had asked Liberty to ride to Fairfield with her to tour the potential location for her and Alan’s spring wedding. Standing in the ballroom wasn’t how Liberty had planned to share the news.

  “We were just in the car for forty-five minutes. You didn’t think to tell me this during the drive? As a matter of fact, you should’ve called me right after you two did a little somethin’ somethin’. What’s wrong with you? You’re supposed to tell me everything. Not days later, but within five minutes of all major events. And I’d say, this is pretty major.”

  Liberty tried not to laugh at the incredulous expression on her sister’s pretty face. “First of all, you were out of town on business until yesterday. Secondly, on the ride here, you were telling me about your week, and then the conversation rolled into plans for your wedding. But what difference does it make when I tell you? As long as you know, that’s all that really matters.”

  Demi huffed and glanced around the huge room that was decorated for an event taking place the next day. Since walking in, this was the first time that either of them really took in the beauty of the space.

  The color scheme was silver and purple. According to the saleswoman who had been showing them around before she had to go and take a call, the place was set for four hundred guests. All the chairs had silver slip covers and the tables were covered with deep purple table cloths. The elaborate center pieces, flowers and lighting embodied a combination of both colors and seemed to pull the whole space together.

  “I love it and the decorations, though I’m not really feeling the colors,” Demi whispered. Liberty actually liked them, but that was just her.

  “So are we good?” Liberty finally asked.

  “We will be once you give me details.”

  She filled her sister in on the golfing date and all that happened afterward. Not every detail, but enough for her sister to get the gist of what took place leading up to the bathtub conversation.

  The past week had been one of the best weeks of Liberty’s life. She and Nate had put the finishing touches on the Unity Tower proposal and she had submitted it yesterday. In the evenings, they took turns cooking and ate dinner together. It was turning into a routine Liberty looked forward to throughout the day. Even when they both brought work home, sometimes working in different rooms, their new relationship felt right.

  “I can’t explain it, Demi. When we’re together, it’s like we were never apart. All the things I loved about him before are even more pronounced now. He is such a sweet, wonderful, thoughtful man.”

  “I’ll admit, when I met him the other week, I was impressed. Not only was he hotter than you described, I saw the way he looked at you. I also noticed how attuned he was to your needs.”

  Demi had invited Liberty and Nate to have dinner with her and Alan. Her sister claimed she wanted to thank him for stepping in at the bar. At first, Liberty had debated on asking Nate to attend the small dinner party, but figured all he could say was no. Without hesitation, he accepted the invite. He and Alan had hit it off as if they had known each other for years. Their love for golf and sports in general helped. As for Demi, she hadn’t been able to resist Nate’s charm.

  “My only hesitation when Nate suggested we date and get to know each other again is that I feel so undeserving,” Liberty told her sister. “After I—”

  “Don’t start. It’s about time you have some happiness. Though I don’t agree with how you ended up with Isaac, I’ll be forever grateful for your sacrifices. It’s because of you I was able to live in a beautiful home my last few years of high school, with food on the table. And not many college graduates have been able to graduate without student loans. I only wish you would let me pay you back now.”

  Liberty shook her head. “We’ve already talked about that. Taking care of your college was an investment in you. I have no regrets about that. I never wanted you to endure the same pressures I felt when I was your age.”

  “All the more reason why you deserve to be happy. If Nate is willing to forgive and forget and give you guys another chance, you have my blessings. But do you think he has t
ruly forgiven you?”

  “He wouldn’t have suggested we date if he hadn’t. He’s not the type of man to play games and he’s brutally honest. No, he wouldn’t lead me on just to do me wrong.”

  “Are you sure? What if he’s trying to seek revenge? Make you fall in love with him all over again only to dump you soon after. I don’t want to see you hurt again.”

  Liberty would be lying if she said that she wasn’t afraid of that possibility. With what she felt for Nate, he had the power to hurt her way more than Isaac ever had.

  “I’m sure, Demi,” Liberty finally said to her sister. “We’re both serious about giving our relationship another try.”

  “I’m so sorry about the interruption.” The sales rep for the venue rushed back into the room. Her gray shoulder-length bob bouncing with every step. The woman was a ball of energy, talking just as fast as she was moving around while she described all that came with renting the room.

  Liberty distanced herself from the two women and roamed around the back of the space. She hadn’t ever thought about getting married again. Not until now. Not until Nate.

  Could she really get that happily-ever-after that she used to dream about when she was younger? She already trusted Nate with her heart and had never stopped loving him. But was she being foolish in thinking that he could leave the past in the past and really forgive her?

  Liberty quickly shook the thought free. Her sister was right to be concerned, but Demi didn’t know Nate the way she knew him. He wouldn’t hurt her.

  At least not intentionally.

  *

  It wasn’t often that Nate needed to talk out his thoughts, but this afternoon was another story. He hadn’t been able to focus on much of anything for the last two days for worrying about Liberty. She meant so much to him, but he wasn’t a hundred percent sure they should be together, especially since she was still in the process of reconstructing her life.

  Nate parked in front of his parents’ home and headed to the backyard where he knew his father was barbecuing. Not only was the savory aroma filling the air, but the smoke billowing at the back of the house was a sure sign.