Anchored To Love

by S. M. Stryker

  I move my finger over the girl on her right arm that her head is propped up on, outlining the girl’s lips as I have done with Char so many times before.

  “In a nutshell, Chinese yin yang symbols represent perfect balance. Seemingly, the whole of Chinese philosophy stems from the concept of yin and yang … opposites interacting and supposedly the seed of all things. For example, evil results from an imbalance in yin and yang, and good comes from the two being in harmonic balance.”

  I look into her tear-filled eyes, catching the falling tears with the pad of my thumb.

  “When you left me in Tennessee, I was broken, half a man. Like the phoenix, my death was impending. I knew that I would eventually be reborn, like the phoenix, but didn’t know when. When we found each other again, I knew … I knew that you were my other half and that I would be resurrected. When you were kidnapped and I had to come to terms with my possible death, then waking up in the hospital, I had been reborn. The only thing I had left was to reunite with my other half. You are the yin to my yang. You are my balance in life. The new tattoo is you, my other half. I wasn’t going to show it to you until this weekend, but you had other things in mind when I got home tonight.”

  “That is a beautiful story, Zain. What would have happened if we would have never met again?”

  “I would have lived as half a man, always searching for my other half. Because I knew you were out there somewhere. I had found you once and I knew I would never quit looking until I did find you again.” I lean forward and take her soft lips, kissing them, showing her the love I have for her. Next I make slow passionate love to her, showing her how perfectly we fit together to become one.

  Chapter Forty

  Zain

  I WAKE to Char’s head on my chest and our bodies intertwined, her scent infiltrating my senses. God, what more could I ever want in life? I kiss the top of her head as a small mewl escapes her. This is what I look forward to the rest of my life. This is my home, my heaven, my Char.

  She nuzzles her head down farther in my arm. Like a kitten nuzzling into your side to stay hidden and safe.

  I slowly try to extricate myself out of Char’s grip, slowly slipping out from under her. Once out, I go downstairs to make coffee. I send Claire a text to make sure everything is on track and if there are any last minute issues.

  I pull out the ingredients needed for breakfast this morning. Once made, I place it on a tray and take it upstairs and on the nightstand. I crawl back into bed, sitting against the headboard as I remove the hair that has fallen in her face and tuck it behind her ear. Then I slide my thumb over her eyebrow. Her eyes start to flicker open and the corners of her mouth start to curve up into the most exquisite smile. It’s as if the sun is rising to an amazing day.

  “Good morning, sleepy head.”

  “Ummm.”

  “Coffee?”

  “Umm, umm.”

  “Do you need a straw?”

  I let my fingers start to walk down her back to her side where she is so ticklish.

  “Ahh!” She starts to laugh and squirm, and then I go full force tickling her. “Stop, you’re going to make me pee myself.” She is laughing so hard.

  “I made you breakfast and it’s getting cold, so go pee so you can eat.” She stands on the bed and starts to bounce on it like a child.

  “Do I need to get you a trampoline?”

  “No, this will work instead.”

  “Pee, breakfast. I have our day planned out.”

  “What if I had something planned?” she says as she jumps off the bed and walks into the bathroom.

  “Do you? I could change my plans. I was just going to have a big barbeque tonight.”

  She walks out of the bathroom drying her hands on a hand towel. “Really? How big?”

  “How many people do you know that you would want to be there?”

  “Raven and Mitchell, Beckett and Harlow, Richard and Nicole, Davis and Shannon, Trent and LeDoux, and Katie. Speaking of Katie, did you see her with LeDoux last night? They looked good together.”

  “That’s it?”

  “What you invited more?”

  “No, that about covers it.”

  “Really? I need to get up then and start to get ready.”

  “I have taken care of everything, there is nothing we need to do except be the host and hostess. So eat your breakfast … it’s almost your lunch, and we can leave to play for a little while. I’m going to take my shower.”

  I turn the water on and remove my boxers as I step into the hot flowing water, closing the door behind me as the water cascades over my body, relaxing me. With my eyes closed, I soak in the warmth of the spray. Then I feel Char’s hands on my thighs, sliding up to my cock as she takes it in one hand and my balls in the other. I wipe the water from my eyes and look down at her. Her eyes are on mine, looking at me with hunger. She’s massaging the edge of the crown of my penis with the pad of her thumb. God, that feels so good. I moan. She continues to look up at me as she licks the tip of my crown then takes me in her mouth, as her tongue twists and tantalizes my penis. I close my eyes and lean my head back as I take in the pleasure. The need for her builds, I need to feel her, taste her, and fuck her. I grab her as she lets go of my cock and she wraps her legs around my waist as I press her to the shower wall and slowly slid inside her. “Oh fuck, Char.”

  She lets out a deep moan.

  She grabs my hair in both hands and pulls my mouth to hers as she ravishes it, moaning, and mewling as she fucks my mouth. She’s frantic with need, and she pulls away, breathless. “Oh, Zain, fuck me, fuck me hard.” I thrust into her harder. “Oh fuck yes! Yes, oh God, Zain.”

  I feel her pussy start to quiver. “Oh Char, cum for me baby, cum now.”

  With those simple words she starts to cum. Her body is shaking as her legs squeeze around me tighter, and I continue to thrust into her and find my release. “Oh Char, God, yes, oh God yes!” I bury my face in her neck, feeling her firm tits against my chest and soaking in the feel that is all Char.

  Char slowly removes her legs from around my waist and I place her feet on the ground. I take the body wash and foam it in my hands as I worship her body as I clean it. I then wash her hair and condition it. Char reciprocates. “God, Char, will I ever get used to this?”

  “God, Zain, I hope not. I want to always keep you guessing.”

  We finish our shower and get ready for the day.

  “What do I need to do to get ready for the barbeque?” Char asks.

  “Nothing, everything is taken care of. We are going to go for a drive for a little while if that’s okay?”

  “I would love that. It’s a beautiful day for a drive. What time do we have to pick up Jaxon?”

  “Katie is going to bring him to us later.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  We get into the truck, and moving the middle console out of the way, I say, “Sit next to me, I don’t want you on the other side of the truck from me.”

  Char slides over and sits next to me as I place my arm around her shoulders. I lean over and kiss her temple, inhaling her scent, memorizing this moment. I have so much to be thankful for and this celebration this afternoon is to show everyone how much I appreciate everything they have done to make this day special.

  “Where are we going?” Char asks.

  “I thought we would first go to Sauvies Island and pick up some sweet corn for this afternoon.”

  “Oh, that will be nice. That is such a pretty drive.”

  We pick up our corn on the cob and some sunflowers for the outside tables. We drive around the island giving me just enough time to get back. But since Char doesn’t know the time the party starts, I take another drive through Forest Park.

  “This is such a pretty area,” Char says.

  “Yes, I love the area too. Maybe someday.”

  We pull into the housing development that we were at the weekend prior, and we wind around to the cul-de-sac. The back yard butts up against a green belt that c
an’t ever be built on. As we get closer to the house, I see the big bow that was put on the front of the house.

  “Oh, my gosh! Look at the house, there’s a big bow on it. Could you imagine having a house given to you? I would love to see the look on their face.” Char says. “Wow, it’s a beautiful house too. I love the stone ground mustard-colored columns with the river rock accents and the burgundy red gables, it’s very Starbucks. I really loved that house. Someone is going to be very happy.”

  We pull into the driveway.

  “Why are you pulling into someone else’s house?”

  “Because this is where Jaxon lives.”

  “Jaxon who?”

  “Jaxon Modell.”

  I get out of the truck and offer her my hand to help her out. Char is looking around with a confused look on her face.

  “Am I missing something here?” Char says.

  The front door opens and Katie has Jaxon in her arms. I lean over to Char, taking her face in my hands and placing a kiss on her forehead, then on her nose and one on her lips. I whisper in her ear, “Welcome home, baby.”

  She takes a step back, her fingers covering her mouth; she’s trying to comprehend what I have just said. She looks at me, then the house, then everyone starts to come out the front door. She looks at them, then back at me, and it finally hits her. “This is your house, right?” she whispers.

  “Well no, it’s your home, Char.”

  I then walk to the garage door code panel and enter the code, and the door opens. Inside the garage sits a new Volvo XC90 with a big bow on it too.

  I pull a box out of my pocket and hand it to her. She tilts her head to the side and furrows her brows. She opens the box and pulls out the key, which is attached to a key ring that says “My First Home.”

  “You were serious.”

  I nod my head. “Deadly serious.”

  We walk to the garage as I pull another box out of my pocket and hand it to her. She opens it and pulls out another key with a key chain, which reads, “My First Volvo.”

  “Serious?”

  I nod my head again. “Let’s go inside and see everyone. I think you need to sit down.”

  We walk inside. I hand her another box. When she opens it, I am already down on one knee, and I take her hand in mine. “Char, I lost you once. I almost lost you forever a second time and I prayed that God would spare your life if he took mine instead. I would have done anything to take your place last week. I was prepared to die for you. I had given up and was ready to walk away until I got slapped back into shape and yelled at for being a pussy. I had your life planned out for you. Everything that you and Jaxon would ever need or want had been planned for except for one thing: me. I love you, Char. I have probably loved you from the first time you bumped into me. I don’t want to tempt fate anymore. I am asking you to put me out of my misery and say you will be my wife so I can be a daddy for Jaxon and our own children. I promise never to replace Braydon, but to join with him to help you with his son.”

  “Zain, after last week, I never thought you would want me again. I don’t know what would have happened if I would have lost you that night. Moreover, I don’t want to tempt fate again either. Braydon told me that I would know my soul mate when I met him. I knew it was you the moment Raven used her twilight zone skills to set us up; I knew you were the one. I had always known, but when I left you, I thought I had lost you for good. I loved you, and that has never changed. Yes, I will marry you.”

  I take her in my arms and kiss her, letting her know just how much I love her. I whisper in her ear. “I love you, baby, and I am so proud of you. Thank you for making me so happy.” I pull away and say, “It’s time to celebrate!”

  Beckett and Harlow are opening the champagne. Once everyone has a drink in their hand, I say, “All my life I have wanted a family, people that I love and that love me unconditionally. Who would have thought that my first job would have not only brought back the love of my life, but everyone here? I owe you all so much for your sacrifices you made to save Char. It’s a beautiful day, why don’t we all go outside to the deck and enjoy Char’s new home.”

  The doorbell rings and I excuse myself to get the door. It’s Claire; I give her a hug and take her luggage. “Let me show you your room and you can come back down when you are ready and I will introduce you to my family.”

  I take her upstairs. Her room connects with the nursery. I leave her to get situated. I go to the kitchen and start pulling food out of the refrigerators and setting it on the countertops. Harlow and Nicole come in and start to help as well. “Thank you, ladies, for helping. Now, let’s celebrate today!”

  “What do you need us to do?”

  “I have a big refrigerator in the garage and there is a lot more food out there if you want to help me bring it in.”

  “Why did you order all this food?” Nicole asks.

  “This was going to be my wake. I didn’t want Char to have to worry about anything.”

  “You were serious about dying?”

  “As a heart attack.”

  Harlow goes to the back door and whistles. “We need everybody’s help for two minutes. We need hands out in the garage.”

  Everyone files into the hallway to the garage as I hand out bowls and platters of food to everyone.

  “This other fridge has all the drinks in it, so feel free to grab whatever you want.”

  I grab a big box of meat and take it into the house, setting it on the countertop.

  “I want to thank Carson for doing such a great job in organizing his own wake!” Harlow says, and everybody hollers.

  “Everyone grab your drinks, I have a toast to make,” Mitchell says. “To Carson, may he rest in peace, because Zain is here and taking over!”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know you love me, Mitchell.”

  Mitchell tips his head to me as his acknowledgement.

  “And to Char for showing the medical community that she is something special, and for getting into medical school! I am so proud of you, baby. Cheers.”

  Everyone hoots and hollers at Char. They wander back outside to enjoy the beautiful day and the festivities.

  Char pulls me aside, holding Jaxon in her arms. “Can we talk?”

  “Of course. Do you want to take him upstairs for a nap?” I ask.

  “Yes, he’s pretty tired. Can you fix him a bottle? Oh, I don’t have formula.”

  “Yes you do,” I say, as I show her where things are in the kitchen. “There is a pantry through those doors; you should find anything and everything you will need.” I fix the bottle and we both walk up together.

  “I’ll need to find my baby monitor to bring over.”

  “We already have one. Well actually, two,”

  “Well, that’s silly to have two.”

  When we get to the second floor, we walk to the door on the other side of the nursery, and I knock on the door. Claire opens the door. “As you know, Claire was my Nanny—mother, really—and she has taken my offer to help us with the house and Jaxon when needed.”

  “Really?”

  “There isn’t a lot of time left before you will be starting school and I don’t want you to have to worry about Jaxon or the house.”

  “Char,” Claire says, “please let me do this for your and my boy.”

  “This is the woman that raised me as her own, and I wanted to bring her here to help us with anything we need.”

  Char looks stunned and then smiles at Claire. “Claire, I would be very grateful to you if you could help us here. You have taught Zain to be a wonderful man.”

  “Char, you have a beautiful son. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to help you.”

  “We’re going to put Jaxon down for a nap. If you hear him would you let us know?”

  “Of course.”

  We walk into Jaxon’s bedroom and Char takes a seat in the rocker and starts to feed him.

  “I know this is all a shock to you Char, but … I needed to make sure you were taken c
are of if I didn’t come home last week.”

  “I appreciate that but …”

  “I bought the house, furnished it with the furniture we liked last weekend. I bought your car, set up a trust fund for both you and Jaxon, added you to my trust fund, hired Claire, paid for your education, and Jaxon’s. Ordered the food downstairs for a wake or whatever, and made you a video telling you I was sorry.”

  Char stands and puts Jaxon in his crib and closes the blinds, but stands by the window at the end of the room just looking out it.

  “Sorry for what?”

  I walk over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist, looking out the window at nothing.

  I close my eyes, put my face in the crook of her neck, and inhale, soaking in her scent that I love so much. “For wasting all those years. And when we met up again, I knew, I’ve always known and I was so pigheaded. I had been so hurt, but that still didn’t change my feelings for you.”

  “Zain, I never expected any of this. I still can’t believe it. What would have happened if I said no?” She turns and is now looking at me, and I turn to face her, then look down after hearing her question.

  “I’d be heart broken, but I wouldn’t have stopped trying. I know you feel the same way, but if you honestly didn’t love me, nothing would have changed. The house and car are in your name, the trust funds are in yours and Jaxon’s names. This is what I wanted for you. I wanted you to be taken care of. I want you to finish your education. I know how important that is to you. Now you’re going to be a doctor, the most beautiful doctor ever. I love you, Char, which will never change. I know I should have asked you about Claire, but I don’t want you to be or even try to be supermom and wife. Your education only comes second to Jaxon, and if I’m not here to help you, Claire will be. She’s the one that helped me put all this together.”

  “I love you, Zain! I can’t believe you did all this for me.”

  “There’s more for everyone. Come on, let’s go and surprise our friends.” I take her hand and we start for the door. I all of a sudden stop and turn to Char. “Have I told you I love you lately? I do, and I can’t wait for you to be my wife.”