Touched

by Vicki Green

  I reach my hand out to him, and he looks at me skeptically but finally, he takes my hand, and I lead him to me. He sits on the bed and puts his arms around me immediately, holding me so tight I can’t breathe, but I don’t care. His body shakes and I can feel the moistness from his tears as he buries his face into my neck. Rubbing his back soothingly and trying to comfort him, I feel so out of my element, but I’ll do anything to try to help take away his fears. We sit there for what seems like hours, but his head finally lifts and his eyes search mine for something. I’m not sure what.

  “My father divorced my mother when I was three, we never heard from her after that, not that she was really around during their marriage anyway. She always blamed me for almost dying while delivering me and never got over it. My stepmother wasn’t any better, actually much worse. She resented me because I was just there, jealous because of my father’s attention. Father worked a lot and when he was home she was sweet to me, almost caring, but as soon as he’d leave, sometimes traveling for days at a time, she’d find ways to beat me, normally with one of his belts.” He looks down at our entwined hands as he speaks, and I gasp, pulling one of my hands from his and covering my mouth. Oh, my God! No wonder he tried to kill that disgusting man who was beating me with his belt. I can’t imagine beating a little boy, not loving him, not caring for him and helping him to be the man he should be. I’m so surprised that Knox isn’t a violent person living with that as a young boy.

  “Where’s your father now? Why didn’t he try to stop her? Why… How could he let this happen?”

  “Don’t…” His pleading eyes move up to mine. “Don’t feel sorry for me, I couldn’t take it. I… I just want you to know this because… Well, I haven’t had nightmares in years but with everything that’s happened recently it’s made me remember things. Things I thought I had buried deep but… But after seeing you the other night being…” His hands unclasp from mine and wrap around me, bringing me close to him. My arms and hands move around his neck and I now feel my own tears sliding down my face. “When I saw that vile man’s belt hit against your skin I wanted to kill him. I wanted to… I would have killed for you. I would have gone to prison for you. I… I love you, Jade.”

  My fingers stop twisting in his hair and my entire body stills. Did he just say he loved me? I knew Amber said he was falling fast, and I could feel it too but isn’t this too soon? We both seem like we have so many past issues to deal with, are we even right for each other? My head is swimming in confusion as he grasps my upper arms and pushes me back just enough to look at me closely. I open my mouth to say – something, but nothing comes out. I don’t know what to say, more or less think right now. He brushes some of my long hair away from my face and smiles. “You don’t have to say anything, Angel. Just know that I love you and I’ll never stop loving you. I can’t help it. You’re burned in my mind, heart and soul now. I don’t expect you to say it back. I can feel how you feel about me and I’m happy with whatever you’ll give me.” He catches a single tear of mine on his finger as his lips softly touch mine. “My father? He wasn’t much better but she would do those horrible things when he wasn’t around, when he was away working. She said… She said she would hurt Tabbie if I told him. I couldn’t… I couldn’t let her hurt my sister. I…”

  Trying to lighten the mood, I stand and take a deep breath. “Hey! Why don’t I change the sheets while you go take a quick shower?” His mouth perks up on one side as he stands and takes my hands. His shaking gone and he seems much calmer now.

  “Why don’t we change the sheets and then go take a shower together.” His eyebrows waggle and I let out a surprise giggle.

  “Hmmm, I think we’ve had enough excitement tonight.” He squeezes my hands, gives my lips a peck and then starts to walk to the closet.

  “Spoil sport,” he laughs. After walking into the huge closet, he comes out with sheets and hands them to me. “I won’t be long.” He kisses me again, a little longer this time, then turns away to head to the bathroom but yells over his shoulder. “I expect cuddling when I return.”

  I watch his fine ass in his pajama pants until he’s almost to the door. “That I can do!” I yell back and watch when his head turns my way, he gives me a wink and his sexy smile that I love so much and then enters the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

  What in the hell have I gotten myself into this time? Pulling the clean fragranced sheets up to my chest I sigh, then my lips turn into a huge smile. I can do cuddling.

  § § § §

  I couldn’t take a shower fast enough, but as soon as I stood under the water my thoughts ran wild. What was I thinking telling her that so soon? What am I, crazy? Yes, crazy in love. I hope I didn’t just ruin everything and push her away. She froze after I said it. Froze solid. Damn! She’s probably going to run for the hills now, and I’ll never find her again. I smack my forehead with my hand, the water spraying me in the face. Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! What a fucking fool I am. When will I ever learn to keep my mouth shut? I shut the water off, dry myself with a towel and run a comb through my hair. When I flip off the light and walk into the room I stop short. There she is, in my bed. She’d changed the sheets and is under the covers sound asleep, but turned the covers down on my side for me. The moonlight from the window is hitting just right on the bed, and she looks like an angel, her face glowing. Her hair fanned all around the pillow, and she almost looks like she’s praying with her hands pressed together under her beautiful face.

  Walking softly across the room, I slip into bed, pull up the covers, and before I can get settled, I lift up my arm as she rolls over next to me, her head laying on my chest, her arm slung over my waist, so I pull my arm around her, and she snuggles even closer, sighing softly. This is heaven. This is what I’ve been missing in my life. Raising my head, I kiss the top of hers and then lay back on the pillow, looking at the ceiling. Now I can’t sleep. I don’t want to miss a single second of our cuddling. Why have I waited so long to be with someone, someone who means something? It’s because I hadn’t found her yet. My heart stops when she moans softly but then burrows her face into my neck and stills again so my arm tightens around her, and my heart is full of love.

  You know that state where you’re not fully asleep, but you’re not really awake either? That’s where I am, only I’m having the best dream, so real I can actually feel it. “Ungh!” Damn! My eyes open slowly and look down my body until they land on Jade. She’s in between my legs, her full lips encasing my cock, then she slides them up and her tongue peeks out and licks the tip. I almost came right then. My hands find the top of her head, my fingers twisting into her soft hair as she sucks and when her hand starts fondling my balls and kneading them some of my liquid squirts into her mouth. “Jade.” Her eyes look up at me, her mouth turning into a smile, but quickly she goes back to work. Between her luscious mouth and her magical hands, I lose it completely in a matter of minutes. “ANGEL!” My moan comes out in a force as I cum harder than ever before. My body is numb, and I feel beads of perspiration on my forehead. My eyes close but what is really killing me is the need to be inside her. But I know she’s not ready for that, so I release all I have into her mouth, trying to calm my heartbeat and breathing.

  I open my eyes as she crawls up my body until she’s close enough to crush her lips to mine. My arms wrap around her and hold her tight. “Good morning,” she whispers against my mouth. I lean my head up a bit and attach to her warm and moist mouth, tasting a little of myself on her tongue. My hands slide down until they’re cupping her cute bottom, but careful of the left one, since it’s not completely healed yet.

  “Mmmmm, morning.” Our kissing becomes heated again, I roll us over until I’m half on top of her, with my hand finding her left breast, tweaking the nipple with my finger and thumb then squeezing softly. My cock starts to come to life again, so I’m thinking I need to end this, or I’ll be inside her before I have a chance to stop it. “Let me make you breakfast, Angel.” She kisses me again, harder
, and I can feel her racing heartbeat against my chest. My mouth breaks free, and I look into her eyes. “I won’t be able to stop, Jade.” Her bottom lip jets out, her lips turning in the cutest pout, and I move off her, take her hand and pull her off the bed with me. “You’re gonna be the death of me.”

  She laughs and as we start to walk out the door, she rises on her tiptoes, kisses me quickly and turns towards the bathroom. “Oh, but what a way to go.” I smile as I watch her enter through the bathroom doorway, turning her head at me and winks. “I’ll be there in a few minutes. Don’t start without me.” And with that she closes the door.

  I feel happy, like I can walk on air, like everything’s right with the world and nothing can stop it. So this is what love feels like. My phone is ringing in the kitchen, so I step up my pace and answer quickly.

  “Bro! What’s shakin’?” Tabitha’s voice shrills into my ear, and I laugh. That used to make me crazy, but this morning it just makes me laugh. “Knox. KNOX!” My laughter dies down to a chuckle. “Are you ok? Are you high or something?”

  “Yes! I’m high on life. How are you, Tabbie?” I do feel quite high, literally. What’s wrong with me? My chuckles start again.

  “MmKay, you’re starting to scare me. Wait! It’s sexy lady isn’t it? You went through with the date and you’re seeing her again, aren’t you. Well?” She’s always been so inquisitive and normally correct. I feel like I’m about to burst.

  “YES! Um. I mean, yes. We went out and well, it’s a long story but yes… I…” I can’t seem to get it all out of my mouth. It’s like I want to tell her everything, but then I’m afraid it will jinx it all or something.

  “Say no more, bro. I gotcha. She’s there isn’t she? Hey, promise we’ll get together soon and you’ll tell me all about it ok? Promise?” Just then I feel a hand on my back, lightly moving across then to my shoulder, and as it goes down my arm. Jade walks around me, her smile even bigger than mine.

  “Ok, sis. I promise. I gotta run now. Talk to you soon.” I end the call just as Jade’s mouth attaches to mine. My arm wraps around her shoulder, while my hand slides under her long hair and grasps the back of her neck, pressing her mouth harder against mine. Damn, I could get used to this. When we need air, I release her mouth, pecking it twice and then move back enough to see her smiling and flushed face. “Well, good morning again.”

  “I’m starving,” she blurts. She laughs and bows her head shyly. Then looks back up at me with her eyes sparkling. “What do you have that we can make?” She takes my hand and leads me over to the refrigerator and abruptly stops, my front crashing into her back. She turns and puts her arms around my neck. “I know! Everyone has stuff in their fridge to make omelets. You just sit and I’ll make them.” She kisses my mouth, turns and opens the fridge.

  I sit down in the nearest chair and watch her cute bottom wiggle as she cooks. This is what it could be like every day. Not her cooking necessarily, although that’s very nice, but my place actually feels like a home with her here. She brings the food to the table and after taking one bite I know she’s a great cook as well. What can’t she do?

  “So, you have a sister?” she asks after swallowing her food. Chewing, I nod and smile. “Any other siblings or just the one?” She takes another bite, her eyebrow raising. I guess it is time she knows about Tabitha, after all I did tell her about my nightmare, so she knows about my ugly past now.

  I smile thinking about Tabbie. “Just the one. She’s actually my stepsister but I couldn’t love her any more than if she were my real sister. I…” I look down at my plate and stare at my food. “I always protected her.” My eyes move back to Jade’s and see true concern in her eyes. “From her mother. She was such a small girl, so sweet and kind and I couldn’t let her mother hurt her.”

  She reaches her hand to me and cups my face, her thumb rubbing my jawline. “Your nightmare. You’re such a good brother. Taking that for her, it must have been horrible though. I’m so proud of you.” My eyes grow wide with her statement as my heart beats wildly. I swallow hard, my eyes wet with tears. The look of concern on her face magnifying. “What? What’s wrong, darling? Did I say something wrong?”

  Releasing her hand, I rise quickly, as the hand on my face falls, and I take a step, pick her up by her arms, holding her close and burying my face into her neck. “No one’s ever said they were proud of me before. I… I just…” Her arms move around my waist and squeeze me closer to her. “All my life I’ve been determined to be the best. To show that bitch of a stepmother that I would amount to something.” Moving my head from her neck, I look down into her tear filled eyes. “I’ve been alone and so lonely in my life that I’ve had no one to share my success with. You have to know I went down a bad road early on, women after women, I’m not proud of that.” I pull her into me again and find comfort as she lays her head on my chest, her hands rubbing my back. “Until you. Not one of them meant anything or mattered to me, until you.” I take one step back, bend so our eyes are even, and my look is serious as I search her eyes. “Please don’t ever leave me. No matter what you hear, what you see or whatever happens, just please… Please don’t leave me. Always hear me out, always give me a chance to explain.” She nods slowly, and I pull her into me again. “Thank you.”

  My phone starts ringing, perfect timing, so I release my hold and retrieve it from the counter. “Knox.” My secretary, Harriott.

  “Mr. Dunway. Sorry to interrupt but there is an urgent matter that requires your attention,” she answers.

  “On my way.” I end the call and turn to Jade. “I have to go into the office. I won’t be long.” Leaning over, I kiss her full lips and hesitate leaving. Smiling, I flick her nose with my finger. “Take a long shower or I have some bath salts in the cabinet if you prefer. Pamper yourself, sweetheart.” She leans back into me and kisses me. Damn, I don’t want to go.

  “Hurry back to me.” I kiss her one more time, gather my things and leave. The sooner I get things handled the sooner I can be back here with my girl.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “I know! I’m so out of my element here but… He’s so sweet, tender and caring and OH. MY. GOD! He told me he loved me!”

  “Eeeekkkk! I told you! When are you going to admit I’m always right?” Amber squeals into my ear.

  I’ve been laying in the warm water, for a while now, inhaling the rose smells from the huge arrangement in the bedroom and the salts in the bath and decided to call Amber to have some girl time. “I know. I know. So I’m a slow learner about some things. Oh, Amber. You can’t tell anyone, please promise me you won’t blab?”

  Silence, then giggling. “Yeah, ok, but you will owe me yet again.” I hear some rustling on her end of the phone, then a splash of water.

  “Are you settled in the tub yet? Geez, it takes you forever, I swear!” I joke giggling along with her.

  “Yes, oh, my God! Hurry up and tell me. You know I’m not a patient person.” That’s definitely no joke.

  I settle back, laying my head against the wall and sigh. “I’m in love.”

  “ABOUT FREAKING TIME!” Her voice about breaks my eardrum, so I move the phone away until she’s done screaming. “Damn, Jade! I’m so happy for you! Knox is not only a fucking genius but hot as hell. You’re so lucky. Ok, so I’m a little, tiny bit jealous but you make the perfect couple. Oh! I got a raise after only working there for two days!!! And weekends off! Score! I love my job!”

  Once the ringing in my ear drops to a much lower volume, I place the phone back up, so I can talk. “Quit yelling in my ear, girl.” A giggle leaves my mouth, but I can’t stop it. I’m so giddy in my newfound feelings. “I can’t describe what I’m feeling. My heart won’t quit racing. My body feels alive and I can’t stop thinking about him. His face, his shoulders, his strong arms, his…”

  “Oh, my God! I get the picture already. No need to rub it in,” she laughs.

  I sit up quickly, water sloshing out onto the floor in my speed. “Amber, I want to have sex.
”

  Her laughter makes my heart stop. Why is she laughing at me? “Seriously, Jade? You’ve had more sex in your young life than anyone on this earth. This is so not news.” She starts laughing again, and she has a point.

  “No, I want him to make love to me. I want slow, pure, loving, gentle sex. Ok, I still want a hard fuck, I still love that and with Knox? I’m sure that would be to die for but I want him to make love to me. Am I crazy? Yes, I’m crazy.” She’s rubbing off on me. Now I’m talking in one breath.

  The silence starts grating on me until she finally speaks but is she crying? “Sexy lady, I love you so much and I’m so happy for you. You deserve so much happiness and more. You’ve been through so much and have so much ahead of you. And I just… Just remember one thing.”

  My tears are now flowing and mixing with the salted water in the tub. “What?” I whisper.

  “Just remember, I will be your kickass maid of honor at your wedding. I expect the most beautiful dress, not to outshine you, of course, and no foo foo kind of dress either. No big ass puffy sleeves, hideous color or material that goes up to my neck.” Laughter spews from my mouth so hard that my stomach muscles begin to hurt. “Hey! I mean it! It must be the most gorgeous dress or I’m not going to stand up there with you!” I almost fall over the tub, nearly dropping my phone into the water, I’m laughing so hard.

  Finally calming down, my hand on my sore stomach, I take some deep breaths in and out through my nose. “Amber, oh my God, stop it. I’m not getting married any time soon, if ever. No one said anything about that. Sheesh. I just want to make love that’s all.”