Mirrored Hearts: Sealed by Fire (Encounters of the Heart Book 2)

by Ann Marie Bryan

  “I’m all yours when you are ready,” he answered before she could ask. He knew she was not mentally ready to give herself to him. There was no rush anyway. As much as he yearned for her, he knew it was better to put his desire on hold. Mustering all of his strength, he walked away from her.

  Rozene watched, unable to take her eyes off him as he headed towards the bed. Frustrated, she quickly moved to the bathroom.

  Forty minutes later, she donned another of his favorites - a royal blue mesh barely-there teddy with a blue satin bow at her breasts. She remembered that he loved it - for the color, but mainly because the split at the front allowed easy access.

  She stared at her reflection in the mirror at the sink. Apart from the undeserving feeling that refused to let her go, she was still having self-confidence issues over her body. She was not usually this obsessed with her body, but since the children left, she had come to the realization that she was not the size she’d once been. Clearly, little exercise and the years of sitting and typing her books did not help. Of course, Larry’s healthy body also gave her reason to pause.

  She made a few turns and inspected herself. Not bad, she concluded. She had gained a bit of weight, but mostly on her breasts. They seemed to be spilling from her teddy.

  She whispered a prayer, asking God for direction, all the while hoping Larry would be asleep by the time she climbed into bed. Of course, she wanted to make love with him. Desperately so. But each time she looked at him, she felt guilty all over again for what she had done to him. Thankfully, she was blessed with a forgiving husband. A smile curved her lips. For that, she would always be grateful.

  Her smile widened as she recalled her mother’s words, ‘Handle your mistakes without regrets. Enjoy the present with confidence and grab a hold of your future without fear’.

  Engrossed in her thoughts, she stared at the mark at her temple that the accident had caused. It had healed well and was paling out, thanks to a cream that the dermatologist had given her. She patted her face with a small, white towel and then hung it on the rack near the sink. Fear has no place in my life. Lord, thank you for favor. Every time.

  “Thought you had fallen asleep in here,” Larry said from behind her. He smiled as she wheeled to face him. “I knocked and didn’t hear a response.”

  “Sorry. Didn’t hear…” She stared at his ripped torso and happy thoughts danced across her mind. She clenched her hands at her side to keep from touching him.

  “What’s going on?” he asked quietly.

  She nibbled her lips, wondering how to tell him it had nothing to do with him.

  “Give it to me straight. I can handle it.”

  “It’s …”

  “Roz, you can tell me.” He held on to her hand as she looked away from him. “It’s okay. Tell me.”

  She gazed at him, all choked up. “I constantly feel guilty every time I look at you. Guilty for what I did to you … and our marriage.” She held up her hand to stop him from speaking. “I know you’ve forgiven me, but it’s still a struggle for me. I didn’t want to be that kind of person.” She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

  “You are not that kind of person,” he squeezed her hand reassuringly, before resting it on his chest.

  With a sharp intake of fear and delight, she felt his heart hammering away.

  “Babes, my heart beats only for you. I love you.”

  Her eyes and her heart fluttered in unison. “I love you too.”

  Enjoying the feeling of her hand on his chest, she gazed at him and found his eyes slowly exploring her body, until they came to rest on her lips.

  Something about the tenderness in his gaze made her feel beautiful. She was glad she was wearing his special teddy, and by the look in his eyes, she knew that as much as he liked seeing her in it, he would prefer her out of it … as quickly as possible.

  Her eyes still holding his, she released the bow at the front of her teddy, and felt the cool air on her skin as her teddy opened. She almost giggled at his sharp intake of breath. “I’m all yours when you are ready,” she said softly, arching towards him.

  He continued to gaze at her, wondering if she was truly ready. The last thing he needed was sex out of gratitude. That would kill everything in him. He would rather wait.

  Sure he desired her … her touch, her kisses, and her passion. And right now, she was maddeningly hot - gazing at him with her striking eyes. He cleared his throat in the wild hope of clearing his head. Then, all on their own, his fingers began threading into her hair. She gripped the sink behind her, and threw her head back to give him full access. His hand wandered across the delicate inside curve of her neck and he watched her shiver with delight.

  He gazed in awe at her breasts … admiring them … memorizing every inch. 36C. That he couldn’t forget, even though they had gotten fuller, with her slight weight gain. Not that I mind. Not one bit. “Mm hmm,” escaped his lips.

  The husky longing in his voice caused warm tremors to shoot through her.

  “I missed these,” he said softly, a full smile gracing his lips. Then in a fluid movement, he cupped her breast, his fingers sinking into their softness.

  As if in sync, they both moaned in pleasure.

  And they miss me too, was all he could think.

  “Larry,” she purred softly, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

  He pulled away from her and gazed into her eyes, and instinctively, she moved her body forward, her hands gripping his shoulders.

  But, he was unhurried - in awe of the gorgeous flower before him.

  “I need you.” Rozene shuddered in anticipation. Her mouth felt dry, as parched as a desert landscape. And she was getting hotter by the second.

  He pulled her firmly against him. Her heartfelt plea touched his heart. In that moment, he recognized something - a longing in his heart that mirrored hers. “I need you more.”

  Her lips parted softly. “Then have me.”

  “That is my only intention.” A smile tilted the corners of his mouth for he knew how she liked to be touched, and he intended to touch her … everywhere.

  Her breath caught as he lifted her. She hugged his shoulders purring in anticipation as he made his way to the bedroom.

  ******

  A faint light seeped through the curtains as Rozene watched Larry sleep, his head cradled at her breasts. His body rose and fell with slow breaths and she felt the warmth of his hands on the small of her back. Memories of their night together flooded her, and a smile burst across her face. They had explored each other without limitation and he had made her swoon and chant in languages that were incomprehensible.

  He is mine again, she thought, a grateful smile curving her lips. All in all, it was perfect - maybe even too perfect. She nestled against him, and before long, she was fast asleep.

  An hour later, the stillness of the morning woke Larry. He shifted slightly to gaze at Rozene as she slept, lying on her side, and facing him. His heart smiled. Her lips were slightly swollen from their night of passion, but she looked well-loved … and satisfied.

  Their amorous night stirred his soul and he would have a permanent, blissful smile on his face for days to come. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before gently brushing back strands of hair that had fallen over her cheek. She did not stir. His hand glided over her breasts and when she still did not stir, he bathed her breasts with gentle kisses.

  That brought Rozene back to the present with a loud gasp followed by even louder moans as her body reacted instinctively. Near hyperventilating, she clutched his shoulder for support as tremors racked her belly.

  “You’re up,” he whispered, kissing her neck, and cheek, and then her eyelids.

  He gazed at her in the same way he always did and she came apart. “Kiss them again,” she whispered hoarsely.

  A smile emerged on his lips. That was all the encouragement he needed. He kissed her passionately before fulfilling her request. Soft sounds swirled from her throat, and she eagerly lifted he
r chest to meet his lips. Whimpering loudly, her head jerked back against the pillow as he trailed butterfly kisses down her chest. The subtle gasps that escaped her increased his growing passion, but he knew that enough was enough. There would be other days.

  “Shhh.” He kissed the top of her head before cradling her trembling body against him. When her body began to relax, he rolled her over to hold her in a spoon position.

  She kissed his fingers and a moan passed his lips.

  “Stop it,” he said, holding her tightly as he worked to slow his breathing.

  She chuckled softly when she realized what he was doing.

  An hour later, he kissed her head and climbed out of bed. “I have to go,” he told her, sadness evident in his voice. “Told them I’ll be in late. I’ll be back as soon as I can get away. I have one meeting I need to attend.”

  She attempted to sit and groaned in pain, every muscle in her body protesting.

  “Hard night,” he grinned at her.

  “Hard, but great night.” She looked at him boldly as she finally pulled herself into a sitting position. “Thank you.”

  “Thank you too. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.” He winked before strolling off to the bathroom. “Back in a few for prayer.”

  “Okay,” she murmured with a languid stretch, while watching him leave the room. She couldn’t imagine her world without his passionate kisses and his ability to bring common sense to any situation. Without question, every situation.

  She couldn’t wait for him to return for their prayer time. Later, she had a few things up her sleeve. She giggled, rolling back and forth, and her cheeks warmed thinking of the delicious things she would do to him.

  The corner of Larry’s mouth did a slow slant upward as he entered the bathroom. He had felt her eyes on him. Little did she know he had seduction plans of his own.

  CHAPTER 32

  Rozene rested against the wooden railing on the back patio and breathed in the fresh morning air, while watching the rays of sunlight peeking brightly through the trees. She smiled thinking the sky was a pretty blue, mirroring her joy and gladness. She felt in alignment with nature, fully aware of the enduring love of an Almighty God who clothed His creation with majesty.

  Her shoulders rose a tad bit as she closed her eyes and took in more of the crisp air, before starting to hum “Amazing Grace” with her face tilted. At the end of the song, she opened her eyes, and glanced around the patio. Life is good.

  She walked towards the breakfast which Armela had laid out on the table for her and reached for her mug of cocoa. Cradling the mug in both hands, she gingerly blew in it, before sipping.

  She couldn’t help but send up another prayer of gratitude to God. Her recent season had been long, hard, and grueling, but God had sustained her. Indeed, He had purified her in the midst of the fire. Now, she and Larry had returned to normalcy at home. She was back on schedule doing more TV tapings, promoting Undeniably Yours: The Journey to Love, attending charity events, and writing another book, Give Me You.

  After breakfast, she called to check on the children and then she called Sarah to confirm that she had no morning appointments, so she could work from home, for a few hours.

  Three hours later, Rozene grabbed her purse from the passenger seat and alighted from her Blue Water Metallic BMW. She walked through the full-height glass doors of Rozene Kanate Ministry and stopped to chit-chat with Sienna, the receptionist, in the gorgeously decorated foyer.

  The foyer was adorned with white vintage furniture with gold trimmings and stunning shades of blue accent pieces. The soft light in the ceiling illuminated the area, creating a dazzling white setting whether day or night. The foyer’s natural elegance created the perfect entryway to access the various offices and rooms of the ministry.

  Soon, Rozene left Sienna and walked across the intricately patterned gold and white marble floor, entered the elevator and punched the number five. She greeted Sarah and was barely settled behind her desk when Don knocked and walked in.

  “Good afternoon,” she greeted him.

  “Good afternoon to you too. Aren't you looking rested, bright-eyed and bushy tailed.” Don smiled at her.

  “Yes. I have good reasons. You know God has been super good to me.”

  “As always. But you have that extra glow, created only by looove.” His smile widened. “Just don’t set the place on fire.”

  “You know that’s going to be hard but I will definitely try to hold it down.”

  “That’s the least you can do,” he told her, still grinning.

  “You’re in a great mood. What’s up?”

  “Everything is going well. You and Larry will be the last couple to be interviewed for the marriage series. Glad he’ll be able to make it today.”

  “Oh yes, looking forward.”

  “After the team put the series together and we get the green light from you, Marianne and I will be taking a vacation. Heading to Europe.”

  “Don that’s great. You are both so deserving of that. Take all the time you need.”

  He eyed her, raising an eyebrow and they both started laughing, since the entire staff knew that they were her hands and feet. Above all, they understood her heart.

  “You know I don’t mean that right?” Rozene chuckled. “I’m only being brave.”

  “Don’t worry. We’re only taking two weeks.”

  “You can take more, you know.”

  “I know, but there is much to do. We’ll take more time in the summer.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “If you need anything while we are gone, Kelvin and Marcia will be your go-to people, as usual, if you’re okay with that.”

  “Yes, that’s fine. Have Sarah put them on my calendar. I haven’t spoken to them since we did their TV taping for the marriage series, a week ago.”

  “Yes. I’ll do that. We’ll be ready as soon as Larry arrives. After the taping, I was hoping we would look at the calendar of activities for the rest of the year, and next year.”

  Rozene grimaced, gazing at the folders of papers and books on top of her desk. “I was hoping to sort through my mails and emails. Let’s talk about it after …” She paused smiling, upon hearing Larry greeting Sarah. “Let’s talk about it after the TV taping,” she continued, looking at Don who was grinning from ear to ear.

  He shook his head. “You have it bad. Really bad.”

  She smiled. “Guilty as charged.”

  Some fifteen minutes later, hand in hand, Larry and Rozene took their seats on two plush, royal-blue chairs in the studio.

  “You better stop looking at me like that,” Larry leaned in and teased quietly. “Your staff is probably thinking we were up to no good in your office.”

  She squeezed his hand that was resting on the arm of the chair. “That’s your fault, giving me those beautiful red roses … that’s a lot of roses.” She smiled at him. “Mind you, I like them, they are lovely. Just that …” Her eyes saddened as her voice trailed off.

  “It’s okay. Don’t succumb to that feeling. I buy you flowers because you are my gorgeous flower.”

  She flashed him a captivating smile. “Thank you. I love you.”

  His eyes twinkling, he returned her smile. “I love you more.”

  “Well, if you too love birds are ready. We can get cracking,” Don told them from across the room.

  Larry and Rozene smiled at him.

  “Yes, we are,” Rozene said.

  Don signaled with his hand and the team took up their places to begin taping.

  “I hope you both got a chance to review the questions,” Don told said, taking his seat as chief interviewer on a matching, royal-blue sofa in front of them. “I have a few that I didn’t email to you, but I think you will be all right.”

  “Yes, we’ll be okay,” Larry responded.

  “Here we go.” Don nodded their readiness, and the taping began.

  Half an hour later, they took a break from taping to have a cool drin
k and refresh their make-up. When Don indicated they were ready to proceed, Larry and Rozene took up their seats.

  “Welcome back to our marriage series, “Promises of Forever,” Don began. “Designed to strengthen and enrich even the best marriages. Thank you, Larry and Rozene Kanate, for all that you have shared on the heart of your marriage. We have already discussed God’s purpose and plan for marriage, the roles of the husband and wife.” He smiled at them. “And we touched on intimacy. Now for the hard stuff. Let’s talk about communication and conflicts in a marriage. As you know, Marianne and I recently celebrated twenty-five years of marriage. It has not been twenty-five years of pure joys, because we’ve had many, many conflicts.” His smile widened. “Clearly, we have resolved them. We are still together.”

  They all burst out laughing.

  “Happily so,” Don hastened to add, still chuckling. “Rozene, I know you are working on a novel – Give Me You – which will comprise some of the challenges, some of the hard things that couples go through. Talk to us about some of those hard things.”

  “Sure, Don. By now, most of our viewers would have known that Larry and I met in high school and started our relationship after an epic rescue, when I had to save him from a particular gentleman at my parents’ charity ball.”

  “An epic rescue, indeed,” Larry chimed in, smiling.

  “Yes.” Rozene returned his smile, touching his hand. “And it was my pleasure, hon.”

  Tossing his head back, Don chuckled. “That’s your story, huh?”

  “Yes, and I’m sticking to it.” Rozene grinned at him. “Anyway, Larry and I decided we wanted to be best friends. That was not always easy because we both have strong personalities, although I would say his personality is more dominant. The good thing is that we enjoy each other’s company and that kept us in check.

  But, I also believe that we both didn’t want to risk losing each other. We had to learn to listen to each other. Communication is very important in a marriage.” She gazed tenderly at Larry, who was hanging on to her every word. “We had to hear each other’s heart and we had to learn to compromise, and support each other. Now, I know it sounds easy, but it is a hard thing to do. So, each person in the relationship has to dig deeper in God and ask for strength, to do this. I would say to every couple going through any kind of conflict – take it to the Lord in prayer together, listen to each other, compromise, and if necessary, call in an unbiased third party like your pastor to help sort out the situation.” She looked towards Larry, indicating that he needed to pick up.