Forgiveness and Second Chances Page 8

  She blushed. “You look great. You get more handsome with time. And this uniform? Mmmm.”

  He smiled, kissing her on her cheek. “You ready?”

  “Yes.”

  ***

  They arrived at the Hilton Hotel. He helped her out of the car and they walked hand in hand to the ballroom.

  Everybody seemed to stop and look at them.

  Derrick and Stefanie strolled over toward them. “Malanie, you look beautiful!” Stefanie said, giving her a hug.

  “You look gorgeous, yourself.” Stefanie wore a red strapless dress, making her caramel skin look flawless.

  “Jeremy told me you had a baby boy.”

  Stefanie dug into her clutch and took out a picture. “Here he is. His name is Eric.”

  Malanie looked at the picture. He was beautiful, a mixture of both his parents. “Gorgeous.” She handed back the picture.

  “I can’t believe you brought a picture with you,” Derrick said, laughing.

  “She’s proud of her baby.” Jeremy chuckled.

  “Let’s dance.” Derrick placed his hands on his wife’s back, guiding her to the dance floor.

  “See you guys later.” Stefanie waved.

  “They’re crazy, but I love them,” Jeremy said. He grabbed Malanie’s hand and walked over to his designated table. He pulled out her chair for her, then introduced her to his colleagues and friends.

  They sat through the ceremony and ate dinner. Malanie didn’t say much. She felt out of place, but Jeremy was smiling, having fun, and that was all that mattered.

  The music started playing again. Jeremy got up, took Malanie’s hand, and she stood. They started walking toward the dance floor.

  They were nearly to the parquet when Briana and a gentleman approached them. She was looking stunning, even in her dress white uniform. Her black hair was up, in a military style, but her makeup was flawless.

  “Good evening,” she said, gazing at Jeremy, ignoring Malanie.

  “Good evening, Lieutenant Combs.” He squeezed Malanie’s hand.

  “So it’s like that now.” She gave her a dirty look.

  “I’m just being professional.”

  She looked down at Malanie and rolled her eyes. “Mark this is my colleague Lieutenant Wood, and his baby mama.”

  Malanie could tell Jeremy was getting angry by the way his jaw clenched. Mark extended his arm and shook Jeremy’s hand.

  “Nice to meet you.” And he turned to Malanie.

  “Hi, Mark, I’m Malanie. It’s nice to meet you.” She smiled wide, showing her pearly whites.

  “The pleasure is all mine.” He kissed her hand.

  Jeremy wrapped his arms around her waist in a possessive way. “I hope you guys have a good evening.” They walked out to the dance floor.

  He put his hands around her waist, feeling her bare skin, making sure to caress her with his fingers.

  She placed her hands around his neck and gazed at him. “She’s beautiful.”

  “You’re beautiful.” He leaned down to whisper in her ear, giving her goose bumps. “Are you cold?”

  She whispered back. “No….”

  She was surprised by the way he danced. When he was a teenager, he’d had two left feet. Now, he moved flawlessly.

  “When did you learn how to dance?”

  He gave her a deep chuckle. “Alanie had a father-daughter dance at her school, and I didn’t want to embarrass her, so I took lessons.”

  “They paid off.”

  He lowered his head and inhaled her fragrance. “You smell so good.” He nibbled on her ear, making sure he did it discreetly, making her blush.

  Her body started to tingle with arousal at just that little gesture.

  “Are you having a good time?”

  She smiled, feeling silly. “I’m trying. I’m just not military-savvy.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  She felt the medals on his chest. “What do they mean?”

  He grabbed her hand, and pointed. “This one is the National Defense medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal…this one is Navy and Marine Corps Achievement, Navy Expeditionary, Navy Expert Rifleman….” He had nineteen medals on his chest and he explained each one. “I got some while I was an enlisted.”

  “But you’re an officer now….”

  “Once I graduated boot camp, I applied for a commission program called Seaman to Admiral.”

  She arched her brow, giving him a questioning stare. “Seaman to Admiral?”

  “I had to send in a detail package, and once I was selected, the Navy paid for me to attend college for four years and when I graduated with a bachelors Human Resources, I became a commissioned officer. I owed the Navy a minimum five years, but I’m going on my tenth year.”

  “Was it hard to get accepted?”

  “It can be, but I was really determined. I wanted to give Alanie the best possible life I could.”

  She placed her hands around his neck. “Thank you for always putting her first.”

  He held on to her a little tighter. “Always.” He spun her around. “Any more questions?”

  “You went to Afghanistan and Iraq?”

  “Yes.” He saw the concern in her eyes. “But I’m okay, Lanie. I go where I’m needed.”

  “But what if something would’ve happened to you? I wouldn’t have had another chance….” She touched the medal he’d received while in Afghanistan.

  “Lanie, nothing happened. I love what I do. I’m so proud of being able to serve my country, and defend American freedom.”

  She cupped his face and pulled him down until their lips were barely touching.

  Someone bumped into them. Briana.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, grabbing on to Jeremy. “Can I have this dance?”

  Malanie broke free from Jeremy. “Excuse me,” she said, and walked away.

  Jeremy was about to follow her, but Briana stopped him. “Jeremy, I miss you.” She held on to him tightly. “What we have is special.”

  He noticed she was more than a bit drunk. “Briana, you just disrespected Malanie.”

  “So? She’s just a woman you knocked up years ago, one who abandoned her child!”

  “She is more than a woman I knocked up. She is the woman I—” He stopped himself from finishing his sentence. “You and I are colleagues. I thought we had that clear.”

  “She’s black, fat, and ugly.”

  He gave her a deep chuckle. “She’s black? I didn’t notice,” he said sarcastically. “Just because she isn’t a size zero doesn’t make her fat.”

  “Look at me. Every man in here would love to have me.”

  “I can’t deny you’re beautiful, but so is Malanie, inside and out. External beauty fades away, but internal beauty lasts forever.”

  “You’re choosing her over me? What we had was special.” She repeated the words, nearly in tears.

  “It happened so long ago, Briana, and it will never happen again.” He stepped off the dance floor in search of his date.

  ***

  Malanie was walking toward the balcony when Stefanie stopped her.

  “Are you okay, sweetie?” Stefanie asked.

  Malanie wondered if she’d seen what had just happened.

  “I’m okay. Just need some fresh air.” She couldn’t look her in the eyes.

  “If you need someone to talk to, I’m just a call away.” She dug in her clutch and got a piece of paper and pen, and scribbled her number. She handed it to Malanie. “Call me.”

  Malanie laughed. “What else do you have in there?”

  “You never know when you’ll need something.” She giggled, hugged Malanie, and walked away looking for her husband.

  Malanie kept on toward the balcony.

  ***

  She was looking up at the stars.

  Jeremy came up behind her and gently grabbed her arm. She jumped on instinct, covering her face.

  He caressed her cheek. “I would never hurt you.”r />
  “I know,” she whispered.

  “Why did you leave?”

  “I just needed some fresh air.”

  “Are you sure?” He kept caressing her.

  “Why did you bring me here?” she asked, gazing into his eyes. “When, obviously, Briana wants you.”

  He cupped her face and leaned in. “Because I want you.” He kissed her lips.

  She whispered against his lips. “You do?” She opened her lips and invited his tongue. He explored every corner of her mouth, tasting peppermint and champagne.

  He leaned back a little. “I do….”

  He took her hand and started walking out of the ballroom. As he waved ’bye to Derrick and his wife, he felt a little sad for Briana, at the way she just stared at them in disbelief.

  Chapter Eighteen

  As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, he pinned her in the hallway and kissed her neck, heard her moan in his ear. He instantly got aroused, kissing her lips, begging her to open up. She did, and he devoured her tongue, sucking it, nibbling on her lower lip. “Lanie….” He leaned away, seeing the pleasure on her face.

  When she opened her lust-filled eyes, he said, “Lanie, I’ve missed you.”

  She just gazed back at him. “You make me want things. Things I thought died long ago in my heart.”

  He leaned in by her ear and whispered, “You’ve always been in here.” He touched his chest gazed into her eyes. There was surprise in them.

  She pulled him down and kissed him hungrily, making love with his tongue. His erection was getting painful. He had to stop this now, before he couldn’t stop himself, because deep down, he knew she wasn’t ready.

  “Baby, we need to stop,” he whispered, leaning away.

  She looked at him, surprised. “Why?”

  “I don’t think you’re ready.” He took her hand and walked her to her door.

  “I’m ready,” she said, trying to kiss him, but he backed away.

  “I think we need to take it slow.” He caressed her cheeks. “You’ll thank me later.”

  She smacked his hand off her face. “Whatever!”

  He laughed. “You think it’s easy for me?” He grabbed her hand and let her feel his erection. “No, it’s not easy, but you come first.”

  She smiled, her hand still on his bulge. “Okay.” She placed her key in the doorknob. “Bye.”

  He gave her on last lingering kiss. “Bye.”

  She walked in to her condo, closing the door behind her.

  ***

  It had been an hour since Jeremy had left her condo. She took a cold shower and changed into a sexy, black dress. She couldn’t calm her hormones and made a decision. Alanie was spending the night with her aunt and cousins, and now Malanie she parked in front of Jeremy’s house.

  She hadn’t felt like this in a long time. For years, she hadn’t been able to find the pleasure, but tonight it was there. She was getting wetter, thinking of him and how he’d made her body feel with only his lips. She could only imagine what he could do with—

  She hurried up to his front door and knocked. She heard footsteps and her nerves began to take over.

  Jeremy pulled open his front door, in shorts and a T-shirt. “Lanie.”

  She just stared at him.

  “You’re shaking.”

  She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, devouring him, trying to memorize his mouth with her tongue. He held her and kissed her in return, walking backward, closing the door.

  He carried her to his bedroom, then peeled her away, gazing into her eyes. “Are you sure?”

  She grabbed his T-shirt and pulled it over his head. Lawd, he was cut. His abs and biceps didn’t have one once of fat. “Does that answer your question?”

  He laughed, setting her down. She took off her dress and stood there in front of him in nothing but her pink lace underwear.

  “Damn, you’ve grown,” he said, getting closer, pulling her in for another passionate kiss. While he kissed her, she unbuttoned his pants and unzipped, making them fall to his knees. Still kissing her, he kicked them away from his body.

  He stopped kissing her and took a deep breath when she started stroking his cock. “Oh God, Lanie,” he said, looking at her hands.

  He picked her up and threw her on his bed, taking off her panties. He settled between her legs, kissing up her thighs and didn’t wait another second. He started sucking and licking her pussy.

  He had her going crazy, moving her hips to match the strokes of his tongue. She grabbed his hair and pushed him deeper into her. “Yes, oh damn…yes….”

  He inserted two fingers into her pussy and started pushing in and out, making her moan and scream his name. Her climax was so powerful, she swore she saw the moon.

  He placed his two fingers in his mouth. “Mmm, baby, you taste divine,” he said, moving up to her navel, giving her wet kisses until he reached her breast. While he sucked one, he pinched the other. She was in pure ecstasy, with her eyes still closed.

  He finally made it to her lips. “Baby, are you sure?”

  She opened her eyes, whispering, “Yes, yes, yes. I’ve waited too long.”

  He pulled down his boxers and threw them on the floor. His cock pointed at her, at full attention, dripping with pre-cum. That night eleven years ago had happened so fast, she couldn’t remember how his body looked, but she would never forget now. He leaned up and dug into his nightstand and pulled out some condoms. She stared at him as he stroked his big, thick cock, smearing his pre-cum over the tip.

  “I want to replace all the bad memories,” he said, gliding on his condom.

  He opened her legs wider, taking his finger to tease her clit. He leaned down and kissed her, grabbing his cock, then pushed in slowly. “Fuck, baby, I’ve waited for so long. You feel so good…damn.”

  “Please, Jeremy, stop teasing me,” she moaned.

  He kept pushing his cock into her, not wanting to hurt her, knowing he was stretching her to the limit. He started thrusting into her long, slow strokes.

  “La…nie…you—” he said between groans, getting deeper. “Oh, baby …”

  “Oh Je-re-my,” she moaned, “I need you….”

  Matching her rhythm, he leaned up and stared into her eyes. “Lanie, you’ve always been mine…” he groaned between his teeth. “I won’t be able…to let you go again,” he said, starting to move faster and harder.

  “Don’t …let me go,” she said, shaking.

  Jeremy swallowed her cries of pleasure, kissing her while he stroked her pussy. His tongue mimicked the movements of his cock.

  She grabbed on to his hips, squeezing her pussy, and her juices exploded as she came all over him.

  Jeremy rolled them over so she was on top of him, rolling her hips, grinding on his cock, taking him deeper. He rose up to suck on her breast, thrusting harder inside of her. He could feel his balls getting tighter. He started nibbling on her nipples while fingering her clit, until her pussy pulsated on his cock, which started throbbing….

  She came again, rubbing her pussy, screaming his name, After a long, stopped moment in time, she fell over his chest.

  He grabbed her waist and fucked her uncontrollably until he came with so much force he thought he might have burst through the condom. They stayed like that for a while. “Lanie…I can’t let you go,” he said, out of breath.

  She grumbled “Hmmm…” and she remained quiet.

  He combed her hair with his fingers and kissed her head, rolling her off him, and noticed she had fallen asleep. “That good?” he laughed as he got up and went to the bathroom to dispose of the condom and clean up. He came back with a cloth and wiped her clean, and covered her with the sheets.

  He looked at the incredible women lying in his bed.

  How did I get so lucky, twice?

  ***

  The next morning she woke up with a smile on her face. Her body ached with both pain and pleasure in places she had forgotten she had. She turned, expect
ing to find Jeremy next to her, but he wasn’t there. I guess he went for his morning run, she thought. Sitting up, she wrapped the sheets around her body and slid off the bed, heading toward the bathroom.

  She looked at her reflection in the mirror, and chuckled at what she saw. Her hair was a mess. Everything she remembered about him was different. This time, he’d taken his time, showing her how a real man made love. He’d kept his promise, replacing all the bad memories with sweet, loving ones. She got goose bumps, thinking of the things he’d done last night. She released the sheet, dropping it on the floor, and stepped into the shower. She turned the two showerheads on and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the water massaging her sore body.

  Jeremy stood in the doorway, observing her, staring at the way the water hit her skin. Her eyes were closed as the water trickled down her chocolate face to her body. The look on her face was of pure pleasure.

  He wanted to be the only one to put that emotion on her face. He leaned down, taking off his boxers, and stepped into the bathroom. He quietly opened the shower door and placed his arms around her waist. “I made you breakfast,” he whispered, seductively kissing the side of her neck, making her moan in satisfaction.

  “Mmm, do that again,” she said, never opening her eyes.

  “This?” He trailed his tongue from her earlobe to her collarbone.

  She threw her head back on his chest. “Mmm, yes…like that.” She moaned, touching his hair.

  He turned her around and gazed into her eyes, cupping her face. “Do you regret last night?”

  She got up on her tiptoes, seductively bit his lower lip, and kissed him as she stroked his cock with her hands, moving up and down. “Remember, no regrets.” She kneeled and took him into her mouth.

  “La…nie….” He groaned, leaning against the wall.

  She bounced her head up and down, twirling her tongue on the base of his cock, making him grip her hair. Her head bobbed as she sucked him. She moved her hand in rhythm with his strokes. Her lips guided him in and out.