Stay with Me: The Moran Brothers Series

Chapter 14

Be My Peace

Knight

Sweat is drippingdown my face, and my T-shirt is sticking to my body, but I’ve never felt more alive. I needed this. Time with my family.

The last few days have been surprisingly great. Reminisce has been working from home so we haven’t left my place. At least, she hasn’t.

I decided to give her some space to work today. Prince and Lord were up for a game of basketball, so I joined them at the gym. I arrived to find Bishop, Dwayne, and Kegan as well. I hadn’t known my brother and two cousins were roped into this. If Bishop is around, so is Dwayne.

Dwayne and his brother are close, so I can’t say I’m surprised to see Kegan. I’m not going to lie and say I’m not happy to see them all. I’ve come to appreciate the brotherhood we have after being around a brotherhood not born of blood.

I dribble the basketball and look for an opening. Prince and Lord are on my team. While Bishop, Dwayne, and Kegan are on the other.

“Come on, man. You can do better than that. Don’t you play with your kids, shouldn’t you be in better shape?” Prince taunts Dwayne.

Dwayne frowns but keeps him blocked preventing the pass. I look to Lord and see he’s not having much better luck with Bishop.

“Set the pick, bro,” I call out to Prince as I dribble up the court.

I pull up and shoot the jump shot. I’m on fire today. My thoughts go to my girl at home.

“What’s with the grin and all the energy?” Kegan asks as I go to guard him.

“Life is good,” I croon, then steal the ball.

I pass to Prince. He takes it in for a lay-up. After making the shot, he begins to beat his chest as he taunts Bishop. I shake my head at the two.

“We’re up five. Twenty-five, twenty. You boys might as well pack it in,” I call out.

“Just shut up and play. You guys aren’t winning. This isn’t over,” Bishop growls.

I snort. “You believe that shit?”

While I’m talking shit, Kegan drives the ball up the court for a jumper. The ball catches nothing but net. “Oh,” his team cheers in unison.

“What were you saying?” Bishop adds.

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I lock in. I’m not losing this game. Prince and Lord will blame it all on me and become relentless in their teasing.

Dwayne, Kegan, and Bishop will rub it in as well. As the youngest, they’re all going to make my life hell if we take this L. I’m here for the W or nothing.

Lord has the ball, and he’s racing down the court. Bishop is on my tail, but I get in the paint and Lord passes me the ball. I take a fade away jump shot but it bounces off the back of the rim.

“Brick,” Bishop calls out.

However, Prince is there for the rebound and sinks the shot for another two. I clap my hands and head back the other way. I’m smiling from ear to ear as victory is well within our grasp.

“Losing team is buying beers,” Prince crows.

Kegan tries to cross me, but he’s showing off too much. I cut across him and steal the ball. On a pivot, I get to the three point line and sink a bucket.

“For the win. Knight Moran,” I call out.

“Shut up,” Kegan grunts.

“Good game,” Dwayne puffs out.

“You boys up for another or you calling it quits?” I say.

“I’m done. I’m ready to get something to eat and those beers,” Lord says.

“Cool, I won’t even make you boys treat after all. After that beating it’s my treat,” Prince says.

“The last time you said that you left and stuck us with the bill,” Kegan grumbles.

“Something came up. I had to go. It’s not like any of you needed any charity. Get over it, tightwad,” Prince tosses back.

“Ladies. It will be my treat,” I say through my laughter.

“Oh look, the baby wants to play grown-up,” Kegan teases.

I toss him the finger as I grab my bag and head for the showers. It feels good to be with family. Knowing Rem is back at my place, waiting for me to return feels even better.

I could see this being my life. I’ve grown so accustomed to distancing myself from everyone around me, I crave the normalcy this leave has offered. My back burns a little, but I’ve been pushing that to the back of my mind.

“That’s new,” Kegan says as I strip my shirt off in the locker room.

I look over my shoulder to find him staring at my back. I shrug and go back to undressing to go take my shower. I catch Dwayne shaking his head at his brother out the corner of my eyes.

I’m grateful to him because I’m not going to talk about it. I can’t. Honestly, I don’t want to think about what happened.

At least, not until I have to. I want to spend as much time as I can pretending nothing happened. I guess Rem and I have that in common. Denial is a place we reside.

As I have that thought, I begin to miss her. I glance at my phone wanting to hear her voice. Biting my lip in indecision, I decide to wait until after my shower to call.

“Bro, how was that date?” Kegan asks Dwayne.

I turn to look at my cousins. I didn’t know Dwayne was back out there. I know his divorce is final, but I wasn’t aware that he’s dating again.

Dwayne groans and shrugs. “That was a waste of time. I had a headache by the time I got home.”

“You interested in Kim? I could set that up.”

“I know who he’s interested in,” Bishop says.

“Oh yeah, who’s that?” Kegan asks.

“A certain little redhead connected to my wife.”

“Oh, you mean the cute little one with the great ass. Bro, why haven’t you jumped on that?” Kegan says.

If looks could kill, I think Dwayne would murder his own brother. Isha is pretty and does have a nice body. She moved out here and started her own yoga studio if I’m not mistaken.

I’ve seen the way Dwayne looks at her. He’s given the same look he’s giving to Kegan to anyone else who flirts with her, leaving me with the same question.

“I don’t think she’s still interested. Drop it,” Dwayne bites out.

Kegan throws his hands up. I shake my head and go to mind my business before someone starts to pry into my love life. I have nothing to share, no matter how much I want to shout out that I love that woman.

* * *

Reminisce

Today was a good day.I got a lot of work done, but Knight has been on my mind constantly throughout the day. I appreciate him giving me the place to myself, but I’ve missed him.

I was able to get a lot done even with the distraction of my thoughts of him, so I decided to do a little something special for Knight. He took such good care of me after my panic attack, I want to give him a sort of thank you. I had my shopper pick up and deliver a few things for me.

Now, I’m playing music and humming to myself as I move about to set Knight’s apartment up for our night. I have The Cranberries’ “Dreams” playing as I light the candles in the bathroom. Lost in the music, I shake my hips and dance around as I begin to sing.

It dawns on me how freeing this all feels. I’m totally sucked into our bubble this time. Knight is my dream. My mind begins to play all the moments of laughter between us. Every soft kiss, each whisper in my ear, every time he’s looked down into my eyes without words.

I know I’m a goner when I can smell his scent surrounding me as I close my eyes and sing with the song. Then I’m pulled back to reality as I feel strong arms wrap around me. A smile comes to my lips as Knight buries his face in my neck.

His stubble tickles my skin as he begins to sway my body with his. I reach back and push my fingers into his hair. I wish moments like this could last forever.

“You’re happy,” he murmurs into my neck.

“What makes you say that?”

“This is your happy music. I can also feel it when I hold you. You’re really happy.”

I bite my tongue to keep from confirming his words. He’s right though. If I’m honest with myself, I’ve been happier than I’ve been in a long time.

“What’s going on in here? You planning on taking a bath?” he asks before I have a chance to reply.

“We are taking a bath. I want to relax and chill with you,” I purr.

“Sounds good. Looks like I came home right on time.”

“I have some Sushi for dinner. You want to eat first?”

“Food can wait,” he says as he turns me around and takes my lips.

I wrap my arms around his neck and get lost in his kiss. For the first time all day, I finally feel complete. Fear begins to creep in, but I push it down quickly.

Instead, I get lost in him and his touch. He deepens the kiss as he reaches beneath my shirt and palms the bare skin of my back. A deep groan leaves his lips, and he tightens his hold as if I’ll float away or slip from his grasp.

“I’ve wanted to do that all day,” he says as he pulls back and presses his forehead to mine.

“Why stop?” I say as I palm the side of his handsome face.

He grins and leans in to take my lips again. I reach for his T-shirt and pull it over his head, dropping it to the floor. He pushes my shorts down, allowing them to fall to my feet.

Reaching for his belt, I release it and unzip his jeans. Before I can push his pants off, he lifts me onto his waist and peels my tank top from my body. His lips are on my neck before my top can float down to the floor from his fingertips.

I moan and drop my head back as he licks and nips at my skin then takes my lips again. Not bothering to break the kiss, he moves over to the bath and dips to stick his hand in the water to check the temperature. I just finished filling the tub, so it should be just right.

He straightens, then steps into the water with me still in his hold. When he settles into the water, I staddle him and palm his face, kissing his lips repeatedly. He tangles his fingers in my hair that I’ve left out.

Before we get too carried away, I pull away and turn to sit between his legs. He immediately wraps his arms around me and buries his face into the crook of my neck and shoulder. I reach for the remote to the sound system and change the song.

Jaheim’s “Find My Way Back” begins to pour from the speakers. I close my eyes and melt into Knight. A smile comes to my lips as he begins to sing the lyrics in my ear.

I played it enough for him to know the song well. It was on one of my playlists when we first became a thing.

“Rem, you’re not the only one who’s happy,” he murmurs suddenly.

I look over my shoulder and lock eyes with him. He looks down into my eyes, searching. I can’t allow him to say the words swimming in his eyes, so I lean in to kiss him instead.

Not tonight. Tonight I want to stay in this bubble. I want to feel him and this comfort we’ve built.

That’s all I can handle for now. I want him to be my peace, and I want to be his. The rest can stay out there with the world.