Stay with Me: The Moran Brothers Series

Chapter 32

Our Way to Love

Reminisce

“Girl,thank you for all your help. This night has turned out so amazing,” Sunny says as she holds me tight in her embrace and rocks me back and forth.

“You’re welcome. I’m so happy it came out the way you wanted. And to think, this is just the beginning,” I say as I pull away and look around the reception hall of her engagement party.

She loops her arms through mine and leans her head against me. We both stand and take in the party. You would think this were the wedding, her parents went all out. This is going to be something to top.

There are white and gold roses everywhere. Sunny wanted a glitz and glam theme and that’s what she got. Even the cloth dinner napkins were personalized with their initials and bound with crystal napkin rings.

“Look at those two,” Sunny says right as my gaze locks with Knight’s.

Not for the first time tonight, the sight of him takes my breath away. The navy-blue tailor-made suit he has on fits him perfectly. The black shirt and pale blue tie set off his eyes. He’s tamed his hair with some type of product, so his naturally wavy hair isn’t as fuzzy looking tonight.

Jamel stands beside him dressed in white and gold like Sunny, but I can barely pay attention to anyone other than Knight. I force myself to inhale. Knight steps forward onto the dance floor with so much swag my heart leaps.

I notice as he holds his hand out that “I Have Nothing” by Whitney Houston has started to play. Sunny gives me a nudge toward him before she takes off for Jamel. With my gaze locked with his, I make my way to Knight and place my hand in his.

“Dance with me,” he says as he closes his hand around mine.

I nod as I look up at him. He tugs me gently into his chest and begins to sway with me in his arms. Placing my free palm against his chest, I then lay my head against the back of my hand and close my eyes.

Once again, I’ve fallen into our bubble. This time I’m daring to believe I can stay here. I still have this deep-seated fear, but I’ve been feeling safe here in his arms.

“What are you thinking about?” he asks.

“This turned out really nice,” I say, speaking a half truth.

“Is this the type of engagement party you want?”

I scoff. “I don’t think I want to go this far. If my mother would allow it, I’d want something quaint in the backyard with close friends and family. I can’t see doing all of this for just the engagement. It’s nice, but I want to leave room to awe people with my wedding.”

“Thank you.”

I lift my head to look up at him in confusion. He searches my face for a moment as I do the same. I knit my brows.

“For what?”

“That was the first time you answered the question without telling me I wouldn’t be the one to share the moment with you. You didn’t take the dream away before I could settle into it. Thank you,” he replies.

“Knight, I?—”

I don’t get to finish my words as he lifts my chin with his fingertips and crushes my lips with his. It’s an all-consuming kiss. I’m totally lost as he penetrates my soul. The lyrics of the song playing hit me right in the chest.

It does feel like I have nothing when I don’t have him. I wasn’t expecting to fall this deeply in love with him, but I can’t deny that I have. Knight makes me want things I know I can’t have. He makes me feel like maybe, somehow he’s the one, but can I give him all that I am?

All I can do is wrap my arms around his neck and melt into him. I allow him to kiss me until the song ends and changes to an upbeat song. Not willing to let my man make a fool of himself out here on the dance floor, I take his hand and lead him away from the dancing crowd to our table.

“I like that song. Why are we going to our seats?” Knight asks, his voice filled with humor.

I glance back over my shoulder at him and glare. He bursts into laughter. I shake my head and keep walking.

Once at our table, he wraps his arms around me from behind and dips his head to kiss my lips. The music is forgotten as he wraps me in all things Knight and causes me to feel like we’re the only two in the world.

My heart begins to race, and those words bubble up on my lips. I pull away and look into his eyes, getting ready to let them spill. As soon as I think I’m about to be able to spit them out, Sunny’s mom comes to get me to help with the gifts Sunny has planned for the bridal party.

“Later,” Knight says and pecks my lips before I’m carried away.

“You two make a lovely couple,” Sunny’s mom coos as we walk away. “Hopefully, we’ll be at your engagement party next. That Jamel is perfect for my Sunny. You girls are all grown up and making your parents so proud.”

“Aw, thank you, Mrs. Jones.”

“I mean it. I prayed for you when you walked away from the DOJ. I wasn’t sure that was the best decision, but you made the best of things.”

“I did what felt right for me,” I say.

She covers my hand and gives it a squeeze. “That’s all we as parents want for our babies. What’s best for you.”

I give her a bright smile. Although my own words seem to fall flat on my ears. Am I really doing what feels best for me? My heart is tugging me back toward Knight, but my mind has my feet moving in the other direction.

I want a happy ending, that much is for sure. However, with who that should be with continues to have me spinning in circles. I can’t forget the late-night calls or finding out the next morning that Knight had been to the hospital after injures while on duty.

It was never that things were getting too serious between us. It was the anxiety of dating a cop. The sickening feeling of being away from him when he had to go to work.

Worrying about the bad guys who had made themselves so real to me. In addition to knowing I no longer had the power to make them pay for hurting the man I love.

Those are all the reasons I run from Knight. I’m terrified of loving him and the bad guys taking him away. Just the thought of him in danger sends me into a spiral.

I look over at Sunny, I know she has no questions about her life with Jamel. I envy her and my sister for being able to find and hold onto that.

* * *

Knight

The party is winding down,and I’m starting to feel the wear and tear of running around the last few days to support our friends. If this is just the engagement party, I can’t imagine what we’re in for during the wedding.

I loosen my tie and follow Jamel to the bar like he has asked. He’s had a huge smile on his face all night. I can’t say I blame him.

Sunny looks great, and this was a great party. My mind is still on Rem’s words about what she wants for an engagement party. I want to make that happen for her.

I think she almost said the words tonight. I saw them in her eyes. I had held my breath, waiting to hear them and then Mrs. Jones was there taking her away.

It seems someone or something is always walking her away from me. I’ve had enough of that. It might be time I proposed and pushed us both to our limits. I’ll deal with the aftermath later.

“This is the biggest decision of my life, and I can’t say I regret it. Look at her. That’s going to be my wife. God has blessed me, bro. I’m never fucking this up,” Jamel says with a huge smile on his face, pulling me from my thoughts.

“I’m happy for you, man. Sunny is great.”

“That she is. You’re next, you know that, right?”

“What makes you say that?” I ask with an amused grin.

Jamel gives a deep laugh and pats me on the back. “I have eyes. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. I knew she was the one from the first time I watched you set eyes on her for myself. I finally got it. It’s only a matter of time.”

I can’t help the smile that comes to my face. I’m hearing this more and more—my brothers see it, my friends, even my mom. It’s like everyone can see it but Rem.

“From your lips to God and Rem’s ears,” I chuckle.

“If you ever want to talk about it, I’m here.”

I nod. “Thanks. I think it’s too complicated for anyone outside of the two of us to help. I’m staying the course. It’s getting there,” I reply.

“Damn, now that’s love. You’ve been after her for how long?”

“Longer than you know. It’s always been her. There’s no one else.”

Jamel grabs two tumblers from the bartender and hands me one. He lifts his glass and waits for me to do the same. I turn to him fully and lift my glass.

“To love easing the way and God making it clear,” he toasts.

“I’ll drink to that. One hundred percent.”

“Salute,” we both say and down the brown liquor.

We’re so close. I can give her a bit more time. Things are good. Not everyone gets their happily ever after the same way. This just happens to be our way.

“Hey, I’m going to call it a night,” I say as I go to put down my glass.

He nods and clears his throat. “You guys have a room for the night, right?”

“Yeah, we’re staying in a suite. I have a little something planned for the night.”

“Have at it, my man. I’m going to treat my baby to a good night too. It’s the consistency. That’s how I win her,” he says with a wolfish smile on his lips.

“I hear you.” I pat him on the back and head in the direction I last saw Reminisce.

I find her talking with some friends as they look as if they’re about to leave. I walk up and place a hand on her back. Rem turns to look up at me. The smile on her face turns up, brightening her entire face.

She has looked so gorgeous tonight. The dark navy blue dress she has on accentuates her figure, and the heels on her feet scream to be wrapped around my neck and waist. I’ve been tempted to carry her away multiple times.

If this weren’t her best friend’s engagement party and she wasn’t helping out, I would have cornered her by now for just a taste. A long deep taste. I shake the thought off, knowing we’ll be in our room in a bit. I’ll get to have my fill then.

“You almost ready? I’m going to head to the room soon,” I say.

“Give me one sec. I’ll be ready and we can go together. My feet are killing me. I could use a bath and a moment to breathe.”

I kiss her forehead and flex my fingers against her back. I love that the scent of her perfume still lingers after all these hours. I want to bury my face in her neck and inhale.

However, I release her and nod as I take a step back. Giving her space to finish with her friends. I step out into the lobby and wait.

As I stand waiting, I get this feeling as if I’m being watched. I begin to look around inconspicuously. Mostly everyone here are guests making their way to their cars or the hotel next door.

I try to shake the feeling off, but I can’t. I walk out the front door and take a better look at my surroundings. Narrowing my eyes, I look closer at a figure in the parking lot. From here I can make out their form and the fact that they are smoking a cigarette as it glows in the darkness.

Once my attention is focused on them and I start to take a few steps in that direction, they toss the cigarette and hop on the back of a bike. I ball my fists and work my jaw. This time I’m not going to brush this off.

I pull my phone out to give Harris a call, but Reminisce comes out looking for me. Knowing how this might trigger her, I put my phone away and hold my hand out for hers. I’ll give Harris and my captain a call tomorrow. Tonight will be all about my woman.

The brotherhood I lived amongst believes I’m dead. I’m not going to worry Rem over a feeling. If I want to move forward, I have to be willing to let go.