7. Crimson
crimson
. . .
The rain tapped lightly against the tall windows of the loft.
They were steady and calm. Moonlight came through the glass, catching parts of the furniture, creating shadows across the loft.
We were tucked into bed; our bodies loosely tangled under the comforter.
Scarlett was curled up near the edge of her crib, already asleep.
I shifted slightly, resting my head against Jahsir’s chest. My fingers traced shapes on his skin.
“I haven’t felt this good in a long time,” I whispered. “I really think the boutique was what I needed to feel alive again.” I paused, brows knitting together, realizing that it may have sounded weird. “Maybe not alive exactly, but something that gave me my drive back. You know what I mean?”
Jahsir looked down at me as his hand brushed gently up and down my spine.
“Yeah. I do. It’s easy to get lost in the noise, the hustle, and the stress.
That’s how people forget what they dreamt about in the first place.
But I couldn’t let that happen to you. I had to help bring them to life.
Especially since my absence nearly took you away from them in the first place. ”
I blinked up as my eyes strained to connect with him in the dim moonlight. I realized he’d been harboring some guilt. “Jahsir. Thank you.” My voice broke just a little. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough. How could I ever repay you?”
“You don’t need to thank me. I take care of you because I love you.” He paused, his tone softening even more. “All I need is your love and trust in return, that’s all I ever needed.”
I looked at him for a long moment with my hand now resting over his heart. “I trust you.”
“But,” he added with a playful glint in his eye, “if you really want to thank me, take a trip with me, no questions asked.”
“Where?”
“Red, I just said no questions asked,” he whispered. “You trusted me with your dreams. Now it’s time I showed you mine.”