Chapter 11 #3
I watched as Keanu stood from his chair and stretched his long arms until his bones popped.
“Shit,” he grunted. “Come ‘er.”
With an extended hand, he beckoned for me.
Slowly, I made my way to him, not stopping until our hands joined.
Together, we conquered the short distance into the room where Keanu pulled the curtains forward to give us even more privacy than we already had.
Though there was no one close enough to see anything that we had going on, the chef’s staff would be around to clean up what had been left behind.
“Get undressed and get in bed with me.”
“I thought you said we’re keeping our hands to ourselves.”
“I’m not going to fuck you, Lyric. Not yet and not here. You’ll know if I change my mind. I just want you to be comfortable beside me.”
A little upset that he wasn’t trying to stick his thing inside of my thing, I loosened my grip on him. As he’d requested, I removed the dress and shoes that I wore. I was left with nothing covering my treasured parts as I climbed in bed alongside Keanu.
“You’re cold-blooded for that shit, baby girl,” Keanu whispered as he pulled me close.
I rested my head on his chest as I replied, “You told me to get undressed.”
He didn’t respond. Silence quickly followed.
The sound of the ocean, however, could still be heard in the distance.
I could feel the change in Keanu’s breathing as time escaped us.
Though I closed my eyes, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind.
I was simply attempting to capture a mental, physical, and emotional snapshot of the very moment.
Time with Keanu was precious, no matter how lengthy or short it might have been. Yet, this moment was above all the others. This moment injected me with serenity, consuming all parts of me that weren’t settled to quickly settle them.
At the moment, nothing even mattered. Not a single thing.
This moment was where I always wanted to be with him, mentally.
When our worlds were rocky and emotions were crashing and burning, this would be my place of refuge.
It’s where I’d return each and every time to remind myself of what I knew was possible and on the other side of whatever madness we faced.
Long after his light snores began, I remained on his chest, basking in the ambiance. This was paradise. He was paradise, and I couldn’t wait to spend the rest of my days with him.
When I could no longer stand the overwhelming emotions that accompanied the moment, I lifted from his chest reluctantly. I searched for my cell and found it next to the gold teeth that I loved Keanu in so much. They turned his sexy up so many notches.
Underneath the surface where I’d found our things, I opened the drawer and pulled out a matching bikini.
Since we’d touched down, I hadn’t thought twice about the jacuzzi but I was itching to get my feet wet, suddenly.
We were surrounded by so much water, and I had yet to wear even one of the twelve bathing suits I had purchased or the three that I’d brought in my weekender bag.
I pulled the top over my head and tied the back. The panties slid on with ease, fitting my bottom perfectly. There was something about a simple swimsuit that always did the trick for me. The nude was a perfect match for my skin.
With my cell clutched in my hand, I stepped outside and closed the sliding door behind me. The Dior sandals protected my feet from the wooden planks beneath me as I made my way to the jacuzzi area. Once near enough, I slipped out of the sandals and into the warm water.
“Ummmmmmm.”
It felt wonderful.
Sure not to get my fingers wet, I made myself comfortable.
The view of the ocean’s shore was stunning.
I watched the water reflect the night sky, darkening quite a bit from this evening when we’d made it back to our villa.
Nevertheless, it was still breathtaking.
The nature sounds that I often played to get a good night’s sleep was nothing in comparison to my reality at the moment.
I unlocked my cell and dialed up Ever. The phone rang three times before her voicemail picked up.
It wasn’t often that she didn’t accept my calls, so I knew that it only meant she was being the busy bee that she was.
Deciding to let her have her moment, I moved to the next best contact on my list. My mother’s phone hardly rang before her voice appeared on the other end.
“I was just thinking of you, Lyric. I swear you read my mind sometimes, child.”
“Good thoughts, I hope.”
“Yes. Very good thoughts. Is everything alright?”
“Everything is perfect, Mom,” I admitted, emotions running wild. The tears that fell from my eyes must’ve been the tenth thousandth ones I’d cried, but I couldn’t help myself. Wiping my nose, I assured her once again, “It’s perfect.”
“What’s the matter?” she asked, concern etched in every syllable she spoke.
“Mom, I’m in love. I can feel it in deep, deep in the crevices of me that I didn’t even know existed. And I’m scared. I’m scared that maybe I’ve made the mistake of falling for someone who is forbidden for me and me for him.”
“Oh, Lyric. Baby, you haven’t made a mistake. Not at all. There’s no one else in the world I’d rather see at your side than the person you’ve chosen. Ken is your equal.”
At the sound of his name, my eyes bloomed and my heart galloped.
“How did you know?” I gasped.
“A mother just knows, Lyric. It’s our job to know. I’ve paid close attention to you two for many, many years, even the years you ran from him when Luca was away. You were ashamed and couldn’t face him. He looked for you every time he came by.”
She was right. Mothers knew everything.
“Luca and Laike, they’ll hate me for this.” I groaned.
I wiped my eyes and leaned my head backward, looking upward at the sky. This was all so new to me. This feeling. But the relief that washed over me now that I’d told someone other than Ever was everything.
“They won’t.”
“Please don’t tell them. Please don’t tell anyone.”
“I won’t. Tell them when you’re ready and don’t let anyone rush you into doing so, either. Not even Ken, although I know it must be a struggle for him.”
“A major one. He hates it,” I admitted. Even I hated it for him.
“It’ll be worth it in the end, sweetie. Just don’t wait too long. He deserves to love you loudly and boldly,” my mom suggested. I took her words in stride, knowing she only wanted the best for me – for us both.
“I know. I just need a few weeks.”
“Take you time, then. In the meantime, I need to get off this phone. Call me if you need me and know that my heart is full. I’m happy for you, Lyric.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too.”