CHAPTER 26

“So your place is home now?”

“Don’t talk to me,” Grace said as she dropped her keys on the island in her kitchen.

“At what point may I speak?” Jonathan asked. “You would not let me talk to you in the elevator, or while you were speeding down the highway. At what point may I speak to you?”

Grace turned on him with a quickness he did not anticipate.

“I love Roark. Not the way I love you but for the last ten years, he has been my only friend. Forgive me if it’s going to take me a moment to mourn the loss of that friendship.”

She turned to walk away, but he caught her by the arm.

“Grace,” he spoke gently. “You haven’t lost Roark’s friendship. If you were to call him right at this moment, you two would be right back at your shenanigans just like before.” He put his finger under her chin to bring her eyes to meet his. “I have no issues with you and Roark being friends, for I know your heart belongs to me.”

He could see the moment the mischief filled her eyes.

“Oh, you do?” She raised an eyebrow.

“I do.” He smiled. “I have known for years.” He took her hand then walked over to her sofa. He took a seat, then pulled her onto his lap. “We are going to have a conversation and this will be the first and last time this topic of my reasons for staying away so long will be discussed.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Grace exhaled as she kicked her heels off then settled on his lap. “I like it when my man takes charge.”

“Ha-ha.” Jonathan tucked her head on his shoulder and began talking. “On the day I met your father I told him I was going to make you my wife.”

Grace sat up. “What?”

Jonathan gently pressed her head back to his shoulder. “I gave him my word that you would never want for anything.” His fingers eased under her skirt. “I would protect you and keep you in the lifestyle he had provided. There is no way I would ever go back on my word to your father.” The tip of his finger reached the thin material of her thong. “Therefore, everything I did was geared towards improving my circumstances. I did not want to leave you back then, Grace.” His finger slowly traced the outline of her center. “My mistake was sharing that with Roark. At the time, I thought he was my friend as well as yours. As it turned out he was as in love with you as I.” He could feel her breathing change as his finger slipped inside. “Yet, in my heart I knew you loved me.” His thumb stroked her nub. “Leaving you was a sacrifice I had to make to become the man you deserved.” He pulled his finger out, then slipped two inside. Grace groaned as her head fell back allowing her to stretch out in his arms. “You see, I knew as well as Grace there was Heather to deal with.” He eased his fingers deeper. “I wanted you to have time to fulfill all of her desires. For I knew it wasn’t a matter of having you right then.” His lips kissed her neck as he changed his position to loom over her on the sofa. He withdrew his fingers, removed his pants, pushed her skirt up to her waist, then slowly removed her thong. “I knew I wanted you for life.” He held her legs up as he spread them over his shoulders. He took one foot, kissed the bottom, then ran his tongue up the top of her foot, and on up her calf. He leaned over her as he braced a knee on the sofa. He bent over, kissing the very core of her, then entered her in one powerful thrust. “It was always about forever.” He pulled out, held her hips then thrust back inside of her. “Our future was and always has been at the forefront” -he pumped deeper inside of her- “of my mind.” The heat of her was causing him to lose his train of thought. “The sacrifice paid off, Grace.” His movements intensified with every stroke. “The love we had then.” He pumped vigorously, bringing the point home. “And now will last through the test of time.” Her legs tightened around him bringing him in deeper. “I love you…” he pushed deeper “Grace…” deeper “Heather….” deeper “Dunning….” He exploded, spilling everything he had held back for ten years into her. The release was hot, overflowing, as her moisture mixed with his.

He lowered his body to her, kissing her eyes, her nose, her lips. The passion in her eyes, when they opened, made him hard all over again. “Do you understand now?”

Grace decided then and there that she would never get enough of this man inside of her. She reached up, grabbed his shirt then yanked it open. Buttons dropped around them. “I understand I need you naked.”

“Do you, Love.” He ripped the skirt from her waist.

Grace smiled as she pulled her blouse over her head. “I do, Mate.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. He sat back on the sofa, carrying her with him. She straddled him as her lips met his in a wild, hot passionate kiss. His kiss trailed from her lips to her neck, to the hard nipples of her breasts. Taking one into his mouth caused her body to shiver from the sensations. He switched to the other causing the blood in her veins to begin pumping feverishly. She bent back, her head now touching the floor, giving him more room to roam down her stomach, for she longed to have his lips, his tongue everywhere on her body. Her core was throbbing, wanting to feel him back inside of her.

“Jonathan,” she cried out. “Come inside of me, Jonathan.”

He eased her body to the floor. “Not yet, Love.” His tongue went lower, to her core. It dipped inside, licking, causing her to scream out.

“Jonathan.” Her hands held his head, as he sucked, twirling his tongue around her nub, then pulled away as she was about to explode. He entered her as the convulsions began to vibrate throughout her body. His lips captured hers, their tongues following the rhythm of him inside of her.

Grace had never felt anything so glorious in her life, as spasms ripped simultaneously through both of them. Ten years of wanting, longing, wondering, exploded around them.

The lack of air was the only reason they pulled away from the kiss. Neither of them wanted the moment to end, the urges to stop.

The feeling of true bliss filled Grace’s heart, lying there on the floor naked, with the man she loved lodged deep inside of her. She had no idea how much time passed when he finally spoke.

Jonathan pulled her into his arms, and laughed. “It is a good thing we did not make love back then. I would have never left.”

Grace smiled, as she kissed his chest, then stood. She looked down at him. God he was beautiful. “The night isn’t over yet.” She smirked, then walked towards the stairs.

Jonathan laid on his side watching her strutting across the floor.

“I need to hear you say it.”

Grace stopped at the first step, looked over her shoulder at him. She then bent over, to look at him from between her legs. “Come over here. I’ll tell you.”

Jonathan slowly stood, walked over to her naked behind, put his hands on her hips, then positioned himself right at the tip of her opening. “Say it, Grace.” He began pushing slowly inside of her. He pulled back. “Say it, Grace.”

Grace was using all the will power she had not to give into him until he gave her what she wanted. He eased in, then pulled out again. Her breath hitched at his withdrawal. She thought she would keel over if he didn’t fully embed her soon.

His tip eased in again and as he began to pull out Grace inhaled. “I love you, Jonathan Royal Michael.” He eased in. “I loved you then.” He pushed further in. She groaned. “I love you now.” He pulled her hips to him, filling her completely. “I love you always.”

The two were wrapped lovingly in each other’s arms when Jonathan’s cell phone buzzed. Grace’s eyes slowly came open as Jonathan reached for the phone. She glanced at the clock as he answered. It was a little after four o’clock in the morning.

“Hello.” Jonathan nodded. “Speaking.” He then slowly sat up. “Where are you calling from?”

Grace could hear the concern in his voice, she sat up with him.

“How is she?” he asked as he continued to listen.

Grace whispered, “What’s going on?”

“My mother,” he mouthed as he continued to listen.

Grace took his hand. He closed his hand around hers, holding it tight.

“May I speak with her?”

He squeezed her hand tighter at the response he received.

He checked the time on the phone. “I will be there as soon as I can. If she awakens before I arrive, ring me on the telly.”

Grace climbed off the bed to put on her robe. She stood next to him as he received more information. She closed her eyes praying his mother was okay.

“What happened?” She asked as soon as he disconnected the call.

“My mother had a fall,” he replied as he dialed a number. “Give me a minute.”

Grace listened as he placed a call to the air lines. “No,” she said. “Use our plane. We have a pilot on call. I will make the arrangements. You get dressed.” She picked up her phone then dialed a number. By the time Jonathan had showered the private plane was at the airport waiting for him.

“Please forgive me, Love. I have to go.”

“Jonathan.” Grace cupped his face with her hands. “Go to your mother. Call me as soon as you know how she is doing.” She kissed him gently on the lips. “I will be right here waiting for you to return.”

He ran his hands down her face. “I love you, Grace.”

“I love you more. Now, go check on your mother.” She grabbed his hand as they ran down the stairs to the front door. “A car is waiting outside to take you to the airport.” She opened the door. “I will fill Myles in on what’s happened.”

“Love, you thought of everything. Thank you.” He kissed her, then hugged her tight.

“Call me.”

“I will.”

Grace watched the car pull off. Based on what he said, the fall was bad, but not life threatening. She sent up a silent prayer that his mother would have a speedy recovery. Now, it was time for her to shower, dress then start the morning looking for a new home for them to start their life together. The thought put an extra skip into her steps.