The Turning (24 page)

My phone chirped and I was never so happy to be interrupted before. I grabbed it from the nightstand and when I saw it was my parents I put on a happy face. “Hi, Mom or Dad.”

“Morning, Kelly,” my mom greeted cheerily in the phone. “You ready for your big day?”

“Yep, I’m just pretty tired, been through a lot lately.”

“That’s understandable. Hopefully you’ve been getting some extra rest. Listen, your dad and I were talking. We’d like to meet you a little earlier, about one thirty, just to take some pictures before the ceremony.”

“That’s fine. I’ll let Nicole know of the change. I love you, Mommy,” I rasped, trying not to start crying again. I stood, knowing that pushing up the time table would make me have to get ready sooner. And if I was sitting on the comfortable bed, feeling this way, I would be tempted just to crawl into it and pull the covers over my head.

As if that would fix anything.

“You okay, honey?”

“Yeah, I’m just overwhelmed with emotions and so happy you guys are going to be there. I would never have been able to do this without you. I’m just so grateful.”

“We were happy to do it. Your dad and I are very proud of you, Kelly,” my mom assured me, getting choked up.

“Thanks, Ma. See you later.” I sent Nicole a text with the change in plans then turned back to Brian. “I still want you to come with me today, even if I don’t know how I feel about everything. You are a big part of my life now and I want to share this with you.”

“If that is what you want, of course,” Brian agreed with a nod and a half smile. I made a split second decision then. I took his hand and pulled him into my arms, giving him a long hug. I felt his tension relax a bit as I led him into the bathroom and closed the door behind us. I opened the shower door and turned on the water, as his eyes watched me carefully to see where this was going.

I went back to him and started unbuttoning his pajama top then slid it off his muscular shoulders. I stepped back to pull my nightgown slowly over my head and stood completely naked before him. I reached out to loosen the cord of his pajama bottoms. I pulled him to me as I slipped the pajamas down his hips while slowly letting my hands graze over his butt.

He stood there completely naked with me in all his alluring manliness. I took his hand again and led him into the shower. I could tell he was dying to ask what I was doing or what was going on, but he kept his mouth closed, which made my heart leap. He was putting me first, knowing whatever this was, it was what I needed, and he wanted to give me anything I needed.

The hot water felt wonderful over my skin and glistened off his almost marble body which showed every muscle and contour. I grabbed the shampoo and turned so I was behind him. I put a small amount in my hands and started massaging his wet hair. I worked my fingertips in his scalp slowly, trying to help him relax a bit after all the stress I had caused him.

When I was done I turned him so all three shower streams would rinse his hair. He faced me again so I took the soap and started washing his shoulders and chest. He brought his head back up when his hair was rinsed and looked deep into my eyes, searching for something. What, I didn’t know.

As I kept washing him, he reached for the shampoo and poured some on my hair and started massaging it into my head. We watched each other the entire time, letting the silence say everything we both felt. When my hair was ready to rinse, I moved around him and started to wash his back while the water fell on me and got all the shampoo out of my hair.

I massaged his back, trying to get all the tension out of his muscles. I couldn’t help myself as I started working on his lower back and butt. He let out a soft moan as my hands wrapped around his waist and I started on his abs and hips. I felt him reach back and wrap his arms around me. I was so close to him right then… And not just physically. I started kissing his back, letting my fangs graze his skin.

His hands released me and he turned around to face me. He took the soap from me, and started washing my shoulders, arms, and reached around to wash my back as well. Still the whole time our eyes never left each other’s. His eyes had lost most of the sadness that was in him earlier and was replaced with understanding.

In my heart, I knew he probably had no idea what I was going through, but desperately wanted to know how to help me. He must have seen some sparkle in my eyes when I realized this because he grabbed my butt, dropped the soap, and lifted me off the ground. I wrapped my arms and legs around him and let my eyes tell him how badly I needed to feel him, to be with him.

He pushed my back against the tile and slowly entered me. I couldn’t help but gasp. I laid my head on his chest still moving my hips in time with his, moaning softly against where his heart should have been beating. It didn’t, neither did mine, and for the first time, it didn’t fill me with sadness; it was more just acceptance.

This was the way it was going to be, and I could either keep trying to fight it or deal with it and move on. Right then, looking back into his eyes, I chose to accept and move on. I could never know if this was the best thing that happened to me, or the worst, but dammit I wasn’t going to give up.

Finally I nibbled on his bottom lip, trying to show him that I wanted to be there with him. It wasn’t just about me needing to be touched. I needed
him
to touch me. He held me up with one hand while the other hand went behind my head into my hair. He pulled me into a very deep, exploring kiss as he quickened his pace. I responded by squeezing my legs tighter around him.

I started crying, letting all my emotions out, and starting to feel free of them. Brian stopped kissing me and looked into my eyes. He kissed my eyes and cheeks, reminding me he was there with me. I knew he wouldn’t bite me since I needed to get stronger first but I bit into him and started to drink.

I felt like we were together for hours instead of minutes. Time seemed to stand still for us. He finished so I withdrew my fangs and let out a gasp as I realized I was climaxing too. I still wasn’t used to having that happen during sex and it threw me for a loop.

Yes, this was what making love was, feeling each other as if we were one. We collapsed against each other.

After a few moments, he lowered me down. I kept my arms wrapped around him and he wrapped his arms around me as well. I looked up at him. “That was my first time truly making love, and I’m glad it was with you.”

His smile could have lit up all of Chicago with electricity. He grabbed the soap and finished washing me. In turn I finished him and turned off the water. He got out and handed me my robe, then slipped on his. I loved that I had my own robe at his house. I wrapped my hair up in a smaller towel and snuggled into his neck.

“Thank you, Brian. You were everything I needed and wanted.”

I knew that was a little vague and maybe confusing, but then he said, “I am glad I could be there for you. Even with everything that has happened I need you to know you come first, always.” I nodded, took his hand, and went out to the living room where everyone looked at us, and then smiled, knowing we were okay.

Andre came up to me first. “Time to drink, sexy girl. I have to leave for my flight shortly.” I pulled back his shirt a little and sunk my fangs into his chest. I knew it would probably pull Brian’s jealously, but Andre hadn’t offered to sit down. I was too tired to reach up to him, so I went for the easiest way to drink from him.

I did make sure I stood right in front of him. He seemed to get very excited when I drank from him, and I didn’t want Brian to see that. Though it did make it harder for me to drink. I felt like a tease, getting him wound up, knowing I wasn’t going to do anything about it and leave him high and dry.

I backed away from him and licked my lips, grateful Brian had moved into the kitchen so he could not see the state Andre was in. Andre, of course, played it up by giving me those come hither eyes and wiggling his eyebrows at me. I gave him a frown and the cut-it-out motion, and he chuckled quietly to himself.

After we were done, he gathered his things and met us all in the living room. He gave me and Julie a hug goodbye, shook the guys’ hands, and he was out the door. I sighed with relief, knowing I wouldn’t have to see him for a while.

By that time it was almost after ten, and we started to get our butts in gear. I picked out a long dress with short sleeves and a modest cut. It was a nice royal blue that hugged me lightly and would be fine since it was a black cap and gown. The hood showed what doctorate was achieved, in my case medical, and matched my dress underneath even though no one would see it. Which was a good thing because blue wouldn’t go with the yellow and maroon school colors in the piping of the gown.

Brian was dressed in a black pinstripe suit with a silk blue shirt that matched my dress, and a silver tie that matched the stripes in his suit.

“You look amazing, Brian, like you just walked off the cover of GQ,” I raved, my mouth watering. “Everyone is going to be staring at my gorgeous date rather than the graduates.”

“I beg to differ,” he quibbled with a smile. “Any person with a beating heart will focus on your loveliness.” I laughed as I put the last curl in my hair, grabbed my cap, gown, and purse, and said goodbye to Julie and Charles, already having drank from them again. They wished me luck as we walked out the door, Brian taking my gown and bag from me like the gentleman he was.

He had called for a limo instead of a car in case my whole family wanted to ride together to dinner after the ceremony. I laughed on the inside, not wanting to hurt his feelings, but us normal people would probably just hop in my parents SUV. But leave it to Brian to keep things exciting.

We got to my apartment right around one, so I hauled ass up the stairs to grab my camera, drop off my bag, and throw on a necklace and earrings. Thank god Brian had a few matches made to the jewelry I’d had but in platinum. At least I didn’t have to explain why I wasn’t ever wearing any of the gifts I’d been given when I used to. In a flash I was back down in the limo, and we headed off to one of the most important days of my life.

We pulled up about five minutes early, and of course, my parents were already there, standing right by the main doors to University Hall. My mom always said that if you weren’t fifteen minutes early, you were late, and stuck by it. Again I smiled how some things never changed, reliable as ever. But you could see the shock on their faces as they saw me, and then Brian, get out of the limo.

I raced up to them, so excited to see them and my younger brother, also named Matt like my dad, standing there. It was up in the air if he was going to get the day off work from his part time job or not, but I guess he was able to swing it.

“Hey, Mom, Dad,” I greeted, giving them big hugs. “Matto, what’s up, man? You made it!” I also gave him a hug, but then he pulled his normal trick. My brother was six-six and looked like a bean pole. He always goofed around that he could use me as a leaning stand, as he rested his elbow on the top of my head. “Dude, watch the hair.” Brian caught up to me just then. “Mom, Dad, Matt, this is Brian Grady.”

“Hi, Brian,” the chorus rang out from them.

“Mr. Murphy,” he said, shaking my dad’s hand. “Nice to meet you, sir. You as well, Mrs. Murphy, Matt.” After shaking all their hands, he seemed to wait for someone to say something, but they were all staring. So he handed me my cap and gown. “Here, Kelly, you are going to need these for your pictures.”

“Right, pictures,” my mom parroted, starting to snap out of it. “Let’s start over here, Kelly.” She grabbed my arm, dragging me to what she thought would be out of ear range, but she didn’t know what I knew. “Kelly, he is so handsome. How old is he?”

“Thirty, and yeah, he’s pretty cute, isn’t he? I hope Dad plays nice with him, you know how he can get.” I worried as we headed back and I started posing for pictures.

“So, Brian,” my dad started and I was grateful I could hear all the way over where I was standing. “How old are you?” I smiled, knowing full well my dad had run a report on him and already knew how old he was, but Brian played along.

“Thirty, sir.”

“Kelly’s only twenty-six,” my dad hinted.

“Yes, that is the same age difference between you and your wife, is it not?” Brian asked with a winning smile. Wow, no one I know would have responded to my dad like that.

“Yes,” my dad agreed. “What do you do for a living?”

“I run a company and have some other holdings. Kelly, tells me you are a Chicago Police Lieutenant? She talks about it with pride that her dad keeps people safe and you being one of the only great policemen the city has.”

Smooth Brian
.
This might be okay after all.

“Yes, I work for the police department.” My dad paused, and I wanted to wince. Shit. He wasn’t going to let it alone. “It’s a little more than
just
a company you run, though. My understanding is it’s a world-wide brokerage firm and you have more than
just
some other holdings. Several shops, bars, restaurants, and a few clubs around the country, isn’t that right?” Dad grilled, raising an eyebrow.

“Wow, that’s cool,” Matt finally interjected, trying to help Brian on my behalf. I loved that kid. “You must get to travel a lot?”

“Yes, sir,” Brian replied to my dad first. “My father always told me money was not everything, and I should never brag. It is rude. I follow that when I speak about my business. I am very fortunate, my grandfather started the business. He handed it down to my father who expanded it a good deal, but when my father passed a few years back, it fell to me. I likewise have expanded it. I try to be cautious, but I have also been lucky that some worthwhile acquisitions have fallen into my lap.”

He sounded very modest, but the wave hit me. Knowing that he was lying about his gramp and dad, because they had been dead for centuries.

He turned to my brother. “Matt, to answer your question, yes, I do travel from time to time. My base is out of Chicago, so I am here at least seventy-five percent of the year. Last week Nicole and Kelly accompanied me and my business associate to a fundraiser in Miami, which raised money for government sponsored orphanages.”