Word of Honor, Book 2 (25 page)

“You know we’re gettin’ married, right? I meant what I said in those letters and to your father.” The popping sound of a plastic lid, the gush of escaping air followed by the stomach-enticing scent of something sinfully deep-fried coated the air.

Mia’s brow arched as she leaned back onto her hand and leisurely crossed her ankles, then flexed her toes in her favorite canvas wedge sandals. “Is that a proposal, Mr. Pike?”

“Nope.” He smirked as he scooped bean salad onto two plates. “A proposal is an idea. This ain’t an idea. This is a
definite
.”

At this, she lightly chuckled and looked up at the sky. Yeah, she was feeling it.

“So, when should I meet you at the church?” she teased, causing him to offer a fractured grin.

“Just letting you know my intentions, a reminder is all. Nothing has changed. That first letter I sent you is still valid.” He grabbed a small stack of neatly folded napkins. “You’re going to be Mrs. Pike soon.”

She sank into her lower lip as she attempted to halfheartedly squelch a smile, tuck away the corner of the dream. Of course she knew the man’s intentions; he’d been upfront since day one. That trait was one of the things she adored about him.

“I figure you’ll want to get married in a big, lavish wedding… have all of your family and friends there. You can have that…whatever you want, Mia.” He looked her square in the face. The sun fell on the short strands of his hair, highlighting them. Those same rays turned his intense eyes electric…

“Maybe I just want somethin’ small and quiet.”

“Then that’s yours, too. Like I said.” He leaned slightly forward and played with the cuff of his pants, straightening it just so. “It’s whatever you want.”

“So you are actually giving up control.” She tapped a finger against her chin as she delved deep into the notion, teasing him, mocking his ways. Aaron not behind the wheel? Madness!

“That’s women’s territory. I wouldn’t go there unless invited. Anything you want is fine by me. Give me a place and a date and time, and I’m there. Just don’t keep me waitin’.”

“What if I want
you
to participate?” It was getting good to her now, messing with him like this. The entertainment factor began to soar as he looked at her with a bit of irritation, then cracked a grin like a child she’d just let in on a little secret.

“Then I’ll do that, too. Don’t know much about invitation designs and cakes ’nd shit like that though… so don’t expect much. Here, be quiet for a minute and eat somethin’.” She playfully smacked his shoulder as she accepted the plate loaded with food.

“Wow, this looks good! Who made it?” The corner of her mouth kinked as she picked up her fork and prodded a cherry tomato.

“How do you know
I
didn’t?!” His face scrunched up as if he’d been deeply insulted while he wrapped his lips around a leg of chicken and took a hearty bite.

“Aaron, a fool is born every day but I ain’t one of ’em. Now
who
made it?” Her lips kinked in an anticipatory smirk. She took a taste of the salad. “It’s good!” she blurted with her mouth full.

“The wife of an employee of mine. She does catering.” He sucked his teeth, then began to stab his plate again with a bit more force. “He used to do my accounting, then I hired him to work for me, and
only
me.”

You’ve been possessive for a long while, huh, Aaron?

“William ran my company while I was incarcerated.”

“You trust him… That’s good.”

“Not completely.” He shot her a look then quickly turned away. “I don’t trust too many people anymore, Mia. I barely did beforehand, but,” he said with a shrug, “he’s not turned on me yet. We have a respect for one another and I know he knows what he’s doin’ on the business end. I only trust two people in this world…and one of ’em is sittin’ right here beside me in a pretty little dress that keeps movin’ around in the breeze givin’ me sneak peeks of her thigh…”

She smiled and lowered her head.

“Anyway, I told William I wanted some food for a special lady, and asked if Veronica could help.” He looked down into his plate, sorting through pieces of chopped up, vibrantly colored fruit. “He called her right then and there and she agreed to it. She is a really good cook… She did me the favor at the last minute, too.”

“Well, they sound like nice people, Aaron, and this is delicious. Thank you for being so thoughtful.”

Aaron nodded and continued to devour his food as if he’d never eaten a day in his life. Mia burst out laughing, unable to contain herself a moment longer at the sight of the man wolfing down the bounty, leaving barely a crumb on his plate.

“What’s so funny?” he asked around a mouthful of sliced strawberries.

“I just like seeing you enjoy your food. It’s funny.”

“Yeah. I’m eating too fast, huh?” He licked his fingers and went for a buttery biscuit that sat inside a small, dark wicker basket with a white towel over it. “Sorry I’m not all classy and refined like you.” He rolled his eyes and grinned.

She put her plate down and leaned in close until their noses almost touched. Plucking a piece of fruit from her plate, she placed a slice of strawberry between her lips. “Take it gently from my mouth… and chew
slowly
,” she whispered.

He let his gaze rove leisurely from her chin to her eyes, and then again.

“You tryna tutor me or somethin’, Ms. teacher? Make it a lesson?” He placed his plate down, but kept his eye upon her as lust took over his expression.

“Mmmm hmmmm.”

Bringing his lips to hers, he blindsided her with sensual force. Instead of a delicate kiss that summed up her mood, Aaron ambushed her as he worked his teeth around the succulent, sweet fruit then snatched it into his mouth like some starving beast. Eyes locked, she waited until he swallowed the fruit. Soon, they were both laughing with abandon, looking up at God’s sky and loving the moment…

She quieted when the sound of his voice trailed to nothing. He cocked his head slightly to the side like a damn canine curious about the world before him, then ran his fingers down the side of her face… up and down… up and down… gently, so gently. He touched her like clouds dipping low to feel humans, like cotton balls against sensitive fingertips, and light feathers against the nape of one’s perfumed neck. Such a sweet gesture, short and endearing, and she wished for it to keep going, much like the day was long, but not nearly long enough…

He seemed settled, became one with her calm… Yet, his amped up aggression simmered right before the surface when he administered the smoothest of kisses…

A simple, perfect peck…

And then another…

He claimed her lips again, filling her with renewed warmth and erupting desire as he drew her inside his own soul, leaving her with nothing but a memory of the sybaritic moments just past. With a firm hand, he laid her down on the blanket. She sighed when he lay on top of her, the hardness of his body turning her on and his bulk blocking the approaching sunset. The irises of his eyes danced with heat and a warm smile creased his face.

Aaron slid his muscular arm frantically between their bodies, his fingers nimble and his pelvic movements urgent. The sounds of a belt snapping and sliding from a loop and the metal teeth of a zipper snatched down soon followed while the onlooking birds persistently sang and declared the hedonistic yet picturesque scene a sight to behold.

Her hands around his neck, she dug her fingernails into his flesh as she lost control. Perhaps the heat had gone to her head, but she truly doubted it. She craved him as much, if not more, than he did.

His eyes hot and intense, locked on hers, he pulled her dress up around her hips.

“Ahhh…” she moaned when he roughly took hold of her panties and shoved them down to her ankles. He snatched the damn things off and tossed them to the side before knocking her legs farther apart. A second in time seemed entirely too long for she was taken off guard.

“Ohhhh!” He pushed inside of her without preliminaries, entering her like a comet soaring through the galaxy. Kissing her hard, he matched her passion for passion. The emotions of restraint and desire showed on his face as his thrusts increased in speed and intensity. They reached out to each other, hungry, growing closer. But, closer was simply not close enough…

“Uhhhh!” He grunted as he drove into her, their bodies melding into one another. The blanket beneath them ruffled around their wiggling frames. “Wanted to touch you!” he blurted. “Waited so long to be with you, baby! Dreamed about you every damn day and night!”

She stared up at the sky and observed large black birds flying high above them now. They refused to remain perched, singing their songs. No… it was time to dance. The sun began to slowly set, leaving a hazy, lavender sky in its wake.

“I love you, I love you, I love you so much, Aaron!”

“You better! I’d die for you! I’d kill a million motherfuckers for you! Uhhh!”

He pushed harder and harder inside of her, as if trying to touch the farthest reaches of her nature. His expansive girth pushed her wide open, his impact paramount. Soon, she teetered on the edge of an orgasm, overdosed on his masculine, heavenly scent, and held back emotions so huge, they made the deepest valleys appear shallow…

“You’re a beautiful man…” she cooed, her face covered in sweat and love.

“You made me… turned me into a changed man. That makes you my God.” He gripped her head with both hands, but never broke the pace. Trickles of sweat cascaded down his face like water from a stream and the thin, gold chain around his neck dipped against her collarbones, providing a slightly cool sensation at each impact.

“Mmmm, I’m….Ahhhh!” Her body finally gave way. The orgasm snatched her out of the land of serenity and placed her in a world of nothing but nerve endings on sheer overdrive. She couldn’t stop as her feet tingled and the spasms continued… Slowing down, she felt him watching the show, relishing her climax, but only for a moment before resuming his pace. Finally, he lovingly brushed her hair away from her face, landed the perfect kiss against her lips, and then soon joined her.

“Uhhhhh!” A sweet warmth filled her as she observed the sun finally completely disappear through pleasantly tired eyes. “Uhhhh….” His moans slowed while the rounded muscles in his body tightened, and twitched. He wrapped his hands tighter around her waist, still softly pumping his pelvis, forcing his cock in and out of her well after he’d arrived.

“I don’t want to waste
one
drop…” he said, sounding drained. He winked at her as he continued to make love to her… slow and steady, slick and wet…

“Mmmmm.” She burrowed her chin into the crevice of his neck as another, softer orgasm washed over her, the contractions light and beautiful. Like a gentle draft, he traced her shoulder as she came undone, then finally settled beneath him. “Oh boy…”

She smiled and shook her head, unable to control just how many teeth she had on display. After a few moments, he got to his feet, took her by the hand and helped her do the same. She stood by while he tucked his gorgeous dick back inside his pants and redressed.

“You just gonna keep lookin’ at me or do you want to put your panties back on? If you wanna go commando, that’s okay with me too, but the wind is kickin’ up…” he teased, causing her to blush as she looked around for her underwear. “Here it is.” He grabbed her from behind, snuck his hand around her waist, and fell to his knees. “Just stand right there.”

She placed her hand on his shoulder to maintain her balance as he took one leg, slid the panties up, and then followed suit with the second until he’d reached her upper thighs. Mia took over then, finishing the task as he stood back up.

“It sure is a pretty evening.”

He nodded in agreement as he took her hand.

“Still enough light out to see. Feels good out here. Smells nice, too.”

“Yeah, it does. It’s the irises…” He pointed to what seemed like an oasis of deep orange and yellow flowers.” Hand in hand, they ventured over to them. Once again, like a prince in a story from long, long ago, he bent down to pluck a bright orange iris from the group. “Mia, I love you.”

Her heart fluttered as she distinctly heard the delicate quake in his voice. He handed her the flower, then clasped his hands together, his expression somber.

“I’m not going to be somethin’ I’m not. I understand who I am now, and I ain’t ashamed; I won’t make any excuses. I’m embarrassed about my past, but I ain’t the least bit embarrassed about my future with you. Some people are goin’ to say some things, and I’m going to handle it the way I see fit, always with your best interest, safety, and my love for you in mind. What I got with you, I won’t let anyone steal from me. They’ll have to kill me to cause me to give you up.”

She clutched the flower tighter in her hand, mirroring his stance, posture, and serious expression.

“As long as you’ll have me, I’ll be here. I pride myself in bein’ strong, self sufficient, and living by rules, but I had to learn the hard way that there ain’t no rules when it comes to fallin’ in love and finding your soulmate. God picked you out for me when I was out there,” he said, pointing in the distance, at nothing in particular, “spewing my hate and believin’ every single word. He knew what He had in store for me, but I never saw it comin’. Some would say it would serve me right, but I think it feels good to be served. You’re breakfast in bed. You’re my sunshine when things look bleak. I’m glad you’re a teacher, ’cause I’m in need of teachin’ and patience, and more lessons. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to teach you, too. ’Cause we can learn a lot from one another; we already have.”

She nodded in agreement around a sniff, and dabbed at her now moist eyes.

“Anything you need, I got it.” He drew closer to her, wrapped his arm around her, and brushed her lips with his. She felt as if she were melting against his damn form, disappearing right then and there. “You think I’ve done you wrong, said something crazy, call me on it. I ain’t gonna ever be politically correct, baby, but I will always be mindful of how I speak to you. I’m a work in progress. Don’t be too hard on me. I didn’t get this way overnight; gonna need more than a week or two to undo my screwed up thinkin’. I’m gonna mess up sometimes. And I’m gonna be quick to clean it up and correct it, too. Be my teacher… love me through my problems. I promise I’ll be worth the aggravation. Your hard work, love, and forgiveness paid off. I will be everything you need in a husband, and hopefully more.”