Unconditional Love (Journey of Love 1)

She smiled and there went that beautiful red moving across her face. “Want a tour?” I asked.

She nodded her head and I held out my hand. We walked back into the condo and I stopped and said, “I wanted an open floor plan for the kitchen, dining and living room so I dedicated the north end of the unit to that. Each side has a hallway running down it and you can cross over in two different locations. One is the elevator lobby and then another cross-through further down.”

She smiled and said, “Who decorated? It’s breathtaking.”

I smiled and said, “Me and my mother.”

She dropped my hand and walked up to my leather sofa. She ran her hand along the back of it as she looked out the windows. “It’s nothing but windows. The light in here is amazing.”

I walked up and took her hand and led her down the hallway. “Here is a bathroom.” I turned on the light and she let out a small sigh. “Lark, it’s breathtaking.”

I laughed and said, “It’s a bathroom.”

She shrugged and said, “It’s a beautiful bathroom.” We made our way to the next enclosed room. “The formal living room. I don’t think I’ve ever sat in here. My mother and father like this room and my dad spends a lot of his time in here.”

I watched her face as she looked around at everything. My whole condo was done in a mix of ranch style and contemporary.

“Let’s keep going,” I said as she followed me out of the formal living room and into a guest bedroom. “This is one of the two guest bedrooms. Each one has an en suite.” She nodded her head and took a look around the room.

“This room is very contemporary in style,” she said as she ran her hand along the silk bedcover. “It’s beautiful. Your mother has amazing taste.”

“Yeah, she does. This condo was like a blank canvas for her to try out different things.”

I started to make my way out as we moved onto the next room. “Here is the game room.” I let out a chuckle. “Where I spend a lot of my time when I have friends over.”

I watched as Azurdee first walked up to the window and whispered something again about the view. She turned and looked at the pool table and I couldn’t help but notice her glance back at me and then look away with a flushed look. What was my girl thinking? I wanted to know what dirty thoughts were running through her mind.

She walked up to the door that led to the guest room. “Does this go to the room next door?”

I nodded my head. “My father’s idea.”

She smiled and ran her fingers along the edge of the pool table. I knew exactly what I would be doing later on tonight with her when we got home.

As we walked out, I pointed across the corridor. “That is the other cut across that takes you to the west side of the condo. There is another guest room, and to the right a library and to the left my office.”

She nodded her head and looked to her left. I smiled and took her hand in mine. I opened the door to my bedroom and she sucked in a breath of air.

“Oh. My. God.” She walked in and spun around as she took everything in. She immediately walked up to the windows and looked out. “It’s breathtaking. The view is just amazing. Look at the river. You can see it for miles.” She spun around and her eyes landed on my king-size bed. When she put her finger in her mouth and gently bit down on it my pants grew a few sizes too small.

She slowly looked away and walked up to the door that led to the master bath. When she pushed the door open, she whispered something else I couldn’t hear. “The shower. Oh my gosh—the shower is in the middle of the room!”

I laughed and said, “Yes, it is. I had the shower put in the middle of the room with three glass walls. The floor and the back wall are all Italian marble.”

“Aren’t you afraid of people seeing you in here…naked?”

I turned around and hit a button and the shades slowly began to make their descent. “Each room has shades on all the windows, but I pretty much keep them open all the time. I like the light.”

She walked over to the sinks and turned around and smiled. “Your mother has beautiful taste. I think I love your bedroom and bathroom the best so far.”

I smiled and felt my heart drop slightly and I had to lean against the wall since my knees felt weak. “I designed my bedroom and bathroom myself.”

She snapped her head back and smiled slightly. “Oh,” was all she said as she made her way over to the bathtub. “I’ve never seen such a deep tub before. I bet it’s amazing to soak in.”

I walked up behind her and placed my hands on her hips as I brushed my lips against her neck. “I bet it would be even more amazing to fuck you in it.”

She quickly turned around as I pulled her body closer to mine. “Yes, please,” she whispered.

I leaned down and kissed her as she laced her arms around my neck and deepened the kiss. I knew what she was wanting and I wanted it too.

I pulled away and said, “Azurdee, if I take you now, I’m going to want to take you in every single one of these rooms and we won’t ever be able to go out tonight.”

“I’m okay with that,” she said with a crooked smile that spread across her face. I laughed as I pulled her arms from around my neck and led her back to the master bedroom. I walked up to a door and led her into my office.

She walked in and looked around. She made her way over to the bookcase and began looking at all my pictures. Most were of my family and Marine Corps buddies. She picked up the one of Skip and me when we were in Hawaii.

“Who’s this?”

I swallowed hard and said, “My boss.” I walked over and took the photo out of her hand and led her back out of the office. As we walked down the hall I said, “There is another guest bedroom here that pretty much looks like the one on the east side of the condo. The next room is the library.”

I pushed open the door and watched her face as she walked in. “Holy shit. There are floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in here. Where are all the books?”

I looked around and shrugged. “I don’t know, I’m still adding to my collection.”

She walked up and pushed the ladder from one side of the room to the other. Then she turned and walked up to the leather sectional that was placed in the middle of the room and faced out to the windows.

“Sometimes I like to come in here and work and watch the sunset. It’s very peaceful in this room. I think it’s my second favorite room.”

“Your favorite?” she asked as she tilted her head and looked at me.

“My bedroom.”

We stood there and stared at each other for a few minutes before she broke the silence. “Your home is beautiful, Lark. Breathtaking, really. I can’t even find the words to describe it.”

I gave her a slight smile, “It’s just a place to sleep and eat. Sometimes work.”

She nodded her head and I knew s

he was wondering how many girls I had brought home. The way she was looking at the sectional I wanted to ask her what she was thinking.

“You’re the first girl I’ve ever brought up here.”

The smile that spread across her face caused me to smile. I could almost see the relief spreading across her entire body and she instantly relaxed.

“Why don’t you grab a glass of wine and have a seat in here and I’ll get dressed to go out.”

“I’m good for now, but thank you,” she said as she slowly sank down onto the sofa as her eyes began looking everywhere.

“If you change your mind, the wine cooler is in the kitchen near the end of the island.”

I turned to walk out, but stopped at the door and turned to face her. I didn’t know what was running through her head on how I could afford a place like this. “I got a pretty big inheritance from my grandparents, and my other grandparents set up a trust for me and Tristan.”

Her mouth dropped open and her eyes filled with hurt. “Lark, you don’t have to explain anything to me. It never even crossed my mind and it certainly isn’t any of my business.”

I nodded my head slightly and made my way to my room. I sat down on my bed and tried to control my breathing. I didn’t want to be falling for her. I couldn’t go through that again. The whole time she was walking around, all I wanted to do was tell her I could see her living here with me. I could see her in my future. I closed my eyes and pictured her pregnant and standing on the balcony looking out over the river.

I snapped my eyes open and stood up quickly. What the fuck? I ran my hands down my face and let out a frustrated moan.

Damn it, Williams. Stop dreaming this crazy-ass dream of yours and get your head out of your ass.

I decided that tonight I wasn’t going to think of anything but having a good time with Azurdee. Nothing more and nothing less.

No more images of her in my bed, standing in my kitchen cooking, and certainly not of her standing on my balcony pregnant.

Recuerde guardar mi corazón.

The second Lark walked out of the library, I fell back into the sofa. “Holy shit,” I whispered. I looked around and took in the massive library. I closed my eyes and thought about his bedroom.