Always (Bold As Love 4)

Jake

It's eleven o'clock in the morning when I wake up. Sweetness is tucked into my chest, still asleep. Without too much thought, I bury my hand in her hair. Just feeling her naked body tight against my own arouses me. A flashback of last night pops into my mind, and I smile, but it quickly fades as I realize everything that needs to be accomplished. I need to go through my father's things and make a final decision as to whether I'm going to keep the house or sale it. Not to mention that I've got to get all the paperwork together so when we go to Chicago, I can get Drake registered for school.

Then there's the talk that I'm supposed to have with Drake. I'm really not looking forward to that at all. I wonder if Emily has spoken to her dad or seen him since he proposed to Cherish. She hasn't mentioned him, so I'm not sure. Part of me feels like I need to speak with him since I'm whisking his daughter away. It's different than us going to Charlotte. We're going to another state that's like nine hundred miles away. Sure we're engaged, but I guess since Emily didn't really tell him that she was going with me that I should make sure he's fine with it. If he's not, I don't think Emily would stay behind, especially since I need her to help with Drake. All thoughts cease as Sweetness snuggles closer to me and lifts her head to look at me from underneath her long, black lashes.

“Morning, love.”

Oh, how I missed waking up with her next to me. “Morning.”

Her breasts push against me as she picks herself up so she can give me one of her sweet, sleepy kisses.

“I wish we could lay in bed all day,” she says as she nuzzles into my neck.

“Me too, Sweetness, but we've got things to do. Hey, have you talked to Mike since his proposal?”

“He called and told me she said yes, but that's it. We're supposed to have dinner with him tomorrow. Is that okay? I forgot to tell you.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“What do we have to do today anyway?”

“Well, I've been thinking about what I'm going to do with the house and I think I'm going to sell it.”

“But this is your home.”

“I know,” I begin. “But we're moving and starting our lives elsewhere. I just think it will be more of a hassle to keep it than anything else. Whenever we come back to visit Mike, we'll just stay at a hotel.” I add that last part just to let her know that we will come back to visit.

“If that's what you want, then okay. What else is on the list?”

“Well, I'm going to have to head back soon so we need to get packing because I plan on taking you and Drake with me. I've got to go through Dad's things too.”

“Do you want me to help?”

Her voice is timid, almost as if she's scared to ask. I know I was a bit of a wreck afterwards and that had to scare her, so maybe that's why she seems afraid of her question.

“I would love that.”

She kisses my neck and reluctantly says, “We should probably get up now.”

Suddenly, I get this urge to tell her how much she means to me. A simple 'I love you' a couple of times a day doesn't really do it, even if it's true. Sometimes, you just have to spell it out for the sake of doing so.

“I love you so much,” I say, my voice giving way to just how much with the extra gruff. “Sweetness, I appreciate you more than I thought was possible. I fall in love with you more every day and I hope that never stops. I love that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together and I can't wait to experience everything with you.”

Sweetness props herself up on her elbow, so she can look at me. Her lips fall open just a tad as she searches my eyes. “Thank you for saving me,” she says at last.

“I'll be here to save you. Always.”

She gives me a quick kiss and then the moment disappears. “We better get out of bed now or it'll never happen.”

I get out of bed and get dressed in a pair of shorts and a tee. I toss Emily her bra, underwear, as well as shorts and a shirt. Then we're in the bathroom brushing our teeth before we head downstairs.

“Drake?”

He turns around from his position on the couch. “It's about time that y'all get up. I've been down here watching TV for an hour. I've even ate breakfast already.”

“What did you eat?”

“Cereal.”