Donnell, to his credit, kept a straight face. Donnell was probably packing heat right then and there, but he never showed it. He just told them and my mom not to worry and that he would take good care of me. As we drove away, I looked back and saw Bradley just standing there watching the limo drive away with a look on his face I couldn’t quite read. The look saw on his face didn’t say “Stay with me, Ana,” so I guess it didn’t matter.
Through high school, I just admired him from afar. When he went off to UCLA, I was heartbroken. We wrote as much as we could while he was away. He barely came home, and when he did, for some reason, we would miss each other, so I lost all hope that anything would happen between us. So, I just became the best “friend” he could ever have. Whenever he was stressed or had a huge test, he would call me saying he just needed to hear my voice. We would talk for hours about nothing really, but it seemed to relax him, so I just went with it. I wanted to be there for him in any way that I could, so I took advantage of opportunities when I could. I didn’t think it would be this way for long. He was hot, and I was sure he had grown out of his awkwardness, so I knew it was a matter of time before he met someone and fell in love.
Medical school came around, and he decided to stay at UCLA for their medical school program. I just knew he had fallen for someone named Muffy and they already had a little dog named Princess. Therefore, I never asked him if he was seeing anyone for fear it would destroy me. Come to think of it, he never asked me either.
We remained friends though. No matter what was going on in our lives, we stayed connected with each other through emails and phone calls. Things changed for us during the summer after his second year of medical school. He and his friends were heading to Miami for a week in May, and he wanted me to come. I, of course, said no. I was working two jobs at the time, trying to get myself into college. I couldn’t afford to make the trip, but my Bradley decided he’d buy the tickets anyway so I could come. Things actually worked out, and I managed to take the days off and still keep my job.
I used what little money I had to buy some things to wear, namely a bathing suit. Since the last time he saw me, I finally learned what to do with my curves. I was still thick in some places, but they were in the right places. I was a good-looking woman and wanted to make sure Braddock Mills knew I was as well.
What I wasn’t expecting was how well he grew into his body. When I got off the plane and moved to baggage claim, I looked around for Brad. My brain searched for a tall guy with braces and glasses, but I didn’t see him. I went to pull out my phone to call him, but it turned out he was calling me.
“Hey, Ana, where are you? I’m waiting in baggage claim.” His voice boomed on the other end of my cell.
I looked around and found a few white guys talking on the phone. I said, “I’m here, Bradley. I’m looking for…” My sentence died when my eyes fell on a guy that instantly astounded me. He was tall, but, God, he had muscles that were etched in his shirt or maybe his shirt was just window dressing for his unbelievable body.
Holy shit…
My eyes went to his dark brown wavy hair that fell slightly over one of his eyes. He was clean-shaven with a short sleeve shirt that again looked painted on a perfectly carved chest, abs and arms. His legs through his shorts shown powerful thighs, but his calves looked toned and formed.
Oh my goodness, Braddock Mills had definitely grown into a specimen of the utmost perfection.
I wiped my bottom lip, as I definitely felt a bit of drool drop from them, unable to move from my spot. When his eyes found me, he froze too and just stared at me so hard I thought I looked a hot mess and started looking down at myself. I wore a simple t-shirt that contoured my chest and stomach and shorts that showed off my legs, so I thought I looked good considering the two-hour flight. But as soon as he smiled at me, my worry subsided, and I instantly smiled back. I moved full speed and jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.
I would be embarrassed later if this wasn’t Brad, but when he squeezed me to him, I knew I had the right guy.
When I finally let go and got down, I smiled up at him. “Holy shit, did you eat a lot of spinach, Bradley Mills?”
He laughed and shook his head. “Uh no, can’t say that I have. What about you? Damn, Ayana, you look amazing. Definitely not the girl next door, I tell you that much. I bet you’re beating them away with a stick.”
I shrugged my shoulders. “You know how it is, I’m sure. I bet you a million dollars that those college girls are losing their minds over you.”