I knew that look of defensiveness and helplessness in his eyes. He felt guilty because he wasn’t there for me. I get it, but honestly, this wasn’t about him. I couldn’t feel bad because I didn’t lean on him, someone that was just as weak as I was.
I said to him, “Wayne, you and I both know I couldn’t go to you. You would have tried your best, I have no doubt, but I didn’t feel you were able to help me. I mean, what happened during those times I was MIA living with Noah? You told me you were moving on and that I didn’t matter to you anymore.” I put my hands up to stop him and added, “Regardless if you didn’t mean it or not, I felt like I had no one. No one cared that Noah had me locked up in his house. I felt alone, and I had no one. I had to learn to help myself, and I did that.”
I moved closer to Wayne and I told him, “Look, I don’t blame you, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m sure if you were able to help me, you would have. There was just no way you could you’ve helped. No, the only person who could was Nickels, and he came through just when I needed him.”
Wayne studied my eyes and slowly brought his hand up to my face. He touched my cheek lightly.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you when you needed me. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough back then to stand up for you.”
I smiled slightly and stepped back from his touch.
“You’re definitely forgiven, Wayne.”
I took off his jacket, handed it back to him and walked back toward the hall. It was time for me to call it a night and go back home. Or rather, to the beach house I was calling home for the moment. Maybe Malcolm had, had enough and could take me home.
Joshua
Josh was exhausted from the twelve hour trip home, but he was running on the need to see her. He’d gotten updates on how she was doing, but the deep need to see her with his own eyes, to feel her in his arms was too overwhelming for him to wait. The moment he walked into the hall his eyes went in search of her. He heard a screech from his left, and he smiled. He knew exactly who that was and braced himself for the impact that was undoubtedly coming.
Liliana slammed into her brother just as he opened his arms to her.
“Shit woman…” He laughed and kept hold of her.
When they parted, she punched him in the chest. “Damn, it took you long enough to get home.”
He grinned. “Yeah well, I had a pit stop to make in Mexico, so…”
Liliana stared at him. “Yeah and were you successful?”
Josh shook his head.
He tilted her chin and said, “My dear sister, what do you think?”
Josh was then surrounded by his brother and his parents. He kissed his mother, hugged her and his father. Malcolm came up to him and clasped his forearm.
“Glad to see you made it in one piece.” He looked behind Josh. “Where’s Shane?”
“Parking the car. Where’s…” Josh’s voice trailed off when he caught a glimpse of someone in the corner of his eye.
He turned and found Kenya walking inside the hall. He froze, captivated by her as if he was seeing her for the first time. She was beautiful and strong. The dress she wore contoured her curves and complexion. Her hair was in loose curls, and she wore very light makeup that only accentuated her beauty. It was a struggle to grab air in his lungs, she took his breath away with every sway of her hips.
He moved away from his family unable to take his eyes from her. When she finally saw him, she stopped too.
Josh felt the stupid grin spread across his face and shyness and humbleness took over. He couldn’t move any further he thought, as he knew his knees would give out.
Kenya smiled back. She took a few deep breaths and the warmth and calmness she mentioned earlier washed over her. There he was. He was in one piece, and he looked incredible. He was in another black Italian suit, that from this distance, she couldn’t tell what brand. He cut his hair, but he left his five o’clock shadow trimmed and lined along his jaw.
She wanted to feel him, she wanted to touch him. She needed him she knew, and she didn’t care what that made her or what other people felt or thought. He was the other fifty percent to make her whole, and she wanted nothing in the world but to feel how whole he could make her over and over again for the rest of her life.
Josh made the first move finally, unable to resist her any longer.
Kenya moved too, and the moment they were in arm’s length, he pulled her into his embrace.
“Oh God, Sweets, I’ve missed you so much…” Josh mumbled in her neck.
He felt her body tremble but wondered if it was really hers or his own body that was trembling. He hugged her tighter, wanting to never forget the feeling of her body.
When she moved back from him, he wasted no time claiming her mouth. He’d thought and dreamed of tasting her again ever since he found her laying in that hole. The craving and hunger threatened to consume him, but he didn’t deepen the kiss. He knew the moment he did that, he wouldn’t be able to stop. He did make sure to get a sufficient taste of his woman before he pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.
While he kept his eyes closed, his hands roamed her face and her arms, her back, her hips, trying to satisfy the urges for skin–to–skin contact.
He felt her hands go through his hair, down the back of his neck to his shoulders and back. Her hands went inside his jacket with her own need to touch her skin to his.
She growled in frustration, and Josh couldn’t help but chuckle, as he was feeling the same way. He leaned slightly away from her so he could look in her eyes. He brought both his hands back up to the sides of her face.
“Hey, Sweets,” he whispered.
She smiled. “Hey.”
They brought their foreheads together again, and both found themselves smiling.
“Are you okay?” she asked him.
“Yes, baby, I’m fine,” he told her.
“Good, I wouldn’t want to have to beat Shane’s ass.”
Josh chuckled and brought his eyes on hers.
“I’m sure he’s grateful.”
Slowly, as he looked in her eyes he felt that same overwhelming feeling he would always get when he was around her. He was losing control, and as always, she was about to bring him to his knees.
Kenya kept her eyes locked on his reddened ones, not wanting to break that deep connection that she was feeling. It was as if they were the only two people in the room.
Josh took a deep breath and said, “Kenya, I never thought I would ever find a woman like you. I’ve been captivated by you since that day I saw you on the track.” She smiled and blushed. His fingers lightly caressed her face. “The moment I touched you, I felt something that I’ve never felt before. I couldn’t stop thinking about you from that day on, and I realized it was that very moment when I fell in love with you. Your innocence and compassion filled me. When you touched me, I was instantly humbled by you.” He paused, took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You took my breath away.”
“Josh…”
Josh saw the tears collect then fall as he confessed his feelings to her without any hesitation.
“You’ve changed me, made me better, made me stronger, your touch soothes me, your gaze humbles me, and your heart endures me. I just don’t make sense without you. The control and power you have over me scares the shit out of me, but I don’t care. I give you my heart to do as you will. You’re the love of my life, Kenya, and there is no way I can live my life without you.”
Josh stepped back from her slightly and moved down to one knee. Kenya’s eyes widened, and her shaking hands instantly went to her mouth.
“You’re the only person that has brought me to my knees in more ways than one. Please say you’ll be my wife, the mother of my kids, my partner, my lover, my best friend in life. I promise to love you for the rest of both our lives. Marry me, Kenya…”
Josh reached in his jacket pocket but was surprised himself when Kenya went to her knees in front of him. She placed both her hands on his face. He could see her struggling to say what she needed to say without collapsing, passing out or hyperventilating.
“Josh, I love you so much. There’s no me without you… your my protector, my lifeline. I’m just not complete without your love for me. No one has ever loved me the way that you do. No one has ever made me feel safe and wanted and desired more than you. My heart belongs to you, I belong to you and no other. I’m so sorry it took me so long to tell you how much I love you. I was afraid that if I spoke my feelings in existence that you’d be taken from me like so many bright moments in my life. But I’m not afraid anymore. My obsession is you; you make me complete in every way. Yes, I’ll be your wife. Yes, I’ll be the mother of our kids. Yes, I’ll be your partner as long as Misty is okay with it; I don’t want to have to kick her ass too.” She smiled through her tears. She rubbed his stubble face. “Yes, I’ll be your lover, your best friend in life and after. I promise to love you and cherish you for the rest of both our lives.” She brought his lips to hers and kissed him. She said in between kisses, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Josh embraced her to him tight, kissing her back. This time he was about to deepen the kiss when a loud clapping brought him back to where he was. He moved back from her and looked around to find everyone had circled around them.