“Sophia, what happened? Why did I see an old picture with Lisa?” I asked her.

“I know you were with her,” she snipped.

“It’s not what you think, please let me explain,” I begged.

“I don’t need to hear more lies. I can’t trust you, and I was a fool to ever think I could.”

“That picture was from last year that Lisa sent you. It wasn’t from last night.”

“I don’t want to hear it. Just fucking leave… get the hell out of my life,” she said while staring down at her hands.

“You’re going to listen to me and let me explain.” I reached for her hands and placed mine over hers.

“She contacted me about my grandmother’s ring she had found that was left behind when I was arrested. She knew I’d want it back. She wouldn’t send it to me, but she was going to be in NOLA for a weekend trip. I met her to get the ring and nothing else,” I explained.

“I sat at the bar and waited for her. She tried to touch me and I wouldn’t let her. I told her I was happy and had finally found someone. I told her I was happy and was with you. I had to get away from her for a minute and forgot my phone at the table; she must have looked through my phone and found your number. I came out of the bathroom and demanded the ring and left. I wasn’t there more than thirty minutes total. I swear. I’m not seeing Lisa. I want only you… I love you, Sophia,” I groveled.

“I was falling in love with you Kayden. I trusted you and you ripped my heart out. How could you… with that evil woman?” Sophia asked, as tears began to flow from her eyes.

“I didn’t. It’s on my phone. Read the messages on my phone between her and I. You’ll see I’m not lying to you about why I saw her. I didn’t want you to freak out. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I would not let her throw us away. I would fight for us… for her. I stood up and pulled my phone from my pocket. I flipped to the messages that Lisa and I had exchanged. I held out the phone to Sophia.

“Read them, please. You’ll see that I’m not lying to you,” I said, as she snatched the phone from my hand.

I sat on the edge of the bed, and just watched her. I prayed that once she read the conversation, she’d forgive me. She moved her fingers on the screen to read earlier messages that were sent between Lisa and I. She put the phone down in front of me.

“Why weren’t you just honest with me? I would’ve understood,” she said, wiping the tears off her cheek.

“I didn’t know how you’d react, I didn’t want to lose you,” I explained, as I reached out and wiped a tear trickling down her face. “I’m used to being with jealous women, I should have known better. I’m so sorry, Sophia.”

“I’m not jealous. I don’t like being lied to, and I don’t know if I will ever fully trust you again,” she replied, reaching out to touch my hand as it lingered on her face.

“Just try. You’re the only one in my life… my heart is filled by you. I don’t think you realize how important you are to me. I’m in love with you.” I laid it all out to her. I was not going to be coy with my feelings, and she needed to know how important she is.

She didn’t respond to my words, and I needed her to feel the love I felt. I reached my arm out, and she didn’t back away. I wrapped my hand around the back of the neck and pulled her close. I kissed her with all the love and passion that she evoked in me. If she didn’t believe my words, I wanted her to feel them through my kiss. I backed away and looked at her face. Her eyes were still closed, I watched as they fluttered open and looked at me with the softness I had seen before.

“I love you, too, Kayden. Don’t hide things from me anymore,” she asked.

“I promise not to lie to you again. I can’t imagine my world without you,” I told her while drawing her into an embrace.

She felt right in my arms. I’m glad she couldn’t see my face. There was so much about me that Sophia didn’t know. I hadn’t lied to her before, but I hadn’t been entirely forthcoming with my past. I would share all the gory details when the time was right. We needed to get through this moment, before I could share my entire story.

Forgiveness

After reading the messages between Lisa and Kayden, I knew he told me the truth. I would try and trust him, but it would have to be earned over time. Being so far away from each other wouldn’t help ease my insecurities. Kayden drove all night to apologize and explain his actions to me; we were both exhausted from the last twelve hours.

“You want to shower?” I asked.

“Yes, but only if you’ll take it with me.”

I crawled off the bed, stood next to him, and held out my hand. We walked to the bathroom without breaking physical contact. I started the shower, and sat on the edge of the tub while he undressed.

“How long will you be here?” I asked.

“I have to leave in the morning. I’ll be back soon though, I booked my flight.”

He helped me up from the edge and slowly removed my pajamas. He climbed in the shower first and held me as I entered. He washed my skin from head to toe, it was as if he wiped away the pain and distrust from my being. When he was finished I reciprocated the act, but I used my hands. I lathered the soap in my hands before placing then on his chest. I slowly rubbed my palms and fingers all over his body, working my way down to wash him clean. After we both rinsed the water from our bodies, Kayden grabbed a towel off the rack. He toweled my body off gently, making sure not to miss a spot, and wrapped the towel around my body. He secured a towel around his waist before turning back to me.

Kayden gathered me into his arms, and I clasped my hands around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder. He laid me on the bed. I watched as he removed the towel from his body and dropped it to the floor. I reached for my towel to remove it, but he shook his head.

“Don’t, I want to unwrap you,” he said as he moved towards the bed.

I laid my hands near my side and waited for him. He sat next to me, and peeled the cloth off my body slowly as if savoring the moment.

“Make love to me, Kayden.”

Kayden placed his body next to mine, leaning on one arm to keep his weight off of my body. He placed his hand on my neck with his thumb touching my face. He kissed me slowly, and sucked my lower lip into his mouth. The only sound filling the room was our breath, shallow and rhythmic. His hand slid down my neck to my breast and squeezed before rolling my nipple between his fingers. I moaned into his mouth.

His lips broke from mine and followed a path down my neck to meet his fingers. His tongue lathed at the tip, pinching it with his fingers. My hips moved on their own as if begging to be touched and his hand left my breast to push them back down. He sucked my nipple into his mouth, grazing it with his teeth. He cupped my pussy with just the right amount of pressure to quell my ache.

Licking from my breast to my belly button, his tongue dipped inside as I squirmed. He chuckled from my reaction before continuing down my bare flesh. His tongue moved to the right as if to tease me and prolong what I needed—his tongue on my clit. He nudged my legs farther apart and I did so willingly. He licked lightly across my core lips before drawing my clit into his mouth. I fisted the sheets and curled my toes, as he continued the ravenous pursuit of my orgasm. My body writhed from the pleasure as he sucked harder. His tongue flicked as the pressure increased. Every nerve ending in my body screamed for the release, and my skin became damp. My eyes began to blur then his mouth popped off my core. I whimpered from the loss.

“I want my cock in you when you cum.” He prodded my core with his hardness.