The Redemption(81)

Lifting my flowy skirt, I reach under and slip off my panties…

Dex is fast with the condom, but slow with his kisses and caresses. At one point, he sits up with me on his lap, our bodies joined together. His gentle rocks and thrusts are not hurried, but slow and languid, building my inner desire, twisting my insides until I come, squeezing him in the process.

With his lips pressed to my neck, he opens his mouth and his teeth scrape lightly while he holds me tight. A couple more thrusts and his body tenses as moans fill the open air around us—his and mine together.

When normally our bodies are allowed to go slack, relaxing in the aftermath of the euphoria, Dex holds me closer and kisses me with the passion most give before sex. I relish it, taking his passion and absorbing his heat. The moment is intense like he is and though our declarations have been spoken aloud, I feel his love filling my soul.

I pull back, wanting to see his eyes. When he opens them, he looks at me just as curiously as I look at him. “What?” he asks.

“You love me,” I respond.

“Yes, I do, but you know that.”

“No. I’ve heard you say it, but…” I know I must sound insane right now, but I say it anyway. “It’s different. I feel it.”

“Good.” He smiles—gentle and satisfied. “Love is not for the ears, but for the heart.”

I shouldn’t cry. I really shouldn’t, but I feel his love. I feel amazingly lucky and happy. The tears come from a place of joy and I don’t bother to hide them. He readjusts back down and I come with him, resting on his chest. “I’m sorry,” I whisper.

His hand slides under the back of my shirt and rubs, the touch is warming and comforting. “Why are you sorry?”

“Because I heard you say it and I’ve seen it in your eyes, but I never allowed myself to feel it until now.”

With my ear pressed to his chest, I hear his breathing and heart beating just as he whispers, “I love you, Rochelle.”

“I love you too.”





We get back to LA just after the kids arrive home from school. When we walk in, my boys run to me. It was only one night away, but I missed them just as much. In a three person hug huddle, I rest on my knees so I can fully embrace my sweet boys. But then I feel a nudging. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy CJ’s arm around Dex’s leg, including him in our group hug. I wrap my arm around his leg too until my hand holds my youngest as well. Dex takes all of us in when he spans his arms around our small family. And there we stay for a minute or two.

When we stand up, I give my boys more kisses, then meet Beth’s eyes. She has a wide grin on her face and I realize she’s a witness to the start of something new, the start of something that feels like it could become a constant, something permanent. “Welcome home,” she says. “Did you have a nice time?”

“I did. Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

Her eyes glance to Dex before coming back to me. “No problem. I love spending extra time with the boys. They were great. Right, guys?”

Neil laughs, obviously not telling the whole truth. “Yep, we were super good for Beth.”

CJ’s face is serious when he says, “I only got sent to time-out two times, Mama. Only two.”

Trying to stifle my own laugh, I say, “Well done, buddy. Maybe next time, you won’t go at all.”

“I try harder.”

“That’s my boy.”

Neil asks Dex, “I’ve been working on some new beats. Can I show you?”

Dex seems surprised. “Yeah, absolutely.”

Neil takes his hand and drags him through the living room and down the hall to his room. CJ announces that he’s hungry and disappears into the kitchen looking for a snack. Beth remains, smiling at me. That smile that says she knows that I not only had sex but that I’m obviously head over heels for Dex. I don’t even have a chance to say anything before she says, “Wow, that must have been some night.”

Sitting down on the couch, I play dumb. “What?” I shrug. “He needed a friend to talk to. I’m glad I could be there for him.”

“You mean in the friends with benefit kind of way?”

“Not everything has to end in sex, you know.”

She crosses her arms and looks at me incredulously. “Really? You’re gonna pretend like nothing happened between you two?”

“Who says I’m pretending anything?”

Pointing at me, her finger swirls in the air. “Then explain that hickey that’s forming on the right side of your neck?”

“Uh!” I gasp, jumping up to see in the mirror.

“You totally just gave yourself away. There’s no hickey.”

“You play dirty, Beth.”

“Eh, it’s a gift really.” She walks to the kitchen door and says, “But I want you to stop trying to hide the obvious and accept whatever you’ve got going on with Dex. It’s making you all sunshiny and shit and you look good happy.”

I roll my eyes, but smile after. “Sunshiny and shit? Nice.”

“I’m just telling you the truth.”

“I’m really liking all the truths I’ve been getting lately.”

With a loud laugh, she goes into the kitchen leaving me there with my own thoughts on the matter. A hand touches my shoulder making me jump a few moments later. Beth says, “I’m gonna go.” She takes her purse and backpack from the floor near my feet and adds, “Call me if you need me.”