An Angel For Ms. Right by Lenise Lee

An Angel For Ms. Right

I am Lenise Lee A thousand loves to liveâ&#x20AC;Śone breath, one word, one story at a timeâ&#x20AC;Ś iamleniselee.wordpress.com colorfulromance.wordpress.com

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Author’s Note:

This is a work of fiction. Although the characters in this fictitious writing engage in unprotected and experimental sexual acts, the author does not endorse unsafe sexual practices in real life situations.

Excerpt

…Denise felt a blush coming on and decided to hurry the conversation on before she embarrassed herself even further. "Um, did you need something?" she questioned, making sure not to stare too hard at his adorable dimples. With one quick stroke, he ran his tanned hand through his dark hair. Denise noted that it was short around the side and slightly spiky on top. It was not the usual look that she would go for on a guy, but on him it definitely had a sexy appeal and seemed to bring out the strong angular cut of his face. "Actually, I did have a question." His brow furrowed and he seemed to be trying to find the right words. He took a deep breath and sucked in his lower lip. At that moment, Denise wished she could taste that lip. "Would you go out with me?" Once again, Denise felt herself rocking on the ball of her feet but was able to catch herself before she pivoted too far back and needed another rescue. He must have seen the look of confusion on her face because he quickly continued without being prompted. "Wait, before you think that I am some kind of stalker or weirdo. It's not what you think. I mean, I don't think I phrased that correctly." Of course not, she thought, no guy this gorgeous would ask me out without there being some hidden agenda…

Dedication

This story is dedicated to the One who can make all things possible, thank you. A dedication is also given to you, dear reader, thank you for your support.

An Angel for Ms. Right By Lenise Lee

Chapter 1

“Excuse me?” The warm baritone voice interrupted Denise Right’s deep thought and stopped her in her tracks as she exited the lecture hall. Without thinking, she turned quickly on her heels and collided with a massive wall that turned out to be a broad muscular chest. “I-I am so sorry,” Denise stuttered as she looked up in to the most dazzling sea-green eyes she had ever seen. Her breath caught in her chest and she stumbled back and would have went crashing to the floor, if two large hands had not reached her in time enough to steady her on her feet. “Whoa. Steady as she goes. Are you okay?” the green eyes peered uncertainly into Denise’s light brown ones. She remembered where she was and managed to pull her eyes away from his gaze and looked around quickly to confirm whether or not anyone else had witnessed her buffoonery. Thankfully, most of the other students in the Introduction to Legal Process class had already exited and her professor was busy gathering his papers from the dais and had not noticed the scene. “I didn’t mean to startle you,” pretty eyes said as he tried to capture her attention once more. Denise reluctantly turned her head back in his direction. “No, it’s fine. It was my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing.”

He smiled then and, if it were possible, his eyes seemed to turn from sea-green to a stunning emerald while two breathtaking dimples pierced the cheeks of his olive-colored skin. Denise felt a blush coming on and decided to hurry the conversation on before she embarrassed herself even further. “Um, did you need something?” she questioned, making sure not to stare too hard at his adorable dimples. With one quick stroke, he ran his tanned hand through his dark hair. Denise noted that it was short around the side and slightly spiky on top. It was not the usual look that she would go for on a guy, but on him it definitely had a sexy appeal and seemed to bring out the strong angular cut of his face. “Actually, I did have a question.” His brow furrowed and he seemed to be trying to find the right words. He took a deep breath and sucked in his lower lip. At that moment, Denise wished she could taste that lip. “Would you go out with me?” Once again, Denise felt herself rocking on the ball of her feet but was able to catch herself before she pivoted too far back and needed another rescue. He must have seen the look of confusion on her face because he quickly continued without being prompted. “Wait, before you think that I am some kind of stalker or weirdo. It’s not what you think. I mean, I don’t think I phrased that correctly.” Of course not, she thought, no guy this gorgeous would ask me out without there being some hidden agenda.

She took a quick scan over him again. He was probably around the same age as her – twentythree – but the similarities ended there.

Black tee that hugged that wonderful chest she had

experienced only a moment ago. Loose fitting dark blue jeans hung perfectly around his hips. A pair of black oxford shoes rounded out the look. He stood well over six feet and had a solid look that confirmed he must work out on the regular. She, on the other hand, had only barely made it to the 8 AM lecture and was donned in a pair of grey sweatpants and long sleeve grey tee, white sneaks. She had only enough time to comb her chestnut brown hair that hung slightly pass her shoulders into a single pony tail at the base of her lean neck before breaking into a fast run across the campus to be seated only moments before Professor Peterson began his morning tirade. Denise took another mental comparison between the immaculate man that stood before her and her own sloppy image and instantly concluded that he wanted something from her. He probably wanted to copy her lecture notes. It was no secret that she currently held the highest average in this course and he would not be the first to attempt to convince her to do their work in exchange for some type of compensation. The first year of law school was brutal and most students did not finish out the entire year before moving on to another course of study. The class she entered with the preceding fall was a total of 200 and had now dwindled to less than 100 during the middle of the spring semester. “What did you mean?” she heard the defensive tone in her voice. Pretty eyes still held a tight wrinkle in his brow and the squinting of his eyes indicated he had taken note of the change in her mannerism as well. “I wanted to ask if you would help me out with this class,” he nearly whispered as he watched her intensely for her reaction.

Ha! I knew it, she smiled in her mind as she mentally congratulated herself on her logical deduction. She placed her hand on her hip, “Look, um, what did you say your name was?” “I didn’t. I’m Adam Aggeliki,” he said as he extended a large hand toward her. Slowly, Denise allowed her own to be enveloped by his firm grasped and felt a warm sensation blanket her mocha tinted skin. Her lashes fluttered and the pair locked eyes once more. Realizing that he was probably purposefully using his strong masculinity to win her over, she quickly recovered her hand and then spun around on her heels to move toward the exit door to the left of the lecture hall. “Look, Adam Ag-Ag-” “Aggeliki. It’s Greek.” “Yeah,” Denise called over her shoulder, “That’s nice. I don’t cheat and I don’t do people’s homework, okay? So, I guess that answers any other questions you may have. Bye.” Confident she had made her point, Denise quickly pushed through the door and into the bright sunshine. Her mission was to forget her problems at home, forget she was stressed to the point of tears over her studies, and most definitely forget Mr. Aggeliki.

Chapter 2

wo hours and two cups of black coffee later, Denise found a table in the middle of the study area on the second floor of the Eastern States University Law Library. She flopped down into the high back wooden chair with such force that she found herself

suddenly moving in a backwards direction as the chair tipped back on two legs. She jumped up quickly and recovered both her balance and that of the chair before reseating herself, very slowly and carefully this time around. With her papers and several textbooks spread out before her on the large oak desk, she mentally prepared to set to work on getting some major studying done. Mid-terms were only a couple of weeks away and then spring break. She would have to find the strength to force her drained body to go back home and proceed to pretend how wonderful everything was in the Right Family for a week or so. “I can hardly wait,” she mumbled and then reached for her Torts and Contract Law textbook. At the same moment, the tiny black cell phone clipped to her left hip began to vibrate. This is unbelievable, Denise thought as she scanned the number on the screen before flipping the phone open. “Hello, Mother,” she forced a smile onto her face and hoped it would reflect in her voice. “Denise,” her mother began – no hello, no how are you – straight into a chiding session, “how many times do I have to remind you to call me Mom? For goodness sakes, we are related by blood, or have you forgotten about that along with bothering to call me at least once per week.”

“Sorry, Mom,” Denise purposefully over emphasized the last word, “I have been a little busy. You know, trying to get good grades and all.” “Oh, Denise, you really need to get a life. It is always study, study, and study with you. Why do you persist in ostracizing your own self from the social community?” “You mean, why won’t I go out with any of those guys with the over inflated egos you keep trying to set me up with? That’s what you really meant, right Mom?” The frustration in her mother’s voice became evident after she inhaled a large and overly dramatic breath. “Denise, why do you insist on giving me such grief? All I want to do is look out for your best interest and all you want to do is fight me all the way.” “Mother, your idea of ‘my best interest’ is marrying me off to some doctor or lawyer and then waiting until you can start counting grandkids!” A sudden look of anger from a dark-haired man seated at the table in front of her alerted Denise that she had raised her voice too high and needed to step into the stairwell to finish this conversation before it became even more heated. She threw him a quick smile and then rested the phone between her ear and shoulder. As she rose from her chair, she decided against grabbing her black leather handbag from the table since she would be sure to be right back. She scanned the area as she walked through the large room and looked over tables and around bookcases in search of the door to the stairwell. All the while, her mother continued to try to command the conversation, as usual. “Denise, you have no right to speak to me that way. If you father was here, I would tell him about this sudden attitude you have as of late.”

“But he’s not there, is he, Mother?” Denise shot back after she heard the door to the stairwell click closed. The sudden silence confirmed that her point had been made. Her father, Dr. George Coolidge Right III was rarely home at this time of day or evening. In the last few years, even before Denise had went off to the university, Dr. Right had seemed to find an endless number of reasons to avoid spending anything but the briefest of moments with his family. Denise use to feel sorry for her Mother. Never much of a sleeper, even when she still lived at home on a regular basis, on her way to the large family study or toward the kitchen, Denise would catch muffled sobs of grief coming from her parents’ room. Since she was always certain that her father was not in the house, Denise could only assume that Mrs. Patricia Right had been crying herself to sleep again. It was after several of those episodes Denise vowed she would never allow her life to be that vulnerable to the whims of a man. Around the same time she stopped hearing the cries in the night, her mother seemed to try to take domineering control over Denise’s life, especially her love life. “You know that is not fair, Denise. Your father works hard to provide for us and to keep you at that expensive school you so desperately hide yourself away at.” Denise knew the last statement was meant as retaliation for her earlier comment. Denise resigned this was a losing battle, only to get worse now that the lines had been drawn, and decided it was time to play nice and end this conversation ASAP. “Mother – sorry – Mom, I have to go back to studying. I will try to give you a call this weekend. I promise.” Denise snapped the phone shut before her mother had a chance to keep the dialogue going any further. She moved to the door and pushed but the heavy metal blockade did not budge. She tried

again, putting her shoulder against the frame, since she could not locate a knob, and shoved as hard as she could. It was after the third attempt when Denise realized her 5’4” and 125 lb frame were not going to get the heavy door open. She looked down and noticed the large sign that had materialized from thin air. Emergency Exit only. No Re-entry. “Shit.” The expletive escaped her lips before she could attempt to hold it in.

Chapter 3

dam Aggeliki felt like a complete idiot. He had gone about his first encounter with Denise all the wrong way. Stupid, stupid, he mentally scolded himself, Of course she would think you were trying to use her. After all, he started off by asking her out and

then ended in practically begging her to help him study. What other conclusion could she possibly draw from that turn around? He ran his hand through his hair again, for the umpteenth time, a nervous tick he hated but could not seem to kick. Seated at the study desk, Adam attempted to focus on the Litigation and the Law book opened before him. Each and every time he tried to read through the pages, the image of an embarrassed and then pissed-off Denise floated into his mind. What was he thinking anyway? What would a girl such as her want with someone like him? Despite his best efforts to keep himself looking in top condition by visiting the gym at the campus several times a week and buying the latest styles – albeit from the bargain racks – there was no way he could compare to Denise Right. From what he had heard, her family was well connected and had more money than the entirety of his family would be able to pull together in a year. Adam was positively sure her four year tuition was already paid in full. He, on the other hand, was here via an academic scholarship and several loans. He was on thin ice in Intro to Legal Process class, having only accomplished a C on his last paper and a C+ on the last exam. He could not afford to get anything less than an overall B average to keep his funding. Considering she had the highest grade average in the class, Denise was probably his only hope in passing the course, but would probably not attempt to give him any more of her time after this morning’s incident. He needed to find a way to work up to talking

with her again, perhaps if he explained the situation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more clearly this time â&#x20AC;&#x201C; she might reconsider helping him out. A noise of wood scraping against the linoleum on the floor jarred Adam from his thoughts. The minute he realized who it was, he knew his prayers were being answered. For a moment, all he could do was watch her as she fumbled with gaining her balance with the chair. A small smile spread over his lips. She always seemed so lost in her own thoughts, and he wondered how she made it through her day without hurting herself several times over. After having already formed a habit of sneaking side looks at her during the lectures, he realized he could easily watch her all day. Her beautiful brown skin always looked so soft and warm; Adam had yearned to have that feel on his fingertips. Today was the first opportunity he had to touch her and the moment did not disappoint. The minute their hands connected, he felt a surge of electricity pass between them. Adam knew she felt it too. When she captured him with those gorgeous light brown eyes, the fire hidden behind them said it all. It took all of his strength not to confess how much he wanted to pull her into his arms and ignite her passion the way she did his. Adam came back to the present and had not realized he was completely transfixed on the woman in front of him until he heard her yelling into her phone. Though he had missed most of what she had said, the tone made it sound like an urgent situation. Instinctively, he wanted to know what the problem was and how he could make it right for her. A funny thought to have considering she did not know who he was until earlier today and even now, staring directly into his face, did not recognize him since she only tossed him a completely platonic, yet polite, smile as she quickly rose and walked away from the place she had been sitting. Right after he watched her scramble down an aisle of books, he noticed she had left her handbag open on the table. Adam knew that the college they attended was a prestigious one but that

did not mean there were not people who would maliciously capitalize on an opportune moment, such as an unattended handbag. Before anyone could wonder what he was doing near her belongings, he quickly picked up the bag and moved his legs in long strides to catch up to her. It took a few minutes of searching in vain before Adam concluded she probably wanted some privacy to handle her phone call and had most likely headed for the stairs at the back of the floor. By the time he reached the door, he heard her voiced raised and decided to hang back a moment before he went through to offer her the forgotten bag. As he spied the sign on this side of the door, he also recognized Denise would be trapped on the other side if he was not there to open it since there was no way she would be able to enter the library from the stairwell. Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood lifted slightly as he thought this may be the fresh start he needed to reintroduce himself to this stunning lady.

Chapter 4

enise placed a small hand to her forehead as she felt her stomach turn over and she prayed the moment of dizziness and nausea would pass. This day was going from bad to worse to hell in only a few short hours. She suddenly understood

when people she knew often commented they wanted a ‘do-over’ to the day, a chance to start over again and hopefully get the day right the second time around. Get it together, girl, Denise forced herself to take a deep breath. She turned to make her way down the stairs to exit the building and then come back in to gather her things, all the while hoping no one decided on grabbing the last fifty dollars she had in her small purse in the handbag she had so smartly left behind while in a hurry to silence her overbearing mother. Before stepping foot onto the top of the stairs to descend, she heard the door creak open and sigh of relief washed over her. “Thank you so much,” she offered and smiled as she turned and was again captured by those dazzling emerald optics. A sensation of warmth gathered in her stomach, replacing the uneasiness there. His smile was so inviting and comforting. The moment she felt like being captured by those strong arms, Denise knew her mind was playing an awful joke on her sensibility. She remembered how he had tried to play her for a fool earlier and all semblance of happiness faded from her heart and, for some reason, she wanted that feeling again, but it was too late to go back on her newfound annoyance at this man. “Oh, it’s you,” she said poignantly, “What do you want now? I told you, I don’t do other peoples work, that does include term papers.”

His vibrant smile disappeared in an instant and Denise felt like a complete ass for what she had said, especially when she eyed her bag in his hand. He was only returning it to her. He must have been the one sitting across from her in the library. And, to add to her idiocy, Denise also realized that if it were not for him, she would not be able to get back into the library without going the long route down, out, in, and back up. Way to go, Denise. He saved your butt twice in five minutes and you give him grief. Maybe my mother is right about me and this attitude thing. “I only wanted to give you your bag,” he nodded his head toward the inside of the library, “you left it on the table and I didn’t want anyone to take your money or anything. Anyway, here you go. Sorry to bother you.” He practically tossed the bag at her and then turned away and hesitated mid-step. “Also, I thought you might need someone to open the door for you since you can’t get back in from the stairs,” his voice was barely above a whisper. He stepped into the stairwell to hold the door open while Denise slinked passed him with her head and eyes low. As soon as they both were on the inside again, he stepped around her and was headed back toward the tables. “Wait,” she called to him but was sure he would keep walking. After all, his duty was done and she had been nothing but ungrateful. To her surprise, Adam stopped but he kept his back to her. His large frame was like a statue and her words caught in her throat as she tried to form something resembling an apology.

“Hey, look, I am sorry for the way I acted back there. I have had a crazy morning, and I am so stressed about midterms, and my mother has been calling me nonstop, and—” she stopped her own self when she realized she had been rambling. Denise also noticed that he still had not turned to face her. When she thought her own silly apology had failed, it was her turn to take a few steps around him and move toward the tables. “How about lunch? My treat.” For the first time in what seemed like years, Denise felt her whole face lift in a bright smile that she could actually feel in her inner being and was truly genuine not rehearsed.

Chapter 5

dam watched Denise literally devour the strawberry shortcake pastry he had purchased for her in the cafeteria. Though the large space was awash with noise of various groups of people laughing and talking, all while large flat screen televisions on all four walls

pumped in the latest news from the various cable news channels, all Adam focused on was the beauty who sat before him. He noticed she had a small spot of cream left on her upper lip after taking the last bite. Before he could stop himself, he reached over and lifted the cream from her lip with the tip of his index finger and then placed the digit into his own mouth. There was a look of shock followed by an all too brief moment of desire that crossed her perfect oval face. He knew right then his action had not been a mistake. She may be interested but was not ready to admit to it just yet. He needed to steady his own self; it would be all too easy for him to get caught in her soulful brown eyes and her vivacious smile. When she smiled earlier, her entire countenance became illuminated. Her already naturally beautiful features became more breathtaking. Other than the light lip gloss she wore on her full lips, he did not notice any other make-up. Her button nose was so cute and perfect. These were only some of the reasons why it took Adam until today to gather the courage to approach Denise. “Adam,” Denise waived a hand in front of his face, “Adam, are you okay?” “Yes,” he sat up with a start, “what were you saying?” Denise laughed and he had no choice but to join in. Her laugh was light and infectious. It was like a melody he could listen to any number of times and was confident would bring the same joy and happiness as though it was the first all over again.

“I was saying I also wanted to apologize for earlier after the lecture. I really should have given you a better opportunity to explain what you were trying to say.” “No, you were right to shoot me down. I went about the whole thing in the complete wrong manner.” “So, please explain,” she flashed those golden eyes at him again and his heart sped up double time. “What I was trying to get out earlier,” he licked his lips and noticed that she followed the movement and allowed her mouth to hang slightly open. To be sure, he repeated the movement and achieved the same affect and, this time, she licked hers sending his mind spirally miles away from what he was attempting to say. Denise caught on and laughed. “You’re doing it again,” she said and he felt his cheeks flush a deep red. “I can’t help it, Denise,” he stared at her and almost willed her to feel the emotions bubbling inside of him. “You have this effect on me. It took me weeks to get enough courage to come up to you and I blew it and here I am doing it all over again.” She sat back in the chair and offered him a confused stare. He feared maybe he had said too much too soon. “What do you mean? How can I have any effect on you, we only meant this morning?”

“Ah,” Adam tried to lighten the mood, sitting back as comfortable as possible in the folding chair at the table and clasping his hands behind his head, “we were introduced this morning. I have known about you for a while now. I have to admit, you amaze me.” It was Denise’s turn to blush as she averted her eyes and scanned several other tables before turned back to him. Adam decided to capitalize on this opening. It was as good a time as any and if they were going to have any type of relationship, personal or professional, he wanted to be as open and honest as possible. On a hunch, he took her petite hands into his own and immediately was overtaken by how delicate they were, how good they felt in his brawny ones, and how he did not want to let them go for anything else on earth right now. “Denise, I started off this morning trying to convince myself to ask you for your help in getting my grade together in Litigation,” he felt her hands tense in his own and saw the rest of her body sit up straight in the chair across the table from him. “Wait, before you think I am one of those guys only trying to get by without doing the work that is far from the truth. I realized right after you walked away, the real reason why I came up to you is because I really wanted to talk with you. Yes, I do need help with the class but even if you say no, I still want to get to know you.” She tried to pull her hand out of his grasp but he held tight and leaned over the table. “Tell me right now you don’t feel some type of connection between us and I will walk away and never bother you again for as long as we both attend this school.”

“Adam—” “Yes or no, Denise.” “Yes,” she fidgeted in the chair, “but this feels so, so weird. I can’t explain.” Adam knew the reason why and went immediately on the defensive. He allowed her hands to fall to the table. He immediately wanted to capture their softness again and had to hold his breath to suppress the urge. “Why? I’m not on your level? Because one of my parents does not have wing of campus center named after him?” “What are you talking about?” He studied her face but could not read whether her confusion was honest or a way to back out of the accusation the easy way. After a surveying the dazed look on her face, he concluded he was the one who had – again – pushed the conversation in the wrong direction. His hand immediately went to his hair and stroked through it several times before he abruptly pushed back from the table and grabbed his canvas sling bag. “Look, sorry I wasted your time. Forget everything I said. See you around?” He made his way through the throngs of patrons in the cafeteria before realizing that she had not followed and he could slow his pace. He found he was disappointed she had not pursued but pushed the emotion to the back of his mind for now.

Chapter 6

ying on the bed in her dorm room, Denise recounted the events from earlier last week. She had not seen Adam since that day. Although he attended the lecture without fail, Adam always arrived after she did and made sure he was the first one

out of the door at the end of the period. She had absolutely no chance to say a word to him. Somehow, she had missed him since that fateful day last week. The heat from his eyes each time they had seen one another that day was so palpable she was convinced the intensity of the image would be embedded in her mind forever. Since she did not know much about him other than his name, neither did she know what other classes he was in, it was tough to try to run into him anywhere else on campus. There were four major buildings, three dorm halls, and a host of several other smaller facilities on the campus so he could be anywhere at any given time. The only thing she had to go on was his name. His name! Of course! She thought to herself as she rolled into a sitting position on the bed. She did not have to worry about making too much noise because her roommate had not returned. It was only 8 PM Friday night, so Denise did not expect to see Amanda until the early AM hours, probably as close to dawn as possible. Lifting her laptop from its carrier bag, Denise logged on to the school’s intranet and found the link she needed on the homepage. Digging deep into her memory, she searched for the pronunciation of his last name and started typing into the search engine box. Angel… Angellis… Aggeliki …ahh, here it is. Since his name was so unique, there was only one Adam Aggeliki listed on the Eastern States University People search. She quickly scanned the basic information and found his Instant Message

screen name. With that in hand, she took a deep breath and typed it into the intranet application. When she saw that a green dot was lit up next to his name, indicating he was still online at whatever terminal he was logged in at, Denise let out a breath she did not realize she had been holding. Why she was going through so much trouble over one guy she had met exactly once, Denise had no idea. Then she remembered how, over a brief lunch date, she had a sense of freedom and happiness that had become foreign to her. Even the idea of a date had become only a memory in her distant past. Not one guy had so much as looked at her since she stepped foot on this campus. She assumed it did not help that she practically lived in sweat pants or jogging outfits and refused to do anything more to her hair than a ponytail or have it hang loose around her shoulders. Denise honestly did not see the point in any emotional attachments to men or anyone else. People, most certainly men, only seemed to disappoint or, at the very least, have an ulterior motive for trying to get close. With Adam, the small bond forged was almost instant and offered her a relief she craved for so long. It was perhaps that closeness, that connection that Denise missed the most. Before the sudden cold shoulder her father handed the family, they had all known some really great times together. Now, everything was a faĂ§ade at home, one she could no longer be a part of. The connection she felt with Adam brought back a wave of good memories and feelings she desperately wanted back but had convinced herself could no longer exist in her life. When Adam walked away that day, she knew he had some painful secrets of his own he was holding in. Denise held a high hope, given enough time; they would be able to help one another through those pains. Denise clicked on Adamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and was about to type a message when she heard her phone on top of the dresser buzz loudly. She slid the small computer off of her lap and onto the bed as she reached over to grab the phone, all the while watching the green dot on the screen as though her life depended on it. Without checking the phone first, she flipped it open and chimed a greeting.

“Well,” her Mother began, “look who is home on a Friday night. Not surprising at all.” While rolling her eyes, Denise sat back against the wall that the bed was adjacent to and placed the computer back on her folded legs. “Mom, I don’t have time for this. Is there a reason you called? Surely, you must have some social function to attend to?” “Actually, I thought your Father and I would be dining out, but he had….other plans, so,” she stopped as though thinking what her next words should be then continued, “Are you coming home tomorrow?” “Mom, you know that I am not scheduled to come back to Pennsylvania until Spring Break in two weeks.” Suddenly overwhelmed with the guilt of not having been home to see her parents in no less than two months, she reconsidered her last statement. “Maybe I can schedule some time next weekend.” “Okay, it’s a definite that you will be here right?” “Yes, I will.” “Good, good. I will see you then. Goodbye, dear.” With that said, the woman ended the call with no further argument and it was all too strange for Denise but her mind could only process one event at a time. The pressing issue at the moment was that Adam’s name no longer had a green orb next to it, and was not highlighted, usually indicative that he had signed out of his account.

Not knowing what else to do, Denise opened up her email account, started typing, and hoped for a miracle.

Chapter 7

dam knew the minute all four of his roommates had returned to the dorm room in the early evening smelling of alcohol there was no way he was going to be able to get any reading done. Though he had attempted to do just that, after thirty minutes of

furniture movement and loud yelps from the common living area of the suite, he gave up the cause as hopeless and wandered outside to find another place to work. He had tried to understand the material but was still having a tough time getting through. The midterms were only two weeks away and he needed to pass that exam with no less than a B+ to keep up his average. Lifting the canvas bag higher on his broad shoulder, he glanced at his wristwatch and concluded the library was either closed or in the process of escorting the last remaining visitors toward the doors. As he crossed the quad, he remembered there was a cafĂŠ around the corner from the west entrance of the campus. Adam was almost positive there was free Wi-Fi there. He would need to look up certain topics online as he read them in the law textbook so as to keep a concrete understanding of the material. For the last week, other than trying to get ready for exams, he was completely consumed with thoughts of Denise. After the fool he had made of himself, he could not bring himself to face her again. He made sure to avoid her as much as possible, which did not seem difficult since he was sure she was not looking for him. He had been rude to leave her at the table but could think of no other way of talking his way out of an embarrassing admission. He was ashamed for not having access to the privileges he was sure were available to Denise.

The thought of how she would never want a

relationship with someone like him, who had nothing to offer her, was already embedded at the back of his mind. Life had not always been like this for him. Adam thought back to his early high school years in Reading, PA. He, his parents, and younger brother all lived in a two story townhouse. His father worked as an accountant in Philadelphia and his mother mostly tended to the home, although she did work as a substitute teacher from time to time to bring in a little extra money for the family. Everything had been great until that night. Adam almost felt his heart breaking all over again. Not wanting to dwell on the past and an uncertain future, he moved his thoughts back to studying. He allowed himself one final thought about the lost look Denise always seemed to have in her eyes. Maybe that was the reason he felt so drawn to her. They both seemed to be floating through life, unable or unwilling to connect to anything. She may be the one to bring him back to earth and help him gain a sentiment for life again, if only he could find a way to reach out to her without her or him pulling back.

By a little after eight o’clock that night, Adam’s eyes were near exhaustion. He had updated all the course blogs that required at least one posting per week and contacted some professors via the school intranet email to discuss any options for extra credit or preparing for midterms they could offer. He had even made it through several chapters in one of the litigation textbooks fairly well and decided to call it an evening. After logging off and packing most of his belongings into the bag, Adam remembered one final task he had forgotten. Luckily, he had not shut down his laptop. All he needed to do was access his school email account again and take a quick look to see whether his little brother had sent him anything. Charles was in his early teens and, though Adam liked to check in with his brother as often as possible,

as with every other teen in this day and age, Charles seemed to only want to communicate via the web or some other electrical device. Adam laughed to himself as he scrolled through the emails before coming across one that caught his eye. He clicked on the message as fast as his index finger would allow him.

To: Adam Aggeliki (aaggeliki@easternumail.net) FROM: Denise Right (dright@easternumail.net) Subject: (No Subject) Hi Adam.

It’s me, Denise.

Sorry about the other day.

would like to be friends with you. that class, please let me know.

I really

If you still need some help with

You can call me at the number below

anytime 

A tickle of hope ran through his chest as he searched his bag for his phone, making a mental note to send a text to his brother later, and then punched in the number displayed in the message on the screen. One ring, two, three… As the fourth one was about to start, Adam pulled the phone away from his ear and started to hit the end button when a heavenly voice came on the line. “Hello?” Adam closed his eyes and took in the sweetness of her voice.

“Hello? Is this Adam?” “Yeah, sorry. Hi, Denise. It’s me. Can I come see you?”

Chapter 8

he minute she heard the knock on the room door, her heart jumped. Denise took one last look in the hall mirror before deciding to take her hair out of the band to let the brown hair fall free around her shoulders. She also decided to put away the workout

wear for one night and instead now wore a cream colored sweater that fit her slim upper body and hung just off the left shoulder, a pair of black jeans that fit her curved hips perfectly, and accented the outfit with a pair of black sling back high heels with peep toes. Denise smiled at her reflection. It was an image she had not seen on herself in some time and she loved every inch of it. She hoped Adam would also. Inhaling a calming breath, she opened the door and immediately wanted to throw herself against his tall and solid body. Her senses screamed that she wanted to be completed engulfed by the presence of this man and his muscular build. The telling smile on his handsome face was stretched from ear to ear and validated a similar thought crossed his mind. She could almost see the green in his eyes casting a blaze. “You look stunning,” he breathed out and she took his hand and led him into the moderate sized suite. After she offered him a seat on the couch, Denise moved to the kitchen to catch her breath. Her body seemed to come alive as soon as he was near. He was the definition of delicious in his light blue jeans and a white polo shirt that set off his wonderful complexion. The shortness of his hair and its spiky roughness had definitely grown on her and she loved how it gave him an appearance of raw manliness she wanted a piece of.

“Did you want something to drink?” she called to him as she stood in front of the refrigerator and enjoyed its coolness. “No, I only want you,” he whispered in her ear as he stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her body closer into his. Shivers went down her spine. Without thought or hesitation, Denise happily sank back into his warmth and wanted to stay in his comforting embrace for as long as possible. “Denise, I missed you. I know that does not sound logical given that we haven’t known one another long, but I can’t seem to help this feeling that you give me.” She turned to face him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. She also saw the sadness, the hints of emptiness she had seen reflected many times in the mirror as she watched herself. She placed a hand delicately to his cheek, only slightly rough from a day’s worth of short dark stubble. He turned his lips to offer her palm a soft kiss. Denise felt her folds moisten. Reason told her to pull back but her heart told her this was a good feeling, something she wanted – no, something she needed to experience. “I know what it is,” she bowed her head, almost afraid to finish her thought allowed. He placed a large finger under her chin and lifted her face until their eyes once more melded into one another’s. “Tell me.” “You bring me to life. I have been so alone and shut down for so long. With you – your touch, your smile, they awaken a joy in me that I allowed to slip away.”

She stopped and he cupped her face into his hands. His olive skin accented her light brown tone perfectly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Denise, I feel the same way.â&#x20AC;? Ever so gently he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She responded softly at first then inhaled his scent of spice and pine and went deeper into the kiss. He eagerly returned the passion that stirred between them. They clung to one another, enjoying the taste of a love in bloom. It was only when Denise felt the cold from the open refrigerator slide across her shoulders she broke the kiss and laughed. It was a laugh of freedom, of a heavy weight being lifted from her mind and her soul. Finally, she believed that there was a chance of her reclaiming peace and happiness in her life.

Chapter 9

eated on the couch, Denise sat atop Adam’s lap as he held her in his arms. Everything about the moment was so right, so familiar to them both. He held his face to her hair and used his free hand to stroke his fingers through her long

tresses. She, in turn, allowed her hands to roam freely across his wide chest. She could feel the hardness of his muscles through the thin cotton of the shirt. She could also feel a delightful bulge growing through his jeans, but had chosen not to comment on that fact as of yet. Denise snuggled down closer to him and exhaled a sigh of relief. “Tell me about yourself.” “What do you want to know?” he whispered as he caressed her back. “Everything. Where are you from?” “Reading, Pennsylvania.” She giggled with delight. “I’m from Chestnut Hill!” He nuzzled her nose and said, “What are the chances?” Making sure to keep their noses touching, she thought of another question. “Okay, tell me about your family, your parents.”

He stiffened immediately when she said the words. He knew she did not realize the reason why and could see the worry growing across her face as she sat up due to his reaction. “Adam, what is it? Did I say something wrong?” He looked into her doe eyes and touched her face with the back of his hands as he tried to calm her fear. “No, it wasn’t you. It was my fault. My family is a sensitive topic for me, is all.” His hand remained on her face but his eyes sank low. “Mine too,” she offered and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I will tell you mine if you tell me yours.” “Are you sure? I don’t want to bring up any painful memories or hurt you any more than you already maybe.” He smiled at the thought of her concern. “No, it’s fine. I want you to know. Actually, it would be better to tell you now and try to avoid any confusion later.” He sat up and she scooted off his lap to the place right next to him. He wrapped an arm around her to make sure she did not go far from his side. “Denise,” he started slow then continued in a hurry as though the words could not be stopped from pouring from his mouth, like a bad taste he needed to get out, “my parents are dead.” She held her hands to her mouth and then clasped her arms around his neck.

“I am so sorry, Adam. I promise, I did not know or I wouldn’t have asked.” He pulled her in even closer to him and took in the comfort she tenderly offered. “Thank you. Of course you didn’t know and that’s why I avoided you after our lunch last week.” She sat back and looked up at him. “I don’t think I understand.” A sad smile crossed his lips and he leaned his elbows on his outstretched legs, placing his head in his hands before recovering a moment later. “Let me explain. My parents made good money when they were still living, but they didn’t have any savings or life insurance. I guess it was something they intended to do and never got around to it,” he hunched his shoulders at the thought. “I use to play football in high school. We played on Friday nights in the fall and they always liked to be there. It was the last game of the season in my junior year and my father had a really important business dinner that he had to attend in Philadelphia. He and my mom went to the dinner and I took my little brother, Charles, with me. At the end of the game, they were still a no-show. My brother and I reached our house and there were police waiting inside and so was our grandmother, our father’s mother. I don’t remember much of what was said that night other than the police concluded it was a drunk driver who must have stolen someone’s car. The other vehicle hit my parents’ car head-on on I95 and they were gone instantly. The other driver must have made it, but they never found him or her.” Denise gasped at the reality that had come crashing down on her. Here she was complaining about how her parents had left her life in emotional upheaval and Adam’s parents were no longer on the earth. She felt hot tears sting her eyes and wiped them away with the back of her hand. She

noticed Adam was no longer speaking and had buried his face in his hands while low sobs came out. Denise immediately wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into her embrace. No words were needed. The couple held one another until Adam pulled away to lift his head and continue. “So, after that, we went to stay with my grandmother. She only had her pension and my grandfather’s pension to live off of. We sold what we could and used the proceeds from the sale of the house for my parents’ funeral and burial and there was not much left over after that. I worked parttime through the rest of high school to get my brother and I the basics we needed when my grandmother did not have the extra money to do so. We did not have the best and sometimes my brother would get teased and even the people that I thought were my friends kind of pushed me to the side when I could not afford to buy the same stuff or party the way I use to. I was lucky enough to get an athletic scholarship to undergrad school, but I knew I had to work hard in college if I wanted to make it any further than that. And now here I am. I need to keep a cumulative 3.0 in all courses to maintain the scholarship I earned as an undergraduate.” “So, that’s why you were asking for my help.” Denise’s stomach turned over when she realized how inconsiderate she had been when he came up to her after class. She put her hand to her head to keep the room from spinning. Adam moved her hand away from her face and kissed her softly, almost shyly. “I told you, that was one of the reasons. I really wanted to get to know you and that was my ‘in’ to start a conversation. I was the one who did not handle that well.” “Why me?” “I saw you walk, actually stumble, into class one day.”

Denise swatted his arm and laughed with him. “I already know my coordination is not the best. Besides, I have a lot on my mind and it detracts from my depth perception.” She offered him a sly smile. “That’s exactly what I mean. I could see your beauty. This lovely skin of yours,” he stroked her face as he recounted the memory, “I could even see there was a fabulous body hiding under all those layers of sweat clothes.” She blushed and poked at this chest this time. “You have a lot of jokes, mister.” He laughed again and then straightened his features. “Mostly, I also saw you were distressed. There was something about you that seemed lost. You always seem to have a faraway look in your eyes. I immediately recognized it because it was the same feeling and look I had. Believe it or not, you called to me from across the room and I had to know how to make you happy. For some reason, I knew if I could bring a smile to those sad eyes, I would bring one to mine.” “I hope I can live up to your expectations. I’m not good at relationships. The one I have with my own parent’s is a mess and I have not had many serious relationships with men.” “Okay, now it’s your turn. Spill it.” He sat back and waited while she pondered how to begin. “Let me start off by saying, again, I am so sorry for your loss. Whatever I have to say cannot ever compare to what you went through.”

He nodded and waited for her to continue. “My mom and dad were so happy once,” she chewed on her finger as she lamented the loss of her loving family times, “now they are like complete strangers. When I was little, my father would bring her roses and take her to all his events. He is a head surgeon for the health care system he works for but he always made time to take her out to dinner every Friday night. My mother spent hours getting her hair and make-up done and picking out the right outfit. I was right there giving my little thumps up or down.” She and Adam smiled at the sentiment. “Then, one day, he just stopped – everything. He would go away on business for days at a time, he would not come home for dinner, he would barely make it to any dance recitals I had or plays I was involved in. After awhile, I stopped participating in the activities altogether. It was not the same without his big smile prompting me to do my best. First, my mother became a sad recluse, crying herself to sleep every night. Then she became a nightmare, almost tyrannical in trying to get me to go out with boys from rich, prestigious families. Trying to make me dress a certain way and act so out of my character I practically ran away after my high school graduation. I have not been home much since then. She calls me every week to beg me to come home, which I try to avoid like the plague because I know there will be some lawyer’s kids or some guy in pre-med waiting for me as soon as I step foot in the house. I can’t even tell you the last time I spoke to my father. He’s never there when I get home and he calls me only whenever it’s convenient for him. I know how the other students talk about how much money we have and how much my father donates to this school. But it means nothing when the people you trust to love and to care for you are the ones who are killing your spirit.”

Denise dropped her head and closed her eyes tightly to avoid the shedding of any more tears tonight. Adam returned the sentiment she gave him earlier. He said nothing, only held her before finally speaking. “It’s okay, Denise. I’m here now, for as long as you want. I hope you feel the same for me.” “I do. I promise I do.” He settled back onto the couch and she lay on top of him. The emotional cleansing of the evening proved to be more than either was ready for. Denise nestled into his strong and loving arms, and Adam welcomed her tender embrace and the two succumbed to the sleep calling to them.

Chapter 10

ne week later and the pair were on a Saturday morning train headed toward Philadelphia Suburban Station. They had spent the last week barely five feet away from one another. Denise helped Adam to get a firm grasp on the topics she was

sure would be covered on the midterm and Adam was the pillow of support that Denise needed in her life. “Are you sure your Mom won’t mind me showing up unannounced like this?” Denise rested her head on his strong shoulder while they rode in the cab toward her home on the outskirts of Chestnut Hill. No matter how many times she ran her petite hands along the length of his wide arms, she always broke out into a moist sweat as she marveled at how powerful they felt. He could easily lift her with one arm, and had already done so on several occasions to her delight. “She may, but I want you there with me.” “It would have been nice if you would have told me this before I came,” he smiled into her hair. The silkiness of her waves turned him on beyond belief and he pulled her into a fiery kiss before the cab driver announced they had arrived at their destination. Denise paid the fair and tipped the man and Adam kept solemnly quiet during the exchange. He had not yet overcome the embarrassment that beset him when she paid for food or services but he said nothing to Denise. Denise slid out of the back of the car and her rose pink sun dress lifted in the slight April breeze. Not noticing his slight change in mood, Denise grabbed his hand and pulled him from the back seat and

Adam was immediately taken aback by the size of the Right estate. While he went to the back of the vehicle to pull the luggage from the trunk, he noted that there were no less than four floors, not including what appeared to be the attic at the very pinnacle of the house, and at least twenty arched windows in the front of the bricked mansion. As the taxi pulled away, Adam noted the property also included a wraparound drive way that encircled the width of the house and most of the front lawn before disappearing behind the home. Denise sensed his apprehension and smiled up at him. This calmed his heart from stammering. He had made sure to wear his best pair of Dockers and a crisp polo shirt and had even combed his spiky locks back somewhat so that his hair lay neatly upon the crown of his head. He had no idea what awaited him on the other side of this door and wanted to be prepared. The moment the massive oak door slid back he knew he would be in for some major issues before the day was done. Denise and her mother immediately took combatant stances at once another. Patricia Right was a tall, lean woman. Adam guessed she was in her fifties based upon Deniseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s age but the woman did not look a day over thirty-five. Her sleek dark hair was pulled up into a sever bun on top of her head. She wore a two-piece peach pants suit and it hugged her feminine curves so well he was sure it was tailor-made to her exact measurements. Her high-heeled shoes were the exact peach color of her outfit and she had tiny white pearls piercing her earlobes and strung on a thin necklace around her neck. Had it not been for the persistent scowl on her face made up with a light powder foundation and burgundy lipstick and matching eye shadow, she would have been an strikingly handsome woman and Adam had no doubt she was the one from whom Denise received her good looks. After a few tense minutes of neither party addressing one another, Patricia finally broke the silence.

“Denise,” she plastered a small across her face, “so lovely to finally see you again, dear.” She glanced briefly over her daughter’s head. “I see you brought a visitor with you. How nice.” Adam could feel the distain for him rolling off of Mrs. Right in waves. Subconsciously, he glanced down to ensure he was presentable. When he looked back up, he saw that Patricia Right had given him the once over to confirm the same. “Hello, Mother. Sorry, Mom. Are you going to let us in?” Patricia stepped back from the doorway and waved her hand back toward the inside of the house. “Of course, dear.” She turned sharply on her heels and disappeared inside. “Tell your friend, to take the bags upstairs to your room. I will have another room prepared for him.” The last word rolled off her tongue with a hint of mockery. “His name is Adam Aggeliki.” “I will be sure to remember, dear,” were her last words as she stepped stealthily up the stairs and disappeared.

“I don’t think your mom wants me here.”

Adam spoke to Denise over his shoulder as he unpacked his belongings in the room Denise’s mother showed him before disappearing again. “It doesn’t matter,” she said as she placed her small arms around his thick waist and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, “I do.” He turned in her arms and swiped her long bang from her face to around her right ear. He smiled before saying, “You were not kidding about your dad not being here. We have been here since noon and I have not heard a peep in this house other than you and me.” “Yeah, I know,” she said as she turned away, “now, imagine being a fourteen year old kid in a house this quiet for hours on end. It’s was enough to drive a sane person such as myself a little nutty.” “Come here,” he drawled and dragged her back away from the door and toward the bed. “Adam, my mom might here us.” No sooner than the words left her mouth, he covered her lips with his own and pulled her on top of him. He ran his fingers through her long waves and then moved his hands down her back and to her rounded bottom and squeezed hard. Denise squirmed with delight as she ran her hands down the front of his shirt and allowed them to slip under. Her hands probed until she found his pert nipples and gave them a squeeze of her own in return. A second later, the doorbell chimed and Patricia raced passed the open doorway of Adam’s room. “Next time, please close the door, thank you,” she snipped without bothering to turn her head toward the stunned couple.

Chapter 11

enise ran her fingers through her hair in an effort to comb it down while Adam straightened his shirt and adjusted his pants, and willed his hard member to go flaccid once again.

Denise was the first person down the stairs with high hopes her father had finally arrived home. The elation in her heart at the possibility of laying eyes on him after several months of constantly missing him while on her return visits home suddenly fizzled. As she approached the entrance to the foyer it dawned on her a person who lived here would not need to use the doorbell unless the locks had been changed. As her mother stepped to the side to allow another visitor into the entryway, Denise’s breath caught in her mouth. Kenneth. He stood tall and firm in a royal blue three piece suit. His ebony skin contrasted with the brilliant whiteness of his shirt. Dazzling white teeth shown through broad brown lips. Cocoa colored eyes lit up the minute he set eyes on Denise. “Denise. It is so good to see you,” he said as he stepped to her in two long steps and pulled her into his arms. Not sure what to do and caught in the suddenness of his presence, Denise forced a return hug and then allowed her arms to fall to the sides as she stepped back from him and next to Adam. She turned and looked into his green eyes, now somewhat paler than usual, and shook her head to acknowledge ignorance of the situation.

Her mother, who watched the scene with a thin smile on her face felt it necessary to enlighten Adam whose face, she surveyed, had turned to stone with a hint of anger. “Denise, you remember Kenneth, don’t you? After all, you two were inseparable before you went off to the university.” Kenneth continued to smile down at Denise. Under his intense gaze, she felt a little intimidated and stepped further into Adam’s side, and hooked her arm into his. She felt his arm muscles tense. She looked up and saw the line of his jaw harden and then twitch. After looking over the where Kenneth stood, she understood the sudden adjustment in Adam’s demeanor. The two men were squaring off and, being only an arm’s length from one another, each waited for the other to make the first move. The two were almost matched in build, though Adam was slightly taller and wider. Denise knew that she had to defuse the situation before one of them actually did make a strike. “Yes, mother, I remember Kenneth,” she said while watching the two men, never taking her eyes from them. “You didn’t tell me he would be coming for a visit tonight.” “Well, dear, you did not inform me you were bringing a guest either. I guess that makes us even?” Denise would deal with her mother soon enough. Right now, she needed to attend to once crisis at a time. “Kenneth, it has been such a long time. I want you to meet my, uh, friend from school, Adam Aggeliki.”

At her words, Adam snapped his head in her direction. She was sure they had become much more but had not bothered to put a label on their relationship and Denise did not want to bind him to anything without his consent. “Nice to meet you, Adam Angel, is it? I am Kenneth Houser.” Kenneth extended a dark hand and offered a small smile. “Aggeliki,” Adam accepted the other man’s hand as he corrected him, “likewise.” While the rivals cooled their heels somewhat, Denise took this opportunity to move on to the next situation that needed her attention. “Mother, may I talk with you in private for a moment?” “Why, dear? Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of Kenneth. He is practically part of the family now. He visits you every time you come home. Actually, I thought the two of you had become much more than friends by now. That is until today.” Patricia let the last comment hang in the air for everyone to digest. Although Denise still held on to his arm, she did not feel Adam respond to her touch. His arm was at this side, though his muscles remained tense with Kenneth so close. “Mother, why are you playing these games?” “Denise, you are the only one playing games. If you are leading this young man on in seriously believing there is a future for the two of you, I suggest you stop it at once.” “Mother, what are you saying? You don’t even know Adam. He’s a good man.”

“That’s what they are all say, dear. This young man obviously has no idea how to present himself when he enters a home such as ours. What does he do for a living? Where is his car? What do his parents do? I have no idea what kind of man he is. Kenneth, however, is a good man. He has a wonderful job, a fabulous home, and that gorgeous car waiting outside. He adores you, Denise, if you would only open your eyes to acknowledge his sentiment. And – and,” she hesitated at admitting the final statement, “he’s black.” “Mother, how could you! Would you listen to yourself? You sound insane!” “No,” Adam slowly removed Denise’s arm from the crook of his, “your mother is right, Denise. She has no idea who I am, and neither do you. I won’t stay in our family home any longer because I will not disrespect you or your mother, and I fear I will do just that if I stay.” “Adam, no, I – I” “Denise, it’s okay. I understand. I should go. I guess I will see you back at the campus. I can get the train back, just bring my things with you and I can pick-up them up when you return. I can’t stay here any longer.” He rushed to the door and as he opened to leave, he turned and faced Mrs. Patricia Right. “To clarify, ma’am, my parents are deceased. I don’t have all the luxuries that you mentioned because I go to school on a scholarship and I work off and on part-time so I can help support my little brother who currently lives with our grandmother. I hope those answers satisfy all of your questions. It crossed my mind that Denise’s home life could not have been as bad as she explained; now I see she was absolutely correct to stay away from here as much as possible. Have a good evening.”

The door slammed behind him and he was gone into the night before Patricia could respond. She stood there gaped mouthed and speechless.

Chapter 12

“Perhaps, I should leave,” Kenneth offered looking first to Denise then back to Patricia. When neither woman answered he moved toward the door. “Wait, Kenneth,” Denise walked toward him, “I am so sorry my mother put you in the middle of this mess.” He smiled. “It’s okay, Denise.” She held up her hand. “No, it’s not okay. I want you to know that as much as I appreciate you always taking the time to visit me when I come for visits; I am not interested in you in that kind of way. I have never been and probably never will be. I should have told you that a long time ago, and for that I apologize. I was confused and unsure of myself before; however, I can assure you and anyone else I am thinking clearly as of right now.” Kenneth nodded solemnly and bent down to give her a light, chaste kiss on the cheek.

“Good luck with your studies and I still hope to see you some other time.” As soon as she heard the door click, she walked right up to Patricia. “Mother, this has got to stop. You cannot, and will not, try to control my life from this point forward. How could you insult Adam like that? What is wrong with you? Calling him out on his finances, on his family, on his race?” Denise crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground as she continued on the defensive. The time had come to settle this simmering battle of wills between mother and daughter. Denise was at her wits end and had come to the point of needing a resolution to this current state of affairs or she may have to force herself to cut ties with her mother completely. “What happened to the sweet woman who would tuck me in at night and cuddle on the couch with me with a bowl of popcorn? The woman who would sing me to sleep and make special meals for me and dad?” “She’s dead, Denise!” The sudden revelations left both women quiet. “She died when the man who promised to love her forever abandoned her with not a sliver of guilt to be found. He not only left her, he left her to raise a daughter on her own. He left me for a white woman, Denise, and demanded I continue this charade of a marriage because of how he thought it would make him look to his colleagues. He refused to be put through a messy divorce in front of them. That is why he is never here. He is with her right now living the life he always wanted to have. I was always just a show piece and now he needs me in name only.”

Patricia’s eyes watered and then a single tear streaked down over her flawless mocha skin. Soon others flooded over her cheeks. She gasped and put her hand to her face and released a heavy sniffle. No longer caring about her appearance or her clothing, she became seized with a fit of spasms as years of inner turmoil boiled to the surface. “Mother. Mom.” Denise moved closer to the woman and opened her arms to the disheveled woman, and Patricia fell into her daughter’s arms and exhaled more cries.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” Denise questioned the woman sitting next to her. Patricia had ceased her tears hours ago but her face still hung low and solemn. She had removed her make-up and replaced her suit with a pair of khaki shorts and blue tank top. Her long, dark hair hung down her back and in loose waves. “I didn’t want you to hate him. I know how much you looked up to him. You beamed every time he smiled down at you. I wanted you to remember him as a good man. He was a good man for a long time and then something changed.” Patricia reflected on her memories of the past twenty-five years of marriage to George Right. Everything had started off so wonderful. He was an up and coming black professional. He was a real prize to the girls in her South Philadelphia neighborhood. Patricia felt so lucky to have him give her any

attention much less ask her to be his wife. She promised her parents she would do whatever it took to make them proud. She was the wife of one of the first African-American doctors to come from their neighborhood. She wore the right clothes, befriended the right people, presented herself well in front of all of his co-workers and, for a while, a long while, she knew that Dr. George Coolidge Right III was happy to have her on his arm. That was until the late night meetings started, all of the phone calls in the middle of the night, and the hang-ups during the day if she answered the line. Then, he became bold enough to avoid coming home at all. Small pools filled her eyes as she remembered the day when she finally confronted him and he laughed at her. Yes, he had the audacity to laugh right to her face. George came right out and said the marriage was a sham. He said he knew there was no way a black doctor could marry a white woman back then and expect to have any kind of lasting career. He admitted he and Claire had been together for years before he had married Patricia and the other woman had acquiesced herself to the role of mistress because she loved him so much. Patricia demanded a divorce and he laughed again saying he would never give it to her. She played the role of faithful wife and mother better than any of the other wives and that is how it would stay. He actually convinced himself everyone would be happy with the arrangement. Patricia would be able to keep her status and all the benefits and financial security of life as a top physicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife. He would be able to finally spend the time with the woman he was really in love with. George stated he would make visits to the home as often as possible so Denise would have a father figure for as long as possible. Everyone would be happy, he said, except it was far from the truth. Patricia had not had an ounce of rest or peace since that day. However, now the secret was out and Patricia felt no need to continue with the old ways any longer. Whether George agreed or not, she was exhausted and was finished with the theatrics and needed to move on with her life. She looked over at her beautiful daughter and smiled at the concern her sympathetic face offered.

“Denise, I am sorry for the way that I have been. I did not want you to make the same mistake as me. I wanted you to have the best and I wanted you to be with the best. I thought after the situation I was in, I would be able to weed out all of the degenerates and find you someone who would really love and care for you. I did not want you to be hurt and destroyed like I was.” “Mom, don’t you see when you changed, I changed. When you lost your love with dad, it felt like you lost your love for me, too.” “O, honey, never!” “Now, I know the truth, before I didn’t. I walked around empty and lonely inside wondering what I had done to ruin your marriage. Then, I met Adam and he held the same loneliness and we comforted one another. I think we completed one another. He didn’t have parents anymore and I believed any real sentiment from my own had been forgone years ago.” As the salty tears rolled down Denise’s face, her mother wiped them away. “Denise, forgive me. If that young man makes you feel authentic love and fulfillment then he is who you should be with and forget about all that non-sense I said earlier. I was a fool but am no longer.” She cupped her daughter’s face with one hand. “Always remember I love you, Denise. As long as you are happy, so am I.” “I love you, too, Mom.” For the first time in a long time, the two women sensed a bond forged, never to be broken again.

Chapter 13

he train ride home was almost unbearable. Adam could not get what Deniseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother had said out of his mind. She was right, of course. He could not offer her the home, the cars, or any other aspect of the lifestyle Denise was accustomed to â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not

yet. He would be able to offer only his love, his attention, and his support for many years to come before his law degree might bring in a substantial enough income to support them both. Why he had taken a chance on approaching her that day he could not be completely sure of except his heart had told him it was the right thing to do at the time. Even now, Adam was convinced he and Denise belonged together; it was only a matter of him sorting his life out so he had the means available to take care of her the way she deserved. He had not heard from or seen Denise since Saturday and today would be the first day back to the lecture hall. To his dismay, Denise did not attend class. He was surprised and a bit worried considering the course midterm exam was at the end of this week during the next scheduled class meeting. He willed the class to hurry on and barely heard anything that the instructor spoke. At the end of the period, Adam stormed from the room to get outside and use his phone. This was ridiculous. He had to find out if she was okay. Thinking back, he should have stayed with her to face

whatever was going on with her mother. He could not think straight after she referred to him as her friend; it almost crushed him to think she did not see him as more. Out of respect for her and her mother, he had backed down. He now understood before she could ever accept him as her man, he would first have to act like one, starting with making sure if she needed him, he would be there. He reached the park benches on the outside of the cafeteria building and sat his books down on a table. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and started to push the button to speed dial her number. “Trying to reach someone?” the silky voice teased. A smile donned his lips as he lifted his head and was captivated by how the bright sunshine reflected off her eyes making them appear golden. The light also warmed the color of her skin to perfection. “Sure was. I was trying to check on the love of my life. I haven’t heard from her lately.” “Well, what kind of woman leaves a handsome man like you waiting around?” Adam dropped his gaze. “I guess one who can do better with another tall, handsome fellow – with some nice wheels and a big house to match.” His earlier oath to himself revisited his mind and his will strengthened. He gathered her feminine hands in his masculine ones and looked up into her fiery gaze and matched it with his adoring one. “Denise, you know I don’t have much money. In fact, I don’t even have a bank account yet. However, I do care for you with all of my heart, and will do anything necessary to prove my love and

dedication to you and giving you a wonderful life. If you will have me, I promise to make every dream you ever had come true.” Without hesitation, Denise dropped into his lap and kissed him hard. When they finally parted, both were breathlessly panting and wanting more. “Mr. Aggeliki, I never have and never will care about money or frivolous things. I don’t want some guy who can give me material wealth; I want you because I know you will give me the love I have always hoped for.” Adam’s tanned skin glowed in the sunlight as his face lit up and his dimples appeared. Denise kissed each one in turn. He thanked her with a squeeze on her bottom. “Adam, one thing I do want from you.” “Anything.” “Never leave me again. I don’t think I can take another man walking out of my life so suddenly.” “Never again. I promise.” He crossed his heart and leaned forward and the kissed the tip of her nose. She ran her caramel fingers through his spiky jet black hair and sighed with contentment. “Good. By the way,” she looked at him quizzically as her big brown eyes gazed into his green ones, “Aggeliki – what does that mean anyway? You said it’s Greek, right?” “Yes. Mainly, it means ‘angel’.”

Epilogue

enise surveyed her surrounding before plopping down on the hard king sized mattress splayed in the middle of the floor. Adam seated himself on the corner edge next to her.

“How is your mom holding up? I have heard divorces can get really bitter and ugly.” Denise rolled over on her side to face him. “Actually, she is handling this turn of events much better than I had expected. I really don’t think my father has the option of giving her a hard time. Mom never signed any kind of pre-nuptial agreement and dad has been having an affair – a well documented affair – for the entire course of their marriage. With all those facts in mind, I think she will be able to keep whatever she wants from the finances or request whatever alimony she thinks would be fitting.” She crinkled her brows in thought. “Really, I think she only wants some peace of mind. She mentioned possibly going on an extended cruise to Europe once this is over.” Adam rubbed away the worry lines from his love’s forehead. “You still have not heard anything from your father?”

“No,” she closed her eyes and reveled in his touch on her skin, “it’s probably for the best. If I was only part of an elaborate scheme to achieve success, we have nothing to say to one another for the time being. I think he loved us once but allowed his own needs and ambitions to dominate his life and ours. Maybe in the future we can all make amends. For now, so long as I have you, I am wonderfully happy and I have everything I need.” Denise patted the spot on the mattress next to her and Adam gladly lay down, eagerly helping her position her body in a sitting position atop his own. “I cannot believe we found this apartment so close to campus for only half of what we paid for housing on campus,” she smiled down at him. “I know. Lucky, I guess,” Adam said as he looked around the room, “even if the only furniture we have is this lumpy mattress.” The pair laughed at the observation. “Well, let me be the first to suggest that we attempt to flatten out every lump as soon as possible.” Denise leaned down and captured his strong lips. “I concur,” Adam breathed against her mouth. He slid the yellow spaghetti strap tank top over her head to reveal a blue lace sheer bra. “For me?” “Uh-huh, wait until you get to the bottoms,” she purred as she placed wet kisses down the side of his neck.

“Why wait?” With a stealthy movement, Adam rolled Denise over so their positions were reversed. He removed the jean shorts she wore and his eyes almost crossed when he saw the matching lace bikini style panties waiting beneath. “I am going to enjoy this.” After a deep kiss where their tongues played happily together, he moved down to her chin and then used both of his wet lips to claim hold on a tender area of skin on her neck. Denise gasped in air as the pleasure overtook her. Her hands dug deep into his back and then followed a line of firm muscle down to his bottom and pulled him between her legs as she wrapped them around the wide girth of his waist. The heavy hardness she felt rubbing vigorously against her sensitive nub drove her even further with lust. Adam reached the soft mounds of her breasts and positioned his mouth over the lace and onto her erect nipple and bit gently. Denise arched her back in response. “I can’t wait,” he groaned and she used her legs and feet to help him shimmy out of his khaki shorts and boxers. Retrieving a small foil package, he slid the condom down his extended length and readied himself at slick her entrance. “Now, Adam. Please.” With one thrust, he slid inside her and almost lost his mind. Adam focused on pulling down the straps of the bra and releasing her brown flesh accentuated by blackberry colored nipples. Once he had one securely in his mouth he allowed his right hand to gently massage the other nipple. With his free

hand he stroked her hair spread across the top of the bed. All the while he continued with slow thrusts that turned faster the moment he heard his name escape her lips. “Adam. More,” she moaned heavily from the back of her throat. She moved her hips forward to meet his and gather more of him into herself. Overcome by waves of ecstasy she hit her peak and released a scream true to the complete release she allowed to ripple throughout her body. He followed only a few seconds later. One final push, all the way to her core sent him over the edge and he yanked her hair as he growled out her name. “Denise!” After their heart rates settled back to normal, still lying on top of her, he looked down and smiled and her heart melted at the sight of those perfect dimples. “I could stay like this forever,” he whispered to her. “So could I,” she said as she trailed her hand along the side of his face. “I love you, Denise.” “I love you more, Adam, my personal angel.” THE END

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