At Last (28 page)

             
“I should’ve told you.”

             
“You should’ve.” I said continuing to wash up.

             
Cliff stood up and left the bathroom for a moment. After about five minutes I rose from the tub and he came in with a towel. I stepped out and he wrapped it around me. I went towards the sink and rinsed my mouth out with baking soda before he picked me up and cradled me in his arms.

             
I wanted to fight him. I wanted to so bad, but I couldn’t. I was so confused. There was something about him holding me like he did that made me feel calm. It made me feel loved.

             
He took me into a room and put me under the covers before looking at me. His eyes couldn’t hide his own shame and hurt. I just turned away from him.

             
“How could you do this to me, Cliff? I loved you.” I said.

             
“I know what it looked like, but I swear it wasn’t like that. I wouldn’t hurt you like that.”

             
“Too late.”

             
“Why would I bring you to meet my
fam
just to do some foul shit like that? You know me better than that.”

             
I continued to lay there with my back turned to him.

             
“I wouldn’t do that to you.  All that shit them other cats put you through, I couldn’t hurt you like that. I feel like I always gotta prove my love to you. You should already know.”

             
“Then what happened?”

             
“I was gone…I ain’t realize what I was doin’. She knocked on my window acting like somethin’ happened to Carmen a couple of blocks down. So, I let her get in thinking I was going down the block to see what was good. Come to find out she was just in there askin’ me questions about why we broke up. I told her to get out and she wouldn’t. I just sat my head back and dozed off for a minute.”

             
“How did her head get between your legs?”

             
“Keisha, I don’t know. Maybe she knew you
was
coming out. I know it’s my fault, but I wasn’t thinking.”

             
“You expect me to believe that?” I asked sitting up and facing him.

             
“Yeah I do, ‘
cause
it’s the truth.  If I wanted to be with her I could, but...”

             
“Is that a selling point?”

             
“No. It’s the truth. I’m here with you. I’ve never given you
no
reason to doubt me or my word.”

             
“Were you with her when you
was
gone all day today?”

             
“Naw.
The only time I seen her was when we left the house and tonight.
I been
with Jay all day.”

             
“I wanna believe you, I do
I
really do….”

             
“I know why you might feel like I’m lying, but I’m lookin’ you in the eyes and telling you on everything I got, I didn’t do what you think I did. I’d never do that. And either we gon’ get through this, or you gon’ find it fit for you to leave.

             
“I can’t blame you for either choice you make, but you gotta understand all I got is my word. And sometimes that just gotta be good enough.”

             
Cliff sat in a
chair next to the bed and I
lai
d
back down. I think we were both trying to feel each other out.

             
I had trust issues. That was a given.

             
After dealing with men like Justin and Durran, any woman would. But Cliff was different, and he had a point. He’d always been straight up with me when it came to his intentions. He was always honest.

             
It was something I loved about him. Maybe I was being naïve, but I couldn’t see him ever doing what I thought he’d done. I think he had just as much to lose as I would. He wouldn’t risk it.

             
“Cliffy?”

             
“What up, Ma?”

             
“Can you get in the bed with me?”

             
He smiled at me and kneeled down in front of me before kissing me, “Of course.”

             
He stood up, took off his clothes, and got underneath the covers with me. Sliding in behind me, he
felt so good. He wrapped his arms around my waist and softly kissed the back of my neck.

             
“I love you, Keisha. You’re-”

             
“Stop apologizing.” I ordered before turning to him and stroking his goatee, “I love you too, baby.”

             
I stared into his eyes so deeply; it was as if I could see his soul.  I closed my eyes and kissed him softly on the lips.  It was so simple and sweet that it was seductive.

             
Slowly parting my lips and slipping his tongue into my mouth, he sucked lovingly on my bottom lip.  He grabbed my loose hair and ran his hands through it. His touch was intoxicating.

             
Cliff then began to kiss and nibble on my neck while placing his hand on my left breast and slowly stroking my nipple. I moaned as I kissed him hungrily. He took my breasts in both hands, licked and sucked them until I screamed out in absolute pleasure. While still giving my breasts attention, he let one hand drift down to my love nest and slipped his index finger in wetness.

             
“Damn baby. What are you doing to me?” I said arching my back so he could go deeper.

             
“You like it?”  Cliff said between licks and sucks.

             
“I love it.”

             
“How many fingers you want inside of you?
One or two?”

             
“Two.”  I told him moaning.

             
As Clifford toyed with my love button, I became wetter and wetter. My body began to convulse from the pleasure. Just as my
rain begin
to fall, Cliff slid into me until he hit bottom. I could hardly contain myself as he
filled me up. I clawed at his back as he grinded slow and hard.

             
“You love me baby?” He said looking deep into my eyes.

             
“I love, you, Cliff.”

             
Cliff slowly pulled out.

             
“What you doing?” I asked angrily.

             
Clifford smiled, “Don’t worry; I’m not done with you just yet.”

             
He stood up and got out of the bed.

             
“Where you going?”

             
“Nowhere.
Just get on your knees.”

             
I did as I was instructed. Clifford got back on the bed behind me. He bent me over slightly while holding me by the waist and entered from behind.

             
“That’s more like it.”  I said throwing it back at him.

             
Cliff let out a chuckle.

             
“We gon’ see who gon’ be left talking shit.” He said before slapping my backside with one hand and toying with my clit with the other.

Chapter Twenty-One

             
When I woke up my head was spinning.  I rose out of the bed and realized Cliff wasn’t beside me. When I was searching for him I noticed a note on the nightstand.

Ran home for a minute.
  I’ll be back soon.

Call me if you need anything.

Love, Cliff.

             
I
lay
back down on the bed. The only thing on my mind was last night. I tried to stay cool, collected and classy, but those hoes pushed me.

             
Now I couldn’t help but wonder how the news would travel. I’m sure the rest of Cliff’s family knew by now. I just hoped it wouldn’t affect the relationships I was building with Chanel and Wilma.

             
I finally pulled myself out of the bed and went to the bathroom.  As I washed my face and looked in the mirror, I saw my hair was all over my head.

             
“Shit…” I said to absolutely no one. Was I looking like this before or after the sex?

             
I went to my purse and grabbed my brush and a ponytail holder. I looked in the medicine cabinet to see if there was any hair grease.
Yes!!
Good ole Royal Crown. I wet the bristles of the brush and began to brush my hair up into a bun on top of my head.

             
As I walked back to the bedroom, I noticed a black velvet jewelry box on the side of the bed Cliff was laying on. I don’t know how I missed it.  I picked it up and opened it.

             
Inside was an Emerald cut diamond white gold solitaire ring.  There were two small baguettes on the band surrounding the center diamond.  It had to be at least two karats.

             
I got on my knees and prayed to God. I thanked him for bringing Cliff into me and Taylor’s life. I thanked him for sending me someone who loved me and my daughter. 

             
Someone he saw fit to be with me for the rest of my life. I sat on the bed trying to soak everything in, and tears flooded my eyes.  I realized that this was what I
had been looking for my life; I'd been looking my whole life for a man to love me like Daddy did.

             
I lost my entire train of thought when I heard the front door open. “Cliffy?”

             
“Yeah, babe.”
He said closing the door behind him.

             
I could hear him walking down the hallway to the bedroom.  I was so nervous. I wiped my eyes and waited for him on the bed, sitting Indian Style, with the open ring box in front of me.

             
“I brought you some clothes and got you some breakfast.
Uh and your toothbrush.”
  He said with the widest smile on his face. He placed the bag of clothes on the floor never taking his eyes off me.

             
“Thank you.” I said smiling nonstop. I was trying to get myself in check, but it wasn’t working.

             
“So what’s it gonna be?”  He asked walking closer to me.

             
Oh my God.

             
He stood in front of me and fell to one knee as he grabbed the jewelry box. Tears instantly streamed down my cheeks.  He grabbed my hand and looked me in my eyes.

             
“Keisha Marie Morgan, will you be my wife?”

             
Oh…my…God.

             
“Yes.”  I said barely getting the words out.

             
I grabbed his face and kissed him with all the passion and love I had inside of me for him.

             
“Your food is cold now.”  He kissed my forehead and laughed a little.

             
“I don’t care.”  I smiled standing up.

             
“I gotta call Vette, Momma and Missy.”

             
“Already told them.”

             
“What?  When did you do that?” I asked him with my hand on my hip.

             
“I asked your mother before we left and told Yvette and Missy too.”  He said looking up at me as he sat on the floor. I smirked at him.

             
“Remember when Yvette said, ‘For me to know and you to find out’,” He asked. I nodded, “Well, you just found out.”

             
He burst out into laughter and I punched him in the shoulder, “I can’t believe I was the last to know!”

             
“ Aye
it wasn’t your business.”  He laughed.

             
“Shut up!” I said with a smile.

             
“I made them promise they wouldn’t.”

             
“How you know I was gonna say yes?”  I teased him.

             
He stood up in front of me and flashed that infamous smile, “You know what’s good for you.”