Never Knew Love Like This Before Page 2

  “What is it, is everything okay?” Shelly rushed to her aid as she seemed she would fall. She brushed her hands away and turned her back to her as a tear slipped down her caramel rose-colored cheeks. She brushed it away quickly and smiled, slowly turning around as she quickly regained her composure. Isaiah was the closest to what she would want in a man. She wondered if she was overlooking a gem in him. Though he was quite a looker, she felt something was missing. She didn’t feel that thing that Troy did to her with Isaiah. But he did offer her some whopping mental orgasms as powerful as physical ones. The man’s brain was a wealth of power, information, and knowledge. She found it sexy and could sit with him for hours just talking and spending time; listening to him inspired her. But then, that was where it sort of ended. What was wrong with her?

  “It’s just the man who sent these. It took me by surprise is all.” She smiled and shook her head slightly, causing her tresses to fall behind her shoulders and away from her face. Feeling suddenly hot she walked to her desk and retrieved a hair pin and swiftly wrapped her hair into a bun on top of her head. It is Mr. Isaiah Urbane who was causing the conflict in her. He is good, kind, thoughtful. He didn’t harass her or press her for time. Having known him for almost four years at the brink of her now successful and budding career, he had proposed. But she wasn’t ready for anything like that. Wasn’t ready for marriage and children, all the things she knew Isaiah wanted. Sure he already had a son, but the circumstances are strange, and he hasn’t had a chance to raise a child, be a father. Never married at forty-seven years old also held her reserve. He was almost perfect, and she didn’t understand why she wasn’t as attracted to him as she was someone she thought less worthy, less good for her, and in the future would probably be more problematic for her. Or maybe she was fed up with the fact that the few times they went away on getaway weekends, he only wanted to stay in bed and sleep when she wanted to go hiking and sightseeing. He was tired all the time after a few hours and she wanted to make love all night. His siblings were her parents’ age and she wanted to join a family where she could have sister- and brothers-in-law to chat with and have fun with and share family events and holidays to help make them special. Maybe she just wanted too much.

  “Okay Shelly, let’s go. We have a deadline to meet and this upcoming issue of Flowers Bed is going to stun, shock and make lots of noise.” She teased as she gently rested her hand on her assistant’s shoulder as an act of repentance and walked out of her office door.

  The day sped by and she was totally pooped. She had a productive day and was too tired to think about anything else but taking a long hot bath, climbing into bed, and sleeping the night away. Before she left she ordered everyone in the office to take home a bouquet of roses. She had to smile. They were indeed exquisite, just as the man who thought to send them. She didn’t drive home with Alexandra this evening; her friend had a hot date and wanted to leave early, which she almost never did. She was happy for her so she agreed. She called a car service and reclined comfortably in the back in the plush leather seats as the air conditioner soothed her and closed her eyes. She felt the driver weave through traffic rushing her to her Upper East Side Manhattan penthouse condo as she planned out how she would end her evening.

  She was soon forced from her state of respite as the livery service came to an abrupt halt, not three blocks from her home. There was a police blockade blocking traffic from entering the small one-way street on which she resided.

  “Excuse me, driver, what’s happening? Why have we stopped?”

  “I am sorry, ma’am, but the police are blocking the street, seem to be searching vehicles,” he told her uncertainly.

  “Maybe they are looking for someone,” Morgan said as she began digging in her purse to pay her fare. “I will get out and walk from here; I am not very far away from home.” She stuck her fingers through the glass window and gave the cabbie sixty dollars.

  “This is too much money,” exclaimed the driver, flabbergasted.

  “Its okay, I appreciate your speedy response in taking me home and you will be stuck in traffic for a while it seems.” She smiled nicely at him, opened the door, and gently slid out the door, closing it behind her. She began to walk slowly and leisurely as she watched the roadblock unfold in front of her, and like her many neighbors and onlookers who had stopped to see the spectacle and inquire as to why there was a roadblock on a one-way residential Manhattan street in the middle of rush hour, she was very curious. The pileup was endless and as she got closer to her building she saw all the flashing lights and NYPD officers at her door checking ID of all females of a certain age group coming and going.

  Increased curiosity prodded her onward. Walking briskly she arrived at her door and began searching through her pocketbook for her ID, her hands being filled with roses tumbling out of the vase as she fished around.

  “Let me help you with that, ma’am,” one officer said to her smiling shyly at her. Gratefully dropping her load into his hands she searched her purse frantically.

  “Hey, that’s her. We have found the woman we are looking for. Call off the block.” She found her wallet with her driver’s license and handed it to one of the three officers that approached her. They stared at her suspiciously as one officer looked over her license.

  “Sorry, ma’am, my name is Officer Dudley and I have a warrent for your arrest.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Ms. Morgan Quixotic, you are under arrest for the suspicion of fraud and money laundering. If you don’t resist we will take you in nice and quiet and we can avoid the embarrassing inquisition of your neighbors.”

  “What?” Her disbelief was evident and her anger rising. “I want my attorney, this is ridiculous.”

  “Ma’am, you can call your attorney from the precinct. It’s best we get moving as soon as possible. The crowd is getting larger and we have caused enough of a traffic jam because of you. You really don’t want a scene, I promise, and if you push the issue I will put you in handcuffs.”

  Thinking about her job, her status in society, her reputation, and the value of privacy, she agreed to go along and play along as if they were not trying to arrest her. She gingerly got in the back of a squad car and the sirens went blaring as they swerved through traffic to the 6th precinct.

  “Excuse me officer but this precinct does not have jurisdiction in my neighborhood,” she whimpered.

  “No offense, Ms. Quixotic, but I am an officer of the law and I should know what precinct has jurisdiction over what area.”

  “My apologies,” Morgan stated, not wanting to cause the driver aggravation or show any form of disrespect. They pulled into the station and three other squad escorts pulled in too carrying cases of beer, balloons, and party paraphernalia. She was totally confused seeing these two gentlemen only hours before causing a roadblock barricade in her neighborhood and now partying like teenagers.

  “Okay, I have been patient. I think I deserve to know what the hell is going on here.” She got out of the car and looked to the officer who parked with a jovial smile on his face. She was livid.

  “Why don’t you just relax and follow me.”

  “Why? I have had enough of this game. Haven’t you wasted enough of the people’s tax dollars?” Her face turned beet red and steam seemed to be coming out of her ears.

  “Fine then, why don’t you ask him?” Feeling incredibly provoked and ridiculed she turned around and bumped into Bruce.

  “Hello my literary love.” He smiled proudly and brightly at her, causing her to hesitate. His voice dropped seductively as he sauntered closer, provoking her even more.

  “What is it that you mean to ask me?” She was peeved, frustration rose to the extraordinary limits and the satisfied look on his face irked her so badly she wanted to slap it right off.

  “Just come inside, honey. I want to show you something. Ignore the imbecile I call my colleague.” He winked at the officer who gave him thumbs up and headed inside the station.

  Mor
gan grew furious as it began to dawn on her that he had arranged the entire thing. The immaturity of it all, the egotism, the insane fact that he actually believed she would like whatever it was he had up his sleeves. She was boiling beyond control, wanting to hear his explanation but afraid she already knew the answer.

  “What is going on here? I had a long day and I am tired. Did you know there was a roadblock and a search on my block? That they carted me off here almost like a criminal threatening to cuff me in my neighborhood? You have any idea what such a thing would do to my reputation?” She fumed as she tried to catch her breath. Bruce pressed her against the car and looked deeply into her eyes as her eyes blazed back at him. Not yielding to her anger, he pressed his uniformed body into her, almost causing the police cruiser to rock. Then he urgently burned his lips into hers, stifling her complaints. Her moans invited him to pick up steam. They realized that they had an audience and the rest of the police officers in the precinct came out and began applauding. Horrified at the scene she looked to Bruce, searching his eyes for answers.

  “Please tell me that you had nothing to do with this melodrama, Bruce.” Rage riddled every bone in her body; embarrassment like she had never known threatened to stifle her words. The heat of his body paralyzed her; she hated that he had that kind of effect on her, that her knees buckled when he kissed her, that she warmed in the places his hands touched. Anger was not the word for what she felt; she was furious.

  “I want to ask you to marry me.” She moved so swiftly and slapped him so hard everyone fell silent at the unexpected turn of events. She was appalled; the gall of him for bringing her out in public to humiliate her, the nerve. What did he think, that she wouldn’t say no? That she would allow him to corner her like that in a place where she was trapped to appease his ego. Never!

  “You made a fool of me for this? Even after I asked for some space, to clear my mind?” Her questions flowed with contempt as her hands went defiantly to her hips, waiting for him to say another word that would fuel the anger she already felt.

  “Morgan, please let me explain.”

  “You arrogant bastard, and you had to create an audience.” Her statement was like a bullet to his heart as she stormed down the street, hailed a taxi and got in it.

  “I thought women like this stuff?” He turned to his female captain and looked to the male officers who only shrugged their shoulders helplessly, while some snickered and laughed at him.

  “Some women just like for a man to be simple, sincere, and honest, Bruce. If she asked for time that’s what she needs, not a spectacle.”

  “I will never figure you women out.” He held his face where she slapped him and touched his fingers to his lips to see if there was blood.

  Letting Go

  Morgan walked through the door of her home and slammed it. She was so angry she didn’t know what to do with herself. This is what really pissed her off about Bruce, every time he saw her he had to grab and grope her body leaving her feeling like a piece of meat. It’s always about sex or one big show. He had no idea how to just relax, settle down, and be romantic. She fumed, picked up the phone and dialed Alexandra.

  “Hey, hot stuff. Enjoying being the envy of all women?” Alexandra answered the phone sarcastically.

  “Oh, please don’t start,” annoyance canvassing her voice.

  “I am only poking fun at you, I am one of the good guys, remember?”

  “It’s not that. I am sorry, but I am really not enjoying all this attention the way you guys seemed to be enjoying it. I cannot work like this,” her exasperation becoming evident and finally gaining her friend’s full attention. Alexandra could hear the defeat and sadness in Morgan’s voice and she couldn’t understand. She wished she had the kind of attention and courtship that was being thrown at Morgan; she couldn’t even get anywhere near that from her husband, not before they married when they were courting and definitely not now after five years of marriage. She couldn’t even remember if she was ever wooed so openly, so passionately and yet Morgan was shunning what she and most women would die for. Secretly she understood why men liked Morgan; her heart wouldn’t let her lie.

  “Why do you sound this way? You should be floating on cloud nine, now deciding who to pick.” Alexandra giggled, trying to lighten the mood. When Morgan only sighed she put the book down that she was reading and sat up in bed. Envy ate at her as she looked beside her at the once sexy man she married who now snored heavily and in a short time had a growing beer belly, but she kept those thoughts to herself. She gave up a healthy dating life for him. “What exactly is the problem here, Morgan?” She pulled herself away from her own fantasies and returned to Morgan’s predicament.

  “I don’t know. I just don’t understand why they have to be so forceful, so demanding, and so arrogant,” she blurted out.

  “A little flowers and phone calls and you fold? I don’t get it. It’s not like you are being stalked, threatened or abused.”

  “Oh yeah, well then I was just practically arrested, thrown in the back of a siren police cruiser and taken to the police station.”

  “What?” The shock of it all bolted Alexandra from her bed and to the closet where she began throwing on her jeans and sneakers.

  “I’m coming over.”

  “No, that’s not necessary. I am okay.”

  “Then what happened? I am on my way,” Alexandra insisted, hoping Morgan wouldn’t say no to her again.

  “Alex, I just said I am okay. The last thing I need right now is an audience. I had enough of that today already to last me a lifetime.” Morgan was completely oblivious to the true motive behind Alexandra’s dedication.

  “What do you mean? Tell me what happened?” Alexandra sighed, realizing that she was not going to change her friend’s mind. Morgan’s words slowed her pace so she sat at her desk still dressed listening to Morgan tell her about the police barricade and the orchestrated proposal that was planned. Alexandra couldn’t hold back any longer. She remained quiet on the phone line until Morgan was finished speaking and still she said nothing.

  “Alex are you still there?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then why aren’t you saying anything?”

  “Maybe a woman would be a better choice for you.” Her words were said in jest and she laughed heartily waiting for Morgan to join her. When she didn’t she stopped and got serious again.

  “I am sorry, I didn’t mean to joke. It’s just because I am still trying to figure out your problem here.”

  “What do you mean you are trying to figure out my problem? My problem? I don’t have a problem. These men with their controlling attitudes and selfish behaviors are the ones with the problem. Don’t you see something wrong with that? Barricading the streets, sending so many flowers I have nowhere to put them and calling me so much at work that I am distracted from my responsibilities?”

  “Actually Morgan, I don’t see the problem. I think you have a problem and it’s time you figure it out and face it. What is wrong with you? So many women including me would give our last breath for a moment of what you have and you are just so self-absorbed, so into you that you don’t take time to be appreciative.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yes, you are excused.”

  “Alex, don’t try to put this off on me.”

  “Then who, Morgan? If you like these guys and don’t want to make a choice then say you are dating and that’s it. But you keep leading them on, telling them that you will make a choice. It’s basic human nature, I would do the same thing too if I were in their shoes. I mean, what did you expect these men to do? Sit and wait for you to tell them no? Come on, for a smart woman you are really being dumb right now.”

  “Who the hell do you think you are talking to like that? Is this jealousy I hear?”

  “Call it whatever you want, Morgan. Yes, I wish I could be in your shoes right now,” stopping herself from really saying how she felt, “and that my husband did half of what he did before even though even t
hat was not enough, but that’s not the issue. The issue is that you need to check your behavior. I am your friend and so I will tell you the truth. If you don’t want to hear it then that’s fine but don’t come crying to me because I will not lie to you and tell you what you want to hear to help you feel better.”

  The line was quiet and Alexandra wasn’t sure if Morgan had hung up the phone or not, so she just waited for the dial tone. She was angry that Morgan was behaving the way she was. Sure she felt some jealousy toward her, but not in a malicious way. Sure her marriage wasn’t what she envisioned it would be five years later. She wanted children and hubby didn’t, but she loved the man despite it all. Morgan was her friend and she wanted to be honest with her, whether it hurt or not, but she didn’t want to lose her friendship with Morgan either.

  “So you finally told me off,” Morgan stated somberly, her voice choked in an effort to speak. She was taken aback by Alexandra’s abruptness, taking what was going on with her so personally, but she brushed it off as her friend really caring and looking out for her.

  “Morgan, you know I love you. We are friends and I really want to see you happy.”

  “Please don’t apologize.”

  “But I have to apologize; hurting you was not my intention. I just wanted to show you how lucky you were and that you should go a little bit easy on these guys. After all, you said you liked them equally for what they had to offer individually, right? So you play a part in how they behave toward you.”

  “I know you are right, Alex. I guess I just didn’t see it that way and it’s time I looked at me and not just them.”

  “Oh Morgan, sweetie, I am sorry.” She heard Morgan sniffle and her heart sank. She wished she could put her arms around her. “Tell you what. How about I come pick you up, we go over to the Hudson Pier and grab some homemade ice cream. It’s beautiful this time of night and I really could use a walk, you know how my butt is spreading like cream cheese these days.” She chuckled at her own corny joke.