Never Knew Love Like This Before Page 3

  “Actually Alex, as tempting as that offer is, I think I am going to take a vacation.”

  “That’s a fantastic idea. We will plan it for next month, by then all of our assignments will be covered and I will go with you.” She thought this would be a perfect opportunity to spend some alone time with Morgan and maybe, just maybe she could share with her what she had been feeling.

  “No, you don’t understand.” She paused and swallowed hard. “I am going to leave for a vacation tomorrow.”

  “Listen Morgan, you are not being rational. You can’t just get up and fly off somewhere when you have responsibilities. You are one of the most responsible people I know,” Alexandra urged, disappointment stinging at her.

  “That’s the problem, Alex, it’s time for me to take some time for me. I am always doing everything even though the company is up and running efficiently. I can take a breather for a week and the world will not stop. I need to clear my head, Alex.”

  “Morgan, please. I want to go with you; I deserve a break from my Prince Charming here too. Just a few more weeks. Please.” She smiled awkwardly, with her fingers crossed hoping her last ditch at a plea would go over well.

  “As much as I would love that, girlfriend, right now it’s an urgent necessity. I know I can count on you to cover the fort for me while I am gone.” Morgan sighed. Her decision was made.

  Relenting and not wanting to believe that Morgan would really leave she sighed and breathed hard into the phone.

  “Then where are you going? Have you even thought about it?”

  “Well, I have now. I am online as we speak with Expedia.com and they book flights, hotels, car rental, and everything-in-one packages. I think if I don’t do this now I will loose my mind. These brothers are relentless and if I chose one or none I want it to be my choice and not because they twisted my arm.”

  “I understand how you feel, Morgan, but be honest, if you had to choose it would be Bruce wouldn’t it?” She quizzed. “Tell me the truth.”

  “Bruce? Are you kidding me? No way!” She laughed, feeling the tension slipping away from her and walking towards her plush cream sofa love seat and curling into the softness of it.

  “Why not? Bruce is hot.”

  “Yeah, of hot air. He is way too full of himself.”

  “But it’s sexy, admit it. He’s got spunk, he’s gutsy and spontaneous. Not to mention he’s got a body to die for.” Alexandra drooled, that proposal thing he pulled was off the radar as far as cool goes, he definitely earned points with me.

  “You think so? I don’t think he’s got a great body. Way too much hair on his chest, he’s got these scrawny legs and is not as well packaged as say Troy for instance.”

  Getting up from her desk chair and falling to the ground Alexandra rolled on the floor, laughing out loud. “I just cannot find it in myself to trust Bruce. He’s a player.”

  “What do you mean; you have never seen him with a woman.”

  “I don’t have to, I know his history. Alex, his only child is the product of a booty call, how will he explain that to his daughter? That her mother is a woman he never dated, never cared for, and she was just someone willing to have sex with him at his whim. Not to mention his past ex-girlfriends were swingers and he is used to all that multiple sex partners. These are things I will never be into or condone.”

  “Wow, you didn’t tell me that.” Alexandra mused. She didn’t come out and say it to Morgan, but she preferred that she was alone for a while until she was able to get her nerves together to really talk to her.

  “Besides, three months ago he promised me for the third time to invite me to a family event, and never once have I met a family member.” Morgan rambled on, laughing at the memory. “Once he invited me to a christening for his brother’s child and hours before the event called and canceled. Honestly, I didn’t really want to go because I wasn’t sure how I would answer if people asked who I was, so he did me a favor, but the fact that he does this all the time. How serious am I supposed to take his behavior?”

  “I see your point.”

  “So now you understand?” Morgan prodded, feeling vindicated.

  “Yes, I guess so. Then who would you choose? It’s not like any of the other guys have introduced you to family either.”

  Morgan thought about it and the thought really bothered her. Alexandra was right. As long as she’d known Isaiah, she had never even met a friend, nor had he ever invited her to meet his family. Worse yet, he had never referred to her as anything more than a friend to the people he knew or cared about. So what exactly was she stressing herself over? Agitation took mirth away as the thought pierced her pride.

  “Troy,” Morgan decided.

  “Troy? Bad boy Troy? You only like the rush. You would be tired of him in no time.”

  “I don’t think so. He’s got dark creamy skin.”

  “They are all dark, Morgan,” Alexandra chimed.

  “Well, his skin is creamy and smooth. He is all up on the street lingo and stuff.”

  “Stuff like having a bunch of women, smoking weed and all the edgy stuff that you don’t believe in. Imagine what your friends and family would think bringing him to a dinner party. He wouldn’t know what fork to use.”

  “Okay fine, than what do you suggest? Isaiah?” Alexandra thought it wouldn’t be fair for Morgan to date an older man. What if Morgan wanted to have children? Their dad would be almost at retirement age by the time they were ten years old. What child could truly enjoy their dad at that age? She just didn’t think Isaiah was a good fit. Morgan needed a young, handsome charmer on her arm to wow the crowd and make her the envy of every woman within visional distance. “I don’t think that would be wise. He’s wonderful but he would bore you to death.”

  Morgan decided to get up from her seat and walk to the kitchen where she put on her teapot and turned the fire on to boil the water in order to make some tea.

  “Isaiah is nice, charming and classy,” Morgan chirped, thinking of all the walks they’d shared, the long never-ending talks that had no limit or boundaries. She loved the way his eyes twinkled when he looked at her, the gentleness of his arms as they caressed hers and the hidden desires he fought to keep concealed below the surface of his gentlemanly disposition. She always wondered what it would be like to pry beyond the surface of his calm mannerisms. “At least I know he has prepared himself for a wife, and his choices in life tell me that choosing me is no light matter for him. That makes me feel very special. Besides he’s great husband material, has a nice financial portfolio, and not bad looking either.” Morgan thought about Isaiah’s attributes and felt warm and safe with just the thought of him, but she thought his age might be a problem. She didn’t want to be a widow at a young age, or limit her options of exploring all life had to offer because she had to be a stay-at-home caretaker to the man she wanted to share her everything with. Bruce, on the other hand, filled her with excitement and the promise of fun. He was young, strong, charming with the sense of humor that had women draping over his arms at his smile. Troy was passionate and sexy, he oozed dangerous sex appeal that was the ingredient of trouble and she knew it. Thinking of each man made her wish all their characteristics would be in one perfect parcel.

  “I take it back.” Alexandra rolled over on her back and stared up into her ceiling.

  “What do you take back?”

  “I take it back. I don’t envy your dilemma at all. Yet again, I don’t think I would be confused if I was in your shoes. I would definitely pick Bruce. You are more into the thug type like Troy.”

  “What are you trying to say? That I don’t have any taste?”

  “I didn’t say it. You did.” They giggled until their glee subsided.

  “I cannot believe you are going.”

  “I have to, sweetie. But I know you’ve got everything covered and I will be back in a week. I just need to clear my mind and everything will be okay when I get back, I promise.”

  “Okay, well what time does y
our flight leave?”

  “Six in the morning.”

  “Wow, I won’t even be able to drop you at the airport,” Alexandra mused.

  “What are you pining about? Don’t we see each other every day?” Morgan puzzled.

  “I guess it doesn’t matter. So where are you going anyway?”

  “Germany.”

  “Why so far?” Alex asked, concerned.

  “I don’t know. It was the first thing that came to my mind when I clicked on the Internet. It’s going to be fine, stop mothering. I will call you when I land.”

  “Well, you better go to bed now. It’s eleven at night already. What do you want me to tell your fans when they try to contact you and you are not here?”

  “Tell them I have gone on a business trip and you are not at liberty to discuss my location. That should throw a wrench in their inquisitions for a few days.”

  “I am going to miss you, Morgan,” Alexandra stated quietly as she prepared to hang up the phone.

  “I will miss you too, Alex, with your crazy self. But I will be back in no time.”

  “Okay, good night.”

  “Good night,” Morgan said and gently replaced the receiver to its cradle.

  Something New

  Arriving in Düsseldorf, Germany, on a first-class direct flight, Morgan stretched her legs after her twelve hours and rubbed her eyes. She had traveled into time and it was very late as Germany is a whole six hours ahead of New York. A car service awaited her and she was whisked off to the Hilton.

  “May I take these to your room, ma’am?” the bell service asked. She loved the sound of the people. Although to most the language was hard, rough on the ears and difficult to speak, she felt refreshed. A different country, a different language, a different feeling.

  “Thank you. I would appreciate that.” She looked at the man and smiled as his blond hair and dark eyes seemed to do a dance. “How do you say thank you in German?”

  “Danke schon,” he explained and with a couple of tries she finally got it.

  “That’s not bad,” he complimented. “And you are welcome is bitteschon.” She smiled at her own horrible attempt and joined the bellhop on the elevator to her room.

  “Does everyone speak good English here or will I need a dictionary?”

  “Oh no, in Deutsch, that’s the German word for Germany. In Deutsch, the children begin to learn English in the fifth grade, so most people here speak good English. You will be very comfortable,” he explained as he placed her things inside her suite and parted with a tip she generously placed in his hands. “Danke schon.” He smiled.

  “Bitteschon,” she responded before closing the door.

  She surveyed the room to her satisfaction and walked toward the large king-sized bed. What do I do now, she asked herself. When her stomach growled in response she knew the answer: dinner. But it was way too late for dinner. She took a quick shower and crawled into bed. It was almost morning. She could wait until then.

  She awoke at almost twelve noon and she was starving. She hurriedly got dressed in a long cotton sundress, allowed her curly auburn tresses to drop to her shoulder, grabbed her purse and headed to the lobby.

  “Guten morgen! ma’am.” The same bellhop from the night before greeted her. “That means good morning,” he told her.

  “Hello and good morning to you as well.”

  “Yes, it is a beautiful morning.” The bellhop blushed and looked away. “If you need any help at all, please don’t hesitate to ask. My name is Günter.”

  “Thank you, Günter, I will definitely do that.” She turned to walk away and realized she didn’t exactly know where to go. “Oh Günter,” she called after him.

  “Ja?”

  “Where is the hotel restaurant or breakfast bar?”

  “Oh, that’s easy. Just take the elevator to the double lobby, take the long hallway past the gift shops and the recreation center and you will find the main dining area. They are serving a continental breakfast this morning.”

  “Danke schon, Günter.” She smiled brightly showing him she remembered his lesson from the previous night.

  “Wow, that’s very good, madam. Very good.” He smiled and walked away. She followed his direction and didn’t have to look very hard as there were other tourists looking for the breakfast bar before twelve-thirty when they would stop serving breakfast and begin serving lunch. She only had to follow her nose as the aroma caused her belly to do flip-flops in anticipation of a good meal.

  As she sat alone at a private area of the hotel restaurant, Morgan basked in the beauty of the ambiance around her. The brightly lit chandeliers, the deep plush comfort of the Asian and Middle Eastern fabrics of the chairs, and the Egyptian-type curtained drapes, swooshing throughout the restaurant giving it an air of intimacy. She stared at the picturesque walls filled with three-dimensional paintings and drawings that gave a great example of the German culture and history. It was beautiful. As she surveyed it she sighed deeply, lost in thought about all that faced her at home. She embraced the simplicity and serenity she felt in that moment and sighed again as she waited for the lines to die down by the omlette bar, where the cook was making them fresh to order according to each patron’s desire.

  Her thoughts trailed back to Bruce, Troy, and Isaiah. Maybe she should just be alone. Is it so bad that she is thirty years old and not married? Should she fall into the unnatural urges and pressure of her family and friends that her biological clock is ticking and therefore she should be married? That her twenty-five-year-old baby sister is married with kids is no consolation either. Confusion plagued her and she sighed again as the server brought water, clean utensils, and bread to her table.

  “Entschuldigung! Darf ich mich Ihnen anschließen?” She heard the voice of a man and she looked up not certain of what she heard.

  “I’m sorry, I don’t speak German,” she told him, blushing as she looked into his deep blue-green eyes and full curly blond hair. Her heart skipped a beat as he smiled at her showing even white teeth, sporting a white button-down linen shirt, denim jeans, and cowboy boots.

  “Es tut mir leid. I mean, I am sorry,” he smiled brightly at her, “an Amerikan woman,” he stated as she smiled and nodded her positive response.

  “What did you ask me before?”

  “Oh, I said Entschuldigung! Which means excuse me, and Darf ich mich Ihnen anschließen, which means, may I join you,” he told her.

  “Oh I see,” she said blushing again.

  “Is it okay if I join you?” He stood, waiting for her to answer. She felt incredibly silly sitting there staring at him when he asked again.

  “Yes, of course.” She looked at this tall graceful creature that just happened to drop at her feet. She was completely taken by his height; he seemed to be no shorter than six foot six inches tall. His broad shoulders and confident disposition took her breath away. “I was just sitting here enjoying the view,” she admitted, allowing her gaze to drift back to the window.

  “I hope I have added to that,” he teased, causing her to go from creamy olive to bright red. “I am sorry; I don’t mean to embarrass you. My name is Seymen-Cansin.”

  “That’s a mouthful.”

  “A mouthful?”

  “Oh, that’s just an American expression. It means that’s a lot to say.” She felt very silly and immediately felt awkward with the language barrier, but this man’s presence made her feel very soft and gushy inside. “How do you pronounce your name? and could you please say it slowly?”

  “Si-mon-Cansin.”

  “Oh, Simon Cansin, the n is silent in your last name.”

  “Yes, correct. You said it perfectly.”

  “That was very nice of you to say. I did horrible,” she said shyly. The day just slipped away as they shared breakfast and sat through lunch laughing as he taught her all about his culture, education, and background. She laughed heartily at his quirky sense of humor and reverse sarcasm and tried desperately to understand his broken English, whic
h only brought them more mirth. Before she knew it, the restaurant was just about empty with only two diners sitting on the opposite end of the dining room at just about midnight.

  “Its getting close to dinnertime, Simon; I think they would like for us to leave so they can prepare the dining area for dinner.”

  “Yes, I think you are right to say this. I very much am enjoying your company.” She laughed at the way he put together the English language.

  “You laugh at me.” He nudged her as they stood to get up.

  “No, I laugh with you.” She chuckled and felt the butterflies flutter her stomach as he took her fingers into his large hands and helped to guide her from where they sat for more than four hours deep in conversation.

  “Du bist ta Lügner.” He laughed and she stopped to look at him quizzically. “Oh, I only say you lie to me that you don’t laugh at me,” he explained. “It is very difficult to be concentrated in English for so long. I never need here to use this language.”

  “It’s okay, I understand. I am very impressed that everyone here speaks so well. In America, it is not encouraged that we learn different languages and cultures and histories of other countries. It’s very limited and mostly geared toward America,” she told him as they walked hand in hand out of the hotel.

  They spent the next day together and emotions built quickly within them. She found that she liked his smile, his sense of humor, and the way he paid complete attention to her even when he could have his pick of all the women who walked by gawking at him.

  “I like you a lot, Morgan,” he told her, gently brushing her hair out of her face.

  “I like you too.” She smiled and they kept walking. As he pointed out different historical buildings, cathedrals, and tourist attractions, he would gradually caress her back, hold her hands, and brush his body against her. He loved the way she smelled, and her disposition of being a bit more open with how she felt. As they walked across the walkway heading back to the hotel, he turned and looked at her; he admired how the star’s light bounced off of her reddish auburn hair and the twinkle in her eyes when she smiled; she felt her heart skip a beat as he placed his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. She could feel his excitement stir as he placed his lips to hers tentatively at first, then with passion he thrust his tongue into her mouth and kissed her freely for what felt like an eternity. She felt like she could stand there for an eternity. And when he pulled away from her, she couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t stand.