Chapter 123. A second new beginning
Lilly Bradley
"Honey, can we... give ourselves a second chance?" Jackson didn't need words to give me an answer. His hands on my face, his lips against mine, that was all that mattered at this moment. We reached the edge of the bed, and it felt like we had been apart for a long time, as if our bodies had been longing for each other. My heart raced; all I wanted was to be with him.
"I'll make love to you, Lilly Elizabeth Bradley," he said when he pulled away from our kiss. He took my hand and placed the other around my waist, then smiled weakly and began to move us slowly, as if there was music in the room. "Wise men say..." he started singing softly without taking his eyes off me, "...only fools rush in..." He kissed the tip of my nose. "But I can't help falling in love with you..." My lower lip trembled. "Shall I stay? Would it be a sin if I can't help falling in love with you?" His voice grew softer as he finished singing those last words. "Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling... so it goes, some things are meant to be," he turned us carefully and placed us in the middle of the room lit only by candles. "Take my hand, take my whole life too, for I can't help falling in love with you." He spun us around and then stopped, his eyes fixed on me.
"I know it's too soon and we still have a lot to learn about each other, but..." he began, reaching into his pocket and pulling out something I couldn't quite see. He dropped to one knee, and I felt my skin tingle and my heart race. He raised the small box toward me. "...we'll have a lifetime to do it." He opened the box. "Lilly Elizabeth Bradley Parson, will you walk by my side for the rest of our lives? I promise to give you the best of me, to take care of you, to love you, even in your grumpy moments." I laughed along with him as I wiped away the tears streaming down my cheeks. "I'll mess up sometimes, but just be patient and let me learn to fix it myself." I knelt in front of him. "I've never been so sure about having someone in my life. I don't want to go back to who I was before, that lonely man who shut himself in his own world. I want you by my side, Lilly... I love you, honey."
"I love you too, Jackson." I took his face in my hands and gently pulled him toward me. "I accept." I captured his lips, and we got lost in the kiss. It was a unique kiss. When we pulled apart, he kissed my forehead, then took my hand and slipped the beautiful ring onto my ring finger. It was a large solitaire diamond on a white gold band; it was perfect. As I looked at it, Jackson kissed my hair.
"If you don't like it, we can get another one." I lifted my face to him.
"It's perfect." I wrapped my arms around his neck, and with one swift motion, he lifted me with him. He laid us down in the center of the large bed, positioning himself next to me, his fingers playing with the buttons of my shirt, his hand propped on his head.
"Are you sure you want to spend your life with me?" He stopped what he was doing with his fingers and looked at me.
"I've never been so sure in my life." He leaned in to capture my lips, and we melted into another kiss. When we pulled apart, he smiled. "I've missed these lips," he said, leaving another kiss on them, then pulling back again. "I love you, Lilly Bradley."
"I love me too..." His eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Funny girl," his fingers began to tickle my sides. We started laughing, and with one movement, he had me on top of him. My hands rested on either side of his face, straddling him.
"I love you too, Jackson." I smiled before kissing him. We made love like never before, a mix of wild passion and ending slow and tender, putting the perfect finishing touch on this night.
Hours later, I was mesmerized by Jackson. He lay naked beside me, his lips slightly parted, inviting me to kiss him, but I didn't want to disturb his sleep. Sexy, with his rebellious and somewhat long hair, a few strands falling over his forehead. With my fingers, I slowly brushed them away, trying not to wake him. I looked at my hand, and my eyes lingered on the ring, a big smile spreading across my lips.
"You should sleep a little more, honey," Jackson's husky voice surprised me.
"I know, but I can't seem to fall back asleep," I lay down completely, and he shifted to pull me close with his arm, resting his cheek on my chest.
"Would you believe me if I told you I'm hungry?" I frowned and turned to look at the clock on his nightstand. "3:48 am."
"Do you have something light?" I asked. He remained silent.
"Fruit with yogurt?" he said, lifting his sleepy face towards me.
"Fine, let me get you a bowl..." He shook his head.
"I'll go..." He caught my nipple and sucked it, making me shiver.
"I'll go with you..." I gasped, then he let go.
"Let's go."
Minutes later, I was sitting on the marble island. He was preparing more than just fruit and yogurt: "steaks." My mouth watered, and it even awakened the hunger I hadn't felt in a while. Like a true chef, he moved swiftly around the kitchen. He wore a t-shirt with the number "12" plastered across his chest and sweatpants hanging from his waist. His hair was tousled. Who wouldn't want to look at this man for the rest of their life?
"Do you want to talk about what we've been through these past few days? The trust issues? The things I said at the office?" He shook his head. "I want us to regain the confidence to say what's on our minds."
"I've learned that lesson. First, we need to measure our words in the heat of the moment."
"That would be good..." I smiled discreetly. "If something bothers us, we should sit down and talk about it."
"How about instead of sitting down and talking, we have wild sex and then talk about it?"
"Jackson," I used a serious tone. He shrugged briefly.
"Just an option..." He smiled, and this man looked incredibly handsome when he smiled. His beard suited him well, as did his slightly long hair.
"Well, a relationship is about two people... and we still have a lot to learn about each other," I said, then sighed.
"We'll have a long and fruitful life to do that..."
"Your mother will go crazy with excitement when she finds out we're getting married..."
"Very much..." I could hear the excitement in his voice. I lowered my gaze to my hand to see the ring, which prompted me to ask a question.
"So," I began, he turned halfway towards me. I was only wearing the dress shirt he had taken off when he arrived hours ago, and my hair was loose, my feet dangling. "Is this real? Are we really getting married?" When he heard my question, he smiled broadly, a rare sight for him.
"That's right, future Mrs. Johnson." Those words sent shivers down my spine, and my skin tingled. He turned the steaks on the grill; I had made the salad. "I know it's hard to believe, but you're not the only one. I also think it's a dream..." I smiled at his words. It was rare to hear how he felt and what he thought. I felt he was starting to open up more. It would take time because of his past, but he was ready to move forward, and this journey by his side would be unique for both of us...
"And what timeframe do you have in mind?" I noticed how he furrowed his brow, then looked at me. He lowered the heat before walking towards me like a predator wolf, making me smile. "In a year? Two years?" He raised an eyebrow. His hands slid up my thighs, and I took a sharp breath at his touch. Then he gently pushed them apart to fit his body between them. He placed his hands on either side of my body on the marble island, his dark eyes locked onto mine. "One year? Two years?" I furrowed my brow. "Three years?" He shook his head. "Two and a half years?"
"No."
I pressed my lips together and narrowed my eyes.
"Four?"
"Six." I opened my eyes in total surprise. It was a long time, but well, it was Jackson. For him, I was willing to wait as long as necessary. I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Alright, six years." It was his turn to widen his eyes. "No?"
"Six months, darling." His response surprised me.
"Six months?" He nodded with a big smile.
"I want to formally ask your parents for your hand. For that, I'd like to do something intimate, then see the place where we'll live, and you'll have enough time to organize the wedding without stress, without pressure..."
"Are you sure you want to marry me?" My question didn't surprise him. His eyes stayed locked on mine.
"More sure than I've ever been, darling." He paused to kiss my lips. "It will be our second and last new beginning together until eternity if that's possible..."
"Is that a threat, Mr. Johnson?" His smile widened, making his face light up completely.
"Oh, yes, baby." Another kiss, but it was more intense. He pulled away slightly from my lips. "Because if there's one thing I'm very, very sure of, it's that you and I... we're destined to be together. I'd bet my life on it."