There Were all The Signs

15. The Move

Sam

    It has been a full week since the show down at the Smith's house. I think I am still in a bit of shock about the whole thing. I think the images of Brittany getting railed by another man will forever be burned into my brain. We haven't heard a single word from Miller since he asked for some distance.

    I took the week off and stayed at Marcus's house. It is peaceful here. It is beautiful too. He lived in a wood house with clean lines, built on a hill with lots of windows looking out into the woods. There is a small pond in the back yard and wildflowers grow right outside the lawn. Often in the mornings I would watch the deer and rabbits run around out the floor to ceiling window in the living room. The house was contemporary, with an open floor plan and a huge master bedroom that included a sitting area and my favorite, a library. The place was way too large for just a single guy.

    "Good morning beautiful," Marcus comes up behind me wrapping his arms around me and handing me a cup of coffee just the way I like it, heavy cream and sugar. I take a breath and feel myself fully content. Waking up to him every day has been complete bliss.

    "Good morning to you too handsome. What is on your agenda today?" I ask snuggling into his embrace and taking a sip of my coffee.

    "Well since it is your last day here I took the day off. I want to take you to some of my favorite places today. Don't think I have forgotten that you owe me an answer. I need to hype up my town so I can keep waking up to your beautiful face."

    I sit my mug down and turn myself around so we are facing each other. "What did I do in my life to deserve you?"

    He leans in and captures my lips, giving me a firm kiss with promises behind it. "I could ask the same question but I don't want to wake up and it all be a dream."

    "Marcus, I already made my mind up. A tour of the town won't change it."

    He leans back and looks down at me and a look of pure sadness crosses his face.

    "Oh, well...I guess we can keep up the long distance thing."

    "We don't need to."

    "Wait...Are you saying you want to break up? Does this have to do with Miller?"

    I tilt my head and I know a look of confusion has crossed my face and then understanding. He thinks now that Miller is single I am going to leave him. Who knows, maybe if the wedding never happened I might have ran to Miller but things happen for a reason and I am not looking to change the past. "Lets sit down I need to tell you some things," I say grabbing his hand and leading him to the couch. We both sit down facing one another but his body language is all off, he is ridged and kind of stand offish. He is fully preparing for the worst.

    "You have to make me a promise. I need you to let me get everything off my chest before you say anything. I want you to know the whole truth and my reasoning behind my decisions and I can't give you all of that if you don't let me get it all out without getting upset first. Ok? Promise?"

    "I promise," he says with on sad whisper and I think there are tears forming in his eyes.

    "I don't know what all Miller has told you about our past. We truly have been best friends for ten years and besides a few kisses most during a game of truth or dare, and hand holding it has never went past that. But in my heart I secretly held a deeper love for him. He was the one boy who stood beside me no matter what and he accepted me for who I was. I also read into every situation thinking they were signs that were telling me we would end up together," I take a breath and I can see his chest hyperventilating he is trying his hardest to keep his emotions inside.

    "Sarah told me I stayed out of relationships in hopes that one day Miller and I would both be available and he will all of a sudden see me differently, as more than a friend. But that day never came. When I attended the wedding I was heartbroken but it also opened my eyes that waiting on Miller wasn't the best decision I ever made because he didn't feel the way I did. But that night at the wedding something happened that I never thought would ever happen. I met a guy, the kindest, most handsome, most amazing guy. And something happened that I never thought would...I fell in love with him and that love is greater than the love I thought would never be outshined," I can see my words confusing him further.

    "What Sarah said is true, I didn't get close to anyone and what Brittany said was true, I was the best friend with the secret crush for the past ten years. But what none of us realized is when I opened myself up to you there was no comparison. I love you Marcus and I want to spend my life with you and that means I don't want to live 1700 miles away from you any longer. I want to live here in your home and I want to wake up to you every morning and I want to fall asleep by your side every night. And the reason I told you all the other things instead of just saying I want to move here is because I don't want you to look hurt anymore when someone mentions I had a crush on Miller, I want you to know the whole truth and the truth above all that is I love you and I want you. Now do you still want me, now that you know the whole truth?"

    I watch the tears finally slip from his eyes and I hold my breath waiting. I knew telling him this way was risky but I wasn't oblivious to the hurt look the other day when Brittany said something or his little hints about loving someone who is in love with someone else. He has to know he isn't a placemat, he is the one I choose. Miller is single but I am not running to try to be with him, while he was married I gave my heart to someone else, fully.

    "Our home," Marcus replies wiping his eyes.

    "What?"

    "You want to stay here with me in our home," he says and then a big smile spreads across his face and he pulls me towards him engulfing me in his strong, safe, arms. "I think you might have just made me the happiest man in the world even though you decided to break my heart first," he says with a chuckle.

    I laugh in return, "sorry babe, I didn't mean for you to think I wanted to break up with you. I just want you to know I made the decision based on you not the town."

    The next thing I know my back is on the couch and Marcus is hovering over me cradling my head. He looks at me with pure adoration and then his lips smile and then capture mine. The kiss is slow, passionate and full of love. He licks my lips and I open so we can explore each others mouths with our tongues. When we run out of breath Marcus pulls away and reaches over his back tugging his shirt off over his head. His chest is so muscular and smooth and tan, I could spend a whole day just worshiping that area alone.

    He leans further down raising the hem of my shirt up so my midriff shows and he leans in to give me light kisses across my stomach. Pushing the shirt up further his mouth follows his upward destination. When he reaches my bra he sits up and pulls my shirt over my head. While I am leaning forward he unclasps my bra and with his fingertips lightly strokes my shoulder, just barely touching the straps and pulling them down and then off.

    "So beautiful," he whispers in a way I don't even know if he realized he said it out loud. And then he leans in and kisses me again. This was slow and sensual. We discard our clothing piece by piece, slowly in no hurry and then when we are both laid bare in front of each other he slowly slides into me and we make love. There is no rush, there is no wild abandon there was only love. When we are at the peak of our love making he whispers into my ear.

    "I love you so much, Samantha Preston."

    "I love you more," I say on a moan. 

    "Not possible."

****

    The next few weeks are hectic. Moving all my stuff from New York and selling my apartment it was all very stressful but Marcus helped me stay grounded. Each night I fell asleep in his arms in total bliss. 

    After I am completely moved in and have a second to sit and think I realize in all that time I had not heard from Miller. I know he asked for space but I am becoming worried. He isn't the same Miller as before. If it was just Brittany being a cheating b***h I wouldn't be so worried but he was just fighting a war.

    I decide to do the only thing I could think of while still giving him his space, I go to his parents.

    "Sam, how lovely for you to stop by. We didn't have something planned did we? I forget some times with my old age," Mrs. Smith says when she opens her front door.

    "Oh no, Mrs. Smith I wanted to stop in and see how you were doing. I just finished my move this week and had a day to spare. Thought I would stop in on my favorite couple and see how you are doing."

    She gives me a bright smile and ushers me inside. "All those kind words but dear you were never very good at lying. You stopped in to ask if we know how Miller is doing, didn't you?"

    "I stick by my first explanation but I wouldn't mind getting word on my best friend."

    "Have a seat out here dear, on the porch and I will go get the sweet tea and some snacks and we will have ourselves a visit," she says walking away back towards the kitchen. Man I really missed the southern way. In New York you were lucky to get offered anything to drink when you paid someone a visit, in the south it was common to put out a whole spread, even for the unexpected guests.

    "Here we are," Mrs. Smith says carrying a tray with two glasses of ice, a pitcher of tea and a plate with sandwiches arranged on it. I immediately stood and went to help her. Mrs. Smith isn't that old but I was also raised on southern manners and you helped your elders.

    Once we are both seated, Mrs. Smith pours out the tea and puts a napkin in front of each of us and the sandwich plate in between us. When she is done with her hostess job she sits up straight and gives me a sad smile across the table.

    "It's not good, dear. He is still on leave but I haven't seen him since he moved back into his house. He calls on occasion to let us know he is ok but he is in the bottom of the bottle most days. I think he is heartbroken but above all I think he is ashamed."

    "What is there to be ashamed of? He didn't do anything to be ashamed of!"

    "I know dear but it's hard not to blame yourself in these situations. I heard the little tart was in the beauty parlor gossiping about her new life and her new beau. It's hard to escape gossip in a small town like this."

    I think back to some of the things Brittany said in the video and then again after, placing the blame on him, destroying his manhood. It isn't just the cheating, he is probably wondering if what she said was true, he is probably wondering if she faked all of their love over the years.

    "He asked that Marcus and I give him space. He said it was too hard to be around us while we are so happy. But I live here now and it is hard to be so close and not see him. I am his best friend, and so is Marcus I want to help him. I just don't want to make it harder on him. What's you advice?"

    "Well dear, we haven't been invading either but I think we are to the point now that he needs the invasion. We have given him long enough to wallow."    

    "Are you talking about an intervention?"

    "Oh dear," she chuckles. "We don't call them that here, I am talking about a family dinner. What do you say will you and Marcus be available tonight? Maybe if I keep it short notice he won't be able to come up with an excuse to back out."

    "The smartest woman I know. I will call Marcus and see if he will be able to make it. What time are you thinking?"

    "Let's make it six. Now missy, you owe me some gossip, tell me how are you and my handsome nephew getting along?"

    I give her a sheepish smile and the love is evident all over my face, so she gives me a beaming smile back.