Inside the Storm Read online

  While I was out of town, I’d done something that I’d been thinking about since the first morning with Rochelle back in my home… our home. I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted to marry her. I wasn’t foolish enough to think that I should propose so soon, but I couldn’t help but feeling all this past week like I was waiting for no reason. Why did it matter if it was quick? I loved her more than life itself, and if she felt the same way - why wouldn’t we want to get married?

  When I bought the ring yesterday, I’d been thinking that I’d plan some elaborate date leading to the big question, but her words of love sparked a new decision. I couldn’t wait.

  There was no way I was doing it right there, naked, covered in sweat, in a less than romantic position with her wrists still bound, but it was time. I untied her and told her that I had a surprise of my own.

  “We’ll need a shower before we go,” I said, getting a strange look from her.

  “You didn’t mention this earlier,” she said quizzically.

  “It’s a spur of the moment surprise,” I replied. She started walking back toward the bedroom as I sat on the couch revelling in her beauty.

  “Rochelle,” I called after her, getting the cutest look back over her shoulder. “I love you too.”

  Her smile lit up the entire room and she giggled before responding, “I know, silly.”

  She vanished around the corner and I jumped up and followed her into the steaming shower, where we continued to kiss and caress each other until the hot water ran out. Idea after idea spun through my mind as to how I should do this, but one kept coming back. I’d dismissed it at first, but after considering it more and more, it felt right. Hopefully Rochelle would agree.

  We seemed to be stuck in a state of playful arousal as we continued to goof around after the shower. She whipped me with her towel, I tickled her into a heap on the bed, and we ended up back in an intimate position as my body let both of us know I’d recovered from the first round on the couch. I began to make love to her again, but realized that it would be better afterwards.

  “Hey!” she shouted as I pulled away just as we were getting started.

  “There’s no time for that now,” I said with a teasing smile. “We can finish later.”

  “Promise?” she asked, as playfully as ever.

  “I promise,” I replied with a wink.

  I dressed quickly, despite the discomfort and desire I had to finish what we’d just started. While she chose a dress to wear, I snuck out into the living room and fished the ring box from my suitcase. I discarded the protective cardboard box in favor of just the fancier velvet box, and dropped the prize into my jacket pocket. I was dressed casually in jeans and a turtleneck, but that felt right for what I had planned.

  Moments later, Rochelle came out, having decided against a dress, and instead wearing some tight, sexy jeans, and a stunning white top. She looked like she was straight out of a fashion magazine. “Wow,” I said, amazed at my word smithery and desperately hoping I’d have something more clever to say when I popped the question.

  “Thanks,” she replied, smiling with a little blush that told me my cave troll level response was at least well received.

  I slapped her butt on the way out and she jumped ahead of me, knowing I’d do it again. We jumped in the car and I drove slowly across town.

  “Where are you taking me?” Rochelle asked as we drove into her old neighborhood. “Why are we here?”

  I drove past her old building as I replied, “It’s a surprise, silly.”

  She seemed a little uncomfortable for a moment, but when I pulled into the Burger King parking lot, she laughed hysterically.

  “Awesome!” she squealed before adding, “Wait a second! Are you telling me you like their food more than mine?!”

  She was giving me a silly, accusatory glare, but the smile in her eyes gave her away.

  “It’s tough to beat a Whopper, but no. Your dinner was amazing. I thought we could get a shake here for dessert.”

  “That sounds good,” she said.

  I parked and she shouted, “Chocolate, please!” as she went to pick a booth in the empty restaurant.

  I ordered her chocolate shake and my strawberry shake and waited until the acne covered teenager plopped them on the counter without so much as a smile. Young people!

  I then watched his face twist up in confusion when I popped the ring out of my pocket and slid it over her straw. It was clearly a VERY expensive ring. It had cost fifty thousand and was three carrots. Seeing it placed over a fast-food milkshake straw must have been quite the sight.

  His face had me second guessing my decision. It wasn’t too late to just make this a fun night out… No. It didn’t matter what he thought. This was more us than a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant or a helicopter ride over the mountains. We’d love those experiences, but they didn’t capture what was so special about us the way this rundown Burger King in the bad part of Vegas did. It wasn’t representative of us at all, but of the fact that we were who we were, and unapologetically so. That might not make sense to this young punk, or anyone else for that matter, but the voice in my head told me that it would make sense to Rochelle.

  I carried the drinks back to the table, my heart in my stomach the whole time, and I nearly died when she just grabbed the cup and took a sip, never even seeing the ring. HOW COULD SHE MISS IT!?

  “Chocolate is WAY better,” she said as she looked down at my bright red, strawberry shake, and as she did so, I saw her eyes snap down to her own cup, the ring finally catching her attention.

  She looked confused, and then shocked, and then confused again. There was nothing I wanted more than to know what she was thinking. I slipped out of the booth, slid the ring over the straw and knelt before her on the sticky floor. I held the ring out toward her. I could see the kid from the counter and someone else from the back peering around the corner behind her, but she had no clue they were there.

  “Rochelle, I love you more than you could ever know. I wasn’t planning on doing this so quickly, but I already know that it is what I want, and I hope you feel the same way. You’ve made my life better in ways you could never even understand, and I’m certain that we were destined to find each other. I will spend my entire life doing everything I can to make our home everything you could ever want it to be. Rochelle, will you be my wife?”

  I sit in the corner booth at the rundown BK while Blake gets us milkshakes. As silly as it is, this place has become part of mine and Blake’s lives. Whoever would have thought two people would come together over a Whopper?! The truth is, his country club is the place that really brought us together. If I hadn’t gone there in my thrift store dress wanting to be someone other than myself, he wouldn’t have had Sammy make me a special drink. We never would have known the other existed. Blake would never lower himself to be a client at Leather Shots. He respects women too much to degrade them in such a manner.

  I cross my legs when I think about his palm spanking my ass. I haven’t ever been that turned on in my life. Lovemaking is sweet and gives you all the loving emotions there possibly are, but giving a powerful man like Blake complete control is a major turn on. I loved every single second of putting my body in his hands. I didn’t have any fears that the sting would linger for days as I would have with other men. I have experienced welts that would draw blood and I couldn’t wear jeans the next day. Granted it was only Blake’s bare hand on my bottom instead of a leather crop or a belt. Even if it were, I know Blake wouldn’t hurt me. I can honestly say I fully trust him. If he ever wants to go further into the world of domination, I’m not going to deny him. I would welcome it, actually. I get really turned on by the pain and pleasure. I’m not too sure Blake would want to go further in that area, though. I think that what I already asked him to do pushed him to a line that he may not have wanted to cross.

  Blake sets the milkshakes down on the table. I jokingly grab his, and take a taste. The look of surprise on his face is priceless. I take my c
hocolate one, ready to wash his strawberry one away when I just about have a heart attack! The earthquake that was erupting inside of me earlier was minor compared to how major it feels right now. My hands are trembling uncontrollably. So much so, that I slip them under my legs to stop them from shaking. The problem with that, my entire body is feeling the earthquake inside of me.

  I can’t believe my eyes when he gets down on one knee on this gross, sticky floor. Is this really happening? Blake wants me to be his wife? If I say yes, I’ll have a husband! In all the years I sat around daydreaming about a marriage proposal, I never saw it happening in a Burger King! Somehow, this is perfect!

  Blake clears his throat. I leap into his arms. “Yes! Yes, I’ll be your wife! Tell me this isn’t a dream.”

  “If it is, we are in it together.”

  “Let’s never wake up from it then.”

  I grab his handsome face and kiss him. He lifts us to a standing position, never breaking the kiss. I moan into his mouth when his hand slips underneath my shirt. I love this man more than anything in this world.

  Blake takes my quaking hand in his, and his blue eyes gaze into mine as he slips the ring on my finger. I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him again.

  I was so caught up in the moment I forgot where we were until the clapping and whistles erupted from the employees. I get embarrassed and bury my face in the crook of his neck.

  “Tell me we aren’t going to get married here,” I joke.

  “I don’t think my family would approve of that.”

  I cast my head down. I have no family to celebrate this news with or to invite to our wedding. He lifts my face with his fingers under my chin. I open my mouth to express my concern. His finger goes to my lips to silence me.

  “A small wedding. My family is going to love you as much as I do. They will be your family as much as they are mine.”

  “Do they... do they know what I am?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Do your parents and Jason know that I was a glorified prostitute?”

  “Rochelle, your past is none of their business. They know all they need to know. I met the love of my life one night in my country club and now I want to spend my life with her.”

  “God, I hope I don’t fuck that meeting up.” Shit, I said that out loud.

  “Our shakes are melting, wanna get out of here?”

  “Yes, please, take me home.”

  We are almost out the door. “Wait,” I say a little too loudly, “do you have your phone on you? I left mine at home.”

  He eyes me as I walk over to the counter and get two kraft paper crowns. I put one on my head and he laughs when I hand him one. I open the camera on his phone. We pose with our crowns on with my hand in the shot.

  “You’re so goofy,” he says through laughter.

  “And you love it!” I add.

  On the drive back home, Blake is yawning, the business trip and flight are catching up to him. When we arrive, I tell him to go to bed, and that I’d join him once I took care of the leftover dinner.

  It isn’t until I am pouring pasta into a storage container that I stop what I’m doing and look at the ring on my finger. I almost can’t believe how big it is. It must have cost a small fortune. I know Blake has a lot of money, but I still have a hard time knowing I do as well now that I’m with him. Blake could be as poor as me and I’d still love him. I worry that his family won’t see it that way. I don’t want them to think I’m a gold digger. I’m not so naive that I don’t know they may see me that way.

  I enter the bedroom and get a nighty from the dresser drawer. I slipped it on before going to the closet where I had stashed the gift I bought him the day I was accused of stealing his credit card. He smiles when I crawl up onto the bed. He pulls the covers back on my side of the bed, but I straddle his body instead.

  “I have something for you. It’s only from the Dollar Tree so don’t expect much.”

  “I’m sure I’m going to love it.”

  “Open it already!”

  Blake removes the tissue paper and takes out a black picture frame. “The family in this photo is nice, but I’m not sure I know them.”

  My hand slaps his bare chest. “Duh, I didn’t have a picture of us to put in there. So you have to get our engagement picture from Burger King printed.”

  “I love it! Thank you.”

  Blake cups my cheek and I lean into his hand. Tears fill my eyes. I turn my head and place my lips to his palm. He then takes his hand away, and I gather the hem of my nightie to pull it over my head. I bite my bottom lip as he runs his knuckles down the center of my chest, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. I feel his manhood at full attention beneath me. Reaching between my legs, I take him inside me. Nobody has given me the power to be someone other than a toy until him. I move my hips, using him for the pleasure I desire. It’s more to me than that, though. I feel something inside of me is slowly shifting. This is the calmness I’ve never experienced before. I am scared out of my mind, but I know in my heart Blake was never the storm I was warned about. When I met him, I knew I didn’t want him to be swept up inside the storm that lies within me. I have always been the lightning striking before the thunder. The wind that leaves destruction on everything it touches. I didn’t want to be the tornado that destroys him. Maybe it was never him that needed protection from me, but me who needed a protector. Someone to be my shelter from the rain, and be my sunlight when the days are too dark.

  My head falls back, my hair sways across my back as I let go and give in to us. Blake’s hands are on my hips, moving me in perfect rhythm. I feel myself falling deeper for this man who loves me for who I am. All of my fears are being washed away day by day because of him.

  Lifting my head and blinking my eyes open, I see Blake admiring me. “You are so beautiful when you are out of your head.”

  I bend at the waist and press my mouth to his. The passion that lies between us is evident. If I can keep the storm quiet inside of me, I will spend the rest of my life loving him as his wife.

  I place my hands on Blake’s chest as I push myself back up. My nails dig into his skin as I move my hips faster. I fall deeper into the moment of giving my soul to him. The sound of Blake saying my name brings my earth shattering orgasm. I gasp when he suddenly sits up and tosses me to the mattress. My legs wrap around his waist naturally as he thrusts into me. My back arches as he bites my shoulder. I fill my hands with his firm ass when his breath is hot on my neck. Every part of my body is taken over by another wave of pure ecstasy.

  “Blake.”

  “Rochelle.”

  A ring… I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it on her finger. It was beautiful. Hell - I could even admit that she was beautiful on the outside, but this was wrong. She didn’t belong with someone like him. It wasn’t how things worked in the real world. I didn’t much care for the man either, but he had at least earned his place where he sat. He was far wealthier than I was, but even I was far above the street walker he’d taken as his own. She had no business running that club. She had even less business being seen amongst the finer folk at the country club. Something had to be done.

  He’d made the choice easy for me. I would be the one to restore the proper balance. The thought of my morality had never crossed my mind, but in the moment before I opened the app on my phone, once the deed was already done, I wondered. I pressed the button to listen in to Blake’s cell line and found that he was just getting the first call now.

  “Blake Hargreaves,” he answered.

  “Mr. Hargreaves…” the distorted voice replied. “You have made a mistake. Roxy is not right for you and you have disgraced yourself with her.”

  “Who the fu…”

  Blake was cut off before he could finish as the other voice continued, “You have disgraced yourself and others, and this cannot stand.”

  There was another beep on the line and the voice was patronizing, even in its distortion as the man said, “You might want
to take that call.”

  Blake immediately switched lines, all while I continued to listen, impressed by the spyware my friend had told me about.

  “Who is this?” he asked.

  “BLAKE!” Rochelle cried out. “HELP ME!”

  The sound of something snapping in the background preceded a scream from her before the line went dead. I looked across the street and watched as the smoke began to rise. “Take that you smug son of a bitch,” I said out loud to myself while listening to the man panic on the other line.

  To be continued….

  About the Authors

  Thank you so much for taking the time to read Inside the Storm. Word-of-mouth is crucial for any author to succeed. If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review on Amazon. Even if it’s just a sentence or two. It would make all the difference and would be very much appreciated. – OXOX Michael James and Daniel Grayson

  Michael’s Links:

  Website: http://michaeljames-author332.bravesites.com/

  Facebook: facebook.com/michaeljamesbooks

  Instagram: instagram.com/michaeljamesbooks

  Daniels Links:

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDanielGrayson/

  Also by MICHAEL JAMES

  If you enjoyed Inside the Storm, you may also like my other books:

  The Way We Love series:

  Pink Skies At Night

  Shadows At Night

  Nights Are Unlimited

  Concealed By The Night

  Shattered At Night

  Freed At Night

  Winning A Cowgirl’s Heart - Trilogy:

  The Rodeo King

  The Best Friend

  The Fate Of My Heart

  Winning a Cowgirl's Heart -Complete Box Set