Part 17
As the rental car disappeared, Stormy turned to go back into the house but AJ didn’t budge. He stood staring at her, a grin on his lips and in his eyes.
“What?”
AJ stood in silence still grinning.
She put her hands on his sides as she looked up at him. “Alex, what are you doing? Let’s go back inside. Howie is waiting for us.”
“Hearing you say my name is better than all the awards on my wall and shelves. I can only think of one thing better.”
“What’s that?”
AJ wrapped his arms around her pulling her close and gave her a sexy smile. In a low, soulful voice, he said, “Hearing you call out my name as we make love.”
Her face felt like it was on fire as the red spread quickly. “Oh!” she gasped as she leaned her head against his chest.
Seeing her blush, AJ felt his heart swell with love. Tilting her face up to look at him, he said gently, “I promise, I’ll be gentle.”
“I never doubted that. I’m sorry about this morning…making you think I was more experienced. I…I just wanted to take the sadness away.”
“It almost worked.”
“Alex, I’m scared that things are going to change, that I’m going to disappoint you.”
“You’re right about things changing, baby, but for the better but why would you disappoint me?”
“Because I’m not the type of girl you usually date,” answered Stormy suddenly becoming extremely shy and casting her eyes away from him again.
“Look at me, Stormy,” commanded AJ lovingly. She obeyed and he put his hand on the side of her face, “You obviously know all about my past.”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Does that change the way you feel about me?”
“No, I love you just the way you are.”
“Then why can’t I love you the way YOU are?”
“Because…”
“There IS no reason, baby. I love you just the way you are and that love is only gonna grow the more I get to know you. Now, let’s get inside. Howie and Marcus are waiting and I’d REALLY like to hear the whole story.”
AJ wrapped his arm around her waist and they headed inside where Howie and Marcus were indeed waiting.
“Why didn’t you tell your father the whole story?” asked AJ once they were comfortable.
“It wouldn’t have done any good. Ricky left home because he and Daddy were constantly at each other’s throats. He felt like he was a disappointment to Daddy and would still be one today because he didn’t become a doctor too. Ricky’s mother, Daddy’s first wife, was from Puerto Rico so when he left, that’s where he went, to find his grandparents.”
“How did he manage to repay your father so much money in such a short time?” asked Howie.
“Easy. First, he didn’t use that much, just enough to survive and get where he was going. Second, his grandfather was one of the big Mafia bosses in Puerto Rico. He put Ricky to work to repay the money to our father.”
“So he’s in the mafia now?” asked AJ.
Stormy looked down at her hand joined with AJ’s. “Yeah,” she said softly. “But he’s got a good heart.”
“And you’ve been with him for the last year?”
“Yeah, and for the record, it’s been fifteen years since I talked. While I was with Ricky, there was no reason for me to stay silent.”
“How did you end up in Orlando, with no ID?” asked Marcus.
Stormy sighed, “Unfortunately, Ricky’s life interfered. The two families in Puerto Rico went to war over some business deal that went bad and in the middle of the night, I had to take off. Ricky was afraid for me, that they would come after me to get to him along with his wife and daughter. We managed to get to Miami without any problems where we went to the safe house there. Then, about two weeks ago, the house was invaded by the rival family. Ricky’s wife and daughter were taken but I managed to get away but I had very little money…just enough to get to Orlando. I’d been here several days, living in that park where you found me, AJ, and begging for money.”
“What were you doing at the club that night then?”
“I thought I’d been found by the rival family and I was trying to get somewhere where there were people.”
“You wanted me to find you but why run back to the park?”
“Because about the time you saw me, a car went by and I got scared.”
“So if you were missing for all that time, why didn’t the local police have a missing person’s report on you?”
Stormy smiled, “The FBI have known for about six months where I was. They talked to Ricky and at his request, they pulled all the missing persons reports on me.”
Stormy’s voice was beginning to show signs of being tired so AJ said, “Why don’t you stop for a little while? Marcus will get you something to drink.”
“Thanks. I’ve got to know how you found out who I was.”
Howie spoke up, “There was a news report last night where the FBI announced they were scaling back their search for you.”
“I saw it…while you were taking a shower. They gave a number to call and your dad called back almost immediately.”
“And that was him calling from the airport this morning while we were in bed?”
“Yeah, it was.”
“Why didn’t you tell me….instead of letting me walk into it?”
“I was afraid….of how you would react, that you would take off and not tell me where you were going. I thought that if I was here when you saw them I could stop you from leaving,” said AJ as he played with her hair. His voice dropped to a scared whisper, “I was afraid of losing you.”
“Oh, Alex, no!! You weren’t going to lose me,” she reassured as she leaned to kiss him.
Howie realized they had more to talk about and since AJ was okay, there was no reason to hang around. “You two…I’m headed out. I’ve got to be in Nashville tonight. I’ll catch you two next week in LA.”
“Later, bro,” said AJ as he stood to walk with Howie to the door.
“Stormy…I’m glad things worked out for you and that you’re safe.”
“Thanks, Howie!!”
Walking to the door, Howie said, “AJ, I’m really happy for you!! She’s a good girl….and good for you. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you this happy.”
“Thanks, ‘D’. She accepts me for who I am…with all my faults and she doesn’t want something from me…other than for me to love her. You know, she was scared that she’d disappoint me.”
Howie smiled, “That’s the way it’s suppose to be, Alex...THAT is true love. Not what you had with Sarah. Sarah was so….fake. Stormy is real…down to earth…grounded. And the way she looks at you is magical. I’ll give you a holler later in the week, bro!!”
As she waited for Alex to return, Stormy stood staring out the window at the pool. In the course of just one morning, so much had changed. She was no longer keeping her promise of silence and had revealed her story to AJ and Howie; she had stood up to her father putting her foot down and refusing to leave Alex; and she was now living with a man she’d just met a week ago but had managed to fall completely in love with none the less. Despite his reassurances, she was still nervous. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her…the week they’d spent together told her that but she couldn’t help wondering how she was going to hold on to a man who dated super models and could have any woman he wanted. Even the fact that they were alone, something they’d had for the last week, made her nervous.
AJ returned to see her at the window and he stopped in his tracks. He could tell by the way she played with the hem of her shirt that she was nervous and his heart ached to make this easier for her.
Moving to her, he put his hands on her shoulders massaging them gently. “We haven’t had breakfast yet. Why don’t I take you out to eat?”
Stormy turned to face him placing her hands on his waist. “What about the kitchen? I have what I made in there.”
“It’s probably cold by now anyway. We can clean it up later.”
Stormy looked up at him doubtfully but knew the only answer he wanted to hear or would accept was ‘yes’. Smiling shyly, she said, “Okay.”
Triumphantly, AJ instructed, “Go get your shoes.”
Stormy quickly went to find her shoes and when she returned, AJ took her hand lacing his fingers with hers and led her out to his car. There was so much he wanted to ask her, so much he wanted tell her, but he didn’t want to push her. He wanted this to work but he knew he would have to go at her pace.
