Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Sally asked the store attendant to show her the beautiful necklace displayed on the bust. Sapphires had always been one of her favourite stones and the design was simple and beautiful. Three diamonds attached in a row at the top seemed to hold dangling sapphires which showed off both the cut and luster of the stones.
Storm wrapped his arms around her from behind, kissed her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder. “It’s nice,” he whispered.
“Yes, it is.” She handed the necklace back to the attendant, “Thank you. It’s lovely.”
She turned out of Storm’s arms but he held her hand. “Do you want it?”
“What?”
“The necklace?”
Sally looked back at the necklace. “No…I was just admiring it.” She headed for the door.
Storm and Sally were walking in town, looking at window displays, and admiring the peaceful little town. This was their last day and night at the beach house. They had stayed in all night and went swimming again that morning. After taking a nap, they decided to walk in town before having dinner.
Storm glanced over at Sally whom he noticed kept her head down mostly as they walked. “Sally,” he stopped walking, “why didn’t you want the necklace?” he asked when she stopped and looked at him. “I would have bought it for you.”
“I didn’t want it. I was only looking.” She smiled before she resumed walking again.
“I think you really liked it and I want to purchase it for you.”
She stopped and turned to him again. “Why? I was only looking at it. There’s no reason for you to want to purchase it for me.”
“I want to buy it because I want to.”
“No you don’t. You think you have to give me something for being here with you…”
“Stop before you say something you’re going to regret later.” Storm sighed. “Sally I wanted to purchase the necklace for you because I wanted to.”
“But why? Do you always by necklaces for the women you sleep with?”
“No but I have purchased jewelry for my girlfriends before.”
“And I’m not your girlfriend so there’s no need to buy me anything.” She turned to begin walking again but his next words stopped her.
“Then be my girlfriend.”
“What?” She knew what he said but she wanted clarification.
“I want you to be my girlfriend.”
“Why? We’re just having fun…”
He held her arms as he looked at her, “Sally, I don’t have unprotected sex with a woman who’s not on birth control just for fun.” When she tried to interrupt him, he continued, “And I don’t think a woman who waited this long to have sex is just having fun either. I want to be in a relationship with you. I want us to date exclusively.”
Sally looked away knowing she had to say something but was at a loss of what to say. In her heart, she wanted to be in a relationship and with him it would be dream come true. But she couldn’t do it. She didn’t know the first thing about being in a relationship. She looked up into his deep blue eyes, ‘Too damn gorgeous, that’s your flaw,’ she thought as she turned away before turning back to face him.
“Storm, no one is going…”
“I didn’t ask you about anyone. I want to know if you want to date me exclusively.”
“You mean like you don’t go out with other women and I can’t see anyone else?”
“Yes, as in you don’t date anyone else except me. We go on dates together, that kind of stuff.”
“But don’t you have other women who you go out with also?”
“Not since I’ve begun seeing you and I’m not interested in seeing anyone else but you. Why are trying to find a reason to say no?”
“I’m not…”
“Yes, you are and I want to know why? What are you afraid of?”
“I just don’t think people are going to…I’m not…I’d rather not be the girl for the moment…”
“You’re still thinking about that crap Mandy said aren’t you?” Guilt was written on her face as she turned away from him but Storm stopped her. “You are the woman I want to date, no one else. Forget about what Mandy said and tell me what you want, what is in your heart. Do you want to spend time with me? Do you enjoy being with me?” When she remained silent, “answer me Sally, do you enjoy being with me?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“In your heart Sally, would you date me exclusively?”
After a brief moment of thinking she answered, “Yes,” she whispered.
Storm heard her but decided to play with her a bit, “I’m sorry but I didn’t hear that. Please repeat a bit louder,”
“Yes,” she said louder than before but still softly.
“I’m sorry but I’m still not hearing you. Maybe it’s because of the noise from the restaurant. Please repeat again.”
Sally looked around. The restaurant was not close and there wasn’t much noise where they were. He was making fun of her and it was confirmed when she saw the small smile playing on his lips. It made her happy that he was happy with her answer. She spoke in a normal tone, “Yes, I would like to be your girlfriend, if you want.”
“Yes! Yes! I want,” he said as he lifted her up and swung her around laughing.
He slowly slid her down the length of his body and Sally held on to his shoulders. She was laughing at how happy he was hearing her answer. She was happy giving it. He held her to him as his lips moved towards hers when she was eye level with him. Their lips met in a soft touch but then turned passionate. Sally moved her head to the side to better taste him, kissing him the way he had unknowingly taught her. She heard him moan when she licked at this tongue and she relished the feeling of being able to excite him. She pulled back, looking at him and returned his smile. He placed her on her feet and caressed her cheek. He quickly bent to kiss her again softly before taking her hand and beginning walking down the strip again.
They came upon a snow cone vendor and Storm stopped to get a snow cone.
“Two please,” he told the vendor.
“No, none for me,” Sally interrupted when she heard his request.
“You don’t want one?” When she shook her head in the negative he asked, “Why not? These are actually pretty good. Not overly sweet.”
“I don’t eat them. I just don’t like them.”
“Okay,” Storm said to her before turning to the vendor and placing his order for one. “Blue and green please.”
They were walking along with Storm sipping on his cone when he asked, “Okay, tell me the story about the snow cones.”
“What? There is no story. I just think they are too sweet so I don’t eat them.”
“Okay so what do you like? Cakes? Or a special type of chocolate? Godiva’s?”
“No…yuk.”
“Yuk? Okay now I really want the story.”
“There is no story. I just don’t like sweets. And I don’t understand that type of craving either.”
“So you don’t crave sweets or chocolates during that time of the month?”
“No I don’t. I only crave sleep.”
“Okay you’re the first.” They walked for a bit more before he broke the silence. “Okay, I’ll tell you a secret about myself but you have to promise not to tell anyone.”
Sally stopped to look at him, understanding the level of trust he must feel towards her to impart such information. “Okay I promise.”
“I love snow cones.”
Sally looked on waiting for the information.
“That’s it. I love snow cones. My Dad loved them also and my grandmother used to say that’s where I got it from. Dad had a snow cone machine at the house where he and I and Ayasha used to make them and sit in front of the TV and watch either the game or movie or anything that caught our fancy. They are one of my weaknesses.”
Sally looked on, waiting for him to say it was a joke but that never happened. Instead after a few minutes, she burst out laughing. Doubling over, she laughed so hard that when she finally stood up, she had to wipe the tears from her eyes. Storm looked on unfazed, eating his cone and Sally began laughing again.
“Are you finished?” he asked after a few more minutes of her laughing.
“Yes…yes almost.” Sally replied gasping for breath. She took a deep breath. “Okay, so let me get this straight. Your big secret, your untellable secret that can be used to blackmail you is that you love snow cones?”
“Hmmmhmmm,” Storm replied.
“I am so telling everyone,” Sally said as she turned to walk away.
Storm grabbed her from behind, wrapping his arms around her and pulled her back towards him, “You promised,” he said kissing her neck.
“Yeah, but that was before I knew what the secret was.” After few minutes, “You really love them that much?”
“Yep, Dad and I love them.”
“And Ayasha?”
“Not as much as Dad and I. I think it s a guy thing.”
After a while, Sally stopped and turned to Storm. “Storm, it may be out of place for me to ask this…”
“Just ask. I’ll answer if I can.”
“It’s personal.”
“Go ahead.”
“Tell me about your Dad. What type of man was he?”
Storm looked at her wide eyed before smiling, “What you do want to know?”
“Anything you want to tell me.”
Storm’s smile grew as he thought about his father and when he opened his mouth to speak, the words just seem to flow effortlessly. No one had ever asked him about his father and that made him happy.
›
They made love again that night, softly. Storm caressed her body as if it was a prized treasure and Sally held on to him learning a new level of bliss attained at his hands. But she couldn’t sleep. He was sleeping soundly beside her but her decision to become his girlfriend, to follow her heart had her mind screaming about her irresponsibility with that decision. Storm was dangerous. His ability to make her do what she wanted instead of what she must was perilous. But that wasn’t the only thing she feared. Yes, he told her to forget what Mandy had said but what if some of what Mandy had said was true? Judging from the people who were at his sister’s wedding, she was very different from them and not only because of their obvious wealth.
Sally grabbed Storm’s shirt and pulled it on as she left the house to sit on the beach. The waves crashed gently against the shore and it was tempting to take a swim but she knew she couldn’t swim away this problem or these thoughts. She was so close to her goal and she didn’t know if she could handle such a distraction. But her heart wanted to be with him, wanted to feel that happiness with him. She heard the sand shuffle behind her and looked back to see him coming towards her. She turned back around only to feel him sit behind her with his legs on either side as he pulled her back into his chest. Her back remained stiff and curved as he bent over her and kissed the top of her head before snuggling his head into the side of her neck. She breathed out and relaxed against him as they both looked out over the sea.
“Do you want to tell me what you’re thinking?” Storm whispered after about ten minutes of silence.
Sally sighed. “It’s nothing.”
“One of the rules is that you have to talk to me.”
“I don’t think this is a good idea.”
“What’s not a good idea?” he had a very good idea what she was referring to.
“Us being together. I don’t know what to do or not do.”
“Well rule number one is that you and I talk things over with each other and the rest we make up as we go along.”
“Can I ask you questions?”
“Yes,” he said smiling.
“Why did you and Audrey break-up?”
Storm sighed. It wasn’t the question he wanted asked. “Audrey and I were never together.”
“But…”
“We were never together,” he stressed. “We had sex twice but we were never a couple. Once was at a party and the other was at her place. She told her friends that we were dating when we had never even been out on a date. The last time she called, before she showed up when you were housesitting, I told her never to contact me again. There was never a together to break apart.”After a few moments, “Why do you feel this way? Tell me the truth Sally.”
“I don’t think I can fit into your world. I…”
“I don’t want you to fit into my world. I want you to be yourself.”
She turned to face him as much as she could from her position. “Storm, I don’t go shopping the way the women you’re used to, I can’t. I have school and rent. I work at a bar and my career is possibly going to be in a lab. I don’t know who the hottest designer is and I couldn’t even afford their clothes. I’ve never attended the types of parties I’m sure you’re used to attending. My friend and I hang out at IHop after work. I think you would be better off with someone…”
“You’re wrong. That’s not the type of person I want to be with, I want you. Sally listen to me, I want the woman that has other responsibilities other than lunching with her friends. I don’t want someone using my name to advance her career. I don’t want to pay someone’s rent or to take them shopping every other day because they see me as a convenient ATM. I don’t want to go out to dinner every night or clubbing every weekend or to be shown off as a prize won at a county fair.”
“No one thinks of you like. They just like being around you.”
“No they do think of me like that…as if I’m a means to an end.” After a moment Storm asked in a soft tone, “Why do you like being around me?”
“Because you’re kind to me and Rhonda.”
“Believe me, it’s easy being kind to you. So you want to reconsider this notion that you can’t be my girlfriend?”
She looked back at him, “Are you sure about this?”
He kissed her, “Yes, very sure. Take the chance with me. It’s worth it.”
She smiled, “I want something then.”
He laughed, “Started already…what do you want?”
“Can we stay here for just one more day? If you have to go back because of work, I under…”
“Yes. Yes, we can stay.” He rocked her side to side and smiled broadly when she laughed and told him thanks.
›[
He held on to her as she kissed him back. She wanted him again and from the way he was kissing her, he wanted her just the same.
“I have to go,” Sally said in between kisses.
“Then leave,” Storm said as he brought her in again for another long sensual kiss.
Sally opened the door and laughed when she pulled away from him. Storm laughed and went to the trunk to get her bag and walked her to her apartment.
“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night with me?”
“I think we need the space. We’ve been with each other for the last few days.”
“Is that your way of telling me that you’re getting bored with me already?”
“No, it’s my way of saying you need to go home. Bye,” she said as she kissed him and then walked into her apartment.
Thank you. I enjoyed reading the reviews. The various opinions on the characters and their actions is very intriguing. Have a great week.