On the Tenth Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me… continued

Veronica gets to her office on time, which means she's beat having to deal with Mallory, 'the dragon lady', at the very beginning of her work day… thank goodness. She quietly eases into her office, sits behind her desk, gets her new purely Italian Gucci wallet, takes out the bills and begins to read them one by one. Although quick snippets, single words or small phrases, she understands each and immediately recalls the accompanying memory. On the first she reads, 'freshman orientation, academic major change to business, Five Guys post-game Fridays, soul food Sunday's at Ms. Arlene's, first football season, proclaimed besties, movies without the theatre' and finally, 'our first fall out/my first curse-out'. At reading them she smiles and at some she chuckles, but when she gets to the last, she cringes a bit at the memory and more at the fact that he still remembers it. On the second she reads, 'groupies, locker room talk gone wild, Liam, pledging season, secrets… but you know we can't hold water with each other, the crossings, study sessions, paper writing' and, 'magic post practice/post game massages'. When she begins to read the third the memories can't help to wash over her like rushing ocean waves. After reading the first two, 'officially dating' and 'meeting mom' her mind goes directly to the memory. It's like it happened just this morning, memory comes to her so clear. It was the early part of the summer leading into their junior year and they both sat in Baron's living room on the couch, watching movies and eating snacks as they usually would do when he had time off from practice and conditioning. They'd just finished watching one movie and were trying to find another.

"How about this one", Baron asks his bestie

"oh no, I refuse to watch Drumline again…", Roni fully disagrees.

"But… it's on 'On Demand'…"

"so? I'm sick of that movie! We've watched it so many times we can sing the percussion rhythms… in time… no."

"Fine…", Baron concedes before continuing to scroll down the On-Demand movie list. When he scrolls in the C-D list, something catches Roni's eye. "Oohh… Dirty Dancing…"

"Hell no!"

"what?! Why?"

"I refuse to sit here and watch you swoon over Patrick Swayze while dances his ass across the screen… again. No."

Roni rolls her eyes and concedes, "fine… well what are we going to watch?"

"I don't know… we've kind of exhausted our options."

"yeah, we have…", she sighs.

After thinking for a moment, an idea pops into his mind, "well how do you feel about old time movies? Like westerns and stuff?"

"oh! I love westerns! Daddy and I would watch them all the time"

He completely adores this girl! They have so much in common. "Nice! I like them too. My father, my nana and I would sit and watch them together on Sundays when we went to visit her. Have you ever seen Quigley Down Under?"

"no, I haven't. I've heard daddy make mention to it before… but we never sat down to watch it."

"well… I have it in my stack if you want to watch it"

"awesome let's do it".

After they come to this agreement, Baron gets up to go get the movie from his movie collection to play it. On his way back, he's stopped in his tracks by the sight before him. Where any other person probably wouldn't be fazed by it, he's completely awestricken. Apparently, his movie partner got tired of the hair tie that was holding her curls in the top knot bun it was in when he left, so she's removed it. Now, her luscious curly locks cascade down her shoulder blades, over her nearly bare, spaghetti-strapped shoulders and down her front masking the hills of her breasts… she's beautiful… and to his chagrin, still not really his. Yes, they're friends… best friends even. But, he desires to have her as more, has since they met, however he didn't want to rush her into anything. In these two years as friends, he's endured standing by watching her in her 'talking to' stints with a few of dudes on campus, one of them being his teammate Liam. He's stood by just being the friend to talk to when things wouldn't go right or to help her peep game when she didn't… which he's proud to say wasn't very often, she's quite the observant one, and reads people very well. But now, now as he stands completely breathless at the sight of this beauty, he gathers his resolve to hopefully put an end to the torture he's endured having her as just a friend when she could be so much more. Roni looks over in his direction to see him standing in place and it looks as if his eyes are focused on her… but why would he be looking at her? He must just be thinking about something… maybe he's forgotten something and is trying to remember… she doesn't know. But, what she does know is that this man that's standing lost in thought is the most handsome man she's laid her eyes on and he's genuinely kind and caring to boot. In her experience, many of the beautiful people, male and female, that she's come across are not as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside. But, to her pleasured surprise… her best friend is. Her best friend that she'd like more than anything to be her boyfriend… but he doesn't see her like that, she's sure. She knows she isn't pretty enough or glamorous enough to be that gorgeous star football player's girlfriend. So, for two whole years… or at least a year and a half, she's been quietly fawning over her friend trying desperately not to make it obvious that she is as taken by him as she is. She's endured the torture of trying her hand out with some other guys on campus, but none of them are what she wants. What she wants is Baron, but she'd rather avoid the disappointment and utter embarrassment it would be to have him reject her. So, she keeps it locked away and is just grateful she can have him as a close friend. When Baron remembers how to breathe, he walks over to Roni with the movie in hand, "got it", he says waving it to bring her attention to it.

"great! Pop it in!".

"on it", he says walking to the video player to get the movie started. After he does, he walks back over to the couch and sits next to Roni, closer than he normally would, but hopes she doesn't think anything of it. Feeling him this close to her, puts her heartbeat and the butterflies in her stomach on straight overdrive. But, she doesn't want to make anything awkward so she calms herself and plays it off by starting conversation, "so, what were you thinking about?"

"huh? What do you mean?"

"when you were standing over there? You were staring off… what were you thinking about? Did you forget something?"

'shit! How to breathe', he thinks but says aloud, "no, I didn't forget anything… just… something caught my eye is all"

"oh… okay… well what was it?"

'you and your gorgeous everything', he thinks but doesn't want to scare her off or make things awkward so he plainly says aloud, "something beautiful".

'but… he was looking in my direction… nah it wasn't me', she says to herself, "oh alright".

They sit in silence as the movie's previews play until Baron pipes up asking, "so, how's the thing with you and Liam?"

"there is no thing… he's a jerk… and I don't have the time or nearly enough patience to deal"

"hmm… gotcha… Ron, I'm curious… I've known you for two full years now going into year three and you've yet to really date anyone. Yeah, you've entertained some dudes but never got serious with one. Is… there… a particular reason why?", He asks trying to test her waters where dating is concerned.

"No… it's not anything in specific… like a swearing off of men or anything. It's just… after dealing with Robert and all of that… I'm just really cautious of who I allow to have that place in my life… you know?"

"yeah, I can understand that"

"I'm open to dating… it's just… the right guy hasn't asked me yet…"

"hmm"

"and I could ask you the same thing… I at least had a few situationships. You've barely entertained anyone… outside of the few groupie one nightstands here and there…"

"notably NOT my finest moments… but continue"

"why so? You're a handsome man and a star football player… you could practically have anyone you want"

'I want YOU, so hopefully that's true… This is my chance', he thinks. The door is wide open so he will hopefully mosey on through while it is. "Well funny thing is… I've actually met a girl I really like".

'Well there goes that one', she thinks and answers with dejection she tries desperately to cover, "oh really?"

"I have… she's perhaps the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. She's sweet and very kindhearted but she doesn't take anyone's shit… that's something I really like about her."

"oh? Well she sounds nice", she says happily although her heart is currently crumbling into a million tiny little pieces as she listens to him fawn over a woman that obviously isn't her. "Well, have you told her how you feel"

"what? No, not yet, not really"

"Well Baron, if you like her so much, why haven't you said anything?"

"because I don't know if she'd be open to having me as her boyfriend"

"why wouldn't she?! She'd be foolish not to"

"Well, wouldn't call her foolish… she could never be that… she's much too intelligent. If she'd deny me, I'm sure it'd be for a good reason. But, back to you… you said the 'right guy' hasn't asked yet. What would the 'right guy' be like?"

'you', she thinks but says, "he'd be kindhearted, he'd understand me and not judge me on my imperfections. He'd be very intelligent and very talented but also very humble. He'd be genuine and generous… and handsome".

He listens to her describe the 'right guy' and hopes he fits the mold. "So, let's just say… I don't know… I asked… would I have a chance?"

She is confused by him right now… what does she say that won't make things super friggin awkward between them? Especially because he's already, outright, told her that he has his sights set on another woman. So, she goes with the blandest, vaguest answer she can come up with on the fly, "well… you do have all of those qualities…"

"great! Because… Roni…", he says turning to her, placing a gentle hand to cup the side of her face with his fingers lost in her sea of curls, and looking deeply in her eyes, "YOU are that girl… and I really hope I can be that 'right guy'…"

Her brain is fried to a crisp right now… did he just say what she thinks he just said? Or is her mind playing cruel tricks on her? "wait… what? Me? I'm the girl you were talking about?"

"Completely… there's no other. Look Roni, I know that you're skeptical of having a boyfriend because of the heartbreak that, that 'fuck face', Robert caused you. I know that it's hard for you to open yourself to trusting anyone with your heart because you're fearful they won't care for it with delicacy the way it should be. But Roni I promise, from the depths of me, if you allow me the honor of being your boyfriend… I will love you in the way you truly deserve to be loved. I promise to care for you over and above what's deemed necessary and I promise I will work each day to show you just how much I love you. Veronica, I know you probably won't believe me… but I've wanted you since the day I met you, but I knew I couldn't just come to you any ole kind of way. I knew you were different and deserved much more than a freshman fling… I wanted much more than a freshman fling. So, I settled on being your friend… at least I got to have you close to me. And after hearing you tell me about 'fuck face', I didn't want to rush you into anything you didn't want and possibly wouldn't be satisfied with… so, I settled for best friend. But, at this point, it's complete and total torture being this close to you and not having you as my own. I love you Roni… with all my heart… and I really would love to share that love with you. And not on some sexual tip… just to love and care for you and only you… and hopefully have you do and feel the same."

Roni sits and stares in shocked silence trying to wrap her mind around what's happening to her right now. Is the man she's been fawning over for nearly two years actually sitting in front of her telling her that he's been doing the same thing… for even longer than she has? She can't believe her ears right now. By all means, she wants to… but can she? "Baron I…"

Damn! Why did he do this?! He's tried put himself in a position in her life that obviously, she doesn't see him in. At least she knows how he feels now. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have…"

She silences him with a gentle finger to his lips, "don't'… please don't apologize… Baron… I love you too."

Is he hearing rightly? Did she just say what he thinks… hopes she just said? Or is his mind playing cruel tricks on him? Before he can give it much more thought, her next words assure that he did indeed hear her what he hoped she said.

"Baron… you have no idea how long I've dreamed you'd say this but knew it'd never happen in reality. So, quite literally, this is a dream come true. You are that 'right guy'… I haven't really entertained anyone else because I wanted you. I just… I thought… really knew that you'd never go for a girl like me"

"Why wouldn't I? Veronica… you're absolutely gorgeous… and intelligent… but super down to earth. You're any man's dream girl… why do you think all the guys that have tried to get your attention tried to get it?"

"to woo me into having sex with them…"

"well that was true for some… but for the majority of the others, including myself, we wanted to have a smart, beautiful girl that isn't too set with her nose in the air not to like the things we do like, burgers, or football, or playing sports or… horror movies or rollercoasters. And then you're kindhearted… even to those people who don't deserve it. On the other hand, you aren't above cussing somebody slap out for trying you. What's not desirable about a girl like that?"

"I… I didn't think of me like that"

"I don't know why the hell not… Ron, you're everything I want…". He takes his other hand and gently cups the other side of her face, "I love you."

She returns the gesture, gently placing both hands on either side of his face and says sweetly, "I… I love you too"

Lost in her eyes he says, "I hope this isn't too forward… or you think me overstepping or moving too quickly… but I'd like very much to kiss you right now. May I kiss you?"

"I'd like that very much"

With that said and settled… feelings now out in the open, their lips meet in the softest, sweetest kiss anyone could ever imagine. There's no heat, no unbridled passion… just pure, sweet, love being expressed with the joining of their lips. The movie they're supposed to be watching, is now watching them as they continue in sharing their first kiss as girlfriend and boyfriend. With two years in the bag of him already showing her the kind of love he's promised to give her just being her friend… them adding titles to what they share is just a formality. A release to allow them the closeness they've desired like the kiss they're currently sharing. A distinguishment to let everyone else know what they really should have caught on to and knew all along, that she was his and he was hers, completely in love and completely OFF LIMITS. As they break their kiss and rest forehead to forehead, they hear a voice chiming from the door saying, "you finally told her… THANK GAWD! Now you can stop talking my ear off about her… JEEZ!".

"Shut up James! Don't act like you don't walk around here talking non-stop about that girl, Margarete, you met that goes to FSU", he says turning in the direction of his roommate.

"Man… whatever. For real… I'm glad… now make sure you behave yourselves you two… I don't want to start hearing anything crazy from you two while I'm in my room."

"Stop talking and go to your room, James… I have my woman to tend to"

Roni smiles hearing him refer to her as his 'woman'. She gently turns his face back to face her own and softly says, "kiss me again… my love"

"with pleasure my love", he says before capturing her lips with his once again.

From that day on, things were so lovely yet so normal between them, time seemed to fly. It'd been months since that moment. Yet, even after placing titles on their relationship, their friendship remained as strong as it was before they did. Baron had finally done what he desired to do the moment he got lost in her beautiful brown eyes two years ago… made her his girlfriend. She indeed is the girl of his dreams. She's beautiful, inside and out, has a heart of gold, is super intelligent, very funny and cares for him deeply… no… loves him deeply, just as he does her. He loves his woman to no end. She is his greatest supporter… even more than his mother these days as Roni is in closer proximity than his mother. She's been at every game, no matter how swamped her work load, she pushes him to and helps him study. Hell, she's written nearly all of his English Lit papers for the past year and a half. Then, when things get too heavy between school work, practice and games she's there to encourage him, pep talk him up, even pray with and for him. Even more than that…the woman has the hands of pure magic… not even the team's massage therapist can knock out the kinks in his sore muscles the way his Veronica can and has… and to top it all off… the girl can cook her ass off. Since she moved off campus late that summer, he and his close football buddies and frat brothers go to her place and wait around her table like lapdogs begging for their next morsel. She's everything he wants and needs. With that thought in mind he, as they, settled on her couch with him laid back with his head on the arm of the seat and her comfortably in his lap laid back on his chest with her head next to his, watching a horror movie for the Halloween season, makes a suggestion. "Roni, my love", he begins, wrapping his arms tighter around her middle.

"yes, my dear", she says placing her hands over his, turning her face into the crook of his neck as she closes her eyes to breathe him in.

"I was thinking… we're coming very close to Thanksgiving break… and I was wondering if you'd like to come home with me and spend the holiday with my family and I? Especially because… I think it's a great time for you and my mother to meet one another"

Her eyes open quickly as she lifts her head to look at him fully, "say what?"

"I know, it's spur of the moment… but I really want to take you to meet my family"

"But… Baron… we've only just started dating five months ago… you sure it's time for me to meet your MOTHER?"

"first and foremost, we officially started dating five months ago… we've known each other and have been close friends, just lacking the titles, for two years. Secondly… my mother doesn't bite. I'm sure she wants to meet you"

"so, you haven't even cleared this with her yet?"

"I wanted to make sure you were open to the idea before I mentioned it to my mother, because once I do… you can consider it a done deal. She is going to want to meet you."

She thinks about it for a bit and is open to it… "but… what if she doesn't like me?"

"she isn't going to like you…"

"what?! Then wh-", she starts before he cuts her off with a soft peck on the lips.

"…she's going to love you… just as I do"

"…alright… I guess… Daddy is back in Italy with my aunt and uncles so they can help take care of him… I wouldn't have family to go home to this holiday so… I guess… yes I'll spend the holiday with you and your family"

"Yes! It's settled then. I'll call my mother and let her know", he says holding her tighter before kissing the side of her cheek.

"I can't wait…", she says apprehensively with a touch of sarcasm.

"Don't worry my love… everything will be just fine. She'll love you my dear… trust me.", he says before sweetly kissing her lips, once, twice… the third time being the charm that thrust them into a full make out session right there on her couch. Roni turns over from her back to her front laying fully on Baron, placing both her hands behind his head to deepen their kiss. Before she knew it, she'd done something she'd never done while kissing him before… she lightly flicked the tip of her tongue over his bottom lip before kissing him fully once more. Until now, their kisses they've shared have been devoid of heat and sexual overtone but full of the purest sweetest love two people could exude in a kiss. But tonight, on this couch, things took a complete temperature move from the cool of winter to the hottest pit of hell. Baron is shocked to say the least by Roni's unexpected gesture but flows with it as to not make her think he's rejecting her in any way… and why the hell would he? Baron runs one hand up and down her back as the other moves to the dip right above her ass. He returns a tiny tongue flick of his own before gently sucking her bottom lip into his. When he releases her lip, he runs a full tongue across the crease of her mouth's opening wantonly requesting open access, a request she grants. From then on, they are opposite leaning heads, with open mouths, heavy tongues and even heavier smacks upon each separation of their lips. Things remain as hot and heavy as they've become and Baron's hand, that was resting on the dip above her ass, moves the few inches necessary to reach the meat of her full left ass cheek where he gives it a nice squeeze. Roni moans feeling him squeeze her 'peach', it's his first time doing that in their time together and she's not complaining AT ALL… it makes her feel a little more desired. Of course, she feels desired by her love, Baron, but that's a totally and completely different desire than what she feels from him right now. Soon after he squeezes, he takes the grip and hold that he has on her to flip them over, putting him on top and directly between her legs. In their new position, he accompanies another squeeze with a roll of his lower-half into hers, lightly grazing her 'lady box'. She moans into his kiss at the feeling, and the heat from their interactions travels directly south to her untainted, never touched lady parts. With the first few wanton throbs of her womanly flower bud, she quickly breaks their kiss, sits up and put her hands on his chest to separate from him.

"No, stop… please", she requests breathlessly. Although she loves feeling desired, she is NOT ready to fulfill that desire just yet.

He doesn't know exactly what's caused her to act this way so he asks, "what the matter my dear?"

"I'm not ready for that just yet…"

He had to think about the 'that' for a second and realizes she was talking about having sex. Little does she know, even in the heat of their passionate exchange, getting into her pants was NOT on his mind. He was just enjoying the new temperature of their kisses just as she was. And even if things got steamier between them he wasn't going to try to ease his way into 'that'. He was sincere when he told her he wasn't 'trying to charm his way into her pants'. Although he said it two years ago, it still stands as true. A truth he makes reminder of. Baron fully releases his love, sits back from her and says, "Roni, my love…". But before he can finish he's cut off by Roni's nervous apologies.

"I'm sorry Baron… I don't mean to tease you like th-"

He places a gentle hand on the side of her face, filled with the same sweetness they shared before the heat. "I wasn't trying to ease my way into having sex with you my love. You didn't 'tease' me… I told you some time ago, I wasn't trying to get into your pants and I'm still not… please trust me on that. If me changing our position made you feel like that was my aim, I truly apologize my sweet. Now don't get me wrong… I do have a desire to do 'that' with you someday. But, only when YOU'RE ready and not any time before… okay?"

"okay", she nods.

"I love you", he says gently running his thumb across her cheekbone as he gets lost in her eyes.

"I love you too". She, now assured that he's not seeking to take them that far, already lost in his chocolate pools and missing the feeling of his warmth, places her hands on the tops of his shoulders and pulls him to bring him down to her as she lays back. Now back in the position they were in before she had them separate, she gently lays one hand on the back of his head and the other across the top of his shoulder blades. "Kiss me"

"with pleasure my love"

From then on, their kisses were an even blend between sweet and passionate. Just enough tongue, tiny nips and gentle lip sucks to keep the heat up, mixed with all the purest, sweetest love they have for one another and openly share between the two. Her lady parts still throb in response to their closeness and she's sure she feels the hardening of her love's manhood near her thigh. But, she is okay with it because she can rest assure, trusting in what her love has said, that there's no pressure for her to delve into 'that' until she's fully ready. My, how she loves this man.

That night after he made it home, he calls his mother with the proposition he'd mentioned to Roni earlier. His mother was excited, to say the least, to meet the young woman she's heard so much about for the past two years. This is going to be the best thanksgiving he's had in years, especially because he has something, no, someONE special to be very thankful for.