Love by Love - 48
Brock was pacing while chewing off the tip of his pen with a little notebook in his other hand. He was looking for a romantic way to tell Reba he loved and cherish her. Especially when he was having a rough time, she didn't give up on him. Although over the weekend, they spent almost every minute doing things together but he felt it wasn't enough. He really wanted to make it up to her, spent some romantic time together; recreate their wedding night and honeymoon if he could. Last weekend was just reminded him of how wonderful they were together. How madly they were in love. He couldn't believe how he could ever turn his back on her before. He was just insane. He would never let that happened again. Brock chuckled when he recognized that he was addicted to his own wife! He couldn't get enough of her. The smell of her skin, the taste of her lips...
"Doctor Hart, line 1 from Mrs. Hart" said his receptionist breaking his train of thought. Brock responded to the her telecom, throwing the pen and the notebook on the table and quickly picked up the phone, sinking himself in a big chair.
"Hi honey, I was just thinking about you" He greeted. Reba could tell from his voice that he was smiling.
"Oh really? What exactly were you thinking about?" She giggled in to the receiver.
"Just random stuff"
Snickering from the other end of the line, Reba replied seductively, "Hmm... How about you just show me tonight?"
"How do you know what I was thinking?" Brock smiled and sat up straight from leaning back in his executive chair.
"'Cause I'm your wife and I should know you better than anyone else. And Honey, I can read you like a book." That was why it bothered her so much before that she didn't know what he wanted, what he needed or what was on his mind. She thanked the Lord he gave him back to her. "Oh wait, honey, Elizabeth wants to talk to you."
"Hi daddy," greeted the girl into the receiver. "I'm working with mommy." Elizabeth kept the conversation going for a while before she handed the phone back to Reba. Actually she could go on and on forever, but Reba needed the phone back.
''Honey, when you're done working, can you please come and get Elizabeth? I have to stay behind to close an important deal. I'm afraid she'll get bored." Reba stated the reason she called. "But I won't stay too long I promise."
"Sure no problem, I'll be there in about an hour."
''Thank darlin', gotta get back to work now."
''Ok, I'll see you later, honey. I love you."
"I love you too, Brock."
At the other end of the line, Brock could clearly hear his daughter try to shout into the receiver in Reba's hand to make sure he heard her saying ''I love you too, daddy."
Brock quietly placed the receiver back on the phone with a huge grin spread across his face. Besides his computer, Reba's picture was smiling at him. He picked it up and smiled back. He thought if anyone would see him right now must have thought he was an idiot for smiling intensely at an object. He also had the pictures of the rest of the family on his bookshelf, and the family portrait hanging on his wall. The most recent one they took was when Elizabeth was just over a year old. Brock got up and walked closer to the picture, memorizing every single detail from it. It was a family portrait taken at their house. Brock was sitting on a loveseat next to Reba; Elizabeth sat on her lap and Jake on his. Cheyenne and Kyra sat on either side of the armrest. Next to that picture was Cheyenne's graduation picture and Kyra's piano recital. The other side had a picture of Jake and his very first baseball glove. Under Jake's picture was the picture of the youngest member of the family: Elizabeth. She was merely a year old. She sat on a mat in a park spreading a cute little beam showing off her four little baby teeth and a red rose tucked behind her ear. He sighed and went back to his desk, waiting for his last appointment to show up. He picked Reba's picture up and stared into her eyes again.
"Alright honey, tell me what can I do to make it up to you." Smiling, he mumbled to her picture.
Meanwhile the person that was in Brock's head was pulling her hair out trying to make sure the company received a good benefit out of the property deal they were about to make. She read the proposal carefully but her mind kept thinking back to her husband. Reba decided to put her paper down and looked over to the corner at her daughter. She was playing with her little kissing bears. Elizabeth insisted on taking the kissing bears with her to her daycare. Reba tried to convince her to bring the little monkey that she chose first instead, but the girl like the bears better. Reba entertained herself watching Elizabeth stacked a few cardboard boxes, imagining they were home, office and ice-cream shop.
Reba woke up from her daydream by the sound of someone knocking at the door. "Come in."
"I'm here." Just as Brock was coming in, Elizabeth immediately pounced on his arms. Reba folded her arms across her chest, watching hers and Brock's wonderful creation with a small smile.
"My my, I haven't seen you in ages," commented Dolly coming by to say hi. "Are you here to pick up the cute little redhead or the sultry one?"
"I'd love to take both, but since the sultry one still has some work to do, I'll take the cute one home first. But I'll definitely take the sultry one tonight." Brock replied mischievously. Reba bashfully elbowed him. "Ready to go home?" Brock asked the cute redhead in his arm. She nodded. Brock put her on her feet to pick up her belongings. Reba put her stuff in her backpack and let the girl carry it on her back. She held her stuffed animals in her arms. Seeing the kissing bears that represented him and Reba, Brock spoke, "That reminds me." He pressed his lips on Reba, kissing her quick but lovingly catching her a bit off guard. Elizabeth giggled with Dolly.
"They do that often?" Dolly playfully asked the girl.
"All the time." Elizabeth answered trying to sound like an adult. "Just like my bears." She then showed Dolly how the bears could kiss. Dolly laughed and mussed the girl's hair adoringly.
Brock took Elizabeth home first leaving Reba to continue her work with Dolly. It took Reba longer than she expected to close that deal. She was mentally exhausted. She couldn't wait to go home and spend time with her family. It was too late for family dinner. Brock must have ordered something for the kids. Hopefully he had saved her some. She was starving. And after getting something to eat, maybe she could just lay her head down on Brock's lap, and fall asleep watching the ten o'clock news. Thinking about spending time with her husband, even just to laze around and do nothing had brightened her mood. Reba was about to open the door when she saw a tiny little cutie face pressed against the window looking out and startled a little. She heard Elizabeth yelled 'Mommy's here! Mommy's here!' behind the door. Snickering, Reba opened the door to a dark living room; Brock just turned out the light.
"Wow…" Reba was astonished. She saw the light flickering from the dinning room: must be from candlelight. She heard giggling coming from the kitchen and saw Elizabeth poke her head out to see Reba. Elizabeth quickly ducked thinking maybe her mom hadn't seen her yet, but she still giggled. Standing there next to Brock was Jake, with a napkin hung on his arm. "What's this all about?" Asked Reba to her beaming husband.
"Nothing, hungry?"
"Starving." Reba replied. Brock gestured her to take his arm. She smiled and hooked her arm on his.
"Party for two, follow me please." Jake panned his hand leading the two adults to the dining room. Reba was dazzled once more when she saw a beautiful bouquet of red roses at the center of the table, few candles lit, and romantic dinner for two was set. Brock pulled the chair out for her waiting for her to sit down before taking his own seat. Once sat, Elizabeth was cued to come out and placed the napkin on Reba's lap. Brock tipped Jake with a $5 bill and tipped Elizabeth with a lollipop. After they got their tips, Jake took Elizabeth's hand and went back to the kitchen.
Brock signaled for 'the waitress' to serve their food. Cheyenne came out of the kitchen with a tray, setting a plate in front of Reba and one in front of Brock.
"Hello, my name is Cheyenne. I'll be your waitress today"
"Thank you miss Cheyenne." Reba played along. Leaning over to Brock Reba whispered ''She wasn't cooking too, was she?"
Chuckling, Brock replied, ''Since when can she cook Chinese? I bought take out"
''Oh good, I was afraid she'll take the role of cooking too. We both know how good of a cook she is."
"Mom, dad." Cheyenne glared at them, hearing everything they said. "Anyway, enjoy your meal, let me know if you need anything." She flashed them both a smile walking back to the kitchen.
"Okay, will you tell me know what's this all about?" Reba asked her husband confusedly.
"I just mentioned to the kids when I bought them dinner that you're working late today and asked Cheyenne to help me babysit, because I want to take you out to a romantic dinner. And you know Elizabeth and her 'Whys'. 'Why can't you and mommy have dinner here?' 'Why is it not romantic?'" Brock mocked his little one. "So Cheyenne suggested that maybe I can give you a romantic dinner right here in our dinning room." Brock explained pouring her a glass of wine. "Cheers. To my beautiful wife"
"To my lovely husband." Reba replied with her eyes twinkled. It was Kyra's cue to come out. She sat by the piano and started playing soft music.
"May I have this dance?" Brock requested. Reba gladly took his hand, stepping on the dance floor, well their living room, with him. Reba sighed contently resting her head on his shoulder as they slow danced. Elizabeth poked her head out checking on her parents from time to time, curiously wanting to know what they were doing. When she saw them dancing, she wanted to dance with them. Reba snickered when she saw Jake and Elizabeth were dancing with them too. Cheyenne tried to lure them back.
"That's okay Cheyenne, let them have fun." Told Reba to Cheyenne with a smile. Soon enough the two kids got bored and went back to the kitchen where Cheyenne had some games set up for them to keep them occupied and leave the parents alone. "You know, I had the hardest day at work today, but thanks to you and the kids. You make it all better. I really enjoy this kind of romantic evening."
"The pleasure is all mine."
Still with her hands on the piano keys playing a beautiful song, Kyra rolled her eyes seeing Brock lowered his face to Reba, kissing her passionately. Elizabeth still giggled peeping at her parent. Jake cried eww and kicked himself for being curious... Cheyenne sighed happily. She was glad they were very much in love after the cold war there were giving each other. There's still wildfire between them after all.
The young kids were long gone to bed after the green tea iced cream was served for desert. The older kids were in their room, and knew enough to leave their parents alone. Reba and Brock were still sitting by the dinning room table enjoying each other's company and the bottle of wine. "I hope you don't have to work next weekend," said Brock with a sly smile.
"I don't think I have to. Why?"
"You'll see." He had found a perfect way to make it up to her, he knew she would love it.
"For any special occasion?" Reba was puzzled.
"No special occasion, considering it's a loving gift from your husband for being such a wonderful wife."
"Won't you give me a hint?"
Brock raised his eyebrow when he felt her foot was clawing on his leg. "You can't seduce me to give away the surprise."
Reba felt challenged, she slowly stood up and walked behind his chair running her fingers lightly along his arm in progress. She then wrapped her arms around his chest whispering, "If you tell me, I promised I'll be a very very good girl for you."
Brock's breath got caught in his throat. He swallowed hard especially when her breath lingered around his ear and she kissed him lightly behind it. "You're making it harder... for me to keep the secret, I mean." He stood up and captured her in his embrace in just one swift movement. "Although it's not a big surprise, I still want you to be surprised. How about you don't ask, wait and see and I'll do every thing you please."
"Should that benefit you or me?"
"It'll pleasure us both." Brock mumbled against her lips. In the end, she was a very good girl for him, and he did everything she please. And he was right, it pleasured them both. However, Reba still had to wait for her surprise.
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FYI: Next chapter is the final chapter. Please let me know what you think of it so far :-)