By Design (BWWM) [Complete]

Chapter 7: A First Time For Everything

She awoke to blessed silence in her bedroom. Staring up at the stucco ceiling, she recalled of what she saw of the cottage, she liked. It looked and felt very rustic, simple. Kicking back the sheets, her feet hit cold floorboards sending a chill up the length of her spine. Rifling through her bag, she pulled out a vibrant red, green and yellow Kente mud cloth head wrap, a white maxi dress and undergarments splayed all over the bed. Traipsing through the living space, she stopped at the linen closet to fetch towels and headed into the small but quaint bathroom.

The spray of hot water beating against Taiwo's skin was a welcomed sensation. Her skin began to heat as she replayed the sizzling disagreement she had with Connor's mother. She'd become over passionate in her beliefs and snapped out of frustration. When pushed into a corner, when her experiences proved her right, repeatedly, she always came out swinging, lamenting her opinions. Taiwo could never accept people forcing their views upon her. Individuals had to prove themselves until she was sure she could not only trust their words, but actions as well. As much as she was entitled to her opinions, she hoped hadn't screwed up, prompting Connor to change his mind about developing a relationship with her.

Rinsing the soap from her now supple skin, she stepped from the shower onto a rug, wrapping a white plush oversized towel around her body. Running a hand over the foggy mirror, she braided her hair into two large flat twists and exited the steamy bathroom. Silently tip toeing through the living room, Taiwo suddenly felt a pair of eyes boring through her profile. Turning, she saw Connor leaning against the door jamb.

"Why are you creeping through the house?"

"I'm not creeping, I'm tip toeing as to not disturb you." He'd made her feel like a guilty child, caught red-handed with her hand in the cookie jar.

"Mmm hmm. Good morning. Did you rest well?"

"I can't tell if you're patronizing me."

"I'm not." He grinned.

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion a slight frown formed over her lips. "I slept just fine, thank you."

"It's too early to start fighting. Retract your claws, please."

"What do you have planned for us?"

"Don't be impatient. Just enjoy the moment. There's no need to rush. The first thing is to get you dressed and have breakfast. So, how about you tip toe back and get dressed because if you don't I'm afraid I'm going to have to act on my desires." Taiwo's cheeks burned and skin began to tingle as suggestive thoughts flooded her brain.

"Well, if you'll excuse me." She cleared her throat and tipped away with her head held high. He watched her glide away coolly but he knew she was on fire underneath the façade she defiantly fixed in place. He started breakfast and would show her around Belfast soon after to a few spots he loved visiting as he grew into an independent man.

Securing her head wrap, she fiddled making sure it was tight enough then stood in front of the window to check to see if her dress was showing parts she wanted hidden. There was nothing worse than secretly putting on an oblivious show to passersby. Satisfied, slowly calming her heart rate to a steady beat, she started for the door and rested her hand around the knob. Taiwo shouldn't have felt embarrassed, they were only having breakfast and she had no intention of letting Connor have his way with her, at least, not yet. Placing one foot in front of the other, spine erect, she found Connor at the stove finishing their peppered scrambled eggs. She watched him plate up breakfast and fill her glass with orange juice and his with tea.

"You're having tea so early in the morning?"

"There's never a wrong time of the day for tea." he murmured as he pulled a wooden chair out and sat comfortably.