Committed to You

Chapter 10 On The Air

Justin and Marcella had a lazy Saturday. The constant rain made them do nothing more than stay in bed. Marcella's bedroom was on the entire third floor of her condo. The curtains were open to an illustrative view. The woods around her home were greener than the day before as the drenching rain made the leaves pop with brilliant color. The smoky gray sky made the trees stand out even more. It looked like the pages of a storybook.

The TV droned on most of the morning and into the noonday. It wasn't being watched, just a sound covering space as they made love. He was so gentle with her, like she was a sacred treasure to be worshipped. Being with Justin was a potent ointment that soothed the wounds caused by her former relationship. After that disaster she thought she could never trust another man. But he came into her life with a giant eraser, wiped her memory clean and caused her to love again.

She snuggled against him, placing her head in the curve of his shoulder. The feeling of being that close to him was so comforting. I wish he never had to go back to Boston. Marcella lay there quietly, her body satiated from his fervent passion. He stroked her hair.

Justin leaned over on his side so that he could see her face. "Marcella, something has been grieving me."

"What, Justin?"

"I don't want things to remain the same between us."

Marcella looked at him in amazement, as if he had been reading her mind. Please say that you'll consider moving back home. The fact that Robert was in Morocco had been the best thing for their relationship. They had spent time at each other's homes on weekends, but this was the first time they'd been in each other's presence for an extended time and it felt right. She squeezed his hand.

"Come to Boston with me."

Shock pulsed through her body. He must have recognized the look, because as she was about to open her mouth, he placed his finger over her lips and said, "As my wife."

***

Jet had the house to himself. Nora was out on her motorcycle ride with the Daring Divas. He was sitting on one of the pillows in Nora's living room, listening to Sloan's show. So far Sloan had castigated a husband who called in, complaining that his wife had no right to have him arrested for not paying child support, because at least "he'd been paying something." She comforted a woman who had called in, stating that she'd just found out that her truck-driving husband had another family in Canada. Then she outrageously slammed a woman for not having "sense enough" to end a toxic relationship.

To which the woman replied, "Fine thing for you to say. Your relationship to Jet is just as toxic as mine is to Billy."

Jet nearly choked as the air went dead to silence. Women had all kinds of thoughts about him since he'd been calling into the show, but never had anyone called him toxic. Was he really toxic? It was a rough blow. Chains of his past dragged him before his accuser. The voice in his head caused more pain than a woman in travail with child.

It's been three years, Jet. Marry her or get out of her life. I won't have my daughter being any man's convenience.

It's not like that, Dillon. I love Sloan.

Men like you are worse than poison. At least poison kills quickly. You're killing her every time you postpone the wedding. It's a slow, cruel death.

His heart was thudding in his chest, desperately hoping that Sloan would condemn her caller's statement. Things had been going so well between them. He surely hoped this woman had not stirred up something in her mind too that would cause her to doubt the direction in which they were currently headed. He couldn't bear it if Sloan confirmed what Dillon had said of him. The air was thick with tension, and it seemed as if the pause stretched like an agonized rubber band about to snap.