The Smell of Lilies

Chapter 25

That evening, he'd asked her to come home with him. And for the second time, she said yes. It was a risk, leaving her job and native home, but it was a risk she was willing to take for him.

They spent the rest of the night tangled between sheets; her legs wrapped around him and his lips on hers. Over the course of their nights together, Brandon had learned how to please her and leave her begging. At the same time, Kel knew how to drive him crazy with her hands. 

The next day Brandon drove while Kel hummed along with the radio. She had her wardrobe and other necessities in the bed of the truck. She had already spoken with Leila about selling the house and some of the furniture. It was hard to say goodbye to her soft, billowy bed and comfy couch. But she got to keep every single one of her cute knick knacks and books, so she was content. 

She also took along with her the contents of her junk drawer that she had mentioned to Brandon a few days ago. Among  the rubble were her pieces of writing. They were just odd ball snippets and ideas, some longer and more detailed than others. It was nerve racking when she let Brandon read over some of them when they stopped for coffee. She was watching him intently, tapping her finger on the lid of her cup while he read. Despite her anxiousness to hear his opinion, she thought it was kind of cute to see him proof read. He looked so much like a professor. It was as if he had hung his degree around his neck as he perused her words. 

After a few more minutes he looked up. "Do you realize how good this stuff is?"

Relief flooded over her. "Really?"

"Yah. Really."

"You're serious?"

"Any more serious and I'd be dead."

Kel smiled. "So you think I should try?"

"I think you should do way more than try. I think you should do it. All of these little pieces are genuine and thoughtful. If you put them together, I'll be damned if you don't pick up a publisher."

The road back to Chicago was light and happy; two things that they both of them hadn't experienced together for a long time since they found each other. It was going to be difficult. Kel still had to contact her agent and terminate her contract with VS. Brandon needed to find a steady job. He was aiming to work as some sort of journalist or English professor. But it wasn't that easy. 

Difficult, but worth it.

He would disappoint her from time to time. She would annoy him on occasions. They would yell and get on each others' nerves. At the end of the day, though, they'd never stop loving each other. She'd write him stories and make him laugh. He'd make sure she was safe and happy, bring her home books from the Book Baron. 

He already another thing planned out in his mind as well. No matter how mad he got, he swore to himself, he would always make sure that she had her sweet lilies, always.