The Fight Within (63 page)

What mattered most was that she was happy…and she wanted to give the man a glimpse of the smile on her face, the one given to her by a beautiful man named Sean Mahoney. Before all this had happened, FINDERKEEPER had held her hand, via the Internet, with his well-timed humor, unaware that there were far too many evenings she’d log on, her eyes full of tears and her heart full of sorrow. Memories haunted her, making her believe she was playing a starring role in a nightmare that wasn’t soon to end. His medicine gave her a dose of wisdom wrapped in joyous laughter, and she greedily wolfed it down like the elixir that it was. He brewed it just for her…and she felt special because of it.

Her imagination roamed wildly with thoughts of what could have gone wrong that evening. Was it over? Did she say something to cause him alarm? After a few moments of careful deliberations, all she could do was sigh. Gathering herself from her bed, she made her way into the massive cherry wood cabinets in her kitchen and plucked a smoky gray coffee cup from the cupboard. She set it on the dark granite island countertop and shuffled on red slippers to the pantry, in desperate search of her filters and the canister of Maxwell House.

Might as well make me something to stay awake and get some work done…

Asia and Brian were sound asleep as it was three in the morning, so she kept her movements quiet, lest she wake them from their hopefully peaceful slumbers.

“Ahhh!” She jumped when an abrupt knock sounded at the door, followed by the bell being rung, and then knocking once again.

“Who the hell is at my house at this hour?” Taking a deep breath, she cautiously made her way to the front door. Peeling back the foyer side curtain ever so slowly, she took a peek.

What in the…?

…She knew those blue Nike shoes with the stark white laces all too well…

“Sean? What the hell is Sean doing here?!” She flicked on the porch light, snatched the chain off the door, and undid the locks in rapid speed, exposing the man when she pulled the door wide open. Before she could say ‘hello’ or demand answers, the brute brushed past her, entering the dwelling without hesitation. His vibrant green eyes jumped around as if he were on some narcotic and he bounced from foot to foot as if trying to keep up with some strange tempo that only he could hear.

He’s acting like the crazy coot on the train that day!

“Sean!” She closed and locked the door behind him, forcing him to acknowledge her presence.

He grabbed her into his arms, his hands firm on her upper thighs. When he pressed his lips roughly into hers, her tight muscles loosened as she fell into his insistent embrace like liquid love. Then, he pulled away and his sexy tone broke the sensual trance.

“We need to talk.” He pointed to her parlor room couch, so they made their way over and sat side by side. For a moment or two, they waited in silence, words unsaid weighing heavily in the air.

“What’s wrong?” She reached for his hand, a bit anxious.

The man turned toward her and ran his thumb back and forth across her knuckles, giving comfort for something that seemingly was hard for him to utter. He’d been chock full of confessions as of late, and she hurt on his behalf. Her anxiety mounted as the silence continued. And then, he burst out laughing.

“What’s so funny? I need some answers because it’s three in the damn morning and you were beatin’ on my door like you were on fire!”

“If I was I hope you’d call my brother.”

“Sean! Stop joking around and tell me what’s going on, please. You’ve got me worried.”

“I know.” He rolled his eyes and gave her a placating smile. “I know, yeah, sorry about that. Look, I want to show you something.” He released her hands and reached into his pocket, removing a roll of papers. “Here, take this…”

Treasure looked at the odd offering, the mass all bound together with a red rubber band.

“Go ahead, unroll them.”

Her eyes met his as she hesitated. She traced the edge of the spool, feeling the thin paper against her index finger. If she continued, she was certain it would slice her flesh clean open, a paper cut to make her morning all the more complete. Clearing her throat, she slid the rubber band off and placed everything on the glossy table before them. Sitting inside the wad was a small, slightly smashed red rose. Its strong fragrance wafted to her, robust, sweet, and fragrant. Picking up the flower, she gave it a hearty sniff, loving the scent.

“Thank you.”

“Look at the papers…” He leaned back casually, propping his arm behind his head as he worked his shoes off with the tip of his toes. Once he’d removed the things, he brought one leg up onto the couch, flexed his toes in his white, thick socks, and smirked…unnerving her with his sexy, strange ways. “What are you waitin’ for?” He gave a light chuckle.

She looked down at the curled papers and spread them open with both hands. After reading a few lines, her mouth dropped open, and feelings of embarrassment flooded within her. That was simply short-lived, for soon her heart raced with new, feverish anger, her body temperature swelled, and her pulse raced. With narrowed eyes, she lifted her sights back to him.

“How’d you get this?! This is my personal business!”

She pointed in his face then tossed the papers onto the floor, discarded, out of sight.

“It’s
not
your personal business.” He chuckled, looking all the more relaxed on her couch. “It’s
our
personal business.”

“What? You think I’ve cheated on you?! Well, I’m sure you read everything, Sean! I haven’t been cheating with this man… He was just someone to talk to! Yes, it’s a dating website but we never spoke sexual to one another; matter of fact, he’s been a great help to me but never mind all of that! How creepy of you to go into my private things and then have the nerve to bring it to my attention!” She went to rise from the couch but was only met with him gripping her harshly around her waist and forcing her down upon his body. Laughing, he layered the side of her face with sweet kisses.

“Where do you think you’re going, huh? Calm down, Treasure. Jesus! I didn’t go through your shit, okay?”

She looked him in the eye, studying him hard, searching for a shred of mendacity, an inkling of deception.

He looks to be telling the truth…

“Well then, how did you get those emails?”

“Instant Messages.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, whatever, how’d you obtain them?”

“From my computer…”

She stared at him a long while, failing to understand. Finally taking her out of her misery, he lifted her and repositioned her between his thighs, pressing her into his chest, acting as a comfy chair, before he told her the miraculous story.

“Treasure, I didn’t know it was you…
I’m
FINDERKEEPER.”

“What?!” She looked at Sean dead in the eye, certain the man was at his old comical tricks again.

“Did you notice how he, well
me
, got offline all of a sudden? I had no idea we’d been talking on there until you showed me that photo… I honestly thought you were some stranger I just enjoyed chatting with from time to time.”

All she was met with were his smiling green eyes, a half smirk that reminded her of a crescent moon lying on its back, and a look of pure love dripping off his expression. Covering her mouth with one hand, she chuckled…then chuckled yet again.

“Are you serious?!” she finally managed.

“Yeah…I’m serious.” His smile slowly faded.

“Look…” He scratched his temple, briefly closed his eyes, then glared at her, his expression grave. On a deep breath, he began—“I’ve heard about shit like this happening, usually like on one of those morning news shows about long lost loves finding each other around Valentine’s Day, things like that. This is funny and not funny at the same time, but on my drive over here, I was able to calm down a bit and process it all. You know, in retrospect, I shouldn’t be surprised about this.” He squeezed her shoulder. “You came into my life for a reason, and it was for more than love. I’ve changed for the better because of you. When you first contacted me on there, I replied back to you as sort of a challenge to myself, just as I told you during our cabana date.”

She peeked over her shoulder and smiled at him, kissed his nose, unable to resist touching him one second longer.

“But uh,” he nodded and looked away, as if afraid to stare her in the eye, “this Sapphire Storm person became a counselor of sorts to me. In helping her, I helped
myself
, and the things you were saying, Treasure, made me question how I saw life in general. You had no dog in the fight, ya know? You didn’t know me, or at least didn’t think you did. We weren’t tryna get with one another, just as you said…but I felt things for Sapphire Storm, things you feel for a really good friend that has your back.” He quickly lowered his head, as if trying to collect his thoughts.

“It was like you knew just when to contact me, just what to say. Sometimes, you’d just say, ‘Hello. Have a great day.’ It was always right on time,” he said, clearly working through a complex puzzle of thoughts. “I would look forward to speaking to Sapphire because she showed me how to be a better man for
you
…for Treasure. I wanted to become the man she was seeking, the kind of guy she deserved. I wanted to be the prototype, but not for her. For
you
.”

“Let me ask you something. Why did you use the name FINDERSKEEPER?”

He cracked a grin. “’Cause of my job. Sometimes I find good things, which I keep or sell online.”

She smiled and nodded in understanding.

“What about you? Why the name Sapphire Storm?”

“Well,” she looked down at her hands and rubbed them together, “sapphires are my favorite gem stone—my name is Treasure—and at the time, I was going through a rough time, like a storm. That’s why I started an online profile in the first place. Just to talk to someone…to let some things out, things I couldn’t talk to other people about out…” She paused, deliberating over her words. “This is incredible.” She laughed lightly. “No one would believe this!”

“I know. I barely believe it myself, but it happened and it makes what we have all the more special, Treasure, all the more important and real.” He reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. “I love you so much.” The man’s voice trembled as one tear cascaded down his face, until it disappeared from the edge of his chiseled jawbone. Grabbing his face with both hands, she landed a perfect kiss upon his lips, devouring his face and his heart, trying to climb into his very soul.

He abruptly pulled away from her, then wrapped his hand around the back of her head, bringing her in for another kiss, then another, his tongue working its way inside of her mouth, probing, pushing to the brink.

“Mmmmm! I’m not leaving, baby.” He panted deeply into her mouth as he stole another kiss, the tip of his nose rubbing against her own. “I want to feel that soft, wet stuff between your thighs. I
need
you so bad right now.” He explored up and down her back, his urgency surging through his heated touch.

“Get up, come with me.” She tore herself from him and got to her feet. Her pussy throbbed like a subwoofer for the guy, wanting him
almost
more than she did. Offering a lopsided smile, she took him by the hand, nearly tripping over a vase as she navigated the room. Following close behind, they disappeared into her bedroom, the door closing and locking quickly behind them.

Sapphire Storm and FINDERKEEPER were going to ‘meet and greet IRL’, after all…

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