A Subtle Tenderness (7 page)

“I see the best in you Ophelia, that’s all I see. 
You’re whom I love. You have to know that I love you.  When I look into those deep brown eyes of yours, I see forever with you.”

S
he began to cry and shake her head when he said this.   Heath pulled her to him and shushed her tears.  “I know you can’t tell me what I already know is in your heart.  So I’ll say the words for us.  I love you and I’ll give you time to figure it out on your own.  I won’t rush love.  I want you to come to me willingly in your own time. 

“
Heath, Sometimes I think you’re just too good for me.  You give so much and you ask for so little in return,” she mumbled with emotion clogging her throat.

“Don’t ever say that again,
I’m not too good for you…I’m just right for you. And don’t ever intercede on anyone else’s behalf when I’m defending your honor,” he said the last part with solemn hardness. 

“No secrets from this moment on,” Heath stated as he kissed her lips gently

“No secrets,” Ophelia agreed,

“You’ll tell me what you’re thinking even if it’s something you think I may not want to hear?”

“Yes, even if it’s something I know you don’t want to hear,” she smiled then kissed him. Their kiss became deeper and more passionate.

“I want you now Ophelia.”  Heath pushed her back onto the bed and lifted her lingerie away from her breast.

“Yes Heathcliff, I want you now too.”
And if I’m honest I want you frever also.

Ophelia hummed as she made lunch and fresh baked oatmeal cookies for Heath.  Things had been going exceptionally well with their lives and personal relationship.  Heath was nearly completed with the work on his parent’s home. He had hired a construction crew to assist him with the final upgrades.  The owner of the construction company had paid Heath a personal visit with the offer
of a job.  He wanted Heath to assist him in building designing a cabin with similar his. 

Each day she was falling deeper and deeper in love with him.  He
ath had the qualities that Ophelia had always wanted in a husband.  She never knew a man with these qualities could truly exist; except for on paper in one of the novels she was paid to read and edit.  Heath was quickly becoming the love of her life.  He pleased her in every way humanly possible and he still came back to give her more. 

In between working on his home and spending all of his available time loving her he managed to make and install a hammock in her back yard.  So now she read her books while relaxing in a hammock built for two.

You’ve got to love a guy that builds you a hammock.  Ophelia did love him but she just hadn’t told him yet.  She couldn’t get over the fact that in over five short months she had fallen head first into a straight swan dive of loving this man.  So why was it so hard to say the words to him?  Heath was a till death do us part kind of guy and he took the words seriously.  Deep down she had known all along that when she said the words to Heath she had better mean it with every fiber of her being, because that’s how he would mean it and take it.

Today was that day. 
Ophelia packed them a basket with a small feast. Dressed in a short, sexy sundress and heels far too impractical to wear anywhere but in front of your man, Ophelia made her way up the mountain to his parent’s home.   The yard was full of men and a scaffolding equipment and a crane as the final upgrades were being done.  She had a natural bounce to her step as she walked precariously toward the front porch.

“Hey
Darlin’, I’ll buy whatever you’re selling.”  Ophelia stopped. So caught off guard by what she’d heard that she nearly toppled over in her new heels.  She looked around at a couple of the workmen who were laughing and making lewd gestures and shook her head and continued up the front porch.  “They say the darker the berry the sweeter the juice, she looks sweet enough.”

“When you
’re done with him sweet thing, I’ll take a piece of that,” Ophelia kept walking with her head held high and went quickly into the house. 

Heath found her at the kitchen table removing he contents from the basket.

“Hey sweetheart, you’re a pleasant surprise,” Heath said as he leaned in and kissed her.   Let’s eat this out back in the garden.  I can’t have you in here without a hardhat on.”

“Okay,” she responded and took a deep breath and began to repack their meal.

“Is something bothering you Ophelia?”  Ophelia turned to him and went into his arms and gave him a hug.

“No, nothings the matter, let’s go outside and eat.”  She moved to pass him and he stopped her.

“Are you alright Honey?” He asked a second time.  Ophelia looked at him and she was torn.  Those men out there were jerks and nothing they said mattered but she had promised Heath that she wouldn’t keep secrets.

“No secrets right.”  She kept his gaze as she spoke.

“Right,” he agreed solemnly.

“Just now it was stupid cat-calling as I came up your drive. It was just…unexpected and I’m sure nothing bad was intended.” 
Ophelia stumbled through her explanation and apology for the men’s behavior.

“Are you alright Ophelia?”

“Yes, I’m with you now of course I’m alright,” she tried to laugh it off unsuccessfully as she saw the storm clouds gather in his eyes.

“Don’t apologize for their lewd behavior.  I don’t pay them to insult my woman. My first priority is to keep you safe, satisfied and happy.  On my mountain,
on my land and in my home you should always feel safe.  You’re my mine and no one threatens or insults what’s mine. Are we clear on those few facts?”  His voice was a quiet threatening whisper and Ophelia nodded that she understood as he pulled her close and kissed her mouth with a bruising kiss.

“You know stuff like this is going to happen in the future.  Someone ill-mannered person is going to remind us that you’re white and I’m black and you just can’t fight them all Heathcliff.  We’re
gonna have to be prepared for it to happen again.” 

“Heath.”
she spoke with quiet determination, then chose her next words carefully.  “I brought you something special today.”  Her eyes pleaded with him to not start anything with those men.  Ophelia didn’t want to ruin her surprise for him.

“
Everything you make for me is special, sweetheart,” and his eyes softened when he spoke to her. “But that doesn’t excuse what you just had to experience today.”  Heath turned to leave her and Ophelia grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“No, you don’t understand.  It’s not the food.” 
Ophelia crowded in on him.  “I brought my heart for you and my hopes for a future with you.  I’m ready to say the words Heath, but more importantly I’m ready to live them with you.”  Ophelia watched as he smiled and she pulled his head down for a passionate kiss.   Her breast tingled and her sex creamed as he devoured her mouth.  It would always be like this Ophelia thought. It will always be this good with him.  He slowly broke the kiss and held her silently.

“That’s good Honey.  I’ve been waiting for this gift for a long time and nothing’s going to ruin it for us.”  He gazed lovingly into her eyes and smiled. 

Let’s take this food out back and enjoy it.”

They sat at the table and fed each other healthy portions of their afternoon meal.  When they were done with the food, Heath pulled Ophelia onto his lap and fed lazily on her tongue and mouth.  His hand found its way up her dress and past the barrier of her thong underwear and he brought her to an orgasm with his fingers.  Heath raised those fingers to his lips and sucked his fingers clean.

T
hen sitting her astride his lap she unzipped his pants and pulled his massive dick free for her to caress. With her dress covering them, she lowered herself onto his thick hardness and slowly rocked them both to another orgasm.  Long satisfied moments later, Heath held her close and gently massaged her back while they caught their breath in the late afternoon sun.  

Much later
Ophelia sat back still impaled by his thick member and kissed him softly on his lips.

“
I don’t care about anyone but you.  I want you always.” She said this and kissed him again.  Ophelia studied his eyes to gauge what he was thinking. Heath smiled at her and she smiled back.

“I want you always too
Lia.  Will you trust me when something like this ever happens again?”  She nodded yes.

“Yes, I trust you. I will always trust you.”

“Good. Now let me walk you to your car.”

“Okay, you are coming to my house for dinner she asked as she reluctantly pulled away from him breaking their connection.”

“Of course, I’ll be there as soon as we’re finished here today.”

He
ath walked her to her car and just before she got in he tipped her face upward to meet his kiss. “Thank you for my gift.”  He smiled and Ophelia knew that kiss was a warning to the men in his front yard.  Worried that he would do or say something once she was gone, she started to speak but he stopped her.

“Trust me
Lia.”  Ophelia exhaled a deep breath, caressed his face and drove back to her house.

********

Ophelia rushed to the door when she heard the knock.  She smiled at Heath as he stood at the door holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  Something seemed off with him. Ophelia wondered why he just didn’t use his set of keys.

“Is anything wrong?” She asked as he watched her silently.

“Come in Heath you’re scaring me.” He obeyed and stepping into her home offered her the arrangement of wildflowers.

“They’re beautiful,” she accepted them leaning forward to give Heath a kiss.
  “Come into the kitchen and let me put them in some water.”

He
ath watched her patiently until she stopped and stared at him assessing his demeanor.

“What’s on your mind big guy
?”

“What happened earlier at my house did it upset you?”  He
ath watched Ophelia for several moments before she answered.

“Yes, at first it did then not really.   It was a stupid comment made by someone I could care less about.  Did it bother you?”

“Yes, only because it hurt your feelings and I felt responsible somehow.”

“
Ahhh,” Ophelia said understanding dawning on her ‘
the reason for the flowers
’.  “You aren’t responsible for what happened.  It’s gonna happen again, probably by another person who doesn’t understand why I would choose you or why you would choose me.  We can’t control other people’s prejudice Heathcliff. I told you earlier that we need to be prepared for that type of behavior.”

“I don’t care about what anyone else thinks except for you.  I care about what you think Ophelia because I love you….No I’m in love with you.  You and the world we create together is all I care about.”  He
ath watched her smile as he said the words he should have told her at his home earlier.

“People think I’m smart because I can do so many skilled things.  I’ve had a lifetime to learn and perfect those skills. They’re second nature to me now.  I’m smart because I’m here asking for your hand in marriage.  I’m smart enough to know you’re the good thing I’ve been waiting for most of my life and I’m not letting you go.”

“I’m not a poor man Ophelia.  I’m not the wealthiest either, but I can promise…you will never want for anything.  I love my home and my land but I will take you anywhere in the world you want to go if that’s your desire.  I lead a simple life because I choose too, but if you would honor me by being my wife, I would devote all of the man I am to making you feel happy and loved.”

He
ath watched tears begin their slow descent down her beautiful face when he first began to speak.  It wasn’t until he stopped speaking that he realized he too had shed some tears.  Ophelia gazed at him through teary eyes deciding their fate but he knew he would never take ‘no’ as her answer.  Heath wouldn’t give up on this love.  He would patiently woo her over through kindness, sweet words and his never ending devotion to her.

“Yes.” 
Ophelia laughed slightly as she answered. “Yes, I’ll marry you Heathcliff.”

Then she was in
Heath’s arms holding him, kissing him, his Ophelia.  Joy surged through him and relief.  Ophelia felt so right in his arms. He never wanted to let her go. Heath loosened his grip around her when he felt her pulling away.  Ophelia looked at him with those beautiful dark eyes and stole not only his heart but captured a part of his soul.

“I’m in love with you too Heath.  I think I’ve loved you from that very first night.  I just didn’t recognize what real love felt like.  Your love is a subtle tenderness that brought peace to my heart.  You
mended it and made me whole again.  I’m smart enough not to ever let that go.

Heathcliff Anders Rogan and Ophelia Richelle Dean were married on a sun-filled day in late May.  There were brilliantly blooming wildflowers lining the drive up the mountain toward Heathcliff’s parent’s home.  Colorful arrangements of flowers were tucked in areas throughout the property.  It looked like every flower that Heath’s mother had planted years earlier had bloomed just for that day.  Ophelia thought his mother and sister had a lot to do with that. 

They stood side by side
, Ophelia in a simple white dress with flowers in hair and Heath in his military dress uniform. They recited their vows again for the small gathering of friends and family who had come to wish them well.  They knew in their hearts that they had said the binding words that day months earlier in her kitchen. 

Op
helia watched the video with tears in her eyes.  She never got tired of watching their wedding video.   Ophelia unconsciously rubbed her belly happy in the knowledge that their child was safely planted there and she waited in Heath’s cabin for him to return home to her.

             
Her life and love had turned out better than any of the romance novels she’d read.  Ophelia was living her fantasy. She turned as she heard the door open to reveal her one true love and knight in shining armor.  Dark blue eyes met hers and Heath’s lazy smile spread welcoming and lifted her heart.  No, she thought nothing she ever read could top her tiny piece of heaven on earth with Heath.