I look down at my engagement ring as it glistens against the bright light streaming in from the plane’s window. I grin to myself. What Adam doesn’t know is that I’m planning to give him my virginity for my twenty-first birthday. I have been saving myself for the love of my life, and now that we are engaged, waiting until that special wedding day seems so trite. Adam is my happily ever after. I have been with Adam for years, after all, and the reality is over the past year, we have become extremely intimate anyway.
Every time we kiss, I feel a slow storm brewing deep inside, and it becomes more difficult to stop at second base. There are times we become so desperate for each other, we soon find ourselves at third base, and many times, I thought we were going to hit a home run. Adam, however, would never cross that line when we were in the throes of heated passion.
Not only is Adam a handsome man, he is honest, kind, and caring. He is willing to wait until we are married to make love for the first time. One of the things that first attracted me to him was his respect for me. He wasn’t like most of the boys I had dated, who wanted a home run after a couple weeks of dating.
Since I was sent to boarding school, I had always felt myself at a loss and starved of having a large family. I never got to know my extended family. We both dream of having at least a few of our own kids one day. He’s adamant that I be a stay-at-home mom when the time comes for me to become a mother. It won’t be for a good while, however, as I want to be selfish with his time, and also explore my career.
We spent countless nights together sketching out our dream home. Watching the fantasy come to life on paper, our future seems almost tangible, especially since I’m so close to graduating. I toy with the ring on my hand, realizing this ring is the only piece of Adam I will have to keep me warm at night until the next time I see him. My stomach begins to constrict, and it churns at the thought of being separated from him for this long. It’s truly going to be a long summer. I close my eyes at the thought and allow myself to fall asleep.
*~*~*
Stepping into the Atlanta terminal, my senses are assaulted with the smell of food and noisy background chatter. I make my way to the underground tram that will take me to the luggage claim area. I already know my father will not be there to greet me; he always sends one of his bodyguards. I smile to myself, knowing this time it will be Jake. He has always been my favorite bodyguard. I consider Jake family. I’ve known him since I was a toddler, and he’s made his way into my heart, portraying the big brother I never had.
I slip onto the tram and watch the doors close in front of me. I think Jake turns forty-two this year, but he doesn’t look like it. Every time I see him, it looks as if he hasn’t aged a day. I frown at the thought that he isn’t married by now. Dad has always kept him so busy; he’s never really had the time to put into a relationship. He seems happy enough, though.
He’s an incredibly handsome man for his age; I’ll say that much. He always keeps his body buff and in top condition. He looks like a middleweight champion, sports an eight-pack, and even when he wears something as simple as a t-shirt and jeans, his physique is still showcased; It’s disgusting the way some women scratch and claw at each other to garner his attention.
I find myself descending the escalator that takes me into the luggage claim area. Being up so high makes it easy to spot Jake from a mile away. I see him in the distance, and my heart rate speeds up just from the mere sight of him. I grin as I realize just how much I’ve missed him. He stands there with his gold-framed, mirrored glasses and his perfect dark hair that’s cut military-style with just enough fluff on top for some lucky lady to run her hands through. He’s wearing a black, tight-fitting polo shirt and a pair of jeans. I chuckle out loud as I watch all the other women walking around him. They’re stumbling over their own luggage trying to get a good look at him.
When Jake catches sight of me, he starts making his way to the bottom of the escalator. Reaching the bottom, I don’t even get the chance to take a leap off the last moving step before he has scooped me up and is embracing me in his arms. He stands at six-foot-five, and my feet find themselves dangling in the air. I squeal as he twirls me around in his strong arms.