A test of Love, Navaura Campbell [best book series to read .txt] 📗

running a finger over a nipple. "I do care, I'm just distracted at the moment."
Denise shook her head, "Yeah, ok." She closed her eyes and felt it as he covered his mouth over that same nipple.
Chapter Fourteen

The day that Jordan departed for Chicago, Denise stood with her arms wrapped around his neck, hugging him tightly. Jordan who'd bent down to return her hug, let out a wish of air, hoping to still the pounding in his heart. He didn't want to leave, but new that he had to take care of the business in Chicago, before he could even make it back to Hampton. Closing his eyes, he whispered, "I'll be back."
Her voice sounded cracked as she responded, "I know."
"I have to get all this stuff wrapped up with the apartment, my job and then register for school. Once all of that is completed, I'll be back."
Denise wanted to ask why he couldn't just quit everything and stay down in Hampton, but she knew he thought of that as irresponsible and that he wouldn't do. Sighing, she grasped his neck tightly, "I love you, Jordan."
"I love you too, De-De. Keep yourself, ok?"
Denise swallowed and glanced up at him. Looking into beautiful passionate eyes, she whispered, "Don't I always?"
He licked his lips, "For me."
"Definitely." The shivers that went through her body felt like a cold wind had enraptured her body. She kissed his lips again.
"Now boarding for flight 1072 for JFK airport in New York City." The airport attendant called over the loudspeakers.
"That's my flight," Jordan stated, pulling away from Denise. She cleared her throat. "How many flights do you have?"
"Two. One to New York city, and then another to Chicago."
"Will you call me when you get back home?"
"Yeah, I should be getting back around five thirty this evening. I'll call you."
"Promise?"
"Yeah, I promise. Now, I have to go." Jordan placed one last kiss on her lips and whispered, "I'll be back."
Denise watched as he went through the terminal. She noticed that a lot of girls took in his muscular form. He'd worn a pair of blue jeans, gray and white striped polo shirt with matching loafers. Denise had to admit, with his hair freshly cut and him shaven, he was quite the image.

As soon as Jordan arrived at his apartment, he opened the door, walked in, threw his bags down and walked over to the phone. Picking it up, he dialed Denise's phone number. When she answered, he let out a sigh of relief, a smile coming over his features, "Hey, I was just calling you to tell you I made it." He listened to her greeting as she asked how the trip coming back was. He was about to answer, when he heard a noise in the bathroom, and then the toilet flush. Crinkling his brow, he asked Denise to hold on. Putting the phone on the counter, he went to the nearest closet to grab a bat.

"You know, if I had come to rob you, you would be dead right now." A voice stated, her tone soft and sweet. Jordan felt his body tense up. Turning around, he glared at the young girl, "What the hell are you doing in my house?"
The girl smiled over at him, coming near the counter. Picking up the receiver, she spoke into it, "Hello?"
Jordan ran to the phone, grabbed it from her and his tone rushed, told Denise he'd call her back. Without waiting for a reply, he hung it up.
"Why did you do that?" She inquired, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "I wanted to see who you went back to Richmond for."
"It's none of your damn business. How did you get into my house, Carene?" Carene laughed, her brown hair bouncy, "I had a key made, silly."
Jordan stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Give me the key Carene." Another laugh, and the girl backed away from him. "I was going to give it back after we talked, Jordan."
Jordan narrowed his eyes, "I don't want to talk to you. Now, give me..." He reached out for her, she pulled away, moving toward the living room, "No, baby, I'm not till you talk to me. I want to know why you don't want me anymore."
Jordan didn't say anything, he just threw his hands up, "Fine keep the damn key. I'll have my locks changed, just get out of my house."
Another laugh came from Carene, "See, that's why I love you so much, Jordan. You're so sweet. You'd rearrange your whole life for little ol' me."
Jordan's jaw jerked, "Carene, there is no us. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you need a doctor."

Carene scowled at him, "There's nothing wrong with me, I'm perfectly fine, ok?"
Jordan went to the door, pulling it open, he said, "Get out." His tone was firm. Carene laughed and came up to him. Standing in front of him, her five ten inch frame perfectly meeting his, she leaned in and caressed his cheek, " Why Jordan? Why not me?"

Jordan pulled her hand away from his face, "Go, please."
Her expression pout y, Carene laughed again, "You think just because you saw her that things are going to work out between you two? You think all the pain and suffering that you've endured over the past two years will go away just by getting back together with her?" Carene shook her brown curls, laughing, "No, baby, life doesn't work like that. She's going to break your heart again. She's going to spit you up and chew you out, just like before. She'll say sweet things to you and not mean a damn thing."
Jordan inhaled sharply, "I love her." He stated, firmly.

Carene nodded her head, "Of course you do. You're a good man, you don't need someone like her in your life. You don't need her. You need a real woman, someone to take care of you, to love you, to need you in the same way that you need her." She whispered, her tone soft.
Jordan swallowed the saliva buildup in his mouth. "I have that with her."
Carene shook her head objecting, "No, you only think you have that with her. What are you going to do if she tell you she doesn't want to be with you anymore? Where are you going to go then?"
Jordan took a step away from the doorway, leaving her there, enclosing the wall that connected the door to the frame. "That's not going to happen."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know Denise like I know the palm of my hand."
Carene laughed at this again, "Come on Jordan, don't be naive. If you know her so well, then you'll know that this time she's going in for the killer. This time when she breaks your heart, she's going to kill you. She's going to hurt you so bad you may not recover from it at all." Carene swallowed. Her gaze turning serious, "I don't want that for you, Jordan. You deserve better."
Jordan sighed, "I love her." He stated again.
"Does she love you?"
Jordan felt a small sting of fear grip his heart. Did she love him? of course! His mind screamed. His heart ached. "Of course she loves me." He stated more for himself than Carene.

Carene felt a tiny smile began in her heart. There was a hint of doubt in his words. Did she or didn't she? How sweet a game this would be. How sweet. Shaking her head yes, she whispered, "Alright Jordan, if you say so, but know that I love you too. If things don't go to well, you need help, advice, something, just call me."

Jordan raised a brow. Call her? Why would he call his ex girlfriend over the one he loved? The one he knew without a shadow of doubt he wanted to be with? The one he felt was indeed his soul mate, if that could be described as her.

Two days later:
Denise tapped her foot against her desk, trying to focus on the trip planner in front of her, but was failing miserably. She couldn't stand the idea that another woman had been there. Who was she and why had she been there. His voice had sounded slightly vexed by her presence. She knew this was a silly reason to not take his calls, but she couldn't. Not just yet. She wanted to identify the woman. She needed to identify the woman. Had he been serious about their coming back together? Was he really sure that he wanted to come back to Hampton and be with her? Were they both getting what happened between them mixed up as something real when it was nothing more than a fling? Had it been an attempt of his to get back at her for leaving him? Did he really love her, still? Did he really want to be with her?

Taking a frustrated breath, Denise tried to swallow the lump of fear that had risen in her throat. She loved him so much. She wanted to be with him so much. She'd never felt so completed with one person in her life. It had been that way in high school. She'd always felt the same way he'd felt toward her. She'd always felt as if they were quite the pair. Their chemistry was strong, that she was sure of. Glancing down at her watch, she saw that she was going to be off the clock in a matter of minutes. Sighing, she gathered her stack of papers and placed them back into their proper place in the filing cabinet. Locking that drawer, she grabbed up her purse and keys.

Diary,
I've never been so fearful in my life. Who is that woman and what was she doing at his house? He'd said that he had no girlfriend. He'd said that I was the only girl he wanted, so why was she there? How had she gotten in? I'm sure he'd seemed irritated that she'd said anything to me over the phone. I didn't like the fact that he cut me off so abruptly. You'd think he'd want to handle things on this end first, but no. He's been calling. He's called at least twenty times in the past two days. That's literally. The first couple of calls I answered, but hung up quickly because the sound of his voice had been enough to make me cry.

Isn't that pathetic? How could I love him more than I had in high school? We've been apart for two years, without so much as a word, but I love him so much. I want to be with him more than I've ever wanted anything in my life. More than that scholarship that was reinstated to New York University this year. I don't know how I'll get through the years up there and then come back down here every weekend. I hadn't realized how much I missed his presence till that first day I turned to see him staring at me. I hadn't even known how starved I was for his affection till the first time we'd slept together at his house. How ironic...(a giggle) The same exact place we'd been when he and I slept together that very first time years ago. I was so scared then. I couldn't even breathe straight. Everything felt closed