This Feeling

Chapter 17

"Show me how (Show me how, baby)
You care (Right here, right now)
Right here, right now, right now, baby, yeah
Tell me how (Tell me all)
You loved (Tell me how you love, baby)
Before (Uh)."
Joey Bada$$ "Show Me"

Nicole

I could have sworn I left my black sandals on the shelf instead of packing it in my suitcase because I said I wanted to wear it today. I hope they're in there because I'm not going to reopen my luggage to check. I'll be tempted to add extra stuff in there and I might exceed the 50-pound limit.

"Nic Nic?" I poked my head out of the closet to see Dewayne hanging off the bed, still sleepy as h*ll.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you up when it's still dark outside?" I walked over to him and picked up my phone that was charging on the nightstand to check the time.

"Sir, it is 8:03 and there's plenty of light outside. I just shut the blinds so the brightness wouldn't disturb your sleep."

"It's already 8? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I was letting you sleep until 8:30. You know how you can get ready in less than thirty minutes."

"Stay in bed with me until then."

"Dewayne, I'm already dressed."

"Please." He wrapped his head around my hips and nestled his head onto my butt.

"Fine. I'm not laying down all the way though. I don't want to do my hair again." I sat down on the bed with my back against the headboard. I made sure to pull my ponytail forward.

"I'm going to miss you." He sighed as I traced the outline of his back tattoos.

"Oh."

"You not going to miss me?" He lifted his head.

"I am, I am." I laughed. "I'm going to miss sleeping in your arms. We'll see each other in 19 days. Hopefully, they'll fly by."

"They better. I don't like being away from my baby." Dewayne kissed me.

"I don't either."

"So, how have I been doing so far?"

"What do you mean?"

"As your man. Am I meeting your standards?"

"You are. You're actually doing better than I expected. As you should, the way you were begging me for months to get with you."

"Now, you know you wanted me as much as I wanted you."

"Whatever. Did you have doubts about your new role in my life?"

"A little bit. I saw the love, intimacy, and peace you had in your last relationship. I just prayed that I wouldn't make any mistakes and I wanted to be able to  give all that to you and more."

"What I had with Kyle was beautiful and is hard to find these days, but I believe in you. I believe in us. You two are different. I don't want you to compare yourself to him. I just want you to be the best man you can be."