Page 83 of Don Caselli

Navy looked at me confused. “What you mean?”

“We’re going away. Celebrating our birthdays together.”

Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. I could tell they had wanted to fall earlier in the conversation, but she held onto them. “Even after what I just told you?”

I ignored her question. “Tell me where you wanna go. I’ll make that shit happen for you.”

She eyed me suspiciously, as if she didn’t believe me. “Why?”

“Cause I want to put a smile on your face. Want that bottom lip to quiver when I’m dick deep inside you out the country.”

“How do you know I want to leave the country?”

I softly bit her shoulder. “Navy, where the fuck you wanna go?”

She laughed. “I can pick anywhere?”

“Yeah.”

She looked at me. “I’ve never had someone take me away for my birthday… well, my parents took me to Disney World when I was sixteen but not a boyfriend.”

“I’m a boyfriend, Navy Bleu?”

She blushed and looked away. “Not like that… I’m not saying…um… shit,” she stammered.

Pulling her chin so she could look me directly in my eyes, she tried to look away. “I wanna be your boyfriend, fiancé, and husband, Bleu. May seem like I’m bullshitting, and I couldn’t possibly know. I fucking know.”

“How?” she softly questioned.

I took her hand and placed it on my chest. “This knows. I don’t feel like this with everybody. When we come back, I want you and your parents to meet my family.”

It was a big thing for me to bring a woman to meet my siblings. I had never done it, and the fact that I felt so calm with the idea of doing it told me I was ready for that. Navy and her family made me feel welcomed, included. They welcomed me into their folds without a second thought.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure, Pooh.” Our eye contact never wavered as we looked into each other’s eyes. She was afraid.

“I’m scared.”

“Of what?”

“Everything.” I held her chin and placed a soft kiss on her lips and pulled back. “You walking away.”

Shit hit me like a ton of bricks because that was a possibility on her end. Everything I was saying was words to her. I could up and walk out of her life like her ex-boyfriend did.

“Tell me where you wanna go?” I could convince her until I was blue in the face. The only thing that worked was action.

“I can go anywhere I want?”

“Anywhere,” I affirmed.

“St. Lucia.”

“Done.”

“Just like that?”

Holding her chin, I looked into her eyes. “Whatever you want, it’s my job to provide and make that happen. You asked me to court you with roses and shit, but Casellis don’t court that way, Pooh. Trips, diamonds and anything you fucking want from me is my way of courting you.”

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