College Sweethearts: A Romance

Pull out the blindfold from your wine glass and put it on. No peeking! Yours, R.

My heart raced with excitement as I carefully placed my blindfold on, taking care of my eye shadow. After a few minutes, I felt hands rubbing my shoulders tenderly as lips replaced them. A soft moan slipped from my lips and the soft attack disappeared. My nipples stood out hard from excitement and a soft yelp came from me when I felt them being pinched slightly. Too soon again, the hands left me and I was greeted with the sound of a chair being pulled out across from me.

"Taylen, I'm so glad you could join me this weekend. I've not only missed making love to you, but also sharing your company. I've known you for over five years now, and during those five years I've grown to love you more than I've ever known possible. I know that we've had a rough time not being able to be openly together, but I want you to be certain that that will change soon enough. I've worked hard these past few years to be good enough for you and I've realized that I can never be good enough, but I've learned to do my best and enjoy your love."

I could feel the tears rolling down my cheeks, completely ruining my makeup but I didn't care. I was so scared and excited at the same time, I was completely unsure of where he was going with his speech. He could go one way and make me the happiest woman ever, or go the complete opposite and leave me broken. I knew which one I wanted, but I wasn't certain where he stood at the moment. I did my best to hold in my tears as he continued with his speech.

"Taylen honey, I love you. So much, so very very much. I would literally die inside if you were to leave me, but I want you to know that I'm giving you that chance tonight. I know this is hard on the both of us, but if you want the chance to find love with someone who can openly love you back, then I cannot stop you."

My tears were free flowing now... It was over, I just knew it was. Five years of loving this man with my entire being and he was ending it so he could take the easy way out.

"Taylen, I'm going to ask you something now and I want you to take a minute before you answer ok? I want you to think about how the answer will affect the future. Don't pick the answer you think will make me happy okay? Pick what makes you feel the most complete. Do you understand?"

I nodded silently, not trusting my voice to stay solid in response.

"Taylen, take off your blind fold baby, please."

My hands shook as I raised them to remove the cover from my face. I opened my eyes and lost all control of my tears and sobs. Kneeling before me holding a little black box, was my prince. My body shook with sobs and I barely heard him speak.

"Taylen, I love you with all of my heart and I know that we still have a way to go before we can be together but I want you to know I will do whatever necessary to be with you forever."

He opened the little box and removed a white gold diamond ring, exactly what I would have chosen had I been given the chance. Tears rolled down Reid's cheeks as he looked up into my eyes and asked me the one question I had been waiting to hear for five years.

"Taylen, would you do me the honor of being my wife and end my misery of being without the only one I have ever loved?"

My body shook harder with sobs as I fell to my knees with Reid kissing his face and whispering "Yes" over and over. His strong arms wrapped around me picking me up and leading me to the bedroom.

"My god you don't know how relieved I am to hear you say yes, I was going to go crazy if you told me no. I've been planning this since last Valentine's Day baby; I hope it was good enough for you. I love you; I can't say that enough to you Taylen. I honestly can't."

Reid spoke those words directly to my heart as he kissed my cheeks and forehead between sentences. Placing me on the bed, he slowly removed my shoes and kissed his way up my legs to the hem of my dress. He pulled my dress off slowly, as if unwrapping a gift on Christmas and not wanting to tear the paper. He continued kissing up my naked body, covering every inch with a sweet kiss that set my skin ablaze. Licking and suckling my nipples while grinding his hard naked body into mine. Our bodies shook with anticipation and need. Reid's mouth left my breasts only to kiss my lips passionately while positioning himself to enter me. Rubbing the head up and down my slit and pressing into my clit preparing me for what was to come. I felt a hand grab my hip as he sank into me in one solid motion, my body convulsed in an instant orgasm as he slammed into my g-spot. His thrusts slowed but remained deep, drawing out my orgasm as my inner walls milked his thick cock. Leaning down and suckling a nipple into his mouth, I came again taking him with me this time, my orgasm intensified by the feeling of his warm seed filling me. Reid rolled to his back, pulling me with him so that he never lost his connection with me and we fell into a deep sleep fueled by the thoughts of continuing our celebration when we awoke. ****

The Graduation

I look ridiculous in this cap; I look absolutely fucking ridiculous in this damn cap. It's sad when it's your graduation day from college and that's all that is going through your head. Well, at least I'm not thinking of the hundreds of ways I could embarrass myself by falling or something. Damn it, now I'm thinking about falling. To say I'm a little nervous would definitely be an understatement. I've been through six years of back-breaking book bags, stress inducing finals and not to mention all night study groups, all of this just to stand here to stand here in the procession line and think about what an idiot I must look like in this cap. I heard a booming deep voice over the speakers and decided to tune myself out by attempting to pay attention.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, I would like to thank you for joining us this wonderful morning. Please stand as we welcome in the University of Tennessee's graduating class of two thousand and ten."

Well, here we go that horrible procession music is playing so that's my cue to go. I look behind me to Jessica and smile a "we finally did it" smile and head towards the main floor. Thompson-Bowling arena was packed to the brim with families, friends and faculty for today's graduation and I knew that my family was amongst the massive crowd somewhere. Oh dear God, don't let them have a bullhorn! I have somehow pulled off graduating with a Masters in Forensic Anthropology and yet, I feel like I just finished my first semester. I'm not positive how Reid and I have gotten through these past two years without being able to be openly together.

It's been more than tough, but now as our hiding comes to an end I know it's been more than worth it. My stomach is in knots as I look around the room at my fellow classmates and realize that I actually have finally made it. I feel completely lost in the opening speeches and instantly become grateful that I've been through a couple of these before. Thanks to my two older brothers and sister, I've been through a total of three college graduations and they all seem to follow the same suit. Throughout the boring opening speeches, I hopelessly glance around looking for my family and feel an instant pang of sadness. My heart aches at the thought of my parents not seeing this, but I guess they are watching from heaven and I can only hope they are as proud of me as my brothers and sister are. I pushed the sadness away and painted an almost fake smile on my face as my row stood to accept their degrees. After only a few short minutes my name is called and I make my way across the stage. My fake smile turns genuine as I spot my family just to the side of the stage screaming like it were the super bowl, and thankfully no bullhorns! I waved to my family as I made my way back down the stairs and towards my seat. I ran my hand over my certificate and smiled when my engagement ring caught the light just right. Relief flooded my system the moment the light hit the ring and my mind registered that I was free; free to now be Mrs. Dr. Jonathon Daniel Reid. I made a quick glance around the faculty seated beside the stage and found Reid smiling back at me. My stomach jumped and I completely missed the rest of the ceremony with a happy, and probably goofy, grin on my face.

After the ceremony, my family and I headed to my home for the traditional cook-out we held after every graduation. Having met Reid shortly after he proposed, they all took him in as part of the family almost immediately. I watched from the kitchen window as my family stood laughing and enjoying my nieces and nephews in the backyard. My stomach flipped when I saw Reid chasing after my nephew Kellan eliciting a delighted squeal from the two year old, I couldn't help but smile when they spun around and fell to the ground laughing. My mind wandered back to last weekend when we snuck away to the mountains again and somehow managed to get the very same cabin he proposed in. My stomach flipped again at the thought of how he looked in his swim trunks before we jumped into the pool after hours for a little romantic moonlit dip. I was forcefully brought back from my daydreaming with a sudden need to sit down. I wrapped my arms around myself in a hug fashion and collapsed into a chair in my dining room. My heart raced as the room began to spin before I closed my eyes and doubled over to keep from getting sick.

"Taylen, my god Taylen what's wrong?!"

Leave it to my sister to find me in my worst.

"Nothing Heather, really I think my blood sugar is just low from not getting breakfast this morning."

"Reid, you better get in here quick!"

"No, Heather don't scare him like that! I'm fine, really."

Reid walked in the kitchen through the French doors casually, and then paled at the sight of me. "What's wrong Taylen, and don't tell me nothing because you wouldn't be doubled over for nothing honey."

I began telling the same thing I had told Heather to Reid and he immediately started shaking his head.

"Alright, we'll try it your way but if it doesn't get better I'm taking you to the doctor and I'm not taking no for an answer young lady."

Heather sat a small plate of cut up fruit and a glass of water in front of me. Actually feeling hungry for the first time in days, I gobbled down the entire plate and asked for more,

"No cantaloupe though please, that stuff is horrid."

Heather stopped putting food on the plate and stared at me with wide eyes. She and Reid shared a silent glance then both looked to me,

"Um... Taylen, are you feeling okay honey? Cantaloupe is your favorite, that's all you would eat when we were little."

Heather's motherly instincts took over and she was suddenly checking my forehead for a fever,

"She doesn't feel too warm to me Reid, maybe I should get the thermometer?"

"Guys calm down! I feel great now that I've eaten, so just calm down and let's get back to the party okay?"

And I did, I honestly felt much better now that I had eaten something just like I said I would. The rest of the day flew by in a blissful daze as I watched my nieces and nephews crawl around my living room floor pushing cars and blocks around on the hardwood floors. Seven o'clock brought on the common crankiness of toddlers causing Heather to pack up Kellan's toys and Damon to drape a sleeping Brooke and Travis over his shoulders and head home. After waving goodbye, I walked Stephen to his Honda and hugged him tight.

"Do not go home and forget that you have a baby sister okay? I miss seeing you, and now we'll have time to actually see each other instead of just emailing each other. We live less than 15 minutes from each other bro, I think we can do better than that!"

We laughed and hugged again before he drove off leaving me standing in my front yard feeling oddly grown up. I sighed as I felt Reid's big arms wrap around me from behind and kiss my neck.

"Come on love, you've had a big day and I have a feeling you aren't feeling as well as you've let on all day."

I gladly let Reid lead me into the house and straight to the couch. We snuggled into a comfortable fit and found something almost interesting to watch on cable, a few minutes of silence passed between us. Although it was a relaxed comfortable silence, I knew what was coming.

"So are you going to tell me what that was today, or am I going to continue to play stupid?"

Shit. You persistent ass! I took a deep breath and focused on what I wanted to say. I knew he wasn't going to take this answer well, but it's all I've got.

"Reid, I swear to you that I think it was just low blood sugar. I've been getting light headed a few times this past week but I just chalked it up to stress. My stomach was churning today, but it felt a lot better after I ate. I would never do something to intentionally harm myself that includes neglecting serious symptoms, okay?"

His blue eyes were filled with worry but he accepted my explanation and kissed the top of my head lovingly.

The rest of the weekend went smoothly and without an episode as bad as Saturday morning's had been. I woke up Sunday morning to an empty bed and glanced at the clock. Nine A.M., Reid must be out for his run. I jumped up and head towards the shower hoping to wash my uneasiness away. I lifted my tank top and flinched when the material rubbed my sore nipples. What the hell is up with my body lately? My stomach has been tender, I've been nauseous and now my breasts are sore. Oh, duh... I must be getting my period! I jumped into the shower and let the hot water flow over me, drenching my hair and easing my sore muscles.

"What are you doing up so early Tay? I didn't wake you when I left for my run did I?"

"No baby, I just woke up a few minutes ago and decided to take a hot shower. Want to join?"

"I thought you'd never ask!"

Reid's big hands massaged my skin relaxing me even more, as well as putting my body on high alert by his kisses. Gently pressing me into the shower wall, Reid lifted my leg and entered me slowly, pulling a soft moan from my lips. Reid's thrusts kept me against the wall as his hands wandered my body, cupping my breasts while kissing and biting my neck. Reid was biting my neck, stopping suddenly when I winced in pain.

"I'm sorry baby; you usually like me pinching them. Was I too rough?"

"No baby, they're just tender this morning please don't stop, I need you in me now."

"Wrap your legs around me sweetheart."

Reid pushed deeper into me sending shivers down my body and a throbbing pulse to my core,

"Oh god Reid, don't stop fuck me harder! Yes!"

My words stopped making sense as he continued to pump into me harder, drawing out my orgasm until he emptied himself into me.

"You're going to be an early death to me if we keep at it like this Taylen, I'm still a little sore from last weekend's getaway," he laughed as he held me under the warm water trailing kisses down my neck and chest.

"Well then you better enjoy it while you can because this will prove to be a long week if not."

Reid groaned and hid his head in the crook of my neck, "Already, didn't you just do that?"

"Quit whining and be a big boy, we both know it's unavoidable."

He laughed and groaned somewhat at the same time, "Alright fine, but I get you whenever I want you before then."

I laughed as he carried me back to our bed for more morning fun. The rest of the week was spent doing absolutely nothing of importance. Reid and I took the week to relax and sexually attack each other randomly. Don't think I didn't notice what didn't show up either. My mind was racing the next Saturday morning as I sat in the bathroom silently with my pocket calendar in hand. A month, I was an entire month late. How could I not have noticed it for an entire month? I heard the front door shut and Reid yelling up to me, but I couldn't move. I was frozen to my cold spot on the bathroom floor holding my calendar with tears streaming down my face.

"Taylen, where are you?"

Finally he made his way into the bathroom and found me still frozen on the floor. He slowly walked over to me and took me in his arms, still silently crying and holding my damn pocket calendar,

"Taylen, talk to me love, I can't help if I don't know what's wrong."

"A month Reid, a whole month."

"A whole month of what, Taylen?"

I sat there staring at the calendar in my hand before I could form any words.

"Late."

One word was all I could manage to form and instead of Reid pushing me away; he gently kissed my head and laughed.

"Well I was wondering how long it was going to take. We haven't used protection in over a year Taylen, what did you expect to happen honey? Aren't you happy?"

Wait a minute, he's not angry or upset at all, so why am I?

"Of course I am, just... shocked I guess. We're having a baby Reid, we're having a baby."

We didn't leave our spot on the floor for a long time while Reid sat holding me tenderly smiling like a damned fool. ****

The Surprise

The following Monday

Reid and I haven't told anyone that I may be pregnant yet. I'm using 'may be' because we never went and bought a home pregnancy test since I had an appointment today anyways. It's now eleven in the morning and my appointment is at one, leaving me plenty of time to stress out repeatedly. Surprisingly, Reid hasn't flipped out over this entire situation yet but I suspect he may when we get the final verdict. I guess I really shouldn't say that, I mean, Reid is old enough to feel ready to settle down and start a family so it's possible he actually is excited about a baby.

I on the other hand am going slightly mental at the thought of being a mother. I mean, I'm twenty-six years old so age isn't what's slowing me down, it's wondering how my family is going to take the news. For now, that's just going to have to wait, I've got other more important things flooding my brain at the moment. From my position on the couch, I can see Reid checking his email at the kitchen table while drinking his usual glass of sweet tea. His face is relaxed but takes on that "I'm thinking really hard" look that makes me giggle inwardly. If I weren't completely in love with him already, watching him read something interesting would do it for me. I love how his face goes from blank, to interested, to amused, to full out laughter that fills the room. I would never tell him this since he swears they aren't real, but I love the tiny little wrinkles that appear from his eyes when he smiles. Since graduation, Reid's been wearing more casual clothing and thanks to the heat, that means khaki cargo shorts and a nice t-shirt with some worn out tennis shoes. At almost thirty-one years old, he still looks like a frat boy, but in the best way possible of course. His curly brown locks have been cut short with just enough length for some curls to stay messy, as well as enough to grab for the hell of it. Apparently I had been staring because Reid glanced up at me and laughed.

"Like what you see lady, we could have a little fun while my fiancée is gone. What do you say?"

"You are a dirty old man Jonathon Daniel Reid! But I must say I love it and a little fun before the doctor sounds fun. Catch me if you can!"

I jumped from the couch and ran towards our bedroom upstairs laughing the whole way. Reid's arms snaked around my waist and pulled me close to him while kissing my neck and shoulder blade lightly. A soft moan slipped past my lips as Reid lifted me bridal style and carried me to our bedroom.

An hour and a half later, Reid and I were sitting in the waiting room at my doctor's office. Reid again sat patiently reading an old magazine while my legs wouldn't stay still for anything. My knees were bouncing rhythmically and my hands were knotting themselves together. I was finally put out of my misery when an older looking nurse called my name showing Reid and me to my examining room.