Patience Pt. 09

"They said I can keep using the car for now and could take off as needed to get my other issues settled as long as I did my work remotely." she said.

"Damn." I said smiling. "The Admiral pulled out all the stops to get you."

"I know." Belle said grinning. "And I wouldn't have any of it if it wasn't for you. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough. You've done more for me than I deserve." As she said that the grin disappeared from her face, and she looked away awkwardly. I could tell she had more on her mind but let it go for the time. We chatted somewhat awkwardly while we finished and cleaned up the kitchen.

Once we got done cleaning up, we moved back into the living room where I sat down in my recliner and Belle on the sofa. I knew it was time to have the conversation we had both in our own ways been putting off.

"Belle, I think we need to talk." I said slowly.

She looked at me awkwardly before saying, "I know. I've been trying to figure out what's going on with us since last night."

"Come on let's be real." I said. "We've been playing with each other for weeks since not long after you moved in with me. And while it's been fun, I think it's time to quit playing and determine what exactly it is we are and where it's going."

Belle gave me a thoughtful look before saying, "Robbie I can only say I've been a bit stupid over the last fifteen years or so since I've known you." I opened my mouth to argue but she held up a hand to stop me. "Let me finish. I don't have to tell you about my history with men and how lousy it's been. Hell there's a few that came and went while you were in the Navy that you would probably want to kill if you knew how they were."

Belle continued, "I figured out after you left to join the Navy that I depended on you too much and basically took advantage of your kindness. Not long after you left, Derek and I spit up and it was horrible. I'm not sure if you remember him but he was a real ass when he didn't get what he wanted. He was so horrible when we ended it calling me every name you can imagine. I remember wanting to call you and wanting to come to your room and have you spoil me and comfort me like you always did, but you had already shipped out for bootcamp."

"I remember that little twerp." I interjected. "He's in prison now doing about 20 years for theft and robbery. I saw his name not too long ago updating the crime databases. I knew even back then he was trouble. Devil written all over him."

"It took me a long time to get used to the fact that you wouldn't be around for me anymore." Belle said. "I would do pretty well as long as I stayed single. I was able to gain good accounting experience quickly and moved up at a couple of different companies. It all went well until I would get bored and lonely. Then I would end up bar hopping with Jenn and meet someone, and you know what would happen next."

"Speaking of Jenn." I said. "She showed up at SBI headquarters this afternoon wanting to talk to me. Said you had called her this morning and wanted to thank me for helping you because she wouldn't have been able to do much for you if you had gone to her like you planned."

"Yeah, I learned some interesting things when I talked to her this morning." Belle said. Now my curiosity was peaked again.

"Such as?" I asked.

"Such was when Jenn and I got caught up in that prostitution ring that it was you who tipped off the police and got the place raided and saved her and I from being pimped out." Belle said.

"Your cousin is a good woman but as I told her this afternoon, she's stupid as hell sometimes and that was the prime example." I told Belle. "Anybody with half a brain should have seen that that man was nothing but a pimp looking for hookers. Any actual modeling agent would have been able to provide a list of credentials from various professional organizations that could be easily verified. And they damn sure wouldn't ask you to come alone to a shady motel on the worst side of town. You're lucky I had a good rapport with the head of campus police. He got vice involved and set up the raid."

"I know Jenn and I were stupid. We just saw the opportunity to make some money and went with it, and I will admit you told me so." Belle said looking somber at the thought. "But why would you save us and then stay anonymous? Jenn only knew it was you because she later became friends with one of the officers from the raid."

"Because I didn't want to further embarrass you over the situation." I said answering her question. And that was partially true. The other half of the answer was that I didn't want Belle thinking I was up in her business too much. She had gotten a bit miffed when I tried to tell her that this idea was bad business.

Belle continued, "Then there was the time we were at that frat party, and I passed out. Jenn said you carried me out of the house probably saving me from being used by a bunch of drunk guys much to their chagrin. I always thought Jenn got me out of there, but she told me it was you."

"I knew that party would be bad business." I said. Rumors had been floating around for ages that girls got mistreated at those guys' parties. But you and Jenn just had to be there since they were football players and had invited you."

"How many times did you secretly save me?" Belle asked pointedly.

"Those were the main two." I replied. "There might be a couple of times that I can't recall right off the bat after so many years where I quietly moved things in your favor, but those were the main two."

"While this trip down memory lane has been interesting what's it got to do with us now?" I asked.

"Only to show that I've been incredibly stupid and that its taken me all these years to realize that the man I needed and wanted was right in front of me almost the whole time." Belle said. Then after a few seconds of silence she asked, "Why didn't you ever tell me you're in love with me?"

I couldn't help but scoff at this. "When would I have had the chance? It would have been the height of insensitivity to make a move when you were coming out of one of those disasters you called relationships. And almost as insensitive to try to say something while you were in one of them. And that's not even considering the fact that you never indicated that you looked at me as anything more than a friend."

Belle looked at me thoughtfully as I finished my statement. "Ok, those are fair points." she said. "But what about now? You obviously still feel something for me, or I wouldn't be here and last night definitely wouldn't have been as much fun. Unless this is just a summer fling for you."

I looked up probably with a little more fierceness than intended given slight grimace she had as I did and said, "I don't so summer flings. You know that."

"Then why won't you admit you love me? Or give us a chance?" Belle asked giving me a pleading look. "I get the feeling you're holding back for some reason. I know I was stupid in the past. I know I took you for granted and took advantage of you. But can't a girl change? Are you so much of a spy that you'll always be suspicious of me now?"

"I'm not a spy, I'm an intelligence analyst. There's a big difference." I told her. "Spies go out into the field and gather the intelligence. I take the information they gather and catalog it and try to make sense of it. Spies are a lot braver than I am."

Now it was my turn to be taken aback. "Don't you dare say you're not brave!" Belle said with a fierceness I didn't know she had as she stood up. "Spy or analyst you're the bravest man I know."

I mirrored her gesture and stood up and moved around the coffee table separating us and wrapped my arms around her saying, "Easy Love don't get upset."

She looked up at me and said, "I'm trying not to, but I just don't understand why you're holding back. I love you, Robbie. I know it's taken me almost twenty years to realize it but I do. And I know you love me too, so why can't we make this work?" As she finished saying that a tear escaped one of her eyes and made its way down her cheek.

I knew then that she wasn't acting and that what she was saying was genuine. I used my thumb to wipe the tear off of her cheek before pulling her tight to me and saying, "I love you Belle. I always have and I always will."

Belle pulled back a little looking up at me with a look of pure affection on her face as she said, "Do you really mean that?

"I do." I said. "I've never loved anyone more than you or wanted to be with anybody but you."

She eyed me with a look of what I judged to be confusion, and affection as another tear escaped her eye. "Robbie, I...I..." she said slowly. Whatever she was trying to say will remain a mystery because I lowered my neck and took kissed her. We both kissed passionately until having to stop for air.

"Does that convey what you wanted to say?" I asked with a slight grin.

"Yeah, something like that." she replied gazing at me with a cute grin.

Belle then sat back down on the sofa, and I joined her as she said, "Robbie being here with you has been almost like living in a fairy tale. I haven't felt so content or safe in a long time."

"I have to admit it's felt almost the same for me." I admitted.

With that for some inexplicable reason the conversation stopped. It wasn't awkward or tense but for some reason neither of us felt the need to say anymore at least at that point. We both sat down on one end of the couch and cuddled up together before finding a show to watch. I'll admit I only half paid attention to the tv and was more focused on the beautiful woman cuddled up to me partially laying on me.

This time we both ended up falling asleep and it was probably over an hour later that I woke first to the room being dark with only the tv giving off light. I stretched slightly but that slight movement was enough to stir Belle awake.

"Mmm what time is it?" she asked sounding groggy.

"A little after 9." I said after a quick glance at my G-Shock.

She shifted over to look up at me with a sly grin before saying, "Ooh that's perfect."

A bit puzzled I said, "What do you mean?"

"We can play before going back to bed." she said still giving me the sly grin. "You know kittens like to play after their naps." As she said that she stood up and held her hands out for me to grab.

As she said that, and the meaning of her words hit my brain I felt blood rushing to my groin area. I returned her cheeky grin and grabbed her hands and let her haul me up. After a few passionate kisses we were making our way to the bedroom.