The Bachelorette's Secret Ch. 05

As Mikki awaited Ronnie's arrival, she admired the green gem on her right ring finger. In the soft morning light, the color of her birthstone reminded her of the key lime pies she baked with her mother as a child. Ronnie had pleasantly surprised her once again, offering the ring and a promise to propose if she chose him. She'd accepted the gift but avoided making any guarantees.

They would be flying from Jamaica to Cuba today for their one-on-one date. She was excited about spending time with him in one of her favorite places. Her previous girls' trip had been filled with art, music and dancing. She looked forward to exploring the island with Ronnie this time around. She was also in desperate need of an escape, after her argument with Sasha last night.

Mikki had decided not to bring Terence back onto show and was completely honest with Sasha about wanting to focus on the men who remained.

"None of whom are Black," Sasha had said. "What? You think you're too good to marry my brother?" That last bit had stung.

Mikki had kept her cool, knowing Sasha was just being protective of her brother. She apologized for having given her the wrong impression. The conversation ended there, but then Mikki found out this morning that Sasha had quit the show for good. She couldn't help but feel guilty.

And then there was Steve. She tried not to let thoughts of him encroach upon her date. She'd slowly come to terms with her feelings - she was falling in love with him, yet had no clue how he felt about her. It made her yearn for him even more and she hated herself for it. The common denominator in her failed relationships had been falling in love with someone who didn't love her back. She would give her body and soul to the relationship, to her man, only to have him walk away with a piece of her heart. She refused to make the same mistake again. The man who owned her in bed, would not own her heart.

"Hey there, darlin'," Ronnie said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. Even though she was in heels, he still towered over her; with Steve, they would be at equal heights.

Stop comparing him to Steve.

"Hey," she said, falling into the sway of his rocking motion. With Ronnie, she felt a sense of safety, a sense of protection she'd never allowed herself to seek or accept from a man. With him, it came naturally.

"I missed you," he whispered, pecking her lightly on the neck. "Mmmm, you smell really good, like coconut with a hint of vanilla."

"And you're as disarming as ever," Mikki rolled her eyes facetiously. She enjoyed his confidence and Southern charm, but she had yet to see Ronnie with his guard down, the real man behind the charisma. "It's good to see you too. You ready for Cuba?"

"I'm ready for you."

She turned to face him and her breath hitched. In a white fedora, bright blue floral shirt and linen pants, he looked more handsome than ever. His radiant smile matched the warmth of the morning sun. He was exactly what she needed.

She kissed him on the cheek before taking his hand and leading him up the stairs of a small jet. The pilot welcomed them personally, letting them know their flight would last just under an hour. After reaching cruising altitude, Ronnie popped open a bottle of champagne, the foam spilling onto the carpet. He filled the two crystal flutes Mikki held out to him. He leaned in, intertwining arms with her, so they would have to look into each other's eyes as they drank.

"To many more adventures together," he said. They each took a sip. "And to the future mother of my five children."

Mikki choked on her champagne. "Five?" She leaned away.

He nodded. "Of course. With your smarts and my brawn, our little clan would rule this damn world."

She laughed, shaking her head. "That's pretty ambitious for a 46-year-old. You really think you're up to it?"

He smirked. "Honey, my dad was 49 when I was born. And I'm the oldest of three kids. And my engine is revved and ready to go. Just say the word." He kissed her hand.

Mikki's heart flipped at the thought of becoming a mother and raising children with a man who wanted kids as much as she did; a man who wanted her to be the mother of his children. She reached for the bowl of fragrant strawberries, dipping one into a saucer of dark chocolate. She nibbled on the sweet morsel. "Like I said the first night, you're trouble."

Ronnie leaned over, taking a small bite of the strawberry between her lips. He licked a bit of chocolate from the corner of her mouth. "Mmm hmm. I'll never have another strawberry without chocolate again."

Mikki's cheeks blazed hot.

He held her eyes with his hazel ones. "And like I told you the first night, I know what I want and I'm not afraid to go after it." She found his words refreshing. She needed a man with confidence and clarity, not one that made her question her choices in life.

Ronnie was refilling their glasses when the small plane began to jerk and bounce like a carriage on a cobblestone road. The champagne made a fizzy mess on the side table, dripping onto the carpet. Mikki clawed the arms of her leather chair. "What's happening?" She struggled to take in air, but just couldn't get it into her lungs. Small planes were notorious death traps.

"Breathe, darlin'," Ronnie said, moving her right hand from the armrest and lacing his fingers with hers.

They hit another bump and the pilot made an announcement over the intercom, promising they'd be through the turbulence in no time. She began to hyperventilate - her breaths short and wheezy - beginning to feel lightheaded.

"Mikki, look at me," Ronnie said calmly. "You're going to be okay."

He slid into the seat in front of her. And then he did something she hadn't expected at all - he removed her stiletto. He grabbed the small bowl of melted chocolate, pouring a generous amount onto her red-painted toes.

"What are you doing?" Mikki squeaked.

He began to massage her right foot, the aroma of chocolate filling the cabin. His strong hands kneaded and rubbed and squeezed.

She was starting to feel lightheaded for an entirely different reason. "Ahh," she breathed, when he stroked the arch of her foot, a tinge of arousal shooting to her core.

"Just relax," he said with a wicked smile. He'd found her second most erogenous zone.

"There's a camera in here." The plane was too small to fit a camera crew, so Sarah had a camera mounted in the small cabin.

"Why do you think I chose this spot? I'm blocking the view."

She arched her back when he laced his fingers through her toes, the sticky chocolate creating the most tantalizing sensation. She clenched down below. "Ronnie..."

By now, the turbulence had stopped, but she'd forgotten all about it. He wiped her foot clean with a damp cloth, bending down to fit her stiletto back over her foot. He returned to his seat beside her, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "All better now."

Ronnie had this uncanny ability to make her let go and just be. And, for some reason, she trusted he wouldn't take advantage of that.

#

"He's not here for the right reasons," Kevin said adamantly.

"What makes you say that?" Steve asked, hoping Kevin would make it clear to the audience why Ronnie was such a poor choice for Mikki.

"He's more interested in winning than he is in finding true love. Plus, he's a narcissist. The only person a narcissist loves is himself."

"Let's cut there," Sarah said, bringing the interview to an end.

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Steve addressed Kevin, who sat facing him on the plush red couch.

Kevin shook his head. "Ronnie and I couldn't be further apart, yet we're both still here, in the final stretch. Mikki is an intelligent woman. Can't she see through him?"

Steve wondered the same. "She's only seen the side of Ronnie that he wants her to see. Sooner or later she'll see the real Ronnie, hopefully before it's too late."

"I hope you're right. Mikki deserves only the best."

Maggie headed their way, her smile brightening when she saw Kevin. "Hey, Kevin. That was a really great interview just now. You're incredibly photogenic."

"Thanks Maggie," Kevin responded. "Though my mom would disagree with you. She thinks I've got more forehead than is good for me."

Maggie giggled. "Well, I think large foreheads are manly."

Steve crinkled his brow. She wasn't the giggling type.

"That's a first. Thanks for the compliment." Kevin patted Steve on the back. "Great interview, man. Ronnie can expect a fight on his hands. I'm not giving up a woman like Mikki that easily."

Maggie watched Kevin go, the longing unmistakable.

"Think twice before involving yourself in a love triangle," Steve warned. "Kevin is going all in with Mikki and things can get pretty serious during hometown visits. Meeting family is a huge step in a relationship."

Maggie blushed. "Kevin and I are just friends. And I would never get involved with a contestant, it would be the end of my career."

Steve could sympathize with that last statement. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"You shouldn't keep Sarah waiting."

Steve took the hint and headed to the production room, the heart of the beast that was The Bachelorette.

Who am I to be giving advice, anyway? The woman of my dreams is slipping through my fingers.

Sarah sat alone in the production room, which was essentially a spare family room filled with televisions, computers and various video production equipment. She swiveled from side to side in an executive chair as she watched the latest footage on the big screen: Mikki and Ronnie in Cuba. Mikki looked casual and sexy in jean cutoffs and a red tank top displaying the toned midriff he often drowned in wet kisses.

He imagined how different things might have been if he'd met Mikki outside of the show. No secrets, no hiding. He could have invited her to Jamaica with the kids to explore the island together. The thought of family time with Mikki made his heart swell.

"Close the door," Sarah said with her back still to him.

"Hello to you too," Steve said, shutting the door behind him.

He took the seat next to her, annoyed at now seeing Mikki and Ronnie in a hot tub.

"I'm pretty sure Mikki has made her final decision, but I need your opinion on this one," Sarah mused.

Mikki's locs were now pulled into the sloppy bun he'd grown to love, her skin dotted with water droplets. Steve almost growled when she trailed a wet finger across Ronnie's chest tattoo. "What exactly do you need me for?" Steve asked.

"Just wait," Sarah said.

Ronnie reached over and lifted Mikki into his lap. She placed her arms around his neck. Steve sniffed.

"Has anyone ever told you how incredible you are?" Ronnie crooned.

Mikki smiled. "I tell myself everyday."

Ronnie's expression grew serious. "Sometimes, it feels like all of this is too good to be true. Having the opportunity to interact with someone like you, to make you smile and laugh, to hold you like this, to have you look at me the way you do. I don't deserve it."

"Is it the bikini that's making you so sentimental?" Mikki joked. "Some men don't know how to handle it."

Ronnie looked into Mikki's eyes with intent. "I have something to tell you, but I'm afraid you'll never look at me the same if I do."

Mikki moved from his lap, giving him her full attention. "Do you want to take this inside? The hot tub might not be the right place for a confession."

"I'm a recovering sex addict."

Steve laughed. "Shocker." He turned to Sarah. "Is this what you wanted me to see? There's no way Mikki is picking him."

"Keep watching," Sarah smirked.

Mikki paused for a beat and then nodded slowly. "How long were you...addicted?"

"At the peak of my baseball career, so about three years." Ronnie sounded nervous, almost stumbling over the words.

"Wow," Mikki considered. "I'm assuming there were a lot of women during that time."

Ronnie cringed, which surprised Steve. The prick had an inkling of humility after all. "Yes. During that time in my career, I was in high demand, especially among women. I've always struggled with anxiety and depression, and sex was an easily accessible distraction from those feelings. My mom finally threatened to disown me if I didn't get help. I've been in recovery for the past seven years."

"And you've been celibate during that time?" Mikki asked quietly.

"No, but I've only had sex in long-term, monogamous relationships. And, in case you're worried, I've always used protection and gotten myself tested annually for STDs. I'm clean."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

The raw vulnerability in Ronnie's expression reached Steve. Just a little. "Because I'm falling in love with you, Mikki. I needed to put all my cards on the table, sooner rather than later."

Mikki smiled with sympathy and...something more. "Thank you for telling me. I care about you too. I've struggled with depression several times in my life and have made some awful decisions because of it. The fact that you've put in the time to get help and have been in recovery so long speaks volumes. Not many people could do it." She kissed him tenderly and Steve's heart dropped. "I'm licensed to practice in Virginia."

"What?" Ronnie asked.

"I'm licensed to practice law in Virginia," Mikki said. "I just thought you should know."

Ronnie laughed. "So when you come to visit my family in Alexandria, you can just move into my place and never leave."

Mikki laughed and kissed him again. Sarah paused the footage on the two locking lips. Steve looked away. "So what do you think?" she asked.

Steve struggled to keep a straight face while his thoughts and emotions went wild. He hadn't known that tiny fact about Mikki. He knew she practiced law in their hometown of Dallas, but that was it. In all the time they'd spent together, she'd never mentioned being licensed in other states. And then he realized just how little talking they had done. He hadn't taken the time to really get to know her. His attraction to her was so intense, he'd let it trump the intimacy in their relationship.

"I think hometown visits are coming up and the man who wins over her family, will win her heart."

"Not necessarily. Considering the chemistry between these two, Ronnie would have to curse out her sweet little grandmother to not make it to the final two and win this thing. He's the frontrunner, by a wide margin. She seems to be genuinely falling for him. Unless you know something I don't." She watched him closely, the hint of a smirk on her lips.

"I know Mikki deserves only the best and Ronnie isn't it." Steve tried to convince himself of this more than Sarah.

"Some women believe in Mr. Right. Others believe in Mr. Right Now. For someone as cerebral and rational as Mikki, my bet is on the latter."

Steve's only chance of keeping Mikki was to become the one and only option. He was definitely her Mr. Right, he just needed a plan to make her believe he could be Mr. Right Now on top of it.

#

Mikki never tired of the perks of being the Bachelorette. Instead of having to trek all the way to baggage claim, lug her bags through the airport and wait for a car, her ride would be picking her up directly on the tarmac.

Ronnie's family home in Virginia would be the final hometown visit. Her first trip had been to Los Angeles, to meet Kevin's friends and family. Everyone had been welcoming and friendly, sharing stories about all the trouble Kevin had gotten into as a youth. His mother, however, had been a hard nut to crack, not sure if she wanted her son to marry someone who was dating three men at the same time. Mikki had eventually won her over, impressing her with knowledge of Korean food and customs, which she'd been studying the last few weeks, as well as her understanding of Kevin's personality and background. Seeing Kevin with his family further convinced her what a great husband and father he would be.

The trip to Abraham's hometown near Houston had been an adventure. They'd gone for ATV rides with his favorite cousins - all seven of them. And then over to his aunt's house for dinner. She had raised Abraham after his parents died in a car accident. It was clear where he'd picked up his penchant for using "bullshit" in every other sentence. Seeing Abraham in his home environment, away from the mansion and the other men, endeared him even more to her. He loved and cared for his aunt in a way that was rare nowadays. She'd enjoyed herself immensely and looked forward to seeing Abraham again in a few days.

Though neither man had confessed their love to her just yet, she could tell they both had feelings for her. Each man expressed affection in his own unique way and made her feel like the center of the world. Possibly having to send one of them home would be an incredibly difficult decision. This last trip to Ronnie's hometown would hopefully provide some clarity about who the final two would be.

A shiny black Escalade pulled up to her. "Good Afternoon, Ms. Jordan," the driver said, opening the rear door.

"Afternoon," Mikki said, halting when she noticed the man in the back seat.

"Mikki," Steve said intimately, as though she belonged to him. "How was your flight?"

"Is this some kind of mistake? Am I in the wrong car?"

"Of course not. We've got some business to discuss."

Mikki sighed and slipped into the back seat with him, keeping as much distance between the two of them as possible. She'd hardly spoken to him since their private Jamaican getaway. She kept her shades on to protect herself from the allure of his baby blue eyes. She strummed her fingers along her Italian leather purse, training her gaze straight ahead.

"Driver, can you turn it to Hot 97, please?" Mikki asked, once they'd made it to the highway.

"Sure thing, Ma'am," the driver responded. The entrancing vocals of Ari Lennox singing "Backseat" displaced the silence. It happened to be one of the most played songs on Mikki's playlist and she wanted to enjoy the serendipity of the moment. But being around Steve made it hard to think of anything but him.

"This is nice," Steve said, sliding a few inches closer to her. "I've never heard it before."

"Hm," was her only response. She focused on cooling the growing heat between her thighs at thoughts of all the positions Steve could put her in a backseat this size.

"We haven't had a chance to talk."

"So you decided to ambush me before a hometown visit?"

"It's not an ambush. I felt like the last time we spoke, I didn't have a chance to express what I wanted to."

Mikki pulled off her shades, hoping he could see the anger he'd just unleashed. "You had over an hour on the drive back to the set to tell me how you felt and you said nothing. Why should I give you the chance now?"

"Because I'm ready to say now what I was unable to say then." Steve slid a bit closer, placing his hand on her thigh, just shy of the hem of her leather miniskirt. "Mikki, I love you."

Mikki removed his hand from her thigh, adorning the shades once again. "Thank you for sharing your thoughts."

Steve paused. "Obviously, I'm not saying this right. I-"

"No, Steve, you've stated your feelings perfectly. You love me. So what?"

"So what? I care about you deeply. I love you, damnit."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And what exactly are you offering me? You know what I want, why I've put myself through the scrutiny and stress of being in this position. I want a future with someone."

"We can have a future together. And I think it scares you."

"What makes you think you know me so well? The little amount of time we've spent together has been in bed. Even Ronnie knows more about me than you do."

"It's true, we haven't had the chance to spend a lot of time together. And most of that time has been devoted to lovemaking, but don't tell me I don't know you. I know that you won a national spelling bee in the 4th grade. That you like to sleep on the side of the bed furthest from the door. That you talk in your sleep. That you go to church every Sunday and volunteer at the soup kitchen whenever you have the spare time. That you only became a lawyer because your father wanted you to. Don't tell me I don't know you."