The Cost of Loving You

The Harris Sisters series

Nina and Mekhi Fuller have it all together on paper. Love, family, and successful careers. However, Nina being a business owner requires the type of time and commitment Mekhi isn’t ecstatic about giving up. Success demands sacrifice. Will their love for each other be enough to survive temporarily unmet needs?

Noelle Harris wants to find the type of love her parents had. Man after man, she searches for the one that will give her the love story of her dreams. Devin Simmons blows into her world, making her feel that her dream could finally come true. His prior life will challenge her hopes. But when you know what you want, you fight for it.

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Sample #1

Nina

Running late again.

I knew I’d get chewed out once I stepped inside. My husband made me promise to leave my work at work. To keep my word, I tried to get everything done before walking out. Time had a way of slipping from me and always at the worst daggone occasions.

“Babe, I am so sorry. I didn’t know it got so late.” The door shut behind me as I shouted in the hallway from the garage. When turning the corner, I caught a glimpse of the dining table with two plates of food, burnt out candles, and rose petals spread across it. Immediately I felt like those horrible men who forgot an anniversary or something in movies. Today’s date mimicked any other ordinary day.

“Mekhi?” My husband didn’t appear from anywhere downstairs, but his car was in the garage. “Babe? You here?” Not upstairs either.

Where did he go? Where were the kids?

Back downstairs, I called out for anyone to respond. Then a shadow of a tall person moved across the window to our patio. No one but my long-legged husband. Taking in as much air possible first, I opened the back door.

Mekhi sucked his teeth as soon as our eyes met.

“Baby, I’m—”

“Sorry? Yeah, I know. Tell me something new.” He brushed past me.

At the threshold, I hooked an arm around his waist and got in front of him. “Khi, I didn’t know you were doing all of this. You could’ve told me.”

He released an airy chuckle before gulping the rest of the wine in his glass. “Yeah, okay.” My husband pressed his hand firmly against my hip, pushing me out of his way.

I stayed on his heels, following him to the kitchen. “I’m for real. Why didn’t you say anything? I would’ve—”

“Come home like you promised.” The thunder from his voice steeled me in place. Mekhi put the glass in the sink and stared at it for a moment. “What’s the point? You did exactly what you would’ve. That’s your new M.O. I see.”

“That’s not fair, babe.”

“Fair?” Mekhi folded his arms and leaned on the counter near the sink. “What’s today?”

“It’s no one’s birthday.” My eyes roved the ceiling. “Not our anniversary.”

Mekhi cocked a brow. I shook my head to remember, but the date didn’t register. He dropped his arms. “Ay, don’t worry about it.”

“No, babe. I’m sorry. Even if it’s for nothing, I should’ve been here like I said.”

“Yeah, you should’ve.” His voice remained calm but this still felt like an argument. The rise and fall of his chest clued me in that Mekhi was controlling his temper which meant he had one brewing.

“I’m here now. We can still do what you had planned. Where are the kids?”

“With Marilyn. You know your mother even remembered this date because we always celebrate it. Ain’t that crazy? The one person who didn’t care for this day because of how we started off still remembered it.”

Ohh! The anniversary of our first date. Also, the first day we met. As today approached, it stayed on my mind. Once it came, not one time did it pop up. Mekhi used to call me weird for celebrating something so silly, but I wanted to remember the day that changed our lives. The one time he got into it, I freaking forgot.

“I’m so—”

“If you say you’re sorry one more time, Nina.” He peered at me with that challenge.

What else could I do? I stood in front of my husband close enough that my feet filled the gap in his stance. “Baby, please forgive me. I am really trying to balance everything. You know that.”

Mekhi clenched his jaw, piercing me with his disapproving gaze. I wrapped my arms around him, hoping to win him over somehow. The tension escaped his body when I stood on my toes for a kiss. My heart relaxed as he leaned down to meet my lips.

He held me at arm’s length, making sure we’d see eye-to-eye. “Nina, you gotta do better. Since when do you forget shit like this? The shop can’t be that damn busy.”

“Well, it is. I can’t get through most of my to-do list until we close. Victor called in sick and he’s my backup. Without him, I’m back to doing some of everything. You should be happy that we’re busy.”

“I am. But this is getting out of hand. This guy was supposed to relieve you from having to do so much.”

“Okay, but people get sick, babe.”

“Yeah, whatever. I’m tired. I ran through a dozen ways I’d hand your ass to you when you came home. Now, I’m exhausted.”

I bumped against him. “How exhausted? Like you don’t have enough energy to let me make it up to you type exhaustion or the you’re too pissed to get it up type?” I felt the answer to that question.

A boyish smirk spread across his face. “You can’t fix everything with sex, Nina.”

Says who? “I’m not trying to. But if you don’t want me then …” I backed away.

He took my arm, guiding me back to him. “There’s not a moment that I don’t want you. Even when you piss me off.”

“That’s good to hear, Mr. Fuller.” I unbuttoned his shirt. Unbuttoned? He went all out. Mekhi didn’t wear button-downs unless for work.

Empty bags from that expensive bistro down the street sat on the counter. I missed out on the beginning of a sweet surprise, but I’d finish it off the right way.

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Sample #2

Noelle

My Fridays off belonged to my mother. I woke up earlier than planned and finished watching a few shows on my DVR before getting ready to spend some time with her. I tried to have one-on-one time with her often since I promised Daddy I’d look out for her. He stayed by her side.

Momma and Daddy grew up together from birth because our grandmothers were best friends who happened to have gotten pregnant around the same time. Daddy used to say that they were dating even in the womb.

I arrived at Momma’s house a little after noon. She was sitting on the porch bench when I pulled up. She locked up before joining me in the car.

“How was your morning?” I asked after we hugged.

“Quiet. How about you? I hadn’t talked to you in a few days before you called yesterday.” She gave me a little side-eye.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I’ve been somewhat busy.”

“Too busy for you old momma, huh?”

“No, never that.” I left the car in park since we didn’t say where we’d go yet.

“Well, how is everything with Devin?”

“Good.” My smile traveled through my body to all the places that missed him the most. “He’s still mesmerized by your beauty.”

She playfully blushed. “Sure he is.”

“For real. He kept talking about it.”

Devin came over to meet the family at her house this past Sunday. Well, officially meet them. Every other time my family saw him, we’d had a larger gathering and they really couldn’t get to know him. This time, we made it all about my family feeling him out. He stayed at the center of attention most of the time.

He charmed them and passed all of their tests. He even hit it off with Mekhi. One mention of sports and they were like best friends. Without sports, those men would have absolutely nothing to talk about.

Momma cooked everything. She wanted it to be special for Devin. Mekhi whined about her not going all out for him when they met. She brought up how he knocked up her daughter before she got a chance to know him first. He quickly dropped it.

“Oh! I’m going to DJ’s little league game tomorrow! It’s the last one of the season.”

“That sounds nice. It seems like his son really likes you. That’s a blessing that y’all are making everything work.”

“Yeah. Besides, he is a good kid. He won’t be a problem in our relationship.”

“I’m happy for you. Looks like you found a keeper in a very short time. I like Devin. He is sweet and funny and definitely easy on the eyes.”

We laughed. “Well, I’m glad you approve. If you like him, then he must be a good guy.”

“Hey, I have been on this earth long enough to know. Then again, we haven’t learned everything about him yet so my judgment is based on meeting him only once and from what you’ve told me.”

I rested my head back, thinking about him. “It’s only been a few months but it feels right.”

“Just don’t rush into anything too serious without doing your homework. You don’t want to regret it.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m just so tired of trying and getting nothing out of it. It’s exhausting. If this doesn’t work, I’m taking a break.”

“Oh, girl please. You are still young and gorgeous. If it doesn’t work, you won’t be waiting long for the next one. But don’t give yourself away to everyone.”

“Really? I wait a certain amount of time and a few lasted. Then they turned stupid.”

“Then you must not be doing it right,” she said, laughing.

“What? Oh, no, this conversation is over.”

She shrugged when a glanced her way. “I’m just saying.”

“Mmm nope. You ain’t saying nothing I want to hear. So, what do you want to do today?”

“If you stop avoiding it, I could probably teach you something. You would’ve had a husband by now.”

I covered my ears briefly. “Momma, please stop.” I backed out of the parking lot so we could go somewhere, anywhere. She should get the message and tell me where to go.

The car filled with her laughter. Nothing about this was funny. As soon as I thought it was safe, she started again. “How you figure me and your father were together for so long?”

“Please don’t do this. I will pull this car over.”

“Why? I’m trying to help,” she offered, still laughing.

My mind went straight to Nina when we were kids. There were countless nights that we slept with headphones because of my parents getting it in. Back then, that shit was nasty. I understood it today but nothing would make me want to talk about it.

“Momma, I do not want to hear about you and Daddy. I don’t want to hear nothing sexual coming out of your mouth. I get it, you were young once and you did what I am doing but I don’t want to hear about it. Aren’t you supposed to be promoting abstinence anyway?”

“Girl please, you are going to do what you want to do. And I wasn’t born yesterday. None of you young girls want to be abstinent. Y’all want to give the whole cow away for free and then wonder why you ain’t married.”

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Sample #3

Noelle

The table was set for one. One of my favorite playlists boomed Sammie, Rotimi, and Trevor Jackson. The perfect blend for me to dance all by my lonesome or to grind the air if I felt like it. No one here to judge me.

My ass swayed left to right while I held my glass of red wine. I sang along with my baby daddies and worked up an appetite. When I reached the stove to make me a plate, a knock made my heart speed up. Who the hell?

Nobody but Chauncey. He probably ran out of half the pot of food he took already. I swung the door open without looking through the peephole, already convinced who was on the other side.

“Devin? What are you doing here?”

Both brows hiked as his head kicked back. “You … got company?” Devin looked over my shoulder and most likely saw the lit candles everywhere. The jealousy on his face brought butterflies to my belly. Who got excited when someone was jealous? Me.

“No.”

“You expecting someone?” He tapped my waist trying to pull at this tight ass dress. “Damn, you look … Noelle, is there something I should know? Did we break up?”

I laughed in his face. I let him sweat a little. Allowing his ex to get in the way was reason enough for me to let his mind run wild. When he looked like he could cry, I decided to ease his anxiety.

“Boy, come in.”

“You sure?” Devin slowly crossed the threshold.

I shut the door behind him. “So, you didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here?”

His eyes roved over my body but made no contact with my own. His chest rose, taking a deep breath. “Are we alone?” He yanked me forward, pressing himself against me.

“Yes, I told—”

Devin’s mouth crashed onto mine. In no time, his tongue licked around mine. Two steps backward and he had me against the door. I carefully held my almost empty wine glass and wrapped my arms around his neck as his tightened around my waist. Those hands traveled to my ass next and with a hard squeeze he moaned into my mouth.

I sucked his lip into my mouth. He pressed himself into me letting me feel all of him through his sweatpants. This man came over here in damn sweatpants.

Devin broke away first. “Wait. What is all of this?” He waved toward the dimmed lights and sexy vibe. I even had a vase full of a fresh bouquet of red roses. Shit, it did appear suspicious. I only bought them to make me feel taken. Crazy, but true.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Sometimes I create like a date night for myself. It reminds me that I don’t have to wait on a man to do nice things for me. I’m capable.”

“Baby, I know I’ve been occupied with DJ, but you don’t have to do this alone.”

“Um, you don’t have time for things like this, so I don’t mind spoiling myself.”

He grinned. “The only thing missing is a gift. I think I have that covered.” When he patted himself, I smiled wide as hell. He brought me a gift?

“This date was last minute. You think this will do.” That fool pulled out a condom from his wallet. At the same time, that shit had me giddy.

Devin lifted his head and inhaled the aroma coming from the kitchen. “What’s that?”

“A little somethin’, somethin’ I put together. Chauncey took most of it though.” We walked to the kitchen with him glued to my ass. “You hungry?”

“I could eat.” He bit my earlobe. “So, what’s on the menu besides you?”

“Excuse me?” I couldn’t even play it off like that shit wasn’t music to my ears. I pushed my ass into him to let him know.

We made it to the stove and Devin picked me up and sat me on the counter before taking the top off the big pot. He picked up a shrimp with the fork I used to cook and put it in his mouth.

“Damn.” He nodded while chewing then got another and put it in my mouth before eating one more.

“That is really good, Noelle. I hope it doesn’t go to waste.”

“Why would it?”

He got between my legs and scooted me to the edge. “Because I want to eat my dessert first.”

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