My heart is in my throat as I look back at Ama again before the door closes. Sighing, I approach the ticket desk and give the agent my ticket.

"Heading home?" the cute chubby-faced woman asks.

"Yeah," my reply is short.

She looks at me with understanding and says, "It's hard to leave our beautiful island, yah?"

"You have no idea," I say, feeling my eyes prickle with unshed tears and my heart ache.

She nods before handing me my ticket. "Have a safe flight."

"Thank you."

Only a few people are at the security checkpoint, but it seems to be taking longer than expected. The line keeps growing from security taking forever to get the bags through the X-ray machine. I believe they have a TSA agent in training. When they finally open another line, I quickly step over and easily get through.

Checking my watch, I see that there's an hour before boarding, so I stop at a pub near my gate and order a beer and sandwich, knowing that my next meal will be a long time from now. My mind revisits the last ten days, remembering when my dad drove me to the airport, patted me on the back, and told me to use my time away to process the devastating events of my non-wedding.

"Keep yourself busy, Son, and try to enjoy yourself and all that Jamaica has to offer," he told me, not knowing that I was fortunate enough to meet the best Jamaica had to offer, Ama.

Ama, her tan skin and sparkling brown eyes invade my mind. The way her body moved in sync when joined together with mine in my bed, her melodic laugh, and her velvet touch are all that I can think about. I want these next two weeks to go by quickly so I can return to my Jamaican beauty.

I chuckle to myself, picturing my family's faces when I tell them I'm entirely over Stella and bought a home in Jamaica to pursue a relationship with Ama. I can hear them now telling me how crazy I am, and this is just a rebound from Stella and a way to get my heart and ego back intact. But I know it's more than that; Ama has my heart. Her touch healed my heart and ego from the devastating blow Stella slammed into them.

My thoughts are interrupted by the announcement that the loading process has begun at my gate. Eating my last bite of the sandwich, I put cash on the counter and go to my gate to be the final first-class passenger to board.

As I sit, a pretty blonde stewardess offers me a hot towel and takes my drink order. I watched as the passengers that board pass the empty seat beside me, which was to be Stella's, making me wish Ama was beside me. My drink arrives, and I gulp it down, enjoying the burn in my throat; then, I close my eyes and drift off to sleep, hoping to see Ama in my dreams.

The pilot's announcement, letting his passengers know we're beginning our descent into Chicago's O'Hare airport, jars me awake.

When we get the word that we can use our electronics, I open my phone and see a text from Ama telling me that she's going to move into my, make that, our home.

With a huge grin spreading across my face, I text her back.

Amazing news! I'm so happy that you decided to move in! I'll call you tomorrow.

After I hit send, my happy heart beats excitedly, but it doesn't take long for the thought of two weeks without Ama to cause it to get heavy again.

Once I deplane and retrieve my baggage, I walk to the parking garage and locate my black Lexus. Of course, it's raining, the perfect backdrop for my melancholy mood. I place my bags in the trunk, enter my vehicle, and drive to my apartment.

Entering the dark, lonely apartment has me wishing I didn't live alone. It would have helped my mood if my parents had been there to greet me. Thinking of my parents reminds me that I promised to call when I got home.

The phone rings twice before my father picks up. "Hello, Son," my dad says, knowing it was me through caller ID.

I mindlessly run my fingers through my hair. "Hey, Dad. I just wanted to let you know that I arrived home safe and sound."

"Good to hear; how are you doing? Your mother and I have been worried about you," he says with concern.

They have no clue about Ama because I want to tell them about her in person. Thinking of her has me smiling. "I'm good, Dad, although I wish I could have stayed longer."

"I understand; it must have been tough coming home after everything that happened," he replies, not realizing that I wanted to stay longer because of Ama, not because I didn't want to face the embarrassment of my bride leaving me stranded at the altar.

"Well, Dad, I'm pretty tired, so I think I'll just call it a night and head to bed."

"Okay, Son, but Mom wants to have you for Sunday lunch tomorrow. She's making your favorite."

"That would be great, Dad. Tell Mom thank you, and I'm looking forward to seeing you both," I say truthfully.

We say our goodbyes and hang up. I wasn't kidding when I told Dad I was tired. Unpacking can wait till tomorrow, so I get ready and crash into my lonely bed, missing Ama's warm, soft body in my arms.

The following day, I roll over to kiss Ama before I realize I'm in Chicago, in my apartment, and in my bed alone. I glance at the clock and see that it's 9:00 a.m. Ama should be just starting her shift. I told her I'd call today, but I think I'll text her since she's working

Good morning, Beautiful. I'm home and miss you more than you know. Text me when it's a good time to call. I can't wait to hear your sexy voice.

I place my phone beside my bed and plug in the charger. I must have been so tired last night I forgot to charge it. It's then that I see a notification from Stella. Groaning and rolling my eyes, I hit delete, then get out of bed and into the shower. I know just what I need to get the nasty thought of Stella out of my mind.

The shower is welcoming as the hot water cascades down my body. My mind immediately goes to the last shower I had with Ama. The thought of her body lathered in coconut body wash as she arched her back to wash her hair has me hard as a rock. I begin to stroke myself as my mind continues to play out my memory of Ama. The way she touched me, her full lips around me with water dripping down her face. Her eyes closed to avoid getting water in them, allowing me to gaze at her, pleasuring me unashamedly. With that thought, I explode, jerking and breathing heavily as my orgasm takes over my body.

"Oh, Ama. I fucking miss you."

After I shower, shave, and change into a white tee and jeans, it's already 10:00. I make a pot of coffee and get the Sunday paper from the hallway outside my apartment door. As I read the sports section, my phone buzzes in the bedroom. It's 10:30 Chicago time, so Ama is probably on her lunch break. After retrieving my phone, a text from Ama illuminates the screen, saying she's free to talk; I call her, and she picks up right away.

"Mr. Gorgeous, I miss you," she says, and her sweet voice almost brings tears to my eyes.

"Hey, Beautiful, how's your day going?" I ask with a smile plastered across my face.

"It'd be so much better if you were here," she whispers, and I feel myself harden, damn this woman can have that effect on me with just her voice.

"I wish I could be there with you, too. Oh, the things I want to say to you, Ama," I growl, knowing that I can't with her being in the public break room.

"I can only imagine," she giggles, and my heart leaps out of my chest.

We talk about the house, and Ama tells me she's moving in after work today because she wants the house to be perfect for me, this girl. I tell her about my lunch today with my family and how excited I am to talk to them about her, which causes her to take a nervous breath, so I tell her not to worry. Our conversation is too short because her break time is over, so we say our goodbyes with promises of FaceTiming later today.

My heart is conflicted between the highs of talking to Ama about our future and the lows of knowing that it's two weeks away until we'll be together again.

Shaking my head to get my mind settled, I notice the time. My parents live just outside the city, so I have to get going to avoid being late for lunch. I slip on my sneakers, grab my jacket and keys, then open the door. I'm shocked when I see Stella, ready to knock, outside my door.

My chin drops to my chest, annoyed by her presence. "What the hell are you doing here, Stella? I thought I made myself clear in Jamaica that we're over, and I never want to be this close to you again. In fact—" I say as I lift my eyes to hers "—I would die a happy man if I never had to lay my eyes on you again."

Her smile quickly fades, and a scowl replaces it. "I thought after you got your dick wet with that Jamaican bitch, you'd realize what you were missing."

She opens her coat, revealing that she's naked underneath, smirking like she just beat a grandmother to the last loaf of bread.

I immediately avert my eyes, bile rising in my throat. "What is wrong with you? Shut your coat and get the hell out of here, Stella. But before you go, let me make one thing clear: we are nothing, you have no chance of changing my mind, I've moved on to more of a woman than you'll ever be, and you're pathetic to come to my home like a sex gram delivery. Now, please leave, or I'll call security."

She shuts her coat, her eyes narrow as her face goes red with anger, and then she scoffs, "You're the pathetic one, Gregory, thinking that you can replace me with a nobody, poor island girl. Good luck with that."

She turns away, stomping to the elevator like a child throwing a temper tantrum, reminding me to tell Dave, my doorman, that Stella is no longer on my list of people to send to my home unannounced. I wait a few moments before leaving to go to my parents, not wanting another run-in with Stella.

During the drive to my parents, my thoughts go to Ama, and I know I belong with her. I could never imagine her behaving the way Stella did today. Ama has more grace and self-respect in her pinky finger than Stella has in her whole damn body. I dodged a bullet when she bailed on our wedding.

Thirty minutes later, I'm pulling into my parents' driveway. Before getting a chance to turn off my car, my mother appears out of the front door of my childhood home. She rushes to me as I exit my vehicle and places her arms around me, squeezing me into a tight embrace that only a mother can give.

"Hi, Mom," I say, leaning down to give a kiss on the cheek.

She gently pushes me back, and her eyes give me a once-over. "How are you, Gregory? I've been so worried about you since you left."

Feeling guilty for not calling my parents while I was away causes me to cringe. I was distracted by a Jamaican beauty, but that's no excuse for not letting my parents know how I was doing.

"I'm sorry, Mom, I'll tell you all about my trip over lunch," I inform her, then take her hand, leading her inside, where my dad is waiting at the door.

After giving me a one-arm hug, he moves to let my mom and me enter the house.

My nose instantly takes in the aroma of my mother's homemade lasagna, making my mouth water. "Lunch smells amazing, Mom."

Her eyes brighten, and her lips lift, smiling. "I'm glad you think so because everything is ready, so go sit," she demands, and I promptly obey.

My dad sits at the head of the table set for the three of us, and the warm rolls in the basket are in front of me, so I grab one and begin buttering it when Mom places the lasagna pan on the table. It's good to be with my parents, but looking at the empty fourth chair has me imagining Ama sitting there with my family.

Over lunch, I let my parents know about how I met Ama and was more than happy to use her to get over Stella, but my feelings for her grew each time we were together. Raising their brows in shock, my parents sit and listen as I tell them about buying a house and that Ama would be staying there with me.

My dad takes a moment and clears his throat. "Don't you think this all moved way too fast, Son? I get that you want Stella out of your life, but to buy a home in Jamaica, let alone let a woman you've only known a little over a week stay in that home, is a bit reckless."

My mom places her hand over my dad's and then looks at me. "I think what is concerning your father is that this woman is nothing more than a rebound from Stella. We're afraid you'll break this poor girl's heart when you realize this yourself; then what will you do, sell the home and leave her with nothing? Or worse, is she using you for your money?"

Even though I prepared myself for their skepticism, hearing them talk about Ama that way hurt. I take a deep breath before responding. "Her name is Ama; she's not 'that woman,' a poor girl, or a money-conniving bitch. She's sweet, caring, and intelligent. She makes me feel like I'm the only man in her world, and I want to be a better man just for her. I don't think this is a mistake or I'm being reckless. I want to pursue a relationship with Ama, and if by chance it doesn't work out, I won't have to sit and wonder what ever happened to her or what could have been. She's worth taking a chance on."

My parents' faces soften as they look at each other and smile. My dad is the first to speak up, "She must be exceptional, and we wish you nothing but happiness. If Ama makes you happy, we welcome her with open arms."

My mom nods in agreement.

I'm full of emotion and can't speak, so I collect the dishes from the table and head towards the kitchen when my mom says, "I never heard him talk about Stella like that."

Her comment makes me smile.

I'm waiting at the airport for Gregory to appear. The sign said that his flight had landed on time. I'm giddy with excitement.

When I see him approaching me, I run to him, jump up, and wrap my legs around his waist. "Gregory!"

He grabs my ass to keep me from falling. "God, I missed you so damn much, Ama," he groans into my ear.

Our lips crash together, not caring that everyone is staring at us.

"I need to get you home. Now!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?"

He starts walking to baggage claim while I'm still wrapped around his waist, kissing him all over his face and neck.

"Shit, Ama, I'm going to take you right here in the middle of the airport if you don't stop."

He puts me down, and we hold hands while we walk together to get his bags, then head to Gertrude to drive to our beach house. I've spent the last two weeks making it perfect for Gregory.

"I've been dreaming of this moment since I signed the papers for this place," Gregory says before he picks me up bridal style and carries me across the threshold.

He looks around. "Ama, our home looks amazing."

"You like it?" I ask, hoping that I caught the essence of the island with handmade Jamaican items throughout the house.

Colorful pottery vases adorn the white-painted shelving unit, along with wooden Jamaican trinkets. My favorite is the carved, exaggerated, cartoonish kissing Jamaican couple. Sitting in the corner of the room is a large woven basket containing a Dracaena reflexa, also known as the 'Song of Jamaica' plant, with densely clustered dark green and glossy leaves. Finishing off the interior design is a Jamaican reggae colorful graffiti tapestry hanging on the living area wall.

"Like it? I love it, Ama!" he clamors before heading directly to our bedroom and gently laying me on the bed full of decorative pillows matching the cream, turquoise, and peach-swirl comforter.

He leans back, and his eyes scan my body slowly. "I've been waiting two weeks dreaming about doing this," he says, then proceeds to remove my cotton shorts and tank top, tickling my skin lightly with the tips of his fingers, leaving me naked before him.

"Damn, Ama, you had nothing under your clothes?" he whispers reverently.

Biting my lower lip, I silently nod my head. The tank had a shelf bra, so nothing was needed to have the desired effect on him.

He wastes no time removing his clothes, joining me on the bed, and tossing the pillows on the floor.

We take our time getting reacquainted with each other's bodies before becoming one, rhythmically moving in tune with one another until ecstasy explodes between us. Entirely spent and out of breath, we fall asleep with our limbs wrapped together.
A few hours later, I wake up and untangle myself from Gregory. He groans and reaches for me, keeping me from leaving our bed.

I chuckle as I fall back into him. "I'm hungry; what do you want for dinner?"

"You," is his charming reply.

Ignoring him, I say, "I stocked the kitchen and would love to make you dinner."

He reluctantly lets me go. "That sounds perfect. What are we having?"

I turn and kiss his cheek before getting out of bed. "Brown stew chicken. It's a recipe that my muma makes."

We get redressed and head into the kitchen.

"How can I help?" Gregory asks.

I smile at his willingness to help me cook. "Do you mind chopping the red peppers, onions, garlic, and carrots? I'll begin cooking the chicken."

"Just show me the way."

After showing Gregory everything in the kitchen, I get the chicken and vegetables out of the refrigerator. He grabs the cutting board and a knife and gets busy with the vegetables. I heat oil in my pan and add the chunks of chicken that I prepared earlier. Adding ketchup and brown sugar gives the stew its brown color. Once the chicken gets brown, I remove it and put the vegetables Gregory cut in the pan to sauté, then add the chicken back in with some water and simmer.

Meanwhile, Gregory fills our glasses with red table wine and hands me a glass. After a sip, I make rice and beans while the stew simmers.

When everything is ready, we enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Licking his lips, Gregory says, "This is delicious, Ama. You're a beautiful and talented cook. You're what my mother would call a keeper."

I laugh. "Is that so?"

"Yep."

We have a wonderful evening together before heading back to bed to continue making up for lost time.

The following day, we have coffee on the porch overlooking the beach. This spot has become my favorite place on the island.

Leaning on his shoulder while he absentmindedly strokes my hair, I sigh, not wanting this moment to end, but work awaits me. "I was thinking of having my mom over for dinner to meet you before you head back to Chicago."

"That would be great, Babe. Let me know what day you decide on."

I regretfully get up and lean over to kiss Gregory.

"I will. Now, I need to get ready for work. It's been nice being within walking distance. Thank you so much for everything. You're an incredible man, and I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."

Kissing him again, he pulls me down onto his lap. "You saved me."

I look into his beautiful brown eyes. "How did I save you?"

He speaks softly, his voice cracking with emotion, "I was at a very low point in my life. My ego took a major hit, and I felt unloveable. Then you walked into my life and made me feel like a man again."

"A very gorgeous man. You make loving you so easy. I hate what Stella did to you and how she made you feel less than who you are. You never deserved to be treated like that."

"Did you just say, 'loving me,' Ama?"

I freeze. "I, uh, I have to get going."

He chuckles at my embarrassment. "I have to get to work too."

We kiss goodbye; I quickly hop off his lap, grab my things, and leave for work, berating myself for letting the word 'love' slip from my mouth.

Before I know it, I'm finishing up my last room. The one thing I enjoy about my job is that I'm so busy that my work days go by quickly.

At the end of my shift, I see Trai changing in the locker room. "How do you always finish before me?"

She grins at me. "It's a gift. I'm speedy. How's Mr. Gorgeous doing? Did he like what you did with the house?"

"He loved it." I smile at the memory of his sweet reaction.

"I knew he would. You did a fabulous job on it. Did you guys even get out of the bedroom?" She smirks slyly.

"Trai!" I roll my eyes at her comment.

"What?" she asks, fluttering her lashes, feigning innocence.

"Yes, we made it out of the bedroom, and I made Gregory dinner."

She grabs her purse. "Ooo, what did you make?"

"Brown stew chicken. It turned out good, so good that he said I have talent," I say, smiling proudly.

She wiggles her eyebrows at me. "I bet he did."

I smack my forehead. "Jeez, Trai. A talent for cooking. Get your fucking mind out of the gutter."

She laughs, "What fun would that be?"

We exit the locker room, still laughing, and see Gregory at the lobby bar.

"Hey, Babe. What are you doing here?" I ask, walking over to him.

"I wanted to walk you home," he says, then kisses me on the cheek.

"Awe, that's so sweet."

Trai mock gags. "You two are too cute. Well, I got a hot date. See you tomorrow, Ama. Bye, Gregory."

"Bye."

"See ya, Trai."

Gregory turns to me. "Do you want to grab a beer before we leave?"

He pulls out the stool next to him, and I sit. "Sure."

He smiles, takes my hand, and kisses the back of it. After a few beers, we stroll hand in hand down the beach to our home and walk up the steps.

Gregory pauses before entering the house. "Close your eyes. I have a surprise for you."

Total Words: 22,872