SWNOVELS Chapter 253
From the late afternoon until the shadows grew long and the night fully descended, Jocelyn and Melvin lost count of the times they had come together, their bodies intertwined in a passionate ballet. Finally, exhausted and spent, they lay in each other's arms, feeling the warmth of their bodies and the synchronized rhythm of their heartbeats.
Melvin couldn't bear the thought of parting from her. He wanted to be sealed to her, as if only in this complete union could he truly feel she belonged to him.
The silent room was filled with the scent of love, and their discarded clothes seemed to tell the tale of their wild moments.
Jocelyn's face was buried in Melvin's chest. She wasn't asleep, her mind crystal clear, replaying the vivid images of their lovemaking. After all these years, her longing for him had never waned. She was still so satisfied with him, so fond of him.
"Melvin," she called out softly.
As she spoke, her lips brushed against his chest, stirring something within him once more.
Jocelyn shifted her waist, trying to move away from him. But Melvin's hand pressed gently against her lower back, urging her to stay still.
"I can hold back," Melvin said, his voice hoarse.
Jocelyn couldn't help but remind him, "You didn't use protection."
"Yeah."
"Remember to get me the morning-after pill."
Melvin pulled her closer, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, "If it happens, we'll keep it."
Jocelyn paused, her head still resting on him, "Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
Jocelyn pursed her lips, "We're talking about having a baby before marriage?"
"Let's get married first."
This prompted Jocelyn to lift her head and look at him.
She pushed him away with force and they were now apart.
Melvin, opened his eyes to meet her gaze.
"Are you sure?" Jocelyn was suddenly energized, "If you're not sure, don't say it. We can just take care of it with the pill. Don't make promises now and back out later. Let me tell you, if it happens again, I'll never..."
"I won't," Melvin cut her off before she could finish, his forehead pressed against hers, "I'm serious."
Jocelyn still felt uncertain, "I don't want you to feel pressured."
"I'm not," he kissed the tip of her nose, "Anyway, you're my future. Making you my lawful wife is what I can do without any regrets."
It felt surreal to Jocelyn, yet his words were clear. She heard them loud and clear.
"Well... let's get registered first," Jocelyn suggested softly.
She wanted to be considerate of his feelings. The shadows of his past years had to be healed little by little.
Melvin drew back to look at her, his eyes bright with affection, "Don't you want a wedding ceremony?"
"A wedding is so stressful. If possible, I'd like us to just get the certificates, then have a small dinner with our closest family and friends for celebration."
No woman doesn't dream of a grand wedding, but she preferred something simple and warm.
Less grandeur didn't mean less happiness.
Besides, she was mindful of Melvin's feelings, fearful that a big wedding would bring back memories of his mother's unhappy marriage.
"You won't regret it?" Melvin knew what a wedding meant to a girl. He didn't want her to marry him feeling shortchanged.
Jocelyn smiled and shook her head, "When we turn 60, we'll have a grand one."
Her smile reached deep into Melvin's heart.
She was already thinking about them at 60.
Melvin hugged her tightly, "Alright, then we'll have a grand wedding when we're 60."
Hearing his voice tremble slightly, Jocelyn wrapped her arms around his waist, offering him silent comfort.
They stayed in the hotel that night uninterrupted, as if everyone conspired to preserve their private world.
In the morning, Melvin had new clothes sent over.
Jocelyn woke up to find him dressed in a suit and tie, his hair combed to perfection, looking like he was ready for a fashion show. He was so handsome that she couldn't take her eyes off him.
"Why are you all dressed up like that?" Jocelyn asked, lying on the edge of the bed, admiring how good he looked in a suit.
Melvin turned to her, his chiseled features and soulful eyes full of tender emotion. He walked over to the bed and lifted her up, "Get up and freshen up, I'm going to ask your parents for your hand in marriage." Jocelyn was taken aback.
"To propose?"
"Yeah. Didn't we decide last night to get registered first?" Melvin frowned, "What? Having second thoughts now?"
Jocelyn shook her head, "No, but you didn't say anything about proposing."
Melvin gently kissed her lips, "I need to show my sincerity. How else will your parents feel at ease giving you to me? It's already enough that we're not having a wedding. If I don't even ask for your hand, that would be disrespectful."
Jocelyn felt as if Melvin had become a different person. Now, he was so gentle and so considerate.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Melvin saw her eyes brimming with tears and felt a pang of hurt, "I'm sorry, I was a jerk before."
Unable to hold back, tears spilled from Jocelyn's eyes.
Melvin wiped them away and kissed her eyelids, sighing, "I let you down once. Thank you for still loving me and giving me another chance to love you back properly." Jocelyn's lips quivered as more tears followed.
She threw herself into his arms, her tears staining his chest, "You jerk..."
"You'll get my suit dirty. How am I supposed to meet your parents then?" Melvin teased, but holding her her closer, "Yeah, I was a jerk, and I almost lost you."
"You just took advantage of my love for you, that's why you treated me so poorly," Jocelyn cried, venting her complaints, "You kept me hidden for three years, stood me up before our wedding and vanished without a trace. You were a complete jerk!"
All the bitterness she had bottled up over the years suddenly surged forth, and she let loose, airing their past grievances.
Melvin knew these grievances wouldn't just be aired once. He was already prepared for a lifetime of them.
"Yeah, it's my fault. I shouldn't have delayed acknowledging my feelings for you, shouldn't have disregarded your emotions, and shouldn't have been so arrogant. I owe you, and I'll spend a lifetime making it up to you." Melvin soothed her with a gentle voice, as tender as one comforting a child.
Jocelyn couldn't hold back and sobbed in his embrace.
Tears streamed down her face as if years of pent-up grievances were finally breaking free.
Melvin felt a searing heat in his chest, as if the very skin and heart beneath were being scalded by her sorrow.
It took Jocelyn a good while to compose herself after the long, heart-wrenching bout of crying.
When she finally stopped, she noticed that Melvin's shirt was soaked through.
Melvin, half-amused and half-concerned, took her hand and slid it inside his shirt, against his chest. "Feel that? Those are your tears," he said with a bittersweet chuckle.
Jocelyn felt the dampness inside his shirt, sniffling and glaring at him, "They're on you."
"From now on, the only tears you'll shed will be from joy," Melvin declared, letting go of her hand to gently cup her face. "You've turned my shirt into a wet rag, and your eyes are as red as a rabbit's. Does that mean I should probably forget about visiting your parents today?"