A test of Love - Navaura Campbell (best management books of all time .txt) 📗

she the shit now cause she got wonder bread here? That nigga ain't nothin'."
Kwan stepped in between the two. Speaking to his brother in a soft tone, he whispered, "Look, bro, we need to go take a walk."
"Naw, man, they need to get the hell outta here. Her and wonder bread. This is my spot."
"If that's what you want, alright."
"Hell yeah, that's what I want, now get them out." He stated, his tone hysterical. Kwan, who hadn't let go of his brother's wrist, turned to Denise and Jordan, "Maybe I'll see ya'll around campus or something."
Jordan grasped Denise's hand, "Alright."
Denise took one last glance at Anton before she allowed Jordan to escort her out of the party.

Jordan grabbed a blanket from out of the car after they'd parked in a parking space at Crescent Bay, right above the river bank. Denise allowed him to wrap it around her chilly shoulders as they walked along the shore line. "I can't believe you smacked him."
"I can't believe you let him say all of those things." Denise snapped, her tone irritated.
"What do you mean?"
"You stood there while he said all those things about me, talked like I was a peice of meet or something."
"I'm sorry about that."
"You weren't like that before, Jordan. You never allowed anybody to talk to me like I was crap." Denise stated, her voice trembling.
"I didn't know what to say, exactly." He stated.
"How is that, Jordan? You never let Lamont disrespect me in highschool and now we're in college and you let anybody say those things."
"Look, I'm sorry. I'm not used to just jumping on guys because they talk like that." He stated.
Denise stopped, "Then why did you jump on Lamont? Why did you fight him? Did I mean more to you back then?"
Jordan stared into hurt brown eyes, "No, De-De, I was stupid back then, ok. I was really sensitive."
Denise narrowed her eyes, feeling her heart break. "What you're not as sensitive now?"
Jordan swallowed, "I can control my emotions now, I couldn't back then."
"What ever." She stated, pulling the blanket around her tighter.
"Denise, come on baby, don't be like that. You know I love you."
Denise's jaw clenched and she swallowed, "I want to go home."
"Denise." He stated firmly. Denise turned and began to walk off. Jordan grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her to him, "Look, I'm sorry I didn't jump in when you thought I needed too, but I'm older now, Denise. I know everything can't be solved with my fist. I can get angry, but fighting won't solve everything."
Denise tried to pull away, tears spranging into her eyes, "Whatever. I don't care Jordan. I don't care."

Jordan sighed, and pulled her tighter to him. Turning her body around, he stared into her eyes, watching as the tears fell down her face. "I'm sorry baby. It doesn't mean I don't love you as much as I did then, it's just I can't go around beating people up because they say things I don't like."
"Jordan, he was talking about me in such a vulgar manner. I didn't do anything to him, I just said I had a boyfriend. He kept trying to get further."
"I know baby, but I also know that men think and say things like that at times. I know I've thought the same thing myself a time or two."
Denise wrinkled her brow. "what?"
Jordan narrowed his eyes, "You are sexy Denise and sometimes I just want to bend you over and..."

This caused flurries in her heart. Butterflies to pit themselves in her stomach. Why did it feel different when he said it? Why did she want it more when he said it? Sighing, she pulled his face down and pushed her lips against his, albeit, this didn't make any since to her, but it made her feel better to know that he thought the same thing.
When the kiss broke, Jordan whispered, "Nice."
Denise wiped her eyes. In a whisper, she said, "Why do I like it when you say it? Why can't I take it when someone else says it?"
Jordan gave a monstrous laugh, teasing, with a hint of truth, he said, "Because you belong to me."
Denise laughed, "I do, don't I?"
Jordan reached out and stroked her face, "Yeah, that's the way it goes. You're mine."
Denise sighed, "I love that."
Jordan strung his fingers through hers, "I see I'm not the only one who's changed."
"Come on, Jordan, I've had two years to decide whether or not I want to be yours."
"Have you now?"
"Yes. Two years of frustration, tears, heartache, lonliness and a longing for the man I love. Don't you think that's enough time."
Jordan sighed, "I suppose, but when we were in highschool, I thought you'd never permit that, let alone say it."
Denise tugged on his hand, "Permit it? You're right. Naturally I wouldn't, but love's different. Real love make you do things you wouldn't normally do."
"Sounds like someone's acquired wisdom over time." Jordan stated.
Denise swallowed, "Yeah, it's from all those conversations with Quinton."
Jordan laughed, "I bet, Quinton the wise one."
"Quinton the wise, the brave, the smart one."
"Since when is Quinton brave?" Jordan inquired. "He's always backing down with me."
Denise smiled, "He took that punch you gave him for me."
Jordan laughed, "Yeah, when I thought he was your boyfriend?"
"Yeah." Denise laughed, "What makes it funnier is that you knew he was gay the whole time."
Jordan shrugged his shoulders, squeezing her fingers. "Denise, you have no idea the hold you have over me."
Denise sighed, "Is that a fact?"
"I don't believe it's possible for me to love another woman as much as I love you."
Denise licked her lips. "Are you serious?"
Jordan brought her hand up to his mouth, kissing the brown skin. "Since when have you known me to play games?"
Denise swallowed, her heart seeming to trip over itself. "Never."
"Alright, so you know that my heart is undeniably yours. How could it not be? All the hell you and I put each other through."

Denise sighed, "Maybe we'll be able to actually have a normal relationship this time."
Just then, Jordan's phone went off in his pocket. He stopped walking and pulled it out. Holding it up against the light of the moon, he saw that it was Carrine. Just seeing her name there, brought a queasyness to his stomach. Releasing Denise's hand, he said, "I will be right back, ok?"
Denise glanced up at him. "Is something wrong?"
Jordan sighed, "No, it's just my grandpa." He felt weird about lying to her, but knew he needed to, in order to protect her.
"At this time of night?" Denise whispered. It was around one o'clock in the morning.
Jordan shrugged, "Gramps is in Ireland."
Denise nodded, "Oh, ok, I get it."

Jordan flipped the phone open. "Yeah, we're like eight hours behind them."
Denise nodded. "Ok." With that, she made her way to the shore line. Jordan moved away from the shore line and with his back turned away from her, whispered, "What the hell do you want Carrine?"
A laugh came from the other end, "How sweet, you're even lying to her on my behalf. I knew you loved me."
"What do you want?"
"I just wanted to say goodnight, and let you know that I was going to bed."
"I don't give a crap where you're going. Why are you still calling me?"
"Come on, baby, why do you have to be like this? You know you still love me."
"I don't love you. I told you back in Chicago that I didn't want to be with you."
Carene laughed, "I know you said that, but I don't think you meant it."
"I'm serious Carrine. Leave me alone, you call my phone again, I'm calling the police to file a harrassment suit against you."
Carene laughed, "How are you going to do that? I haven't said anything to harm you or such."
Jordan's jaw clinched with irritation. The twit was right. She hadn't said anything horrible to him that would get him a harrassment suit filed, or a restraining order. "I love you, Jordan."
Jordan felt the agrivation push itself into a fiery ball. "I don't love you, and don't call my phone ever again, I mean it."
"What are you gonna do, Jordan? You can't file a lawsuit or anything. I'm here and you're in Richmond."
Jordan growled, "I can get my phone number changed!" He yelled, feeling his nerves grate.
Carene laughed, "I will always be able to locate you baby."
"Stop calling my damn phone, now!" He yelled, snapping the lid shut harshly and putting it back into his pocket. He let out a hard sigh and then closed his eyes a moment so he could breath. After a minute or two, he walked down to where Denise was and wrapped his hands back into hers. She was putting her feet into the water that had been rolling in waves up against the shore. "Ready to go?" He asked softly.
Denise sighed, pulling her body closer to his and dropping her head on his shoulder. "I love you, Jordan."
He smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, "I love you too my chocolate butterfly."
Denise sighed and whispered, "Do you really?"
Jordan grabbed her around the shoulder, pulling her close to him, "With all my heart, baby."

Denise sighed and tried to stifle out the feeling that something was wrong. She knew his grandpa had lived in Ireland all his life until he passed away. He probably didn't remember telling her that he'd passed when he was younger. Although she'd remembered, she didn't want to even think of the possibility that he could be lying to her that he'd really been talking to another girl. She'd spent too much time over the years thinking about what it would be like if she'd gotten a second chance. She'd sworn to herself that she would never allow her doubts to come between them again. She knew he loved her. She knew it. But why did it feel like something was wrong? Why did he lie to her? Why? As she contemplated this, her heart beat faster and she held his hand tightly. More tightly than she had ever before. Chapter Seventeen

chapter nineteen