Chapter Ten

"Why, babe? Why don't you want us to have sex?" John asked, and Alicia moved away from him.

"No, John. I told you that we should wait until we are married. I don't want to do it now. I am not ready for sex," Alicia looked away nervously from Jonathan, but he moved to her side to meet her.

"But you know that I love you very much, and I want to marry you. Let's do it even if it's just once. I will still marry you, and I wouldn't see you as anything less," Jonathan said in a coaxing voice as he moved closer to Alicia. He kissed her neck, but Alicia moved away from him and shook her head.

"No, John. I am sorry. But I have to go home. I already told you that I made a promise to my grandma that I wouldn't have sex or become a wayward girl until I'm married and that I would only lose my virginity to my husband. Please..." Alicia held John's hands as she looked at his handsome, fair-complexioned face.

John was badly aroused. The truth was that he had been cheating on Alicia by hosting other prostitutes who could satisfy him, but he was doing so because she refused to pleasure him, even though they had been dating for almost five years now.

"Fine. I will wait until our marriage. But I have a surprise for you," he told her and took out a black ring box, pulling it open.

A diamond ring nestled within it.

"Oh my!" Alicia gasped, thinking Jonathan was joking when he told her that he had purchased the ring.

"Here you go," he said, going down on one knee, and he proposed to Alicia. "My love, I know that you're going through a difficult phase in your family right now, but I want you to know that I love you very much and I will stand by you no matter what. Please give me a chance to be a part of your life and to live and cherish you. Will you marry me, Alicia Dawson?"

Tears of joy filled Alicia's eyes. She loved Jonathan very much, and she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.

"Yes, my love. I will marry you," Alicia replied sweetly as she offered her left finger to Jonathan to insert the ring. The diamond ring fit her finger perfectly, and Alicia smiled sweetly and blushed as Jonathan placed the ring on her middle finger.

"It's so lovely," she raised her left hand to her lips and kissed the diamond ring.

"Do you love it?" Jonathan asked as he watched her face lovingly.

"I love it. It's beautiful. Thanks, honey!" Alicia flew into Jonathan's arms and hugged him happily.

"I really do appreciate the ring," she told him as she kissed him on the lips.

Jonathan hugged her waist and slid his hands to her buttocks. He wanted her but knew that he couldn't force her to do anything against her wishes.

"That's fine. I am glad that you love it. I was afraid that you might reject my ring, especially after what has happened to your father. I don't want anyone coming in between us as we have worked hard to build our relationship to this level. With your love, support, and prayers, you have helped me grow into the man that I am today," Jonathan said, and Alicia smiled sadly.

"Nothing will come in between us. I love you very much, and I will never cheat on you," she promised him, meeting his brown eyes, and he smiled.

"I trust you. Come on, let's have something to eat since you arrived here. We have been touring our new home, and you haven't eaten anything," Jonathan said as he embraced Alicia and crossed his right arm over her shoulder.

"Did you cook?" Alicia asked him in confusion, and he laughed. "No, we can get something to eat outside. You know, I just moved in here yesterday after I was done furnishing the house. But I haven't prepared anything. We can stop by any restaurant nearby to order takeout meals."

Alicia frowned and replied, "That wouldn't be necessary, John. Maybe next time. I have to go home now so that my mother doesn't get too worried about me."

"You are not a child, and your mother wouldn't reprimand you just because you hang out with me. Besides, we are engaged now, so it's only right that we spend more time together," Jonathan said, and Alicia became more speechless as she looked at him.

"Alright." Alicia managed to reply while Jonathan told her, "Come on. Let's go. There's a restaurant nearby, so we can stop by and have something to eat before you go home."

"Okay," Alicia replied, and she exited the room with Jonathan. They went downstairs together, and Jonathan told Lady Helen that he was leaving the house.

As he stepped out with Alicia, she asked him, "Are you driving your car? Or should we go with mine?"

"Yours?" Jonathan replied. He loved Alicia's citrus scent as he got into her car with her. Her scent enveloped his nostrils as he sat in the front seat beside her.

"So where's the restaurant?" Alicia asked, and Jonathan said, "Come to this side, or you can drive. I will give you directions."

Alicia smiled and fastened her seatbelt. Her phone rang just before she could start her car engine. Taking her phone, Alicia saw that her mother was the one calling her. She frowned and made no attempt to answer her mother's call as she put the phone away.

"Who was calling you?" Jonathan asked, and Alicia pouted as she told him, "It's my mother. I don't want to answer her call as she would reprimand me for closing from work late."

Jonathan felt like Alicia was hiding something from him.

"You are not a child, and your mother cannot scold you for being with your boyfriend. Regardless of the fact that your father got apprehended by the T-Group. If she had come to file for a case of kidnapping, we could have helped your father get his release from Damian's den. But your mother hasn't," Jonathan said in a stern voice, and Alicia lowered her head.

"I am sorry. It's because my father is the one at fault. If he hadn't borrowed money from Damian, then maybe he wouldn't be in this situation now," she lamented, and Jonathan placed his hands on hers and told her, "It's alright. You have me now, and we will get the amount needed to free your father."

"Okay, honey. Thank you," Alicia smiled and met Jonathan's gaze.

"Let's go," he said, and she started her car and drove out of his new house.

Jonathan gave her directions to one of the restaurants nearby, and Alicia drove her car there and parked it.