Pleasure for Two

by Pamela Yaye

  “Good morning, sleepyhead.”

  Dominique turned and found Marcel seated in the chair beside the bed, watching her. “Good morning to you, too,” she said, running a hand through her hair. “How did you sleep?”

  “Do you mean before or after you ripped the covers off me?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m a bit of a bed hog.”

  “Baby, don’t worry. There are no hard feelings.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “You can make it up to me tonight.”

  “Why wait? Come back to bed, and I’ll show you just how sorry I am.”

  “Room service will be here any minute.”

  “But I’d rather make love to my fiancé.”

  Marcel slipped under the covers. “You don’t have to tell me twice!”

  “I still can’t believe we’re engaged,” she confessed. “This all feels like a dream.”

  “Have you given any thought to the date and venue?”

  Dominique raised her eyebrows. “Marcel, we just got engaged last night. I haven’t even called my family yet to share the good news.”

  “But I want us to be married before the baby comes.”

  She puckered her lips. “Then we should elope to Las Vegas.”

  “Or we could get married here.”

  “Marcel, I was joking.”

  “I’m not.”

  “What would people think if we came back home married?” She sat up. “They’ll say we rushed to get married because of the baby. I don’t want anyone to think I trapped you—”

  “I don’t give a damn what anybody thinks.” He held her face in his palms. “Dominique, you’re having our first child. Do you have any idea how much that means to me? I’ve loved you from the moment I met you. There’s no greater expression of love than marriage, and I’m anxious for us to live together as a family. I want our son to have the kind of childhood I had—one with parents who truly love each other.”

  “I know. I feel the same way, but I don’t want to look like a cow in my wedding pictures.” Dominique wrinkled her nose. “That wouldn’t be cute.”

  He thought for a moment, then after a significant pause he offered a solution. “When we get back to Seattle, we’ll have a quickie ceremony at city hall, and after you’ve had the baby—”

  “And I’ve gotten my prepregnancy body back,” she added.

  “We’ll have a wedding reception for all of our family and friends.” He cupped her face, tilting up her chin as he kissed her lips. “Will that work?”

  Dominique couldn’t speak. Her heart was open, full of love for him, and she saw the depth of his feelings reflected in his eyes. Marcel had changed her definition of love and had given more than she ever could imagine, more than she deserved. “Marcel, I’m sorry I turned you down the first time you proposed. It’s not that I didn’t want to marry you. I just thought it was too soon.” The truth gushed out of her mouth, but Dominique didn’t panic. Marcel was someone she could trust. Depend on. Confide in. Feeling freer than a blue jay sailing high in the sky, she told him everything that was in her heart. “I’ve been told that I’m difficult and hard to please and every man I’ve ever dated has tried to change me. When that doesn’t work, they usually split.”

  “You’ll never have to worry about me leaving you,” he promised, his gaze probing her face. “I’m not going anywhere, Dominique, and I love you just the way you are.”

  Their eyes met and then their lips. He caressed the back of her neck with his thumb and then her cheeks and ears. With finesse, he eased his tongue into her mouth. The kiss gathered steam as his hands traveled down her shoulders, and when they finally parted, she was as breathless as a sprinter. “I can’t wait to become Mrs. Marcel Benoit.”

  “Me either.”

  Dominique snuggled in close. It felt great being in Marcel’s arms, felt like it was the place she was meant to be. She loved being face-to-face with him, loved how he made her feel safe and cherished. “I wish we could stay at the resort for a couple more days. There’s so much to see and do here, and we haven’t even skimmed the surface yet.”

  “Our flight isn’t until midnight, so we can do some more sightseeing if you’d like.”

  “Don’t you mean shopping?” she corrected. “If I don’t bring something back for my mom and my sisters they’ll disown me.”

  “Then, we’ll go into town after breakfast and pick up a few things.”

  Tilting her head back, she studied him through her lashes. He looked relaxed and at peace. Marcel seemed content to just cuddle, but Dominique was having none of it. She was hungry for him and decided to show her fiancé exactly what she had in mind.

  Starved for his touch, she captured his hands and moved them along the slope of her hips. Dominique closed her eyes, reveling in the attention he lavished on her. With the skill and expertise of a trapeze artist, he made a trail from her stomach to her nipples and up to her mouth. Returning a heartbeat later to her aching breasts, he licked and sucked each into his mouth until she was on the brink of delirium.

  Desire prickled her flesh, made every nerve ending tingle and throb. He closed his arms around her and grazed his lips across her cheeks. “I want you, too, baby.”

  Knowing she was wet, she parted her legs and used his fingertips to spread herself wide. He flicked his thumb back and forth across her lips. Her heart was racing, pounding. Her desire couldn’t be contained, and when Marcel nipped her earlobe, a groan ripped from her mouth.

  “How does that feel?”

  “Like heaven,” she rasped. They shared another deep, passionate kiss—one that made her weak. Marcel stirred his finger inside her, offering long, gliding strokes that made her purr.

  Dominique pressed her hips against him and massaged him erotically with her pelvis. The slow, rhythmic grind stole his breath. Lust burned like lava in his veins. There was no mistaking what she wanted, and he was more than happy to grant her unspoken wish. Dominique licked him, stroked him, used her toes to tickle him. He loved to see a woman take control in the bedroom. Loved to be seduced and dominated and conquered.

  Marcel put his mouth to her ear. “Turn around.” It was an order, one she had to obey if she didn’t want to suffer the consequences. “Take off your panties and assume the position.”

  A cheeky smile lifted the corners of her lips. “I didn’t realize you were such a bad-ass!”

  “I’m not, but you bring out the beast in me.”

  Clothes flew off and sailed to the ground. Dominique kissed him hard on the lips, then eased onto her side and propped a pillow under her head. He rubbed the head of his shaft against her clitoris. Hooking a leg around his waist, she drew him deep inside her. Gripping her hips, he slowly eased himself in. Moans streamed from her lips, drowning out the sound of the birds chirping outside their window.

  The tingling started between her thighs, then spread to her legs. She was riding out the wave—rotating her hips, increasing her speed, palming her breasts with his hands—and it was the most erotic thing Marcel had ever witnessed. He’d never seen a woman let go like that before, never watched a woman fully embrace the moment. Watching her lose control made it impossible for Marcel to stave off his own orgasm. She shifted back, sending his pulse through the roof. Immobilized, trapped in a haze more dense than fog, Marcel sucked in a quick intake of air. He’d wanted to give her hours and hours of pleasure, but there was nothing he could do to control the violent tremors racking his body. Ten minutes into their lovemaking, he was about to explode inside her.

  Grinding her butt into his groin triggered his release. Clamping his teeth together to keep from babbling like a baby, he drove into her swiftly, vigorously, with all the adrenaline firing through his veins. He wanted to flip Dominique onto her back and plow into her with all of his strength, but as he started to move her, he lost complete and absolute control. His heart raced as mumbled words and promises fell from his lips. Their bodies meshed, moved together as one. The pleasure was so exquisite that when Marcel cam
e inside her, goose bumps broke out over his entire body.

  Chapter 21

  The front door swung open before Dominique could put her key in the lock.

  “Welcome home, honey! How was your flight? How are you feeling?” her mother quizzed, stepping aside and making room for her daughter to enter the foyer. “Goodness, what have you been eating? You were only gone for a few days, but it looks like you put on ten pounds.”

  Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of questions, not to mention how her mother had found her way into her house, Dominique dropped her bags at her feet and took a moment to catch her breath. “Hi, Mom. It’s good to see you, too.”

  “Where’s my future son-in-law?” Mrs. King peered over her daughter’s shoulder and into the darkened night. “I didn’t hear you kids pull into the driveway. Is Marcel parking out front?”

  “Marcel had some things to take care of, so I took a taxi home. He’ll be by later though.” Keeping her tone light and her smile in place, she said, “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight, Mom. Don’t you have a community league meeting at six o’clock?”

  “Yes, but what kind of mother would I be if I wasn’t here to greet my daughter and her new fiancé? Now take off your gloves so I can see the ring.”

  Dominique nearly lost her balance when her mom grabbed her hand. “Take it easy, Mom. I’m pregnant, remember?”

  “I’ve never seen such a beautiful ring. What a unique design. And those sparkling baguette diamonds!” Mrs. King’s face broke out into a wide smile that showcased every tooth. “I bet this ring set Marcel back a pretty penny. You know, my great-grandmother used to say, ‘A man in love will part with his money faster than a fool at a casino,’ and my goodness she was right!”

  “It’s perfect, isn’t it?”

  “Honey, I’m so proud of you. Getting married and raising your child together in a loving home is the right thing to do. You have my blessing, and if your father was still alive, I’m sure he’d give you his blessing, too.”

  Moved by her mother’s thoughtful words, Dominique hugged her tightly. As far as she was concerned, life couldn’t get any better. She had the love of a great man, her relationship with her mother was slowly improving and she was months away from having her first child. “Thanks, Mom. That really means the world to me.”

  The sound of laughter trickled in from the back of the house.

  “Who else is here?” Dominique asked, hanging up her jacket in the hall closet.

  “Your cousins. They’ve been here all day watching the Sex and the City marathon.”

  “Have you talked to Taryn lately? I called and texted her, but she doesn’t respond.”

  Her mother smiled. “I think your sister’s dating someone new. I saw her a couple days ago, and she was positively glowing! Maybe we’ll be planning a second wedding later this year!”

  Dominique didn’t like the sound of that. Her sister was still legally married, and what she was doing wasn’t fair to Andre or the kids. “I’m going upstairs to lie down. Our flight was delayed from Boston, and the man sitting beside me was snoring so loud that I couldn’t sleep.”

  Ms. King shook her head. “You can rest later. We have a lot of work to do.”

  “We do?”

  “Wedding season is fast approaching, and if we don’t act now everything will be booked up. I took the liberty of calling some venues, but without all of the necessary details, there wasn’t much I could do. Our first order of business is the…”

  I’d do anything to be back at the resort, she thought, letting out a deep breath. The tropical sun, exotic cuisine and pristine beaches on Marco Island had been a lover’s paradise, and as her mom rambled on about seasonal flowers, Dominique thought of her last night with Marcel at the resort. While they ate dinner, they’d talked about everything that came to mind. Their families. Marriage. Their plans for the future. And by the time they’d finished eating dessert, Dominique was even more in love. Marcel was not afraid to show his sensitive side, and everything he said made her melt.

  “Did you know that at twenty-six weeks the baby can distinguish the sound of our voices?” he’d informed her, lowering his head to her stomach. “And this time next month his eyesight will begin to develop. Isn’t that remarkable?”

  “You’re just a walking ob-gyn,” she’d joked. “Keep showing off and I won’t let you read any more of my maternity books!”

  As he’d rubbed her belly, he’d told the baby stories about his family and childhood. Listening to the warmth and tenderness of his tone had made Dominique soften inside. He was so in touch with her needs, but more than anything, she loved how much he cared for their unborn child. At the end of the night, Marcel had picked her up in his arms and carried her to bed. There, he’d slowly undressed her. He’d carefully and gently loved her, and she’d never felt more beautiful.

  “Have you kids set a date yet?”

  “What? Huh?” Embarrassed that she’d been caught having an erotic daydream, Dominique turned away so her mom wouldn’t see the guilty look on her face. “We don’t have the time or money to do a big, fancy wedding right now, so we’re going to keep things simple.” Her heart pounded with fear as she rushed through the rest of her sentence. “At the end of the month, we’re going to get married down at city hall. After the ceremony, we’ll have a small reception here for family and friends.”

  Her mother gasped. “You can’t get married down at city hall!”

  “Mom, calm down. I do understand why you’re getting so upset.”

  “If you have a quick shotgun wedding, people will think you’re only getting married for the baby’s sake. Is that what you want?”

  Dominique schooled her features to remain impassive. That was the reason why they were having a quickie wedding, but she decided against telling her mom the truth. “Well, then, what do you propose? It’s important to Marcel that we get married before the baby’s born, and I’m not going to waddle down the aisle nine months pregnant. I’m not a vain person, but I refuse to pose for wedding pictures with fat cheeks and thick ankles.”

  “You’re only in the second trimester, and you’re hardly even showing!” The color returned to her mother’s cheeks as she paced the length of the foyer. “I can whip up a wedding in no time. I did it for your cousin Armene, remember? No one thought I could pull it off, but I did. Six weeks is more than enough time to plan a nice, elegant wedding.”

  Her mother spun on her heels and marched into the kitchen. Dominique reluctantly followed. “Mom, what are you doing?”

  Mrs. King yanked the calendar off the wall, dropped it on the countertop and flipped to the month of February. “Six weeks from today is February 7. What do you think of a Sunday afternoon wedding?”

  “I think that’s a great idea, but let’s do it the following week. Marcel’s birthday is on Valentine’s Day, and I think it would be special to get married then.”

  “A Valentine’s Day wedding?” She wrinkled her nose. “But theme weddings are so tacky. I think you should consider another date.”

  “Take it or leave it, Mom. It’s nonnegotiable.”

  “All right, no need to get testy,” Mrs. King said, holding up her palms. “Follow me into the dining room. I have everything spread out on the table, and all of my contact numbers are in my purse. There’s a lot to do, so we’ll have to work through the night to get everything done.”

  “Lucky me,” Dominique mumbled, trailing her mom down the hall.

  Chapter 22

  Over the next four weeks, Dominique and Marcel were inseparable. He attended her doctor’s appointments, picked her up from work each day and slept at her house most nights. Studying for the certification exam left Marcel with little free time, and when he wasn’t pounding the pavement for engineering jobs, he was taking care of Dominique.

  “Honey, where are you?” Marcel slammed the door, kicked off his shoes and entered the living room. “I’m here, on time, just as requested.”

  “Come upstairs! I ne
ed your help picking out something to wear.”

  “I’ll be right up.” Inside the kitchen he opened the fridge and searched for a can of soda. Containers overflowing with Mexican takeout and an assortment of plastic food trays crowded the shelves. Since getting engaged, Dominique had agreed to keep a tight rein on her budget, so why was she still blowing money eating out?

  Here he was beating himself up searching for work, and Dominique was spending money like a celebrity. He saw himself married to her, saw them living together as husband and wife, loving and caring for their child. But they would never have the life he’d always dreamed of if Dominique didn’t take her finances more seriously. Mentioning her debt would make her mad, but he had to say something about her errant spending.

  Marcel took the stairs two at a time. He could hear Dominique singing, and he chuckled to himself. No one loved R & B music more than his bride-to-be, and he was amazed at how many old, classic songs she knew. Marcel pushed open the bedroom door and stood in the hallway, as if frozen in time. The room was in complete disarray. Clothes were strewn across the bed, makeup lined the dresser and shoes and belts littered the carpet.

  “Honey, there are two outfits hanging outside the closet. Tell me which one you like better,” she said, poking her head out of her en suite bathroom. “Wow, you look hot! I’m going to have to keep you close by my side all night. I can’t have another woman pushing up on you when I’m off in the bathroom, now can I?”

  Marcel shook his head. “No one could ever take your place. I only have eyes for you.”

  “You better!” The sound of her girlish laugh made him smile. “Now, be honest. Which dress do you think is the most flattering for a woman who’s five months pregnant?”