Jacaranda

by Mandy Magro

  Heath slid open the folding timber doors and Molly flopped down on a red suede couch, rubbing her hands over the plush material as she grinned from ear to ear. From where she sat she could almost feel the salty spray from the waves as they crashed on the golden, sandy shore close by. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, savouring the smell of the ocean. She felt like she was on a tropical holiday somewhere in the Bahamas.

  Heath wandered over from the kitchen and joined her on the couch, his feet now bare and his shirt unbuttoned, revealing his sexy abs. Molly had to fight the urge to run her tongue down them right then and there.

  ‘How about a stroll along the beach? We could find a nice spot to drink this bottle of wine and watch the sunset, hey?’

  ‘Wow! That’d be wonderful, just let me go and get changed out of my jeans,’ Molly replied as she jumped up and looked eagerly around her. ‘Um, which way is the bedroom? This place is so big I’m afraid I’ll get lost!’

  ‘How about you change in the bathroom?’ Heath said. ‘I have a surprise in the bedroom that I want to save for later on.’

  Molly cocked her head to one side and smiled. ‘What are you up to, Heath Miller?’

  ‘Ah, never you mind, Molly Jones. The bathroom’s that a way.’

  The warm sand trickled between Molly’s toes as she walked along the beach with Heath, reminding her of the yoga teacher telling them to envisage a beautiful beach. Now, here she was, walking in her mediation. How magnificent! It brought back all the feelings of peace and serenity she had felt in the class.

  They had been walking for almost an hour and not seen another soul, making Molly feel as though they were on a deserted island. Noisy seagulls were swooping into the ocean to catch their dinner, then rising back high into the azure-blue skies and out of sight. All along the beach were little balls of sand where tiny sand crabs had buried themselves. Molly marvelled at how perfectly formed the balls of sand were as she touched them with the tip of her big toe.

  ‘This looks as good a spot as any. Would you like to sit down?’ Heath said, pointing to a large piece of driftwood.

  Molly took a sip of her wine. The day had been more than she had hoped for already – and there was still the night to come.

  Heath pulled her in close to him as the sun began to set over the water. He leant in and kissed her softly, tilting her head back and sliding his warm tongue down her neck, stopping in the nape of her throat to caress the sensitive hollow with his lips. Molly shuddered with desire as he slid his hand under her thin cotton top, running it along her waist and up over her breasts. She felt breathless as he stroked her nipples gently at first, then began to roll their firmness between his fingers, sending her spiralling out of control.

  She dropped her glass and felt the wine splash her bare legs as she slid her hands into his open shirt, scratching her nails down his back. Heath moaned as she kissed his chest, biting him gently along the way. She ran her fingertips over the tuft of hair at the top of his jeans and undid the button with ease, sliding her hand down into the warmth and over the tip of his erection.

  ‘Let’s go back to the house, beautiful,’ Heath whispered, his voice rasping with desire.

  ‘You must have read my mind.’ Molly replied huskily.

  They just made it into the house before a sudden tropical downpour. The raindrops hammered on the roof as Heath lifted Molly up off the ground and she wrapped her legs around his waist, her skirt sliding up around her hips. They slammed into a wall, knocking a pile of books from a table as they grabbed at one another. Molly cried out Heath’s name as he pushed her against the wall, their lips devouring each other as their passion soared. She could feel Heath’s arousal through his jeans, pushing into the silkiness of her underwear, making her ache for him even more. Heath slid his hand up her thigh and to the warm sweetness between her legs, circling her, slowly, teasingly, making her pulse beneath his fingertips.

  ‘I need to feel you inside me! Now!’ Molly beseeched as she dropped her legs to the floor, her eyes displaying the ferociousness she was feeling inside.

  Heath smiled sexily, daringly, before pushing her hands to the wall and sliding himself down to the ground. Little by little he pulled her pants down her legs, kissing her softly as he went, breathing warmth all over her. Once they were off he slid his tongue back up her legs and tasted her, licking around her swollen lips, then thrusting his tongue deep inside. Molly moaned in satisfaction, reaching heights she had never reached before. He stood up to face her, his eyes full of desire, and Molly tore at his shirt, letting it fall to the ground. Heath placed his hands against the wall, above Molly’s head, his chest bared, tattoos adorning all the right places.

  They fumbled their way to the bedroom, kissing all the way. Molly took in the beauty of the room as she was led in by Heath. The whole bed was sprinkled with red rose petals and there were candles lit everywhere. She seized the moment and slowly, seductively stripped off the rest of her clothes while Heath positioned himself on the bed to watch her. He wore the most devilish grin she had ever seen. She moved to the end of the bed and helped Heath pull off his jeans, leaving him as naked as she was. Slowly she slid herself on top of him, licking his stomach, scratching her nails down his chest, until she felt her lips touch his shaft. She gently licked the tip and then breathed out a long, warm, slow breath, making him groan in pleasure. She gradually slipped him into her mouth, sliding her tongue around his manhood, feeling it throb in pleasure. Heath ran his fingers through her hair and pulled it, teetering her on the edge of ecstasy and pain. It was a glorious feeling. Heath flipped Molly over onto her back and pinned her arms down, taking in the exquisiteness of her face as he unhurriedly slid inside her, enjoying watching her cry out in fulfillment beneath him.

  Molly thrust her hips in union with his as they got closer and closer to climaxing. Heath licked around her firm, pink nipples, biting down hard on them as he began to come. Molly came with him, her sweet heaven pulsing around him, sending them both to heights of pure pleasure that neither had ever experienced before.

  A doorbell chimed noisily, waking Molly from her blissful slumber. She fumbled beside the bed, trying to see what time it was on her mobile, surprised when she flipped it open and noticed it was only nine o’clock. She felt Heath jump out of bed and she rolled over to catch another glimpse of him naked.

  ‘That’ll be dinner, my princess,’ he said, pulling up his jeans. ‘You take your time and have a nice, long, hot shower if you like. I have a bit of preparing to do before you join me out on the patio.’

  ‘Gee whiz, you have thought of everything. I’m impressed,’ Molly said as she stretched her arms high above her head, yawning contentedly.

  Heath grinned as he vanished out the door, still pulling on his shirt.

  Under the shower, Molly enjoyed the warm water trickling over her body as she took delight in the images still fresh in her mind: Heath touching her, teasing her, tasting her, loving her. He was absolutely gorgeous, had a huge heart and he was great in bed. She smiled as she turned off the taps, drying herself off with an Egyptian-cotton bath towel. She felt glorious. She slipped on her black silk robe, the material sensual against her still tingling skin, and wandered out in search of Heath.

  The house was pitch black except for a trail of lit candles. Soft country love songs played in the background, giving Molly goosebumps all over. She tiptoed along the cool tiled floors, butterflies in her belly in anticipation of what Heath was up to. She found him out on the patio, a mouthwatering platter of hot and cold seafood taking centre stage on the dining table, along with a bottle of red wine.

  ‘Oh, Heath, this looks amazing! I feel like a queen being treated to all this luxury!’ Molly gasped as she sat down at the table, facing Heath. ‘How did you organise all this?’

  ‘Well, it wasn’t easy, but the look on your face makes it all worth it. I organised for a fantastic restaurant in Port Douglas to make all this up for us and have it delivered. I know you love seafood. Dig
in, gorgeous.’

  ‘What a sweet thing to do! I didn’t realise until now how bloody hungry I was. I think I might have an oyster first. They look divine.’ Molly peeled the oyster out of its shell like a pro and slid it into her mouth, taking pleasure in the creamy centre when its flavour burst in her mouth.

  Heath screwed up his face. ‘You might have to eat all those yourself, Molly. I still can’t get my head around the fact that they suck up all the rubbish out of the sea.’

  ‘No worries there,’ Molly said, giggling.

  It was close to midnight when they stripped off and sank their bodies into the warm, bubbly spa, the moon blazing bright above them. First the kisses were lingering and tender, then becoming more and more passionate as the heat between them intensified. Molly straddled Heath, throwing her head back in ecstasy as she felt him slide deep inside her again. She moved her hips slowly, seductively, every inch of her body craving the ultimate in euphoria. She could feel herself on the brink of an orgasm as Heath placed his hands on her hips and directed her to move faster, his fingers clutching her hungrily as they both cried out in rapture.

  Afterwards, still floating weightlessly in the spa, Molly lay in Heath’s arms, resting her head on his shoulder, and looked up at the millions of stars above them. ‘This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. I’ve had the most amazing day of my life. Thank you so much.’

  Heath rolled her over and kissed her tenderly. ‘You deserve all of this, Molly, especially after what you’ve been through lately. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I have one more surprise for you, though.’

  Heath leant over the side of the spa, pulling something from his jeans’ pocket and turning to Molly. He was holding a small velvet box, and with a little flourish he opened it to reveal a gorgeous diamond ring that glistened in the moonlight.

  ‘Molly Jones, I love you. I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you and Rose. Will you marry me?’

  Epilogue

  Heath gave himself the once-over in his hallway mirror before heading outside to take his place under the arch that Jade and Melinda had made from freshly picked velvet-red roses on lattice. He pushed his hands into his suit pockets, finding himself unable to stand still, the eagerness to see Molly almost overwhelming him. He straightened up his brand-new akubra and gave a quick nod and proud smile to Trev, Kenny and his brother, Gary, who were standing beside him, looking smart in their black suits. ‘You got the rings, Gary?’

  Gary tapped his trousers pocket with conviction. ‘Sure do. I haven’t let them out of my sight all morning.’

  Heath glanced over to where friends and family were sitting in chairs that had been covered with white silk and big red bows. His parents smiled proudly back at him from the front row. Beside them sat David, Elizabeth, Cheryl and Rob, with another seventy guests behind, waiting restlessly for the bride to arrive. Rose petals of many colours were scattered around the grounds and a red carpet had been rolled out down the centre of the chairs, adding the final magical touch to the scene. Heath thought it was a grand achievement to get the place looking so beautiful. From where he stood under the jacaranda tree he could see out to where the cattle grazed on lush green grass from the recent monsoon season. He smiled; it was hard to believe it was nearly a year ago that he had asked Molly to marry him. Since then, they had built a house of their own on Jacaranda Farm and David had passed most of the responsibilities of running the farm down to him. It was an honour Heath took very seriously.

  The celebrant called everyone’s attention as the wedding song Molly had chosen started to play. It was the same one they had made love to in the spa: ‘I Need You’, by Steel Magnolia. For a second Heath thought he might pass out from the rapid rush of nerves, but he snapped himself out of it and stood nervously, waiting for Molly to join him. He watched admiringly as Rose and Jade began to walk down the aisle, looking beautiful in their ruby-red bridesmaid dresses with tiny flowers in their hair. Rose held a basket of rose petals and was sprinkling them as she walked, smiling at everyone as she passed. Molly finally appeared from the house, and her beauty took his breath away. She made her way down the steps, her ivory silk dress flowing out softly behind her. She looked so gorgeous, so softly radiant. David stood beside her, their arms entwined. Molly’s lace veil covered her face but he knew she would be smiling behind it. She slowly walked towards him, stepping in time to the music. They finally reached the arch of roses and David gave Molly a kiss on the cheek before passing her hands to Heath. Heath lightly squeezed them three times, his way of saying ‘I love you’ before lifting the veil from her face.

  The celebrant cleared his throat, smiling at Molly and Heath. ‘We are gathered here today to witness the joining of two people deeply in love, Molly Elizabeth Jones and Heath Richard Miller. We are all delighted that they decided to share their special day with all of us, here in the beautiful surrounds of Jacaranda Farm. Now let me begin.’

  The time soon came for Molly and Heath’s vows, which they had written themselves. Molly looked into Heath’s eyes, feeling his hand tremble beneath hers.

  ‘Heath, I love you. You are my best friend, my lover and the one I turn to for strength. I want to grow old with you and reminisce about the life we’ve shared. Day by day I promise to love and honour you, to treasure and respect you, to walk with you side by side in sorrow and in joy. Day by day I promise as your wife to hold you in my arms, to grow with you in truth, to laugh with you, to cry with you, to be with you and to love you with all that I am and all that I shall become. This I promise you from the depth of my heart and soul for as long as we both shall live.’

  Heath held Molly’s eyes as he spoke his words. ‘I, Heath, take you, Molly, to be my lawful wedded wife in equal love; to be the mother of our children and to be the companion of my heart. I promise always to be there to catch you when you fall, to love you deeply, to share your happiness, to wipe your tears and to hold your hand on this journey we have chosen to walk together. I give to you my aspirations, my trust, my future. You are my soul mate and I will love you with every part of my being, until I take my final breath.’

  Friends and family wept openly at the beauty and passion of their words as the celebrant approached. ‘Heath, you may now kiss your bride.’

  Heath tenderly took Molly in his arms for a loving embrace just as two Ulysses butterflies landed on Molly’s dress. She knew at that moment that her mother and father were with her and her heart swelled with elation. The crowd cried and cheered and clapped as the celebrations began.

  Tables were lavishly laid out with trays of succulent roast pig and crackling fresh off the spit. Roast vegetables and salads were piled high on crystal serving platters and there were big baskets of freshly baked bread rolls. Eskies were evenly spread about, filled with ice and beers, and small round tables were draped in red cloth with arrangements of red and white roses standing as centerpieces amongst bottles of wine and sparkling-clean glasses.

  The blissful, newly married couple floated around the sea of smiling faces, accepting congratulations. There were no formal seating arrangements, as Molly and Heath had wanted their friends and family to sit wherever they pleased once they had filled their plates and glasses.

  Molly and Heath moved off to the side, hidden by a cluster of brightly coloured bougainvilleas, to share a private kiss. The night sky above them was filled with stars for as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of candles had been lit and were flickering in the warm breeze, lighting the faces of the guests with a gentle glow as they ate and talked and laughed. It was a captivating scene, like something out of a fairytale, Molly thought. She wrapped her arms around Heath’s waist, resting her head on his chest.

  ‘What a perfect day. It’s been everything I ever wanted, and more.’

  Heath sighed. ‘And to top it all off, I’ve married the most beautiful woman in the world.’

  They took to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife to the Big and Rich song ‘
Lost in This Moment’. Molly pointed as she spotted a shooting star falling from the sky and Heath smiled and followed her gaze, making sure he made a wish: a happy lifetime with Molly and Rose forever by his side.

  After the first dance the crowd joined in and boogied joyously alongside them. Heath picked Rose up, spinning her around, both of them laughing. Molly wrapped her arms around them, smiling over at Mark, who was dancing with his girlfriend of six months. He had followed through on his promise to be a good father, getting himself straightened out, and had chosen to move to Dimbulah permanently so he could live close to Rose.

  The party went on into the wee hours of the morning and the crowd dwindled down until the only ones left standing were those who were determined to see the sun rise. Molly and Heath were among them, not wanting the magical night to end. Trev, Kenny, Jade and Melinda lay on the ground chuckling like a group of schoolkids, looking up into the dawn sky with their sunglasses on. They watched the sun rise into a morning haze, filling the sky with its golden rays, giving them all the gift of a brand-new day.

  Finally Molly and Heath said goodbye to their friends and wandered back to their home. Weary and yet reluctant to sleep and break the spell, they took a shower together, making love under the warm stream of water, their bodies tingling with pleasure as they lingered on the brink, teasing each other, wanting the moment to last, finally succumbing and reaching ecstasy together. Afterwards, Heath knelt down and tenderly soaped up Molly’s firm round belly, talking to their baby through her belly button like it was a microphone. Molly giggled at his antics, basking in the warmth of his love. They dried each other off and slipped into bed, both utterly exhausted.

  Molly smiled contentedly when Heath wrapped his arms around her. They were a family now, just as she had always dreamed, and soon there would be another little addition, a brother or sister for Rose to play with. She nestled into Heath’s broad chest, lulled by the sound of his rhythmic heartbeat as she blissfully drifted off into the land of dreams.