by Aj Harmon
They were greeted by the Captain and two crew members and were escorted inside where drinks and hors d'oeuvres were served. Matt gave the order to set off and soon they were drinking champagne and slowly leaving the pier.
“Matt!” a voice said behind them.
“Aaron!” Matt turned and hugged the man in a chef’s jacket and apron. “So good to see you. Thanks for doing this!”
“Of course! Anything for you!”
Matt introduced Janie to Aaron and then he headed back to the galley. Dinner would be ready in about fifteen minutes.
“I’ve known Aaron since high school,” Matt began. “He and Mark were really good friends and I helped him open his first restaurant by buying the building and giving him a great deal on a lease.”
“Wow! You would do that for a friend? That’s amazing, but not really that surprising. You are an incredibly generous man, Matt.”
Matt shrugged. “I’ve been very fortunate and if I can help someone else, someone that I really believe in, then why wouldn’t I? Let’s walk around the deck before dinner.” Matt took Janie by the elbow and led her out onto the deck.
They strolled around the boat, admiring the superior craftsmanship and design of the craft.
They were summoned for dinner and Matt and Janie talked all through the several courses about everything under the sun. They laughed and ate and had a thoroughly wonderful time. As the entree plates were cleared, Janie leaned back in her chair and declared she couldn’t eat another bite, to which Matt protested.
“I believe Aaron has made something particularly special for dessert.”
At that moment Aaron appeared with a plate that had sparklers alit on top. He placed in front of Janie and grinned at Matt as he headed back to the galley.
Janie’s eyes wide open, she looked at Matt and smiled. “Wow!” she mouthed.
“Happy Birthday,” he whispered.
Janie’s mouth dropped open and she stared at Matt, not knowing what to say. “How did you…”
Matt chuckled and admitted that he had stolen a peak at her driver’s license after a hint when she was on the phone.
Janie groaned, “So you also know how much I weigh?” She was totally mortified.
Matt roared with laughter and jumped to his feet pulling her up to him. “I knew that before I ever looked in your wallet,” he said as he picked her up off the floor and twirled around in a circle. “Come outside with me.”
Janie followed him through the glass door onto the deck. There in front of them was the Lady herself, lit up and beautiful.
“Oh,” she whispered as the boat moved closer.
Matt pulled her down in the chair and knelt in front of her, removing a velvet box from his jacket pocket. Janie’s eyes once again widened and her mouth dropped open.
“Janie,” he spoke softly. “I was a fool once to let you walk away from me and I will never let that happen again. Janie,” he kissed her palm, “Marry me?”
Janie couldn’t speak. Matt opened the velvet box to reveal the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It was an emerald cut diamond solitaire in white gold. It was simple but exquisite. Matt placed the box on the table next to her and took both her hands in his.
“Janie, I know this may seem fast, but I know what I want. I have never been so sure of anything. You are my future.” He searched her eyes looking for her answer.
A tear escaped and fell down her cheek. She stood and walked to the railing and watched as they moved through the water towards Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty now behind them. Matt rubbed his hand across his forehead, suddenly feeling extremely nervous and unsure. This was not how he had hoped this would go. This was not what he had planned for. This was definitely not what he wanted. What do I do? What do I say? He followed her to the railing, willing her to say yes.
“This is all very sudden,” she whispered.
Matt reached for her hand, entwining her fingers with his but said nothing.
“I, I do love you Matt.” Janie sniffed but said no more.
“But?” Matt asked.
“It’s just a complete surprise. I, I’m really surprised.”
“Do I not measure up?” Matt probed, not really wanting to know her answer.
“Not measure up? What do you mean?” she said, turning to him.
“I know your marriage to Robert was perfect and that it has been really hard for you since he died. And I know that I can never replace him, but…”
“Matt, no! Stop! My marriage to Robert was far from perfect. But we did love each other and we were committed to each other. It was hard when he died. Really, really hard. I thought it would be easier if I had just died too, but I’m glad I didn’t. I wouldn’t have met you.” Janie placed her hand on his cheek. She gazed into his eyes and in that split second recognized that she could never compare Robert and Matt. It would be like apples and oranges, oil and vinegar. They were totally different and that was the best realization. She couldn’t compare them, ever. What she had with Robert was good, but it was also gone.
“I will always love Robert,” she began. “We were both so young when we got married. We didn’t know what we wanted to do with our lives, we just kind of figured it out along the way and I have no regrets. But I am older now and hopefully a whole lot wiser. Robert is gone and I have accepted that and moved on. I never imagined that I would find someone to love again, someone that made me deliriously happy, someone that accepted me as I am, someone like you.”
Janie pulled his head down to meet her and she kissed him and he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.
“I don’t want to replace him, Janie; I want us to start a new life together, you and me, starting right now. I didn’t know what I wanted till I met you. Actually, that’s not true. I did know what I wanted but I had buried it so deep and convinced myself that I could live just fine without it. But you changed that. You’ve changed me.”
“I love you Matt, with all my heart. Ask me again?”
“Janie, will you marry me?”
“Yes!”
Matt kissed her quickly and then ran and grabbed the ring off the table returning back to her side. He took the ring from the box and gently placed it on her finger.
“It fits!” Janie was pleased.
“It’s perfect! It’s three carats, but we can go bigger if you’d like,” Matt smiled like he was the cat who just ate the mouse. He was incredibly pleased that she had said yes.
“No, it is perfect. What a birthday present,” she whispered.
“Oh, this isn’t your birthday present,” Matt said. “But it does make it a lot easier for me to give you your present now,” he chuckled.
He stepped into the cabin and returned with a beautifully wrapped box with a huge white ribbon bow on the top.
She moved back to the chair and sat as Matt handed her his gift. He sat next to her, appearing to be incredibly anxious. Janie was intrigued. What could be better than an engagement ring? she thought. She removed the ribbon and ripped the paper to reveal a black box. Taking off the lid, she uncovered a large black book. She turned to Matt, eyebrows raised.
“Open it,” he smiled.
She pulled the book from the box and opened the cover. In big letters it read, ‘For Janie’. She smiled as she turned the next page and then the next and the next. There were several pictures of Central Park. Then there were pictures of the theater where they had seen the Lion King and an amazing shot of Yankee Stadium.
“I had a photographer take pictures of all the places you went on your once-in-a-lifetime trip so you would have them to remember.”
“Oh, Matt. This is amazing!” she gushed. She turned the page to find a picture of Tiffany’s and they laughed.
“Every girl wants to open a white ribbon on a blue box, right?” he grinned.
Janie turned some more pages and saw all the places she had gone on her tour bus. There was a picture of the Ritz Carlton, where she had stayed, and there was a picture of the horse
and carriage they had ridden back from the restaurant on her first night in New York.
“It seems like such a long time ago,” she whispered, caressing the photo softly.
After a few more pages, she came to a page without a picture and the words ‘Matt & Janie’s New Memories’ hand written on it. She turned the page and it was blank and so was the page after that.
“They’re all blank from here,” he said. “They are for the pictures of our memories. To fill in as we go. Our journey starts right now. We will discover our future together.”
“Oh, Matt. It’s perfect! Thank you!” she cried.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered.
“These are happy tears,” she choked.
Matt wiped a tear from her nose with his thumb as his own tear fell from his cheek. “Yes, they are very happy tears.”
*****
Matt held Janie’s hand in the backseat of the BMW on the way back to his apartment. Actually he clung to her like she was his life vest, an analogy he thought was totally appropriate. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, the diamond sparkling in the neon lit street. He had been all but devastated when she didn’t immediately say yes to his proposal, but relief flooded him the second the three letter word escaped her lips.
“I have to admit that I am deliriously happy,” he grinned. “Does that sound corny?”
“No,” she smiled. “I am too.”
Ray pulled in front of the apartment building and Matt ran around and helped Janie from the car. Walking in to the building, he announced to Eddie, who was holding the door for them, that they were engaged. Eddie clapped and offered his congratulations and Matt shook his hand. He all but skipped to the elevator.
Janie grinned as the doors closed behind them and Matt inserted his card into the panel and as they began moving upward, he grabbed her and began dancing, humming in her ear.
“You might just be delirious!” she giggled, as he moved them in a circle.
Matt chuckled and nuzzled her neck but the elevator stopped and interrupted him. He led her to his apartment and once inside turned to her, the levity gone as he spoke.
“I was serious when I said you should consider this your home. I was serious when I made sure half of the closet was empty for you. I don’t know what is going to happen in the next few months, but this is your home while we figure it out. What’s mine is yours. Okay?”
Janie recalled his words, remembering him telling her it was her chair in the bathroom.
“You had this planned before we got here?”
Matt grinned, making her knees go weak, and pulled her to him, crushing her breasts to his chest and kissed her, his lips devouring her.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” she giggled when he finally came up for air.
Matt took her hand and headed for the bedroom. Leaving the lights off as they entered, he turned to her and whispered, “Our room.”
Janie smiled and nodded. “Our room.”
Matt stood before her and undressed, first his shoes and socks, then his jacket and tie. Janie helped him with his shirt buttons and cuff links. Then Matt made quick work of his pants and briefs. He stood before her naked and he took her breath away. She stepped to him, still fully clothed, and kissed him. Then she kissed his chin and his neck, licking his Adam’s apple. Her hands stroked his shoulders and arms and interlocked with his. Matt locked her arms behind her back pulling her close, the sequins on her top rubbing against his chest. Kissing her again, his tongue entered her mouth, savoring her sweet taste and rubbing her teeth. He couldn’t get enough of her.
“I’m feeling a little overdressed,” she grinned.
Matt eyed her like she was prey and the devilish grin appeared again. “Let’s fix that,” he whispered in her ear.
Janie kicked off her pumps and pulled her tank top over her head. Matt undid the button and zipper of her jeans and pushed her onto the bed and pulled them off her body. She lay in front of him in her matching bra and panties. Matt pulled her back up and unhooked her bra and threw it on the bed, as Janie wiggled out if her lace panties.
As she lifted her hand to his arm, the city lights caught the diamond on her finger and sparkled brightly. Janie smiled wide and looked at her hand, still dazed at its brilliance and the shock and surprise of his proposal.
“Happy birthday, my sweet Janie,” he nuzzled into her neck. “I like saying that. My! My Janie!”
Janie giggled and threw her arms around his neck.
“Let’s make love somewhere so that we can watch that sucker sparkle,” he chuckled.
“I liked the desk,” she blushed.
“Mmmmm,” growled Matt. “Me too,” and her picked her up and walked over to the window. Sitting her down carefully on the desk, Janie pulled her hand away and they both admired the ring twinkling like a star. “It looks dazzling on you,” he beamed. “You are dazzling!”
Matt kissed her and Janie arched her back into him. His hands were everywhere; on her back, her thighs, her hips, her breasts. He twisted and pulled on her nipples and Janie gulped with pleasure. He sucked on her neck and breathed in her ear and tingles shot down her spine and desire pooled in between her legs. She reached for his penis and felt the bead of moisture on its tip and took him in her hand. Matt moaned as she tightened her fingers around him and moved up and down, up and down. Their mouths found each other again and their tongues dances as their hands caressed and enjoyed each other.
Janie panted as the longing for him inside her built and Matt stepped back and strode to the bedside table for a condom. Making quick work, he stepped between her legs and pulled her hips to him, poised to enter her.
“I love you, Janie.”
“I love you, Matt.”
And with that he plunged into her, filling her completely, Janie throwing her head back in total ecstasy.
“Aaahh,” they exhaled at the same time.
“Perfect,” he growled, as he began the rhythm that would bring them both to orgasm.
Janie hooked her ankles behind him and sucked him in more and more and the intense pleasure had her holding her breath as Matt ground into her, around and around as she exploded and cried out in pleasure as Matt thrust into her one last time. He gripped her hips and bit his lip as his orgasm ripped through his body, his toes curling into the carpet at his feet.
“Oh, fuck,” he panted.
Janie held him around his waist as he collapsed into her, totally spent.
“Ditto,” she giggled. “That was, umm, absolutely fabulous!”
Matt leaned back and kissed her forehead. Pulling out of her, he quickly entered the bathroom and discarded the condom. Janie decided right then that when she got home she would go and see her doctor about birth control. Maybe at some point Matt would trust her enough to realize she would never trap him by willfully getting pregnant and going against his wishes.
Matt returned to her and helped her off the desk, and she took her turn in the bathroom. When she came out, Matt was climbing into bed. She carefully removed her engagement ring and placed it on the nightstand and crawled in next to him. He pulled her close into his chest and their bodies relaxed into each other.
“Thank you, Matt,” she whispered. “I never thought that I would, could, that it could be like this.”
“Me either,” he nodded. “You rescued me.”
“We rescued each other,” she said and kissed his cheek.
Matt caressed her cheek and kissed her on the forehead.
“You’d better get some sleep. Tomorrow we get to deal with my mother.”
8.
Janie stretched in the luxurious sheets, eyes still shut, her arm searching for Matt. Where is he? Janie sat up, surprised how light it was outside. 8am!! Throwing back the covers, she grabbed Matt’s dress shirt from yesterday and went in search of her fiancée. Fiancée, she smiled. She liked the sound of that. As she walked towards the bedroom door, she heard a noise in the gym. Opening the door, she could see Matt beating the crap out o
f a boxing bag. She crept in, not wanting to disturb his workout.
He was in navy blue gym shorts, worn low on his hips. He wore running shoes and athletic socks. His torso was bare and Janie was mesmerized by the muscles in his back as he punched and swung at the bag. There was sweat dripping from his body, giving his skin a sheen that glistened under the overhead lights. His body moved quickly, deftly, skillfully hitting its target.
As Matt moved to his right, he glanced up to see Janie leaning on the doorframe watching him. He grabbed the bag and stopped it moving, untied his gloves and threw them on the bench in the corner and sauntered to her.
“Fuck you look good in my shirt,” he growled. He grabbed a towel off the chair and wiped his face as he stepped in front of her. “Did I wake you?”
“No, I woke up and you weren’t there and then I was shocked at how late it was. I guess I was exhausted last night,” she blushed.
Matt kissed her forehead and chuckled. “Wore you out, did I?”
Janie blushed again but smiled up at Matt.
“I’d wear you out again right this second if my mother was not expecting us,” he grinned. “But we probably shouldn’t be late,” he sighed. “Are you ready for this?”
Janie looked up at him, confusion on her face.
“You know once she sees your ring she is going to go ballistic and you will not get a moments peace,” he chuckled.
“I like your mom, Matt. It will be fine.”
“From your lips to God’s ears.”
*****
The cab let them off in front of St. Luke’s and Janie clung to Matt’s hand as they entered the beautiful old church. It was close to full, but as they stepped towards the rows of pews, Maureen stood and waved to them.
“You sure you’re ready?” Matt questioned, eyebrows raised, genuine concern in his eyes.
Janie smiled and tried to look self-confident and took a cleansing breath. “Of course. Let’s enjoy the service and we can tell your parents at dinner.”
Matt squeezed her hand, amazed he had found this incredible woman to spend the rest of his life with. Good fortune was definitely smiling down on him.
