by Cherry Kay
She nodded to herself. “I’m good, thank you, how are you?”
He breathed out thickly and replied, “Well, I’m good, but I’m anxious to hear what your verdict is.”
Elise smiled a little. He sounded as nervous as she felt and it made her feel as though she wasn’t alone in the situation. “I’ll accept the deal. I’ll marry you in one week, and we will go forward with the baby.” She couldn’t believe those words came out of her mouth.
David breathed a huge sigh of relief and let a small laugh escape him. “That’s wonderful! That’s… that’s really wonderful. Thank you so much.”
Elise bit her lip. “There is something I wanted to ask you about, though.”
He was ready with his response immediately. “Of course, ask me anything at all. What is it?”
“What kind of a wedding are you thinking of having? I mean… how do I prepare for this?” she asked, sitting down slowly at her desk and picking up a pen.
David rubbed his forefinger over his chin. “I guess I didn’t think about that. We can do whatever you’d like. We only have a week to plan, so it seems like a big wedding might be difficult to do. What do you want to do?”
Elise was relieved that he was giving her the option. “Well, I always wanted a big wedding, you know… the cathedral, the limo, the dress and the cake… the whole thing, but I have to be honest, I don’t know how I could possibly explain that I’m suddenly getting married to a man no one has ever heard of before and have a big lavish wedding like that, especially, as you said, in a week. So I guess since none of my friends and family knows about you and none of your people know about me, we should keep it really small and just elope. We could tell people we met and fell in love at first sight and rushed off to get married. Then we would only need to get things like wedding clothes and flowers, and rings, I guess, and then we could just have a quick ceremony and be done with it.”
She hated how un-romantic it all sounded, but it was business, and she accepted that.
David nodded in agreement on his end of the phone. “That’s solid thinking, Elise. I like that. I’ll tell you what. I wouldn’t want to do anything like going to Vegas, so what if I take you to an island for a tropical wedding. They do that sort of thing all the time and it’s easy to arrange a fast wedding that way. We would need witnesses, so you could bring one of your friends or family members, and I’ll bring… someone… and then we could start the honeymoon right there on the island. What do you think?”
She felt like her life was flashing before her eyes: a tropical wedding and a honeymoon. Wasn’t she just wading through bills and denials from banks last week?
“I think that would be very nice but I would have to find someone to help cover my work here at the shop. I couldn’t just leave it to the girls who work for me.” She knew the shop would hit a wall if she left for even a short break.
“What exactly do you do there at your shop?” he asked in a quiet tone.
She looked around and sighed. “I make the chocolate, I order the supplies, keep the books, clean the shop, send the deliveries… basically, everything.”
“I’ll tell you what, you leave that to me and start looking for a dress. I’ll take care of the rest.” He smiled to himself and she frowned into the phone.
“But I-” she started, and he stopped her with a soft voice.
“Please, Elise, just trust me. Let me help you.” He smiled a little and she sighed and sank back into her chair.
“Alright. I’ll leave it to you.” She couldn’t hide the uncertainty in her voice.
He just smiled. “Thank you. I’ll be in touch with the details of the trip, okay?”
“Okay,” she said simply.
“Elise?” he spoke her name quietly.
“Yes?”
“Thank you. This means a great deal to me.” His voice was genuine and it made her smile.
“Thank you, David. I hope this works out well for both of us.” She hung up and took herself home, collapsing onto her bed from exhaustion.
***
The next morning when she opened the doors at the shop, a group of people walked in and she smiled at them, wishing them good morning.
“What can I do for you today?” she asked brightly.
The tall man in the front of the group approached her with a smile. “Elise?” he asked hopefully. She nodded at him.
“It isn’t what you can do for us, but rather, what we can do for you. David sent us here to help you. I’m Marcus Antoine. I’m the head chef at-”
Elise stared at him in amazement. “…at Chez Antoine?!” She knew full well who he was and she couldn’t believe he was standing in her little café.
He nodded in happy humility and reached out to take her hand, kissing her fingers lightly and letting her hand go. “I’m here to learn your chocolate making styles so that I can create your chocolates while you’re away for your wedding and honeymoon. And congratulations, by the way.”
She stared at him. “You’re kidding.” It was more than she was able to wrap her head around.
He turned and introduced the other people with him. “This is your team for the next two weeks. This is Sally, she’ll be doing your bookkeeping. Andrew will be handling your ordering. Mary will keep your shop tidy and clean, and this is Bridget, she will be here to fill in wherever she is needed, no matter what that might be. We would like to spend a few full days working with you to learn your system of operations, and then when you go, we will be able to take over a seamless transfer of management and then when you return, everything will be just as you left it, or better, if we do our jobs right.”
He looked so pleased to be able to help her. She shook her head in utter disbelief.
“But I can’t afford to-” she began to tell them but Marcus stopped her.
“Oh no, madam, please. We have been very well compensated. There is nothing at all for you to do but to train us in your ways. We are ready to begin now.”
She stood there staring at the lot of them, stunned and blinking for a long moment while they smiled back at her. “Well… I guess the first thing is that I want to get each of you a pastry and a drink of your choice. What would you like?”
They accepted her hospitality, and then she spent that entire day and the next two days teaching all of them how she ran her shop. By the end of the third day, she was completely confident that she could leave it in their hands with no issues whatsoever. She had even learned several new things from Marcus that would enable her to improve her own chocolate making, and it thrilled her to no end to work with him.
At the end of the first day, when they’d left her, she called David and when he answered, she gushed her thanks and happiness at his unexpected gift.
“I can’t believe you did that for me! They’re incredible!” She almost laughed with happiness at it all.
He smiled. “It’s my pleasure. Now you can focus on the wedding. I’ll have a car pick you up and I’ll meet you at the airport.”
She thanked him again and hung up. They were practically running her shop for her by the third day and because of their superb talent and efficiency, she felt no guilt at all in taking a couple of days off to go dress and travel shopping for her trip.
After what seemed like five minutes, the days were gone and the morning of her trip had arrived. A limousine picked her up and then drove to Sarah’s house and Sarah climbed into the car and winked at the limo driver in a flirty way.
“Well… we’re off. This is it,” Elise said, her nerves on fire with electricity as she tapped her fingers against the arm of the door.
Sarah shook her head. “I still don’t think you should do this, but if you’re going to, this is a fine way to do it!” She grinned at Elise. “I’ve always wanted to go to some tropical island and now here we are, going in style! Look at us!”
Elise laughed at her and they talked about the trip all the way to the airport, until they got out of the car and looked up at the private jet that was waiting f
or them with a red carpet rolled out before it. Sarah’s mouth fell wide open, and then she shut it when she saw David, and though her eyes grew wide and she smiled and nodded at Elise, she didn’t say another word for a long while.
Elise introduced Carlson and Jason to Sarah, and they all boarded the plane to head to the Caribbean. The jet was David’s and it was suited to David’s business needs. It was first and foremost about comfort, and secondly about efficiency. There was nothing that any of them could have needed or wanted for on the aircraft, and Sarah and Elise had never traveled anywhere in such posh style as they did on the plane.
Both of them were quiet, exploring all of it with wondering eyes and uncertain exploration. The foreign feel of it dissipated for them a few hours into the trip and by the time they were landing in the islands, both of them had gotten quite comfortable in the airplane. It was a good thing because the airplane was only an introduction to the unequivocal luxury they experienced in being picked up in another limousine and taken to the private resort where they were staying.
When they arrived, each of them checked into their own suites. Elise had never in her life seen anything like what she experienced at the resort. Her room was enormous and fresh fruit, flowers, champagne and chocolate were set in varying places all over the room. Candles were lit and her bed was turned down. There were thick robes hanging in the bathroom and a rock waterfall and stream at one end of her room where the glass doors opened up to a patio and a private hot tub and pool.
Sarah pounded on her door in excitement and when Elise let her in, she rushed around Elise’s room in happiness, looking at everything.
“You got such a beautiful room! Come see my room! I love it! I don’t see any reason to ever leave this place!” She giggled, dragging Elise to her room. They explored the rest of the resort and booked massages for that afternoon. By dinnertime, they were giddy with delight and had seen nearly all there was to see in the massive place.
The group met for dinner in a private dining hall and enjoyed several local dishes created with fish, fruits, pig and an array of spices. It was the best meal that either Elise or Sarah had ever eaten.
During the course of the meal, David explained the itinerary for the coming day. They had the morning to themselves to spend as they liked, and then the group would meet for lunch, then dress for the ceremony, and at sunset, they would be married. Following the ceremony, they would enjoy a luau sort of celebration and all of them would part ways after that. He explained that as his guests, the rest of them would be welcome to stay the week and the jet would take them all home on the last day but they would not see David and Elise until that last day when it was time to leave.
The following day, the ladies had a full spa morning and then met the men for lunch, which they enjoyed in the gardens of the resort near a large waterfall. After lunch, Sarah and Elise went back to Elise’s room to get ready for the ceremony, and the men went to their rooms to do the same.
David enjoyed seeing all of them having such a fun time but he had to admit to himself that he was a little nervous about what he was doing. He knew he had to do it but the idea of marrying anyone, even for business, made him stiffen with anxiety. He donned his wedding clothes and looked in the mirror, staring at the last moments of his bachelor days, wondering how it had all come to that moment.
Sarah readied Elise, and just before sunset, she looked into her mirror one last time. Her dress was fitted close to her body, a sleeveless sweetheart top and a mermaid tail bottom. It hugged her curves beautifully, and the white shade of the dress brought out the beautiful dark bronze of her skin. Her hair was twisted up and decorated with gardenias that surrounded her in a sweet luscious scent.
They walked out to the private beach where candles were lit along a pathway for her, and poles festooned with ribbons and flowers glowed in the golden light. The waves hushed the world around them as they washed into shore, and Elise took a deep breath and walked toward the beautiful stranger waiting for her at the end of the aisle.
They stood there together, and he took her hands in his, more to steady each of them than for any sentimental reason. She bit her lip and he smiled at her and said quietly, “You look beautiful.” His comment was sweet and thoughtful, and it made her smile back at him.
The priest spoke solemn words of life and love, of dedication, commitment, sincerity, friendship and loyalty, and then he tied a white ribbon around their hands and bound them in marriage, undoing the ribbon and asking them to exchange rings.
Elise had not seen the ring that David had chosen for her, and when he placed it on her finger, she was stunned by its brilliance. It was elegant and amazing. She slid his ring onto his finger, and the priest invited David to kiss Elise.
He paused for a moment and then lifted his hands to her face, and touching her skin so delicately, he lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers softly, holding them there for a long moment. Then he let her go and smiled at her as the priest pronounced them man and wife; they were greeted by their companions.
She wasn’t sure if it was the ceremony or his kiss that had made butterflies erupt in her belly, but as they began their celebration, the butterflies went away, and she tried to settle her mind into believing that she was now David’s wife. They danced later in the evening as the celebration grew great, and he wrapped his arm around her waist and turned her slowly to a love song that was playing for them.
He leaned close to her ear and asked, “Are you doing alright?”
She nodded and gave him a grin. “Yeah, I think I’m okay. How are you doing?”
David nodded subtly. “I’m good. I didn’t know how this would all feel, but it’s not as terrifying as I thought it might be.”
She laughed at him and felt a little more comfortable dancing with him. The night wore on and as the hour grew late, David and Elise said goodbye to their companions. Elise hugged and kissed Sarah, and told her to enjoy the rest of her week. Sarah told Elise to call her if she needed anything. Then, amid well wishes from the resort staff who had made their wedding so beautiful, they disappeared into the resort, leaving their guests to the festivities outside.
Chapter5
Elise followed David through the resort to an area that she had somehow missed in all of her exploration the day before. A guard opened a private door for them that was all but hidden in plain sight from the rest of the space around it.
They found themselves in a grand and secluded suite, almost an apartment. It had its own private beach, complete with a boat and a canopied beach bed. Elise stared at the opulence around her and tried her best not to feel out of place. David saw her staring at everything around them, and though he was accustomed to such beauty and finery, he too was amazed at the place they found themselves in. He took her hand and they walked through it together. There were ponds and streams that came from waterfalls in their room, there were open airways that led from the bedroom out to the gardens and the beach, and there were fountains and pools of crystalline water that shimmered in the rising moonlight.
They looked at all of it, and then David and Elise knew that the time had come to consummate their marriage. He walked with her to their bedroom and they entered it solemnly, each with a bit of uncertainty. He began to take his clothes off slowly, placing them with care on the lounge at the end of the bed, and she turned away from him, embarrassed at his boldness.
“Would you… would you mind if we don’t have the lights on tonight?” she asked, feeling horribly shy. She couldn’t imagine where it was coming from. This wasn’t her first night with a man and she was not ashamed of her body, but the awkwardness of him being a stranger unsettled her, and she felt she had to ask.
David stopped undressing and looked toward her, at her back that was turned to him. He could see how uncomfortable she was and he walked up to her and laid his fingers on her shoulder lightly.
“You knew that we would be doing this,” he said quietly.
She nodded. “I did.”
&
nbsp; “Are you still alright with it?” he asked nervously.
“I am.” She meant it. “I’m just a little… I just feel a little shy tonight. It’s the first time with you,” she whispered.
“Okay,” he said, lifting his hand from her shoulder. He walked over to the lights and turned them off, and then the only light in the room was moonlight, and it washed over them in pale brilliance.
She slipped out of her wedding dress and David watched her, not really meaning to, but unable to turn away as he saw the moonlight reflecting on her dark skin. He felt mesmerized, in a strange way, and it drew him to her. He approached her again from behind, and touched her shoulders lightly with both of his hands. She shivered at his touch and he moved his hands down her arms to her waist.
Elise felt cool somehow, though the night air was balmy, and David’s hands were warm on her skin. She felt him embrace her from behind, his hands moving from her hips to her ribs, and a strange sensation moved suddenly through her as his fingertips brushed the lower swell of her breasts. It drew her breath away and made her a little dizzy.
His lips skimmed the curve of her shoulder, and he whispered to her, “Lay down with me, please.”
She moved onto the bed, lying on her back, looking up at him in complete disbelief that she was doing anything like this. He looked down at her with much the same thought in his own mind.
He touched her knee and she hesitated a moment and then spread her legs for him, as he hovered over her a moment, he looked down into her sea green eyes and whispered, “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
“Yes,” she whispered back.
He closed his eyes and lowered himself onto her body, touching her softly and tentatively with his fingertips, readying her for his penetration, and then he slowly pushed himself into her and they both gasped at the intensity of the feelings that rocked them to their cores. It stopped him still for a long moment, until she reached her hands up to his shoulders, and her touch warmed him so much that he felt an undiscovered need, and he pushed himself into her fully, filling her and making her cry out softly in unexpected pleasure.
