Ivory Tower

by Lace Daltyn

  Jenna was hit with a wave of remorse. Her best friend and the person who’d done so much to help her stay sane and get to this point, wouldn’t be here for her wedding. Were they doing the right thing?

  Plus, her mother was going to kill her.

  When Jenna found the note, she started to cry.

  It’s okay. I’ll be with you in spirit. Go get married. And plan on giving me details on absolutely everything when you get home. Love you. Mags.

  Swaying her hips, Jenna let the swish of the satin soothe her. This wasn’t about her mother. Or Mags. Mags, especially, would understand. This was about her and Josh and starting their life together. Jenna ran a hand over lips that knew what it was like to be well kissed. Lips that wanted to feel that way for the rest of her life.

  With Josh.

  Nodding her head, she turned and opened the bedroom door without another qualm.

  Josh stood waiting in a tuxedo, with a small spray of white roses in one hand, a matching boutonniere in the other. He looked so handsome in the classic black suit and crisp white shirt. Dark curls just brushed the collar of his jacket and the look of expectant wonder in his eyes made Jenna’s heart quiver.

  “You look—” His voice broke. He cleared it and tried again. “You look amazing.”

  “And you, dear sir, look very dashing.”

  “No. Seriously.” Josh put the flowers down and stood in front of her. “You are the picture of everything I’ll ever need or ever want in life. You are beautiful, but it’s more than that. You radiate goodness and love.”

  “Love for you. Only you,” she answered.

  He kissed her then, gently, a reminder of their life together. Jenna leaned into his warmth and deepened the kiss, opening her mouth, inviting him in.

  Before they could go too far, Josh broke away. Resting his forehead against hers, Jenna heard him catch his breath. “I think we’d better hold off on that for now, or all your work to get fancied up will be for naught.”

  He picked up the boutonniere. “Will you do the honors?”

  Jenna tried to affix the flower to his lapel, but glanced up and got lost in Josh’s eyes. They stood there, staring at each other, enjoying the private moment of silent communication and love. Trembling, she tried again to pin the rose to his suit. After a couple attempts, she got the flower attached. He handed her the spray of roses.

  “Where did you get these so quickly?”

  “Vegas thinks of everything. The hotel has a twenty-four hour florist shop.”

  Jenna grinned. Everything had worked out perfectly.

  “Ready?” Josh held out his arm to her.

  “Definitely,” she answered, more certain than she’d ever been of anything. She put her hand in his arm and together, they headed for their new life.

  ****

  In what seemed like only moments later, Josh and Jenna stood in the alcove of the wedding chapel, a bit of paperwork and the exchange of money the only prelude to the occasion of their wedding.

  She glanced around at the draped white material meant to turn plain walls into an exquisitely decadent chapel. The not-quite-real flowers in plastic wicker stands. The folding chairs with white bows tied around them. It screamed cheesy. The only thing missing was the Elvis-impersonator/minister. Standing at the back of the room, waiting their turn, Jenna pulled her lower lip into her mouth.

  Josh turned Jenna’s face up. “If you keep doing that, we’ll never make it to the altar. I’m so hot for you I’m about to bust.” He ran his finger along the line of her jaw.

  Jenna released her lip and stared up at him. “Not that I’m being snobbish or anything, but this place seems pretty low-budget.”

  He paused. “It’s not too late to back out, you know. Tear up the paperwork, go back home and give your mother the wedding of her dreams. Just say the word.” His eyes belied the tension riding just underneath.

  She knew he wanted this. Wanted her.

  And she wanted him. Wanted this.

  The how didn’t matter and never had. She nodded up at him through eyes filling with tears of joy. The room around them morphed, their surroundings now enveloped in a hazy, rose-colored halo, softening it, smoothing out the imperfections. She turned back to Josh, letting all the love she felt for him pour into her expression. “It’s exactly what I want.”

  He snuggled her hand in the crook of his arm. “It’s what we want.”

  “Latham?” The minister, dressed in somber gray with a flashing neon tie, called them.

  Jenna grinned and took the first step forward.

  ****

  A scant ten minutes later, they raced out of the chapel, back to their hotel room. Jenna put the card in to unlock the door, but Josh stopped her from moving forward. He swept her into his arms, a huge grin on his face.

  “This is one threshold you don’t cross by yourself, Mrs. Latham.”

  “Why, Mr. Latham, I do declare, I never knew such a gentleman existed underneath that smooth exterior of yours.” She giggled her way into his kiss as he lowered his mouth to hers.

  Thank God hotel doors generally shut on their own, because by the time they fell onto the bed, Josh’s kisses had turned molten and neither of them were thinking about the door. The heat coursing through Jenna’s body matched his.

  He tugged on the strapless top, but wedding dresses weren’t made for easy access. Groaning in frustration, he stood and pulled her with him.

  “Turn.” His voice was gruff.

  Jenna willingly turned and was unzipped before she completed the maneuver.

  Josh stripped in about as little time. As he made to pull her back to the bed, she stalled. “Wait.”

  “I don’t think I can.”

  “Just for a moment.” She took the tiara from her hair and set it on the nearby desk, then, in strapless bra and a white thong, she kneeled on the bed and crawled her way up Josh’s body, pressing kisses wherever she wanted on his feet, calves, thighs. When she licked a droplet from the tip of his cock, he groaned. In the next instant, her bra was unhooked and she lay on her back with Josh over her, clouds of desire darkening his eyes.

  “I don’t think I can do foreplay at the moment.”

  Jenna grinned. “I don’t believe I need foreplay...at the moment.”

  He yanked her thong down and tossed it behind him.

  She opened to him as he looked at her.

  “Now?”

  She nodded, so wet, so ready, so wanting to be past this final barrier.

  “Finally,” Josh whispered hoarsely. The tip of his cock caressed her folds, pressed against her, opening her, causing a flood of dampness. Then, a quick hurt, gone in a moment, as he broke past her gift to him and fully seated himself.

  “Oh, my God, baby. You are so tight. So hot, wet, and so fucking wonderful.”

  “Josh?”

  “Yes, darling?”

  “Shut up and show me what you’ve got.”

  “Whatever you say, Mrs. Latham.” And he did just that, thrusting, touching her soul, then releasing. In slow measures, he drove her to the tip of insanity. She clamped her walls tight around him, barely able to hear the moan that escaped his mouth.

  He latched onto her breast and sucked, and the sensation was like a string pulling at her clit. It was the final straw and she shuddered into her building orgasm. He sped up, matching her need, and together they crashed into their climax. Long, rolling waves lapped at her as he continued to drive in and out. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, could only flow with another orgasm as it hit her, stronger than the first, buoyed by their love and the certainty that they were forever-mates.

  Long moments later he collapsed beside her, breathing hard.

  Jenna’s whole body felt boneless. She couldn’t move. They panted in unison until the kaleidoscope of color that blinded Jenna settled back to normal vision. She turned toward Josh and propped herself up on an elbow. “Was I worth the wait?”

  He toyed with a lock of her hair. “So worth it. Knew you wo
uld be.” Josh pulled her down, caressing her with his lips, sucking her bottom lip into his mouth.

  “Why, ah do believe your cock is waking up again, Mr. Latham.” She stretched her hand along his silky length, then clutched him at the base until he gasped and disengaged her fingers.

  “First things first,” he said, pointing. “To the shower, Mrs. Latham.”

  Giggling, Jenna jumped off the bed and headed for the shower. She’d barely gotten the water warm when Josh joined her, sporting a hotel sliver of soap and a gleam in his eyes. “I fully intend to show you exactly how all those sexy little stories you write feel.”

  “How do you know—” Jenna’s eyes widened. “You’ve read my stories?”

  “Every one of them.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I didn’t want you to freak out about it.”

  “Oh, my God. I can’t believe you read them.” Her whole body warmed with a blush. “Those aren’t real, Josh. They are just my imagination, coupled with some online research and reading.”

  “They most certainly can be real. The way I figure it, I’ve had a front row seat to your fantasies. And I’m going to enjoy making each and every one of them come true. Starting with...” he twirled the soap again, “…me—washing you—all over.” That low, throaty voice he fell into when he was turned on made Jenna shiver with delight.

  He did what he promised. His hands, massaging the shampoo into her hair, were heaven. Back and forth, light, then a gentle digging into her scalp. Relaxation flowed through her, all the way to her toes, and then worked its way back up as Josh spread soap over her back. His hands moved with sensual ease along her spine, down to the cleft in her cheeks, then back up. Jenna arched her ass toward him, coaxing him to delve deeper, but instead he pulled her back against his chest, moving soapy hands across her ribs to cup her breasts.

  “How come,” Jenna gasped, “we’ve never showered before?”

  “Because you wanted to wait,” Josh answered, moving one hand lower, curling into the hair at the base of her stomach.

  “I was a fool.” She ached for him again. Jenna arched into his hand and he answered, dipping his finger into her slit.

  “You are so wet.”

  “And needy.”

  “And insatiable.” He chuckled, continuing to toy with her nipple and move along her slit.

  “Oh, God, Josh. Please.”

  “Please, what?”

  “Fuck me. I need you.”

  “As my lady wishes,” he said, then bent her over, entering her from behind.

  Jenna gasped at how much deeper he was able to penetrate in this position. The erotic writer in her began to dissect the position. She’d written about this, but never before had experienced it. What else had she been missing out on all these years?

  As Josh increased his thrusts and continued toying with her breasts, Jenna forgot thought and gave herself up to the wave that built yet again. She leaned into the wall as warm water pelted them, letting Josh’s pace melt her into another orgasm. He quickly followed and moments later, they tumbled over the edge. Jenna realized she was in danger of not being able to stand, at least not for much longer.

  Josh turned the water off, wrapped her in a soft towel, and carried her to the bed. He dried her, then himself, and climbed in next to her, pulling her into his embrace. “I love you, Jenna.”

  “I love you back,” she whispered, her eyes closing. Even now, wrapped in Josh’s arms, she felt the tug of desire overwhelming her need for sleep. Jenna ran her hands over his chest, excited by the shiver he tried to hide as she crossed his nipple.

  “We need sleep, my lovely wife. Sleep.”

  While her mind agreed with him, her body had other ideas. Her hand stroked the other nipple and his quick intake of air was very satisfying.

  “Sleep is highly overrated,” Jenna said as she leaned down and took his once again hard cock in her mouth.

  “Oh, yeah,” he agreed. “Highly overrated.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Daylight wormed its way into Jenna’s mind, pulling her gently out of the deepness of a well-satisfied sleep. Reaching over, she realized the bed was empty.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

  She smiled at Josh’s voice and opened her eyes when he sat on her side of the bed, still naked and looking very sexy. “What time is it?”

  “Noon.” He took a bite of toast, then offered her some, but she shook her head.

  Jenna couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept until noon. It had been, well, never. She grinned, then stretched like a Cheshire cat, the sheet staying put as she moved, baring her breasts.

  Josh’s eyes darkened with desire and he tossed the toast over his shoulder, grabbed her overhead-stretched arms, and leaned in to kiss and suckle her breasts.

  Jenna gladly arched toward him, giving herself over to the exquisite torture his tongue’s play provoked. When his lips moved lower, pulling the sheet with him, she spread her legs without hesitation. After all, her husband had a very talented tongue.

  When he licked her from pussy to clit, she yelped in surprise.

  “Problem?” He lifted his head and grinned.

  “Um, no. Just caught me off guard.”

  He dipped his head, returning to his fun.

  “You, oh, really know what you’re doing,” she said between gasps. Jenna clutched the sheet underneath her in both hands to keep from pushing his head deeper.

  He took her to the edge, then pulled away.

  “God. Don’t stop.”

  “I don’t intend to,” he answered, slicking her with his cock the way his tongue had just done, then driving into her. Jenna screamed as the climax hit her, long, rolling, and hard enough to bring her off the bed.

  Still Josh kept on thrusting as his hand snaked between them and touched her clit.

  “Oh!”

  He paused and grinned down at her. “I have every intention, ma’am, of giving you a few new ideas for your stories.”

  He moved again, this time a slow, sensual in and out that kept her at the edge of the precipice.

  “I welcome the experimentation, milord,” she said, answering his grin with one of her own. Then she clenched her legs tightly around him, pulling him in deeper, and the smiles gave way to a growing flood of sensation and emotion all tangled together.

  They cuddled together like that, whispering, touching and abating their wonder for another hour before Jenna’s growling stomach brought them out of bed.

  Most of the breakfast Josh had ordered had lost its warmth, so they ate cold bacon and pastries, naked and grinning like fools.

  Finally, Josh got up and helped her into her bathrobe. “Let’s call Maggie,” he said.

  “Great idea. I want her to know.”

  “Then we need to make reservations to go home and—”

  “Face the music?”

  He shrugged, heading into the bathroom.

  Mags screeched into the phone when Jenna told her, so loud Josh heard her without the benefit of speakerphone.

  “Ohmygawd, I am SO proud of you. And happy for you. And pissed I wasn’t there.”

  “I know you wanted to be there. We wanted you there, but we got caught up in the moment.”

  Josh came out of the bathroom, brushing his teeth, in nothing but boxers. Damn, he was sexy. Her cunt started to tingle. He was right. Maybe she was insatiable.

  “—told your mother yet?”

  “Umm, what?”

  “Stop ogling that husband of yours and focus. Have. You. Told. Your. Mother. Yet?”

  “No.” Jenna stared out the window so she could concentrate. “We thought we’d come home and do that in person.”

  “You have got to let me be there.”

  “I don’t know, Mags.”

  “Aw, come on. I’ve been through thick and thin with you and her. Mostly thick. I’ve earned this.”

  Jenna laughed. “You have.” She bit her lip. “Tell you what. Let me talk to Josh about it
and I’ll get back to you.”

  The silence on the other end of the phone lengthened.

  “Mags?”

  “Just trying to pick my words carefully here,” she finally said. “Are you planning to let Josh make your decisions for you now?”

  “Lord, no. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I have worth. And you know what? I do pretty darn well on my own. I make good decisions.” Jenna put Mags on speakerphone.

  “About time you came to that realization,” Maggie said.

  “Yes,” Josh said, settling next to her on the couch. “It is about time.”

  “Okay, you two. No more ganging up on me. Maggie, Josh’s going to take the brunt of Mother’s, umm, anger. So I think he should have a say in who’s there to witness the event.”

  “Fair enough,” Maggie said. “Josh?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t care if you’re there, Maggie. And you have earned the right.”

  “Sounds like a plan, then.” Jenna wasn’t sure how she felt about facing her mother. Dread, certainly. She’d be bolstered by her husband and her best friend as she faced her, but it didn’t feel quite right. She’d have backup, but who would her mother have? Jenna ended the call after promising to let Maggie know when they arrived home.

  “Time to head back to the lion’s den, I guess.”

  Josh tugged at the tie on her robe, opening it. “Soon. And you’ll be well-fortified with memories to help you through the ordeal.”

  Jenna sighed. “I like that idea.”

  ****

  The front desk of the hotel was pretty much vacant since the conference didn’t end for another day. Turning in her key card and getting her receipt took little time.

  “Leaving without saying goodbye?”

  “Sharon, hi,” Jenna said with a smile. “I hoped to run into you. I didn’t know your last name or how to find you.”

  “So you were going to just leave.” The grin on Sharon’s face contradicted the sternness of her voice. “Got a few minutes to talk?”

  “Sure. We don’t have to be at the airport for an hour or so. Sharon, this is Josh. Josh, Sharon has been a huge help these past couple days. Do you all want to grab some coffee?” Jenna could use some. She was sleep-deprived. Happily so, but still, it was hard to keep her eyes open at the moment.