by Alexis Gold
***
Two days felt like two years, or even longer than that, as she walked out of her office at the beginning of the week after the gallery show. She had never focused so hard on her work and it was wearing on her. She felt tired and sad and nothing she seemed to do could quite take her mind off of losing Derek. It felt like he was all around her, seeped into the fringes of her every thought as she made her way through the day, and not only did it distract her from giving her full attention to everything she did, it also made her miss him tremendously.
He was an echo in her mind and heart that ricocheted back and forth and would not be silenced or stopped. She reached her car and frowned when she saw an envelope tucked into the window. She pulled the envelope from where it was wedged and opened it up.
Inside was a thick sheet of paper folded in half and on it was a message written in scripted lettering.
The battery from your car has been removed and it will not take you anywhere, but don’t worry that you’re stuck, because your knight in a suit is here to save the day!
She sighed and looked around, expecting to see Derek, but he was nowhere in sight. A taxi cab pulled up behind her car and the driver stepped out and waved at her.
“Are you Julia?” he asked with a smile.
She nodded. “I am.”
He waved his hand at her. “Come on, I’m supposed to give you a ride.”
Julia raised one eyebrow doubtfully. “Um... I’m not sure that—”
He shook his head. “Come on, lady! I got a job to get back to! Let’s go!”
Feeling obligated and realizing that she was in fact stuck, she sighed and walked over to his cab, getting into the back seat as he held the door open for her. Irritation began to gnaw at her and her mood grew steadily worse as the cabbie pulled out from the parking lot and turned in the opposite direction of her home.
“I don’t live that way!” she told him plaintively. “I live... wait, where are you taking me?” she asked as panic began to mingle with her ire.
He shrugged. “I can’t tell you that, lady. Sorry. I’m just supposed to pick you up and deliver you. That’s all I know, and that’s all I can tell you.”
She glared out of the cab window as he turned and twisted up and down the roads of the city. Finally he came to a wide open area at a beach and stopped the car.
“Where are we? How am I supposed to get home from here?” she demanded angrily.
He chuckled to himself and got out of the car, opening the door and letting her out. “I don’t know, lady. All I know is that I’m done. Best of luck to you.” He got back in his car and drove off and as he did she turned around and her mouth fell open as she took in the view towards the beach.
There on the sand was an enormous hot air balloon, filled and hovering slightly above the ground.
“It’s something else, isn’t it?” he asked with a smile.
Julia closed her eyes for a moment, trying to tell herself that it wasn’t him. It wasn’t real. He wasn’t doing this. He laid his hands gently on her shoulders and turned her to face him.
Derek stood there dressed in a new suit that fit him like a glove. He looked incredible. She tried to focus on the fact that they were over and he was her ex.
“What are you doing? What’s all this? And what the hell did you do to my car?” she snapped at him.
He smiled at her. “Your car is fine. Listen, I really screwed up with you and I want to make it right. I have to make it right with you; I can’t lose you. I love you.”
Tears stung her eyes and she closed them to hold the traitor tears in. She shook her head and drew a deep breath. “Derek, we’re done! This is it! You can’t—” she began, but she was silenced by his mouth on hers, kissing her softly.
She felt her heart expanding like the balloon behind her, heating and pounding hard, like there was suddenly life being breathed back into it and though she tried to remain steadfast, she found herself melting into his embrace and then she could not help herself, she kissed him back, her lips parting as he insisted on kissing her deeply and she could not deny him or ignore her love for him.
When he finally let her go, they were both breathless and she felt as if she was about to fall to her knees with weakness and surrender.
“I owe you an enormous apology, and this is me making that up to you. I can’t tell you how sorry I am that things went the way that they did and that you had to go through such a hard time at the gallery opening. I’m sorry that things were strained between us while I was working, but I want you to know that the escort job was in fact just a job to me, and that you are the only thing besides my art that means anything to me. I had to tell you that. You are everything to me. I quit my job at the escort service. I’m never going to date another woman besides you for the rest of my life. You are all I want. I love you.” He smiled at her and held her hands in his. “So forgive me, Julia, take me back and let’s work at this relationship and make it successful. It isn’t going to happen all on its own; we have to put some effort into it. Help me do that, so that we can share our lives together, please. We are worth it,” he told her earnestly.
She sighed and looked down. He sounded like her mother, and she knew that her mother was right.
Looking back up at him she sniffed and nodded. “Okay. We’ll give it another try. We’ll work together to make it happen.” She smiled at him and he pulled her to him and kissed her softly.
“I’m so sorry,” he told her. “I love you. I can’t ever let you go.”
“I love you, too,” she sighed and kissed him again. “Now... what’s with the balloon?” She turned around and looked up at the massive thing floating in the air behind her.
He grinned. “That’s one of the things on your bucket list that we are checking off today!” he told her in excitement.
Julia blinked in surprise and her mouth turned up in a huge grin. “Really? That’s for us? We’re going up in that?”
He nodded and took her hand. “We are indeed. Don’t think I’m going to apologize this big every time I screw up, but this time it was important to me to make it up to you and win you back. Besides, I have another surprise for you,” he said with a wink.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Another one? What are you up to?”
Derek took her by the hand and walked with her to the balloon where the balloon operator helped them both into the basket. Her heart raced wildly as she held onto the edge of it and looked over, delirious with anticipation and excitement. The balloon lifted off and began to sail along the coast, sometimes out over the water, sometimes over the shore. Derek held her, his arms around her from the back as they watched the world fall away beneath them while they drifted into the heavens.
After they had become comfortable, Derek let her go and bent to a basket that was sitting in the corner, opening it and getting into it. He stood up a moment later and handed Julia a glass of champagne.
She took it with a wide grin and laughed happily at him. “How in the world did you ever come up with an idea like this?” she asked, shaking her head.
He shrugged. “It was your idea, remember? Your bucket list.” He kissed her and lifted his glass in a toast. “To the love of my life, all of my life. It is my deepest hope and fondest wish that you will promise to love me in return, all of my days.” He lowered himself carefully to one knee and pulled a box from his pocket, lifting it up to her. “Marry me, Julia, please. Be the love of my life all of my life.”
She looked at him there before her with his heart in his hand and her future in the little box held snugly in his fingers. Inside it was a beautiful diamond ring. She pressed her fingers to her lips, trying to hold in the emotion she felt. She knew that this was the moment that would define the rest of her life, and she knew that there was no other choice than to say yes to him.
“I will. I have to. I love you so much, Derek. I want to be with you for the rest of my life.” She took the ring and he stood up and slipped it on her finger, and then pulled
her close into his strong embrace, kissing her softly as they floated over the world.
Epilogue
Evelyn waited at the first chair in the front row, twisting her handkerchief in her hands and grinning widely as she looked around her at the guests gathered in the vineyard garden. There was a wide canopy of sheer material that was draped over all of them, letting some sunlight filter in, but keeping the afternoon heat off of them.
Her daughters began to walk down the aisle toward her as music drifted through the garden and seemed to hang gently in the air beneath the trees that towered over them and made a natural canopy. One by one they came, each of the twins, and then Samantha, and when Samantha reached the end of the aisle, she and Evelyn and all of the guests turned to look back where the ladies had emerged from.
Derek’s heart pounded in his chest and his body felt warm as he waited, his breath caught in him somewhere, not quite able to escape. Then he caught sight of her, and everything around him disappeared, everything fell away except Julia, who was walking toward him on her father’s arm in a gossamer gown that flowed and drifted around her like air as she moved.
Though he had become internationally renowned and had become immeasurably blessed in his work as one of the most popular artists in several countries, he knew without a doubt that the woman he was looking at was his greatest gift. Her smile shone in the autumn glow around them, and her eyes sparkled with happiness. When she reached him, George placed her hand in Derek’s gently and then looked at him seriously and said in a quiet tone, “I’m giving you one of the most precious people in my life. Take good care of her.”
“I will,” Derek promised him. “Always.”
As the sun began to sink behind them, setting the sky on fire in oranges and pinks, they made vows to each other that they would keep all of their days, and their close friends and family celebrated with great joy as they sealed their promises with a tender kiss.
They walked through the vineyard to the reception in the great tasting hall, and as they danced, Julia held him close and turned her face up to him. “Weddings are the most romantic thing in the world, aren’t they?”
Derek thought for a moment and then tilted his head and smiled. “This one is, but it’s only the first day of the rest of our lives together, and I think there will be many, many more romantic moments to come. Who can say which would be the most romantic?” He shrugged. “As long as I’m with you, I know that the romance will grow and last longer than we will. It will be in our children, in our grandchildren, and it will be timeless as love should be.”
Julia grinned at him, leaned up on her toes and kissed him. “You are the most romantic, and that’s all there is to it.”
He shrugged and grinned. “Well, I do try.” He winked at her.
Evelyn came to her daughter and hugged her tightly. “I’m so glad that you and Derek are together, and that you got past your problems. I want you always to remember that things can be worked through if you just try. I was beginning to think that this day would never come, but now I’m so glad that it has. You’ve got the best man that you could have, and I know you’re going to share a beautiful lifetime with him.”
“Thank you Mom,” Julia said happily. “I want our marriage to be as wonderful as yours and dad’s is.”
Her mother nodded and grinned. “It will be if you both work hard to make it that way, and I think he’s going to do just that for you.”
The night was filled with dancing, with happiness, with laughter and most of all with tremendous joy. When they had kissed their friends and family goodbye, they climbed into a limousine and were whisked away to the airport.
She kissed him sweetly as they left their wedding, and then took his hands in hers. “Where are we going?” she asked excitedly.
Derek shook his head. “You’ll find out when we get to the airport. For now, just let it be a surprise and enjoy yourself.”
She squealed in anticipation. “Part of me wants to wait, and part of me wants to know right now.”
He laughed at her. “Well, not to worry, because all of you will know soon enough.”
A short while later, they were standing at the ticket desk and the ticket agent handed Julia two tickets. The first one was to London, and the second was to Paris.
She turned and looked at her new husband with wide happy eyes. “Really? We’re going to London and Paris for our honeymoon? That’s the best gift you ever could have given me!” she exclaimed happily, throwing her arms around his neck.
He kissed her cheek, and then he kissed her mouth softly. “I’m working my way down your bucket list bit by bit. I had considered Kilimanjaro, but then we would be spending a lot of energy climbing and just because this is our honeymoon and I want to spend our energy doing other extra-curricular activities, I thought I’d start with Europe.
She laughed at him and nodded. “That’s perfect,” she told him with a smile. “I’m so excited to be going there, especially with you, but the best part of being there is just spending time with you. Nothing else would make me happier.”
They arrived in London and checked into their hotel, and the clerk smiled happily at them. “Our honeymoon suite! Congratulations!” she said as she gave them the key.
The long travel time pulled at them, making them tired, and they went to sleep, but when they woke up, they were well-rested, and Derek was more than ready to begin their marriage as it should begin.
Julia’s eyes were still closed, though she was stirring awake, and it took only a moment for her to realize what it was that was lifting her from her sweet dreams. She smiled, her eyes shut, and she reached her arms around Derek’s shoulders as he kissed her neck and held her close to him.
“This is a nice way to wake up,” she whispered, and he brought his lips to hers to kiss her gently.
“I think we should try to start every morning like this,” he said softly as his hands moved slowly and deliberately over her body. She felt the electricity coming from his fingers, moving through her swiftly as it woke her up and began to stoke the fires of need and passion in her.
His lips moved gently and purposefully over hers, kissing her and teasing her just enough that she grew more anxious for him as they loved. He smiled at her, looking at her eyes now and then as his kisses drifted over her dark skin to the round swells of her breasts, his hands and fingers caressing and massaging them, making her moan softly as she slid her legs around his and began to pull him to her.
He caught her firm nipple in his lips and sucked at it, as his fingers made their way down between her thighs, stroking her and massaging her until she was warm and moist, and needed him desperately.
“Derek...” she whispered his name and twisted her fingers in his hair, “Derek... please!”
He grinned at her and moved to hover above her, looking in her eyes and then kissing her softly. “Yes?” he asked innocently.
“Make love with me! I need you!” she insisted with an impatient grin.
Derek kissed her passionately then and paused a moment to look into her eyes. “Do you know what this moment is?” he asked with a wide smile.
She tilted her head and smiled back. “What is it?”
“It’s the first time we will ever make love as husband and wife. The first of countless times that we will be together like this in love over all of our lifetimes. It’s one of the most special times we will ever have together as a couple.” He gave her a tender kiss and she closed her hands snugly around his shoulders.
“Then let’s have it!” She grinned and he laughed at her for a moment, but the next moment, he was kissing her lips again as he pushed himself inside of her and began to move with her in love.
Julia gasped as he filled her body, holding her tighter and beginning to move with more urgency as the flames of their passion grew ever hotter, consuming them and compounding their need. They moved as one, their rhythm building and waning until their bodies had built to a fevered pitch, and it was then that she cried out in pl
easure, coming hard on him, and he, in response to her powerful release, did the same, letting himself reach his climax and flooding her with his orgasm.
When they had caught their breath and they lay together immersed in their bliss, she looked at him and touched his cheek gently.
“I love you so much, Derek, and being married to you is the best thing that could ever happen to me,” she whispered.
He smiled and winked at her. “Well, my love, it’s the best thing that could ever happen to you so far.” He reached his hand to her belly and rubbed it gently, as his light eyes twinkled.
***
Julia stood in the kitchen, carefully placing little packets of snacks into the colorful square box before her on the counter. She felt a tug at her skirt and she turned to look down at the little boy whose small hand was holding fast to the material he had tugged on.
“Is it ready? Can we go now?” he asked in excitement, his blue eyes wide and his grin spread fully over his little face.
She smiled at him and set her hand on the side of his head, running her fingers through the soft curls that she loved to touch.
“Yes, it’s ready Nathaniel. Now, would you please go get your daddy and see if he’s got your sisters ready to go, too?”
The boy went rushing off into the other room calling loudly for his father, who was making his way into the kitchen. Derek walked through the doorway and had a small girl toddling along beside him holding one of his hands, while he carried a car seat in which another little girl slept peacefully.
He walked up to Julia and grinned at her, leaning over to her and kissing her long and lovingly.
“We’re all ready to go. We’ll drop off the kids and then head over to the gallery to see what they’ve done for my new show. I have a feeling that this will be one of my best yet.” He grinned and winked happily at Julia.
“I’m sure it will be! Every time slot for reservations has been taken for the entire run of your exhibition. You’ve hit an all time high with your work!” She lifted her chin proudly and grinned at him.
He looked down and smiled, humbled by her praise, and then he looked back up at her earnestly and said, “All of you are my best work. The art is an expression of who I am, but I am nothing without all of you.”
