How in the world did I miss that?
Carefully tearing the fabric a bit more, Azure reached inside, letting out a cry of surprise when she felt something. With a furrowed brow, Azure gently pulled out the wrapped bundle.
The package was covered in yellowed parchment, tied with red twine. Sitting down on the floor, Azure carefully untied the package and pulled the paper back. To her amazement a dozen or more letters spilled forth.
Azure opened the first one and what she saw took her breath away.
Chapter Eight
Gavin was a bit freaked out and the strangest part was he knew he really didn’t have a reason to be. Azure hadn’t seemed too upset about him not wanting to get married. In fact, she didn’t appear to be bothered at all, which was why Gavin was disturbed.
Shouldn’t she be upset? If she cared, really cared about him and a future with him, shouldn’t she be bothered by the fact that he didn’t want to get married? A better question though, was why the hell was he so upset?
Things weren’t settled, not by a long shot. Gavin wanted a more permanent relationship with Azure. He wanted to move in with her, or hell, she could move in with him. What mattered most was they would be together, and together for Gavin meant living together exclusively, and more importantly, loving one another.
He already knew he loved her. Lord knew he tried to show her in a million different ways, yet he hadn’t quite said the words, and growing up in a houseful of women, he knew words were important. So today, he was going to tell her. Just let her know he cared for her and loved her more than he had or thought he could love anyone.
Hopefully the words would be enough to close the door on any doubt she might have about his commitment to her.
Besides, who needs a ring? It wasn’t that important in the long run.
As Gavin headed up the walkway to Azure’s door, he instantly thought back to the very first time he came here. It would be a heck of a story to pass on to their grandkids one day, how Grandpa badgered Grandma into letting him come in to use the bathroom.
Smiling at the thought, Gavin knocked twice on her door, as had become his manner before unlocking it with his newly acquired key, and pushing the door open. The sight that greeted him had his thoughts turning from grandchildren to murder in a blink of an eye.
Azure, his woman, was in the arms of another man. A man who Gavin didn’t know. Not that knowing him would have made a world of difference, because Gavin didn’t like it.
The part bothering him the most, wasn’t that in another life he would have thought they looked great together, both born from the same lovely dark clay of the earth, or the fact the man was clearly smitten with Azure. It was the way she was looking at him. Like he’d hung the moon. Selfish as it was, Gavin wanted Azure to look at him like that, and him alone.
Clearing his throat, Gavin pushed the door open. Surprisingly though, Azure didn’t jump away from the man, instead, she looked over her shoulder, and smiled at Gavin.
“Honey, you won’t believe what happened.”
Gavin might be in the dark about what had her looking so happy, but he had a good idea what would make him smile, and that was ramming his fist down that grinning bastard’s throat. To make matters worse, the son of a bitch still hadn’t let her go. Suddenly a light dawned bright and clear. Here was a very good reason for a ring. It was the perfect calling card to warn men off. Maybe Gavin would have to rethink his position after all.
“What’s going on?” And get the hell out of his arms.
Azure pulled away, finally, from the man’s arms and rushed over to Gavin’s side. “You won’t believe what happened.”
“First, who’s this?”
“Good Lord, forgive my manners.” Azure moved to go back to the other man, but was stopped by Gavin’s hand on her arm. She sent him a quizzical glance before continuing, “This is Terrell Ballard, of Ballard’s Antiques. Terrell, this is…”
“Gavin Connor, her boyfriend.” And the man who will kill you if you ever touch her again. “Pleased to meet you.”
The word ”boyfriend” caused Terrell’s smile to fall. Apparently he hadn’t known that Azure was dating someone or that the someone was of a different race. From the way he glanced between Azure and Gavin, he wasn’t too pleased by the knowledge.
Terrell recovered immediately though, but not quick enough that Gavin missed the distasteful look Terrell sent his way. It was enough to make him feel marginally better. At least he wasn’t the only one unhappy with the situation taking place.
“The pleasure’s mine.” Terrell begrudgingly offered his hand to Gavin, who just nodded, much to Azure’s displeasure.
“Anyway.” Shooting Gavin a “behave yourself” look, Azure pulled out of his grasp and walked to the coffee table. She picked up a pile of papers and handed them to Gavin with a pleased look on her face. “Last night I found these in the wedding dress trunk. They’re letters written from the original owner of the wedding dress to her heirs and then to their heirs and so on and so on.
The very first two were from Matilda Chandler in 1878. She wrote two letters to her unborn child, one in case she had a daughter and one in case she had a son. Her letters are basically about her life with their father and her take on love and everything in between. She wanted her wedding dress to be passed down in the family.
Azure’s eyes filled with wonder as she spoke and Gavin couldn’t help but become caught up in her tale. “The next set of letters were written by her daughter, Maria Chandler Schurman, to her daughter, Mae, who later wrote one to her granddaughter, Madeline.”
It was almost too much for Gavin to take in. A whole family legacy passed on through something as trivial as a purple dress, but he could tell Azure was looking for him to say something. “That’s a lot of M’s.”
“Yes it is.” She laughed, clearly happy. “I guess it was another tradition passed on, because everyone who wrote a letter or received a letter, their first name began with M.”
“And you were so happy you just had to call Terry, here…”
“Terrell.”
“Whatever.” Gavin shrugged the man’s correction off. “To tell him of your find.”
“That and to get his help.”
“With…”
“Terrell is a genealogy freak like I am.”
There was no doubt in Gavin’s mind that Terrell was a freak, but it still didn’t explain dick.
“And he’s helping trace the dress back to the original owners. The history of this dress is just so…” Azure inhaled deeply as if trying to take it all in, “…vast, that I want to be able to pass the story down to our…I mean my kids.”
“Our” sounded a lot better to him, and the fact it made old Terry frown was a plus as well. “That’s wonderful, honey.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Yes.” Gavin leaned down and brushed a kiss across her brow. “I think this is wonderful, and if I can help in any way…”
“I assure you, I’ve got it covered,” Terrell interrupted. “I have all the resources I need to get Azure anything she needs.”
It was on the tip of Gavin’s tongue to remind the asshole that Gavin took care of all of Azure’s needs. “My offer still stands,” Gavin reiterated.
“And it’s very much appreciated.” Azure stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss on Gavin’s lips. Not willing to let her go so easily, Gavin pulled her into his embrace and turned the thank you kiss into something a lot deeper.
Erasing everything from his mind but Azure, Gavin focused on the feel of her against him. The taste of her full lips, the gentle sway of her tongue against his. Everything about this woman worked for him. From her scent, to her flavor, to her heart. Azure was special in every way, and she was all his.
How long he held her in his arms, tasting her, drinking in the glory of her lips, Gavin didn’t know, nor did he care.
This time it was Terrell who cleared his throat to get attention. Pulling back, Azure blushed as she ran her
fingers through her hair. “Forgive me, Terrell.”
“No forgiveness necessary. I’ve left Dawn at the store much longer than I intended, so I must be on my way.”
Azure walked him to the door. “You’ll let me know when you hear anything, right?”
“First thing.” Terrell glanced over his shoulder towards Gavin, who was leaning against Azure’s desk. “It was nice to meet you.”
Somehow Gavin didn’t quite believe him and since he didn’t believe in lying, he didn’t return Terrell’s sentiment. “Bye.”
“I’m just going to walk him to his car, then I’ll be back.” There was a bit of warning in her tone that made Gavin smile. Azure was so cute when she got riled.
Gavin sat on the couch and thumbed through the letters as he waited for Azure to return. Even he, cynic that he was, had to admit the letters and everything they represented was kind of cool.
“You weren’t very nice to him.” The words rang out just as loudly as the slamming door did. Azure stormed over to him, hand on hip, eyes narrowed in annoyance. God I love this woman.
“Was I supposed to be?” Gavin leaned forward and placed the letters on the coffee table. He wanted his hands free to deal with more important issues. “Besides, he wants you.”
Azure rolled her eyes. “No he doesn’t.”
“Trust me, he does.”
“Whether he likes me or not, the important thing is that I don’t like him.” Obviously irritated, Azure crossed her arms. “For the record, I’m not sure if I like you all that much right now.”
“Yes, you do.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
“I like you enough for the both of us.” He teased, reaching out and dragging her to his lap.
“You’re a big…”
“Speaking of big.” Gavin pressed her down on his lap, making sure she felt every inch of his rising cock. “I like it when you get all feisty on me.”
Azure’s lips quivered as she tried to suppress a smile. “You’re deranged.”
“He was touching you. It’s a caveman thing.”
“Caveman, now that’s a word for it.” Azure turned and faced him, eyebrow raised. She looked so cute when she did that.
“Sit up, baby.” Gavin eased her skirt up over her hips so she could straddle him easier. “Now isn’t that better?”
“Better for who?”
“Better for me, and soon, better for you. First thing we have to do is get you out of this shirt.”
“We do, do we?”
“You just sit back, and let me do all the work.” With a patience Gavin didn’t know he possessed, he slowly unbuttoned her beige blouse, loving how her breasts came into view, one button at a time. Her full brown mounds seemed to practically burst from their fawn, laced covering.
“You should be illegal.”
“In some states I am,” she teased, slipping her shirt off her shoulders.
“I can see why.” Leaning forward, Gavin brushed his lips against the gentle swell of her breasts.
Gavin felt her nipple harden beneath his cupped hand, and leaned down to take the taut bud into his mouth, bra and all. Azure tangled her hands in his hair, pushing him harder on her breast. Gavin knew how much Azure loved having her nipples teased, almost as much as he enjoyed teasing them.
Moaning, she rocked her pelvis down on him, rubbing her hot center across his straining erection.
Gavin pulled back. “Did I say you could move?”
“You didn’t say I couldn’t.”
“Then let me make it more clear.” Gavin pushed Azure back a little so he could reach his pants buckle. After unbuckling his belt, he pulled it through the loops with one hand while grasping her wrist with the other. “Now be a good girl and hold still.”
“Your wish is my command,” Azure’s voice lowered huskily as he bound her hands behind her back with the belt. The position made her breasts thrust forwarded invitingly, and beg for his touch. Gavin couldn’t resist pulling them out of their lacy confines.
Azure was glorious. In all his life, Gavin had never encountered a woman who could make him hard with a smile. Her full lips instantly had him thinking of where he wanted her to kiss him next. The smooth, long brown legs of hers were made to adorn his hips, and her breasts—her breasts were what sonnets were written about.
There was one thing Gavin forgot to do when he unbuckled his belt, and that was free his straining erection. “Up on your knees, baby.”
Azure quickly obeyed, rising from his lap to kneel above him. Her new position gave Gavin all the room he needed to not only retrieve his wallet from his back pocket for the rubber, but also to take his cock out of its tight confinement.
“I still think you have too many clothes on.” Gavin gripped her thong in his hands, and ripped it clean off her body. “Now that’s better.”
Gavin couldn’t resist getting a taste of her sweet nectar. Dropping her thong, he reached between her legs and teased her damp folds. When his fingers were saturated with her essence, he brought his hand to his mouth so he could savor the flavor of her. It was an action that bore repeating.
Azure trembled above him. “Gavin…don’t tease me. Fuck me, please.”
Gavin reluctantly pulled his hand away from her tempting treasure, missing the feel of her instantly.
After slipping on a condom, Gavin placed one hand on his cock to guide it into her heated center and placed the other hand on her hip, steering her down onto his waiting cock. “Ease down, baby.”
The head of his cock slid into her hot depths, as Azure slowly sank down on his length, inch by inch. By the time she was fully seated, they both were a bit breathless.
Gripping her hips in his hands, Gavin urged her up, then down again.
“I can’t…I need help…” Azure moaned as she rocked her hips forward.
“I’ll set the rhythm, baby,” Gavin gritted out. “You just brace yourself.”
Holding on to her hips, he held them slightly up as he powered in and out of her wet pussy. With every thrust Azure moaned louder, rocking her body into his. This was supposed to be a position where Gavin had all the power, but he was powerless underneath her. Powerless to stop his hips from slamming up against hers and powerless to stop her pussy from milking him dry with every down stroke.
“Fuck, fuck baby.”
“Gavin…Gavin…” His name was like a loving echo on her lips, urging him on, begging him for more. “I’m going to…so…close…”
“That’s right, baby.” Gavin sped up, pushing into her as hard and fast as he could. “Come for me, Azure, come for me.”
Her body shook from the force of her release. Azure cried out his name as she came, her pussy quaking around his thrusting cock. It only took the first signs of her orgasm to trigger his own. Gavin gripped her hips as he erupted inside of her.
“Oh my…oh…” When words failed her, Azure buried her face in his neck and began to giggle.
“Are you laughing?” Gavin smacked her firmly on her ass. “Woman, don’t you know you’re never supposed to laugh at a man at a delicate time like this?”
Azure eased back to look him in the eyes. Her own were filled with laughter, her smile full of joy. “Delicate? You? Hardly.”
“Stranger thing have been known to happen.”
“Stranger than us?”
“Baby, this isn’t strange,” Gavin released her hands, massaging her wrists gently as he continued, “This is love.”
Chapter Nine
Azure eased down in front of the trunk. She knew what she had to do, just as she knew she didn’t want to do it. Opening the lid, she carefully inserted the letters back into the gap from which she had taken them.
It had only taken one phone call to bring her dreams crashing down around her. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she prepared the dress box. This was a lot harder than she thought it was going to be, that was for sure.
Even though she’d only owned the trunk and all the precious cargo it had brought
with it for a short while, Azure still felt as if she was saying good-bye to dear old friend.
She was doing the right thing, though, because only the right thing would hurt this badly.
A swift knock on her door was the only warning she had before Gavin came strolling into her condo. His smile instantly melted away as he took in her disheveled appearance.
In seconds he was on his knees beside her, pulling Azure into his arms. “What happened?”
Azure buried her face in the safety of his arms. “Terrell…”
“Terrell?” Gavin pushed her back so he could look down into her face. “What did that bastard do? I’ll kill him.”
Azure was startled at his fierceness. “No, he didn’t do anything to me.”
“Just tell me what he did.”
“Gavin.” Even though seconds before she’d been blubbering like a baby, all Azure felt like doing now was laughing. She never would have thought Gavin had such a hero complex. “He didn’t do anything to me. I promise.”
“Then why are you crying?” Gavin seemed so confused at the concept of her crying just for the sake of crying. It was such a guy thing and Azure couldn’t help but smile a little.
“Because I’m upset.” Holding her hand up to keep him silent, Azure continued, “But not because of anything he directly did, but because of something he discovered.”
With a reluctant sigh, Azure moved out of Gavin’s arms and stood. Walking over to the dress still hanging on the dress form, Azure caressed it, knowing this was probably going to be one of the last times she touched it.
“I’m feeling completely lost here.”
“Terrell was able to track down the descendants to whom the dress originally belonged.”
“Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“I did, but what I didn’t want was for them to want the dress back.”
“They want the dress back?” Gavin’s gasp of surprise was almost similar to what Azure had uttered when she had talked to Meadow Lyncoln on the phone early this morning.
The older woman had burst into tears when Azure had phoned her to inquire more about the history of the dress. Instead of listening to a chronicle of the dress’s past, Azure listened to Meadow’s tearful encounter of the last time she had seen the dress. The very dress Meadow had worn in her wedding fifty odd years earlier and the very one she wanted her granddaughter to wear in her wedding this spring.
Something Borrowed, Something Blue Page 6
