by Arika Stone
Val lit a cigarette waiting for an answer to a question he implied with his eyes.
“A photographer I know is flying through. He’s in town for the night before he leaves tomorrow for the States. I thought I would meet him for lunch, and he brought a turkey for Thursday.”
“And does he have a name?”
“His name is Andy.” I didn’t want to give his full name in case Val decided to search the Net for him.
“And he brought you a turkey?” Val looked at me as if what I said was strange.
“I asked him to. I couldn’t get one from the market until next week.”
“Let me get this straight. You got one of your friends to fly here to bring you a turkey for Thanksgiving?”
I laughed. His statement sounded completely ridiculous. “No. He’s got a shoot today, and I asked him if he could bring a turkey since he was flying in.”
“Why don’t you stop by for lunch so I can meet him? I’ve never met any of your friends.”
“But you’ll be in the studio all day. I don’t want to disturb your creativity.” If we had to take time off to meet Val, it would cut into our session.
“I’m sure the guys would like a lunch break too. Anyway, I have to run. I’m already late because of you.” He smiled warmly. “Mä rakastan sua.”
“I love you too. I’ll call you later.” I kissed him and wondered what excuse I could use to divert his attention at lunchtime.
“Say it in Finnish,” Val teased.
“I don’t know how to.”
“What do you mean you don’t know how to? You just heard me pronounce it.”
“I don’t know how to add the ‘too’ into the sentence. As in, ‘Finnish is too hard.’”
Laughing he responded, “You could say, ‘Minäkin rakastan sinua,’ which is proper, or you could say ‘rakastan sua.’”
“Or I can say ‘I love you too.’ Now go to work.” I playfully pushed him away.
As soon as the door closed, I ran upstairs to get ready. We didn’t have much time, about seven hours for shooting, editing, and finding a shop that could produce a framed print by tomorrow.
I rushed to get dressed in the white lace lingerie I’d purchased yesterday. A short, sheer white robe with marabou trim and matching heels finished my ensemble. I curled my hair into long, loose spirals and put on a single strand of pearls. Just as I finished, the bell rang.
I rushed down the stairs. I was happy to have a friend here. I flung open the door.
“What are you doing here?” My heart jumped into my throat.
“I forgot my keys.” Val eyed my outfit. “Why are you dressed like that?” He searched my eyes for an answer as he closed the door behind him.
But the doorbell rang again before I could respond.
“Oh, is this him?” Val walked to the door and flung it open.
“Hi,” Andy greeted Val. He was holding a box marked “perishable,” and his camera bag was flung over his shoulder.
“I’m Andrew. You must be Val.” He extended his hand to Val. “I didn’t realize we were doing a couples shoot today.”
Val turned his attention to me. “A couples shoot?”
My voice dropped. “It was only going to be me. It was supposed to be a surprise birthday gift.” I sighed. My surprise was ruined. “Val, I’d like you to meet Andrew. He’s a good friend of mine and the best boudoir photographer in America.”
Val shook his hand. “A pleasure to meet you. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“I completely understand. This happens more than you know.” Andrew chuckled.
“Is this my turkey?” I interrupted, grabbing the box and packages out of Andrew’s hand. I kissed Andrew on the cheek. “You’re the best.” I walked into the kitchen and placed it on the counter, turning around seductively to Val. Maybe him returning wasn’t a bad thing. “Val. Why don’t you stay home?” I egged him on. “Call out sick.”
His eyes twinkled. “This was going to be my birthday gift? How did you know it was my birthday?”
“Jenni told me.”
“For someone who plans events, you’re terrible at surprises.”
I blushed. “We can make today your birthday.” I kissed him seductively on the neck. “Think about the pictures we could take.” I laced one hand behind his neck, stroking it lightly as I kissed the other side.
Val reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. A moment later, I heard the words I wanted to hear. “Sebastian, I can’t make it in. I’ll be in touch later.”
I bit my lip. I knew things were about to get steamy. He had an exhibitionist streak he was dying to explore with me, and this was the perfect opportunity.
I looked at Andy. “Where would you like to start?”
“I usually start in the bedroom, and then we can go from there.”
Val took the lead, grabbing my hand and escorting me upstairs.
“Why don’t you change into something else, something sexier?” I hated the paint-stained pants and holey tee he was wearing.
“Why don’t you pick out something for me? I’ll go shave.”
“No, leave your goatee. I would miss it terribly if you did.” I pouted. He’d let his facial hair grow in, and I’d grown to love it. It was the perfect tease between my legs.
I picked out a pair of jeans that revealed his sexy hipbones and a form-fitting button-down shirt.
Andy began to discreetly shoot us as Val began to get dressed. It was his signature mark, to capture the sexiness of everyday life. He followed us from the bedroom to the bathroom as Val put on eyeliner and fixed his hair.
“Stay right there. Perfect,” Andy said, revealing he was already engrossed in his work.
He caught me sitting on the countertop with my legs spread and Val standing between them. We had been laughing, nuzzling our faces, just about to kiss.
“Keep going,” Andy continued.
“It’s kind of hard now that I know you’re shooting.” I giggled.
“Aw, come on, Eve,” Andrew said.
“This is why I hate photo shoots. I freeze up as soon as I hear those clicks.”
“Let’s go to the bedroom. Get on the bed,” Andy said.
I led Val into the bedroom, hand in hand, and drew him onto the bed.
“Happy birthday, baby.” Just as I was going to kiss him, the camera clicked.
He slowly pulled the string on my robe. “I have to admit I would be unemployed if you dressed like this every night.” He opened my robe with his hands, cupping my breasts outside of my bra.
“Is this all I have to do?” I laughed. I was surprised how at ease Val was with the cameras.
“Mmm-hmm…” Val leaned in and kissed me on my neck just above my collarbone. I tilted back, my hair cascading down my shoulders.
As Val continued to kiss me, I began to unbutton his shirt. I ran my hands up his chest, pushing it off of his shoulders. I grabbed onto him and arched my back so he could continue his kisses down my body.
Val reached around and unhooked my bra. He slipped off the robe and slid the bra down my arms.
I unbuttoned his jeans and ran my finger over his hipbones, stopping at his waistband. Val leaned back, inviting me to unzip his pants. Our eyes locked as I leaned down and placed the zipper of his jeans in my mouth, pulling it down with my teeth.
Val inclined forward, slipping off his jeans as he bent down into me. Our faces were so close they were practically touching. I could feel his breath on my face, and his goatee tickled my mouth.
“Marry me?”
“What?” I was dumbfounded. I didn’t know what to say.
“Marry me, Eve. I love you. Be my wife.” His eyes were intense, his expression sincere, his cock, rock-hard, pressing through my panties.
I was flabbergasted. We’d been together for a little over a month. How could he be so sure? How could I be sure?
“Are you serious?” I whispered.
He kissed me hard on the mouth, pushing his tongue into me. His
hands slid down my sides, quickly pulling off my panties. He pressed his cock next to my pussy and glanced up at Andrew for approval.
Andrew nodded to continue, and Val slid inside of me without further ado.
My eyes opened wide. I had not been expecting to be penetrated.
He thrust himself into me, slowly but forcefully, each stroke shaking my body. I closed my eyes. It was one thing to make love to Val alone. It was another to be watched. It was unnerving, yet highly orgasmic. I let out a soft moan and gripped my legs tight around him. I turned my head to the side and squeezed my eyes closed, my body trembling underneath him, my pussy quaking in delight. I didn’t want Andy to know that I had come. It was too embarrassing to have such an intimate moment caught on camera.
“That’s not how you come,” Val whispered with clenched teeth in my ear.
He reached under, grabbed my ass, and gripped my back, rolling us over and placing me on top. He grasped my hips and thrust his groin quicker and harder, determined to make my second orgasm outshine my first.
I rested my hands on the top of his chest for balance. I leaned down. “I can’t do this.” I closed my eyes again, enjoying how he felt inside of me.
“Yes you will,” he said with determination. “I can go all day if you need to.”
His words resonated in my mind. I knew he wouldn’t stop until I orgasmed again.
He rolled me over, propping me up on all fours. I moaned as he entered me from behind.
For what seemed like an eternity he fucked me. Harder, slower, faster, deeper, but no matter what he tried, I couldn’t come. I heard the clicks of the camera in the background, and it was completely distracting.
His hand slid to my ass, and he pressed his finger into my asshole without any lube. I moaned in delight and pain. My ass immediately clamped onto him. He began to wiggle his finger inside of me, sending electric pulses of pleasure rippling through my stomach to my clit.
His finger was just what my body needed to release. My legs began to shake. I thought they would collapse under me. I hung my head down low, resting my forehead on the mattress. I was about to come.
I heard Andrew’s voice. “Eve, look up.”
“No.” I panted.
“Look at Andrew, Eve. Open your eyes and look at the fucking camera.”
Val grasped my hair, forcing me to look up. He pulled me up so his body pressed against my back, holding me tightly to him. His arm wrapped around my torso and his fingers rested on my clit, circling it hard and fast while he fucked my pussy.
“Open your eyes, Eve,” Val said, squeezing my clit between his fingers.
My eyes shot open as I nearly passed out from the tremors ripping through my body. My body buckled as Val released me. Gripping a fistful of sheets, I lay there completely exhausted and embarrassed.
Val pulled out, his cock blazing hard, but he didn’t need to come. His goal was to make me orgasm with Andrew there, and he’d accomplished it.
“Beautiful. Let’s take five. I’ll set up the computer.” Andrew headed downstairs, completely unaffected by what had transpired.
Val looked patiently at me, waiting for me to get up.
“You go ahead. I need a few minutes. My legs feel wobbly.”
“You never answered my question,” he stated bluntly, ignoring my comment.
“You never answered mine either. I asked if you were serious.”
“I am.” He knelt down on the wooden floor. “Eve, will you marry me? I don’t have a ring for you yet, but I do love you so.”
I buried my head in the sheets. I was hoping he’d forgotten the question or perhaps it had popped out in the heat of the moment.
“Eve?”
I peeked out from the covers. “I love you, but I don’t know what to say.”
“How about yes?”
I didn’t respond.
He picked himself off the floor and sat next to me. “I know you’ve applied for your residence permit. You’re taking language classes too. Why can’t you promise yourself to me if you’re already saying so much with your actions?”
“My visa is running out in five weeks. I applied for the residence permit in case I want to stay longer. As far as the language, I feel isolated whenever you speak it around me.”
“Marry me, Eve.”
“We’ll see. But I want a proper proposal, one that doesn’t include us naked.”
“We’ll see?”
“Look at the bright side. It’s not a no. Val, we have no idea what our life will be like when we are both working full time.”
“That’s nonsense, Eve, and you know it. I would do anything to be with you. I hoped you felt the same.”
“But how are we to decide who has to compromise? You’re famous with a budding art career, but my salary is larger than yours. Whose life changes? How do we decide?”
Val gasped. “How do you know how much I earn?”
“I asked Jenni how financially sound we would be if…” I couldn’t complete the sentence. Just the thought of it took my breath away.
“If what?”
I took a deep breath. “If I sold the company and we married.”
“You’ve thought about this? Why didn’t you talk to me about it?”
“I didn’t know if it would thrill you or scare you because it scares the shit out of me.” A tear ran down my cheek. I swallowed, getting choked up from my own thoughts. He smoothed the hair from my face.
“I realized…” I stopped. If I said the words, I knew my fears and my hopes would materialize before me.
“What did you realize?” Val stared at me intently.
I looked down and twirled the bed sheet in my hand. “I realized if we got married and had a family, I would want to give them what I didn’t have.”
“And what is that?” His eyes were full of promise.
I looked up. “If we have children, I want to be there for them full time. I’d sell the company so I could be a mom. But how could we do that if you continued to tour? What kind of life would that leave me? The girls tell me that out of ten years of touring they’ve seen their husbands for chunks of time. And I don’t want that either.”
He took my hand and held it in his. “You’re thirty-two, and I’m thirty-four. How many years of touring do I have left, realistically? If we have children, they can come on tour with us. By the time they reach school age, I will be retired.”
“And where would we live?”
“Wherever you wanted.”
“And how would we divide our finances? Prenups?”
“We will figure it out, but whatever makes you feel more secure.”
“I want a proper proposal, without cameras and without sex being involved.”
“And if I propose properly?”
I looked him straight in the eye. “I love you, Val. I truly do. You’ve given meaning to my life.” I kissed him, pausing to take his essence in. I knew at that moment I had to say yes. I was in love. “Yes, I will marry you. I would be honored to be your wife.”
Unexpectedly, I heard the click of a camera.
“Congratulations. You’ll be happy I got that shot later.” Andrew winked. “It’s about time you settled down.”
Chapter 18
The light streamed across my face, waking me from my slumber. I opened my eyes to greet the day. It would be a long one. With so much food to prepare, I needed to start cooking.
“Good morning. Happy Thanksgiving.”
His words startled me. It was odd to wake up next to him. “What are you doing in bed?”
“I was watching you sleep. You sleep so peacefully.”
I rolled into his arms and nestled my head on his chest. “Happy birthday. Now I don’t want to get up. I have a reason to stay in bed.”
Val laughed. “But you also have a turkey that is going to take hours to cook.”
“I’d rather stay in bed. Besides, you’re leaving for work soon. Let me enjoy this.”
“I took off today so we could ha
ve a proper Thanksgiving together. And the entire weekend, too, because that’s what most Americans do.” He cocked his eyebrow.
I propped myself up. “Are you serious?”
“Completely.”
“I love you,” I said with a quick kiss. I was touched.
“And my family is excited. They are coming by early to watch the parade.”
“Oh God, the turkey won’t be ready in time!” I sprung out of bed. “Get up. I have to make the bed.”
Val eyed me. “But we never make the bed.”
“But on holidays I do. Get up. Go shower.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He walked past me, smacking me on the ass. “Why don’t you come join me?”
“I can’t, no time!” I rushed to finish the bed.
I hurried to the kitchen and was suddenly astounded. This was our first holiday together. I began the coffee and gazed into our backyard. The sun was bright, the sky the perfect shade of crystal blue. The leaves were brown and dancing halfheartedly on the trees. It was the perfect Thanksgiving morning. For the first time in my life, I felt that I'd finally found home. This was where I belonged.
I washed the turkey and started the stuffing, browning the sausage on the stove while I cut the vegetables for the meal. Andrew had not only brought a turkey with him but also an entire American feast, from the bird to the pumpkin pie. It amazed me how he’d gotten it past customs.
Val sauntered downstairs freshly showered. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Would you mind pouring me a cup of coffee?”
“Certainly.” He proceeded to prepare my morning fix.
“Val, when we get married…” It was the first time I’d brought it up since our conversation two days ago.
“It’s good to hear you say that word,” he whispered in my ear, placing my coffee on the counter.
I smiled. “I want to live here. We created us here. This is my home now.”
“Are you sure?” He sounded astounded by my decision.
“Yes, I’m sure. I may open a division here if I decide I want to work.”
“It’s a big decision, and I’ll support whatever you decide. I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later.”
Several hours later, I was showered and dressed. I began to set the table, and Val was trying to stream the parade from the States for me.
