by Sadie Grubor
Once the song ended we sat down at our table with our family. Aidan was on my right, my mother and father on my left. Viola, Liam and Maggie were to Aidan’s right. We sat in small conversation about the wedding ceremony. Viola was beaming. Traditional Irish music played quietly in the background as dinner was being served.
"Ahem," everyone turned.
James stood near the DJ table with a microphone. "It’s my duty, as the best man, to toast the new couple." James smirked at Aidan.
"Oh dear God," Aidan groaned and rolled his eyes. I couldn’t help but giggle.
"Dear cousin, we have stood next to each other throughout the years, more like brothers than cousins. I wish you the best." James raised his glass and drank.
"Wow and I thought that he would –"
"Dear, Lilli." My head snapped back to James, eyes wide with nervousness. "Lilli, Lilli, Lilli…you have had such an effect on our dear Aidan, more than you realize." James smiled mischievously, winking at Aidan. "Here’s to you! Keeping doing what you do to him or, rather, don’t do." Aidan groaned while everyone drank again.
"What –?"
"Don’t ask, please." He shook his head.
I laughed lightly. "Ok."
Once the dinner course was finished and dishes cleared, the music got louder and the bar saw more attention.
"So, Viola said you two will be going to a private island for your honeymoon, how long will you be gone?" My mother inquired while taking a drink.
I cleared my throat.
"Um…two weeks."
"When are you leaving?" Donald looked at me with guilt and tension.
I placed my hand on his.
"Not till the morning." I leaned over and kissed his cheek.
"Yes," Aidan cleared his throat. "We’ll take the jet part of the way and then we’ll have to take the boat to the island." He took a large drink.
Celia, Phoebe and Maggie came over and grabbed my arm, pulling me onto the dance floor with them. Reaching the middle of the crowd, we started dancing.
I plastered a smile onto my face. I couldn’t keep my thoughts from wandering back to the honeymoon. Mostly, I think I was nervous about being alone with him for so long. However, I know that wasn’t all that was bothering me. What of all the sexual tension forming between us? What if we ended up hating each other?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Aidan
I could feel my palms sweating and my heart racing. Standing at the altar, in front of family, friends and business colleagues, I was waiting for Lilli to walk down the aisle. This was it. After today I would be married. Part of me was relieved while the other part was nervous. Four years, four years with Lilli. She wasn’t too keen on having sex or being a married couple, which worried me. What would this be like? I was about to hyperventilate.
Lilli began walking towards me, wearing Viola’s wedding dress. She was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. My heart picked up speed. I locked onto her eyes and stared intently, in pure awe of her presence. This woman was amazing. When Donald gave her hand to me, I had to latch on tightly before she had a chance to change her mind. After my behavior at the rehearsal dinner, I was worried she would back out and run.
My worries subsided the moment there was skin to skin contact. The familiar tingling heat between our hands never seemed to dull or fade away, but this time if felt like a fire starting between our palms.
As the ceremony progressed I couldn’t help but feel different about her, about everything between us. When we kissed I felt a wave of passion overtake my body, having to pull back before I got carried away. Instead I thanked her before pulling away to face our guests.
I thanked her for doing this, going through with everything and for the feeling she created within me. The moment I put the ring on her finger, I knew I could fall for her and that I may just want to. I shook off my thoughts as we proceeded down the aisle to stand in the receiving line.
"You look beautiful, Lilli." She looked at me in surprise.
"Um...thanks. You're not too bad yourself." She winked and smiled. The gesture was so endearing, I cupped her face and kissed her before she could turn away.
After the receiving line, we were rushed around for wedding pictures and then led upstairs to the reception. Our first dance started innocent and routine, but the more I looked at her, the more she captivated me. I began to save to memory the light freckles across her nose and cheeks, the deepness to her hazel eyes, and the way her cherry floral scent filled the air when we spun. I couldn’t help but dip her. She jumped in surprise, but we both started laughing.
Dinner was being served when James felt the need to get up and grab the microphone. I could only imagine what would come out of his mouth. At first, I thought he was actually just going to be nice, then he addressed Lilli. I groaned.
"What –?" Lilli had started to ask what he meant. There was no way I was telling her how everyone found it hilarious that I wouldn’t be having sex with her anytime soon.
"Don’t ask, please." I begged.
"Ok." She agreed with a laugh.
The night was going well. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and soon it was time to cut the cake. Lilli and I stood at a large table, holding handfuls of cake with evil smirks on our faces.
"Don’t mess up her make-up!" Phoebe yelled.
"Yeah, what she said." Lilli said, nodding toward Phoebe.
"Play nice, Lilli." I laughed as our hands approached each other’s face.
Before anyone could say anything else we were shoving cake up each other’s noses and laughing hysterically.
"Kiss her!" the photographer shouted and I didn’t even think twice. Grabbing her by her waist, I pressed our cake covered faces into each other, making sure to greedily lick a little from her mouth. Pulling back, I couldn’t read her expression completely, but I definitely saw a hint of lust. I wanted to kiss her again but she pulled away and started to wipe her face.
Phoebe appeared and pulled her off.
"You two are horrible! Now we need to do a touch up." Phoebe grumbled and hurried them to the restrooms, Lilli laughing the whole way.
Once we were cleaned up and everyone had taken a seat for their cake and other desserts, Lilli and I were called out to the middle of the dance area. It was time to toss the garter. Lilli blushed and covered her face while the DJ’s helper brought a chair out for her to sit on. Lilli sat down. I knelt in front of her.
"Be good." She whispered, playfully scowling at me.
"I’m better than good." Winking, I grasped her ankle. She gasped at my touch and I couldn’t help but feel smug by her reaction.
I slid my fingers up her calf. She shivered. I reveled in the feeling. Moving one hand behind her knee I brought the other up the side and started to move toward her thigh, she shifted a little. Bringing both hands smoothly up her thigh, I went a little further than the garter belt, caressing her skin.
"Aidan," she whispered a warning.
I smirked and grabbed the garter, slipping it down and off of her leg.
The single men lined up and I tossed it over my shoulder. Turning, I watched it land directly into Dixon’s chest. His reflex was to catch it and that’s what he did. He smiled broadly and put it around his head like a headband while doing a victory dance. Laughing, I shook my head and helped Lilli up from the chair.
"You’re lucky I didn’t kick you in the balls," she said through a plastered smile.
"Aww, come on, how could I resist?" I grinned. She laughed and shook her head.
The night was coming to an end and Lilli was called out to the dance area with all the single ladies. She did a couple of fake tosses before she threw her bouquet. It landed in Maggie’s arms. I could hear Viola laughing beside me from the look on Maggie’s face. Lilli doubled over laughing. Maggie tossed it up in the air and it landed on Celia, who caught it.
Guests were slowly starting to leave. Once it was just down to immediate family, we started to wrap everything up.
Lil
li kissed Donald and Sarah goodbye and then moved on to Viola and Liam. She stopped to talk to Celia, Phoebe and Maggie before turning to me.
"Ready?" I asked. She nodded, reluctantly. We climbed quietly into the car that would drive us back to the apartment.
"So, it was a nice evening." I broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Yes, it was. Viola did a great job." She smiled down into her lap.
"Are you okay?"
She snapped her head up quickly. "Yes, of course."
Sighing, I furrowed my brow. I wasn’t completely buying her response. The remainder of the drive home was quiet.
Once we arrived to the apartment we both headed toward our own rooms.
"Lilli?"
She turned at her door and looked at me curiously.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," I tried to put as much sincerity into my words as possible.
"Sure." She smiled easily and headed into her room, closing the door behind her.
Once in my room, I sat on my bed. So, I’m spending my wedding night alone, great. Sighing, I walked towards the bathroom, stripping my tux off along the way.
After I was showered and feeling a little more relaxed, I opened the door to my room wrapped only in a towel.
"Aidan?" Lilli marched into my room.
When she saw me she stopped and her eyes went wide. I stood frozen, thinking she would run out at any minute but she didn’t. Instead, I watched her breathing hitch and her eyes linger over my body. I couldn’t help the smug smile spreading over my face. She was affected. Her eyes met mine and she turned around quickly, blushing.
"Never mind," she mumbled and walked away.
"Lilli, wait," I shouted. "What did you need?" I wanted to keep her in my room with me but she was already in the hallway.
"Nothing, I’ll get it." She started to walk again.
"Lilli –"
"I can’t get the back of my dress to unbutton at certain spots but I’ll take care of it." She tried to leave again but I caught her arm. "It’s okay, I’ll –" She wouldn’t look at me, keeping her eyes averted.
"Just stand still." I ordered and started working on the buttons. Once the buttons were undone, I realized there was a zipper. I started to unzip it, letting my finger graze her skin. She shivered at my touch. I stepped a little closer to her.
"I can get the zipper." She said quickly and turned around, taking a step back. "Thank you, and…um…sorry for barging into your room," she turned back around to walk away.
"Well, technically it’s your room too, now." I chuckled. "And we’re supposed to be sleeping in the same room, according to the conditions."
She froze at her doorway.
"Nice try." She shouted over her shoulder and walked into her room.
Laughing, I went back to my room. My night was filled with images of Lilli’s bare leg and the way her skin felt against mine.
Chapter Two
Honeymoon, the First Night
Lilli
I got to my room and closed the door. Leaning back against the door, I sighed. Sweet baby Jesus, his fingers were like velvet orgasms on my skin.
Shivering at the thought of his fingers on the skin of my back, my mind started to wander to other places his fingers could travel. I shivered once more and shook the thoughts off. They would only get me in trouble.
Slipping out of my dress, my mind wandered to the sight of him in only a towel. My knees got weak thinking of the flushed tone of his damp skin. I climbed into the hot shower and rinsed away the make-up, hair products and the damn body glitter Phoebe insisted on dusting over me. Once clean and relaxed, I brushed my hair and teeth before climbing into bed.
My dreams were vivid and steamy. Visions of Aidan in a towel, his fingers dancing across my upper thighs and sliding down my back. Just when the towel was about to come off there was a loud knock on my door.
"No," I groaned. "Go away!"
His familiar chuckle was muffled by my closed door.
"Come on, we have to get going." My door opened. "You hope you’re decent!"
Lifting my head from my pillow, I looked at him questioningly.
"Isn’t it ‘I hope you’re decent’?"
"Not in my case. I rather hoped you slept nude."
He grinned and dodged the pillow I tossed at him. Without warning, he pulled my blanket away from me.
"Damn it, Iverson, go away!" Half amused, I threw my arm over my head.
The shift of my mattress made me peek to my left. There he was lying next to me. Damn he smelled good.
"Come on, Mrs. Iverson, it’s time to get ready for our honeymoon." He smiled wide.
"Who said I was taking your last name?" I teased.
"You signed the agreement, Mrs. Iverson." He chuckled.
"Shut up," I growled and rolled away from him.
Though we were only joking around, I didn’t need to look at him lying next to me and smelling the way he did. Unexpectedly, he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me back toward him. My gasp only made him shake silently with laughter.
"Okay, we can always start the honeymoon here." He snuggled against me.
Internally groaning, I battled between knowing better and the heat between my thighs. Getting control of myself, I played it cool, using sarcasm as my cover.
"Fine, since you’re threatening me with that, I’m getting up."
The moment I moved away from him a groan resonated through the room, I couldn’t tell if it was him or me. Not waiting to find out, I headed to my bathroom and started getting ready.
Phoebe and Viola had already sent a majority of the luggage ahead, so I just had to grab my carry-on bag.
Once cleaned up, I walked back into my room. He had left. A relieved sigh escaped me, or was it disappointment? I dressed in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a sweater, I knew layering was my best bet, leaving January in New York and arriving into tropical heat. After packing a few last things, books, iPod and laptop, I headed downstairs.
The smell of coffee led me to the kitchen where I grabbed a mug and poured. Sitting down at the bar in the kitchen, I sipped on coffee while eating an apple. I sent a couple of text messages to Phoebe, my mom and dad, Celia, Viola and Maggie, thanking them all again for everything and saying goodbye, even though they were, most likely, still sleeping.
"Ready?"
I jumped at the sound of his voice. He laughed.
"Don’t do that!" I laughed. "Yeah, I’m ready."
He grabbed my hand and we headed out the door.
Exhausted from my restless night of vivid dreams, I almost fell back to sleep on the car ride to the airport. Before I could really pass out we arrived and Aidan nudged me to open my eyes.
"I’m awake." I yawned.
"Barely," he smiled. Climbing out, he stuck is hand out for me.
Taking it, I stepped out into the cold. Icy air whipped around me and I shivered. Aidan wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me towards him.
"Come on." He led us to the jet.
The smell of him surrounded me and I wanted to tilt my head just slightly and lick his neck. My will power was failing miserably, but I fought to stay strong. Sex only complicates things and this was complicated enough. Aidan looked down at me, noticing my frustrated sigh.
"You okay?"
His warm, freshly brushed, mint, scented breath washed over my face.
"Just tired," I shrugged. We got to the stairs and he nudged me to go up first.
Once on the jet, I walked toward the couch and lounged back into the soft cushions. Aidan walked around for a few moments and then sat next to me, setting a tray on the table in front of us.
"Here," he stated. I sat up straight. "I had them get this ready for us." The tray had eggs, pancakes and bacon.
"Mmm…it smells good, but don’t you typically have to wait until after takeoff before eating?" I raised one eyebrow at him.
"Yeah, well…eat quickly." He jabbed his elbow into my side and laughed.
> "You don’t have to tell me twice." I grabbed a pancake and put eggs and bacon on it before rolling it up. I looked at him and winked. Leaning back, I ate my makeshift breakfast wrap.
"Did you just make that up?" His face looked curious and surprised.
I shrugged.
"I guess." I took another bite.
Watching as Aidan repeated my creation, he settled in next to me. We ate quickly and finished just as the flight attendant came over to clean everything up and prepare us for takeoff.
The engines started and I pulled my book out of my bag before sitting back into the couch. After we took off and we were ‘free to move about the cabin’, I lounged back and started reading. I’m not sure how far I got before I fell asleep.
The plane jolted as we landed and woke me. Hearing Aidan laugh before I felt it, I realized I was leaning on Aidan and had grabbed onto his chest when the plane abruptly landed.
"Sorry," I mumbled and pulled myself away.
"Don’t worry about it." He smiled.
"So, we’re here?" Picking up my book, I put it back in my bag.
"Sort of, we’ll have to take the boat the rest of the way to the island." He stood up and grabbed his carryon bag before holding out his hand for me. I took it and stood up, then I let go and grabbed my bag. Following him off the plane, we got into an awaiting car. It was definitely warmer here, so I took off the sweater, leaving me in my t-shirt. I was still warm, but would have to wait to change until we got to the island.
Twenty minutes later we reached the marina. Luggage was being loaded onto the boat as we approached.
"Here we are." Aidan climbed onto the boat and then grabbed for my hand to help me on board.
Boat, was an understatement. It was like a mansion on water. It had two floors and I could see a room with couches, tables and a bar from where we stood. Aidan motioned for me to follow him into that part of the boat.
Throwing our bags onto one of the couches we sat down.
"There’s a bedroom through there," he pointed to a door, "if you want to change into something more weather appropriate."
