by S. M. Lynn
Marlene has also once again thought of everything for underneath the dress as well. I’m surprised not only by the fact that there is no corset but also by how skimpy the bra and panties are. Marlene must have real faith in my exercise routine if she brought only this for me to wear underneath.
She must notice my suspicion. “Dear, everything is going to show under this dress so the less you have on the better,” she says with wink. Marlene is so naughty and I can’t help but notice. I mean who else has a boyfriend whose mother is constantly trying to get them in bed together.
“Marlene, you are truly terrible.”
“Lauren, if you are going to make me a grandmother while I am still on this earth then I will help you along in any way I can.”
At least she’s not trying to be subtle about it. “Marlene, don’t you think there is something else that needs to happen before I start having babies with your son?”
“Lauren, dear, I hope you don’t think of me as so old fashioned that I would expect things to happen in any certain order. As to marriage and children I am sure they will both happen for you and Ian; I couldn’t care less about the order as long as I am around to see both. And I have to say you have no idea how happy you just made me when you said ‘babies’.” Ugh, I’m going to have to be much more careful about my words around her from now on. Not only are Ian and I getting married now in her mind but I have also committed us to having multiple children. I try not to think about the possibility of children at all. Having never had that sort of role model growing up, I often worry about what kind of mother I will be if I ever am one. Marlene must notice my look.
“Dear, I didn’t mean to upset you. Ian is going to be furious with me. He made me promise not to upset you today. And now look we’ve just been getting dressed and already I have you almost to tears. I think I understand your fear. But trust me in this dear, no one as kind and selfless as you could ever be a bad mother. Just because Natasha was… well, Natasha doesn’t mean you will be anything like her. You just don’t have it in you to be unkind or cruel.” She wraps me in a hug and kisses my forehead. This woman is so intuitive and has hit the nail on the proverbial head with her assessment of my situation. That is exactly what I am worried about, being my mother. I just hope that she and Ian are correct; luckily I have time before I have to worry about that.
“You didn’t upset me, really. Just thinking about children always makes me think of her and my own upbringing. I just hope if and when Ian and I have a child I will live up to everyone’s expectations.”
“My dear, you’ll be just fine and we will all be here to help and support you in any way we can. You know that don’t you?”
“Of course Marlene.” It’s my turn to hug the woman who’s been more of a mother to me than my own. I will be eternally grateful to both Marlene and Kathleen for all they have taught me about what being a mother truly means.
“Alright enough of that then. Let’s get you in this dress; you have to be freezing standing there in nothing but your dainty knickers.”
I step into the dress and it slips over my body like a second skin. The feel of the silk on my skin is delicious and erotic. It reminds me of nights spent in Ian’s bed; I can’t help but smile as I think of him.
“There you are my dear and perfect if I do say so myself. Now I don’t mean to spoil the surprise but I believe my son has something for you that will add some sparkle to this gown, as if it needs it. You should have been on my runway. You are pure perfection.” She lightly kisses my cheek.
“Thank you, Marlene. For everything.” I don’t have the words in the moment to convey to her my overwhelming appreciation for everything that she has done for me. And even if I could find the words there would never be enough time to say them, she has done so much, been so generous and loved me beyond anything I had ever imagined from a mother.
“No tears, Lauren. You have to go meet Ian now and I don’t want to be responsible for him thinking you’re upset. He would never forgive me.”
“Oh I’m sure he would since they are tears of happiness. I just can’t tell you how happy you have made me, how happy Ian has made me. Despite everything these last few years have been the happiest of my life. My only regret is that Daddy couldn’t be here to see it all. You’ve raised an incredible man and I will spend every day I am with him trying to be worthy of his love.”
“Dear, it is Ian and I that are the lucky ones. You’ve shown us all what it is to love again and brought the life back into my boy. So for that I am forever in your debt.”
I hug her, like I’ve never hugged another woman in my life. Love pours between us, mother to daughter and in that moment I truly feel that is what I am.
When I finally pull myself from our embrace, I turn to see Ian watching intently from the doorway.
“Good thing I was already dressed, Mr. I forgot how to knock.”
“You would have been gorgeous either way.” He whispers but I know Marlene heard and the blush creeps up my skin. “None of that or I won’t be able to find you in that exquisite dress. Now ladies, I need to find the other two in our party and we must leave otherwise we’ll miss the dinner that mother spent so much time planning.” He kisses Marlene on the cheek and squeezes her hand. The love between mother and son is unmistakable. I hope to have that someday with our child. Holy shit, one afternoon and one conversation and I’m thinking about children with a man I’m not even married to. I need to have my head examined.
Ian rounds everyone up and escorts us to the waiting limo but not before presenting me with a gorgeous ruby and diamond necklace and matching teardrop earrings for the evening. I feel like a princess getting her very own happy ending to her fairytale.
The limo ride to the ballroom is filled with laughter and of course more champagne. I wonder if the whole point of this day and evening is to have me intoxicated, but I’m having such a wonderful time even the slight headache I’ll have tomorrow can’t spoil it.
Dinner is an elegant event right down to waiters in tuxedos serving us our 5 course meal. After dinner the designers have a short fashion show for our entertainment before the full band takes over. They are truly amazing singing everything from old school Ella Fitzgerald to Top 40. Every piece they perform is perfection. I find myself stuck in my seat mesmerized not even interested in dancing. My revere is interrupted by a large hand taking my own.
“May I have this dance?” Ian’s panty dropping smile is out in full wattage tonight. He extends his hand to me, helping me from my seat just as the band begins to croon about it not being a bad thing to fall in love. I immediately recognize it as one my favorites from JT. “Are you having a nice time?”
I look over Ian’s body covered in a perfectly tailored tuxedo. Black tie never looked so good. Every piece clings to his body just right, accenting the perfect body underneath. I wrap him more tightly in my arms. “You make everything perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better night.” I lightly brush my lips against his. “Your mother did wonderfully tonight. The designs are spectacular. I expect we’re going to have to fight her to keep your sister though. Claire really has a knack for party planning. I can’t wait to see what she does at Jacobs Enterprises.”
“Ah sweetheart, always talking shop. Let’s not think about that just now. Right now, I’m holding the most precious thing in the world in my arms and I want to show her how much I love her.” His lips join with mine once again, in a lingering kiss this time. It feels like it goes on and on and I never want him to stop. It’s not a hard kiss just the right amount of pressure with some discreet tongue action thrown in. After all, we are in public. God, I love this man. I can’t imagine a second of my life without him. “Close your eyes, my love.” He whispers in my ear and pulls my body closer to his. “No, eh ah, no peaking.” I do as I’m told and close my eyes as he continues to spin us across the floor. I feel like I’m floating.
Then suddenly everything comes to an abrupt halt. A collective gasp goes out amongst the crowd. M
y heart rate jumps afraid of what could have happened. Why had Ian stopped our dance? What’s happening? I can’t keep my eyes shut any longer and they fly open. I don’t see Ian. Oh no! Where is Ian? Wait! I can still feel him holding my hand.
I look down at my hand which remains firmly in Ian’s grasp to find him on one knee in front of me. Oh by all that’s holy! My knees begin to buckle and I feel the floor rush up to meet me. “Oh no you don’t sweetheart. This is no time for your theatrics. You will stand there and let me do this properly. Or I will set my mother loose on you.” His smile grows as he traces my palm with his fingers.
“Lauren Celeste Carmichael, you have shown me what true bravery is and what it means to fight for those that you love. Your heart is pure and holds so much love, more than you even know. I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on a girl of only 18. I have waited far too long for this day. Lauren, you have most definitely been worth the wait; you are worth more than I could ever offer you but I hope that my heart will be enough. Lauren, sweetheart, please do me the very great honor of becoming my wife?”
Tears cloud more eyes than just mine. I look out into the crowd and find three pairs of eyes glued on us. Taking in the scene with much anticipation. As I stare into the sapphire pools in front of me, waiting for my answer I can’t help but think that all of our lives will be changed by my answer. Ian’s grip tightens and his eyes plead with mine. His gaze moves down and I notice the box in his other hand. A large cushion cut diamond set in platinum surrounded by two sapphires in a raised setting with diamonds studding the sides. It is beautiful. I gasp as it takes my breath away. “Lauren?” The hurt in his voice at my delay is audible. Whispers around the room say what can she be waiting for.
“Oh, Ian. Ian, I love you so much. I can’t imagine my life without you. I’m not the brave one; you make me brave. I’m not the one with so much love in my heart; you put that love there. Your love makes me who I am; makes me complete. Yes, Ian. Yes, I would love to be your wife.” He moves like lightning taking me into his arms and twirling us in a circle. His lips capture mine just as applause rings out from the crowd around us.
In between kisses he manages to breathe out. “Oh sweetheart, I’m going to have to redden that ass tonight. I thought I was going to burst with all that waiting you made me do. Be prepared. I told you I always get what I want.”
“I have no doubt about that.” I kiss him hard in return. “And I intend to make sure you get exactly what you want later tonight.”
“You’re such a naughty thing.” He says pulling me closer as he places one hand between us to adjust himself. “Now I have to go back to my mother looking like this.” His smile doesn’t falter and I know my face is the same. God, I didn’t know I could be this happy, deliriously happy is the only way to describe it.
We had no sooner stepped up to the table when three sets of arms tried to embrace us all at once. Marlene manages to capture me first. “Oh my dear, I’m so happy. You have made me the happiest mother on the planet. I can’t believe I get to have two gorgeous daughters.” I didn’t think it was possible to get any happier. Her calling me her daughter has overfilled my heart and the only place for the emotion to spill out is my eyes. “So when’s the date?”
And the Marlene that we know and love is back. “Slow down, Marlene. I just said yes. Of course I’m going to need lots and lots of help planning.” That brought the twinkle to her eyes.
“My dear, I have such plans for your wedding. You and Ian need to set a date soon.”
“Hey, let my fiancé breathe a little, mother. We will set a date soon,” he drops a kiss to her cheek, “I promise.” I mouth a thank you to him before turning to Gavin.
“Well, my darling,” he lightly kisses my cheek, “I see you’re going to go off and leave me again. Permanently this time.”
“Now don’t be silly. I would never abandon you. I need you to take me shopping and keep me in the latest fashion. And you need me to have someone to shake your ass with so I guess we’re stuck with each other.” I give him a light smack on the arm for trying to get rid of me so quickly. Like just because I’m getting married means I won’t need him anymore. Then before the tears that are threatening again begin to fall, I pull him in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Gav, I love you. You will always be my best friend.”
“Oh babe, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset your happy moment just trying to lighten things up. Apparently I have done a bang up job on that. Well how about a toast to make up for my fuck-up?” He lifts his glass from the table and motions to a waiter nearby who promptly brings over another tray of champagne. “To my darling best friend and this gorgeous man about to marry her.” He winks at Ian who quickly turns about fifty shades of red.
“Now Gavin I thought you were toasting us not flirting with my fiancée.” I smile over at Ian still caught up in the moment and unwilling to let it go. I want to bottle this feeling and this moment in time. I want to keep them for always to visit whenever time gets tough or the fear becomes too much.
“Well, then stop looking at him like you want to eat him up. You’re making me jealous, woman.”
“I can’t help it. I didn’t think this night could get any more perfect and now… Well, now… I don’t even have the words for it.”
“Lauren,” Gavin says wrapping his arms around me, “I’m truly happy for you. You deserve this more than you will ever know. I’m glad he makes you this happy and glad that I got to know him like I did or I’m not sure I could give my permission.”
“Well, Dad, I’m glad you approve. Speaking of approval, and this may be a bit premature since we haven’t discussed anything yet, but would you give me away at the wedding?”
“Now you’re trying to make me cry. I was hoping to be the man of honor but I suppose I can do that job too. Just so you know that I’m not going relinquish my entire hold you when I give you away, you are still my best friend and I expect dinner every now and then even when you are living happily ever after.”
“Alright if you don’t mind I would like to steal my fiancée, I love the sound of that, for another dance.” I don’t know why but his words cause me to blush. I can’t wait to be in his arms later just the two of us. I can already tell how different it will be knowing I’m going to be his wife. I can only imagine what making love will be like once we are married.
Chapter 19
“Did you have a good time tonight, sweetheart?” His mischievous smile tells me he already knows the answer to his question but I respond anyway.
“How can you even ask me that? The evening was wonderful. Your mother did a fabulous on everything from the clothes to the food to the entertainment.”
“Oh are those the only things that made your evening special?” His right hand takes my left and he twirls the engagement ring around my finger.
“I think something else happened tonight as well but I forget. Maybe you should refresh my memory.”
“Hmm, my fiancée seems to have forgotten that I proposed. How do I refresh her memory? Maybe I should take her ring until she can remember that she is mine. No, the ring is there to show others that she is mine plus it looks too damn good on her hand. So I don’t want to do that. I know another way I can show her she’s mine.”
With that he scoops me up off the floor carrying me into the bedroom and dropping me unceremoniously onto the bed. “Now to show you that you are mine so that you will never forget.”
“Ian, you should know there’s no way I would ever forget but if you want to remind me, I’m never going to stop you.” I reach for the zip on my dress and watch his eyes as the fabric slides down my body to pool at my feet. I hear his sharp inhale as he takes me in; my lace bra and panties do nothing to hide my excitement. I step out of the dress and move over to him.
“Oh no, beautiful. Back on the bed with you. I plan to undress myself tonight. I won’t have you tempting me with that delicious body so close to mine.” I take a couple steps back and sit down on the edge of th
e bed and wait while he undresses. He makes quick work of the jacket but every button on the shirt is opened with excruciating slowness. I want to tap my foot to show him in impatience but I know he would only make me wait longer. When the last button is free, I breathe a sigh of relief and wait for the shirt to join the jacket on the floor. I was in such a hurry to see his sculpted chest I forgot about the cuff links until he holds up his hands and begins to undo one and then the other. This slow strip tease from my man is the most pleasurable torture I have ever experienced. With each cuff undone, he carefully places the cuff links on the dresser cherishing each one the same as he did on Christmas when he received them from me. He presses each link to his lips and I wish those lips were on my body instead of that cold metal.
He moves gracefully back in front of me and continues his show. Like a man with a purpose, he slowly removes the loose end of his belt and pulls it out of the loop. He then unbuckles it and pulls it free from his pants, dropping to join the growing the pile on the floor. I want to jump off the bed and rip his pants off his body and get to what is underneath but I sit and wait. He looks up at me well aware of the frenzied state he is putting me in. Only then do I realize that while unbuttoned, his shirt is still on. I give a frustrated sigh which only earns me a panty-dropping smile in return. Yes, yes, I think, I’m a sure thing over here. See, I can drop them now if you want me to. I stand to do just that and he shakes his head at me.
“No, Lauren you’ve done quite enough already now just sit down over there and let me finish.”
I’ve done enough. I’ve done enough; the voice in my head is indignant. All I did was drop my dress and I did in that in 3 seconds flat; none of this torture he’s making me endure. But endure it I will because I know my prize in the end will be well worth the wait. I sit back down on my hands this time to keep from fidgeting with my impatience and he resumes his undressing. As if just realizing himself that his shirt is still on he pulls the sides apart and slowly withdraws each arm before dropping it and returning his gaze to me. I am no longer looking in his eyes but mine roam the hard length of his torso enjoying every crease and crevice his chest and abs have to offer me. My view of his deep v is cut off by the waist band of his pants and I pout unhappily. His laughter deep and throaty greets my ears. I thought I was only pouting in my mind but apparently it slipped through and also showed on my face. I love the sound of his laughter and soon join him.
