by Sable Sylvan
All the shots that Kaua had taken of Carmen had one common thread. They were all highly sensual and in some cases, outright erotic. Even though Carmen’s breasts and plump, firm ass and juicy slit were hidden from him by props and costumes, the burlesque photos made his imagination fill in the rest on his own. After all, he’d seen the real deal, and knew exactly what was beneath the glittery seashells that, in all their roundness, could not come close to rivaling the curviness of her ample bosom. The mermaid tail that they’d put on her, yes, it covered her lower parts, both front and back, so there was no back butt cleavage or camel toe visible...at least, unless one looked more closely, at the curved imprints of the plump brunette’s body that pushed against the stretch fabric in all the right places. Of course, he had to wonder just how wet Carmen had gotten while she had been putting on this little show. Had she thought about how much these images would turn him on? Or was she the one who was getting turned on, the photos a form of illicit self-pleasure? Even worse, was there still a possibility that Carmen had just no clue how damn sexy she was in all these pics, or that she’d gotten these shots without even trying? That last thought made Aiden’s cock twitch, a sign that maybe his last thought was right on the money.
“You know you get to keep those, right?” said Carmen, closing the book. She took a spoonful of the chocolate mousse they’d been sharing and pointed it towards Aiden’s mouth. Aiden took the spoon from Carmen and licked it, cleaning the spoon off with a swirl of his powerful tongue, before breathing on the spoon, making it fog up with the heat from his body, and dipping it back in the mousse. It was airy and fluffy and intended to be served chilled, but as soon as the mousse was on the spoon, it started to melt down into a luscious, decadent syrup, which Aiden fed to his lover.
Everything felt right for the happy couple. They’d had a wonderful day together in Port Jameson, and Carmen was feeling a lot better after the prior day’s drama. In Port Jameson, it really felt like they were in a fairy tale, just a prince who had found his princess, a maid who had charmed the powerful man with a heart of gold. In a town full of people who could turn into animals, it wasn’t hard to start believing that maybe, just maybe, magic was real. They settled up the bill and headed out towards their car, hand in hand, giving one another small kisses, the taste of the mousse still lingering in their mouths and on their lips.
The illusion was shattered by the sound of a voice from behind her. “Carmen?” said the voice.
Carmen knew she had to turn to see who they were. She gripped onto Aiden’s hand even more tightly as she turned, her other hand clutching the binder.
In front of her were the two last people on earth she wanted to see...her aunt, and her mom. She didn’t want to see her aunt for obvious reasons, and she didn’t want to see her mom because of the shame.
“What’s going on?” asked Carmen. “Why are you here? How did you find me?”
“We tracked your phone,” said Polly. “Your mom pays for the plan, so she is able to track the phone. Once we realized the phone was in Port Jameson, I just hired my private eye to figure out where you would be. He’s the best in the business.”
“More like the best at getting in my business,” said Carmen. “I thought I made it clear, I’m done with you, Aunt Polly.”
“That’s no way to talk to your aunt,” said Bianca. “Besides...I was worried sick about you, Carmen.”
“I texted you and told you where I’d be,” said Carmen. “I told you I was going to be out of town.”
“You didn’t say with who, or where, or why,” said Bianca. “What if something had happened to you or to the family? How would I get in touch with you?”
“I know I shouldn’t’ve left like that...but Mom, I know you need me around the house, but at the same time, it’s overwhelming and I need space,” said Carmen. “I’m sorry I left the way I did. I should’ve told you where I was going and why, but I was afraid you wouldn’t understand.”
“Why wouldn’t I understand?” asked Bianca.
“Because...I was worried you’d be disappointed in me, like Aunt Polly,” said Carmen.
“Carmen...your mom and I are different people,” said Polly. “And yes. I’m disappointed in you. But only because you did things that I was really, really worried about. When I saw you carrying a bag in and out of a rich man’s penthouse, you know what I thought?”
“What?” asked Carmen.
“I thought that you were involved in some real shit, like drug smuggling,” said Polly. “Don’t laugh. You know I told you that I saw some real dark shit when I was your age. No bullshit, I saw girls get involved with the worst things possible. I saw girls that slept with men because they were pressured to, that got their lives ruined by a smear campaign on the part of the man’s wife. I saw girls that got involved in drugs. I saw girls that got blackmailed into the worst things possible. That’s why I run my service the way I do, no bullshit. That’s why I care about complaints, not from the clients, but from my workers, because if any funny business goes on, that is my business. You nearly gave me a heart attack with your antics. You should’ve told me what was going on, so I could’ve fired you.”
“See, you were going to fire me no matter what,” said Carmen.
“I told you, I have to, because you’re my niece...but not for the reason you think,” said Polly. “You see, if you hadn’t quit, if you had just let me frikkin’ fire you, you know what would happen?”
“No, what?” asked Carmen.
“You could’ve gotten frikkin’ severance,” said Polly. “Haven’t you noticed I fire lots of people? It’s not because I’m this huge bitch. It’s because if I fire them, they get severance, but they don’t if they quit.”
“Oh...” said Carmen softly. “I had no idea.”
“Exactly, because you don’t know everything you think you know,” said Polly. “And I couldn’t tell you this legally. But there it is now, because I’m no longer your boss, I’m your aunt...but just because you don’t work for me doesn’t mean I approve of this guy.” Polly sized up Aiden. She was at least a foot shorter than him but she wasn’t intimidated by him at all.
“You’re the famous Polly Jackson,” said Aiden.
“I see Carmen’s filled you in,” said Polly. “That’s Ms. Jackson to you.”
“Ms. Jackson, I’m—” started Aiden.
“I know exactly who you are, Aiden Dixon,” said Polly. “Of the Asher-Dixon bear shifter clan. It’s a loaded name, as I’m sure you know.”
“I know,” said Aiden.
“And so you know exactly why I didn’t want my niece or any of my employees getting involved with you,” said Polly.
“I do, and I respect that decision, Ms. Jackson,” said Aiden. “I swear to you, though...I know that the rumors of my clan, and their playboy ways, have been in every Seattle gossip rag worth the paper it’s printed on. I’ve been seen in the tabloids with women on my arm too. I’m no saint. However. Your niece is my fated mate.”
“She...she is?” said Polly, looking to Carmen.
“She is,” said Aiden.
Polly narrowed her eyes. “Prove it.”
“Prove it?” asked Aiden.
“I wasn’t born yesterday,” said Polly. “Shirt. Off. Now. Let’s see that mate mark.”
“Aunt Polly!” shouted Carmen, mortified, her cheeks turning bright pink. “Are you frikkin’ serious?”
“Serious as a heart attack,” said Polly. “Shirt off, mister. If you have nothing to hide.”
“Alright, then,” said Aiden. “Carmen, I gotta do what your aunt says.” Aiden stripped his shirt off and bared his chest.
Polly and Bianca gasped as they saw the mark. They instantly recognized the mate mark symbols.
“That’s a briar rose, isn’t it?” said Polly. “Just like my mother’s name...Briar-Rose.”
“And that garden...that’s my mother Carmen’s garden,” said Bianca. She couldn’t help but reach out to touch it, just to ensure it was real. “I
would know that garden if I saw it with my own eyes.”
“The garden where...my brother met you,” said Polly, turning to Bianca.
“I know the story,” said Aiden. “If your brother, as a gardener, could fall in love with Bianca...why can’t you let your niece, blood of your brother, fall in love with me, as a maid? This isn’t anything sordid or lustful, Ms. Jackson. This is true love. This is fate, and she’s...my fated mate.”
“Or fated maid, as the case may be,” said Polly, turning to her niece. “I’m sorry, Carmen...I had no idea that his love for you was so true and so deep. And he’s right. You are like my brother in so many ways...it only makes sense you follow in his path as well. Aiden...you have my blessing...for now. If you do anything, and I mean anything, to break my niece’s heart, well...you might think you know what I am capable of doing...but you’re wrong.”
“Ms. Jackson, and Ms. Bianca Jackson,” said Aiden, acknowledging Bianca. “I promise to love and protect Carmen, to never stray from her side, to keep her safe, to do whatever it takes to make her happy.”
“Take care of my daughter, Aiden,” said Bianca. “Please. And do not dishonor her.”
“I swear on all that is sacred to me, that I shall not,” said Aiden. “In fact...”
Aiden turned to Carmen, who had watched Aiden win over the two most protective women in her life, and held her hands in his. “Carmen. I intended to do this later tonight, but...I think there’s really no better time to do this,” said Aiden. Aiden got down on one knee, and opened his wallet, pulling a ring out of the coin purse. The ring’s band was a silvery white platinum, with small pear shaped diamonds along the band which resembled thorns. At the center of the ring was a large pink diamond, brilliant round cut, surrounded by smaller round brilliant cut diamonds in shades of pink, and around those, marquise cut emeralds. It was a briar rose...for his briar rose.
“Carmen. I know I’ve only known you for a few weeks, but you and I know that what this is...it's more than love...it’s fate, and we’re mates who are meant to be. I loved you before I even met you. I loved you before we could even talk to one another freely. I promise to love you, to cherish you, to protect you, and to honor you, for as long as I live,” said Aiden. “Carmen Briar-Rose Jackson...will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Oh, Aiden, of course I will,” said Carmen, wiping the tears from her eyes as Aiden slipped the ring on her finger. “There’s nothing I want more in the world.”
Epilogue
Carmen Dixon lay back on the fishnet hammock that grazed the surface of the brilliant sapphire blue ocean beneath her. The sky above was almost the same color as the ocean below her, and that’s when she realized that the color from the ocean wasn’t from refraction of light, but from the reflection of the sky. Seeing where one ended and the other began was hard...but what wasn’t hard to see was the tall, handsome man with a floral mark on his chest and white swim trunks making his way over to her with a fresh piña colada in a bright pink plastic cup with a green swirly straw.
“Is the cloud gazing making you thirsty, Mrs. Dixon?” said Aiden, leaning down to kiss his wife on the forehead.
“I’m absolutely parched, Mr. Dixon,” said Carmen, kissing Aiden on the cheek. He got down to sit next to her and the drink spilled on her pink cover up. “Hey! Watch it!”
Aiden reached over and put some of the cold drink on his finger and then put it to his lips. “Mmm. Delicious. And the cocktail’s not bad either,” said Aiden. “So what exactly are you doing out here anyway?”
“Oh, just thinking,” said Carmen.
“About what?” asked Aiden.
“About everything,” said Carmen. “I can’t believe that just a year ago, you and I hadn’t met, but at the same time, sort of had. And now, we’re frikkin’ married. The wedding...all the things you did for my family...”
Aiden put a finger to Carmen’s lips. “You’ve thanked me so many times, I’ve memorized the speech,” said Aiden. “It was just a little...engagement present.”
“Most people’s engagement presents are nowhere near that frikkin’ extravagant,” said Carmen. “Or that meaningful.” Carmen looked over Aiden. He really was the complete package. After their engagement in Port Jameson, Carmen and Aiden had broken the news to their respective families up in Seattle before making yet another trip to Port Jameson to tell the Port Jameson Dixons about the upcoming nuptials. While the Ashers and the Dixons had taken to Carmen like bears to beehives, the Jacksons were less easily swayed by Aiden, whose family’s reputation preceded him, a reputation of not just enormous wealth, but of playboy characters.
Bianca and Polly had put Aiden through the ringer, ensuring that he was really forever material for the eldest girl in the family. He’d worked scrubbing dishes and toilets in the Jackson household, as well as babysitting the kids (a test to see if he was going to be good father material, and be a good brother-in-law to the little ones), and the two powerful matriarchs had to admit that the bear had earned a place in their family...but it wasn’t until he’d taken them all out for ice cream, and then, up into a nice suburb on the pretense of seeing a park, that he had really earned their hearts.
In front of Bianca, Polly, and Carmen was a place familiar to them but not to the little ones...the house of Carmen’s grandmother, Grandma Carmen. There, in front of the house, was the garden that was inscribed on the bear shifter’s chest. As Bianca and Polly held each other, weeping tears of joy, Carmen had turned to Aiden and demanded to know how he’d pulled it off. It had turned out that he’d been able to buy the property from the company that was going to bulldoze it to build a parking lot, but because the house was in Idaho, there was the little problem of getting it to Seattle. He’d purchased an unused lot in the suburbs that a developer had abandoned and had the house reconstructed in perfect detail on the property. He had a network of people around the globe, and his specialists had found historical photographs of the property, and by snipping a photo here and a photo there, they were able to figure out just what the garden that was on his chest would have looked like in real life...and Aiden had hired a team of expert landscapers to make the dream become a reality. The inside of the house was not furnished because he didn’t know what the family wanted, but within three months, Carmen’s mother and the rest of Carmen’s immediate family had moved into the house, which was located in an area with better school districts, across from a park that the kids could go run and play in to get out of Bianca’s hair, perfect for hosting visits from their big sister and birthday parties.
Aiden had hired landscapers to come to the property once a month, and wouldn’t you know it...fate repeated itself, and within a few months, Bianca, who had not dated since the passing of Carmen’s father, had found a new reason to have a pep in her step and a blush on her cheeks, and that reason was a handsome lion shifter named Leonardo. Cleaners came (from Polly’s company of course) to keep things in order, so that Bianca wouldn’t have to do so much. After all the years of nearly single handedly supporting the household, she finally had a break. The kids had babysitters, tutors, a daily chauffeur to their schools, and more activities than the typical trust fund kid, but they had a stronger appreciation for it than people who had access to those resources their entire lives.
Meanwhile, Carmen had moved into Aiden’s condo, and they had not found a maid to replace her...because there was no frikkin’ way they could schedule in a maid, as there would be no guarantee that at any given time, they wouldn’t be going at it on the kitchen counter or in the living room, the library, the study, the bedroom, his bathroom, her bathroom...well, you get the picture. Carmen searched around for jobs, insisting on not letting Aiden use his social cache to get her a job, and found a job as a receptionist, which allowed her to build a resume while working, so she would have better opportunities awaiting her on graduation. She did, however, let Aiden pay the bills, given that his standards for quality of life were much higher than hers, so there was no way that they cou
ld split expenses...yet. Every time Aiden introduced her to other powerful players of the game that was the Seattle economy, he always bragged that he wasn’t sure who would earn their next billion first, him...or her, his fated mate. When he had first said it, it made her blush, but by the honeymoon, she’d taken the challenge up wholeheartedly, and gears in her head were trying about just what she’d do once she got her degree, and how she might find a rival in her own dearly beloved husband.
The wedding had gone off without a hitch. Carmen had heard of wedding planning horror stories, but a nice cat shifter named Delaina at the Asher Manor, which was home to the Asher Clan and the Dixon Clan, the Seattle side of the clan run by the notoriously chic Jennifer Asher. Delaina, after just an afternoon with Carmen, had managed to plan her dream wedding. It was a large wedding, mostly composed of family, and Carmen was sure that by the end of the night, one of her siblings would’ve wrecked some priceless rug or work of art, but thankfully, it all went off without a hitch as they had a ceremony that contained a mix of human and shifter wedding traditions.
After the wedding, it was off to the honeymoon. They’d picked the Maldives because it was a new place they could explore together, and finding a gorgeous destination that Aiden hadn’t already visited half a dozen times was nearly impossible. What wasn’t impossible was Aiden’s dream for what sort of vacation he could give his new wife as a gift for being his gift. Naturally, as a billionaire, rules were bent and broken to his whim, and they ended up with a private island with a beach and a large cabin...however, that large cabin was more like a house, and it was constructed over the water, on a continental shelf which was shallow enough for them to walk in, from the beach to the house, without needing to swim. A boat came daily to deliver supplies they could order via an app, but other than that, they were left in absolute privacy...which is exactly what they’d wanted.
