Not So Easily Broken

by Annalisa Simon

  After they had showered for the second time he ‘casually’ suggested that she go down to her favourite boutique on the marina and buy a dress that she could wear to dinner tonight. He saw her think about it for a little while as she mentally reviewed what she already had in her closet, but finally she said sure. At her response he felt the surge of adrenaline coursing through every vein in his body. It was the surge of knowing that step one in his plan for their wedding anniversary was falling into place, the surge of knowing how the night would end. Although he was a wealthy man and she made an excellent income as a talented photographer Courtney was not the type to spend a lot of money on herself. She was the most beautiful and generous woman he knew, but sometimes a little too generous. She often took her money and used it to help improve conditions at the geriatric and children’s homes on the island where they lived. Yes, she had a big heart and a great sense of style but he wanted to treat her to something ridiculously expensive, something she would never knowingly purchase for herself. So months ago he arranged with Patricia to import one of the latest styles by one of her favourite designers Naeema Khan. She often commented that the outfits created by this designer always photographed well and also fit the wearers well. So, he did the almost impossible. He had made contact with and sent Courtney’s measurements to Naeema and had her design a custom-made dress just for Courtney. Naeema even wrote a personal note dedicating the dress to her on her anniversary. Patricia was instructed to suggest that the gown was discounted that week so that Courtney would not be suspicious about the price she heard. He could picture her right now; tall, slender and shapely with her smooth honey brown skin contrasting against the stark white of the gown Naeema had designed. Sometimes when he thought of her he just wanted to taste her skin with his lips, to run his hands along the hair at the nape of her neck in the way he knew she liked. She had short straight black hair which she recently cut like Tia Mowry-Hardrict, her favourite actress, into a foxy pixie cut that enhanced her large almond shaped eyes. Looking into her eyes was like looking into a sea of veiled gold and he felt drawn in to her magnetic personality every single time. Her eyes were simply amazing and often Ramon would find himself just looking at her while she spoke, at the way her eyelashes would brush her cheek when she blinked and then to reopen to reveal those discs of honey gold once again. When it came to his wife Ramon was a man lost who never wanted to be found again, not now, and not ever.

  “Mr. Belham? Mr. Belham?...”

  Ramon was suddenly pulled back into the present reality as he realized that someone was calling his name. He hoped he had not been staring off into space like he was crazy, but his staff were probably accustomed to the faraway look he got whenever his wife was on his mind. Today was his seventh wedding anniversary for goodness sakes and he almost did not make it out of sheer and utter stupidity. He had something to be happy about.

  “Yes, David!” he said as he turned his attention back to the meeting in what he hoped was a business-like tone. The chuckles and laughter which followed let him know that they were not fooled one bit, and Ramon knew that it was going to be a great day.

  Back at the boutique, Courtney tried on all of the dresses and finally decided on the flowing white dress. It was not only beautiful but it fit her body like if it was custom-made for her. The other two were nice as well but one was a little too short and tight and the other had a plunging neckline down to her waist and was too tight around her hips. The white one featured a cold shoulder and was cut in a style that was reminiscent of the dresses worn in Greek mythology, with flowing chiffon and a cinched jewelled waistline that accentuated her narrow waist and shapely hips. On the shoulder and spreading out onto the bodice was an array of fine pearls of all shapes and sparkling diamond crystals. This dress was so exquisite and unlike what she would normally select, but today she had already decided that she would step out of the mould just to be a little more exciting. Sometimes she wondered if her sometimes laid back and conservative personality was a little boring for Ramon who was always used to a high paced lifestyle as a successful event planner. Trying to step out of her defences was something that she was determined to do more and more. In fact, that was why she thought she would break out of the mould and spice things up this morning at breakfast. To her surprise Ramon did not hesitate to respond to her advances and it gave her just a bit more confidence that things between them were only going to get better.

  As a photographer, she often found herself behind the camera rather than in front of it because she really loved to capture the beauty of life. Strangely, for a photographer she also tended to be a little camera shy, preferring to take the pictures rather than to pose for them. However, as she looked into the full length mirror before her she knew this dress would give Ramon a heart attack of the best kind.

  “Patricia, I think I have found the one I want.”

  Courtney emerged from the dressing area to show Patricia her selection and to pay. Patricia gasped with delight and asked her to turn. As she did the soft material swished around her ankles.

  “Courtney, you look absolutely gorgeous,” said Patricia truly stunned at what she saw. She knew Ramon had no idea what he was in for later that night. Remembering her ruse she quickly quipped,

  “Courtney, I think you made an excellent choice, and I know your husband will not be able to breathe tonight as long as you are wearing this dress.”

  Courtney laughed, “I don’t want to kill him but I do want tonight to be special”.

  “Trust me, with this dress and the plans I am sure you have for each other you have already succeeded.”

  As Courtney went ‘through the motions’ of paying, Patricia slipped the jewellery set and the scarves into the bags as well under the counter and out of sight.

  Chapter 2

  Before Courtney went to her studio she made a quick stop at Victoria Secret to acquire a new lingerie set and also ended up being coerced by the saleslady into buying an unusually provocative soft dusky rose coloured slip that reached only to her hips with a deep plunging neckline that would reveal the tops of her breasts. She had never been the type to wear lingerie before because the thought made her feel a little too vulnerable, as if she were trying too hard. Today though, she just wanted to do things differently to come away from the shell of fear that she had been hiding in for the past seven years. Her final stop took her to the shoe store to buy a matching pair of shoes to match the occasion. She knew that whenever Ramon took her to dinner it was always to fine dining and never to a fast food joint or even to casual dining so she was confident that she would not be overdressed. He always insisted on having the best and it was that attitude for excellence that set his business head and shoulders above the rest of his competitors.

  Once she was finished shopping she made her way through the sunshine along the city streets to her studio stopping only to buy a cup of caramel macchiato and to have her daily conversation with the cafe manager. While laughing at the story Marco was relaying to her she happened to glance at the clock on the wall and realized that she would be late for her first appointment if she did not hurry. Not bothering to discard the half-filled cup she hurriedly excused herself and grabbing her bags half walked, and half ran the final distance to her studio.

  This appointment was important because she would have a brand new client coming in about five minutes. As with all new clients she liked to make sure that everything was in place to make the experience as seamless and professional as possible.

  As she opened the door the chimes sounded and an unmistakable whiff of roses flowed out of the room and filled her nostrils. She stepped through the door quickly completely puzzled by the scent. Walking over to her desk she deposited her bags and waited for the temporary blindness to clear from her eyes. The brightness of the sun outside compared to the dim interior of the studio had caused her to see only in shadows but she was an expert at navigating her way to her desk. As her eyes became accustomed to the room she scanned it, and almost screamed
when she saw the outline of a tall man dressed only in black slacks bending over the music player in the far corner. The outline of his back was muscled and he looked powerful.

  “Lock the door,” the voice said.

  Courtney could not believe that she was hearing the voice of her husband Ramon.

  “Rrramon, what are you doing here? I have an appointment in three minutes with a new client.” Courtney stammered as her hands slid around on the wall in search of the light switch which for some reason she could not find at all. By then, Ramon had turned to face her and began walking slowly toward her with deliberately predatory steps.

  “You are right about the new client, but that appointment is with me, I’m Mr. Harvey, now lock the door.” he said softly.

  Swallowing hard, Courtney walked over to the door and locked it from the inside. Her heart now hammering in her chest, she once again turned to face her husband and took the time to admire the wonder of his physique. As he stood before her he looked so incredibly sexy that it took her breath away. In the background, she could hear that he had started playing the song they danced to at their wedding reception. “I Need You” by Marc Anthony filled the air with the strains of Latin guitar and for some reason she could almost smell the blossoms in the garden where they held the brunch after their wedding ceremony. Ramon had walked out to the centre and in front of everyone did exactly what he was doing now, holding out his hand for her to come to him. It was an incredibly intimate thing to do and even more so now.

  Still reeling from the surprise of it all Courtney walked with unsteady legs over to Ramon and as she neared him she caught the aroma of the cologne she had given him for his birthday earlier in the year. The combination of that and his aura of power and confidence were doing strange things to her insides and now breathless with anticipation she let herself be taken fully into his arms. As she placed her hand in his, he spun her in a circle before pulling her firmly against his bare chest. At six foot three he was a tall man and Courtney’s head only came as high as his shoulder. As they swayed together, he ran his large hands along her back and up her neck and finally to her chin as he raised her face to his. He looked into her eyes and the love that he saw shining there for him almost brought him to his knees. He wanted to renew every commitment that he had ever made to this woman, and erase every hurt that he had ever caused her up to this moment.

  “Courtney, I could not let today pass by without spending some time with you. You are so beautiful and I love you so much right now.” whispered Ramon intimately.

  “Ramon I love you too”, said Courtney, as a single tear slid out of her right eye and down her cheek.

  He bent his head toward hers and kissed the tears that ran down her cheek before tasting the full sweetness of her mouth with such slow deliberation that it felt as though time stopped for them. He could smell the flowery scent of her perfume and taste the remaining caramel from her favourite gourmet caramel macchiato which she usually bought and sipped on her way to the studio every day. Now for the second time that morning he found himself devouring her mouth and stroking her body with his hands. Although he did not plan what happened between them at home earlier it had not dampened the passion he felt for her, instead it had raised it by several degrees. He nipped at her neck and her earlobes and heard his own breathing become shallow as he explored the range of flavours along her neck. From the sharp taste the perfume close to her ears to the saltiness of the perspiration on her neck he swirled his tongue over her neck tasting and sampling her like a fine dessert. Fully aroused, he wanted nothing more than to take what already belonged to him against the wall at the back of the studio. There were no windows there and Courtney had recently installed a soft rug over the hardwood flooring so it would provide a measure of comfort. Noting the calculating direction his thoughts had taken Ramon knew that he had to restrain himself or he would make love to her right here in her studio. That was not the reason why he made this appointment.

  He was crafting the perfect seduction, the perfect experience for his wife and he did not want a lack of self-control to cheapen his plans. Those thoughts though were growing fuzzier by the minute as he felt Courtney’s arms tighten around his shoulders and as she pressed her body fully against him. If he did not stop this soon they would be against that very wall, very, very soon. With superhuman strength Ramon tore his mouth away from hers, and as he did his thumb traced the area on her lips where his mouth had just been. Both of them still had their eyes closed as they tried to get control of their breathing and of the insane desire to have round two of that morning’s lovemaking session here in the studio right now. It was as though a new spark had been ignited in their relationship, as if they were discovering a new level of passion that could exist between man and wife. Courtney rested her head against his chest and inhaled his manly woodsy scent as she gently stroked the muscles in his back.

  “Courtney... Ramon groaned with a guttural voice, you feel so good here in my arms.”

  As she lay on his chest Courtney was bursting with happiness. This, never in her wildest dreams had ever happened before. Usually Ramon was so busy at work that she would see him in the mornings at night and on weekends. For him to plan a special secret rendezvous for them in the middle of the morning told her that he was thinking of her and that this was on his mind for a while because her appointments were usually made a week in advance. It was then that she remembered the reason for this photo shoot. The client had requested that he wanted intimate shots of himself taken as a gift to his wife to let her know how much he loved her. At the time she thought that was such a sweet idea and she had even selected a complimentary album in which to place the photos once they were developed.

  As realization slowly dawned upon her that she would be taking these intimate shots of her own husband in all of his decadent glory she raised her face and looked into his eyes questioningly. As if reading her mind, Ramon replied,

  “I want you to be able to look into my eyes anytime during the day and see just how much I love you. I also want you to be the one to take the pictures because I simply cannot look at anyone else in that way,” he confessed, his voice filled with deep sincerity.

  Ramon could see her struggling with the idea of the vulnerability she would feel in doing this and he hoped that she would not refuse him. Courtney felt as though her tongue was suddenly glued to the roof of her mouth. As she looked up into the handsome face of her husband, and saw the sincerity in his dark brown eyes she knew she could not refuse him this and simply nodded. It was as if she was completely robbed of speech. Ramon took her hand and led her over to the area that she had set up with the stool on the white rug. She now noticed the source of the fragrance she detected as she opened the door only ten minutes earlier. It was the scent of hundreds of rose petals that Ramon had scattered on the rug. Somehow, the picture of their wedding once again flashed into her mind as she remembered walking on a bed of rose petals and simultaneous the flashes of cameras as the guests took pictures.

  Finding her voice, Courtney asked, “When did you do all of this Ramon?”

  Ramon laughed, “A man is entitled to a few secrets isn’t he?

  At those words he saw her eyes narrow and darken a little and he knew she was thinking back to two years ago when he kept a secret that could have cost them their marriage. He had failed to tell her about the financial difficulty his event planning firm was experiencing at the time and also about the employee who had been making inappropriate sexual advances toward him during that period. The misunderstandings that had followed had almost cost him his marriage! Since then, they had learned to communicate openly and she was learning to trust him again though it came with much difficulty.

  “Courtney, you know that is not what I mean. I am doing this because I want you to know you can trust me, you can trust my love for you. I want you to see it for yourself.” Ramon said insistently, his tone displaying a sense of urgency matched by the expression in his eyes.

  “I know, I kn
ow, replied Courtney, it is just that sometimes I do remember those times, but I want you to know that I do trust you.”

  This was the last topic they needed to discuss today and Ramon was determined that it would never come up again so he spoke quickly.

  “Well, let’s get set up, and honey I want you to make this your fantasy.”

  “Ramon, it already is.” laughed Courtney as she went to complete setting up her equipment.

  The music continued to play softly in the background as Courtney finished setting up the lighting and the equipment. She recognized several songs from her wedding reception that she had not heard in a while. Was it all a coincidence or did Ramon really put some effort into planning this surprise for her? The thought of it stirred up the sensation of butterflies in her stomach and her hands trembled slightly at the anticipation of seeing the raw desire and emotion in her husband’s chocolate coloured eyes as she took his pictures. It was nerve wracking to say the least, but she was determined to play along. She stood behind the camera, and adjusted the focus. As a former rugby player and fitness enthusiast, Ramon was broad shouldered and had a thick muscled chest and arms. She loved the shape of his head which was reminiscent of Shemar Moore’s, and as usual he liked to sport a closely cropped hair cut with his facial hair well trimmed.