by Vanessa Rose
Joslin's heart did acrobatics inside her chest. All she could do was nod and smile in response. She gestured towards the door, and Blake escorted her out to his car. He opened the door for her, which was something Joslin thought only happened in movies. Blake made sure the skirt of her dress was clear of the door before he shut it. His eyes stole a glance at her perfect legs before the door closed and he walked around to the driver's side.
It was a little over twenty minutes to get to Blake's estate, but about a half an hour before they would make it to the door. About a third of the way through their trip, just as they were about to leave town and get on the highway, Joslin looked down and admired the slight shimmer of her pink nail polish in the sunlight. That's when a horrible realization struck her. They'd forgotten about something incredibly important.
“Oh, my goodness, Blake!” Joslin said suddenly and with urgency, “We forgot a ring! What are we going to do about a ring? I don't have anything that could be an engagement ring?”
Joslin's eyes were as big as the Texas sky above them. Blake looked from the road to Joslin and back again, an identical expression of panic on his face. He started to slowly shake his head, dismissing thought after thought. His mother would never believe he proposed without a ring. It wasn't like an engagement ring purchase would make a dent in his bank account, and he couldn't come up with any good answer as to why Joslin didn't have one on her finger. It was that consideration that gave Blake a perfect solution.
“Well,” he said as he flipped on the turn signal to switch lanes, “Looks like we're just going to have to get you a ring.”
Joslin waited for him to add something, anything, to that thought. Then, it was her turn to shake her head, dismissing thought after thought.
“No,” she said desperately, “I'm not going to let you buy me a ring! You can't buy me a ring! This isn't supposed to be real! What are you going to do with it afterwards? Sell it back?”
Blake shook his head. A smile had already started to creep onto his face. Bantering with Joslin was something Blake was coming to enjoy.
“Look,” he said persuasively, although he already had his mind made up about what they were going to do, “you can keep it afterwards, alright? It doesn't even have to be a diamond if you don't want one, if that's too weird. Lots of modern, intelligent women like you choose stones other than diamonds. You can pick whichever one you like, Joslin, but we're going to go get you a ring.”
It took a few moments for Joslin to get comfortable with the idea. By the time Blake pulled his car into the parking lot of a very expensive jeweler, Joslin had herself back under control. Until, of course, she realized that they would have to go in as a couple. She had prepared herself to act like his fiancé in front of his mom, but Joslin hadn't considered what they would do out in public. As if reading her mind, Blake took her hand and tugged on it to get her to look him in the eye.
“Have you ever been in love before, Joslin?” Blake asked her simply, his voice saturated with sincerity.
Joslin shook her head. Even though she'd had boyfriends, she'd never really felt a deep connection with any of them. As far as Joslin had been concerned, love was evasive and was quite possibly just a myth.
When she answered no, Blake didn't know how to respond. He had planned to tell her to just imagine what that felt like, and then summon it, or something. Blake thought he had probably been in love before. He sure knew what heartbreak felt like. Looking deeply into Joslin's eyes, though, he felt something he was certain he'd never encountered before. With each heartbeat, he felt more and more drawn to her. In a blink, she broke their eye contact. Blake remembered the time, and looked down to release some of the tension he'd built up.
“Well,” he said, “just follow my lead then, okay?”
Joslin nodded, and Blake hopped out of the car. He was around to Joslin's side before she had her seatbelt unbuckled. Blake opened the door for her and took her hand as she got out. With a great big smile, they went into the jewelers, and Blake got to see the dazzle on Joslin's face as she looked around at the collection. Thankfully, the clerk was old and un-bothered with who Blake was. The two were able to make a quick purchase and soon they were back on the road with a beautiful sapphire set in white gold on the ring finger of Joslin's left hand.
Neither of them felt like they had a chance to breathe before they were parked in front of Blake's house and mildly rushing to get inside. Blake's mother had called just a few minutes before they pulled in and said she was just about there herself. Joslin felt Blake's frustration and took the opportunity to simplify things.
While he ran around, resembling a chicken with its head cut off more than the lion she'd observed before, Joslin calmly went through his kitchen. She made a pitcher of iced tea and set it out on the counter with some glasses. There was fruit in his fridge, surprisingly, and Blake finally relaxed when he saw Joslin chopping strawberries into bite-sized pieces before expertly setting them on a tray.
Blake moved to say something to her, compelled by the beauty Joslin exuded, but his intentions were interrupted by the sound of a car horn in the driveway. Always brazen and demanding, Tamara Paxton let her presence be well known as soon as she arrived. Joslin and Blake looked at one another. There was no turning back now. Joslin took a deep breath, set the tray of strawberries down next to the iced tea, then walked over and took Blake's hand. He let out a giant breath, and they went to meet his mother.
Chapter 7: A Standing Ovation
Two weeks with Tamara Paxton went by like a dust devil on the hottest day of the year. It was fast, furious, strenuous, but serene and majestic at the same time. Joslin hadn't come from a poor family, but the type of money the Paxton’s had was a little on the ridiculous side. Tamara Paxton, once past her prickly exterior, turned out to be a wonderfully sweet woman. Joslin won her over instantly, like she did with most people, and they were almost inseparable the entire visit. It left Blake with an interesting perspective.
After their initial dinner and brunch the following day, the three of them delved into wedding planning. Joslin and Blake danced around commitments and hard reservations, and they successfully toured about a dozen different ceremony and reception locations without putting down a single dime. There was a high-five moment between them whenever they left another place, Tamara chatting away as she walked ahead of them, determined to find the perfect spot for her only son's wedding.
Two nights before Tamara was scheduled to return to Houston, Blake drove Joslin back to her apartment. It was a little past midnight, and they were both tired but exhilarated by their success. Blake's mother was fully convinced and completely happy with Joslin. They hadn't discussed what would happen next, and Blake wasn't trying to press the issue. As he pulled into the parking lot of Joslin's apartment complex, he felt no rush to leave her. When he turned off the engine, a small smile crept across Joslin's lips.
“Did you know,” she said to him happily, “that right now, technically, is my twenty third birthday?”
Blake raised his eyebrows and smiled in surprise. Without any hesitation or thought, he leaned forward and hugged her. His lips grazed her cheek when he let her go, happiness still beamed from his eyes.
“No,” he said with a shake of his head, “I didn't know that. Have you got any plans?”
“Nah,” Joslin said, “My mom wanted me to come home, but even if I wasn't doing this thing with you, I probably would have just stayed here. She's thrown birthday parties for me the past twenty-two years; I think she can forego this one year. Especially since she's already planning my twenty-fifth.”
Blake shared in Joslin's laughter. She gestured for them to go inside. As usual, Blake opened the door for her and stood beside her like a sentry as she fished out her keys and turned them within the locks. As they walked inside, the clock hanging on her wall chimed. It was half past midnight. Joslin felt her heartbeat start to quicken. She hadn't planned on what to do with Blake once they were inside. In the back of her mind, she k
new there weren't too many things to choose from.
Joslin kept walking, feeling Blake's footsteps behind her. She set her purse down on the table and stood there. Her heart felt his hands approach her hips before his skin made contact with the denim of the jeans she wore. Joslin gently pressed her back to his chest, smiled and turned around to look up at him. She rested her hands on the table at her side. She didn't pull back from him, just comfortably combined her personal space with his.
“My mom sent me a bottle of wine, though,” she said, “since I wasn't going to go home. I thought I'd save it, but, since it's technically my birthday already, I guess we could crack it open now.”
Blake smiled and stepped back to let her pull the wine down from a cabinet along with a couple of glasses. With refreshments in hand, Joslin led Blake to sit on the couch in her living room. She sat down first, and Blake sat next to her, their hips and thighs touching. He reached an arm around her and pulled her into his chest. Joslin took a sip of her wine and set it down on the table before snuggling back into him. She tried to remind herself that it was all pretend, but the pounding of her heart was trying to convince her otherwise.
“Happy birthday,” Blake whispered to her.
Joslin looked up at him. His gorgeous eyes stared down at her and she felt goosebumps cross her skin as he ran his fingertips up her arm, along her neck and onto her cheek. She pressed her face into his hand and followed it as it guided her lips to his. Blake's kiss was soft and gentle. Excitement started to build from the core of Joslin's being. Blake felt it, too, and his kiss deepened. He put his glass on the table next to hers and took Joslin into his arms. She pushed herself close to him and inhaled his scent as she swirled her tongue around his in their kiss. When they broke to breathe, she smiled and lifted herself from him. Joslin reached out her hand, and Blake took it into his own. He followed her as she led him to her bedroom.
The short walk to her bed did nothing but pour fuel onto the inferno quietly raging between them. Blake closed the door between them and Joslin spun around to wrap her arms around his neck. Blake ran his hands down under her butt and lifted her up. Joslin wrapped her legs around his waist, and Blake carried her to the bed where he gently placed her down and hovered over her.
Slowly, they pulled away each other's clothing, exploring one another for the first time. Joslin hadn't been with many men, but Blake seemed to be an expert at making love, and his size blew her past lovers out of the water. Joslin quivered when she looked at him. Her admiration only encouraged Blake as he worked her body with his hands.
Blake kissed and nibbled at her neck as he massaged her breasts. He let his hand travel down between her legs, teasing her for only a moment before returning to her breasts again. Soon, Joslin's hips were rocking against his touch. Blake positioned himself between her thighs and let his full length press against her wetness.
Joslin rolled her hips and took his face into his hands as he slid down into her. Blake gasped with pleasure. She had underestimated how strong he would feel inside of her. It seemed like an eternity before she finally felt her hips touch his. Joslin held him there within her walls, wrapping her legs around his waist. Blake looked down into her eyes and brushed her hair from her face. His rhythm was slow and gentle, mellow like his nature. It was pure sweetness to Joslin and she opened herself to him completely.
They twisted and turned within one another, reaching higher and higher levels of ecstasy. With a bite to his shoulder, Joslin shoved Blake onto his back. It felt like hours into their lovemaking. His chest was slick with sweat, and it heaved up and down with his breath. Joslin climbed on top of him with a leg to each side of his hips. She held him just at her entrance long enough for him to buck up at her like one of his purebred stallions. Blake gripped Joslin by the hips as she rode him. She tossed her head back, and her moans got louder. Blake's breaths turned to gasps and moans of his own.
Joslin bounced up and down onto Blake with a rhythm of a bass drum. His fingertips dug into her flesh as he felt the pressure mounting inside of him. He ran a hand up Joslin's smooth back and pulled her down to him by her neck. His lips pressed against hers as he exploded inside of her. Joslin felt his spasms and erupted into orgasm. She buried her face into his neck as she screamed with more pleasure than she'd ever felt before.
Spent, they collapsed in each other's arms. Joslin rolled her back into Blake's chest and pulled his arm around her waist. She tangled her fingers with his, and soon he felt her breathing steady as she fell asleep. Blake looked down past her shoulder at the ring sparkling in the moonlight. He closed his eyes and purposely forgot that it was all pretend. Blake abandoned the notion that every single moment was supposed to all be make believe, and he peacefully fell asleep holding Joslin close to his heart.
Chapter 8: The Dotted Line
It had been three weeks since Tamara Paxton happily left her son and his new fiancé with promises to be in touch soon with more wedding planning assistance. With their breaths held in their chests, Blake and Joslin had hugged his mom good bye and waved as she drove away. Once she had gotten out of sight, they broke out into laughter, jumps and hugs to celebrate their job well done. In the weeks since then, though, it seemed they’d forgotten to end their charade.
Blake continued to text Joslin his random thoughts, even though they now had much more to talk about than pretend plans. Joslin continued to meet Blake for dinners, lunches and sometimes for breakfast, but only a couple of times since her birthday. She hadn't even bothered to take off the ring, and Blake didn't mention it, even though he'd noticed. Soon, though, Joslin's rational side started to speak up. She hadn't been feeling well, and her schedule for the following week at the clinic had an extra day on it. Stress was starting to mount. In the past, Joslin had always been successful at neutralizing stress before it became too big of an issue. This time, however, she had already reached a state of persistent frustration, and didn't really have a good answer for why.
Joslin looked at her calendar as she sat at her desk towards the rear of the shared clinic office space. Suddenly, something dawned on her. Joslin sat back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling, counting days and weeks within her mind. Panicked, she looked back down at the calendar again. Without an ounce of hesitation, Joslin stood up and took off her white coat. She hung it neatly on the rack and grabbed her purse. She found her boss just coming back from a field visit. She quickly explained that she had to visit home. There were some medical concerns, and she needed to leave right away. When Joslin didn't offer details, her boss chose not to ask. With a bit of anxiety and a request to call him as soon as she could, he watched Joslin drive away.
It was a few hours after her departure when Blake pulled into the veterinary clinic parking lot. He didn't notice that her car was missing from its normal space because the newspaper he still clutched in his hand distracted him. Just a while earlier, Blake had gotten a text message from his mom telling him to pick up a copy of the local paper. When he did, he saw a beautiful picture of him and Joslin smiling on his porch. It was listed under the engagement announcement section of the paper. Without a second to think, he grabbed his keys and went to see Joslin. The conversation they'd both been avoiding was suddenly right in front of them, and Blake didn't want her to find out from anyone else but him. With a deep breath to steady his resolve, Blake got out of his car and went into the clinic.
“Hi,” he said to the front desk assistant, “Is Joslin around?”
The girl shook her head as Joslin's boss came around the corner. He recognized Blake instantly, which was understandable since he'd been the Paxton family vet for years.
“Blake! How are you?” the old man asked happily.
“I'm good, sir, real good. How are you?” Blake responded.
After a few minutes of pleasantries, Blake asked about Joslin again.
“Joslin left here earlier this morning. She said she had some medical issues at home to attend to,” the veterinarian said. “That's something I'm su
re you would know, Blake, if what I read in the paper was true.”
Blake nodded his head and carefully worked his way out of the conversation and back into his car. Joslin hadn't contacted him at all about leaving, but when he checked her apartment, she was gone. He called her repeatedly, but it went to voice mail. Suddenly, Blake knew exactly what Joslin meant to him. Distraught, he found himself driving aimlessly around their town, hoping to spot her coming out of a store or walking down the street towards the park.
The past three weeks flew through his mind as he tried to pinpoint anything that could have gone wrong. The only thing he'd noticed was that Joslin thought she was maybe coming down with the flu, but she was still happy to see him when he called on her. Blake was stopped at a red light when it clicked in his head. He knew that Joslin wouldn't leave for an emergency without telling him. They were closer than that by now. He did, however, bet that she would high tail it out of here if she got some unexpected news. Blake put his money down on that, and his thoughts took on new purpose as he continued to drive around town.
He searched his memory for anything that might give him a clue as to where she went. Her car was gone, so he decided to check the regional airport parking lot. With fingers crossed, he took a ticket from the parking meter machine, even though he didn't intend to stay. At the last row of cars, Blake had almost lost hope, but hidden between two larger trucks was Joslin's tiny little two-door, parked with a sunshade spread under the windshield.
