What Happens at a Wedding: A Short Story Anthology

by Lucy Gage

  His hand squeezed my knee under the table sending a jolt of want rushing through me. Just then Lovely Lola came up to our table, “Armand, care to dance with me?”

  He tore his eyes from me to look at Lola. “Actually, I think I’ll make my first dance with—”

  This time I was actually happy Lola was there, I needed a minute. “He’d love to,” I said for him. Those green eyes were back on me. “Go,” I said.

  Lola’s eyes flittered over to me a second before they were back on Armand, “You owe me,” she said grabbing his arm and tugging him to his feet. I finished the rest of my wine. This night was confusing the hell out of me. Wanting Armand was wrong. Yet it felt so right. I watched Armand and Lola dance to a slow song. He moved with such grace. I imagined myself in his arms dancing like that. Dancing at our own wedding. I slapped the thought out of my head. Then Charlotte and Armand knowing each other jumped into my head unbidden along with Tina and a nursery. Then there was Lola and unknown Mimi. All these damn women in my head space all fighting over Armand.

  Lola let go of Armand’s hand and wrapped her arms around his neck pressing her body up against his. I couldn’t do this anymore. I had to get out of here. I grabbed my clutch before dashing out of the Gray Tea Room in search of a bathroom. I found one down the hall and ducked inside. Torture. That’s what this was pure and simple. Torture. Like a knife twisting in my gut. I closed my eyes before dropping onto a purple velvet lounge chair. I took deep breaths trying to calm the hurricane of thoughts whirling in my head. I didn’t get a second to think when the door to the bathroom opened and Armand walked in.

  “There you are,” he said.

  “Here I am,” I said back.

  Then at the worst possible time I burst into tears.

  Shit.

  Armand came to kneel in front of me. “What’s wrong?” He asked pulling my hands away from my face pressing his hand to my chin forcing me to look at him.

  I shook my head. “I thought I was okay with this, but then … then …” a sob escaped so I closed my eyes.

  “Then what, baby?” He said it so tenderly, so lovingly I was one-hundred percent confused. To my dismay I told him so.

  “You act like you like me, I mean you stare at me all passionately, write me these notes, wear beige cashmere sweaters, but then women like Lola come around and you don’t introduce me and I pretty much fade into the background. And-and Mark never looked at me the way he looks at Charlotte. I don’t know why I’m telling you any of this because you don’t even know me, and Lola is beautiful and I’m … coming tonight, with you, was a mistake,” I finished.

  Armand stood up taking me with him, holding me tightly in his arms. “I royally fucked up.”

  “Excuse me,” I said meeting those green eyes that made my stomach flip. The intensity in the way he looked at me was back.

  He let go of my waist. His hands coming to cup my face. “Do you know from the minute I laid eyes on you I haven’t gotten you out of my head. When I woke up the day after the best night of sex I’ve had ever, you were gone. Worst part I didn’t even have your number. I tried to figure out a way to find you. Then like a gift from the gods I step into the office of my new designer’s office and there you are. My second chance only you weren’t in. I mean it when I say I haven't stopped thinking about you. I wanted you then and I want you even more now. Then I went and fucked it all up.”

  I blanched at his words. “You? Have you not heard a word I said?”

  “I heard every word baby. When you answered the door today in this dress,” he looked down and shook his head, “fuck.” He swiped his thumbs under my eyes. “Never wanted something more in my life. I should have introduced you to Lola I’m sorry for that. And I’m sorry for making you feel at any point this evening that you are anything other than the most important thing to me.” With that he kissed me. Our tongues tangled, my toes curled with the perfection of it. The storm swirling in my head seconds before disappeared. All I could focus on was the feel of his body pressed against mine as we kissed.

  “Can we get out of here?” I panted out once we pulled apart.

  “Yes. Where do you want to go?”

  “Anywhere that allows you to strip me down and fuck me.”

  “My place it is.” He grabbed my hand leading me out of the bathroom and to his car.

  The minute the front door closed Armand turned on me. He pushed me up against the door with his body. His hand on either side of my face. He licked his lips before sucking his tongue ring into his mouth. We stood like that, staring but not moving. His body pressed against mine pressing me into the door. What was he thinking?

  He moved one hand to trace the left side of my face with his thumb. “There’s so many things I want to do to you I don’t even know where to start,” he whispered.

  “How about you start with a kiss and we can go from there.”

  His mouth crashed to mine. Our tongues exploring one another. He pressed a knee between my legs spreading them. His hands dropped to my thighs sliding the hem of my dress up as he cupped my ass. He pulled his mouth from mine. “Let’s take this somewhere more comfortable.” He picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist. He carried me as we kissed all the way to his bedroom.

  Before I knew it, I was being tossed onto a bed. He stepped away from me. In another second, he drew back curtains bathing the room in soft light from a full moon and the brilliant twinkling lights of the city. The view was beautiful, but it didn’t hold a candle to the view of watching Armand stare out the window lost in thought. He stood there staring at the Hollywood skyline as I stared at him.

  Magnificent.

  He turned. His eyes back on me. I smiled. He smiled. The way he looked at me made me feel brazen. I crawled seductively from the giant bed, my eyes never leaving Armand’s. He watched me with rapt attention as I carefully stepped onto the floor. I stood at the foot of his bed taking my time unzipping my dress. I slid one strap down then the other rolling my shoulders as they slid down my arms. My dress pooled at my feet. I stepped out of it leaving me in my lace underwear and pink stilettos.

  He drank me in going from my shoes, up to my breasts where he paused a second then to my face before his eyes finally rested on my panties. He stalked towards me. Stopping two feet from me. “Are my eyes deceiving me or are your panties sea-foam green in color?” His voice was low gravelly.

  “Yes.”

  His eyes shot to mine. “Never thought I liked the color,” he muttered.

  “Now?” I asked a little worried.

  “I think it’s my favorite color now.” He moved to wrap his arms around me.

  I stepped back. “No. Now it’s my turn.”

  “Excuse me?” he asked looking adorably confused.

  “I unwrapped your present. Now it’s time for you to unwrap mine,” I said. Sitting back on the bed, I crossed my legs and leaned back on my arms. I licked my lips. “Go ahead.”

  He started with his jacket unbuttoning the two front buttons before slowing sliding it down each arm where it dropped behind him. Next, he undid his tie then pulled it from around his neck.

  “Why don’t you let me hold onto that,” I said taking it from his hands before leaning back once again. His eyes sparkled at my words. First, he undid the cuffs of his shirt. Then he used both his hands to undo each button of his shirt. Exquisite torture it was watching him take his time unbuttoning his shirt revealing an inch of his chest at a time. By the fifth button I could make out a few branches of his tree tattoo. By the time he was shrugging off his shirt my mouth was watering begging to taste him again. To feel his skin beneath my lips.

  I bit back a moan as his hands went to undo his belt buckle. I stood from the bed putting my hands to his halting his movements. I stepped closer pressing my breasts into his chest. “This parts mine,” I said giving his chin a light kiss before I set to work. I undid his belt then the top button of his pants. My hand glided over his thickness as
I slid down his zipper. He groaned. It was the sexiest sound I’d ever heard. Music to my ears. It pushed me further.

  I slid my hands into the waistband of his pants and slid them down his legs dropping to my knees as I went. I looked up at him as he looked down on me his hands going into my hair as I kissed his belly button then dragged my tongue down the patch of hair that ran from his navel disappearing into his boxer briefs. I pulled those down exposing what I was after. His magnificent cock called to me. His hands tightened in my hair when I took him into my mouth. He groaned. His head fell back as I moved him in and out of my mouth. I used one hand to grip his ass as his hips started to move in time with my mouth.

  “Oh fuck, even better than I remember,” he panted out. “Fuck,” he yelled at the ceiling. He grabbed my head stopping my movements as he pulled out of my mouth. “Fuck,” he cursed as he picked me up and not so gently tossed me on the bed. “These are coming off,” he said as he slid my panties down my legs pausing at my shoes, “but these are staying on.” He threw my underwear onto our pile of discarded clothes before climbing back between my legs. He tucked his hands under my ass pushing me up the bed before sliding his hands down my thighs spreading my legs wider. His mouth following his hands back down my thighs biting and sucking as he went untill his mouth was at my apex then he dived in. Sucking, biting, tasting me. I threw my head back moaning in ecstasy. My hips jerked up as he explored and tasted me.

  “Oh shit,” I huffed out fisting the comforter for purchase. When he slid two fingers inside me I was done. I screamed his name as an orgasm overtook me. In the next second he flipped me over to my stomach grabbed a condom from the nightstand. I heard a rip. Before my first orgasm had even washed over me he slammed into me. “Fucking beautiful,” he mumbled as his hands slid up my back to my shoulders where he pulled me up onto my knees. He continued to pound into me. One of his hands cupped a breast rolling my nipple between his fingers while the other hand slid down my stomach to my clit. With expert precision he rubbed and tugged sending me into orgasm number two. I shuddered against his body overcome with it. He stopped. Flipped us again so I was on my back he put each of my legs over his shoulders. The heel of my stilettos driving into his back as he again started thrusting.” God, I love your pussy,” he said before taking one of my nipples into his expert mouth.

  My whole body shook as I screamed out, “Armand,” before his mouth crashed to mine silencing me. I grabbed his ass pushing faster and harder into me. It was building my third orgasm. I drew my nails up his back making him shiver and moan in a way that pushed me over the edge. I saw stars. “Fuck,” he grunted. Before slowing then stopping altogether. The full weight of him came down on me trapping me in a cocoon of after sex bliss. He rested his head on my chest as I ran my fingers through his sweat slicked hair, both of us panting.

  I don’t know how long we laid like that before I felt him slowly get up and pull out of me. I ached at the loss of him. He kissed my temple before climbing off the bed and going to the bathroom. I laid there relishing in the afterglow. My body sated and tired. While he was gone I kicked off my shoes taking the last bit of energy I had with them.

  He came back, pulled back the covers, climbed in beside me then covered us both. He put his arms around me pulling me to him. “You are incredible,” he whispered in my ear.

  “Mmm,” was all I could muster feeling totally spent.

  Tucked within the safety of his arms I fell asleep.

  Loud buzzing awoke me. I opened my eyes and stretched. Armand was next to me awake and staring. “Hey,” he said brushing my hair aside.

  “Hey,” I said back. Curling to my side to drink him in.

  Then I heard the buzzing again and realized it was his phone. It was on the nightstand beside me.

  “You mind grabbing that for me?” he asked then kissed my cheek, my neck.

  “Maybe?”

  He gave my ass a spank. “Grab it for me babe.”

  So, I did try not to notice, but doing so anyway, that Tina was once again calling. Oh, fuck me. He looked at the screen. “Sorry I have to take this.”

  Oh shit. I wanted to crawl out of my skin. How could I forget about Tina and the nursery and…

  He answered, “Hey sis, what’s up?”

  Sis? As in sister? Was Tina his sister? Well that changed things didn’t it? Then again there was still a nursery to think about. He looked at me and smiled before saying, “Actually she’s right here.” My eyes met his they were twinkling. There was laughter on the other end, but I couldn’t make out what was being said. “I knew you’d love it,” he said pausing then, “yep, I’ll tell her … no … yes I think it works for either a boy or a girl … hopefully a boy … I know I know … I’ll see if we can arrange that … okay … I love you too.” He clicked off the call before tucking his phone on the nightstand beside him. Then he pulled me back to him. “So, my sister was hoping you’d meet with her.”

  “Yeah?” I swallowed. Not sure what to expect next.

  “She loves your ideas for the nursery but wants to talk about bedding or some shit.”

  I swallowed again. “Okay?” Was I understanding him correctly?

  “She thinks the bedding needs to be toned down since she has no idea what the sex of the baby is yet and wants to make sure it will work for a boy or a girl.”

  Then it hit me. “Your sister’s pregnant?”

  “Yes. What did you—” he fell silent as it seemed understanding washed over him. He pulled me to him his hands running gingerly up and down my back. “Did you think I was having a baby?”

  I swallowed unsure how to answer. What would he think of me? If he knew I did and still slept with him anyway? What did that say about me? “Maybe?”

  He gave me a small peck on the lips. “That explains some shit,” he said more to himself than to me.

  “It does?” man could I string a single sentence together?

  His hand stilled when he reached my ass, “It sure does. Trust me when I say there’s only me and you and whatever the future hold for us,” he said before his mouth found mine and I melted into him. He stopped kissing me pulling back to reach something on the floor beside the bed. His hand returned, and it was his pink tie. He held it up. “I believe last night you said something about saving this for later? Well, it’s later.” Then he was kissing me again.

  THE END

  Elle Jefferson lives up in northern Arizona with her two beautiful sons, wonderful husband and her German Shepard Dorrie. When she's not reading or writing she's painting or enjoying the great outdoors.

  Facebook: https://bit.ly/2FVzgtk

  Twitter: @oohlala

  Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2ImiCIB

  Malcolm’s Sun

  Cheryl McIntyre

  2018

  No part of this story may be used or reproduced in any form without prior written permission by the author except where permitted by law.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real persons, events, or places are used fictitiously. The characters are the work of the authors’ imaginations, and any resemblance to persons living or deceased, events, or locales are coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status, as well as ownership of products referred to in this work of fiction. The uses of these trademarks have not been authorized, nor are they associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Edited by Dawn McIntyre-Decker and Kristy deBoer

  Cover photo by Shutterstock

  2018

  My stomach churns with nerves. I’m so anxious, I honestly think I might vomit right here, right now, all over my dress. I really like this dress.

  As Margo’s maid-of-honor, I’m supposed to be the calm one. And I was. Right up until thirty seconds ago when I heard two little words uttered by my best friend. Margo looked up from her cell phone, her expression already worried. “He’s here,” she said.

  So now, I’m a stressed-out
knot of tension.

  “Sunny…?” Margo ducks her head, trying to read my face. “Honey, you haven’t blinked or spoken or breathed for like a whole minute. I know that doesn’t sound long, but watching it—it’s creepy. You’re freaking me out.”

  I gasp, filling my lungs with too much air. Oh, that’s better.

  “I’m fine,” I say, my voice hardly shaking. Progress. Someone who doesn’t know me well might even believe it. But Margo knows me. Most of the time better than I know myself.

  “Okay, deep breaths,” she instructs calmly. “Do you need a paper bag? A trash can? A shot of liquor?”

  “Yes,” I squeak. All of the above sound excellent right about now. Especially the liquor.

  Maybe if I’m drunk as a skunk, I won’t want to punch my ex in his beautiful, stupid face.

  A shot glass and a champagne flute are suddenly in my face. “Here,” Margo instructs as she pushes a trashcan beside me with her foot, “drink.”

  I do, downing the shot, which burns a trail to my stomach, before chasing it with the full glass of sweet champagne. The bubbles burn too, but in a much more pleasant way.

  “Better?”

  I hold a finger up, grabbing the bottle to refill my glass.

  “He’s just a guy.”

  I blink at her statement. She and I both know Malcolm McDonnell is not just a guy. He was my first love.

  Then he left me like I meant nothing to him.

  And now… he’s back.

  “So… what’d your dad say?” Margo asks as we walk down the hall to our shared Calculus class for the last time this year. She tucks a lock of shoulder-length dark hair behind her ear, peering sideways at me as she hugs her book to her chest. “Is he putting the dragon up and lowering the drawbridge for the summer?”