A Wedding Affair (The Wedding Affair) (5 page)

After what seems li
ke hours of cleaning and organizing I decide I need to relax, I love having a bar in my store, I don’t charge for drinks they are complimentary, it’s a whole atmosphere that we conjure up here, like for instance when you go and get your wedding dress they offer you champagne, when you pick out a suite or a shirt here at Business as Usual you can have a drink of your choice from gentlemen jack to anything from our well stocked bar, coffee and tea to cold beverages, for me tonight I pour myself a glass of vodka, I run the vacuum and get the floors cleaned for Monday’s business.

It seems the floors are
always a mess with strings and dust on them I am forever dusting and moping and cleaning and going through all the corners with the swifter’s. I use to have a cleaning company do this for me but I was here anyway so now I just handle it all myself.

Once I finish the cleaning
I want to pull out my wedding dress and work on it.

Ah a sigh of relief
as I finished all my chores on my to-do list, now I can tend to my wedding dress.

I stand back and gaze
at her, she is a piece of work which means Aria, by the way. I was named by my father who was a musician he was a bass player for the orchestra.

I keep her
on a bust form in my office, which is on wheels and mobile makes it easy to keep her under wraps until the big reveal no one has seen her except Oliver and my mom who has helped me with it.

I
check carefully the beadwork, making sure each one is secure and in its proper place.

I stand back and just admire m
y handy work, she looks amazing, the silhouette that I envisioned in my mind then down on paper is before me, the bodice just sparkles and shimmers, in candle light, they look like tiny diamonds that smile and wink at you, it looks classic sophisticated, and beautiful, it is my dream dress that I always wanted.

There are a few more things that
need to be done on the dress. Such as the lace work on the train, the hem on the veil and the tiny sleeves are not as ornate as I would like, but I’ll get there.

With
Ian out of town there is no time like the present to get through some of the things that need to be done to it. It puts my mind at ease that I can work on it and not have to worry about him walking in on me.

Over all
The dress is just perfect, the bodice is silk taffeta, with off the shoulders caped sleeves, that are all lace, the neckline is beaded, my mom showed me how to bead when I was a little girl, I never would have said that I would be making my own wedding dress, but then again I never thought I would be running a men’s clothing store either.

Mom also showed me how to draft patterns. Her eye sight is not the best these days but when I show her what I did she can feel
the stitches and tell me if it’s right or not, the detailing, like the lace work that had me stumped she would count the stitches and help with the scallop edges on the cap sleeves as well as the embroidery of the dress’s 3ft detachable train.

I wanted the traditions of a wedding to be part of the dress as well. Mom came up with the idea o
f having the traditions sewn into the wedding dress.

I just loved the idea, so for something old, the
crystal beads they came from my mom’s veil when she married dad, they are covering the bodice of the dress, I made a map of the beadwork, sketched it out and then one by one I attached them to the dress, it took a while, the beading of the bodice shimmers in candlelight like diamonds, Oliver and I got it perfect.

For something new my mom gave me the most beautiful crystal rosary, I just love it
.  I came up with the most perfect place to put my rosary it will be attached my bouquet, that way when I walk down the aisle everyone will see the beads shimmer from the bouquet.

Borrowed are these yummy earrings from Tiffany
and Company, I wanted these so bad and the matching ring years ago but Ian went to Cartier that is where my three carat ring is from. Don’t get me wrong I love it, this ring is brilliant, but I am a Tiffany girl, as I live and breathe I grew up with Breakfast at Tiffany’s my niece is even named Tiffany so to get my ring from there that was my dream, and like I am coming to realize we all don’t get our dreams we have to make do with the hand we are dealt.

The guest list for this wedding is about a hundred or so,
mostly family and a few close friends, the manager Mark is a good friend of mine, he and I go way back to when we were in sales together but now that he is with Tiffany and Company I wonder why he left the firm, he was a lady killer as well. Mark is attending the wedding, so he didn’t have a problem when I asked to borrow the earrings for my big day…and for the traditional blue… I decided on a blue garter simple and serves its purpose.

I grabbed my sewing box from behind the counter, I better figure out ho
w to bustle up this train so it hangs properly, a train on a wedding gown has loops at the edge of the dress.

For the
ceremony the train of the dress is the dramatic effect of the whole dress, the prominence, it evokes as the bride is walked down the aisle, it makes a statement and really gives them something to oohs and aahs at. This exquisite silhouette makes the bride stand out and demand all the attention that is what I am looking for.

For the reception the train is then bustled up
by loops at the hem to the buttons at the waist, in the back so it lies properly.

Just seeing this dress before me it is the reality that hits me
that this is all really happening, like I said I was never the girl who wanted to marry so to have all of this is a bit overwhelming. Wow talk about taking a breather, to take it all in, a month ago I was single and working and just living my life and now I am engaged, making my wedding dress, getting married in two weeks.

This is the first moment I have had to my
self since Ian asked me to marry him, to really reflect on all that has happen in a months-time superb and tremendous are what comes to mind as I look at my dress before me.

As I recollect all that has occurred,
Ian has changed his whole life to make a life with me, so who cares that it took us twenty years to get here, some wait a lifetime and never get here. I sip my vodka and look around as all of this the store, my life, this dress, what is next for me it is all just so shocking and amazing that I have it.

I Aria Macy
am engaged to my best friend, and I am working on my wedding dress. Life doesn’t get any better than this. Oliver said my smile has not diminished in weeks, I just never knew this was going to be my happily ever after, my mind wonders as George Michael plays in the background, the lyrics ‘
kissing a fool’

I j
ust keep pining and working as I gather up the three foot train so I know where to put the buttons and the loops.   

The door chime…

RING A DING DING

Letting
me know that someone has come through the doors

“
Hey Oliver sweetie, did you forget something?” I have straight pins in one hand, I am kneeling with my back to the door, and I have the train of my dress is in my other hand I move slowly around the back of my dress as I pin and gather it up.

“Aria…”
a deep voice says my name and I am lost, goose bumps run up and down my spine. A voice that I find equally part soothing and arousing has just said my name in that oh so familiar tone.

I stop dead in my tracks as the hair on the back of my neck sta
nds up. That deep velvet voice, which is etched in my brain as notorious and chilling is not Oliver at all… I drop the edge of the train and I very slowly stand up from my beautiful ivory wedding gown, I turn around slowly my eyes meet his…

I gasped…
as our eyes lock onto one another “Oh!...”

I swallow hard, there are
hazel eyes, and then there are hazel eyes that mesmerize and hypnotize these are the latter, not to mention a head of thick tousled raven hair which frames his die hard exterior, he is a sight for sore eyes, in a sharp black suit that says it all without uttering a word. My eyes follow him as he etches closer till he is towering over me.

I am lit
erally stunned, brought to a halt, tall dark and handsome has nothing on him as he stands very territorial and dominating, his shadow drapes over me and I am frozen instantly, he is so close that I can smell a hint of his Chanel Egoieste, my heart is racing, I am in shock, he touches my chin with the tips of his fingers that bring the blood to the surface of my face he kisses me softly with familiar lips so soft so warm and so inviting he pulls me into his arms and I fit like a glove, pins go flying everywhere, as I hear them spatter and ping as they hit the hardwood floor. I lose myself in his luxury he presses his body close to mine, and I feel every muscle beneath his jacket and my nipple harden immediately as my body comes to attention. My lips take what they should not have as they are ignited in his pleasure, the sparks between us light up my face I feel my cheeks radiate and permeate as he pervades my every sensation. Saturated by his infusion he fills me with that familiar sensation I have been missing. His all-knowing lips that mold perfectly to mine, make me smolder for the forgotten, he caresses my face as his finger gently glides down my cheeks and they heat and bloom from his sweet and tender kisses. Without a second thought he is bold and daring as he slides his audacious tongue pass my teeth claiming my mouth, his brash tactics work on me still as intrusion is just one of his many talents he taste my longing which is bitter and sweet, my heart rate quickens, my blood tingles, he moves his hands into my hair caressing and holding me to him as my body betrays me and reacts to his advances my thighs burn for him as something happens that has not happened in two years, he just got me wet, his hand move to the small of my back and he pushes me into his erection and it is then I realize who he is,
what the fuck am I doing kissing a fool!
  I pull away quickly with all my might and fight the God like man before me. Steading myself as I realize what I am doing, mindful not to step on the pins that are scattered on the floor beneath my bare feet and I feel as if it’s an allegory how he has always gotten me in sticky situations, as memories flood my mind of the countless pins and needles that I have endured over this man. I walk on my tippy toes as I amble away from his impending glares they rain over my every move. His over-powering dominating tendencies have always commanded attention and at some points have scared me half to death, my reaction to his assault has left me barefoot and lack of restraint when said ex show’s up looking unbelievably sexy with indecent intent.

Chapter 4

BARELY BREATHING

I’m breathless, mindful of the situation I calm myself. I don’t know what I’m doing, but what I did needs to not happen again. I try to pull myself together as I check the buttons on my blouse and make sure they are still buttoned.

M
y nervous fingers cascade over my bruised and tender lips as I try to acclimate and pull myself together. Being man handled and surprised two things I hate most, but that kiss brought back memories, memories that I should not be having.

Truth be
told his kisses are the ones that come once in a lifetime, you know what I mean, the ones that knock your socks off, the ones that are out of the ballpark fantastic. My eyes lock onto his face, he is breathless as his index finger is touching his lips, his hazel eyes are deep and smoldering the color that should scare me away, not make me what to kiss him indecently, he gages my reaction to his wicked display as he catches his breath. I can’t take my eyes off of him, he is my one weakness.

Soon m
y traitorous intruder is his usual, calm, cool and collected self. Oh dear God in heaven that face that I have not seen in two years, it is my worst fear, it is him, the guy I saw at the bar when Ian and I were leaving the restaurant a few hours ago, the intrusive son of a bitch comes here kissing me the way he use to all those years ago. What is going on? What am I doing? This is the heartless swine who broke my heart! Who wounded my spirit and left me a wreck. This indiscreet, cruel beast that stands before me is none other than Tristan Bach, womanizer, self-absorbed bastard among men and sadly the love of my life.

Without a doubt
the one person I swore never to mention again, never to think of was standing in front of me, in my store, while I’m working on my wedding gown! My whole demeanor has changed, I am nervous, anxious, filled with desire, shit those lethal kisses of his as I touch my lips they are still tingling with sensation and want I am anything but calm around him.

I manage to pull
myself together for appearances sakes, on tip-toes I walk back to the counter and grab a magnet from a drawer and began gathering the pins up and put them back in the box. I need to start speaking; he is just gazing at me, I slide up my pencil skirt a bit so I can kneel down and retrieve the straight pins that have scattered about.

I stand and my long chestnut haze of curly
tendrils fall back. He flashes me his sexy smile, those eyes aren’t giving anything away he has mischief on his mind as he parks his feet firmly in place. He smells the way I remember him that cologne, that Chanel Egoiste I recognize it immediately and not to mention in a killer suit…bad combination for me! I push my hair behind my ears as I try to collect myself to form a thought.