Lovers and Other Strangers Box Set: The Boston Stories (33 page)

"Really, I hadn't guessed when you threw me out of your room. So that was Michael on the phone, remind me not to tell secrets to Violet, okay."

"They were worried about you. I had told Michael... well, forget it. They just didn't want me to totally mess things up with you."

"That you were going to what? Going to cuff me to the bed? You told me that remember, right before you grabbed me and covered me with kisses."

"I told you?"

"Yeah, your not so inner caveman was a little out of control, it was scary and kind of sexy at the same time. Joseph, look as sweet and romantic as all of this is I don't think I can marry you yet. Being with you just this short time has changed me, I'm not anybody's doormat anymore and I like it. You know the old Evie but what if you don't like..."

"Hold on! I'll admit the old Evie is sweet and kind and blushes when I talk dirty to her. See, just like that. But the new Evie, this new Evie is sexy as hell! No more PG rated fantasies, she tells me what she wants in and out of bed. She's willing to go toe to toe with me. Even when I'm in caveman mode and need to be knocked down a peg. And if she doesn't like what I am doing she gets mad. And damn, is she cute when she does. The old Evie is great and I love to spend time with her but I gotta tell you this new Evie, this 'take no shit, outta my way, where is my man' Evie, she knocks me on my ass and I love it."

"Do you think you can live with both of them?"

"As much as you can live with the boy scout, the perfect gentleman and the caveman."

"As long as the caveman stays in the bedroom, we should be fine."

"So is that finally a yes?"

"No. I'm serious I want us to sleep together first. Maybe I suck in bed." He got a wicked grin on his face. "Sweetheart, I know you..."

"Don't say it. Ugh, you're a fifteen year old boy sometimes!"

"All men are. Come here." she stood up in front of him and he pulled her closer catching her hands and trapping them behind her back. He rubbed his cheek against her stomach. "Mmm, I'm gonna miss your soft sweaters when it gets warmer." He kept her hands pinned with one of his own while he used the other one to reach under the hem of her shirt. "Such soft skin too. I may have to convince you to work in bikini tops so I can feel all this smooth skin." He looked up at her and she had her eyes half closed. He grinned knowing his plan was working. His free hand now moved to between her knees. The skirt she had on was still wool but less bulky. It hugged her curves closer, subtle evidence that what she had said was true she was changing and he wanted to be there for all of it. He started caressing the inside of her thighs. "I love that you wear skirts all the time too."

"Are you going to make me take my clothes off again?" She was smiling even if she sounded stern.

"I'm never going to stop you if that is what you'd like to do but, no, I wasn't going to undress you right now. Why did you feel a sudden urge to get naked?"

Her voice got breathy, "Lately, I almost prefer to be nude."

"Hmm, This new Evie is letting all that sensuality that showed up in her work, out in other ways, I like that a lot." He let go of her hands and used both of his to caress her legs. She had her eyes closed and her head down leaning in to him. "Sweetheart, please can we get married?"

"You really aren't going to have sex with me till we are?"

"No, I'm not, really." He didn't mean for his voice to come out as almost a sob. Hell, he didn't know if he could make it through tonight let alone last till they were married.

"I trust you not to hurt me. I don't mean physically, I mean emotionally."

"I never would. So now are you saying yes?"

"Yes." He crushed her to him. His hands were everywhere, warm, strong, secure. She wanted him to touch her all over. Where his hands didn't touch his lips did, till she felt bathed in the scent of him, imprinted with his touch. When she finally blinked her eyes open again she was cradled against his chest listening to his strong, steady heartbeat.

"Joseph," He looked down at her like she was the most precious gift he had ever gotten.

"Yes, my sweet, wonderful, confusing temptress?" She started to giggle and then got serious. "Joseph, I love you. I haven't said it yet but that didn't mean I didn't feel it. I... I just wanted to be sure I was falling in love with the real you and not the guy I'd created in my fantasies."

"How do I stack up to the guy in your fantasies? Am I much of a disappointment?

"The real you is so much better than I could have imagined." He gave her a kiss to take her breath away. "So we're really going to elope? And my parents were fine with that?"

"Your mother made a couple of demands in exchange for her acceptance."

"Like what?"

"I believe her exact words were 'a handsome boy like his father and a girl as beautiful as her mother' That woman wants grand children, yesterday. Just so you're prepared when we see them next, which will be Sunday for dinner. Your father insisted so don't blame me."

"They liked you a lot, didn't they?"

"I hope so, shit, if they didn't I'd have been in big trouble. Come on, you need to throw some clothes in a bag and let's get going."

"Mrs. Evie Camenitti, You have no idea how many times I whispered that into my pillow when I was in high school. It still feels like a dream all of it has been so quick."

"I could goose you and then you'd know it was real. Or flip that skirt up and spank you for taking so long!"

"Okay, caveman! I'm going. Are you going to come up with me?"

"No, because if I do we'll never make it to Vermont tonight. Go! Or maybe you want that spanking?" She shrieked and jumped up running to the elevator, when she got there she turned and grinned at him. Once she was in the elevator Cam took a deep breath. She had said yes, finally! For someone that had practiced what her name would be when they got married he felt like he'd had to do a hell of a lot of convincing. She was back down quick.

"Nerves all gone 'cause that was faster than I expected."

"Um, not entirely, I never really unpacked from being at your place so I just grabbed the bag and threw in clean underwear and a nightgown."

"A nightgown? I've never seen you in a nightgown."

"You never gave me a chance. You'll like it."

"You gonna tell me what it looks like?" He steered her out of the loft and through the studio.

"No, It will keep you occupied on the trip up."

"Michael and Violet loaned us their limo as a peace offering for not keeping your secret, so I will be plenty occupied on the way up to the inn." He opened the door and heard her gasp. He had to admit the Rolls did look pretty impressive.

"Harold, it took some convincing, but the lady has finally agreed to marry me." Harold broke into a huge grin.

"Very good sir. I have to say I am a sucker for a happy ending. Shall we get you two off to be married now."

"Quickly please, I don't know how much longer I can hold out."

"You may kiss the bride."

"Finally!"

"Joseph!" he pulled her down on top of him and kissed her soundly. When he finally broke the kiss she was blushing bright pink, his new favorite color.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you before the ceremony but you look stunning."

"I do, don't I, my husband has very good taste." She looked down at the outfit Joseph had picked out for her. It fit her perfectly, though she had no idea how. Had he asked her mother what her size was? The dress was almost vintage looking. It was a column of antique white silk. It had a 30's feel to it, elegant but simple. There were little spagetti straps holding up the bias cut. It clung to her but flowed around her at the same time. She didn't bother with a bra and for the first time was happy she was small busted. He had bought her a cashmere sweater in the same color that had crystals sewn into it. It also felt precious and old fashioned, exactly the way he made her feel.

"Yes I have good taste, in women and in clothes, or women out of clothes for that matter."

"That was an awful joke." She couldn't help grinning at him anyway. "So who's room do we go back to?"

"Oh the separate rooms was just for last night, I believe everything has been moved to the honeymoon suite now. Isn't that right Mr. Johnston?"

"Yes it is, a bottle of champagne has been chilling in there also, with our compliments. Congratulations."

She just about pulled him back to the room. He didn't know why but suddenly he was feeling nervous. Who the hell gets cold feet after they get married?

"Evie, maybe we should have something to eat first? She looked at him like he'd grown a second head.

"Um, No. I want... Are you really hungry?" Actually, he felt a little ill but he wasn't going to admit that to her. What the hell was he nervous about?

"I suppose not. I'll open the champagne." Why was he stalling? Oh God, was that it? Now that he could make love to her with a clear conscience, was he afraid to take her...

"Joseph? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, sure, just trying to get the cork out."

"Oh, I really don't need champagne. My head is buzzy enough. Come here." She was sitting on the bed looking amazing. God, he wanted her. But... He didn't want to be the one to hurt her. Would it hurt? Shit, he should have asked Sal. Right, no way that was going to happen. She got up off the bed and walked toward him. "I think maybe this tie is the problem, cutting off the blood flow." She pulled on his bow tie leaving it hanging around his neck. He just sat there feeling like an idiot. "No, that wasn't it. Maybe your shirt collar is too tight." She started popping the studs through the holes on his tux shirt. When she had them all undone she ran her hands over his chest and stomach. He chewed on the inside of his mouth to stifle the groan that welled up in him. He swallowed hard when she backed away.

"No, that didn't seem to help either. Maybe its the shoes, yeah, gotta be the shoes." She went to her knees in front of him and untied his shoes sliding them off his feet. He felt like he was pinned there unable to move. "Alright, these socks need to go too." She reached up each of his pant legs and pulled his socks off. She sat with her legs folded up under her smiling up at him. "Hmm, still nothing." He didn't want to disagree but his cock sure as hell did. It was screaming for attention, he didn't think he'd ever been undressed by a woman and she was playing coy. "It has to be the fact that you are still in that chair. Definitely. Get on the bed." Whoa, that sounded demanding. God help him a wave of desire roared through him, how was he going to get through this?

"Joseph, I want you on the bed. If I have to play dirty I will." What the hell did that mean? Fuck! His Evie, his innocent little bird, his sweet wildcat wanted to play dirty? He moved to sit on the bed and she pushed him down on to his back. She leaned over him and gave him a peck on the lips but was gone before he could even respond. "I can't figure out what it is? You just look so tense. Must be these damn pants, these have to go." He almost choked. She undid his belt along with the button and fly. Yeah, okay that was more comfortable, at least he didn't feel like he was going to tear through his zipper. She undid the couple of studs left in his shirt and pulled that and his jacket off of him. When she reached for his pants he couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed her hand and pulled her on top of him, rolling over he pinned her underneath him.

He looked down on his wife, his heart was pounding like it was going to burst from his chest. His wife. All his. Only his.

"You are a very naughty girl, and you have far too much clothing on."

"What are you going to do about it." Something about the direct challenge in her voice made him a little crazy. He rolled off her and pushed her off the bed. She caught herself and stood up with a confused look on her face.

"Strip. Now." It came out as a growl and damn if the woman didn't smile at him.

"I was wondering if you'd brought the caveman on this trip. The perfect gentleman may be fine for social occasions but I really kind of like the caveman."

"I said to strip. No back talk." She slowly undid one glittering button at a time and then turned her back to him and slid the sweater off one shoulder and then the other. He was pleasantly surprised, he hadn't expected she'd make a show of it. She turned around with the sweater still clutched over her breasts and shimmied for him inching the sweater lower and lower. Finally she flashed him and peeled it off. She whipped it around her head like a rodeo queen a couple of times and then flung it at him. He bit down on the inside of his mouth not to laugh. She turned and dropped one of the straps of her dress down her arm and the silk clinging to her nipple was the only thing keeping it up on that side. Then she turned and did the same thing on the other side but now held the dress up with her hands cupping her breasts. Did she realize that her thumbs were sliding over the silk covering her nipples.
Did she know what she was doing to him?
God, he hoped so. He wasn't thinking about laughing now. She swayed on her feet some, swirling the silk around her ankles. Her eyes were closed like she was lost in the trance she was creating. Suddenly her hands moved up to her hair and the dress slid down her body and dropped to a puddle on the floor. She stood before him in a little white lace G-string with her eyes still closed and her hands in her hair.

"Come here." It came out as a croak. She walked over to him without any shyness or embarrassment. His Evie, his beautiful wife. She slid across the bed to lay next to him.

"You are so amazing Evie. I feel like I fall more in love with you every moment."

"Joseph, I want you to show me."

"Evie, It... Its liable to hurt but supposedly for just a little bit."

"You do know it gets thinner as a woman gets older, there may not even be anything there."

"I didn't know that, so then I just need you to get the condoms in my dopp kit."

"No."

"Eves, you said you're not on anything?"

"Still, I want to feel you inside me, not latex, if I get pregnant then so what, you've already married me." She was smiling at him and he wanted to devour her.