Authors: LaVenia R. Boswell
“If fat will make you healthy then I want you very fat.” Jonathan grinned then added, “I don't think that with our new exercise program you'll be gaining much weight.”
Blushing she looked at Mark's red face, then shoving Jon's nude body off the bed she hissed with a smile, “You're incorrigible!”
Mark handed her the coffee then turned to give Jonathan a mug, he saw Jonathan's situation as he was pulling on some trousers.
“How's the breakfast coming?” Jon asked Mark.
“I had to call the chef over from the other wing, he should be downstairs cooking now.”
“Who fixed the coffee and juice then?” Melody asked.
“I did.” Seeing their puzzled looks he continued, “Everyone has been moved over to the other house. Aunt Cassandra is trying to find you a new chef. I came over because I knew that Jonathan would wake up with a roaring appetite, he always does. Besides, I missed my old room down the hall.”
“Jon, couldn't Mark keep his room?”
“Of course. Mark you know that my home is yours, at least until you've Bonded. Even when that time comes we'll work out something we'll all like.”
Mark looked very pleased and relieved. “I'll go on downstairs and see how the foods doing.”
“Mark, have you eaten yet?” Jonathan asked.
“Uh, no, I've been too excited for both of you to be really hungry.”
Seeing Melody nod Jon asked Mark to join them for brunch. Mark left very happy.
Melody opened one of the huge closets and saw dresses, suits, skirts, blouses and shoes lining both sides of the closet.
“Who's the mistress you've been hiding?” she asked as she hung up her wedding dress.
He walked up behind her wrapping his arms tightly around her, “That's my Hope Chest.”
“Your hope chest?”
“Yeah, when I first saw you I started going on spending sprees, but the only thing I wanted to buy was something I thought you would look beautiful in.”
“Did you really?”
“Yeah, I really did. I left the price tags on though, in case they weren't to your liking.”
She looked at the rows of evening gowns, each an original. Dresses were few, but there were lots and lots of sheer nightgowns, negligees and teddys.
“Why, whatever was you thinking about, Mr. Jonathan Jontu when you bought these?” She spread her hands indicating the night gowns.
“You, my love, only you,” he said squeezing her tighter. “I only thought about my Mrs. Melody Jontu. I pictured you wearing one or the other of them nightly.”
“But, Jon-ny,” she said turning around, “I wasn't wearing any of them last night.”
“Ohhh, Melody . . . please . . . don't look at me that way. You know I can't control myself when you do, and . . . you need your food.”
It was too late, her mind had locked with his and no male had that much control, not even on H'trae.
After they showered again she picked out a pale gray skirt, the material was like Jonathan's slacks. It felt like cat's fur in its softness. The blouse she chose was a light blue silk with sheer long gathered sleeves and silk cuffs with mother of pearl buttons. A gray leather belt and shoes completed the outfit.
He had chosen a similar outfit but his shirt was a deep blue and was made out of cotton gauze.
As she lifted her necklace so it would lay on the outside of the material she noticed her ring. It was a band of mother-of-pearl laid over gold, the diamonds around both outside edges sparkled brilliantly. It was the most beautiful wedding ring she had ever seen.
She pulled her hair up into a half ponytail and French-braided the top. As she finished Jonathan came to her with a box. “Here, this will be pretty in your hair and these will be perfect on your tiny earlobes,” he said kissing them.
She put the abalone combs in her hair and the matching earrings in her ears. Standing back she asked, “How's this?”
“You're the most perfect woman I've ever met,” he beamed proudly and with total honesty.
She didn't share with him that Mark had said the same thing to her just last night. She knew Mark had meant it as a compliment and he hadn't been fresh at all.
Mark heard their laughter as they came down the stairs. He had helped set the table and had gotten the flowers that he knew Melody loved and set them in the center.
“Would you rather eat on the veranda?” Mark asked them.
“No, this is perfect,” Melody answered as Jonathan held her chair out for her. “I'm starved!” She took a sip of her coffee and was startled at the sweetness of it. She looked knowingly at Mark.
“Well, I thought if two sugars were good then three would be better, for you that is.” He looked embarrassed.
She drained half the cup then insisted on refilling it despite the two male arms that reached for the pot when they saw what she was doing.
“You know, a woman could get spoiled with you two around.”
But they saw that she looked pleased with them. She had never had too many males be attentive to her before she met Jonathan. She'd lived alone and had learned how to take care of herself. Living here with someone always looking out for your every need would take some adjustment. She swore to herself that no matter how much Jonathan tries to spoil her she'll never be a rich, spoiled, self-centered woman.
She looked at Jonathan and thought proudly,
he's rich but he certainly isn't spoiled. He is very much a man's man.
Her thoughts made her smile as she looked at the two friends absorbed in an animated conversation.
They're just like brothers
, she mused.
The main difference between Jonathan and Mark was that Mark had curly blond hair as opposed to Jon's shiny black, wavy hair. They both wore it long pulled back in a pony tail at their necks. Aunt Cassandra had told her it was traditional among males that had any royal heritage. Since Mark was Jonathan's first cousin he was included.
The other major difference was that Mark's eyes were a rich brown like her's and he wasn't quite as dark skinned as Jonathan, but they both looked like well tanned surfers. Each was well endowed with very masculine muscles, very muscular, but not to an extreme like she had seen on a few iron pumped extremists, who looked more like puffed up frogs. Both of the guys seemed to love the ocean just outside the back doors. Jon has shared that they were swimming long before they could walk.
With a smile to herself Melody remembered Jonathan was almost as dark beneath his tan line as he was outside of it, she had even kidded him about the probability of him being a nudist. He had laughed along with her but explained that in his culture nudity flatly wasn't permitted. If anything they were more Victorian with their views, that's why his aunts almost always wore long robes.
Thinking about this made her worried. She interrupted Jonathan and Mark to ask, “Do your people allow swimsuits?”
Both of the men looked at each other and smiled, “Where did that idea come from?” Jonathan asked.
“Remember when we were discussing . . . nudity?”
“Yes, darling I remember. What has that got to do with swimsuits?” he asked truly perplexed.
“Do you consider a swimsuit immodest? If you do, how will I ever be able to swim in the pool or the ocean?”
Oh, now he understood. “No tight or short trunks for men and modest suits for the women, unless we're alone,” he added grinning. “We're not a jealous people, but why risk it?”
“Is there a suit I can borrow to swim in tonight?”
“Borrow?” Mark exclaimed. “You pick out what you want and I'll get it.” Then realizing he may have over stepped his bounds, “that is if Jonathan agrees,” he stated.
Jonathan was elated that Mark would help him take such good care of his wife, “Honey, you're a good designer, design yourself a nice modest swimsuit.” Mark had always helped Jonathan, now he was glad that Mark had included Melody.
Melody got up and went into the den. Opening a secretary desk she found some writing paper. Returning back to the table she began to sketch.
Jonathan leaned over her shoulder as she tried three different designs, all were good but Jon tapped his finger at the last one. “That one is great!”
His choice was a one piece white suit that was made very similar to the undergarment under her wedding dress, except it had long cut shorts legs and the top was well above her cleavage. She pulled the paper back away from her and looked at it, then added a three inch wide gold band across the top and left it with narrow straps.
“Will that be modest enough?” She batted her eyes with a false demure look.
“It's perfect, but personally, I'd much rather see you swim naked,” Jonathan whispered, standing behind her squeezing her shoulders and kissing her neck.
“Well, what else is on the agenda for today?” Melody wondered aloud, her eyes bright. She had devoured the meal while sketching and felt a hundred percent better.
When no one answered she supplied, “Let's start with a tour of the house, if you don't mind. You know Jon, you've never taken me through it.” She had been wondering what all the rooms were for because there were so many.
“Of course. You're right, I've never taken you have I?” Jonathan slid her chair out for her, grabbed her coffee cup, refilled it and off they went.
The house had three upper levels all with windows and balconies looking out at the ocean. There was one door to a huge room in a separate area beneath the main floor of the house that he hesitated at, then as though deciding something finally opened it.
It was banked with computers and screens as well as people. There were pictures of Earth on several screens, while people were busy talking and monitoring different things.
“Jonathan, does your country have a star-wars project going on here?” Melody inquired with a smile, but a little nervous as well.
“No,” Jonathan answered. “But we are heavily involved in space science. It provides a good income for our people and it protects us from any unfriendly invasion. We have a couple of space stations and a few ships in space right now.”
She was surprised. “Can I see one?”
“Boutere, do we have a picture of one of our ships that
Melody
can see?” Jonathan asked an older man.