Beautiful Life: The Carpino Series (12 page)

I give her a hug and ask, “Tony, can you get her bouquet?”

“Yeah,” he murmurs.  He brings her bouquet of white roses, lilies and hydrangea’s with a hint of pink.  The arrangement is round and tight with long stems and are wrapped in a silver satin ribbon.  I take the charms and clip them to the ribbon in the front of the bouquet. 

“There,” I say.  “Now it’s perfect.  Time for you to get married.”

“Thank you, Leigh,” she says as she squeezes my hand. 

She moves toward her aunts to show them her bouquet and I feel an arm come around my waist.  I know that arm, but I look over anyway and Tony pulls my side into his front, putting his lips to my ear to murmur, “Thank you, gem.”

I smile at him and he leans in to kiss my jaw.  I look across the room and Lizzie has her eyes on us with a big smile on her face.  I hear Tony chuckle in my ear and I close my eyes.  I guess there’s no hiding it anymore.  I open my eyes and Lizzie is still grinning like a loon.  I return a small smile back to Tony’s mother.  She winks at me and finally gives her attention back to Gabby. 

Turning to Tony, I ask sarcastically, “Now is the moment you choose for public displays of affection?”

“After this morning,” he whispers in my ear, “I’m not hiding anything anymore, sweetheart.  You’re mine.”

I don’t have time to respond to Tony (not that I have a response) because the church coordinator rushes in and starts bossing people around.  Tony gives me another squeeze and a peck on the lips
in front of everyone
before he releases me. 

Well...crap. 

*****

“You may now kiss your bride.”

Jude takes the small step to close the distance between them and claims Gabby’s face with his hands.  She immediately fits herself to him, putting her hands on his chest.  Pulling her up a bit, he leans down to kiss her, long but sweet.  When he releases her lips, he doesn’t release her, but tips his forehead to hers and murmurs something against her lips, something I can’t even hear and I’m standing right next to them.  Gabby closes her eyes and nods her head in his hands.  When she opens her eyes, he smiles big at her and kisses her one more time before releasing her to be announced as Mr. and Mrs. Jude Ortiz. 

Gabby looks up at Jude with glowing eyes as he takes her hand to walk her down the aisle.  I look at Tony who’s sitting on the front row next to his parents and Gabby’s other aunts and uncles.  He’s looking at me with a new look.  A claiming look, pinning me to the spot. 

The only reason I manage to pull my eyes away is because Chloe yells, “Come on, Leigh!  It’s our turn!”  I look over and she’s skipping down the aisle with Cayden running to catch up.  I look up to see Jude’s brother and best man, Brecken, waiting for me.  I break out of my claimed-by-Tony trance to finish my maid of honor duties. 

*****

The reception is at the country club where Tony’s parents are members.  It’s located on the outskirts of town and has a great clubhouse where the reception is being held.  The walkway up to the club is lined by a mass of trees and Gabby hired someone to line them with Christmas lights going from the ground all the way up into the branches.  From the branches hang balls with silver ribbon covered with baby’s breath.  Inside the ballroom, the tables are spotted with tall contemporary vases lit from the bottom and at the top sit enormous arrangements of hydrangeas, roses and lilies to match the bouquets. 

The party is in full swing.  The food has been served, drinks are flowing and dancing is underway.  Gabby’s uncles, who insisted on splitting the reception as a gift to their niece and a way to honor their brother, spared no expense. 

I’m standing at the side talking to Paige and her sort-of-date, Brian.  She told me earlier they’ve been friends for years and he insisted on coming with her.  She insisted there’s nothing going on between them, but I think she needs to let Brian in on that fact because he’s acting a little possessive of her.  I had possessive ruling my life for four years, I can spot it a mile away. 

“Hey Brian,” she starts.  “Will you run to the bar for us?”

“Sure,” he answers a little too eagerly.  “What’ll it be?”

“I’ll take another vodka and cranberry, Leigh?” she asks.

“Any white wine is fine, thanks, Brian.” I answer and watch him walk away.  Turning to Paige I ask, “What is up with him?”

Paige gives her head a little shake and says, “He’s harmless.  We’ve been friends for years, it’s nothing more.”

“I’m not sure he thinks it’s nothing more, Paige.  You might want to fill him in on your status.”

“Don’t worry about Brian,” she says.  Grinning at me she goes on with, “So, I guess the cat is out of the bag?  My mom can’t stop talking about you and Tony.  She’s only known for what, three hours?  And trust me, my mom has been waiting for her golden boy to find his woman for a long, long time.”

“I know, I’m a little worried about that,” I say.

“Why are you worried?” she asks.

“Because Tony and I aren’t defined, I don’t know what we are.”

“Well, I think I know what he wants you to be,” she says with meaning.

“What who wants who to be?” Gabby asks from behind me.

“What Tony wants Leigh to be,” Paige says.

“Yeah,” she says.  “Don’t think just because I was having a moment in the Bride’s Room it was lost on me you two are finally out in the open.”

“There’s nothing to be out in the open with,” I say trying to defend myself.

To this, Paige and Gabby both burst out laughing, as if this is the funniest thing they’ve ever heard. 

“Okay, stop,” I say, needing them to calm down and be quiet before they garner interest of other Carpinos.  “There might be something, I just don’t know what it is yet.”

“I think Tony knows what it is,” Paige exclaims.  “I’ve never,
but never
, seen my brother like this before.”

“She’s right, Leigh,” Gabby agrees.  “This is new territory for Tony Carpino.”

“What’s new for Tony Carpino?”

I feel him before I see him, snaking an arm around me again, pulling my back to his front.  I crane my head around to give him a glare and say, “Nothing.”

Paige looks from him to me, gives me a grin like I’m full of shit and she knows it while agreeing, “Yeah, nothing.”

Jude comes up next to Gabby, he’s already lost his tie and jacket.  He grabs Gabby around her waist claiming her, pulls her into his side and reaches down to kiss her. 

“Hey,” she says.

Looking into her eyes he says, “Is everything the way you wanted it?”

“Yes, it’s perfect,” she answers with a big smile.

“Are you ready to go yet?” he asks smiling back.

“Jude,” she says with big eyes and gives him an elbow.  But she grins back at him and says quietly, “Not yet, but soon.”

“I’m ready for the honeymoon part of the wedding,” he rasps.

That’s when I hear the music change to something slower and softer.  I feel Tony move away but grabs my hand in the process, pulling me away from our group.  I look over to him and he says, “Dance with me.”

I feel my heart skip and I look back to our group and they’re giving us a wave.  I let Tony pull me to the dance floor, but he moves to the side in the shadows so we aren’t the center of attention.  He pulls me into him arms and Jim Brickman starts singing
Beautiful World
. 

Tony sways me to the music for a minute before he asks, “Do you hear the words?”

I feel the air from my lungs leave my body in a whoosh.  The words are perfect and I can’t help but let them wash through me.  I stuff my face in his neck and he pulls me in tight. 

He keeps on in my ear, “It’s you, sweetheart.  Do you see it?”

“Tony,” I breathe into his neck.

“Let it go.  Let yourself be happy.”

I hold on tighter, fisting his shirt in my hands and let the sweet song seep into me.  I pull in a deep breath to keep it together. 

“Let me make you happy, gem,” he says with his lips still at my ear.

I know he can make me happy.  I’ve never been happier in my life even after a terrible loss when there’s no way I should be happy.

“Tell me you see it.  Tell me you’ll give it a chance.  It’s what you deserve.”

I want it more than anything.  And I want it with him.

“It’s surrounding you, Leigh.  Everyone wants it for you.”

I know he’s right.  I’ve been encompassed by it ever since Gabby came to me at the hospital.

He pulls back, forcing me away from his neck.  Putting his thumbs to my chin, he lifts my face to his, “Give me a chance to make you happy.  I know I can do it.”

What I don’t have the courage to say is he won’t have to try at all.  He already makes me happier than I’ve ever been.  But all I have the courage to do is nod my head in his hands.

“Yes?” Tony asks, like he can’t believe it.

“Yes.” I whisper back. 

The next thing I know, his lips are on mine with one hand in my hair and one at my back.  His kiss is searing, almost bruising and I get lost in it with him.  Finally, he lifts his head and announces, “We’re leaving.”

“We need to wait until Gabby and Jude leave.”

“Trust me, they won’t care,” he returns, grabbing my hand again and leading me back to our table to get my purse.  He takes the long way around the room, my guess is to avoid a majority of his family. 

We leave out the side exit and I ask as the cold assaults me, “Where are we going?”

“I rented a cottage for the night, remember?  I’ve already put your bag there.”

“Oh,” how could I forget?

The country club has cottages for rent and I’ve heard they’re very nice.  I’ve also heard they are hard to book because of their popularity.  It’s quite a walk from the clubhouse and I didn’t bring my wrap in from the car. 

I must have shivered enough, because Tony stops, shrugs off his tux jacket and slips it up my arms.  Pulling it tight around me, he leans down to kiss me fast and says, “We’re almost there.”

Taking my hand again we move down a small hill, around a bend and through the darkness I see cottages dotting the landscape.  We pass two before Tony turns me up a walk, pulls a key card out of his pocket, opens the door and pushes me through.  He flips a switch and lamps across the room softly illuminate the space.  I move in to start looking around. 

“It’s beautiful,” I say. 

The ceilings are peaked to a vault with heavy beams coming across the room to make it cozy.    The king size bed is the centerpiece of the room, a large heavy piece of furniture with a modern canopy and panels of sheer white coming down from the four corners.  The bedding is white, crisp and lush with lots of pillows and would rival some of the nicest hotels.  Directly across from the bed is a gas fireplace that Tony has already flipped on.  The furniture is heavy and eclectic. 

I look over and Tony is at the refrigerator in the small kitchenette, “Do you want anything?  Wine, beer, water?”

“I’m good, thanks.”

I walk back to the fire and slip his jacket off, toss it on the chair and kick off my heels.  My feet have been complaining for an hour.  As I stand in front of the fire, I feel him at my back.  His hands come to my hair and I feel him pulling the pins out.  This task takes a while and then he runs his fingers through my hair, making sure he got all the pins at the same time massaging my scalp.  Then he pulls my hair across my back and his lips come down to my shoulder.  His finger traces the spaghetti strap of my dress, going on to trace the outline down my back, leaving a searing heat in its wake.  His light touch leaves me wanting more and I feel my nipples go hard.

“Tony,” I whisper and turn my head to the side toward his face. 

His lips come to my forehead and I feel his hand at my zipper pulling it down slowly.  I sense my labored breath and beating heart.  He turns me around to face him, my gown now holding on only by the thin straps at my shoulders.  I look up into his molten almost black eyes searing down at me, sweeping my face, my hair, down to my body.  I barely feel the tips of his fingers glide up my bare arms, his touch so light but significant, leaving a trail of tingling goose bumps across my skin.  Up his fingers go to my shoulders and he brings his eyes to mine.  He hooks his index fingers under each strap, slowly pulls them down my shoulders letting gravity take over as my gown pools at my feet. 

Standing in front of Tony in nothing but my grey and pink lace panties, he brings his hands up to my face to pull me close.  On a breath, he repeats what he said this morning, “I love you, Leigh.”

Even hearing it the second time, I can’t believe it.  It’s new and scary because if this is what it’s like to be loved, then I know for certain I’ve never been loved.  I was kidding myself in the beginning of my marriage and it didn’t take long for me to figure out Preston never loved me.  He’s not capable of love.  As a child, I realized my mom didn’t love me when I experienced the way Gabby’s parents loved her. 

This is a new feeling.  To be cared for.  To be cherished. 

New, but scary.

Tony’s kiss that started slow and sweet and has become hot and passionate. My fingers fumble with his buttons trying to get his shirt off and I vaguely feel him moving me to the foot of the bed.  After I make clumsy work of his buttons, I yank his shirt down his arms as he toes his shoes off at the same time.  He reclaims my mouth with one hand going to the center of my back and the other dips straight into my panties pulling me into to him.  His lips make their way down the side of my neck to my breasts, his hand at my back pressing up for me to arch into him and he sucks hard. 

He lets go before I want him to and says in a rough voice, “Up on the bed, gem.”

Breathing hard, I sit down to scoot myself up the bed.  Before I get too far, Tony reaches for my hips and hooking a finger at each side, slowly drags my panties down my legs while looking straight into my eyes with his heated ones.  Being exposed to him completely for the first time is exhilarating and daunting all the while my body is humming.  He holds my eyes as I see his hands go to his belt and pants, wasting no time, taking his boxers and socks off all at the same time.  I feel the whoosh and my lungs empty as I get my first glimpse of Tony. 

And there’s a lot to Tony.

A lot.

It’s official.  He’s perfect.

He puts a knee to the bed without taking his eyes off mine even though mine have been wandering.  I see his are glittery and one side of his mouth is faintly tipped at the corner.  I can’t help but give him a small grin in return since I’ve been caught appreciating all that is him.

Yep, I’m going to do the deed with Tony Carpino.

But he doesn’t come up to me.  Instead, he grabs my foot, not losing my eyes until he dips his head and I feel his tongue and lips at the inside of my ankle.  Running his hand up the back of my leg lightly, his mouth follows its path, but up the inside.  He stops at the top of my thigh, making me shiver and heat all at the same time. 

“Tony,” I breathe on a whisper. 

“Lay back for me,” he instructs, as he takes the leg he’s torturing and bends it at the knee hitching it up and out. 

I unceremoniously flop down to my back to lay down for him.  My body is wound so tight, I would do anything he says.  Keeping his hand at my ankle to hold my leg in place, I feel him come to my other leg to repeat the delightful torture.  He gets to the top of my thigh, but this time doesn’t stop there.  He comes up and traces the top of my pubic bone with his tongue and some remote part of my brain is thanking my lucky stars Gabby talked me into going with her to get waxed.  It sure stung at the time, but I’m super happy about it now.  It feels intense, sensitive and even naughty.  I can’t help it, I start to move my hips because I feel like all my nerve endings between my legs are at a slow burn. 

“Honey,” I exhale, but it comes out as a plea and I feel him smile where he’s kissing me at my hip. 

“Hang on, sweetheart,” he whispers back between kisses down to between my legs.  “I’m enjoying this.”

“Ahh,” I moan and he slowly outlines everything between my legs with his tongue.  I go from a slow burn to on fire in seconds.  I throw my legs over his shoulders for better leverage and dig my heels into his back to lift my hips to his mouth. 

That’s all it took.  All control flew out the window. 

He’s devouring me hard, ravenous, as if he’s starving.  Between that and me rocking against his mouth, it doesn’t take long and I push my head back into my pillow, remotely hearing myself come long and hard. 

I’m trying to catch my breath and realize he’s up and over me, rolling on a condom.  His hips fall between my legs and he gives me his weight, kissing me under my ear at my neck.  I pull my knees up, wrapping my arms around him and stuff my hands in his hair. 

I feel the tip of him between my legs and look up into his eyes.  He’s looking down at me, his eyes warm and heavy as they sweep my face. 

“Love you, gem,” he whispers. 

Then, he slides into me, not slowly but not fast, filling me full and to the root.  Filling me up.  Making me feel more complete than I’ve felt in my life. 

Complete.  Right.  Whole. 

Perfect. 

But I’ll have to think about that later, because he’s moving now, creating the heat again.  

“Tone,” I barely get out before he takes my mouth for a searing kiss.  I feel him moving faster and harder.  I pull my knees up to get more of him, as much as I possibly can.  The burn is building again and I moan into his mouth. 

“Please,” I say against his lips.

“I don’t want to hurt you, gem,” he says in a guttural voice. 

“Harder,” I beg.

Tony gives me what I want and it pushes me over the edge.  I gasp with my second orgasm of the night, but he kisses me hard, drinking up my moans through his kiss. 

A minute later I get to watch Tony for the first time.  The muscles in his corded throat strained and his eyes are hooded as he slams into me, finally planting himself deep.  He gives me his weight and gathers me up in his arms.  I wrap him up and we lay like this for what seems like a long time, him still inside of me letting our breathing even out and heart rates slow. 

“Gem,” he says, as he finally leans up to look at me.  “You’re perfect for me.  It cuts through me every single day trying to think how I can make you happy.  If I do nothing else than give you something beautiful, I’ll die a happy man.”

Still coming down from my intense orgasms, finally doing the deed with Tony for the first time and taking in all he just said, I look into his beautiful face with his hair falling onto his forehead.  His nearly black eyes are gazing down at me and his olive skin seems darker than normal in the low light from the fire. 

“I want to be everything you need,” I say.  “I just hope I can.”

His hand comes to the top of my head, he leans his forehead to mine and he closes his eyes.  He pulls in a breath and opens his eyes to say, “You don’t get it, sweetheart.  You already are.”

I let out a rush of air as his words flow through me.  He kisses me softly and says, “I’ll be right back.  Do not move this time.  I’ve gotta take care of this condom and we’re sleeping naked tonight.  When we sleep that is.”

I look up at him and he’s grinning down at me now, “Okay, honey.  I won’t move this time.  Promise.”

He slides out of me slowly and I miss him as soon as he’s gone.  Tony rolls off the bed and flips the covers over me.  I pull them up to my chest and roll to my side and watch him from the back as he walks away from me.  He’s in command of his tall, lean body as he strides to the bathroom.  And that tall lean body with nothing on it is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.  But it’s even more beautiful when he strides back wearing a possessive look that’s all for me. 

Not letting go of my eyes as he approaches, he pulls the covers away from me and climb back in. He leans down to kiss me softly and I feel his hand lightly between my breasts as he glides his fingers down my stomach, up to my hip, over my bottom and down my thigh to the back of my knee.  He moves closer, as usual except naked this time, pulling me to him tight while hitching my leg over his hip.  I fit myself to him as I have for months and settle in silently.  But Tony adds something new to our routine by gently running his fingers up and down my bottom from the small of my back to the top of my thigh.  His touch is light, intimate and very relaxing.  So relaxing, I snuggle in deeper and sigh into his neck.

“You okay?” he whispers into my hair.

“Mm-hmm,” I mumble into his neck. 

There were a few more moments of silence and I relax further into him when he says, “I’ll make you happy, Leigh.  I promise you.”

I suck in a breath of air at his words.  I hug him tighter as I pull up the courage to whisper back, “Honey, you already make me happy.”

I feel him tense around my body and then pull away so he can look at me and asks, “What?”

I put my hand to his face and trace his jaw with my fingers.  Then I look into his almost black beautiful eyes and continue on my whisper, “I don’t know where I’d be without you.  Gabby might have literally removed me from the prison of a marriage I was in, but you honey, you pulled me out of the prison I couldn’t escape in my head.”

“Gem,” he starts, his voice rough with emotion, but I wouldn’t let him finish.

“No, I don’t know what state I’d be in right now without you.  And when I look back, you did it perfectly.  Every step you took with me was what I needed.  You gave to me in every way when I had nothing to give back and I took everything you gave.  I need you to know you already make me happy.  I feel a peace I shouldn’t feel but I do and it’s all because of you.”

Tony is looking into my face with a mixture of relief, surprise and pure possession.  The look on his face touches me deeply because I needed to say what I said to give him that relief but I hate the surprise in his features because that means I haven’t given him anything in return.  But my favorite part of his look is the pure possession. 

I’ve been possessed in many ways by many people.  Preston possessed me with fear and control.  My mom and sister possessed me with guilt and obligation.  My dad, even though I hardly remember him, possessed me in his own way with abandonment.  It’s never felt good to be possessed but the way Tony does it feels amazing.  He has made me his by caring for me, being protective of me and loving me.  And after tonight, he’s possessed me in every way possible and nothing has ever felt better.  Ever.

“I’ve never been happier, Tony.  I don’t think I’ve ever been happy now that I know what this feels like.  Really honey, you’ve got to quit knocking yourself out.  You being you makes me happy, so you just need to
be
,” I say. 

“You’re happy,” he states, in a rough voice.

“Honey, yes,” I repeat.

He looks down at me and lowers his mouth on mine again.  Rolling me to my back his tongue pushes mine back into my mouth as he kisses me.  His hips fall between mine again and I feel him hard again against my thigh. 

“Fuck, I’m gonna need another condom,” he says into my mouth.

I smile against his lips as I feel his one hand move down by body as he supports most of his weight on his forearm beside my head.  I lose his mouth as he tips his head down to watch his hand move down my body. 

Not taking his eyes off the trail of his hand, he murmurs, “You know what makes me happy, sweetheart?”

“What makes you happy, Tone?” I ask softly.  With everything he’s given me, I’d do backflips to make him happy.

With his head still tipped watching his fingers trace my pubic bone to between my legs where he’s making me moist and fidget again, he answers with one word, “This.”  He looks up at me with warm dancing eyes as he keeps at me with his fingers and grins but goes on with, “This is a surprise. And Gem, I haven’t had you but I have had my hands down your pants, so I know this is new.”

I feel my face flush because, yes, he has had his hands down my pants many times over the past few weeks but I’m also really happy it makes him happy.  But it’s still a little embarrassing, so for some reason I blurt out, “Well…Gabby went to get a wax for the honeymoon and talked me into going with her.”

His demeanor changes immediately and I feel his hand cup me firmly between the legs making me gasp.  His mouth gets tight as he bites out, “That is shit I do not need to know about my cousin who I just walked down the aisle tonight.”

Because I can’t help it, I smile biting my lip trying to control my giggles.  When a giggle escapes he says with dancing eyes again, “You think that’s funny?”

I nod my head through my laughter and my body keeps shaking.  He looks down at me with a grin on his face now while slowly shaking his head.  But I feel his firm hand that’s cupping me between my legs move and he fills me with two firm fingers with a firm thumb running over my clit.  I have to suck in a breath of surprised air and my eyes go big. 

“I know you’re thick as thieves with my cousin, but that shit is off limits, Leigh,” he warns through his grin.  “But, this still makes me happy,” he says on a delightful inward thrust of his firm fingers. 

“I’m glad you’re happy, honey,” I say as my hips start to move with his hand, hilarity all gone because he’s making me wet again.  “I want to make you happy, too.”

“I’ll be happy as long as I’ve got you, gem,” he whispers.

He leans in to kiss me as he creates more heat that eventually travelled and shook my body.  Tony ended up needing another condom.  Later, after being possessed by Tony in his perfect way, he wrapped me up wedging a thigh between my legs just like always when tucking us in for bed.  But this time we did it sleeping naked.  And just like all things with Tony, it was amazing and I fell into a deep sleep thinking in some remote part of my brain that this is so good, there has to be a way to sleep naked after having kids.  I just hope Tony can figure out a way to make that happen.