Fix It for Us (19 page)

             
I shift my eyes up to him and then down to the box and, while pointing at it, say just what I thinking, “Is that what I think it is?”

             
Davis chuckles deeply and finally, happily, “Depends on what you think it is, but probably, yes, it is what you think it is.”  He moves me back slightly and then just like every girl dreams of all her life, he gets down on his knees and asks, yet again, “Lizard, I am so in love with you and I never want us to be apart again.  Please marry me.  Soon.  Please wear this always, so everyone knows you are mine.”  Then he opens the box and the most gorgeous diamond ring I have ever seen sparkles before me.  It is so
my
style.  A large, to me it looks
really
large, cushion-cut diamond, set almost invisibly in a silver-colored diamond pavé setting.  Davis tells me it’s platinum.  There are no prongs. The diamond looks like it is just floating in the setting.  Wow!

             
I am crying again. This time with the most overwhelming joy.  “Of course, I’ll marry you.  I already told you, Mav.”

Davis beams, jumps to his feet and scoops me up in his arms.
“Good. When?”

“I don’t know.  Let’s talk about it in bed.”

“After we take everything off?”  He asks with a tilt of his head and a smirk.

“Everything but this.”  I hold up my be
autiful new engagement ring.  Our promise to never be apart again.  “I am NEVER taking this off…if I do you will know something is really wrong…” Then I add, and I don’t know why, “and you need to come and find me.”

With that Davis picks me up off my feet and carries me to the bedroom, kissing my neck the entire way, as I
hold my hand out and away from me to admire my ring.  My ring from him.  The love of my life.

***

When we get in the bedroom and after a bit more thigh burning kissing, I have an idea.  I push Davis away, but immediately reach for his hand.

“Davis, I want you to give me a minute…
”

“No, Lizard, no more minutes…
”

As
I tug him back toward the bedroom door, he is resisting and trying to yank me back into his arms.  He succeeds as we approach the door and I’m reaching for the knob to open it.  He pulls me back toward him, my back to his front, his arms wrapped around my waist.  I could easily give in and let things progress, but I think he will REALLY like what I have come up with, so I lean my head back on his shoulder and kiss him fully.  Coming up for air I tell him, “I have something I want to do for you, so I need you to be a little patient.  Go outside the bedroom for a minute..”  Davis opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off, “Just… a minute, then knock on the door, okay?  Humor me.”

Reluctantly he agrees, “Alright, just a minute, no more,” as he walks through the door and shuts it.

I am out of all my clothes in seconds.  Then I run and dive into the middle of our bed.  I position myself prettily, sitting upright against a pile of pillows.  Pulling the dark brown sheets up so they cover only the bottom half of my breasts, I hold the sheets to my chest with my left hand, my new ring facing out.  KNOCK, KNOCK.  He wasn’t kidding about only giving me one minute.

“Come in.” I say, almost not recognizing the deep hot voice I am using.

Davis steps through the door and follows the trail of clothes I’ve left like bread crumbs with his eyes to finally land his gaze on me.  He looks so delicious to me right now, I could jump up and grab him.  Hmm, my fiancé.  “Look…” the throaty voice has not left me, “I’m right where you left me.  But now with extra sparkliness….”   I switch the hand I am holding the sheet up with and wiggle the fingers of my hand with my dazzling engagement ring on it, at him.   The somewhat concerned look Davis has had on his face the majority of the time since his return is completely overtaken by a huge devilish grin and arched eyebrow.

He growls,
“I like you in nothing but a big diamond.”

“I thought you might
.”

He leaps, that’s right, leaps onto me, landing
with his head at my chest.

“Mmm.  Perfect landing
,” he informs me, resting his head on me and lightly kissing the tops of my breasts.  Lifting my chin to give him more access, I put my hand in his hair and run my fingers through it and pull him slightly closer.    His hands come up to slowly remove the sheet and cup my breasts.  He takes a moment to regard them and then inhales deeply. 

“Seems I’ve missed these too.”  As I look down at him, I see a half smirk on his lips, before they cover a nipple and draw it in.  My heart is racing.  I feel my breasts become full and my lower abdomen warm.  I had not allowed myself to feel this while Davis and I were apart, but it only takes minutes for him to bring me to arousal.

We are in our usual state, Davis fully dressed and me completely naked, as things begin to heat up.  I think he really does like it this way. 

I question him about it.  “You have too many clothes on.  How come I am always naked first and you completely dressed?”

“You’re the one that took all her clothes off first this time.”

“True.” I admit, cocking my head and gazing at him coyly.

“You could help me take mine off, but I have to warn you, once you do, I can’t make love to you slowly, ‘cause I’m not gonna make it much longer.”  Davis has already started removing his shirt and I join him to rip off his lounge pants and boxers.  Still in the process of undressing, he crashes his lips to mine and begins to drive me crazy again.  I can’t keep track of where we are touching or what part of me is moving where.  I can’t touch him enough, everywhere.  I know his hands go to my breasts again and then skate over my waist and hips.  One finally arrives at the apex of my legs and I rock into it, my clit demanding friction, which Davis willingly and skillfully delivers.  I slick up almost instantaneously, perhaps more from the intensity of our kisses than anything.  Our moans give away our growing need.  I reach down to feel Davis’ hardness and run my fingers over his balls.  A powerful shiver that I can appreciate travels through him and with a loud growl he pulls me swiftly down on the bed, his hands on my hips.  Once there, he opens my thighs by running both hands firmly down my inner thighs and pins me at the knees.  In moments, he is in me, hard, pulsing and wanting.  We pause for a moment and I take in the full, stretched feeling I haven’t felt in so long.

“God Damn, you feel tighter than I remember
,” Davis hisses into my ear before rocking with perfectly timed rhythm, causing my build up to escalate.  We rock and rock into each other, eyes locked, until I can’t continue and I close my eyes to absorb all the sensation.

We come together, frantic, loud and
over-the-top.

There is a knock on the door. 

“Welcome Home, Davis!”  Kathleen shouts through the bedroom door, mischievously.

Oh my God, we were really loud.

Chapter 8-
AUGUST

Davis went back
to Chicagoland Shakespeare Festival for one more week, and worked out a deal to leave early.  I went up on the Megabus the day after our last show closed at Forest Park Theatre to see his last show and drive back with him.

Now
we are back home together, getting used to living together again.  To be honest, it’s a bit awkward.  We are both unaccustomed to sharing space.  Kathleen is still here, but moving out to live with Smitty soon.  Davis will be back at Weldon in a few weeks, working on his Master’s and teaching.  My mother has been pestering me all summer about wedding details, but since Davis hasn’t been around I haven’t felt like I could make decisions.  We have about three weeks until school starts up again.  It’s time to start planning.

Oh, and I am unemployed.  Davis says not to worry about it, but I need to find a job. 
Evan offered me a great opportunity with Black & Wright Productions, but I am not willing to leave Davis, so I turned their New York offer down.  Evan stays in touch and told me if an opportunity arises with Black & Wright here, it’s mine.  And by the way, I have a standing offer to come back as his “partner in crime” next year at Forest Park.

             
I try to push my concern about being unemployed to the side and enjoy the uninterrupted time I have with Davis right now.  He’s pretty enthusiastic about it.  We spend time getting me completely unpacked, since I left some of that undone in his absence.  It is starting to feel like “our” place instead of just his.  Nothing right now is rushed – we are just focused on being together.  It’s been great to have this time to discuss wedding plans and we are very close to picking a date.  Davis insists it MUST be before the end of the year.  I have no idea how we could possibly pull it off that quickly.  Thank goodness for my mother.  The minute we decide on something, she runs with it and makes all the arrangements, but she is limited until we settle on a date.  So, we have colors and flowers and the men’s attire decided, in theory.  I still need to find a dress.  And a place to get married.  And a date.

The “no-job”
thing didn’t start to bother me until Davis went back to school this past week.  I spend all day every day while he is gone looking online for a job.  It’s Thursday and I think I may have to take out a loan and go to graduate school if I don’t find something productive to do (that pays) pretty soon.  Taking a break from my internet searching, my head in my hands and on the verge of screaming in frustration, my phone alerts.  I push aside all the junk on the desk to retrieve it from its papery burial site.  There is a text.  From Evan.

Hey B.  How is the job search going?
  Ready to come to NYC yet?
 


I text back.
 
Terrible.  I can’t believe how depressing this is.  I swear I am going to apply to Law School or Hairdressing School or something.

Evan: 
I think your talents would be wasted doing either of those things.  My friend Gail is a producer at one of the TV stations there.  She is looking for a production assistant.

Me:
  Gail Patton?

Evan:
  Yeah.  You know her?

Me:
  I met her in my Production class last semester.  I think I have her card here somewhere.  Is she really serious?

Evan:
  Yeah.  Find that card and give her a call

Me:
  Should I?

Evan:
  Yes, now

Me:
  Okay.  Thank you so much for thinking of me, Ev

Evan:
  Anything for my partner in crime

Me:
  Yes, we are a regular Frank and Jesse James!

Evan:
  More like a wimpy, platonic Bonnie and Clyde!  But, whatever.  Stop texting me and CALL

Me:
  Okay.  Bossy.  Talk later

It takes me what feels
like ages to find Gail Patton’s business card.  I remember that I put it in the back pocket of one of my pair of jeans when I got it, but couldn’t recall which pair and if I’d worn them since I moved in with Davis.  I’ve worn mostly shorts or cute little dresses this summer.  I think I’ve only put on a pair of jeans a half dozen times.

After check
ing all the pockets of all my jeans, I recall that I shoved a bunch of business and rewards cards I’d collected over time into a small square box that I use to hold buttons, safety pins and other tiny objects.  I saw it while we were unpacking the last of my stuff.  My eyes fall upon it the instant I enter the walk-in closet in the master bedroom and flip on the light.  Davis must have placed it next my jewelry box on the built-in dresser we share.  I take it down and rummage through the pile of cards.  The card is there, close to the top.  I put everything back in the box and place it back on the dresser.  Then I pace back and forth in the closet a few times, reading the card.  I wonder to myself if I should e-mail her or just call.  Evan said to call.  I am so nervous.  What if she doesn’t remember me?  Should I drop Evan’s name?  I take in a huge breath through my nose and blow it out my mouth, while silently and rapidly repeating my mantra, “You can do this, You can do this.”  Then I add, for extra positivity, “You got this!”  I call.  Gail Patton answers herself, no secretary.  I tell her my name and how I know her.  She remembers me and tells me that Evan Wright recommended me highly.  Gail basically conducts an interview over the phone, telling me as we wrap up that after she receives my resumé, there is no reason this job shouldn’t be mine.  It’s all a matter of having Human Resources talk to me and having my references checked.  I thank her profusely.  If it all goes well, I should be working in a week or so. 

By the time Davis walks throug
h the front door of the condo, I have a job!  That’s right.  Gail got right on it and by 5:00 p.m. I got a call from Human Resources at KTTA-Channel 5 offering me a position as a production assistant in the newsroom.  I start the day after Labor Day.  The minute I hear Davis’ key in the lock of the door I launch myself from the barstool at the island, where I have just gotten off the phone.  The poor guy barely has the door open, when I jump into his arms, ecstatic with my good news.  He catches me in a loose embrace.

“I have a job!” I say with genuine glee.

“Really, where?”  Davis asks chuckling at me.  I haven’t even given him time to put down his keys and computer bag.  The bag is bouncing against my butt as I jump up and down wrapped in his arms. 

I take his bag and keys from him and place them on the hall table.  Then I
lead him to one of the sofas.  “Channel 5-KTTA.  In the newsroom.”

Davis pulls me in for a kiss and right before he does, whispers, “Congratulations.”  Davis kissing me is very distracting.  I can get lost in the feeling very easily and I think he knows it.  I am about to give in, when he sits me more upright, stops the kissing and with a playful smack on my thigh, questions me further, “So, how did all of this happen?”

I would love it if we would just go on kissing, but I am also excited to tell him the details of my employment.  “I was here, looking online for jobs, moments from tearing my hair out and looking for a good cosmetology school to go to or something…” 

Davis shakes his head, “Terrible idea.”

“Whatever…anyway Evan texted me and told me to contact Gail Patton at KTTA.  He knows her, and I met her in my Production class at Weldon at the end of the year.  I even got her card.  So, Oh my God, I was so nervous, but I did it.  I called her and she interviewed me over the phone.  I emailed her my resume; HR reviewed it and called with an offer.  And now, you are looking at KTTA’s newest production assistant!”

“RA, PA
, You are all about assisting aren’t you?”  Davis teases me about only taking jobs with the word “assistant” in them.  I roll my eyes at him.  I don’t see any problem with being an assistant.  I need to pay my dues and I haven’t been out of school for any time at all.  I’ve been very fortunate so far.  Davis doesn’t disagree, he just tells me he thinks I am meant for more.  Out of the blue, he brings up my therapist, Dr. Matt and the ‘Don’t hide your light” lecture he once gave me.

“You are going to be very big one day, Lizard, I just have a feeling.  I don’t know what it will be, but I just know you’ll be successful.”  Wow!  Where did that come from?

I slide up next to Davis and run my hand up his thigh from his knee, “Thank you, baby.  I appreciate your confidence in me.  Really, I am just relieved to have a job.  I don’t know about “making it big,” I don’t really think about stuff like that.  I just want to be good at whatever I do.”

“You are. Y
ou wouldn’t have found this job so soon if you weren’t.  Now, before you ‘assist me’… ” Davis says with air quotes and a smirk, “can we set a wedding date?  There are only four more months left in this year and if we are not married by December 31
st
we are flying to Vegas or some Caribbean Island and tying the knot and you, my little Lizard Breath, will be dealing with the wrath of your mom.”

I inhale through clenched teeth and wince in mock horror, “
That
is a terrible idea!”

“I thought that might motivate you a little.  That and I am not kissing you again until you get your calendar and we do this, now.”  I throw Davis a pout, which he
shakes his head at to indicate it won’t work.  Then he points to my cell phone on the island in the kitchen.  He wants me to get it to look at the calendar.  I push myself up off the sofa, walk over and snatch up the phone.  I’m trying to act annoyed, but I’m not, really.  Returning, I plop onto the sofa with a faux huff.

“Okay, let’s do this.”  I
tease, adding an eye roll for effect.  It does nothing.  Davis is on a mission.  He takes the phone from my hand and goes to the calendar app.

“Since September is next week,
which won’t give your mom any time, we are going to have to look at October or November.  Personally, I want October – early October.”  He is so persistent.

“How about October 11
th
?”  I suggest. “It’s the day after my parent’s anniversary.”

Davis looks up from the phone suddenly, with a puzzled look on his face, “That’s so weird, October 11
th
is
MY
parents anniversary.”

It must be destined.  October 11
th
it is.  We both call our respective parents and then I call Jules.  We agree to meet the next day for lunch in the Weldon cafeteria.  Once I hang up with her, after squeeing, giggling and jumping up and down, I make my way back to Davis.  He is just hanging up from talking to his parents.  Leaning over the back of the couch I throw my arms around him from behind and kiss him on his neck below his ear.  “Can we kiss now?”  I ask.

Davis flips me over the back of the couch, so
that I land, somehow, straddling his lap.  I like this position.  I can feel his growing excitement under me.  “Definitely.  Let the celebration begin,” he growls in my ear, as he thrusts his hands into my hair and pulls me hard up against him.  I put my hands on his wide, capable shoulders and then slowly slide them down his chest.  I notice Davis suck in a breath between his teeth.  Pleasure?  I not too delicately rip open the snaps on his modern western-style shirt and quickly spy a large gauze bandage on the left side of his chest over the place where his COLE tattoo is.

“What’s this?” I ask,
a little more concerned now than turned on.  “Are you okay?”

Davi
s bites both his lips between his teeth to try and suppress a smile. “I’m fine.  It does sort of sting a bit if you touch it, but nothing is wrong.”  The full smile breaks through as he reaches up and pushes my hair behind my ears and holds my face in his hands.  “Don’t look so worried, Biz.  I just had a little modification done to my tattoo.  I hope you’ll like it, ’cause I don’t know what I’m going to do if you don’t.”

Davis runs his hands down my arms and continues to watch me for my reaction.  I tilt my head, raise an eyebrow and ask, “Can I see it?”

“Sure.  My tattoo guy said I have to keep the bandage on for 24 hours, but I think I can give you a peek.  It is all shiny from the medicine they put on it.”  Davis slowly peels off the top edge of the bandage to reveal his old tattoo of his brother’s name, COLE, now inside a red heart with an elaborately detailed and brightly colored lizard wrapped around it.  The lizard’s head is resting happily on one of the bumps of the heart and the tail is entwined around the point at the bottom.  I examine it visually.  It is unusual and beautiful in its meaning.  At least, I think I know its meaning.  Davis anxiously presses me,  “What?  Say something.  What do you think?”

I keep my facial affect flat, I don’t want to give anything away just yet.  “So, the heart around COLE
, that’s Cole always in your heart, right?”

“Uh-huh
.”

“And I am hoping the lizard symbolizes me…”

“Yep.”

“A
nd I am wrapped around your heart?”

“Yes, you, my little Lizard
, are wrapped around my heart, you have my heart… you protect it.  You and Cole…You will always stay with my heart.  So, what do you think?”