In Love by Design (The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod) (53 page)

“Anabel, Anabel,”
said the lazy, smooth voice behind me, and I whirled around to face Luke shaking his head in disappointment. “That’s not how the story goes.”

Luke
was sitting back in my vacated chair between his mother and my grandmother. He had an arm along the back of the chair of each woman, and they both leaned towards him, like flowers to the sun. He turned his head, spoke low to my grandmother, and a smile blossomed across her face. NanaBel gave him a kiss on his cheek while his mother did the same from the other side, and then Luke stood up.

I gawk
ed that he and NanaBel seemed to know each other when she just got back into town. I smiled tentatively in confusion, as Luke walked towards me and the guests crowded closer, sensing something going on.

Anna call
ed out, “My God, I hope that’s not how the story goes or I’ve lost all faith in your abilities, Luke!”

“Hey!” I
was starting to get a little offended here. I liked my story how Luke gave me my birthday ring. He was so smart and it was fun having someone to talk to that likes history, as much as I do.

I smile
d up at Luke. “Don’t listen to her. You were so romantic; I loved how you offered Sparky to me.”

A lot of people laugh
ed and I caught Mac’s smile before she moved off to the side to stand over by Diego near the TV. Several more men have arrived, but my gaze swiveled back to Luke when he replied to Anna, “See if you like my version better.”

Luke t
ook my right hand and checked out the ring. Sparky flashed, glittered, and threw out bursts of color.

Luke laugh
ed, reached for my other hand and held them both up to his mouth. Not taking his eyes off mine, he kissed one and then the other, frowning a little when he noticed the cuts on my palm from Pam’s nails.

I hear
d thirty deep sighs, but ignored them, as I started to frown. I did not like this.

“There’s a legend in my family, passed down from generation to generation, that when the first born son offer
ed the ring of the parure to the woman of his choice; the union was particularly…blessed if the ring approved.”

My frown disappear
ed. This was sweet. I love folklore and it reminded me of my own fairy tale I had made up in my head the minute I’d caught a glimpse of this ring.

Anna and Stella
were making cooing noises and Luke grinned. “The legend said if the ring approved by flaring up with brilliant sparkles and the woman accepted the ring, then the rest was a done deal.”

I
peeked swiftly over at Damaris and NanaBel. They were both smiling as if they knew it was a done deal, too. I looked back at Luke.

“What’s a done deal?” I ask
ed, and several people echoed this question.

Luke pressed
my hands and his eyes were glittering emeralds. He arched that brow. “Do you recall the first conversation we ever had at your brother’s and what I told you?”

I bit my l
ip and moved closer to whisper, “Pink panties are optional?”

Luke
shouted a laugh, but then he smiled down into my face. His was soft, loving, and just a little cruel. “I’m talking about when I said that my plan was to have a large family and that you have sturdy, childbearing hips. According to the legend, it’s a done deal that we will have at least four babies.”

Luke drop
ped to his knee in front of me, still holding my hands, and gazed up at me with his pirate’s white grin. “Anabel Axelrod, you are going to hate this, but please, will you marry me to make certain our children are not bastards, at least legally, and because I need you to have my back forever?”

As the silence dragged on while I stared
fixedly down at Luke, the room held its breath in hushed anticipation for my answer. Mac’s scream was crystal clear in this vacuum and every head in the crowded basement turned in her direction.

Luke grabbed my hand and pulled me over to his mother and NanaBel before we realize
d there was no immediate danger. I took my hand out of my purse.

Mac
was standing still, a hand over her mouth and pointing at the TV. A local female anchor was watching a remote broadcast from a male reporter that stood in front of an apartment building. He finished his report by saying, “Now back to you, Cathy.”

Diego hurriedly turned up the volume while we all crept closer to see and hear.

“Thanks, Bill.” Cathy turned to face the camera. “Well, folks, to recap what Bill Cahill told us; there is an ongoing manhunt that has spread into Minnesota for Svetlana Ugolev, a resident of Chicago, Illinois. She is wanted by the police in connection with the murder of Richard Webster, a former resident of Kenosha, Wisconsin. She was last seen driving near Redwing, Minnesota where the police have found her abandoned vehicle on the side of the road, reportedly out of gas. If you should see this woman, she is considered dangerous and you should call and report the sighting to your local authorities or call the 800 number listed below.”

A picture of Svetlana Ugolev was flashed on the screen over the voice of the anchorwoman
. It was a horrible picture, Svettie looked more like a cat than a human, but it was definitely good, old Svettie--my boyfriend’s roommate and my attempted murderer. I knew I should have beaten the shit out of her when I had the chance that night in the barn, instead of just throwing the boot at her. The woman’s gone stalker on Luke. No wonder she was happy talking to Damaris and Paul on Friday night. She thought An-a-bel would be dead in a few hours and Luke would be hers.

Damaris
asked urgently, “Where is your father?”

Luke
replied soothingly, “He’s upstairs with Reggie, don’t worry. They’ve got the house covered.”

Soon the room
was pandemonium because it’s not every day that you personally know somebody who’s the subject of a three state manhunt by the police. Luke held both of my hands again, and we stared at each other, having a conversation with no words while my friends and family all started talking at once around us.

I nod
ded slowly.

He raise
d his brows.

I
kept nodding.

He
flashed a grin.

I smile
d huge.

His grin fade
d.

I
stared.

His eyes glint
ed.

I moan
ed.

He slip
ped my ring from the right hand to the left.

Sparky bling
ed out.

‘
Maybe we can finally have less drama around here,’
sniffed the mean mommy voice.

“Runnin’ With The Devil” by Van Halen

Sunday, 12/09/12

4:54 PM

“
Everybody’s going to worry where we are, Luke, with Svettie running amok in the countryside,” I murmured against his lips, “and that’s without knowing she’s trying to kill the newest bride-to-be.” Leaning back in Luke’s arms and running my fingers through my hair, I continued bemusedly, “I cannot believe I actually said those words. I wish Crookie could tell me what chemicals are running amok in my bloodstream right this second.”

“Don’t stress,
I told NanaBel,” my Fiancé replied, pulling me back closer for another deep kiss. “Don’t stress about loving me so much that you can deny me nothing. It will make for a beautiful marriage, Princess.”

Snorting, I ask
ed, “Told her what?”

“I let her know we need
ed a few minutes to talk about a serious issue before we announced our engagement publically.” Luke squeezed my ass and ordered, “Now put your arms around me.”

“Mmm, have I told you lately that I love you called NanaBel and asked for her permission to marry me
?” Wrapping my hands around about a quarter of his biceps, I licked his full bottom lip and then sucked gently. “Okay, Mr. Tricky, sock it to me. What serious issue?”

Luke
’s kiss captured my tongue and he sucked slowly in a rhythm that I know will only wreak havoc with my schedule, even as I moaned. I have twenty people waiting to head over to the apartment for our Sunday dinner. My hand felt for my cell on the table next to the bed in Mac’s guest bedroom where I am currently sitting on my Fiancé’s lap. I opened one eye to set the alarm before giving Genghis all my undivided attention for the next two minutes.

“The
serious issue of your lippy mouth and blow jobs,” Luke replied, and he sat back this time to frown at me.  “Do you mean to tell me that I have fallen in love with a woman who is sexually inexperienced? A woman who knows she is uneducated, untutored, and untrained, yet is so irresponsible that she is out there flailing around having indiscriminate sex with me and giving me head like she knows what she’s doing?” His hands on my hips give me a little shake. “Is this behavior fitting for the mate of the mighty Khan, ruler of all?”

I put a finger to my lip in thought, nodding. “I see your point
, K. Hmm, I think there’s only one way to solve this horny…er, I mean, thorny dilemma.”

Luke smile
d and held me close, kissing and nuzzling my neck while I giggled because it tickled. “Christ, I’m afraid to ask, but what one way?”

I kiss
ed him soundly on those luscious lips and then answered cheerfully, “You are absolutely right, my beloved Fiancé. It will just have to be My Turn for the next year!”

A
s I finished speaking, my phone alarm went off. I hopped off his lap and made a beeline for the door.

Behind me, there
was a roaring command from the mighty Khan, “First rule of our marriage, Anabel Axelrod, there will be no more timers!”

Laughing, I
blew Luke a kiss over my shoulder and then ran like a cheetah.

####

Best regards,

Tracy Ellen

Regardless of whatever else I've been doing in life, there's always been a book in my other hand. Reading books is my favorite pastime and lifelong escape. Now the writing of books is also my obsession. Throughout my past, I've lived in a small town in Indiana, on a farm in Illinois, and in the city and the suburbs of Minneapolis/St Paul Minnesota. No matter where I've lived, inside I'm a small-town girl at heart. My stories tend to revolve around relationships reflecting these Midwestern values and independence of spirit prevalent in this part of the country, but with a very modern twist.

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