Say Yes (23 page)

After
I had gotten a shower, I went to get dressed. I chose an emerald green silk
dress that had fell just above my knees. It had thin straps, and it flowed
around like water. It was very girly and pretty. I pair it with my favorite
black strappy heels, small diamond hoop earrings, and my diamond necklace from
Luke. I wore my hair down, letting it fall in soft waves around my shoulders,
and I swept my bangs to the side. I applied my make up, and I went downstairs
to meet him. He was on the phone when I took my last step. “Yes, that sounds
good. All right, thank you so much for your help. Yes, we will be there soon.
Thanks, goodbye,” he said, swiping his finger across his phone screen. After he
placed it in his pocket, he turned and looked at me. His jaw fell slack, and he
blinked his eyes a few times. “Good lord, Lilly, you are gonna be the death of
me,” he grinned. My mouth felt dry at the sight of him. He was wearing a crisp
black suit, a white button down shirt under his jacket, and a charcoal gray
tie. His hair was slicked back, just like he wore it at the wedding. He was
beautiful.

“Thanks,
Luke. You’re not so bad yourself,” I said, sauntering over to him. We embraced
for a few moments, and he suddenly backed away. “What’s wrong?”

He
laughed. “Nothing’s wrong. You just look so damn sexy right now that my body’s
giving me some pretty raunchy ideas,” he said, and I laughed. “You ready to
go?”

Smiling,
I said, “As ready as I’ll ever be.” Arm in arm we walked out the door and
headed to the restaurant.

Luke
took me back to Bella Signora for our last night together. The place was just
as beautiful as I remembered. At night it was even more amazing, all lit up in
lights. We had a cozy table in the corner of the restaurant, and the tables
were lit with votive candles. It had been an enchanting evening together. We
had already eaten our dinner and the waiter had just brought our desert. We
were sharing a slice of triple chocolate lava cake and were halfway through
when I looked at him. He suddenly seemed nervous. “Hey, you all right?” I asked
him. “You seem all wound up.”

“Well,
the evening’s almost over, so there’s nothing left but your surprise,” he said,
and all confidence in him had turned to sheer nerves.

“Don’t
be nervous. Whatever it is, I know I will love it.”

He
took a deep breath, and blew out through his mouth. “Well, here goes nothing,”
he said, and he looked up and nodded his head. A waitress came over to our
table carrying a silver tray. On it were a small red Cartier box and a single
white rose lying next to it. My heart started beating faster and my palms
started sweating. My eyes popped up quickly and stared into his. Green to blue.
My scalp was prickling with anticipation…oh my God…

Taking
my left hand, he said, “Lilly, I love you. And I will be honest with you. In
this box,” he said, picking it up, “is an engagement ring. I want to give it to
you because I want to marry you. I want to see it on your beautiful finger
letting the world know that you are really and truly mine. I want us to get
married surrounded by our friends and family, and soon after I want to start a
family with you. I want to see your beautiful belly round with our child and
feel it growing inside you. I want to hold your hand as you are giving birth,
and I want to hold our baby in our arms for the first time as a family. I want
to grow old with you and us to be happy forever…I want it all.” Big fat tears
were brimming in my eyes. I knew if I blinked they would pour down my face.
“But, now, you have to decide if that’s what you want. All I am asking you to
do is think about it. I don’t expect an answer tonight, and don’t give me one
until you are ready. When you go back tomorrow, take that time to think about
what I am asking. Don’t open the box yet. Take it with you and if you decide
that you don’t want this right now, then just send it back and that will be it,”
he said, his eyes flashing a hint of fear. “But, if you decide that you do want
this, want us and everything I want too, all you have to do is say yes, and
it’s yours. Will you promise to think things over when you leave?” I was
speechless. I literally couldn’t say anything, so I nodded my head. A tear
escaped my eye, and he reached up with his hand to brush it off my cheek. He
placed the ring box in my hand, and said, “My heart is in this box, Lilly. Keep
it safe because it’s yours.” The check appeared a moment later, and after the
bill was paid, he helped me out of my chair. “Come on, baby, let’s go home.
This is our last night together, and I want to spend it buried in you.” Before
I could think, he leaned in and kissed me, and his tongue skimmed my bottom
lip. Breathless, I pulled away and nodded at him. I just couldn’t bring myself
to speak, and wrapping his arm around my waist (perhaps to keep me steady on my
feet since my knees felt weak), we walked out of the restaurant.

The
ride back to the lake house was quiet. Luke just proposed to me. He bought me a
ring and told me that he wanted us forever. A wedding, marriage, family…he
wanted it all. I literally held the key to a bright amazing future with him…and
if I wanted it, I just had to open the box. But, he didn’t want me to decide
that yet. He wanted me to get distance so I can make up my mind, free from the
pressures of home. He really was an amazing man. He laid his heart out to me,
and wanted me to choose whether or not to take it, but on my terms. I couldn’t
have asked for better. The truth was I didn’t know if I really wanted that time
away. The more I thought about what he said, the more it sounded amazing. But,
what about my life in California? What about my career I worked so hard for?
What about my friends…what about the restaurant? How could I let Jean Luc and the
rest of the employees down? What was I gonna do?

Before
I knew it, we pulled up in front of Luke’s house. We quietly walked in the
house and up the stairs to his room. As he was untying his tie, he finally
spoke. “Lilly, baby, you are scaring me. You have to say something.”

Walking
to him, I looked into his eyes. “Luke,” I whispered, “I love you so much.” The
tears were threatening to fall again, so he stopped them by leaning in and
kissing me.

“Thank
God. I thought you’d never talk,” he said. “You look tired. Do you want to just
go to sleep?” My hormones were running wild, but my body was weak and tired. I
shrugged my shoulders, and he sighed. “It’s okay, we don’t have to do anything
tonight. Here,” he said, handing me one of his tee shirts. “You can sleep in
this. Why don’t you go change and I’ll be right here when you come out.” He
kissed my forehead, and began to unbutton his shirt. I hesitantly went into his
bathroom and changed out of my dress. I placed it in my bag along with my
shoes. I took off my earrings and placed them in my tote bag, but I decided to
leave the necklace on. As I placed the earrings in a safe place, I caught a
glimpse of the red ring box nestled safely in my bag. My heart skipped a beat.
I was dying to at least look at it, but I promised I wouldn’t unless I was
ready to wear it. I slid into Luke’s tee shirt, a heather gray shirt from his
alma mater. It was about two sizes too big for me, but it felt comfortable. It
even smelled like him. I turned the lights off in the bathroom and walked out
into the bedroom. He was lying on the bed in nothing but boxers. My body was
definitely awake now. He looked up at me and his jaw tightened. In my
peripheral vision I saw his manhood stiffen. “Oh Jesus,” he muttered.

“What
is it?” I whispered.

“You
look so fucking hot in my shirt, Lilly,” he said. He started to sit up, but I
walked to him and pushed him back down. He rested on his elbows.

Boldly,
I straddled his lap, his erection pressing rock hard against my heat. “Maybe
you can take it off me,” I whispered seductively. He leaned up into a sitting
position and moved his hands to my bottom, his fingers sliding under the seam
of my panties. “Luke, I want you, here and now. I don’t want to sleep tonight.
I want to make love with you in every way. I want to do it all just in case…” I
trailed off.
            “Do it all?” he moaned, licking his lips. “What do you want me to
do, Lilly?” His arousal throbbed under me.

“Anything
you want. I’m not afraid.” He raised his mouth to mine and I was the one to
slide my tongue against his first. In less than a second the shirt was off me
and I was on top of him in nothing but tiny white lace panties. His fingers
slid the fabric of them to the side and his fingers moved deliciously around my
wet folds. “Oh Luke, that feels good,” I groaned.

“You
like that, baby? Where else do you want me to touch you?” Without a word, I
grabbed his hand and forced two fingers inside me. I cried out in pleasure, and
he moaned. “God, you feel so good. So warm,” he said. I grinded my body against
his hand and before I could stop myself, I exploded into an orgasm. I threw my
head back, and his free hand wrapped around my neck to steady me.

“That
was amazing,” I whimpered.

“We’re
not done yet. Are you ready to have some fun?” he growled.

“Take
me Luke. I’m ready.” When he withdrew his fingers, they slid along my ass and I
shuttered.

“Oh
no, you’re not ready for that yet. As hot at that would be, it would hurt you,
and I don’t want to do that. But I do want us to try some other things. Do you
trust me?”

“Always,”
I moaned. Just then, he rolled me off of him and once I was on my back, he
hooked his thumbs into my panties and slid them off. He pulled off his boxers
and sprang free. My eyes popped wide at the sight of him. No matter how many
times we’ve done it, his length was still impressive. It was not only long but
thick as well. God damn it, I was lucky.

“Turn
over,” he ordered, and I obeyed. He climbed on the bed behind me, and forced me
up on my knees with his hands on my hips. “I’m gonna come in from behind,
okay?” I nodded, and he said, “It’s deeper this way. You’ll like it, trust me,”
and he placed his erection at my entrance. Then, with both hands on my hips, he
eased himself in. I screamed out…holy shit, it felt incredible. He wasn’t
lying…I had never felt him deeper inside than right now. I rolled my hips and
he shouted out a loud yes. I was already feeling the fire burning in me again
as he pounded on and on. I couldn’t stop my impending orgasm, and I came
against him for the second time, clenching around his arousal.

“Oh
God,” I screamed out. “Luke…”

“I
know, baby. I want you screaming my name all night,” he said. He pulled out of
me and laid back down. Guiding me, he had me climb back on top of him and I shifted
and instantly lowered myself onto him again. I moaned at the contact, and we
both started to move again. Oh this was going to be a long, delicious night…

By
the time the sun came up the next morning, my body was utterly spent. We had
connected in literally every position imaginable. Before I came back here, I
had only had sex a total of twice in my life, and my body was just playing
catch up. One thing at a time, I guess.

I
had gotten out of bed and took a shower, getting ready to head home. All my
bags were packed, and everything was loaded into Luke’s car. He was driving me
to the airport, and Mama, Daddy, Daisy, and Jack were coming to see me off. He
tried to make me breakfast again, but I just couldn’t eat anything. I was too
nervous. Before I knew it, it was time to leave. Luke waited for me by the door
as I took one last look around the lake house. It was so beautiful here…I would
miss this place so much. He held his hand out to me. “You ready?” he whispered.

No.
I wasn’t ready. I wanted more time…it wasn’t fair. I quietly nodded and
croaked, “Yes. Let’s go.” We walked out to his car together, hand in hand. He
held open the door for me and I slid inside. Once he was in the driver’s seat,
he turned the key and we began the drive to the airport.

This
drive too was quiet. I was breathing rapidly, and I was afraid I was going to
hyperventilate if I didn’t calm down. In no time, we were parked at the
airport. I reluctantly got out of the car as Luke was already getting my bags
out of the trunk. I felt a huge lump in my throat as I grabbed my carryon bag
along with my purse and walked into the airport. My knees felt like they were
going to give out. My family was already there waiting on me. I walked into
Mama’s waiting arms. “Oh, my girl,” she said, crying. “I’m gonna miss you so
much.”

“I’m
gonna miss you too, Mama. I love you,” I said, my voice breaking.

“I
love you too, darlin’. You make sure not to wait so long to come back home, you
hear me?”

“I
won’t, I promise,” I said. Next up was Daddy’s turn. “Daddy,” I whispered.

“Oh,
Lilly. I’m gonna miss your pretty face around here.”

“I
love you Daddy. I’m gonna miss you so much.”

“I’ll
miss you too. You listen to your Mama, now. Don’t wait so long for another
visit.”

“I
promise I won’t.”

“My
turn,” Daisy said sadly. Her eyes were full of tears. She pulled me into a hug.
“God, I’m gonna miss you girl. These past three weeks with you have been a
blast.”

“They
really have, Dais.”

Breaking
from the hug, she said, “Well, make sure you are back in time for the baby,
okay? He or she will need their Aunt Lilly here.”

I
smiled and leaned down to her belly. Giving it a kiss, I said, “Wild horses
won’t keep me away from your big arrival, little one. Aunt Lilly loves you.”
Daisy was crying, and when I looked up, I saw Jack had a few tears in his eyes.

“Aw,
Jack, are those tears? Are you crying, you big softie?”

He
wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and said, “Oh shut up and give me a
hug.” I wrapped my arms around him. “Love you, Lilly. Come back soon, okay?”

“I
promise.” All that was left was Luke. I suddenly felt light on my feet. He took
my hands in his, and pressed his forehead to mine. “This is so hard,” I cried.

“I
know,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “I love you so much, Lilly.”

“I
love you too,” I cried, and the tears were falling. I wrapped my arms around
him and squeezed tight. “I’m not ready to say goodbye. I’m gonna miss you so
much,” I sobbed.

“I’ll
miss you too, more than you know, but you have to go. I won’t let you give up
everything you worked for just because I will miss you. Think about what I said
last night, I mean really think about it. If it’s what you want, I’ll be here
with open arms. You can count on it,” he said. I pulled back to look into his
eyes one last time, and there were tears pouring from them. I started to cry
even harder.

“Flight
316 to San Francisco, California now boarding,” a loud voice called.