The Black Chapel (17 page)

I stand up to greet him. “Hi, Michael,” I say in my angel voice. The music is just loud enough to drown out my voice enough. “I’m really excited that you decided to come.”

His eyes scan my body, and from the look on his face, he definitely likes what he sees.

“Me, too,” Michael says. “I have to admit, I don’t really know why I’m here, Samantha. I thought I had moved on, but when you sent me your last email, I just had to see you again. It’s like you’re a drug to me.”

He’s so close to me now, smelling my skin, pulling on my body. I know he wants me. He’s hungry and needs to be fed.

“How much do you want me?” I moan, unable to resist my body from responding so favorably to his.

He kisses me, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth; it’s so arousing. My knees weaken. My body tingles and I feel this deep, thumping desire, wanting him to touch me, finger me, give me my release,
there
.

“I want you so bad,” he says. But then something unexpected happens. He steps back and sits down on the white couch.

“What’s wrong?” I say.

He touches his temple. “I think it was a mistake coming here.”

“What do you mean?” I sit down next to him.

“I’ve met this girl—” Michael says.

I smile inwardly. “So,” I say. “She’s not here right now, I am.”

“She’s absolutely amazing.” Michael’s eyes light up, and I see that he’s really thinking about me.

“Really, why?” I ask, pretending not to care too much.

He seems surprised that I would ask that question, but I don’t care. I need to know why I’m so absolutely amazing.

“I don’t know if I feel comfortable talking to you about her,” Michael says.

“Oh, please. I’ve heard everything. And I won’t be jealous, I promise.” I bat my eyelashes at him.

Michael’s eyes narrow. “She’s just everything I’ve ever wanted a woman. I mean, at first I thought she was just an average girl, cute and sweet, but somewhat boring. She just seemed too tame for me.”

“And she’s not that anymore?” I ask.

“She never was. I just didn’t see it. And another thing is my mother has never approved of any woman I’ve ever brought home,” Michael says.

“Well, I’d be careful marrying someone just because your mom likes her.” I say, as mockingly as I can in my angel voice.

“Of course. But Scarlett is different. She seemed like a prim and proper, and dare I say prude girl at first, but she isn’t that at all. We have a deep connection. It’s like she sees me for who I really am.”

His words warm my heart. “But if she’s so amazing, why are you here with me?” I straddle him and grind against him. I’m in my stripper mode now, and the seducing side of me takes over naturally.

He looks at me, so serious my heart nearly stops beating. “I don’t know why I’m here. I have to go.” He pushes me gently off and then stands up.

On the outside I’m trying to look confused, but on the inside, I’m grinning from ear to ear. This might actually work! I’ll have Samantha die a gruesome death, from this new deadly strain of sexually transmitted disease or something, and only Scarlett will remain. He’ll never need to know I worked as a stripper and that I was one and the same person as Samantha.

“I’m sorry I dragged you down here on Christmas day. I’ll pay Laila for your troubles,” Michael says.

“You know what? Don’t worry about it. It was a pleasure helping you figure out your life. Good luck with Scarlett. She sounds great,” I say.

I watch him disappear through the curtain and I’m left smiling like a kid on Christmas day. Crap, it is Christmas day! I’m going to head home as soon as I can and then seduce Michael so thoroughly, he won’t know what hit him.

After I’ve showered and I’m back in my normal clothes again, I head home. Michael’s rejection of the stripper is the best Christmas present I’ve ever received. Michael has finally realized he wants to be faithful to the real me. Life is just wonderful at the moment, and I’m thoroughly excited about my future again for the first time since—I can’t remember, it’s been so long.

When I get home, I’m very pleased, but slightly uneasy that Michael is waiting for me in the driveway.

“I’m sorry I showed up unannounced. I just had to see you,” Michael says.

“No problem. I just came from—visiting my dad,” I lie.

“Can we talk?” Michael says.

My stomach does a summersault. “Is it something serious? Because if it is, I’ll have to make you wait until it’s not Christmas any more,” I tease.

“It is serious, but also very happy, I think.” Michael’s eyes darken and my heart skips a beat.

“All right,” I say and we walk in together to my house. It’s unusually cold and I turn on the furnace.

“Can I make you a cup of coffee or tea?” I ask, rummaging through my bare maple kitchen cupboards.

“No thank you,” Michael says.

I sit down at the table with him. “So—?” He looks so attractive in that navy turtle neck, his eyes sincere, gazing at me intently.

“I don’t exactly know how to say this, so I’m just going to blurt it out.”

I smile and nod, my insides feeling like liquid.

“I wanted to see if we could formalize our engagement a little more,” he says.

“Oh? What did you have in mind?” I smile.

“I don’t know about you, but I have really had an enjoyable time with you since I met you,” Michael says.

“I’ve had a great time, too,” I say. What’s he going to say?

He leans forward. “But it’s more than that. I feel we have a special something here.”

“A special something, huh?” My tone is playful, but my heart is pounding something savage.

“What I wanted to ask is if I could date you—for real.”

“For real as in, there is no deal?” I say.

“No. We’d still have the deal, but I’d like to see if our relationship could actually lead somewhere other—than—in a pre-meditated divorce.” For a moment, he seems hesitant, shy even, and his breathing has become shallow.

I look him in the eyes. “So like—you’d take me on a real date?”

He nods his head.

“And kiss me for
real
?” I say. The atmosphere has changed around us now, and it’s dangerously electric.

He nods and takes my hands in his.

“And—?” I say.

“And make love to you again. Those times were always real for me,” he says. “But to take it a step even further, maybe even marry you for real.”

I stand up, because I can’t believe he is saying this. I need some air, and the supply in the room has suddenly seemed to vanish. And it dawns on me. Michael actually really cares about me. I feel humbled.

He steps behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, burrowing his chin in my shoulder.

“I know it’s sudden. If it’s too sudden—” he says.

I turn around and hitch my arms around his neck. “It is sudden. But I like where this is going.”

Michael picks me up and swings me around. “When I see what I want, I go for it. And Scarlett, you have completely hypnotized me like no other woman has. And I want what we have to last forever.”

I’ve hypnotized him? It’s too soon, my mind reminds me. You haven’t known this man for more than a week. I push the thought aside. I feel too good in this moment to care. “Yes,” I say. I can hardly contain the sheer elation I’m feeling inside. He wants to be with me! The real me—for real!

Michael kisses me senseless, and then leads me upstairs to the hallway and stops right in front of my bathroom.

“Ever since I saw you right after your shower, in nothing but a towel, I’ve been thinking about making love to you right here in the shower.”

“Have you now?” I kiss him, but it’s hard to because I can’t stop smiling.

He pushes me gently into the bathroom, and pulls my sweater off. I help him get out of his sweater. Then he walks over to the shower and turns it on hot. He unbuttons me out of my white shirt and unhitches my bra in one deft move. Groping my left breast, he puts it in his mouth and sucks hard.

I moan, letting my head fall back. The sensation is so erotic.

“You like that?” he asks.

“Yes.” I’m breathless already, feeling my body prepare for the pleasure that is coming.

Still in my underwear, he pushes me into the shower and I feel the scalding water on my body. It hurts for a moment, but then feels enjoyable.

He kisses a path down toward my belly button and I feel that heavy, aching, familiar desire in the deepest part of my abdomen. Oh, I want him inside me. He keeps heading south and I’m highly anticipating what he’ll do next. I’ve never had anyone’s lips or tongue on me down there before, and I shudder delightfully at the thought.

Pressing me up against the cold tile walls by my hips, he pulls my underwear off. When his tongue meets my sex, I’m in awe of how completely euphoric it feels. I moan loudly. “Oh Michael!”

He starts sucking, and I feel the build up come quickly. His tongue encircles me there, licking me, driving me wild, and I tremble in utter pleasure before I come quickly and intensely. I cry out.

Michael stands up and turns me around, grabbing my hips, pushing me forcefully up against the wet shower wall.

“I’m going to take you from behind,” he whispers into my ear. The hot water hits my back, cascading down my body and feeling oh, so good.

He lifts himself into me; he feels so full. And then he starts to move, slowly at first, then faster and faster. His right hand reaches for my breast, his left for my sex, and he has me pinned against the cold shower wall, massaging my clitoris.

I’m in heaven. But just when I think it can’t get any better, he speeds up even faster, sending me quickly into another orgasm, and then another one and another one!

“Oh!” I yell.

“Say my name, Scarlett.” His voice is demanding, his grip secure.

I cannot move, only feel and experience the pleasure of his long, thick organ stroking me in and out, in and out.

“Michael,” I say, as I come again. “Michael!”

And he finally comes, yelling my name as he pours into me with two final deeply penetrating earth-shattering thrusts.

I’m exhausted from so much pleasure.

He pulls out of me and I turn around to face him. Kissing him, I taste myself on his lips, and it’s so hot.

“You are one—amazing—woman,” Michael says.

I smile and look away. Because I know deep down inside if he really knew me, he wouldn’t think so.

By the time we finally make it out of bed, it has started snowing. We have ten minutes to get ready before we head to Diane’s Christmas dinner party, which isn’t enough time at all considering I have to be in a formal gown.

Michael hops out of bed and gets dressed in record speed. “Wait here,” he says and runs out to his car. I spy on him through my bedroom window, wondering what he is up to. He pulls a black box out of his trunk and comes back inside.

“I picked this up for you the other day. Thought you might need something formal to wear,” Michael says.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Just open the damn box,” he says with a crooked smile. I love his smile.

I open it and inside is a white, floor-length chiffon dress with silver and clear rhinestone embroidery on the bodice. The sleeves are long and sheer and there’s a chiffon scarf that goes with it.

“And,” Michael says, holding up a small black box. Inside is a necklace.

“Is that real?” I laugh, thinking yeah, right.

“Twenty four diamonds, totaling forty-eight carats of grade A diamonds.”

I look at him in disbelief.

He smiles. “May I?”

I don’t know if it’s a loan, or if he’s intending me to keep these jewels. “Where did you get these?” I say.

“A jewelry shop.”

I give him a look.

“I’m not telling. But I want you to know that they’re not on loan. They’re yours,” he says.

“I can’t,” I start.

“His eyes flicker with subtle anger. “Don’t be ridiculous. I want you to have these, you hear? If not, I’ll donate them to my mom’s favorite charity.”

I chuckle. I’ve never received any gift even remotely as nice as this. I can’t imagine what something like this would cost, because I’ve never even looked at purchasing a single diamond.

“Please let me dote on my future wife. It would mean a lot to me. Besides, I insist.”

“I just don’t even know what to say to something so extravagant,” I say.

“Thank you, merci, gracias, tusen takk, you choose your language of choice.” He’s relentless and I roll my eyes.

“Rolling your eyes at me, Mrs. Manning?”

I huff.

“Oh, and huffing? You’re going to learn to be a lot more grateful when you are married to me,” he says.

I concede by not refuting him, but am still so overwhelmed, and feeling so undeserving, of his gift.

On our way to Diane’s, we stop at Michael’s so he can change into his tux. Tonight he’s wearing a silver bow-tie to match my dress.

Driving over to his mother’s, I feel like my life has finally arrived. I’m so grateful that I met Michael. Not only is he the answer to my financial needs, and not only is he sexy as hell, I truly think I love this man and finally feel like I’ve come home.

As we pull up into Diane’s driveway, snow is coming down heavily. The white fluff has started to stick on the ground and I feel like I’m in winter wonderland. Lit torches line the long driveway. I have a feeling like it’s going to be a fabulous night, but as always, I’m a little worried about my future mother-in-law.

“Nervous?” Michael says. He’s parked the car and looks over at me.

“A little,” I say. “Your mom has a way of—”

“Intimidating the hell out of everyone?” Michael completes my sentence.

I laugh. “Well, I wouldn’t go that far. She was rather sweet to me last night.”

“Don’t let her fool you. One minute she’s your best friend and the next, she’s your worst enemy. I just hope you never get to see the enemy side of her.” He strokes my cheek with the back of his hand and leans over and kisses me.

I gulp. I really just want to have a nice evening with Michael and the family, but his comment makes me think that I’ll be on my toes, watching my back all evening.