by Jamie Knight
“Let’s go home. We’ve got a lot of celebrating to do,” I said, grinning.
The moment we crashed through the doorway, we headed to the bedroom, completely unable to keep our hands off of each other.
After tugging the graduation gown over his head and tossing it aside, he undressed me, gentle with my protruding belly and swollen, sensitive breasts.
While he took a nipple between his lips, I stroked the growing erection in his pants, feeling him grow harder under my touch.
He tugged open his fly and let his cock spring free and I hastily shucked the rest of his clothes off of him, aching for the feeling of his bare skin on mine.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured, planting a kiss on my belly and running his hand over it.
His hand slipped lower until his fingers parted my wet folds and toyed with my clit, making me gasp. The changes in my body made everything feel more different, more intense, and the pleasure was almost too much.
Finally, he parted my thighs and positioned himself between them, driving his cock inside me. I let out a howl of pleasure and my body convulsed.
Pleasure built fast and I came once, twice, more…I started to lose track. It all felt so good it started to blur together into one long tunnel of ecstasy and I rode it out eagerly until he finally reached his own climax and shot me full of his hot load.
Sated and spent, we collapsed on the bed, gripping each other for dear life, trying to come down and catch our breath.
“I love you so much,” he murmured, leaning down and kissing the top of my head.
“Right back at you,” I replied with a sleepy smile.
He chuckled, seeing that I was fading fast. “Get some rest, love,” he murmured, “Sweet dreams.”
While I appreciate the sentiment, I don’t tell him what I’m thinking. The truth is, I don’t care about what goes through my head when I’m asleep anymore. Because no dream can possibly compare to the dream come true that I get to wake up to.
THE END
Unveiling Her Innocence
Copyright © 2020 Jamie Knight Romance.
Jamie Knight
Your Dirty Little Secret Romance Author
All rights reserved.
Chapter 1 - Lorelai
I kneel down to adjust the hem of the bridal gown and take some pins from the cushion on my wrist. "So you’re happy with this length, right? You don’t want me to go a little higher?" I ask, looking up at the bride, who happens to be my close friend Tammy.
She looks at herself critically in the mirror and her face lights up. "Nope, this is it! It's perfect!" she exclaims happily.
"Good." I break into a smile, pleased by her reaction.
One by one, I stick the pins in the gown to hold the hem in place. I make sure not to drop any, and I also work carefully to make sure I keep the hemline even.
I move around her feet, working quickly. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe it!" She gushes excitedly as she looks at her reflection in the mirror. "I met the man of my dreams, and now I'm getting married!"
Thankfully she’s talking so much that all I really have to do is smile and nod. "It was so romantic, the night that he finally proposed…" she babbles on.
"Uh huh," I murmur, focusing more on the task in my hands than on her words.
It's not that I'm not happy for Tammy, I am, she's my friend. I just find it a little bit ironic. Here I am, running a bridal shop, making other people's dreams come true, and my own Prince Charming has yet to appear.
I think back on some of the guys I've dated recently and grimace. They were all pretty far from anyone's ideal standards. "Do you think you’ll ever get married?" Tammy asks absently, interrupting my thoughts.
I pause in my work to look up at her. "One day, hopefully soon. It's hard waiting for the right guy," I admit, before finishing up the last of the hemline.
"Yes, it is," She agrees sympathetically.
I stick the last pin in the bottom of the dress. "Ok, all done," I announce as I straighten up. "Now, just one last check before I sew anything, you’re sure this is where you want it and everything? You don’t want me to adjust anything else?" I ask.
Tammy models the dress in front of the mirror one last time. "Yes,” she declares with a tone of finality, “It’s perfect.”
"Great! You can change and I'll have it altered in a few days,” I reply happily.
"Thanks, you're a doll!" Tammy gushes.
She gives me a brief hug before disappearing into the fitting room.
I sigh softly and go behind the register to write out an order slip for Tammy's dress. Hers is a priority job. It’s been quiet today, with Tammy is the only customer in the shop. I think about how close she is to her happily ever after, and how I feel like I'm so far away from mine.
That brings to mind an earlier conversation. Tammy had been talking about how excited she was for her wedding night, making me wonder if she’s still a virgin. I mean, we're both around the same age.
To be honest, I still feel a little weird being a virgin at my age. I mean I'm not going to go give it up to the first person I see, and goodness knows that the cheaters and losers that I always end up with don't deserve it. I mean, I don’t exactly have my heart set on saving it for my wedding night, but I want it to be special and beautiful. I guess I just wish I didn't have to wait so long for it to happen.
I scoff at my thoughts. Like the perfect guy is going to just fall out of the sky. "Be realistic." I tell myself under my breath.
Tammy walks out of the dressing room. I put a smile on my face and take the dress from her, hanging it neatly on a hanger and wrapping it in a garment bag. "I'll start on it as soon as possible so it's ready in plenty of time." I assure her.
When I finish hanging up the dress, I turn around to look at her. She has tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?" I ask in concern.
For a second I'm worried that she didn't like the dress, but she surprises me by hugging me once again. "I just wanted to thank you for everything," she says as she releases me.
She wipes her eyes on a tissue. "What do you mean?" I ask, puzzled.
"Well, for the dress and everything. It’s silly, but when I put it on, I felt like a princess. It's the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen. You’re working so hard on it, and it's going to make my wedding day even more special," She replies hugging me again.
I give her a gentle hug in return.
"Well I'm really happy that you like the dress. There's no need to thank me, this is what I do. I really hope that you have a truly memorable and beautiful wedding day," I reply. I'm momentarily caught up in her emotions and happiness and my throat tightens a little.
She lets me go and smiles at me. "I hope that you find someone to make you happy too. Soon. Very soon!" She replies.
We exchange brief smiles before she leaves the shop.
I sigh once again, but this time it’s a happy sound. I forget about my own problems for a second, just reveling in the joy of another happy client. And a friend to boot. It makes me feel really good, and proud of my job.
I take the bag with her dress and move it behind the counter. I'm actually excited to start working on it later. It's a beautiful dress, perfect on her curvy figure,, and she really seemed to like it. I should have it finished in a couple of days. It’s actually quite a relief that she only asked me to shorten the hemline a little because of her height.
I check my registry. Another bride is scheduled to arrive shortly before closing for a final fitting. This one might take a little more work because it's been a while since she first chose her dress. I prepare myself for that appointment by pulling out the tape measure and pins that I'll need.
I take Tammy’s gown to the back room to exchange it with the dress for my next appointment. Once I locate it, I unzip it to check it for imperfections. Afterwards I zip it back up and move it to the front of the store. I decide to busy myself with checking our website and email for i
ncoming orders and questions. It keeps my mind occupied for a little while.
I truly do love the work that I do. I always have. It’s why my grandmother left me the shop in the first place, I grew up surrounded by the clouds of beaded silk and taffeta.
But more than anything, it's happy clients like Tammy, that make it so enjoyable. I love to turn a bride’s special day into a dream come true by making her feel like she just stepped out of a fairytale.
I just hope someday I’ll get that fairytale feeling, too.
Chapter 2 - Lorelai
After closing the shop, I head home, fix a quick bite to eat, then to settle in front of the TV and relax. After my last appointment, I’d stayed past closing to work on some of Tammy's gown. I wanted the stitching of the hemline to be perfect, so I was taking my time.
I’d managed to get about halfway through before my eyelids had started to droop. I left the dress in the workroom, ready for a start bright and early in the morning. I don’t like leaving work unfinished, and I know I won’t be happy until Tammy’s dress is perfect.
After a nice meal, and a small glass of wine, I'm relaxing on my couch in my pajamas. I'm watching a romantic comedy on TV, and to my surprise I'm actually enjoying it. Maybe it's the wine, or maybe it's because I had a great day at work today. Whatever the case may be I find myself utterly absorbed in the movie.
Eventually I can feel my eyes starting to close. I realize that I'm too tired even for television. After a quick cleanup of the kitchen and living room I turn out the lights and walk to my room, yawning all the while. I pause to brush my teeth and get ready for bed. I set the alarm on my nightstand, deciding to set it about an hour earlier than usual. This will give me plenty of time to get to the store and finish Tammy’s gown.
On a whim, I glance through my phone real quick. No emails or texts. I can't tell if that's good or depressing, but I decide not to think about it. I plug my phone into the charger, turn out the light and lie down. I pull the covers over my shoulders and fall asleep almost instantly. After a long day, it's nice to have a deep, dreamless sleep. To be able to forget all about your thoughts and worries of the day.
But the peaceful darkness doesn’t last. It takes a moment to rouse me, but I can hear a distant buzzing and ringing. I fight my way through the fog of sleep, and force myself awake. Disoriented, I look around the room for the noise. I realize that it’s my cell phone vibrating on the nightstand, the ringer blaring and an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen. "Hello?" I ask sleepily as I answer it.
"Is this Ms. Lorelai Rhys? The owner of the bridal shop on first Avenue?" A voice asks me from the phone.
My stomach is immediately in knots. No one is making a social call in the middle of the night, and I have a sinking feeling that this isn’t about a dress…
"Yes? Is something wrong?" I ask while still trying to wake up.
"Someone reported a fire at your business. Fire crews are already on the scene. We urge you to be there as well," The voice replies.
Instantly I'm awake, my heart racing. "Thank you, I'm on my way." I say hanging up the phone.
I yank it off the charger, jumping off my bed and jamming my feet into my shoes. I don't care that I'm still in my pajamas, my only concern is getting to the shop. I grab my purse and keys and hurry out of the apartment.
I drive as fast as I can. I'm praying the whole time that I don't run any red lights, but honestly, I’m scarcely paying attention. I finally arrive and park across the street. Sure enough, there are two fire trucks and a police cruiser. I don’t see any flames, and there’s no sense of urgency in the firefighters milling about, but a few faint wisps of smoke are still rising from the building. I get out of my car and race over to them.
"Are you the owner of this business, ma'am?" The fire marshal asks me.
"Yes, my name is Lorelai Rhys," I reply.
I glance at him anxiously. “What happened?”
"Well Ms. Rhys, I’m happy to report that we managed to put out the fire quickly. Obviously it did some damage, but the structural integrity of the building is still intact and it looks like most of your merchandise was spared, although I don’t know what might be affected by smoke or water damage,” he makes an apologetic face. “But thankfully the store was empty and no one was hurt."
I nod as I listen to him, a mixture of sorrow and relief roiling in my stomach. "Do we know what caused it?" I ask, trying to assess what I can of the damage from here.
"Yes ma'am, it was an electrical fire," he responds.
He asks me a few questions and jots down my information in his report. I'm in too much shock to say or ask anything else.
He hands the report to me. "You'll need this for your insurance. I'm sorry for your loss," He says, before walking away.
I take the papers and nod at him. I watch as the fire crews pack up their gear and prepare to drive off. "Is it ok to go inside?" I call out to them.
"Yes ma'am, just be careful all the same," One of them replies.
I watch as they leave, stalling for a moment before I can gather the courage to set foot inside. I clutch the papers the fire marshal had given me like a lifeline as I set foot across the threshold. Immediately, I crinkle my nose at the burnt wet smell. I can already see that it looks heavily damaged, but I'm just relieved that it's still standing. I sigh heavily. It's dark inside, but I don’t know if the lights are working. And even if they are, I’m terrified to flip a switch and risk setting the whole place ablaze all over again.
So instead, I use my phone for a light. I make my way to the back of the store and grab a broom. I’m relieved to find that the workroom is completely untouched and safe. I set my phone down on the counter by the register and begin to sweep up the bits of debris on the ground. I'm going to need a clean space to go through all the remnants of the inventory.
I try to fight back all the tears and emotions that I'm feeling. During the process, memories pop up. I think about my grandmother, how she must have cleaned up the shop for so many years when it belonged to her. I remember the day my parents were killed in a car accident, and she had taken over raising me.
I remember following her all over this store. I would watch with wide eyes when she would pull out a gown for a bride to try on, the excitement in the air. I remember seeing the smile of joy on her face whenever she made a bride happy. A feeling I felt, too, with every happy bride. I pause sweeping and look around the ruins of the shop.
It’s early morning now, streaks of sunlight are starting to creep in through the windows. I can see the damage to the store even better now, soot-streaked gowns and scorched veils, not to mention the damage to the walls. The broom falls from my hands and I bury my face in them, the tears finally overpowering me.
Everything overwhelms me. I was so proud, so honored when I was able to take over the shop from my grandmother. I was delighted to be able to share in something that brought her such joy. Now I feel like I’ve failed her. I don't know how I will be able to recover from this. Not just emotionally, though I know I will struggle to deal with this for a long time. This shop was all I had left of her. I'm also thinking about the financial aspects. I'm not rich. I doubt I’ll be able to afford to rebuild and replenish all that I’ve lost. I’ll be lucky enough just to get the damage to the shop repaired and try to keep going with what I still have.
Sobs overtake me, wracking my body, and I collapse to the floor in a heap.
What the hell am I going to do now?
Chapter 3 - Gabriel
I run my hands through my dark hair in exasperation. I need to get up and walk around, but if I do that I'll never get any work done. I've been reading through these documents that my temporary secretary typed and they’re all wrong. Whatever agency sent her over, I need to have a word with.
I make corrections to all the documents and put them in a pile on my desk, my agitation brewing. I'll have to have someone else with actual experience in this line of work redo them. M
y phone rings loudly on my desk. I try to ignore it and keep working. It rings again so I look at the caller ID. After a moment’s hesitation, I decide to answer it. I could use the momentary break from work. "Hello?" I say, as I put my pen down and flex my hand a few times to relieve some of the cramping.
It's my friend Tim. "Hey Gabe, whatcha up to? Working hard?" He asks playfully.
"Of course. It's a weekday, isn’t it?" I reply in a serious tone.
Tim is my best friend and has been the more laid back of us two. "You say that like weekends are any different,” He teases. "Haha." I say sarcastically into the phone.
I pick my pen back up and resume working while I talk. "So, what made you call so early?" I ask him, “I can’t remember the last time I heard from you before noon.”
"Well, I wanted to tell you about this auction that's coming up. It's in town." He explains.
I stifle a sigh. "I don’t know. I have a lot going on at work right now," I hedge, trying to make an excuse.
"Aw, come on, it's been forever since we hung out, or since we’ve gone to one of these! Besides, at least this one’s in town, so there won't be any long trip." He says, trying to convince me.
This time, I let out the sigh. I realize it has been a long time since I've gotten laid. Besides, it might do me some good to take my mind off of work. "Ok,” I relinquish finally, “Count me in. When is it?" I ask him.
"Great! In about a month. I'll call you later on to let you know for sure. Trust me, this will be good for you." He says.
I just smirk, and pencil it into my calendar as a meeting. "Yeah maybe so." I reply.
He laughs, "It will be,” He assures me, “I promise. You need to loosen up and stop focusing so much on work."
I just shake my head. "Goodbye, Tim." I say before hanging up.
I put the phone down and get back to work.