His Magnolia (The May Flowers Series)

by Dori Lavelle

  I’m going to the reunion even if it’s alone. It’s time to confront the past so I can leave it behind.

  I shouldn’t have come. This was a mistake. I’m standing in one of the entrances to the Azure Hotel ballroom, observing my surroundings. The room is beautiful and luxurious. Huge crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling and round tables are covered in black and white damask tablecloths while white satin ribbons adorn the padded chairs. It looks like a room where a wedding reception would take place.

  My knees are so weak they’re threatening to give way and blood is pounding in my ears, drowning out the soft classical music and excited conversations. People are hugging and laughing and forming groups just as they used to do in high school. Even in my fancy clothes and new hair, I feel left out just like back then. The cold knot in the pit of my stomach reminds me that nothing has changed.

  My sexy, new cocktail dress is clinging to my sweaty back as though it were cling wrap. After looking at several options, I ended up going for something I don’t normally wear, a champagne and gold above-the-knee number with a sheer back. Something sexy and flattering to go with my new hair and makeup. Now I just feel uncomfortable and stupid.

  What the hell am I trying to prove? One look at me and my highs school tormentors will peel away the pretty layers to reveal the real me.

  I clutch my black purse and pull in a breath. Maybe it’s not too late. Nothing is stopping me from walking back out the door before someone recognizes me.

  “Wine or champagne?” someone asks from behind me. I whirl around and almost knock over the silver tray the waitress is carrying.

  “Sorry.” I swallow hard. “Wine, please.”

  The woman hands me a glass. I need to hold on to something to stop my hand from shaking. Or maybe I should just return the drink since alcohol is not my thing anyway, and leave. But that would make me a coward and I came to the event to prove that I’m not one.

  I take a step, then two, then a few more into the room. I give myself a mental pat on the back for making it all the way to my table without throwing up. But my small moment of victory is shattered when a woman with hair so blonde it almost looks white and red lips that must have been inflated by Botox injections plants herself in front of me. She looks like a stranger but also familiar at the same time. Then she speaks and I know immediately who she is.

  “You don’t remember me, do you?”

  “Oh, I do.” I take a sip of wine for courage and force a smile. “Mariela Adams. How could I forget.” She was not only the prom queen, but also the cheerleader of the Torture Maggie Squad.

  “It’s Mariela Singer now.” She kisses the air on both sides of my face. “My husband is Donny Singer, the famous actor. I’m sure you’ve heard of him? He’s a big deal in Hollywood. I would have introduced you, but he’s currently shooting a film in Madrid.” She pauses to let her words sink in. “Do you know I’m paying for this entire event? Misty Cove High is too cheap to organize something like this. And I know the owner of this beautiful chain of hotels.”

  I wait until she stops tooting her own horn before responding.

  “How generous of you to do this.” I scan her face. For someone who should be in her early thirties like me, she looks much older with all the Botox and bleached hair. She had glossy, black hair in school that was the envy of many girls.

  She shrugs. “It’s fine. I can afford it, thanks to my rich husband. I don’t have to work if I don’t want to. And I don’t. I prefer to travel and get pampered.” When she laughs, her bright pink strapless dress shifts a little and she pulls it back up. It doesn’t seem to do much. A large area of her breasts is still on display. “Enough about me and my fabulous life. Tell me about you, Maggot Maggie. How good has life been to you?”

  My stomach twists. I’m shocked that she still holds on to the stupid nickname she gave me in high school. After seeing me scratch my scalp once in the cafeteria, she had started a rumor that maggots lived in my long, often unkempt hair. Everyone of course believed her and stayed away from me. If they happened to come into contact with me, they made disgusted noises.

  I inhale sharply and push back my shoulders. “It’s time for you to stop calling me that, don’t you think?”

  “I’m so sorry.” She giggles. “Old habits die hard, I guess.”

  “I see that.” I don’t crack a smile.

  “Okay, Maggie, it’s been years since I saw you. You haven’t changed at all. Except for the fact that you no longer wear a mop on your head.” She cackles again. “What have you been up to? Are you married?”

  I shake my head and my heart starts to shrink a little. I hope she doesn’t see it on my face.

  “I figured as much. That’s why I asked the decorator to place you at the singles table.”

  “Is it true that you work as the library lady at Misty Cove High?” A woman with a high-pitched voice says as she approaches us. Her name is Amelia McCarthy, bitch number two. Thanks to the power of Botox, she almost looks like Mariela’s twin sister.

  “No way.” Mariela covers her cheeks with her hands. “I’d die if I had to work at my high school. I’m so happy I left this town.”

  “I know, right?” Amelia adds. “It’s humiliating. And being a library lady is just as bad as being the lunch lady. You’re quite brave, Maggot Maggie.”

  I lower my glass to the table and fix my gaze on them. The time has come for me to speak up. This is no longer high school. I’m done being bullied. It ends here.

  “Ladies, yes, it’s true. I work at the Misty Cove library and I’m not ashamed of it. You may have money and husbands and your luxury houses, but I would never want to be like you.” I focus on Mariela’s face. “I’d hate to be such an unhappy bitch that I have to make other people feel small so I can feel better about myself.”

  Mariela gasped. “How dare you speak to me like that at my party.”

  “Don’t worry.” I pick up my glass again and take a deep drink. “I just came to tell you what I think of you. I didn’t mean to stay.” My lips spread into a satisfied smile. “I also wrote a book, by the way.”

  “Are you published?” Amelia asks while Mariela looks like she’s about to faint.

  “She will soon be,” a voice says from behind me. I turn to find Brax standing there, handsome in a suit. “Sorry I’m late, babe,” he says and before I can recover from the surprise, he pulls me close and kisses me hard. When our lips part, I’m too shocked to speak.

  Mariela now looks puce. “Brax Nash, I...I had no idea you knew her.”

  “I more than know her. She’s mine.” Brax wraps an arm around my waist and my body heats up in reaction. “She’s a keeper.”

  Mariela looks disgusted. “But she—”

  “She’s stunning.” Brax looks down at me in a way that makes me almost believe he means what he’s saying. “And I need her all to myself. Are you ready to get out of here, babe? We need to prepare for our trip to France tomorrow morning.”

  “I’m...yes, I’m ready.” I press my fingertips to my sensitive lips. “Let’s go.”

  “Brax, I hope I’ll still get that friendship discount you promised.” Mariela’s laugh comes out strained. “You know, since you’re a friend of the Singer family. Donny values your friendship.”

  Brax is silent for a long time, so long that both Mariela and Amelia drop into chairs at the table.

  “Unfortunately, the hotel no longer offers friendship discounts. You have to pay full price for the event. Have a good evening, Mariela.”

  “You’re full of shit,” Mariela shouts as Brax guides me away from the women who made my life hell for years. “I’ll destroy you and your stupid hotels.”

  Brax doesn’t even turn to look back at her.

  “Are you okay?” he asks once we walk out of the ballroom. “I heard the things they were saying. I’m sorry I convinced you to come to the reunion. I had no idea Mariela Singer was the girl who bullied you in high school. No wonder I never liked her. Her husband and I
are not friends. We just do business together.”

  I blink several times. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

  “I go by Brax Nash. I’m the owner of the Azure chain of hotels and several other businesses.” He pauses. “But in this moment, I’m just a simple man attracted to a beautiful woman.”

  “You kissed me.” I touch my lips again, my heart pounding so hard I feel dizzy.

  “I know and I don’t regret it. I’d love to do it again sometime.”

  “You didn’t just do it to help me stick it to Mariela?”

  “That was kind of the plan, but now I think I’m hooked. I really like you. And you look even more amazing tonight.”

  I touch my hair. “Thank you for the gift certificates and flowers. I thought you couldn’t come.”

  “I had a business emergency, but it was resolved quickly. I hope you’re happy to see me.”

  “So very happy.” When I smile at him, I feel amazing and free for the first time in my life. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. How about we do a little celebration of our own?”

  “What are we celebrating?”

  “Your victory over the mean girls and something else. Will you have dinner with me so I can tell you all about it?”

  “Is that your way of getting me to say yes?”

  “It sure is.” He smirks. “Did I succeed?”

  “Yes,” I whisper and take the hand he extends toward me. I don’t look behind me, but I hope Mariela and her witches are watching.

  “I’m glad you decided to come to the reunion, even when I told you I couldn’t come.” Brax cuts into his steak.

  I swallow the food inside my mouth. “This dress deserved a night out.”

  “So do you.” He lowers his knife and fork to the table and his gaze searches my face just like on that first day we met. “It’s funny, but I feel so comfortable with you. Are you sure we haven’t met before?”

  “Who knows? Maybe we met in another life.” He’s right. I feel the exact same way he does. It feels so easy with him. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Thank you for everything.”

  I’m thanking him for more than the bike, the flowers, the clothes, and the hair.

  “For what exactly?” He tilts his head to the side.

  “I don’t know what you did to me, but before you came along, I was stuck. I believed the lies that I was worthless and unwanted.” A tear trickles down my cheek and I swipe it away with the back of my hand.

  I’m a completely different person today because of him. The woman sitting in front of him right now is not the same one he almost knocked over with his car.

  Brax takes my hand and just holds it, his blue eyes doing all the talking, then he smiles. “I only helped you remove the fake mask you’ve been hiding behind to hide the special person that you are. Maggie, you are intoxicating and I want more than this.”

  “More than what exactly?” I slide my lower lip between my teeth as I feel a tingle between my legs. No man has ever turned me on with just a look and a few words. I used to think that maybe I wasn’t a very sexual person. I guess I was wrong.

  “Maggie, I’m a very successful businessman. Do you want to know why?”

  “Because you know your stuff?” I giggle.

  “Partly.” His lips curl into a smile that snatches my breath. “But also because I know what I want and I’m not afraid to communicate it.”

  “What do you want right now?” I hold my breath and try not to think of anything as I wait for his response.

  “What I really want is to invite you to my room and make love to you all night.”

  “And what if I say no?” My gaze stays glued to his. The electricity that passes between us is unmistakable. There’s no denying that we have a connection. But would I let him make love to me? I haven’t known him for that long.

  “If you say no with your lips, I’ll know you’re lying. Your eyes tell another story. I believe your eyes more.”

  I remove my hand from his and pick up my glass of grape juice, watching him over the rim as I drink. “I’ve never done something like this before.”

  He rubs his chin. “Done what? Had sex?”

  “No. I’ve had sex before.” Heat floods my cheeks. “But I’ve never slept with someone I don’t really know.”

  He leans back in his chair. “There’s no better way for us to get to know each other than between the sheets.”

  I’m so glad we’re sitting at a table far away from the rest. I would be humiliated if the other diners heard what we’re discussing.

  “Is that what you tell all the women you sleep with?” I don’t even want to imagine how many women he has been with. What if he sleeps with me and just walks away? Can I risk getting my heart broken?

  “Do you think I’ve slept with many women?” He has an amused expression on his face.

  I shrug and look away. “I don’t know. You’re handsome and I’m sure there are all kinds of women wanting to get into your bed.”

  “You’re right.” He chuckles. “I never have a shortage of women wanting to get into my bed. But I’m picky. I only choose the best.”

  I want to respond to him, but I have no idea what to say anymore.

  When my phone vibrates inside my purse, I sigh with silent relief. “Sorry,” I say and pull out my phone.

  My breath hitches when I see my mother’s name flashing on the tiny screen. I drop the phone back into my purse. I’m not in the mood for her.

  Maybe it’s my newfound stubborn streak or just the need to feel really good again, but when I look back at Brax, it’s with a smile that lets him know that I want what he’s offering.

  No more words are necessary to communicate what’s going on between us and what will happen tonight.

  When the waiter appears to ask if we’re ready for dessert, Dax tells him that we’re done. Then he pushes back his chair and gives me his hand.

  Inside the elevator, he kisses me again. This time, my kiss is a promise for so much more.

  As soon as we enter Brax’s presidential suite, our clothes come off.

  I have always been quite shy and self-conscious when I was with a man, and sex felt dirty, something I felt guilty about. But not this time.

  As Brax lifts me into his arms and lowers me onto his bed, I come out of my shell completely. It’s frustrating to wait even the few second it takes him to slide a condom onto himself.

  I want him so much. I have yearned for this moment even before it arrived.

  “You are so beautiful,” he croaks, lowering himself on top of me, kissing my face inch by inch, lingering longer on the cheek that had been bruised when I fell off the bike.

  When he told me the first time that I was beautiful, I didn’t believe him. But for some reason, now I do.

  “You’re not bad-looking yourself.” I wrap my arms around his strong arms and he captures my lips with his, his tongue searching for mine.

  He moves from side to side, rubbing his hardness against my vagina, making me desperate to have him inside of me.

  “You really are special, you know,” he whispers against my lips. “And I feel special to be with you right now.”

  Instead of speaking, I push my fingers through his thick hair and pull him even closer. He continues to move from side to side, his dick hard against my clit.

  We kiss until we both run out of breath. Then he lifts his head and gazes into my face. “How do you want me to take you? Anything you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t done?”

  Since I’m not self-conscious anymore, I tell him. “I’d love it if you enter me from behind.” I’m not talking about anal. I don’t think I will ever be brave enough for that, but I have never tried doggy-style before.

  “Your wish is my command.” He guides me to my stomach, slides a strong hand underneath my belly and brings me to my knees.

  At first, he rests himself at the crack between my ass, then slaps me just a little to make me yearn for him even more.

>   “I’m ready for you,” I gasp. “What are you waiting for?”

  “I’m just taking it all in, admiring this great view. It’s a shame you can’t see what I see.” He moves the palm of his hand around one of my butt cheeks, around and around until I’m on the verge of going insane.

  When I’m about to scream out with desperation, he finally parts my cheeks and eases himself inside. I hold my breath until I have swallowed every inch of him, then I let out a long, satisfied breath.

  “Oh my God,” I say. “This feels...I can’t describe it.”

  “Neither can I.” His hands are tight on my hips as he withdraws almost fully, then dives right back into me, so hard and fast that I clench my teeth and wrap my fists around the satin sheets.

  “More,” I croak. I push my butt as far back as I can to get as much of him as possible.

  “Don’t worry. I’ll give it all to you.” He moves his hands from my hips to my breasts and cups them while plunging deeper, his front slapping into my behind.

  As he continues to thrust into me, freeing me, I let the old me go completely along with all my doubts and fears. I give myself permission to be swept away by the wave of pleasure to a place where nothing and no one can hurt me.

  As the flames inside me burn stronger, an image of my mother’s disapproving face flickers in my mind, but I shut my eyes tight until I lose it in the depths of my mind.

  “I want to see your face,” Brax says, his deep voice reminding me that no one, not even my mother can come into this special moment we have created.

  He turns me to my back again and kisses me from my mouth to my ankles, then back up again. Then he pushes into me again.

  “Damn, you’re addictive.” He lifts my hands above my head and weaves his fingers through mine. “I can’t get enough of you.”

  I only let out a moan because he has drugged me to the point where I’ve lost my ability to speak. In the distance, I hear soft classical music playing, but it could also be inside my mind.