My Body-His
Page 23
At the end of the aisle lay the point of no return.
CHAPTER TWENTY
I could hear the clamor and clattering and hustle and bustle of people in the house. The time drew near.
Luke and I walked out into the living room facing the back of the house. Between the bushes I could see people seated in the chairs. My stomach churned and I felt queasy.
Luke turned me to face him and said, “I know you’re scared, Janey. Hey, look at me.”
I tilted my head up trying to remember to breathe.
“You’re doing this for me, doing this for us. I couldn’t be any more proud of you. I need to go out there now. Wait about five minutes and join me on the beach.”
He kissed me lightly on the lips and then left through the French doors.
I watched him walk around the pool, between the tables, and down the stairs. My heart pounded so hard that I began to hyperventilate. I knew I needed to start walking in another minute or two. I didn’t know how I’d make myself put one foot in front of the other. I most dreaded walking past Sandy and my mother. I wondered how I could do it in front of so many people I’d never met. Such a deviation from the wedding I had spent so many hours rehearsing in my head. Mourning for a moment that it had to be this way, I breathed deeply.
A caterer came over and asked if I was all right. Aware that I was shaking and in full panic mode, she offered me water. I drank half the glass and settled down.
“Thank you,” I said. “It’s now or never, I guess.”
“I could never do it myself but you do look amazing. They’re waiting for you.”
I picked up the bouquet of gold roses that had been left for me by the couch. I imagined myself to be very small and that the flowers I held hid my body from the crowd. I passed through the open French doors and snaked my way around the tables. When I got to the steps that led down to the beach I stopped. I could see all the people. Luke was waiting for me just inside the gazebo next to the Justice of the Peace and Parker.
Luke turned and saw me. The radiant smile on his face, the love shining in his eyes took all my fears away. He loved me. I wouldn’t spend the rest of my life alone. I’d have a place where I belonged. Parker’s words, a distant memory.
I walked slowly down the steps and everyone seated stood and turned to face me. I kept my eyes locked on Luke the entire time. No one else existed for me but Luke. Just Luke and his love calling me like a beacon in a foggy night. I moved with ease toward the life I had chosen. No one would understand. Not even I understood, but at that moment, I wanted it.
I knew my friends and mother were worried about me, worried what would become of me. Just before I reached Luke on the sand, I thought once again about my father and what he had always told me about choices. I couldn’t be sure if this would be a good choice or a dreadful one, but I slipped my hand into Luke’s and gave myself over to everything he had in store for me.
****
Following is an excerpt from
MY BODY-HIS (MARCELLO)
The next book in the My Body series
By Blakely Bennett
Coming in March 2013
“I can’t wait until later,” he said to me after our dance ended.
“Later?” I said. “I don’t think so.” I pulled myself free of his grip and furrowed my brow.
“You might want to watch how you speak to me,” Marcello said. He looked directly into my eyes as if he could will my obedience.
“I think you’ve mistaken who you’re speaking to,” I said and stalked off to find Luke.
I pulled him away from a conversation with his friend Jim and said, “What does Marcello think is going to happen later? He’s an extremely rude man and very disrespectful of you, I might add.”
Luke laughed. “Of me? I don’t think so.”
“He kept rubbing his cock against me the whole time we danced and then he tried to talk to me as if he were you. That is disrespect, if you ask me.”
“Well Marcello certainly has his ways and it might serve you well to be nicer to him.”
“Nicer to him? You must be joking.”
“I’m not.”
I stood there with my mouth open. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “What about protecting me? Wasn’t that part of our vows?”
“When you require my protection, you will have it. Until then, be reverential of my friends and acquaintances.”
“I’m going for a walk,” I said, taking a step toward the beach.
Luke clutched my hand and pulled me back toward him. “Jane, you still need to throw the bouquet.”
I stomped off toward Parker’s table to retrieve my flowers as Luke summoned all the single women. I hoped Sandy would catch the bouquet. It would make her happy, and perhaps she could leave my wedding with one positive memory. As the women gathered behind me, I glanced over my shoulder to see where Sandy stood. At the same time I noticed Marcello off to the side, staring me down.
Luke strolled up to me and said, “Go for it.” With a wink, he added, “She’s moved over to the left a bit.”
I threw the gold roses over my left shoulder, knowing they would fly straight to Sandy. I turned around in time to see Marcello stretch out his long arm and snatch them from the air right above Sandy’s head.
What the hell is he doing? I thought. I looked over at Luke, who grunted and started to laugh. How could he?
All the women moved back to the seats as I stormed over to Marcello.
“What was that?” I said, hands on my hips.
“I caught them for you?” he countered, a look of the devil in his eyes. He said it almost like a question.
“They were meant for Sandy! What is your prob—” I started to say, pointing at Marcello, but then Luke grabbed my wrist and whirled me about to face him.
“Jane, we just spoke about this,” he whispered harshly in my ear, pinning my arm at my side. “You will not disrespect my friends. Know you owe me for ….”
I wrenched my wrist free and ran toward the beach without looking back.
****
Blakely Bennett grew up in Southeast Florida and has been residing in the great Northwest for over seven years. She graduated from Nova Southeastern University with a degree in psychology, which accounts for her particular interest in crafting the personalities, struggles, and motivations of her characters. She is an avid reader of many genres of fiction, but especially erotica and romance. Writing has always been her bliss. She is attracted to stories of self-struggle and ultimate recovery.
Blakely is married to a wonderful, loving, and supportive husband, also a writer, who helps to keep her grounded. She is a mother, a communitarian, a lover of music (always on while she is writing—thank you, Pandora), and a good friend. An advocate of love and female empowerment, she is a facilitator for a women’s group. She loves to walk and hike for exercise and finds that, since moving to Seattle, WA, she is now one of those “crazy” people who walk in the rain.
You can find Blakely on the Web at:
BlakelyBennett.fannypress.com.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
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