He took the hand closest to him, lifted it to his lips while he held her eyes and kissed her knuckles saying, “Let’s see what he brings out next, hmmm?”
Shannon smiled and nodded as Nick sat back and laughed. “Damn Europeans!” he chuckled. “I don’t know if it’s his accent or what but I swear just now it felt like an out-of-body experience when he told me that the right ring will appear for the wearer at the proper moment. Isn’t that a bit like, the wand choses the wizard?” and just like that they both broke up laughing at the pop culture reference.
The walls were still ringing with their gleeful chuckles when the jeweler returned with what looked like an elaborately carved chest on blue velvet lined tray. Sitting the tray down in the center of the table he looked as if he’d just dropped the Holy Grail in their laps. His demeanor, both serious and slightly awestruck, got their attention as three pair of eyes turned with expectation to the small container in front of them.
With a decided flourish, the Frenchman dramatically cracked open the hinged lid on the beautiful box, revealing another smaller black velvet jewelry case tucked inside. Gesturing with a nod of his head, he prompted Nick to reach for the velvet box which he did with much gravity.
Looking expectantly at Shannon and then back at the box in his huge hands, they both held their breath while Nick slowly raised the lid to reveal the most beautiful ring ever created, at least that’s how she would tell the story in later years.
Nestled in the soft black velvet was a beautiful marquis cut diamond flanked by intense sapphires and accent diamonds in an unusual raised setting. Elegant and feminine at the same time, Shannon gasped at the sight of the flashing stones and knew this was the ring. It was obviously something special and the look of approval on Nick’s face sealed the deal in her mind.
The diamond was lovely yes, but it was the two colored sapphires flanking the main stone that spoke to her heart. Just like the symbol of the two birds which helped them find their way back to each other, the ring’s setting reminded her of that long ago promise. That the two sat on either side of the glorious shining center stone symbolized their new union. She thought, from two there shall be one, and all but burst into joyful tears.
Nick removed the magnificent ring from its box and with slightly trembling hands held her much smaller left hand in his. It wasn’t necessary to say the words, they’d already done that part, but with all the gravitas and seriousness he could muster at such an overwhelmingly emotional moment, he looked his beautiful Shannon straight in the eyes and asked, “Will you do me the exquisite honor of being my wife, Shannon Reynolds?” as he slowly and deliberately slid the stunning ring onto her finger.
There may have been music playing, birds twittering and a holy choir singing at that moment, but neither would have noticed. All she knew was that her eyes were swimming with tears while Nick looked like he was going to cry too as he swallowed deeply several times.
Unable to speak Shannon nodded a wobbly yes, seconds before the tears started flowing in earnest. She looked at their joined hands and the gorgeous stones twinkling from her ring finger and felt a surge of happiness like none she’d ever know before. Instinct pure and simple had her reaching for him and framing his wonderful face with her delicate hands as she placed her tingling lips on his.
Joy, and a sense of contentment which Nick had never dreamt possible, settled over him at the touch of Shannon’s lips. He forgot all about the hovering Frenchman and would have happily stayed like he was with Shannon pressing soft, wet, tear soaked kisses to his mouth for the rest of time if the feelings of perfect peace and serenity he was experiencing would never cease.
Shannon was running on pure emotion as she kissed Nick, whispering incoherent words of love against his perfect mouth. So wrapped up in the moment was she that it came as a surprise several sensually charged minutes later when they finally came up for air to find that the quirky French jeweler had discreetly vanished from the room, leaving them to their privacy.
Eventually he reappeared to speak briefly with Nick, most likely finalizing their choice while Shannon did what any female in her right mind would do at that moment. She held her hand this way and that, letting the magnificent stones twinkle and shoot tiny sparks of light around the room as she admired the beauty and symbolism of her perfect engagement ring.
She overheard Nick asking about a matching wedding band and was shocked when he asked to see several men’s bands as well. Was it wrong that she smiled at his desire for a symbol of their union to wear every day? Nowadays men didn’t seem to want to be bothered with such traditions and viewed the whole fancy ring accessory as a women’s thing. That Nick was a traditionalist gladdened her already overflowing heart.
Shannon giggled like a teenager when Mr. Allen expressed the appropriate oohing and ahhing over her beautiful ring. The ride back to his home took place with a grinning Nick and an excited Shannon who continued to preen and flash her hand at every chance; clearly enjoying the moment immensely.
Nick had planned on taking her out to dinner, something exclusive and swanky one would expect in New York City, but after the sweet kissing and Shannon’s bubbly delight at their choice he decided against taking them any place public and opted for a romantic fireside dinner at home. A few carefully placed comments as they returned to the limo ensured that Mr. Allen would alert his wife to the details, leaving Nick the opportunity to bask in Shannon’s joy.
They had tonight all to themselves and he planned to make the most of it before they got back on the road tomorrow for the trek to Connecticut and the visit with his mother. He was sure Alanna would be charmed by his choice for a wife and secretly wished just for the briefest of moments that his father had lived to see this day. He would have liked Shannon’s spunk and the way she made everyone around her feel special.
He hoped Shannon felt the same way about him meeting her parents, which would happen all too soon he remembered since the last leg of their travels would find them in Boston by the weekend. He just wanted her to be happy god-damnit, he thought with determination. If she wanted him to don a garish yuppified sweater and play chess with her professor dad he would. Whatever it took he vowed, before turning his full attention to the sexy little woman at his side while she cooed and bubbled with delight over the sparkling diamond he’d just placed on her finger.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Dinner had been fabulous with Mrs. A going all out to provide the perfect romantic accompaniment to their already memorable day. She’d set a small, intimate table for two near the huge stone fireplace and placed flickering candles of all sizes and shapes along the wide wood mantel. The effect was seductive and dreamy; setting the perfect scene for a long night of incredible loving.
Shannon had been too excited to eat very much but she’d been absolute perfection in her dealings with the Allen’s when they arrived back at the brownstone. Her wide smile of happiness when Mrs. A lavished flowery congratulations on their engagement and the way she giggled with the older woman over the magnificent ring made Nick feel a hundred feet tall. She was going to make him a wonderful wife and life partner and he decided right then to bestow a loving on her this night that would make time stand still.
By the time dinner was cleared away and they’d spent hours cuddled together by the fire sipping a heady brandy Mrs. Allen declared was only for special occasions, a sense of rightness had surrounded them. Nick had removed his suit jacket and tie but Shannon had stayed in her chic copper colored suit much to Nick’s delight. The sight of her voluptuous figure accented by the nipped in waist of the tailored jacket and the jut of her heart-shaped bottom in that sexy skirt was working on his testosterone fueled libido in a big way.
A week ago he had been looking for ways to escape his empty, privileged life never suspecting that a not-so-chance encounter with a costumed cowgirl would alter his future in ways he’d been afraid to dream about. Now that he had her at his side, wearing his ring and agreeing to explore a future that wished fo
r everything and asked for nothing in return but her love, he was fulfilled in ways he didn’t think would ever have mattered in his previously, emotionless life.
“You’re tired.” he suddenly declared taking Shannon by complete surprise. She’d been snuggled up against him babbling about random nothingness in a semi-buzzed state powered by romantic endorphins and a liberal dose of expensive brandy when he’d switched gears so fast she felt momentarily off balance.
“I am?” she squeaked out in confusion.
“Yes, you are.” he replied, standing swiftly while sweeping her up in his capable arms at the same time. “Time for bed I think.” he added as without so much as a by your leave he strode with confidence from the room heading to the wide wooden stairway to the second floor.
Ah, the cowboy pirate Shannon snickered to herself. So he wanted to play he-man and take charge, she thought with a delicious sense of wicked approval. Well, two could play at that.
Feigning a dramatic yawn complete with outstretched arms and a staged “Hmmph” at the end Shannon slumped against him cooing, “You may be right. I am tired. Maybe too tired to even stay awake another minute.” She made sure to end the statement with a slight wiggle to her bottom which she knew hit home when she watched his jaw clench in response.
“Oh dear. You’ll have to put my jammies on for me I’m afraid. That’s how bushed I am.” she added with pretend fragility.
Wearing a self-satisfied smile with a smoldering hint of something sensual and exciting lighting up his features, Nick’s sexy drawl wrapped itself around her nerves when he said, “Don’t you worry about a thing, little one. I promise to do all the work.”
Shannon shivered in awareness at his suggestive reply to her teasing behavior. Oh heck yeah she would let him do all the work. Images of his warm, strong hands touching her all over while his ravenous mouth went on a sinfully erotic journey over every inch of her body set her senses to high as he strode on toward the master bedroom.
The wanton seductress inside her burst forth as she wriggled in his grasp some more and lowered her voice to an enticing whisper. “Mmmmm. I wouldn’t want you to take on too much Nick. Are you sure you’re up to it?” she asked with specific emphasis on the ‘up’.
Someone, the cowboy or the pirate, she wasn’t sure which answered in a husky growl, “Oh, I’m up for it, believe me.”
“Well good.” she sweetly replied. “I really couldn’t lift a finger right now.” Shannon innocently added as she set her lips against his neck where the collar of his shirt was open.
His steps hesitated slightly at the first touch of her mouth on his skin followed by a definite uptick in how fast he was moving. Apparently he wanted to gain access to the privacy of their bedroom pretty darn quick. She liked the fact that she thought of that room now as theirs.
Once inside the big room Nick unceremoniously kicked the door shut with a heavy thud as he kept on walking with her in his arms toward the big bed. She was a little bummed when they arrived at the wide deep mattress and he went to lower her from where she sat cradled in his arms.
She’d gotten used to him carrying her when she’d been unable to walk and eventually owned the fact that she’d come to rather enjoy the whole ‘Me Tarzan, you Jane’ thing. When she finally started hobbling on her own she was saddened by the loss of this particular mode of getting around. When he carried her she felt deeply, blissfully female. He was just so overwhelmingly masculine and dominant in every way that each time he scooped her up in his more than capable arms, she was turned on beyond belief. Shannon wondered if he knew how vulnerable she was to him. Right now he could ask her to do almost anything and she’d gladly say yes; so complete was his power over her senses.
Somewhere along the way she had lost her high heeled shoes so when she settled on her feet he had the height advantage at maximum. At that perspective she was presented with the sight of his massive chest before her admiring eyes. He’d undone the top button of his crisp, white shirt exposing the length of his throat and the top of his chest where she could see a subtle dusting of light hair. Unable to stop herself Shannon leaned in, like being drawn to a magnet, and stroked her tongue across the skin of his throat pressing soft, wet, open mouthed kisses at the same spot.
Nick’s shudder at the touch of her tongue filled Shannon with a charge of earthy delight, spurring her on to suck sweetly on his neck while he moaned in response.
When she started licking his neck Nick momentarily lost the thread and succumbed to the primal surges ripping through his body. With his hands on her shoulders she felt so small next to his huge frame, making Nick acutely aware of a deep desire to protect her and how strong and masculine that made him feel.
He also remembered his intent to make their love-making memorable with a full throttle seduction and delectation that would leave her trembling and sated in his arms. He was enjoying her tongue and lips at his neck but nothing was going to be better than the way she was going to fall apart in his arms after he loved her the way she deserved. Until she was incoherent and mindless with desire. He wanted her so aroused that she would beg for his possession.
Chuckling deep and low Nick ran his hands up and down her arms saying, “Hey now. You’re tired, remember? I’m the one who is supposed to be doing all the work!”
She groaned against his skin or maybe it was a grunt of refusal, he wasn’t sure, but tough shit he thought as he stepped back a step putting some space between them and spinning her around before she could say anything. Taking immediate control of her planned seduction, Nick crowded her from behind putting his strong arms around her waist and molding her soft woman’s body to his rock hard form.
There was something so perfect about the way her mind-blowing heart shaped ass in that sexy short skirt offered the perfect cushiony cleft for his rapidly expanding erection. He splayed one large hand down low across her abdomen pulling her into more intimate contact with him, earning a reckless shimmy from the heavy breathing female in his arms.
Tut, tutting in her ear to express his displeasure, he reminded her that she was to do nothing at all while his other hand was busy finding its way inside her jacket to discover the hard little nub of her nipples beneath the silky top underneath. Her low moan told him he had her full attention now so he completed the sensual embrace by breathing against her ear for a few seconds before eventually pulling the lobe into his mouth for a quick nip followed by a long slow swipe of his tongue all around and in her ear. Nick was on fire but equally as focused on following through with his enjoyment of her body and her complete surrender until she exploded with need. Grinding slowly against her bottom while he ran his fingers around her turgid nipples, he suckled on her ear and let the fire gathering in his loins light the way.
Shannon was sure she was going to melt at his feet any moment. When he’d spun her around she barely had time to breathe before he was rubbing against her backside which just made her squirm all the more. The way he had scolded with that sexy, gravelly voice and told her to do nothing had excited her.
Being in tune with her senses Shannon could appreciate the way they fit, how his huge hand felt against her tummy, the way his legs felt pressed up against hers. She was taking in the exquisite feeling of his prominent hard-on pressing into her bottom and struggled with a wanton need to thrust back against him; barely managing to stay still under the onslaught of his sensual expertise.
So focused on the sensation of his groin surging against her bottom and the way he held her tight with one powerful hand, Shannon hadn’t noticed when the other hand had deftly found its way beneath her jacket. It took several moments for awareness to pick up on his fingers gently fondling her aching breasts. When he started circling her tingling nipples with just his fingertips Shannon nearly lost her legs. Moaning in aroused response she was beyond thought or ability when she felt his ragged breathing at her ear.
Her senses on overload, Shannon was starting to lose focus from the delicious heat of the big hand on her abdomen w
ith his fingers resting just above her mound. The other hand stroking and caressing her sensitive breasts and the way his hot breath felt on her neck and the side of her face had her starting to shake. When he bit her ear and then swiped his tongue all around as he ground his obviously rock hard cock against her ass, Shannon let go and allowed the delicious arousal he was wringing from her have its sway.
Just as she started to lose any semblance of control Nick pulled away leaving her standing there, shaking like a leaf; mourning the sudden loss of heat and arousal caused by his withdrawal. With him standing behind her Shannon had nothing to go on except the shimmering along her nerve endings from where he had been touching her.
Feeling his hands move to her waist he leisurely stroked them forward finding the bow tied ribbon; slowly untying it until finally her jacket hung open. Shannon’s breathing was going haywire from Nick’s slow and deliberate movements and while she was already near to desperate and considering begging him to make love to her, like NOW, she also was wallowing in the sensuality of his romantic approach.
When he reached up to remove the jacket from her shoulders Shannon had to physically restrain the impulse to fling the jacket aside and tear off her top so he could have access to her throbbing, sensitive breasts. He. Was. Taking. Too. Long.
Jacket removed, he made short work of the tiny pearl button at the back of her neck on the dainty silk top she’d worn underneath before pulling it over her head and tossing it to the floor. Standing there now in her short skirt and amethyst colored bra,Shannon felt her nipples pucker even tighter as they pressed against the flimsy lace. She shuddered in helpless anticipation only to be thwarted by his unhurried, methodical approach.
Once the silk top was off Nick had nearly thrown his grand seduction plan out the window and simply taken her then and there. Shannon’s pale skin with that California girl golden hue looked even more alluring against the jewel toned lingerie he’d uncovered. He hoped her panties matched and barely managed to rein himself in with that thought. There was a time and place for unrestrained intimacy but this wasn’t it. He was making a statement with this interlude; one which she would hopefully never forget.
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