Lather

by Nicki Rae

  I guess she isn’t going to just sit quietly. I look around the room and see a lot of empty seats, so I’m not sure why she is even sitting next to me in the first place.

  I sit up straight, put my phone in my pocket and look over to her.

  “I’m Logan Moore, and I am from in Indiana.”

  “Oh my gosh! I am from Indiana, too!” she exclaims.

  “Logan, is this really necessary? I know the end result so the rest doesn’t really matter.”

  “I would really like for you to know.”

  “Can you just give me the short version?”

  I thought we came here to lose ourselves in each other not dredge up the past again.

  “You know what you are right. Maybe another time would be best.”

  Thank God, he sees it my way.

  He wraps his arms around my waist and starts kissing my neck. I lean back on my hand as his kisses descend to my chest. I roll my head to the other side and he makes his way back up, the opposite way it went down.

  He makes his way back up and nips at my earlobe and I feel his smile against my neck. I move my hands through his hair while pushing his head down to my breasts. He takes one in his mouth and my body ignites.

  A moan escapes my throat. It didn’t have to escape, actually. I would have let it loose freely. My body is in ecstasy and I want Logan to know what he is doing to me. He takes my shirt over my head and throws it on the floor. He stops momentarily and looks around the room.

  “What are you looking for?” I whisper, for no reason.

  He turns back to me and whispers, with a smile, “Move over to the table. We don’t have enough room on this counter.

  “No, Logan, we need to move to your bed, you don’t want to hurt yourself more.”

  “Emily, I will be fine. I want you on the table.”

  Who am I to argue?

  He moves his arm back around me to help me down. I do my best to keep most of my weight on me but I know he wants to feel like he helped me. I reach up and kiss him for the entire journey over to the table. Before I get myself on the table, Logan slips his hands in the waistband of my shorts and pulls them down. He stands back to look at me and closes his eyes. I walk up to him and almost rip his shirt off. I have been waiting all day to move my hands across this chest. I kiss it, and move my hands down to jeans and take them off, as well.

  Logan kisses my lips and backs me up to the table. I start to get up on it but he stops me.

  “No baby, turn around.”

  “Oh.” I say, excitement coursing through my body.

  I lean over the edge of the table. He moves my hair so it falls over my shoulder. He kisses the one bare shoulder I have and moves one of his legs between mine. He hand is moving over both of my ass cheeks until he finds what he is looking for. His fingers trace the line that leads to my sweet spot. He no sooner touches it and I almost explode. He moves his finger away before I can. My back arches and that places my head back on his shoulder and I am silently pleading with him to continue.

  He places his other leg between mine now and rubs his manhood against me. Oh My God, I think I am going to die. I reach back and grab him because he is going too slowly. I rip his boxers off him and start to guide him into me. I hear Logan laugh but he doesn’t stop me.

  “That’s kind of hot babe.” He says and I can hear the smile in his voice.

  I lift one of my legs onto the table, for easier access. I get him to where I want him and he moves inside. He is slow at first and that is ok. This position is foreign to me, I have to get used to it. Once he feels me relax around him, he starts to pick up pace. One of my hands is on the table and the other is on Logan’s leg. My knuckles are turning white from grasping the table. He continues to move in a steady pace and I feel myself climbing, I look up to the ceiling and he starts to move faster. He reaches his arm around to my front for some extra pleasure and that is all it takes. I shatter in his hands. Logan moves a few more times and he is right behind me.

  I am utterly spent. I practically sprawl out, naked, on the Moore family dinner table and at that moment, I really couldn’t care less.

  “Jesus, Emily!” Logan breathlessly says in my ear.

  “That was pretty amazing, Logan. That is definitely something worth repeating.”

  *Emily*

  After Logan and I get ourselves back together, we decide to take a walk. We are hand in hand, as we leisurely take in the beauty of this place.

  “Are you going to miss this place Logan?”

  “When?” he questions.

  “When you move to Muncie with me.”

  He grins as he watches the ground pass us by.

  “How do you know I want to move in with you? I told you I have a friend.”

  “Oh well, I guess I have no need for a kitchen table then.” I wink at him.

  Logan chuckles. “I may be persuaded to change my mind.”

  Before we reach the woods, Logan’s phone rings.

  “Yeah?” he answers. “Are you fucking kidding me? That is great news!”

  I see him listening intently. “Sure thing, please let us know.”

  He looks down to me when he hangs the phone up and smiles.

  “What? Who was that?”

  He looks forward and continues walking without saying a word.

  We reach the clearing, our spot. We have had so many good times here that it almost brings tears to my eyes that we have made it this far and are back to our roots. I am surprised to see the blanket laid out, a single lily lying in the middle, as usual.

  This time I do have tears in my eyes, “Logan, when did this happen? You have been in the hospital and I have been with you almost the entire time.”

  He grins and winks at me. “I have friends, Em.”

  “Who was on the phone Logan?”

  “It was Evans.”

  “And?” I raise my voice.

  He gets a wide smile on his face. “They have him, Em.”

  “Justin? They have Justin?” I am excited but I can’t believe it. I still have to watch over my shoulder every now and then to make sure he isn’t there.

  “A police car spotted his vehicle and he took them on a chase but it ended in a crash. He isn’t dead but they have him in custody.”

  My mind starts racing. Does it make me a horrible person that I wish he would have died in that crash? I never want to see him again and if he is still alive, I am sure that is going to happen.

  “Hey.” Logan says and moves my face toward him.

  “We will get through this, we always do.”

  I feel myself relax at the sound of his voice. We have been through so much already. It is going to take a long time before we are whole again but I have faith that we will get there, as a family.

  “Emily?” Logan says pulling me from my thoughts.

  “Yes, Logan?” I say without looking at him.

  “Have I told you that you are beautiful today?”

  Epilogue

  Two years later

  “Logan we are going to be late.” I say as I am running out of the bedroom putting a shoe and an earring on at the same time.

  He comes out of the bathroom, gray slacks and a white button down shirt with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. I can’t look at him when he is dressed like this or we will never make it out of this apartment.

  We were supposed to be on the road half hour ago. It’s Charles fiftieth birthday dinner and the two year anniversary of one of the worst years of our life. I know it is a weird thing to celebrate, but we always want to remember what we went through. It seems to keep our perspective throughout the year.

  We make it to the car and hop in. Logan hates this drive. He always reminds me that this is the most boring drive. I remind him that if we didn’t have these cornfields, our lives would be a lot more difficult than having to deal with a boring drive.

  I am excited to see Shay. Since she has moved in with Tyler, we don’t get to see each other near as much as we would l
ike. But that happens, I guess. I half expected them to be married by now. Shay has found a job at a clothing boutique that she loves. She loves so much in fact, she is nearly running the place.

  Tyler is still working construction, but he is also getting ready to go off to the Academy to become a police officer.

  Evidently, the rush he felt when he was working on Justin’s case, he feels he can’t live without. I know Shay is not very happy with that decision, but it will be good for them.

  We get into town, and I can hardly contain my excitement. My mom called me yesterday and told me that her and my sisters, with their guests, will also be there. I am nervous, I don’t know who either of my sisters’ guests will be.

  We pull into the drive-way and there are more cars here than I expected.

  “Did you know all these people were going to be here?”

  “No, I just thought it would be our families.” He says.

  We get up to the door and Charles opens it. No matter how much time has gone on, I still am amazed that he pulled through the coma and am so happy that he is still with us today.

  “Come on in, we are waiting on you, as usual.” He says laughing.

  He is right of course; we are the family members that always make you wait to do things because they are always late. I wasn’t always that way, though.

  “I blame Logan.” I say with a smile.

  “Of course, dear.” Charles retorts with a deep belly laugh.

  We get in the house and people start hugging us. I turn the corner of the living room and see Evans sitting there. I’m not really surprised to see him; he has just never joined us before.

  Rebecca comes out of the kitchen, hands him a drink and kisses him on the cheek.

  Logan walks up next to me and whispers in my ear, “That must be Rebecca’s guest.”

  “Oh.” I say, staring at the two of them.

  My mom catches my glare and her smile widens, she must like the idea of Evans and Bec together. He is just a little older than I am, and Bec is only a year younger than I am, so I don’t know why I am shocked. He just has such an authoritative attitude. She must like that, though. She really seems to be enjoying his company.

  Shay comes barreling up behind me and nearly tackles me when she hugs me. She follows my line of sight and smiles.

  “Aren’t they cute together?” she says.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

  “Not my place, love.”

  “You are my best friend, Shay. Everything is your place to tell me.” I say laughing when I hear how ridiculous that sounded.

  “Dinner is ready.” Dee yells to everyone who is visiting in the living room.

  Logan and I make our way to the kitchen. I give Dee a hug.

  “Whatever you made smells delicious.” We both laugh when we hear my stomach growl.

  “Logan, are you not feeding my baby?” My mother jokes.

  Logan puts his hands up and says, “This girl can eat more than me any day of the week.”

  I lightly smack him on the chest and he winks at me. Everyone makes it to the table with their plates. Charles and Dee are sitting at the heads of the table. Logan and I are off to the left side of Charles, and Tyler and Shay are to the right. My mom, Bec, and Evans are to my right. Two seats are open, though.

  “Where is Celeste?” I finally notice she is missing.

  My mother shakes her head. “She and that boy are late.”

  “How dare they?” I say full of irony.

  Just then, we hear the door open and shut with two sets of feet running to the dining table. I feel Logan pushing my jaw shut when I see Celeste run in with Sam, the little boy that used to kick sand in her face every day.

  My mom sees my expression, too. She smiles and winks at me.

  “Celeste, how nice of you to join us.” Charles says to her.

  “I am so sorry, Mr. Moore.” She says.

  We wait for the two of them to make their plates and sit at the table; once they do, Charles starts to speak.

  “Every year, I start this speech off with how lucky we all are to be here. As I look around the table, I see very well behaved, well-mannered and well-adjusted children, although, some of them need to work on their punctuality.” He looks to me and winks.

  Logan grabs my hand under the table and squeezes it.

  “This year is double special, but we will get to that in a minute. I want to thank all of you for joining Dee and me today to celebrate not only our freedom and life, but also my birthday.

  We all clap, and hoot and holler when he says the last part.

  “I will be right back, I have to run to the restroom.” Logan says to me

  “Ok.” I say but think he probably could have waited a few minutes.

  “As I said, today has some extra special to it and here is why. Son I believe you have some news.”

  I follow his line of sight to Tyler and Shayla.

  I glance over my shoulder, hoping that Logan returns before they announce whatever it is they are going to announce.

  I watch Tyler and Shay with impatience. I am about to tell them to get on with it when Logan comes back in the room.

  My eyes widen as he walks in with a giant bundle of lilies. I hear gasps around the table but my gaze is froze on Logan.

  “What are you doing?” I whisper.

  He walks up to me and moves the chair out of his way.

  OH. MY. GOD!

  He kneels down in front of me, pulls out a ring box and opens it.

  I gasp and my hands cover my mouth.

  “Emily, we have been through so much together. You make me happy, you make me mad, but we always have the best time together. You are such a pure soul, and I am a much better person just by knowing you.”

  I am blubbering like an idiot. If this wasn’t such a joyous moment, I would be wiping my eyes with Logan’s shirt.

  “I am asking you today, in front of God and all of our family, will you marry me?”

  “YES! OF COURSE I WILL MARRY YOU LOGAN!”

  He puts the ring on my finger and I stare at it. It is white gold with diamonds half way down both sides of the thick band. There is a big circular diamond on top and a smaller one on either side. All three bigger diamonds are outlined with smaller diamonds. It is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.

  He takes me in his arms, and we stand there just enjoying the moment.

  “You have just made me the happiest man in the world, Emily. I love you so much.” He says so only I can hear him.

  “I love you too, Logan.”

  The End

  About the author:

  Nicki Rae was born in Ohio only to move to Indiana when she was eight. Currently, she still resides in Indiana with her husband, son and two cats. When she isn't writing, you can probably find her at her day job as a banker. She has always been an avid reader but only recently decided she had too many stories floating around in her head, screaming to get out. (She is only slightly crazy, though). ;)

  You can also find information about Nicki Rae on Facebook at:

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nicki-...