Southern Comfort: Chandler's Story (The Southern Series Book 1)

by Shelley Stringer

  “I asked him to come with us, but he said he’d been ‘summoned to his grandmother’s for his yearly interrogation,’ whatever that means. I think he has a grandmother who likes to think she is in control.”

  “Oh. Sounds serious.” Then he changed the subject abruptly.

  “Miss Collins?” Banton asked me, a formal note to his voice.

  “Yes, Mr. Gastaneau?” I replied, just as formally.

  “I would like to ask you to accompany me to the annual Navy officer’s holiday ball. It’s for officers and their wives and dates only. It’s a formal affair, dress uniforms and ball gowns. Would you do me the honor?”

  “When is it?” I asked him.

  “It’s Friday after next, I think.”

  “I would love to accompany you. Yes, thank you.” I leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Boy, that doesn’t leave me much time to look for a dress!”

  “Doesn’t Everett live for this sort of thing? Call him up!” he suggested with a big grin.

  “Sounds like a good idea. I’ll call him tonight.”

  “You bet you will,” he whispered, grinning even bigger.

  * * *

  When we pulled up in Mrs. Ann’s driveway, a herd of family flooded out the front door to meet us. I’d told them all about Ava over the phone, and their excitement about meeting her was apparent. The entire LaBlance family bounded down the front porch steps with Constance in the lead.

  “I thought you’d never get here! Where’s the doodle-bug?”

  “Here she is,” Banton replied, taking her gently out of her car seat and turning to face everyone.

  “Oh, my, Chandler Ann, she is absolutely precious!” Aunt Sue exclaimed. “Come and let me see you.” She took Ava from Banton’s arms. Uncle Lon followed close behind her, with Constance beside as she went up the steps into the house.

  “Well, I guess we don’t rate much attention, it seems. They barely even said hello,” I complained, as Banton put his arm around me and chuckled. Mrs. Ann came out on the porch to greet us.

  “Chandler, it’s so good to have you here.” She kissed me on the cheek. “And this must be the handsome young man Sue’s told us about. I’m Mrs. Ann. I’m so glad you’ve come with her!” She gave him a hug as well.

  We all piled into the house, and Banton excused himself long enough to unload the car and bring in the food I’d prepared the day before. Mrs. Ann and Aunt Sue had cooked a feast with all the trimmings. Banton wandered around the massive house, beautifully decorated and all decked out for the holidays. I introduced him around, and Constance’s brothers quickly drew him into their conversation about what college games they would watch over weekend.

  I left them to visit while I helped in the kitchen, setting food out and filling glasses. The dining table was extended its full length, covered with beautiful table linens and china, with candles cascading down the center in fall colors.

  Aunt Sue hugged my waist as she set two plates of deviled eggs on the table. “You seem to be extremely happy, sweetheart. Are you and Banton serious? Constance seems to think so.” She raised an eyebrow at me.

  “Yes, I suppose so. I mean, he hasn’t proposed or anything.”

  “It’s obvious he is in love with you. I just want you to be sure before you make any decisions. And what about that child you’ve taken on? That is such a responsibility, Chandler Ann. I mean, you are so much more independent and grown-up than Constance, but you are so young. This is a lot to take on.” She glanced in the den at Ava, running and laughing, thoroughly entertained by several of Constance’s younger cousins.

  “Don’t worry. Banton has the same worries, and his father has some lawyers working on legalities. They have suggested Banton’s sister Claudia and her husband Will might adopt Ava.” As I said the words, they came a bit easier, flowing over me with tentative acceptance.

  “Oh, that’s wonderful, Chandler.” Aunt Sue gave me another hug, seemingly thrilled we’d already worked out an alternate arrangement for Ava’s care.

  When the food was ready, I went to gather Ava and Banton and bring them to the dining room. I found Banton deep in conversation with Uncle Lon in the living room.

  “Dinner is ready,” I announced to them.

  “We’ll be right there,” Banton answered quickly, suppressing a smile.

  Dinner was the usual bubbly, boisterous talkfest I’d grown accustomed to with Constance’s extended family. Banton joined in easily, seeming as though he’d always been there. I smiled at him wonderingly, and he put his arm around the back of my chair. After we’d finished, I rose to take our plates to the sideboard.

  “Chandler?” Banton said softly. I turned to look back at him, and he was kneeling by my chair, holding a ring box in his hand. Tears began to gather in my eyes as my heart pounded in my ears.

  “Oh, I knew it. Look!” Constance elbowed Aunt Sue, as Uncle Lon covered Aunt Sue’s hand and smiled at me.

  “I love you, Chandler,” Banton declared softly. “And I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Chandler Ann Collins, will you be my wife…will you marry me?” He flipped the top back on a blue box. Inside, nestled in black velvet, was a three carat princess-cut diamond solitaire ring set in white gold.

  I was stunned. I’d hoped for this someday, but I never expected him to ask this soon. There suddenly wasn’t any air in the room, and I couldn’t speak.

  “For the love of sweet Georgia Brown, say yes!” Constance urged.

  I finally found my voice, as I whispered, “Banton, are you sure?”

  “Are you kidding?” he asked incredulously. “I’ve never been so sure of anything in my entire life. I can’t see a future without you in it. I can’t live without you.” His eyes were the most beautiful deep shade of golden brown, as he searched mine for my answer.

  I sank down to my knees in front of him. “Of course,” I whispered. “Yes! Yes!” I replied into his neck, as he embraced me. He drew me back to kiss me, took my left hand and slipped the ring on my finger. The room exploded with applause.

  Constance was on the floor with us in an instant. She hugged us both, as did Aunt Sue and Uncle Lon. Everyone was talking at once.

  “When is the big day?” Constance asked. “You absolutely have to do either pink or red. Those are my colors, you know!” she babbled on.

  “Chandler?” Aunt Sue got my attention. “I hope you will let us help you with the wedding. Your mother would want us to, and nothing would make us happier.” She had tears glistening in her eyes.

  “You’ll have to coordinate with my mom, because I think she’s already started without us.” Banton laughed.

  “Your parents already knew you were going to ask me?” I asked disbelievingly.

  “They knew the weekend we went to see them in N’awlins. I told them I already knew you were the one.”

  “Chandler, sweetheart,” I turned to Uncle Lon as he spoke. “I told Banton I had three requests, and then I would give my blessing. Number one, you have to finish school. Number two, he can’t take you far away from us. And number three, I have to give the bride away. Period.” Amazingly, his eyes glistened.

  Constance’s older brother, Cade, chimed in. “Cause he’ll never get the chance to give Constance away. Nobody will take her.” Everybody laughed, and Constance tripped him up, and they ended up on the floor in a mock leg-wrestling match.

  “Children, behave. I didn’t raise you to act like tree-monkeys!” Aunt Sue exclaimed, laughing.

  We spent the rest of the afternoon talking over plans for the holidays, admiring my new ring, and playing with Ava and all of the cousins. Around 8:00, we loaded Ava and said our goodbyes, promising to call next week after finals were over. Ava was fast asleep before we even got to the city limits.

  “Is she out?” Banton glanced in the rear-view mirror.

  “Like a light. She’s so tired. She’s been passed around like a basketball today. She’s probably sore, she’s been held so much. I slowly twisted the beautiful engagement ring o
n my finger. “I still can’t believe you asked me to marry you,” I stated, gazing lovingly at his profile.

  “Why would you say that? I thought my feelings were rather obvious, I’m so crazy about you.” He smiled, and leaned over to kiss me.

  “I just…I was hoping you would someday, but I never dreamed you were already considering it. You kept telling me how young I was, I was afraid you thought…”

  “Only because I felt so responsible for you, you know, about the intimacy thing. I needed to make a commitment before I put you in that position.” He looked deeply into my eyes, to tell me he’d put that quandary to rest. I took a deep breath, and was suddenly one big basket case of nerves. Was tonight the night?

  “You’d better call Everett. If anyone finds out before he does, he will kill you.” Banton grinned so big, he flashed his dimple.

  “Yeah, you’re right.” I flipped my cell open and dialed his number.

  “Happy Thanksgiving, sweet Bebe. What’s up with you?”

  “Happy Thanksgiving to you. Did you have a good day with your grandmother?”

  “Yes, I did actually. My mom and I put her tree up for her, and we had a really good time. I would like to bring you over to meet them soon.”

  “I’d love that.”

  “Are you all back in Baton Rouge yet, darlin’?” he asked.

  “Actually, we are on the way.” I smiled at Banton, and he smiled broadly in anticipation of my telling the news. “Everett, I have a project for you. I need a dress, in a hurry.”

  “What? Sweet Jesus, are you serious?” he exclaimed. Banton’s dimple appeared even bigger, listening to Everett’s voice as I held my phone away from my ear.

  “Banton has asked me to go with him to the officer’s holiday ball in New Orleans Friday after next. I have to have a ball gown, and I have to look stunning.” I winked at Banton. “Will you go shopping with me? I have absolutely no idea where to go, and we don’t have much time, with finals and all.”

  “I’m on it. And don’t tease me like that. I thought you were going to tell me we needed to look for the big white dress.” He sounded so let down.

  “Well, actually, we need one of those too. I’m just not sure how soon,” I smiled at Banton, as he leaned over and kissed me on the neck.

  “I knew it, I just knew it! He finally came around, oh bless his southern soul! How did he propose? Did he get on one knee? What does the ring look like?” I couldn’t get a word in edgewise to answer him.

  “Everett, Evr….Everett! I’ll talk to you tomorrow, and fill you in on everything, all right?”

  I flipped the phone shut, and laid my head on Banton’s shoulder. He placed his hand intimately on my thigh, and my nerves were on high alert the rest of the way home.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  When we arrived home the house was dark; everyone else was apparently still celebrating the day with family. Banton carried Ava upstairs as I put the dishes and other things away we brought in from the car. Moving about the kitchen, I noticed the monitors in the corner on the breakfast bar. I walked over to them, stroking the keyboard to one monitor. The screen came on, and the camera showed an empty, shadowy tunnel. I shuddered.

  “I’m thinking we won’t have those around here too much longer.” Banton startled me as he came into the room.

  “Why is that?” I asked as he put his arms around me.

  “Because we haven’t made any contact, and no activity has been recorded in days. We think they caught wind of our operation, and moved on to another location. We have some more intelligence to follow up on, and may run some ops in N’awlins before Christmas.”

  “Oh. Um, does that mean…?” I was afraid to finish my question. It meant he would have to leave, at least for a few days at a time.

  “Yes, I’ll have to change locations for a bit. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I’m thinking, during the holidays while classes are out, you and Ava just pack up and come to my parents’ house. That will give Claudia and Will a chance to spend some time with Ava, and maybe begin some transition.”

  “Sounds good.” I turned to him, and he bent his head to kiss me, slowly at first, and then his tongue moved hungrily, more intensely. After several moments, he pulled away and looked into my eyes. “What do you think about Christmas, or January?”

  “For what?” I was breathless and dazed.

  “For our wedding. I think I could ask for some leave, nothing is going on, and we could take a honeymoon trip to the Bahamas, or go skiing, or anywhere you want to go, Chandler. We could be back before classes start in January.”

  “You want to get married that soon? In four weeks? I don’t know…”

  “It was just a thought. I’m sorry, I’m rushing you. I’m just so ready for you to be my wife, I’m ready now.” He bent to kiss me again.

  “It’s not that. Believe me, I’m more ready than you, I think. I just don’t know if we can pull a wedding together that quickly.”

  “Everett can move mountains, and he has my mom and Mrs. Sue to help. Just think about it.”

  “Oh, I will.”

  Banton swung me up in his arms, and started down the hallway toward the staircase.

  “I have to get Ava’s gown on her, and tuck her in,” I whispered against his neck.

  “I pulled her jumper off already, and slipped her little gown on her. She’s all tucked in, except she still has the tights on. You can take those off her later.” He kissed me hungrily. Instead of going into my room, he carried me into his room, shutting the door behind us.

  I pulled out of the kiss and whispered against his lips, “Banton, are we…”

  “Yes. Absolutely.” He continued down my neck.

  “I need a minute, all right? I’ll be right back.” He put me down on the floor, watching me as I left the room.

  I slipped out the door, and into my bedroom. Opening the top dresser drawer, I pulled out the beautiful white gown Everett had given me for the trip. I slipped my sweater dress and tights off, and slid the beautiful, sheer satin fabric down my body. I pulled my hairclip out and shook the curls out. Placing a quick dose of perfume at the nape of my neck and wrists, I stepped back to look at myself in the mirror. I was suddenly so self-conscious. Then I grabbed a tube of lotion off the nightstand, quickly moisturized every exposed area of my body. I took a deep, cleansing breath as I tried to calm myself. This is stupid, Chandler. You’ve practically been sleeping with him for weeks; you just haven’t had sex yet. I shook my head. What’s the big deal? He’s already seen me naked, in New Orleans when he had to help me in the shower the day I was attacked. He’d said that was different –he would see me the first time, when we made love. I sat down on the edge of the bed to get my bearings. Why am I so nervous? I’d wanted nothing else but this since he kissed me under the tree on campus. Okay, I can do this. I stood up determinedly, and slid another drawer open on the dresser, taking out a pair of lacy, sheer thong panties and slipping them on under my gown. One quick check on Ava on the other side of the bed, and I was out the door. I crossed the landing to Banton’s room and knocked on the door.

  “Come in, Chandler,” he said softly.

  I opened the door slowly, and took in the surroundings. While I was away, he’d lit numerous candles around the room, and had two glasses of wine beside the bed. He stood in the middle of the room with just his jeans on, unbuttoned at the waist, having taken his shirt off.

  “Beautiful. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” He gazed directly into my eyes, and then slid his eyes slowly down the sheer nightgown I had on. “I’ve dreamed about seeing you in this.” He ran his hand down my ribcage, caressing the silky satin, and then slid his hand down my hip, pulling me in to him. His mouth came down hungrily on mine, and our tongues played chase as he picked me up and carried me back to his bed.

  Stopping against the bed, he let me slide out of his arms down his body to my feet. His mouth made a trail down my throat, across my chest, down to my breasts. He pus
hed the fabric of my gown away, and I moaned. I was on fire. If he had put the breaks on this time, I think I could have attacked him anyway, and won. I reached down to push his jeans off his hips, and slid them down as he slid out of them. Banton pushed the straps of my gown down my arms, and it hit the floor about the same time his jeans did.

  “So much for the beautiful gown,” he murmured against my neck. With his arms around my waist, he eased me back on the bed, pushing up over me slowly, our bodies melding together. Everywhere he touched me, I was on fire, my skin hypersensitive.

  He rose up over me, raking his eyes down my body as I blushed.

  “God, Chandler…you are so beautiful,” he breathed out. He searched my eyes in the darkness. I realized I was holding my breath, hardly able to believe this beautiful man was mine. Trailing down his chest, down his abdomen, further…my eyes widened as I released my breath. He suddenly seemed so massive, his shoulders dwarfing everything else in the room as he hovered over me.

  “Is this…okay? Are you ready, really ready for this? I know my limits, Chandler, and I can’t wait. I couldn’t be any more committed, and now I have that ring on your finger, I feel like you are mine,” he said, gazing down at me.

  “Banton, please make love to me,” I whispered back. He lowered his mouth and kissed me hungrily, sliding his hands down my ribcage. He moved his thumbs slowly under the strings at my hips, removing the thong I’d just donned, sliding his thumb along the top edge of my panties. My breath caught in my throat as he continued to move his hand against me, lighting fires I never dreamed could be lit. Electricity shot through my body…through my abdomen and down the insides of my legs. Exploring, his fingertips moved around, then inside. I gasped, murmuring his name, instinctively pushed my hips against his hand and arching my back. Then he gently grasped my hips, covering my body with his.

  Every nerve in my body was electrified. I’d never experienced this ache so deep inside. He slowly entered as he watched me, his eyes sparkling in the darkness. I was surprised at the fullness, and the pain at his first thrust caused me to cry out.