WG2E All-For-Indies Anthologies: Viva La Valentine Edition

by Scott, D. D.

  Mac’s slow, intentional foreplay confirmed how much he wanted to please her. The ecstasy she had been denied for so long welled up inside, and she willingly surrendered to his masterful seduction. Passionate yet controlled, Mac took his time and brought her to an awesome, shuddering conclusion. A dam deep inside her burst, and the river it restrained overflowed its banks carrying her along on a dizzying rhythmic wave. Only after she exploded with screams of delight did he allow himself to climax. They lay in each other’s arms until he was ready again and replayed the whole delicious scene. Jan fell asleep recalling how her desire had gradually disappeared from years of utterly predictable sex with Robert. Their bedroom interludes had been – quick, silent and devoid of fervor. Now she was afraid Mac might just have awakened a fire inside her that couldn’t be quenched.

  • • •

  For the next three months Mac kept hinting at a special evening he’d had in mind but wouldn’t give Jan any details. When the night he’d chosen finally arrived, the only instruction he gave was for her to get dressed up. She opened the door to greet him feeling confident and sexy in a cleavage revealing little black dress.

  “Umm.” His gaze ran the length of her body. “You look wonderful. I planned this to be a special night, and I want you to enjoy yourself.”

  “I’m all yours.”

  The drive took about ninety minutes, and she had no clue of their destination until he took the exit off I-85 that said Lake Lanier. The restaurant he’d chosen overlooked the lake and had a sophisticated atmosphere uncommon for somewhere so far from the city.

  After a superb lobster dinner, the waiter asked, “Would you care to see the dessert menu?”

  “No thanks. Mac answered casually. I have dessert waiting for her somewhere else.” He paid the check and whisked Jan back to the car.

  “Where are we going now, O Mysterious One?”

  “To the marina. We have the use of one of my client’s boats for the evening.”

  This unpredictable man had surprised her once again. Jan had never been on a private boat, and the location of the impressive vessel was quiet and serene.

  “Make yourself comfortable,” he said once they entered the salon. “I’m going to put on some music and make coffee.” He disappeared into the galley.

  This must be one of the perks of the job he mentioned the night we met. Not bad. Not bad at all.

  She took in the luxurious surroundings and waited for him to return. Dessert dishes and coffee cups were already on the table, and she wondered when he’d put them there. Mac eventually emerged from the galley carrying a carafe of freshly brewed coffee and a small tray of fancy pastries. He filled their cups and sat beside her.

  “I’ve been planning this evening for a while, and I wanted it to be special.”

  She kept her gaze on the intensity I his eyes as he spoke. Something in his tone was different tonight, almost as if he were nervous. Trepidation wasn’t a trait she’d seen in him before.

  “Jan,” he began, speaking softly. “You’re beautiful, smart, sexy and independent, the kind of woman I’ve always imagined by my side. We only been together for a few months, but I know I don’t ever want to lose you.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a small velvet pouch.

  Her breath hitched when she lowered her gaze to his fingers as they loosened the drawstring and produced a brilliant princess-cut diamond ring, and he gently slid it onto her finger. “The more I think about it, the less I can imagine my life without you. Will you marry me, Jan?”

  Jan struggled to breathe normally feeling as if she were in the middle of a rapturous dream. Her words came out in a whisper. “Oh, Mac. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  Mac breathed a contented sigh then swept her into his arms and kissed her as if it were their last time together.

  “I think we need to tell Val and Bobbi before we tell anyone else,” Jan said breathlessly when he raised his mouth from hers.

  “Sure,” he agreed. “We should do that right away, like tomorrow night.”

  “I’ll call them in the morning and see if they can come by the house. Bobbi will be fine, but there’s no telling how Val’s going to take it.”

  “Let’s not talk about them.” Mac slipped the thin straps of her dress over her shoulders, shimmied it to the white flokati rug. “We have much better things to do.” He spent the next hour showing Jan what she could look forward to in the years to come.

  • • •

  The next morning Jan called her daughters and asked them to dinner. Mac arrived an hour early and helped her fix the meal then they waited in the living room for the girls to arrive.

  “Hi, guys,” Bobbi said as she came through the front door with her sister. “What’s up? On the phone you sounded like this was important.”

  “Do you want something to drink before we get started? There’s soda and apple juice in the refrigerator.” Jan asked, trying to give everyone a chance to relax before Mac made the announcement.

  “I’ll get a soda. Do you want one, Bobbi?” Val offered.

  Once she returned from the kitchen, Mac took charge. “Your mother and I asked you to come by tonight, because we wanted to share something with you. Last night I asked her to marry me, and she accepted. You’re the first to know.”

  Bobbi’s face lit up. Val appeared to be stunned.

  “I know you had some reservations about us being together,” Jan said to Val before either of them spoke. “We want to talk about them.”

  Temporarily speechless, Val finally found her voice. “Isn’t this kind of sudden?”

  Mac answered. “You’re right. It’s only been a few months, but we don’t plan to get married next week or anything. I’m sure your mother wants to be engaged for a reasonable amount of time before we jump the broom.”

  Jan kept her hands folded in her lap covering the ring. “I dated your father for more than a year then we were engaged for eight months, and look at how that turned out.”

  “Your father holds a special place in your hearts. I hope someday I will too.” Mac sounded so sincere even Val smiled, but then she asked, “Are you going to tell Daddy?”

  Before Jan answered, she glanced at Mac. “I don’t have any reason to tell him. You can if you want to.”

  “Don’t you think he has a right to know?”

  “Honey, your father doesn’t have any rights in my life anymore.” She extended her hand across the table and wriggled her fingers. “So, what do you think?”

  Bobbi shielded her eyes and faked a dramatic swoon. “Oh, my gosh! I’ve been blinded by the bling!”

  Val examined the ring closely. “This is beautiful, Mac. You have very good taste.”

  “Thanks. She deserves it.”

  Val sent her mother an apologetic look that spoke volumes. “You’re right. She does.”

  • • •

  Mac and Jan spent Sunday relaxing, reading and watching television. After a hectic week dealing with his testosterone-fueled clients, he looked forward to time alone with her. When they stayed in, she always fixed a fantastic meal, something he definitely wasn’t used to in his past relationships. He imagined this was what their time together might be like once they were married. Not exciting yet intimate, familiar and comfortable.

  “Baby, let’s talk about the wedding. Do you want small and intimate or big and elaborate?”

  “Small and intimate is nice. But if you want to go big and elaborate, I could do that too. We could have some of your enormous football buddies carry me in on their shoulders like Celine Dion did at her wedding.” She giggled at the thought.

  “Actually I’d be happy with just close friends and immediate family. Why don’t we start making a list?” She grabbed a notepad and pen from her purse.

  Once they finished listing the tentative guests, he said, “Now that we’ve broken the news to Bobbi and Val, there’s one more major step. I want to take you to meet my mother and father in a couple of weeks. If I can get a few days off, we can f
ly to Dallas for a long weekend.”

  “To be honest with you, I was hoping you wouldn’t bring it up.” Jan twirled the pen between her fingers. “The whole idea freaks me out. How do you think they’ll feel about our age difference?”

  He examined her worried expression and chuckled. “They’ll just be thrilled I’m finally getting married. My mother has been trying to get me to the altar for the past ten years. Besides your age is none of their business. It’s not like I’m their twenty-one-year old baby or anything.”

  He wrapped his arms around her. “Now, where do you want me to take you for our honeymoon?”

  “Anywhere we can make love on the beach. Why don’t you surprise me?”

  The sensuality of her words captivated him. He smiled, already having the perfect place in mind.

  • • •

  Jan started out the next week with a job in Alpharetta in a kitchen that was her idea of the perfect place to prepare food. The house had been featured in a home show and each room had been custom designed by a prominent Atlanta interior design firm. Yet as she tried to enjoy her surroundings and concentrate on what she was doing, her mind kept drifting to thoughts of the upcoming trip to Dallas. She loved the fall, and eagerly looked forward to the trip. Even though they were flying into Dallas-Fort Worth, Mac said he was reserving a car at the airport so they could do some sightseeing. What she wasn’t looking forward to was the scrutiny of his parents. The thought actually made her queasy.

  Jan stuffed the Cornish hens with mushroom dressing, imagining how she’d handle a negative reaction from them. The more she dwelled on it, the worse her virtual scenario became. When she realized she’d been standing at the counter staring into space, Jan willed herself to snap back to reality, pulled out her phone and called Verna.

  “Principal Scott’s office please. This is Jan Davis.”

  A few seconds later, Verna picked up the phone sounding flustered.

  “This doesn’t sound like it’s a good time. It’s not really important. I can call you at home tonight.”

  “No. Talk to me, girl. I need to think about something besides these crazy children anyway. What’s up?”

  “Oh, I was just obsessing about this visit to Dallas. All I can imagine is Mac’s parents looking at me and going into shock because their son wants to marry a middle-aged woman. It’s starting to border on the neurotic. Please talk to me for a minute. Convince me that I’m blowing this thing out of proportion.”

  “I always think it’s best to imagine the worst-case scenario and then ask yourself what you’d do. What would you say to his parents if they did make your age an issue? Verna’s knack for helping others figure out how to solve problems was one of the reasons she’d been an award-winning teacher before she advanced into administration.

  “Come up with a script to answer the questions you dread them asking you. Whenever I do that, the actual thing is nowhere near as bad as I’d imagined. I bet they’re wonderful people. Look at their son. Come on girl, Mac’s mama may become your new best girlfriend,” Verna said with a teasing laugh.

  “Oh, you’re funny. At times I think eloping would solve the problem and avoid all of the fuss.”

  “No you’re not!” Verna protested. “You aren’t cheating us out of a wedding.”

  “You’re right. They’re the ones who made him what he is. They can’t be too terrible. I just need to be ready with my answers,” Jan chuckled. “Thanks, girl.

  Chapter Four

  Mac’s parents lived twenty miles south of theDallas-Fort Worth Airport, so they picked up a rental car to drive out to their house. He called to let them know he and Jan would be arriving in thirty minutes then covered her hand with his and stroked it with his thumb. “You’re so quiet.”

  “I just don’t have a good feeling about this,” she said, admitting to her uneasiness.

  “Why? They can’t wait to meet you, especially my Dad. I have to warn you that he’s a real flirt, and he’ll try to attempt to monopolize all your time.” A twinkle danced in his eyes.

  “When’s the last time you saw them?”

  “Last Christmas. Grant, Pat and I made a promise to my mother that no matter where we are, we would always come home for Thanksgiving or Christmas.”

  “What did you tell them about me?” Jan asked absentmindedly taking in the scenery now that they were out of the airport

  “I just told them you were divorced with two daughters. And I mentioned that you run your own business.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Yeah. That’s all they needed to know. I didn’t want them to have any preconceived ideas. When they meet you they’ll love you. Just like I did.”

  She paused and stared out the window. “This is so awkward, Mac. I’m too old for this kind of stuff.”

  He treated her to a sexy smile that put butterflies in her stomach. “Cut it out, will you? We’re going to have a great time. I want to give you a heads up though. They’re planning a big ol’ Texas-style barbecue in our honor.”

  “Oh, Lord,” was all she could mutter.

  The towering skyscrapers and modern architecture of the Dallas skyline temporarily took Jan’s mind off her apprehension. She made him promise that they would spend some time downtown before they returned to Atlanta.

  John and Ruth Sinclair lived in Richardson, the home of Mac’s alma mater, the University of Texas. He fondly recalled his college days while they drove past the campus. Jan finished touching up her makeup as he turned into the street where his parents lived in a sprawling ranch house on an acre of land.

  In a matter of seconds after he pulled into the driveway, his mother and father appeared at the front door and rushed down the walk before Mac could even open Jan’s car door. Her apprehension level dropped considerably when his mother greeted her with a warm hug. “Jan, we’re so happy to meet you. This is my husband, John.”

  Tall and extremely fit for his age, Mac’s father had with mixed gray hair and that distinct military posture, Jan couldn’t get over how much Mac resembled his father. True to Mac’s prediction, he stood back, looking Jan up and down in the same way Mac had done the first night she cooked for him. “You’ve got excellent taste, son.”

  “Yeah. Just like my father.” Mac kissed his mother’s cheek.

  Ruth took Jan by the hand and told them all to come inside. She opened the door to aromas that rivaled a Thanksgiving morning. “What smells so good?” Jan asked as they made their way into the family room at the back of the house.

  “I fixed Mac’s favorite meal since he was a child – homemade chili, coleslaw, cornbread, red Kool-Aid and glazed lemon pound cake for dessert,” Ruth answered with a smile that radiated love for her firstborn.

  “Looks like somebody is going to get spoiled this weekend.” Jan said, giving Mac a wink.

  John slipped an arm around Jan’s shoulders and steered her over to the sofa to sit with him. “He knows he’s his mother’s favorite,” John chimed in. “She just pretends she loves all of her children the same.”

  “John Sinclair! I do love all of my children the same,” Ruth protested unconvincingly. “It’s just that Mac has always lived so far away. I don’t get to see him too often.”

  “Whatever you say, darlin. So, how long are you two going to be here?” he asked.

  Mac answered. “Until Monday. I have to be back at work and Jan has a client on Tuesday.”

  “That’s right. He mentioned you’re a personal chef. Tell me more about that, Jan. It sounds interesting,” Ruth said, instantly making Jan feel more comfortable.

  “I love it. Cooking has always been a source of expression for me. Now I get paid for it. It’s great to be able to make a living doing something you enjoy.”

  “So tell me how you ended up with this clown.”

  Jan told them the story of the night Mac hired her to cook for his dinner party and how persistent he’d been in convincing her to come back the next night. Ruth and John seemed to get a kick out of hearing
about the romantic side of their son.

  • • •

  They relocated to the dining room and enjoyed a leisurely supper after which John pulled Mac aside and whispered, “You two can take the blue room since it’s the biggest. I’ve already talked to your mother, and she’s all right with it.”

  Mac turned his back toward Jan and his mother, so they wouldn’t hear what he was saying. “Jan can take the blue room. I’ll take my old room.”

  “Son, you don’t strike me as the kind of man who’d marry a woman he’s never taken to bed.”

  “I didn’t say I’ve never slept with her, Dad,” Mac responded with a sly grin.

  “Oh, I see. I think.” John’s eyes narrowed to a confused squint.

  They rejoined the women at the dining room table, and John reminded him, “Everyone is coming for the barbecue tomorrow at noon. Pat and Grant said they’d be here early to help us set up the yard.”

  Mac thought he saw Jan wince. “Who is everyone? Or should I even ask?”

  “Don’t ask, son. You know your mother. She’s told the entire county you were bringing your fiancée home. So we’re prepared to feed the entire county.” He patted Jan’s hand. “Don’t concern yourself. You’re going to have a good time.”

  The sun began its slow descent into the western sky while they talked about life in Atlanta, Mac’s job, Jan’s business and their plans for the next two days. Mac eventually retrieved their luggage from the car and informed his mother of the sleeping arrangements before he took the bags down the hall to the bedrooms.

  “I’m going to take Jan for a walk around the neighborhood before we turn in,” he said when he returned. “We’ll see you in the morning.”

  Jan complimented Ruth on dinner, and Mac whisked her out the back door.

  “Why the quick exit?’ Jan asked once they were outside.

  “I want to spend some time alone with you. Tomorrow is going to be like Thanksgiving Day at the Atlanta airport around here.”

  He put his jacket around her shoulders to shield her from the evening chill common in Texas in the fall. They walked hand in hand enjoying the stillness of the night until she said, “Your parents are nice. What do you think they thought of me?”