The Apple Tree

by Kara Jimenez

  He smiled, scooted closer and placed his hand on her cheek. “I don’t want to be anywhere without you.”

  They kissed, long and slow.

  She groaned and ran her finger along his jawline. “Why are we waiting till Saturday again?”

  He chuckled. “For the wedding or for… after.”

  “After.” She grabbed his hip and pulled it toward her.

  A smile lit his face. “Whoa, hey there little lady.”

  She giggled and ran her hand through his hair. “Actually, as much as I can’t keep my hands off you, I’m glad that you want to marry me first. It feels… right.”

  “It’s what you deserve.”

  Her eyes lowered and she bit her bottom lip. “But you should know… I’m not a virgin.”

  He shook his head, running his hands through the roots of her hair. “I don’t care. That’s not why I’m waiting. I’m waiting, because I want you to know that you are more important to me than anything else.” A naughty smirk crossed his face. “But I’m glad the wedding is in a few days. I don’t think I could wait too long.”

  She leaned forward, kissing him again and inhaling his masculine, earthy scent.

  He moaned and tangled his fingers in her hair.

  Electric current shot through her lower body and she tossed her leg over his hip, pulling herself on top of him. Straddling his hips, she pushed herself against him.

  “You,” he kissed her, “are making it very hard to keep up this nice guy act I have going.”

  She laughed, flopping herself down on the bed. “Oh, so it’s all an act?”

  He sat up, reaching his arm over her and hovering just above her lips, grinning. “Yep. It’s all an act.”

  “Have you… been with many women?”

  He plopped back down beside her. ““Not many… I told you I was married, so there was her. And then… after she left, I was lonely, so I spent the night with a woman. But afterward I just felt empty. I realized then that I’m not that kind of guy. That I needed to find someone I truly cared about. And it took me a century to find you.”

  She slipped her hand into his, giving it a squeeze. “I’m glad you did.”

  They lay in silence for a few minutes until she said, “I’m glad we’re having an actual wedding too, instead of just running off to Vegas. I would have regretted never having the dress, the bridesmaids, all of it.”

  He smiled and twisted the hair on his forearm between his fingers. “I know.”

  “You always do that.” She nodded toward his arm. “Play with the hair there.”

  A deep chuckle left him. “I guess you’re right. I’ve never thought about it, but I do. You’re observant.”

  Rolling over, she propped her elbow up to rest her head. “You know, there’s still so much I don’t know about you. I feel like I’m never going to know everything.”

  “We have years. I’m sure after a while you’ll be sick of hearing all my stories.”

  She smiled and ran her finger along his arm, drawing circles. “You still haven’t told me how you figured out the apples caused the curse.”

  He took a deep breath. “Well… it took me several years to figure it out. I’d completely forgotten about the tree, because at the time I wasn’t using that part of the property.” He flipped over on his side so he was facing her, resting his head in his hand. “My wife’s brother came down to visit from Portland, bringing along my nephew. One day I took the boy for a ride around the property, and when we came to the tree he grabbed an apple and took a bite. Later, my brother in law came down with the same illness that killed so many before and the only thing connecting the events were the apples.”

  “That poor boy, he had no idea.”

  He sighed, running his hands through his hair. “My nephew returned to Portland after that, so no one else found out what’d happened. Except, I think Edith suspected. She blamed me although she had no proof, but she didn’t speak about it with anyone else.”

  She bit the inside of her cheek, suddenly conscious of how very serious the situation was. “Don’t cut the tree down.”

  His head shook. “I have to. Otherwise, it’ll always be a threat. Peter’s going to be angry we’re getting married and it will make him desperate to figure out the curse.” He rubbed his thumb along her hand. “Once it’s done, I’ll tell him so he’ll have no reason to threaten you.”

  “I’m not scared of Peter,” she said. “I’m scared of losing you.”

  He ran his hand along her shoulder. “Peter cares for you in his own twisted way, but if he tells his father about you… well, his father doesn’t care. And my Uncle Charles can be vicious when there’s something he wants.”

  “Just promise me cutting it down won’t harm you.”

  He bit his lip. “I can’t promise, but I have faith it’ll work out.”

  Bianca stood in front of a mirror in Levi’s living room. His house had become the women’s dressing room for the day. Stephanie brought the full length mirror. Hairbrushes and makeup cases littered the coffee table, making the room more feminine than it had probably ever looked before.

  The men had been kicked outside to a small tent in the field by the house. It stood just behind the bigger white tent setup for the reception.

  Bianca glanced behind her at her friends, who wore matching sage-colored dresses and kind smiles.

  “You look beautiful.” Stephanie touched her shoulder.

  Bianca wore a white lace-covered gown that dropped over her hips to her ankles in a straight line. It had a deep V-neck and cap sleeves, the hems scalloped with more lace. She ran her hands over her thighs, smoothing the skirt.

  “Really beautiful.” Kate’s face was a slightly green color and she’d excused herself to the bathroom several times with morning sickness.

  Bianca gave her a sympathetic smile. “The ginger tea didn’t help much?” A twinge of jealously hit and she had to glance away. She would never experience morning sickness. But, starting today, Levi would be hers and she would be his. And that was all she really needed.

  “No, not really.” Kate held her stomach. “But, I’ll be fine. You worry about yourself today.”

  Bianca turned back to the mirror. Her hair curled into loose waves, twisted so that it hung over one shoulder and her lips had been glossed a delicate rose color. Stephanie had just finished applying her makeup and she’d done a wonderful job. The girl could be a makeup artist.

  Her mother came through the front door to join the women, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Are you ready, hon? It’s time.”

  Bianca nodded, taking a deep breath. This was it. Her throat tightened with emotion as she swallowed, willing her eyes to stay dry. She imagined Levi waiting for her and she smiled.

  Her mother crossed the room, wrapping her in a hug. “I’m so proud of you, Bee.”

  Bianca squeezed her back, grateful for her support. Her father had decided not to come. Apparently, Amber didn’t want to travel with the new baby.

  “Thanks, Mom.” She dropped her arms, standing straight and taking a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

  Levi waited in front of the crowd, fidgeting and unsure what to do with his hands. They’d only invited about forty people to witness their union, but it suddenly felt like a crowd of three hundred. The remaining apples of the season had been destroyed, so there was no worry that someone would come across the tree, but still, his heart pounded from the attention.

  His friend, Frank, stood next to him. He’d flown in from Chicago the night before to be his best man. Frank nodded encouragingly, his hands clasped together in front of him.

  Levi moved into the same position. He just wanted Bianca to come down the aisle and join him. With her, he could face the crowd, he could face anything.

  He looked out over the rows of people. A bundle of white freesia flowers and evergreen leaves draped from the end of each row of chairs. The fragrance from the flowers mixed with the earthy pine smell of the woods that surrounded the field.r />
  A deep breath filled his lungs as he appreciated the scent and remembered the last time he’d stood at the front of the aisle like this. When he’d waited for Edith, he’d been full of doubts and uncertainties. Today, he knew marrying Bianca was right.

  He focused his attention beyond the guests, outside the tent, to the green landscape of his property. They’d gotten lucky. The sky was a perfect cloudless blue without a drop of moisture.

  The musician began playing the traditional Cannon in D on acoustic guitar.

  Levi’s heart pounded as he waited for Bianca. His eyes scanned the back of the tent, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

  Kate and Stephanie appeared, stepping down the aisle, one after the other, in matching strapless dresses. Stephanie’s gaze pointed right at Frank, giving him a flirty smile. Levi glanced behind him. To his amusement, Frank grinned back at her.

  The music changed to the Wedding March, signaling the entrance of the bride. He took a deep breath. She stood at the end of the aisle, smiling, more beautiful than he’d ever seen her and staring straight at him. A sense of calm spread over his body and he couldn’t help the goofy grin that spread across his face.

  Bianca locked eyes with Levi at the end of the aisle as she clutched her mother’s arm for support. He wore khaki slacks and waistcoat over a white dress shirt. She’d never seen him so dressed up before and he looked absolutely never-want-to-look-at-another-man sexy.

  She took small steps in time with the music and focused on the huge smile plastered on his face. Her throat tightened and she blinked several times to avoid the tears that threatened to pour down her cheeks. The smiling faces of her friends encouraged her.

  When she reached the end of the aisle, she gave her mother a hug and took Levi’s hands. His eyes expressed the same joy she felt in her heart.

  The minister they’d found only a couple of days ago began by welcoming the crowd and saying a prayer. He brushed a hand over his balding head and then nodded for Levi to say his vows.

  Levi pulled a piece of notebook paper from his pocket and cleared his throat. “Bianca, I knew as soon as I met you that you were special. I promise to love you, care for you and protect you, even when you make me try strange food. I vow to always be a willing guinea pig for your recipes as long as they don’t involve my most hated fruit. And most of all, I promise to cherish every wrinkle and gray hair. I hope you know that with those, my love for you will only grow stronger.” He squeezed her hand and his gray eyes became glossy as they gazed into hers.

  She cleared her throat and began the lines she’d memorized. “Levi, when we met, I wasn’t sure if I should run or kiss you. I’m glad I settled for something in-between, although kissing might have been a good option too. I promise to love you, care for you and try my hardest at being a good wife for the rest of my life. I will always be happy with the life we build together and cherish every day I get to spend with you. I vow to be strong in the face of whatever crazy things this world throws at us and to hold your hand through it all.”

  Levi’s stubbled cheeks rose in a grin and she had to fight the urge to kiss him. The time would come for that later.

  The minister dropped his Bible and bent to retrieve it. He straightened his glasses and asked if they had rings.

  Levi slipped the white gold band on her finger and repeated after the minister. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you.”

  She grinned and then turned to Stephanie for his ring. “I give you this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness to you.” She pushed the band up his finger, but it stopped at his knuckle. She gave it another shove. “I-I can’t get it on.”

  Levi laughed and tried to help her, both of them jamming the band against his skin. “It fit at the jewelry store,” he said.

  The crowd laughed and Jeremy shouted, “Push it! Push it real good!”

  The minister held up his hand. “Sometimes our fingers expand when we’re nervous. You can leave it for now. I’m sure it will slide on easily later.”

  The color rose on Levi’s cheeks and he pressed his mouth to keep from laughing. She squeezed his hand and the finger with the ring around its knuckle.

  The minister looked out toward their friends and family. “You have declared before all of us that you will live together in marriage. You have made promises to each other, which have been symbolized by the joining of hands, taking of vows and the giving and receiving of two rings. By the authority vested in me by God and the State of Oregon, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

  Shouts of applause broke from the crowd and Owen hopped up and down, clapping, in the front row.

  Levi kissed her, wrapping his hands around her face and moving his lips tenderly with hers. Forgetting the crowd, she lost herself in his embrace and a sensation of complete bliss until he finally pulled away to face their waiting friends.

  They bounced around from person to person, receiving hugs and congratulations. Happiness beamed from her like a heat lamp and Levi never let go of her hand.

  He’d invited his friends Wiley and Margaret, an affectionate couple who wore tailored clothes that hinted at designer labels. Margaret gave Bianca a tight squeeze. “I’m so glad Levi’s found you. We worried about him, alone all the time.”

  Levi rolled his eyes. “I was fine before.” He slid his arm around Bianca’s waist. “But my life is even better now.”

  The afternoon passed in a blur of best wishes, champagne and cake.

  As the sun drifted below the horizon, Bianca stood talking with Stephanie and Frank, when Levi approached. With a mischievous smile on his face, he took her hand and pulled her away from the tent and the party. He led her around to the front of the house, then turned and smiled, his gray eyes smoldering.

  Her stomach dropped like she was on a roller coaster.

  He lifted his palm, caressing her cheek and then leaned down, brushing the tip of his nose on her forehead. An unfamiliar, but delicious scent drifted off him and she realized he must have bought cologne for the wedding.

  Her eyes closed and she focused on his gentle touch against her skin. He leaned down further and captured her lips. With gentle pressure on her shoulders, he pushed her against the house. She clutched his back as the weight of him pressed her against the scratchy wooden wall and she thought she’d faint right there under the house eave.

  Suddenly, his lips were at her ear, his voice deep and raspy. “Let’s go inside. I can’t wait any longer.”

  She didn’t have to think twice. Grabbing his hand, she led him the few feet to the front door. He came up behind her, scooping her into his arms and carried her over the threshold straight toward the bedroom.

  This was the first time she’d ever been in his room. Her gaze focused on the bed. A fluffy blue comforter lay neatly over the queen sized mattress.

  He set her feet down on the hardwood floor and slid his hands around to the back of her head, his fingers dividing the strands of her hair. Several pins fell out, clinking as they dropped to the floor. Her heart pounded so hard she thought it might jump straight out of her chest.

  “I’ve been thinking about this since the first time I saw you,” he said.

  Her mind flashed to the evening she’d met him in the orchard. His rugged good looks had captured her attention right away.

  She crushed her lips onto his, coaxing his mouth open to deepen the kiss and groaned as her body filled with need. Her hands rested on his hips, fully conscious of his hard body beneath the fabric of his waistcoat.

  He held one arm around her waist, the strong muscles holding her weak legs up. His lips moved down to her jaw, kissing and sliding his tongue along a fiery path until he reached her chin and then moved to her neck. When his heavy breath fell against her ear, a shiver ran through her.

  “What about the wedding guests?” she said, between gasping breaths. “They’re going to miss us in a minute.”

  He pulled back, bit his lip like he was thinkin
g and then let go of her, jogging to the window. Sliding it open, he stuck his head out. “Hey! Party’s over. Go home now!”

  Several hoots of laughter and applause broke out as he slammed the window shut and dashed back across the room to where she stood.

  “There you go. They won’t miss us now,” he said with a devilish grin.

  “That was bold.” She giggled as he returned his lips to hers, sliding his tongue over her bottom lip. Kissing Levi was completely different than kissing any other man. His kiss held promises, this wasn’t just for tonight. He wanted her forever and she hadn’t even realized how much she needed that.

  His hand found the zipper at the back of her gown and he slid it down, agonizingly slow as it traveled from her shoulder blades down to the middle of her back and finally down her hips. The dress hung loosely around her body as he stepped back, his dilated eyes running over her.

  A bout of panic overtook her. Would he like what he saw? She made herself calm down. He loved her and he was her husband now. Taking a deep breath, she slipped one shoulder of her dress down, and then the other.

  His eyes followed as the fabric dropped to her waist, exposing her lacy white bra. The sound of his breath catching hit her ears and he brought his eyes back up to meet hers in a molten gaze. Her heart pounded as she yanked the dress past her hips and it fell to the floor.

  The look in his eyes washed her self-consciousness away. He rushed forward, wrapping his arms around her body and kissing her neck.

  “I am so damn glad you wandered onto my property.” He pulled her upwards, lifting her as she wrapped her legs around his body and carried her to the wood paneled wall, pressing her against it.

  “You sure didn’t act like it at the time.” She laughed and kissed him again, running her fingers along the stubble on his jaw.

  “I was an ass, but you know why.” His hands traveled under her hips to her butt, giving it a squeeze before slipping along her thighs. Burning trails followed his fingers along her skin. Hardness pressed through his slacks against her spread legs and his hips swiveled with the same rhythm as his lips.