The fivesome at the table clapped along excitedly.
“Man, she’s fantastic!” Nikolas exclaimed, with a big smile on his face.
They all nodded.
Shanna spoke into the mic, “Now, I think that Giorgio would like to come up and say a few words?” She smiled and winked.
Giorgio stood up.
“What are you doing?” Anabelle asked.
“Something that I need to do,” he said, then kissed her hand.
She looked at Nikolas who just smiled at her, then she turned to watch as Giorgio took the stage, her heart beating fast. She didn’t know what to make of this.
Sarah and Barry sat silently watching, snuggling in close.
“Thanks, Shanna, wonderful song,” he said, giving her a hug. She smiled, then stepped to the side of the stage.
He looked out over the audience. “Hey everybody, I know you don’t know me, but this is a very special night.” He directed his gaze at Anabelle.
Her hazel eyes went wide and her heart started to thump madly in her chest.
“You see, that song has special significance to my lady, Anabelle Parker.”
She pressed her hands against her chest, over her heart.
“And to me, as well. It speaks of dreams coming true. One of mine came true when I met that beautiful lady there.” He pointed at Anabelle.
Her hands flew to her mouth. She blushed bright red.
“Anabelle, would you join me on stage for a moment?” he asked, reaching out his hand to her.
She gasped. “What?”
Sarah leaned over and gave her a nudge. “Go.”
Anabelle was stunned.
Nikolas and Barry both nodded in agreement.
“Up you go,” Sarah said, giving her a friendly push out of her chair.
Anabelle stood up, looking at Sarah, confused.
Shanna took the mic. “Anabelle, someone is asking for you.” She wore a playful grin.
Anabelle, now shaky and nervous, walked over to the stage. Shanna stepped back off to the side of the stage. Giorgio helped Anabelle up. She thought her heart was going to pound right out of her chest. “What’s going on?” she whispered to him.
“Trust me,” he said, kissing her forehead.
She nodded, her eyes nearly popping out of her head with nervousness.
Giorgio reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a small, square powder blue box wrapped in a white ribbon. He bent down on one knee, facing Anabelle.
She gasped, along with everyone else present. Then a hush fell over the room.
“Anabelle,” he said, as he opened the box to reveal a stunningly beautiful five-carat cushion-cut diamond ring, the center diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds. It was dazzling. “Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
Her hands flew to her mouth. “Oh my God! Giorgio!”
He waited. The audience was completely silent with anticipation.
“Yes, oh yes, yes!” she exclaimed, bending down to hug him.
The audience went wild. The band clapped excitedly.
He took the ring out of the box. She stood, trembling before him, tears rolling down her cheeks, as he reached out for her left hand. “M’lady,” he said, slipping it on her ring finger. It fit perfectly. “I want you to be my wife.”
She gazed at it. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. “Giorgio, I can’t believe this is really happening.” Her hand shook. “I’d love to be your wife! Nothing would make me happier!”
The audience again erupted in cheers and applause and loud whoops and whistles.
Nikolas, Sarah and Barry stood, clapping madly. Sarah’s face was wet with tears of happiness for her friend.
Giorgio stood up and kissed Anabelle again. He then gave her a big hug. “Thank you for making me the happiest man on the planet,” he whispered into her ear. “I love you and I can’t wait to marry you.”
“Neither can I, I love you so much!” she exclaimed, bursting with happiness in his big, strong arms.
He pulled away and stepped to the mic. “Ladies and gentleman, my fiancée, my future wife, Anabelle! Thanks for sharing this special moment with us!”
Everyone clapped and cheered as he led her back to the table.
Shanna and her band took their places again. “What a fun night at Painter’s Cove! Very memorable! Congratulations to the happy couple!” They resumed playing, choosing their latest hit, Higher, an upbeat number about being yourself and finding true happiness.
Sarah gave Anabelle a big hug, while Barry shook Giorgio’s hand. “Congratulations, man,” he said, as he patted him on the shoulder. “She’s a great girl.”
“Thanks,” Giorgio said. “Don’t I know it!”
Nikolas gave his brother a big hug. “I’m so happy for you bro, you deserve this. She’s perfect for you.”
Giorgio nodded. “Thanks, Nik, that means a lot to me.”
Nikolas then turned to Anabelle, beaming at her. “Hey, future sister-in-law. My brother’s a very lucky man. Congratulations!” He held out his arms for a hug.
“Thanks, Nikolas. It’s going to be awesome to have you as a brother-in-law!” she said as he gave her a big hug.
Giorgio smiled. “I’m glad all you guys are here with us tonight to share this.”
Sarah turned to Giorgio. “Well, you did have us guessing for a little while, but you’re okay, mister.” She playfully punched him in the shoulder.
Giorgio laughed.
“Just kidding,” Sarah said, smiling from ear to ear, “I’ve never seen her happier. Congratulations!” She hugged him. “I know you’ll take good care of our girl.”
He grasped Anabelle’s hand. “I plan to.”
Chapter 34
Six months later, Anabelle woke up feeling happier and more complete than she ever had in her life. She was now Mrs. Tsarkopolis. She lay there for a moment, letting her eyes adjust to the soft light streaming through the white curtains. She smiled as she felt the soft swaying of the 120-foot luxury yacht, the Sea Star, that Giorgio had chartered for their two-week honeymoon through the Greek islands. He had wanted to show her where his family was from and do it in style. She closed her eyes again. She found the sensation of being on the water relaxing. She stretched and yawned, then rolled over.
Giorgio was still sleeping. The white sheet had slipped down to around his waist. Anabelle lay there looking at her husband. They had just spent their first night together as husband and wife. His face looked peaceful. She looked at his thick, dark hair, all askew, framing his face; the humidity giving it a wilder look. She loved it; it gave him an almost boyish charm. She looked at his long eyelashes, his full lips. She glanced down at his bare chest, dark hair accentuating his masculinity. His strong arms, perfectly muscled, one at his side, the other laying across his stomach. She looked at the platinum wedding band on his hand. A symbol of forever. She felt her heart flutter. He took her breath away. He always had, from the first moment they met. And now he was hers.
Giorgio and Anabelle got married at sunset the night before on the beautiful white sands of Limnonari Beach on Skopelos Island. The ceremony had been situated under a flower-laden arch, with long, diaphanous white drapes that blew softly in the breeze on either side.
It was just her, Giorgio, Nikolas, Sarah, and Barry and the minister and wedding photographer and the videographer. Giorgio had dealt with all of the arrangements through a local wedding planner as Anabelle wasn’t a traditional wedding kind of girl. It was the perfect intimate wedding for her. Her dream wedding.
Soft music played and the walkway had been lined with large rocks. Anabelle wore a simple white dress, scalloped around the neckline and shoulder straps, that fell to just above her ankles. She had a garland of flowers around her crown, and her auburn hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders. Both she and Giorgio went barefoot. He wore an off-white linen suit and white cotton shirt, open at the collar. He was breathtakingly handsome to her.
The cer
emony was simple and they recited hand-written, personal vows to one another. They placed wedding bands on each other’s ring fingers. His was a wide, brushed platinum band, and hers was a diamond eternity band set in platinum.
Sarah remarked how much she loved what they had done. Barry held her close throughout the heartfelt open-air ceremony.
Afterwards, Nikolas gave Anabelle a big hug and told her how thrilled and proud he was to have her as part of their family, and how happy she had made his brother. Happier than he had ever seen him in his life.
That night the fivesome enjoyed a catered dinner on the beach, set to soft Greek music. Torches had been lit around their wooden table with cushioned chairs. A five-course traditional Greek meal was served with champagne and Retsina. They toasted the newlyweds and dined under the brilliant stars on a warm, clear Grecian night.
Nikolas returned to Athens to the Tsarkopolis family estate the next day to see their mom, Alesia, and other family members. Giorgio, Anabelle, Sarah and Barry would be joining them in two week’s time.
As the big luxurious yacht, staffed with a crew of six to take care of all their needs, sailed through the Greek islands, Sarah and Barry planned to disembark at Mykonos to do some exploring on their own and to give the newlyweds some privacy. Giorgio and Anabelle planned to sail on to Santorini and then fly back to Athens to join the group for a further week-long holiday, spending time together getting to know one another and touring the major historic sites. It was an absolute dream honeymoon for Anabelle.
Anabelle was nervous, but excited about meeting the rest of her new Greek family in person. She was grateful that Giorgio had suggested they get to know one another a bit via Skype first, so they had already built up a warm familiarity.
*****
Two nights into their yachting trip, after Sarah and Barry had retired to their room, Giorgio brought Anabelle up for a moonlight swim in the luxurious vessel’s rooftop pool. It was another warm and beautifully clear Grecian night. The stars were out in full force, putting on an incredible celestial display.
He had towels and robes waiting for them and romantic Greek music playing from the yacht’s high-end sound system. The only light came from the moon and stars above and the striking in-pool lighting. The warm water sparkled with an exotic glow of changing colors from the specialty LED lights. The soft lighting effect of the color washes was soothing and sensual and very inviting.
“So, we have this all to ourselves?” Anabelle asked, smiling at her husband. “How divine.” She wore her auburn hair loose around her shoulders, minimal makeup and shiny red lipgloss. She had donned a light gold-threaded cream-colored beach dress, with spaghetti straps over her red string bikini for their private midnight swim.
“Yes indeed, Mrs. Tsarkopolis, I thought it would be a nice way to relax and be with my beautiful wife. The staff’s been informed that no one else is to come up here tonight.” Giorgio wore a beige cotton button-down shirt, open part way down his chest, over sand-colored linen pants, with swim trunks underneath. His darker skin tone had quickly tanned to an enviable deep golden color in the hot Mediterranean sun.
She loved the sounds of her new last name and him calling her his wife. She had never known such happiness and pure joy before. “Giorgio Tsarkopolis, you have swept me off my feet. I can’t believe we’re married. The handsome man I accidentally bumped into on the street and dumped coffee all over,” she said as she ran a finger down his chest, “is now my husband. It’s all so incredible.”
“It was meant to be, m’lady,” he said, brushing her long, soft hair from her shoulders and placing his hands there. “You were meant to be my wife.” He kissed her, his kisses passionate, searching as he then pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her. “Fate just delivered you to me that day.”
She placed her arms around his waist, pressing closer to him. “It feels like I was born to be here in your arms, you feel so right to me, in every possible way.”
“I know what you mean,” he said, looking deep into her eyes. “You’re perfect for me. The universe knew I needed you.” The song changed and he smiled at her. “Care to dance, Mrs. Tsarkopolis?”
“Why, I’d love to, Mr. Tsarkopolis!”
He placed one hand around her waist, and held her other hand in his as they began to sway to the music under the starry night.
Anabelle could smell his manly cologne, always so intoxicating to her. She looked at his chest, admiring the dark hair over his smooth, sun-kissed skin. She looked up into his big, blue eyes, framed by long lashes, then at his thick, dark tousled hair, and finally back down at his full, pillowy lips as they danced. With all of that, and his big masculine physique and high, chiseled cheekbones, she couldn’t imagine a more attractive man. It just couldn’t be possible for her. She touched his chest. “My Adonis,” she whispered.
He smiled at the compliment and tilted his head. “Do I make you happy, m’lady?”
“Happier than I would have ever thought possible,” she said, as her hand now caressed his hip. “You’re a dream come true.”
“I’m glad I please you, my beautiful girl. That’s all that matters to me, keeping you happy, keeping you by my side.”
She sighed, her eyes warm with love and deep affection. “I’ll never leave it.”
“Good,” he said, with a tender look. “I promise to keep you safe and love you with all my heart and soul, faithfully, for all of my days.”
She felt tears of joy well up in her eyes. “I will love you faithfully for all of my days, too, my amazing, incredible husband.”
He kissed her again, his lips wet, as he felt his desire for her start to heat up. He laced his fingers through her hair, as his tongue explored her mouth.
She moaned softly and moved both of her hands to his hips. She rubbed her palms down the sides of his hips and back up and around, caressing his firm backside. His body was so big and strong compared to hers, it was a massive turn-on for her.
Giorgio’s other hand moved to her waist, then started caressing the curve of her hip. He then held her in his firm grip, pulling her into him.
She inhaled as she felt his body springing to life with his heated sexual response. “Oh, Giorgio,” she whispered. “I want you so badly.”
“Do you wish me to mate with you, m’lady?” he teased, pressing his hips into her, his body hardening.
“Oh I do, I do,” she said, undoing some of his shirt buttons, then kissing his chest. Her hand slipped down the front of his pants, feeling how hard he was. “I want you to do anything you want to me.”
He let out a low groan as she pressed her hand against his bulge, his erection growing by the second. “As you wish, m’lady,” he said. He pulled her beach dress off of her shoulders and let it drop to her feet, her toes painted with shiny red polish.
She took his hand as he helped her step out of it.
“Nice bikini,” he said, admiring the tiny red number she wore. It was a string bikini with delicate beading along the bust and across the top of the bikini bottom. “But you won’t be needing it.”
“Why, you naughty boy,” she said playfully, placing her arms around his neck.
“Mmmm, but I’m your naughty boy,” he said, staring down at her bosom.
“Then, I think you should do whatever a naughty boy would want to do.” She shook her breasts, teasing him.
He grinned, his eyes full of lust. He looked at her body, running his fingers down her back and underneath her scanty red bottoms, caressing her backside. He slid his hand back up to where her bikini top was tied. He undid it at the back and around her neck, pulling it off of her. He looked down, gazing at her full, bare breasts, illuminated by the stars and the pool’s soft kaleidoscopic lighting. He cupped them as he kissed her again.
She moaned softly as she undid his shirt and slipped it off of his broad shoulders. “Such a man,” she said, as she ran her hands over his bare chest. She leaned in and kissed one of his nipples as she undid the button and zipper on hi
s pants. She let them fall.
He stepped out of them, now clad only in bronze-colored boxer-style swim shorts, which accentuated the now huge bulge between his legs.
“Wow, you are an Adonis…sculpted by the Greek gods themselves,” she said as she took in his manly form enhanced by his obvious sexual arousal.
“My beautiful wife,” he said as he bent down and picked her up, “you flatter me.”
Her weight felt like nothing in his arms, such was his strength. Her heart fluttered.
He took her over to the pool’s edge and set her down in front of the stairs leading into it. A nearby inset light gave the water an otherworldly glow. Holding her hand he stepped down onto the built-in stairs that led into the warm, 80-degree water and guided her into the pool. He watched his topless bride glide into the water, her feminine curves seductive and inviting.
“Ohhh, that feels nice,” she said, as she felt the waist-high warm water surrounding her. She leaned back and dipped her hair into the water, then stood back up, smoothing the wet strands away from her face.
Giorgio lowered himself down into the water so that his face was at her chest level. Her skin glistened in the shifting spectrum of the pool’s lighting. He pulled her close to him, taking her nipple into his mouth and caressing her other breast with his hand. He sucked on her nipple, then ran his tongue around it, doing the same on her other breast.
Anabelle’s head fell back as her husband took his pleasure from her breasts.
He then stood and led her a bit deeper into the pool.
She wrapped her arms around his neck as she floated down into the glowing water with him. He drew her legs around his waist, balancing her body on his arms. Through his swimsuit, she felt his hard-on nudging between her legs. She gyrated against his swollen manhood to further fan his flames of desire.
He groaned as she did. He then slid his fingers underneath her bikini bottom, seeking out her womanhood. He felt her soft, pliant pussy, open to him as she kept her legs tightly wrapped around his waist. His fingers tickled and teased and slid inside her. He rhythmically pumped his finger into her as his erection grew harder.
Love in the City, an erotic romance novel Page 34