by L. U. Ann
"I love you too, Caine," I manage before he covers my lips with his. I reach around his neck to deepen the kiss. Our tongues are needy. I love how he kisses. He places a hand on my cheek to tilt my head and somehow takes more of my mouth. Oh my! I am melting into a puddle. I hope my mom isn't watching. She likes Caine, but I wouldn't feel comfortable with her seeing him devour her daughter.
"I wish you would reconsider and stay with me tonight," he says breathlessly.
"Mmm, didn’t you already do that?” I ask.
“No Lacey, that was a fuck. I want to love each individual part of your body." I feel my figure start to weaken.
“Well, we can arrange for you to do that another night.” I pause to catch my breath seeing his disappointment. “I’m sorry Caine, but I promised Becca we would have a girl’s slumber party. I don't want to leave you either, but I need to be a good friend to her."
Groaning in my ear, "You're killing me Lacey. I want to take you again. How about right here?" He winks. "You know I could haul you off to the backyard and have my way with you."
"Caine!" I shout. "You will do no such thing. You got a little more than expected from me tonight, mister. I'm going inside. You and Lucas are going back to the barracks. I love you and I'll talk to you tomorrow." I give him a quick kiss turning to unlock the front door. "Becca, you ready?" I ask, noticing she and Lucas are in a deep conversation. I wonder if everything is okay.
"Yeah," Becca says over her shoulder. I watch Caine get back in his car while Becca is saying her goodbyes to Lucas. “It’s been real,” she says, walking away from the car.
"Alright love, did you have fun tonight?" I ask her as we head to my room.
"Yeah, um... Lacey we need to talk," she says apologetically marching ahead.
"Okay. Are you okay? I saw you in a deep conversation with Lucas just now. Did Lucas do or say something to upset you? Because if he did, I swear...,” She cuts me off.
"No Lacey. It's nothing about Lucas."
I sit on my bed to remove my shoes waiting to see if she will elaborate. Impatient, I continue, "Then, spill it. Whatever it is appears to be upsetting you," I say defensively, "Did I say something to hurt your feelings?" I ask.
"No, Lacey Ann Nicole Edwards! It's about Caine," she states firmly. Oh dear. She used my full name. She’s mad. Wait... did she say...
"What do you mean something about Caine? I was with you all night. What did he do to you?” I ask irritated.
"Lucas just said some crazy shit. And where the hell did the two of you disappear to earlier at the club?” She raises her eyebrows at me. “Fine, we’ll get back to that. Lucas told me something bothersome about Caine. I kind of wish he didn't tell me because I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But if it was my boyfriend, I would want to know," she says regretfully.
"Becca, what the fuck are you talking about? You're scaring the shit out of me."
"Lucas said he thinks Caine is betraying you. He is really bothered by it because Caine’s his best friend. But, Lucas feels terrible for you not knowing of his infidelity." I cannot look at her. I'm wringing my hands together unable to break my gaze. I don't understand. "Say something Lacey, love."
“What do you mean betraying me?” I ask, because that is what she is expecting. I don’t know if I want to know anymore.
“You know like an asshole, son of a bitch, jackass, liar, man-whore, douche bag, playa. Do I need to go on?” she asks, puzzled that I’m not following. “Lacey, he is fucking cheating on you.”
I look up at her with glassy eyes. "That's impossible. He was just kissing and hugging me, acting all cave man on the dance floor. He just told me he loved me. Why would he be cheating? It's not like we don't have an active sex life. He just fucked me in the ladies’ room at the club for goodness sakes. What proof does Lucas have? Has he seen Caine with another girl? Is this some sick joke?"
“I don’t know the answer. Wait, he and you did WHAT?” I give her a pointed look so that she will stop asking about it. “So that is where you two disappeared to. Holy shit girl!” She shakes her head. “Lacey, I don’t know why he would cheat on you. Lucas didn’t say how he knows. Besides, Caine interrupted the conversation when he came back to the car. I couldn’t find out more. Maybe he goes all Fred Flintstone on you because he’s afraid you might run into one of his floozies.” She shrugs as if defeated. I think back to tonight where he gave me very little breathing space. I don’t know why he would be such an idiot. We’ve professed our love to one another. Why jeopardize what we have unless Becca’s right and he is a player?
“I can’t think right now. I’m going to get ready for bed,” I tell her as I walk to the bathroom. I close the door and lean against the back of it, taking deep breaths. How stupid could I be? Could he be making a fool out of me? There is no way. I would know if he was cheating. He would be withdrawn, acting differently; our sex life wouldn’t be so active. He doesn’t show any of the warning signs, no red flags. Lucas must have heard wrong. It must be some nasty rumor going around without any veracity. There is no way Caine would do that to me. Thank goodness, because I am so in love with him.
Returning to my room after a quick shower, I sit on the bed quietly for a moment. Becca remains silent, knowing I’m working things out in my head. She has finished getting ready for bed when I say, “I think it’s a misunderstanding.”
She looks at me sadly, “Just be careful, please, love. I would hate to find out he is a man-whore.”
Chapter Six
Deception
It’s been six days since Becca and I talked about Lucas revealing Caine’s extra-curricular activities. I have refused to talk about it anymore with her because there isn’t any proof, and in my heart, I cannot see him being unfaithful. We are in love. Becca tried to bring it up a few times, only for me to protest and change the subject. I haven’t said anything to Caine yet because our work schedules are so different that we have very little time to talk. This isn’t something I want to discuss over the phone and I also don’t want to cause a rift in Caine and Lucas’ friendship. I’m sure it’s a simple misunderstanding. Maybe later tonight I will talk to him about it.
Caine is on his way to pick me up. I'm in my room looking myself over in the mirror as a bad feeling overcomes me. I don't know where it came from. We are attending a Gala. The dress code is formal and I love the gown I found. It’s black, one of my favorite colors. Fitted at the top, the dress begins to slightly flare wider with sheer fabric from the waist down. The lady at the store described it as a princess A-line with organza ruffles (whatever they are). It's lovely and hugs my body in all the right places. I'm able to show a little cleavage; yet it's still modest enough to be appropriate for this type of occasion. The dress is strapless with a sweetheart neckline. It trails to the floor with multiple layers of ruffles and I've paired it with black satin strappy heels. Being the very clumsy person that I am, I chose to go with a strap around the ankle, a must for dancing. I don’t want to embarrass Caine in front of his colleagues. He’s already mentioned several times this week the importance of making a good impression with his superiors this evening. I go with the philosophy 'less is more' and only accessorize with a pair of diamond earrings my mom is letting me borrow. I am almost finished putting on my makeup when the doorbell rings.
I make my way down the hall and open the door to find Caine standing there in all his glory. He looks magnificently handsome, as always, in his Dress Blues. "Hi," I sing, tilting my head innocently. He takes a couple steps inside towards me.
"You, my dear, are breathtakingly beautiful." He smiles, leaning into me after closing the front door. "I'm going to have a hard time keeping my hands to myself this evening in front of my Commanding Officer," he says, wrapping his arms around me. His hot breath sends shivers down my spine. He places a kiss on my cheek and I swat him away.
"I'm sure you'll get through just fine knowing what we are going to do once we get back to the barracks tonight," I assure him with a smile. He gently kiss
es me.
A moment later, he pulls away from our kiss. "You are killing me woman, but I'll take it because I get you later." He brings his lips to the sweet spot just behind my ear that leaves me intoxicated. "I'm going to be fantasizing about what I'm going to do to you all night."
I throw my head back and laugh, "You better watch it mister or you’re going to have trouble keeping up with me on the dance floor."
He groans. "Are you almost ready?" he asks, peppering kisses along my jaw.
I reluctantly pull away, "Almost. Go on and have a seat. I'll be out in a few minutes."
Caine walks away, heading straight for the family room. "Where's your mom?" he asks, moving his head around in search of her.
"She's closing the store tonight."
"Oh, really?" He smiles a devilish grin turning back to me. "In that case." He moves closer, grabbing my hips. "How about we have a preview of what we are going to do when we get back to my room tonig–" I cut him off.
"Oh no, you don't. Don't you dare mess with me! My hair is done and my makeup is almost complete. If you mess it up, I'm liable to make us extremely late. How would your superiors feel then?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.
"Fine! You win. Hurry up. The sooner we get there, the earlier we can leave and have our own party." He swats my rear end as I walk away.
I roll my eyes and saunter back to my room to finish getting ready. After reapplying my lip-gloss, I strap on my heels, happy with my added height. I'm not too terribly short at five-foot-three-inches, but every inch helps. I look myself over one last time, grab my phone and purse, and then meet him in the family room. I find Caine looking over family pictures on the bookshelves. I wonder what has him so intrigued. "Find something you like?" I ask posing seductively.
He turns his head painstakingly slow to meet my stare, "Oh yes and I'm looking at it right now," he drawls, in that sexy voice of his. He drapes my matching black shawl around my arms. It's not cold outside. It's just a couple of days into June and surprisingly, it's been a warmer than usual spring. I think we went from winter straight ahead into summer. The nights still tend to get a little chilly, so I'm taking the shawl as insurance more than anything else. Caine grabs my overnight bag by the door and we walk out to his car.
The gala is at Turf Valley, and the drive to the beautiful golf resort only takes about twenty minutes. Caine follows the long driveway framed in mature trees and it’s an absolutely picturesque sight. The impeccably manicured lawns and vast array of gardens make me want to skip the gala and walk the grounds instead. It’s so perfect. I could spend hours relishing in its beauty and I haven’t even seen the golf course. I’m sure the greens are just as breathtaking. We pull up to the line of cars and watch the eager attendants work hard to move the cars ahead. When it’s our turn, Mr. Valet opens my door and holds his hand out to me. "Thank you Richard." Thank God for nametags.
Mr. Valet smiles as I accept his hand. "Good evening ma'am." I am careful not to snag my dress as I try, ever so elegantly, to roll out of the car.
Caine meets me on the passenger side of the vehicle, offering his arm to me. I place my hand in his bent elbow. "You ready Lacey?" he asks and I nod. We walk up the stairs to the entrance and I take notice of the nice eye candy on display. Good heavens. Does the military have a policy for guys? 'We want you! But, we only accept drool worthy candidates'.
"Good evening," the gentleman to my right says.
"Good evening," I nod, careful not to muss my hair. I am on high alert to not trip or mess up my ensemble in any way.
We walk down a long hallway to the ballroom. The ambiance steals my breath. With floor to ceiling windows framed in rich textured draperies, the room is sparkling with light of seemingly endless crystal chandeliers. Strategically placed throughout the room are tables that surround an open dance floor. The warm, deep hues of the carpet and linens make me feel like I’m stepping into a magical fairytale. I turn to Caine, who is watching my reaction. I must have a look on my face as though I’m a kid in the candy shop. He is smiling a goofy grin. This place is unbelievable and renders me speechless.
We've found our assigned seats and begin making introductions with the guests we are joining. We sit at a round table for eight covered in embossed gold linen. The covered chairs match the gold fabric and have a deep red sash wrapped around the back in an elegant knot, leaving the extra material trailing to the floor. Each table has an exceedingly tall white vase as its centerpiece with sprays of long berry branches and twigs exploding from the center. Candles glisten around the base of the vase and red berries fill the bottom of glass votives. Each place setting has a number of forks and spoons and I am kicking myself right now for not paying attention to mom when she tried to educate me on utensil etiquette. I’ll have to watch which fork and spoon people use with each entree so I don’t make a fool of myself.
Our table is all couples. Caine is sitting to my left. He pulled out his charm tonight, holding out my seat for me, attending to my drinks, and making sure I was comfortable in the company of others at the table. Our table companions are his coworkers, two guys and a girl. One of the guys and the girl are married joined by their spouses and another introduced the girl hanging on his arm as a friend. I wonder just how close these two friends are, though I probably should mind my own business. Caine introduced me as his girlfriend and I thought that was pretty awesome. There is tasteful music streaming from the DJ booth. I sit quietly during our meal, as everyone seems to be making conversation; I try to listen, nod, and answer when appropriate, though I feel so out of my element here. I’ve enjoyed getting dressed up and feeling like a princess. It’s just hard for a klutz, such as me, to enjoy myself all the while worrying not to trip, spill something, or put my foot in my mouth. As soon as we finish eating our dessert, Caine excuses us and tells me there are some people he’d like to introduce me to.
A couple of his friends have stopped us, and he introduces me and takes some time to catch up with them. I did what he expected of me. I oohed and ahhed over their dates’ dresses, asked polite questions (as if I really cared), and responded to their inquiries. I stayed on his arm, as he asked, while mingling. What the hell am I, an ornament? Caine continues moving in the direction we originally headed, stopping in front of a strappingly handsome older man. He has so many medals and other items decorating his uniform, I bet they add at least ten pounds. He introduces him to me as his Commanding Officer, who happens to be speaking with his Captain. We exchange pleasantries and once again, Caine addresses me as his girlfriend. I don’t know why I’m so surprised. Maybe my insecurities are getting the better of me. I worry about the news Becca tried to tell me. I shouldn’t even consider the possibility. He hasn’t shown any hint of unfaithfulness. I need to stop worrying and enjoy myself tonight.
Caine pulls me towards another group and makes the introductions. After a couple of minutes, I pull on Caine’s arm. "Pardon me; I'm going to use the ladies’ room for a moment." I excuse myself from the group of brown nosers. It is stuffy in here and I cannot stand all the phony people. I have no interest in pretending to be someone’s BFF. I will put up this facade for Caine on this occasion, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.
Walking out of the restroom, I find Caine leaning against the wall, looking fine. “Hi,” I say.
“Hi yourself,” he says planting a kiss on my cheek. "I was wondering if I could have this dance," he asks, bowing at the hip, which causes me to giggle.
"Why of course fine Sir." I do my best southern belle imitation with a curtsy. I might even go as far as to say I feel like Cinderella.
He leads me towards the dance floor. I notice he nods to a few of his buddies along the way. We continue to the group of moving bodies on the platform. Out of nowhere, a lady dressed in a very provocative outfit flies across the room and presses herself up against Caine, giving him a hard kiss. "What the fuck?" I state matter-of-factly. She has her fucking lips on Caine's. Caine pushes her off with a look of horror. The floozy looks ir
ritated by his rejection. Her eyes trail to where my arm is resting in the crook of Caine’s elbow. Her gaze moves up to my face, and she gives me a devious smile after sizing me up. She turns and walks away, giving Caine a wink over her shoulder. Oh yeah, I didn’t miss that. I turn to Caine who looks like a deer caught in headlights.