Beginning with Forever

by Lan LLP

  “I better eat plenty then.” I wink at him after he sets me upright on my feet with my long layers tousled everywhere.

  “How may I appease your appetite, Mademoiselle? I’m a skilled chef from being a devoted fan of the Food Network,” he brags in a very authentic French accent.

  “You can cook? May I please have a grilled cheese on wheat, Monsieur?” I give him a doubtful look and keep my request simple, knowing that no one can screw up grilled cheese.

  “Yes I can cook, and you’re in luck. Grilled cheese is one of my spécialités. I make them all the time,” he brags.

  Lunch is nice and low key. It feels pleasantly normal and not snobbishly fancy like this enormous place. We eat his delicious sandwiches with tomato bisque soup on the terrace while absorbing the warm Caribbean sun into our systems. Carson has been elusive about our plans for today, keeping everything to himself. What can he possibly have up his sleeves? I’m so antsy when it comes to secrets.

  After lunch, Carson tells me to go directly to the master bedroom to find my outfit for today’s adventure on his bed. With his specific instructions, I march straight to the room. When I get there, my eyes are astonished at what they see. It’s like I just step into Hollywood’s most romantic movie set. The ceiling is sky high with abundant layers of white, sheer gossamer, flowing over the center of an ornate king-size canopy bed. The white bedding is decadent and virginal. I doubt that anyone has slept on them. The hand-carved spiral patterns on the bed’s four dark wood posts lure my eyes to admire them. I especially love the clear glass floor below my feet, offering me an amazing view of vibrant fish and corals. I can’t help, but have this false tickling sensation under my feet as I watch them swim below me.

  Walking over to the bed, I pull layers of gossamer aside to search for my clothes. Unexpectedly, I find an ivory box with an over-sized red silk ribbon and a sealed envelope instead. Running my index finger across the length of the envelope, I rip it open and pull out a handwritten note.

  Lily, when I saw your heart well up with tears caring for those innocent children at the hospital, I realized then what my life was missing. You’re the tenderness I need to soften my heart. X Carson

  Is it possible for Carson to feel as deeply about me as I do of him even though it’s just been days? I’ve never been a believer in love at first sight—never. It’s completely absurd and impossible in my book. God knows I only have my heart set on one thing, and it has nothing to do with falling in love. Will he be the one to prove me wrong? I ask myself as I hug his note to my chest and embrace his sweet words against my heart. Freeing the box from the ribbon, I find a Nikon D4 camera and a beautiful pearly white dress with a long red silky sash. There’s another little note attached to the camera.

  Meet me on the beach in this dress, with the camera. I’ll be waiting for you, Beautiful.

  X Carson

  My mind goes wild trying to guess what this incredible man is planning for me. I quickly slide into his gorgeous dress with its many layers of gossamer, similar to the ones flowing above the bed. Observing my reflection in the mirror, I see an innocent girl dressed in a white princess gown with a contrasting, seductive red silk ribbon around her waist staring back at me. Hmm…I wonder if his dress alludes to some hidden message or maybe I’m just over analyzing. I can never be too sure with him.

  Carson is patiently standing with his back to me, facing the mesmerizing tidal waves, surging back and forth. He’s wearing a pair of crisp, white linen pants and a matching button-down shirt with the top one already undone. Light wind tousles his hair and shirt, exposing his neck. My lips yearn to trace the length of it, inhaling his heavenly scent as I admire his beauty from my view. I want the distance between us to be lessened, so I pace over to him and eagerly hug my arms around his firm, narrow waist from behind. Placing his hands over mine, he gently leans his head against my cheek, acknowledging our tender connection. The camera is freed from my hand as he turns his body around. We’re now embracing each other intimately, eye to eye. The pensive expression on his face concerns me, bothers me terribly. I want to make it disappear.

  “Tell me, what’s troubling you? I want you to share everything with me.” I press my hand against his chest, encouraging him to open up to me.

  “Lily, I know we’ve only known each other for a short time, but I can’t imagine a life without you in it. I don’t want to. Since we’ve met, you’re all that occupies my mind—day and night.” Sincerely pouring out his sentiments and insecurities, he serves his emotions on a platter to me.

  “Carson, you’ll never have to worry about losing me as long as I have your heart. When I give you mine, it’s yours forever unless you break it,” I assert.

  “I’ll never break your heart,” he vows and wraps my body tightly in his arms, kissing me incessantly, and savoring our heartfelt moment. Nothing could come between us except for Carson’s need to snap a few pictures of me looking surprised and shy.

  “Please stop, I don’t like my picture to be taken,” I object while blocking the camera lens with my hands.

  “But I need to capture this day on camera, the day I promise you that your heart will never be broken by me.” How can I possibly refuse such a sweet plea? I make several silly faces, and the camera snaps repeatedly. Carson must be satisfied with the hundreds or so pictures of me because the camera finally stops clicking. “Come with me. I have a special surprise for you.” He grabs my hand and urges me to keep up with his pace. We walk and run for at least ten minutes before he stops tugging my hand to follow him. “We’re here,” he excitedly announces, sweeping his hand in front of us.

  Carson was right; this is a very special surprise. The view is absolutely breathtaking. There’s a picturesque pond of perfect pink and white lotus blossoms floating in calm water. My first thought is of Claude Monet’s famous Impressionist painting, ‘Water Lilies.’ He was probably inspired by a view just as magnificent as this one. I can picture him standing here next to me with his canvas and paints, creating his masterpiece. Carson points to a row boat, helps me step in and rows us out to the center of the pond. My eyes lock on both his toned arms and broad shoulders rowing back and forth, admiring his sexy physique. His deep voice interrupts my ogling. “You told me you enjoy photography as a hobby. Here’s your chance to show me what you can do with your new camera.”

  “Are you crazy? This camera is way too expensive for a hobby gift. I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but I can’t accept it.” What was he thinking when he bought it? I would never agree to keep it.

  “Do you have a thing against my ego, Lily? I just want to put a little investment into your raw talent.” He tries his best to justify his overly generous gift purchase.

  “No, I have nothing against your ego. I just have issues accepting ridiculously expensive gifts from you. It’s difficult for me to explain.”

  “We have all the time in the world, and I’m a great listener,” he encourages.

  “How about another time? I hate to ruin this wonderful moment with you.”

  Carson gives me an Oh really? look after my response. He just has no idea how far my stubbornness can extend.

  “Okay, another time then,” he backs off, and the subject is immediately changed with me snapping pictures of him instead. His posture is effortlessly confident, working the camera with his no-woman-can-resist dimpled smile. “Alright Lily, I think you’ve taken enough pictures of me.” He rolls his eyes, and my photo-shoot of Carson comes to an end. I see his fingers through my viewfinder and then the camera is in his possession. “We need one of us.” He lifts the heavy camera into the air, pulls me into arms and snaps a selfie of us.

  He returns the camera back into my hands and urges me to snap to my heart’s content. With so many flawless, beautiful blooms embellishing the tranquil pond, it’s hard to focus my darting eyes on just one. My trigger-happy finger remains depressed on the shutter button the entire time. Carson patiently sits across from me, watching me lose myself creatively with
his admiring green eyes.

  ____________________

  The sun is starting to set, fading the lightness away. We stroll back to the house, hand in hand, enjoying our tranquil bonding time. As soon as we walk through the front door, he instructs me to march directly back to the master bedroom while he prepares our dinner. I’m not allowed to help him with anything. “All I need from you is a big appetite, Lil,” he tells me while pointing his finger down the hallway. I take this opportunity to jump in the shower, groom unwanted hairs, and lather up with his aromatic body wash. After a good fifteen minutes or so in the hot shower, it’s time to get out. I didn’t notice it on my way in, but when I step out of the stall, I see anL monogram note placed on a white seashell dish.

  Every personal item you need is in the drawers on the left side of the vanity. Feel free to explore the closet. It’s stocked with new clothes especially for you.

  Mr. Detail Carson doesn’t omit anything. I pull the drawers out, one by one, and see body lotions, washes, and perfume, make up, and even hygiene products. Curiously, I walk over to the closet to check out his clothing selections for me. It’s filled with every type of apparel that I could possibly need: dresses, shorts, pants, shirts, pajamas, panties, bras and even lacy nighties. I wonder if Carson personally selected every item in this closet for me. It wouldn’t surprise me if he did.

  Carson has a persuasive way of convincing me that I’m sexy, beautiful and needed every minute that I spend with him. Is it wrong of me to want to be all of this for him? I hope not. It’s only fair that I attempt to look half as appealing as he does every day of his life. His fine selection of citrus-jasmine lotion renders my skin soft as pure silk. Hmm…what should I do with my face and hair? With my best attempt, I apply a rich layer of black mascara over my long lashes, nude lustrous gloss over my full lips and rose blush over my defined cheek bones. My untamed wavy hair is now silky straight and flowing freely.

  I walk over to the closet, select a sexy shear pink bustier and matching panties and slide them and my dress on. They’re a perfect fit, imagine that. Carson must’ve gathered my measurements from some prior opportunity. Guilt fills me as I cut fancy tags off of each dainty piece, knowing he probably paid a ridiculous amount of money for them. We’ll have to have an uncompromising talk about lavish gifts at another time, tonight is our night. He’ll have to understand that I’ll never be comfortable accepting pricey gifts from him. I’m just not the type of girl who expects handouts in exchange for my time. I do it because my heart wants to.

  I gaze at my reflection in the mirror and think, not bad for a nerdy bookworm. Unfortunately, my humble side inhibits my confidence to prance out of this room and show him my Cinderella transformation. Instead, I timidly climb into bed and rest my eyes for a few minutes, but my tired body betrays me, and I doze off into dream land shortly after that.

  ____________________

  He inhales my clean fragrant scent, gently kissing along my neck and rousing me from my slumber. The tenderness of his kisses draws me closer to him. I place my hand gently on his face and neck. “Wake up, beautiful. Dinner is ready,” he murmurs softly into my ear. I open my eyes, blinking several times to see his alluring eyes admiring me. “Damn, who’s this hot, sexy Vixen in my little innocent Angel’s dress?” He flagrantly teases me with his eyes appreciating my improved appearance.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I retired your Angel for the night. You’ll have to settle for this Vixen instead,” I counter his teasing as I shyly look away.

  “I see. My evening plans will have to change to accommodate my new dinner date?” With a smirk on his face, he pulls me up to my feet and out of bed. He hugs me tightly against his body, inhales the floral scent along my collar bone and neck and exhales, “You’re breathtaking.” This dress does have a purpose after all, to enhance my angelic qualities for Mr. Details Carson.

  Chapter 11

  Lillian Ly

  I walk silently with him as he leads me down a low lit hallway. The palms of my hands are sweating profusely, so I have no chance of hiding the obvious. I urge my legs to follow his pace, but they drag like concrete blocks instead. Is it possible for me to retreat into my turtle shell? I’m insecure with my new look. Wearing makeup and lingerie aren’t the usual things that I’m comfortable with, and neither is trying to seduce this sexy specimen of a man.

  We’re standing at the end of the hallway which leads into a great room instead of the dining room. To my surprise, there’s a charming picnic dinner in the center of the room. The fire place is brilliantly gleaming with lit candles while moonlight glows iridescently through the enormous ceiling to floor windows. Soft, soothing music by Enya surrounds us as well as the waves flowing back and forth. Does he know I love her music or is it coincidental? I’m starting to figure out that nothing about this irresistible man is coincidental.

  “Please have a seat.” He gently pats his palm on a large down pillow. I comply with his request as I lock into his persuasive hazel eyes. He sits Indian style across from me while pouring a glass of vintage red wine for him and a red sparkling grape juice for me. “I want you untainted by any influences this evening. I need to know how you sincerely feel about me.” He runs his thumb across my bottom lip, urging my tongue to follow his path.

  “But you’ll be influenced by the wine. How will I know you’re honest with your emotions?” I challenge him.

  “Lily, believe me, I don’t need alcohol to lower my inhibitions. The minute I saw you at the hospital, I knew I had to somehow make you a part of my life. My emotions are real. I want you more than I can possibly express in words. It hasn’t been easy for me to hold back my desires for you.” His serious eyes tell me he’s sincere, warming my soul all the way to the core. He’s confirming that love at first sight is possible, and that I should believe it.

  “But that’s not how I remembered it. I recall you demanding to be released as soon as possible.” I give him an unconvinced look. I remember that day well because I felt so ashamed that I let my temper and disappointment get the best of me, making me lose my professionalism in front of him.

  “I did. My immediate attraction to you scared the hell out of me. I’ve never lost control like that before, and I didn’t know how to handle it. But regardless of how terrified I felt, it wasn’t enough to keep me away from you.” He places his hand along my neck, tilting my chin up to face him. God, his openness stirs emotions in me I’ve worked hard to contain. I really want to believe in my heart that what he’s saying is all genuine, but I can’t completely do it, not just yet.

  “I’m thankful you decided to stay.” I bite down on my lower lip, trying to hide an enormous grin overtaking my face. It drives him to clench his masculine jaw, flaunting a matched pursed smile. For a brief second, I think he’s showing me his bashful side and then it’s gone as quickly as it came. His deadpan mannerism resumes, masking his vulnerable side.

  ____________________

  The food is delicious. I find it difficult to believe that he’s solely responsible for this succulent lobster in a light white wine sauce, but I give him credit for it anyways. “Chef Bradley, your food is marvelous.”

  He offers me a sly smile and feeds me another bite of lobster. “Of course it is, I cooked it all by myself.”

  We’re able to enjoy dessert this evening since I’m only permitted to drink grape juice with my dinner. I guess I can’t be trusted with wine which is fine with me. I made a mockery of myself the last time I drank alcohol, shamefully offering my body to him and being rejected. Carson carries out a porcelain tray with berries, melted chocolate and Crème fraîche. His first choice is a juicy raspberry dipped in Crème which he brings teasingly close to me. I lick my bottom lip with craving anticipation, opening my mouth for a taste, but he diverts the berry away, licking the Crème off with his tongue instead. “Have I ever told you how much I love desserts?” he taunts and gives me one of his come-hither smiles with his mesmerizing eyes slightly thinned, looking sideways.
/>
  “I’m starting to feel the same way about desserts too,” I flirtatiously reply while fixing my eyes on his sweet lips.

  This time he goes for a plump strawberry, dripping with rich dark chocolate. “Bite,” he croons. I’m allowed to taste, but not to savor it alone. His tongue enters my mouth, lapping the sweet, sour and bitter flavors with me. My body falls apart, melting into him like the decadent chocolate. I have to say this is probably one of the hottest moments of my life. How can he make eating chocolate covered berries such an orgasmic experience? He’s relentless. He continues his enticing dessert foreplay by tracing sweet Crème along my lower lip with his index finger and then into my welcoming mouth.

  “Lick,” he softly commands. My warm tongue slithers around his finger as my moist sticky lips constrict it for his pleasure. “You’re making me desperately aroused.” His breathing is slow and heavy.

  “Am I?” I tilt my head slightly and grin. The ball is finally backed in my court. He’s been teasing me this entire evening, making me putty in his hands, molding me however he wants to, at his mercy. Now, he knows how I’ve been feeling.

  “Don’t tempt me unless you mean it, Lily.” His brooding green eyes turn dark and seductive. Oh god, I’m back to being putty in his hands again just from a single look.

  The last of the plates are cleared. We sit on a soft sheepskin rug directly in front of a white marble fireplace. Candles are burning instead of firewood, creating ambience. As the evening comes closer to an end, my mind is filled with turmoil rather than just plain anxiety. I’m not sure what he expects from me or what I’m really ready for. He notices my zoning out and reassures me, “Hey beautiful, you’re on another galaxy again. I hope I’m not making you nervous about this evening. Nothing is more important to me than your happiness when we’re together. That’s it, I have no other expectations.” He covers my hands with his, calming my nerves with his considerate words.