Stolen Innocence

by S. M. Stryker

  Ian is wearing his grey suit; the one he wore the first time I stumbled into him. He has it paired with the same black shirt and grey tie. I don't know what it is about this man in a suit that makes me melt. I wear my periwinkle skinny-ankle pants with a matching sweater and hot pink camisole underneath along with my black Candies. I decide to leave my hair down since I am going to be in an air-conditioned room. I feel comfortable and relaxed until I remember I am meeting his family.

  "Have I ever told you how handsome you look in that suit?" I say, scanning him up and down.

  "Maybe we can be a little late to meet them." His eyes sparkling with eagerness.

  "Nice try, but this is your dad's day and you need to be there to support him." Although, I would love to stay hidden in bed with Ian all day.

  "Oh, come on, they would understand."

  Ian had made arrangements to meet his family before the signing at a little coffee shop around the corner from the bookstore. I am nervous about meeting them. I am a nobody; someone he literally picked up off the street. Even though we haven't known each other very long, we know what we are feeling for each other. However, I am still concerned they will not like me and try to stop it end our romance.

  "No, we are not doing that to your family, no matter how nervous I am to meet them."

  "Baby girl, you have nothing to worry about; my family is going to love you." He places a kiss on my cheek.

  We are holding hands as we enter the coffee shop, and we walk over to the table they are occupying. Ava and Ella jump up away from the table, swarming us; hugging and kissing Ian and giving me a huge hug. They are so excited to see him and it's as if they haven't seen him for a long time. They are both talking at the same time over each other. I have to laugh; must be a twin thing. I look up at Ian as he smiles down at me while rolling his eyes. But the funny thing is that he answers each of the girls; he can hear and differentiate what each of them have been saying. Ian maneuvers me to a chair before pulling it out for me to sit. He makes the introductions as I sit down to join them; then he proceeds to get our drinks. He has a beautiful family. Ava and Ella have their mother’s features; dark blonde hair with golden highlights, but instead of their mother's grey eyes, they have the bright green eyes that are from their father, only Ian has the dimple like his mother has. They look like the perfect family. They seem genuinely happy for Ian; it is amazing to see the love they have for each other. Both Ava and Ella continued to talk over each other as if it is no big deal, and his parents are taking in both conversations. I can multi-task, but this is on a whole other level.

  When Ian arrives with our drinks, he sets them down and walks over to his mom giving her a hug and kissing her on the lips before giving his dad a bear hug. We all start to get to know each other. "Mr. Blake, I am so excited to meet you. I have always enjoyed your books."

  "Thank you, Parker. How long have you been reading for entertainment?"

  "Oh, as long as I could read. My mother would take me to the library and I could always get a couple books to bring home. One of my happiest days was when I was able to get my own library card." The thought of that day makes me smile.

  His sisters are entertaining; they tell some hilarious stories about growing up with Ian. One would start a story, and the other would finish and it's as if they are the same person. I have to laugh; I have never seen or heard anything like it. It doesn't take long to relax with them. Ian's phone rings, he pulls it from his suit pocket and looks at the screen. "Excuse me, I need to take this." Ian stands and walks out the door to take is call. Ian's mother asks about my plans for college. I explain what my intended course of study is to be, hoping they won't read too much into it and why I want to study it; but, I'm sure they have an idea. When someone is so passionate about a special area of study, there is usually a reason why. In fact, I am surprised Ian hasn't figured it out.

  Ian's father asks about my family, I try to keep my emotion lock down so I don't start to cry. I briefly tell them about my mother and change the subject. "Ian has told me you are a designer, did you design his condo?"

  "Yes, but I wanted to add some color into the space, but being all male, black, white and tan is all he would go for." She glances at Mr. Blake and he at her as if there was a long story behind her answer.

  Ian finally walks back in and sits down. "I apologize, it was work and I had to take it.

  "Ian honey, you are working way to hard, you need to start to take more time off and enjoy yourself." His mother says in almost a whinny tone.

  Actually mother, I am taking more time off, that's why I am getting more phone calls. Since Parker and I have been dating I have been taking the weekends off and working on getting most Friday evenings off."

  "That's wonderful honey, I'm glad you are taking time to get to know each other better." She says.

  As we finished our drinks, we start to make our way to the bookstore. Ian threads his finger with mine; this way almost seems more intimate, I love how it feels. Ian takes my hand and kisses it.

  As we approach the store, we can already see there is a line of people waiting outside the door. Ian was right; his dad's publicist is making this book signing a tremendous event. There are photographers taking pictures, TV news crews doing interviews and newspapers journalist looking to do the same. When they see us approaching, we are bombarded with flashing lights from the cameras and reporters. Their mics are soon in our faces asking questions. I try to move away so they can get pictures of just the family, but Ian won't let go of my hand. Mr. Blake answers some of their questions before he is rushed inside by his publicist. He cannot be late for the signing. We stand by, helping and meeting his father's fans during the event and just giving our support. When the last of the line dies down several hours later, Mr. Blake says his thanks to everyone at the bookstore for all of their help, shakes his publicist's hand, and begins to ready himself to leave.

  The cocktail party will be starting in a few hours, and we need to get prepared for it. It is going to be a long day.

  We say our goodbyes to Ian’s family as we drive back toward his place. “Instead of going straight up to the condo, do you want to walk around the waterfront for a little while?”

  “I would love to. I need to move around after standing for so long, plus this is the last weekend that all the rides will be here. It's not that I want to go on the rides; I just love to watch the people on them." It’s a beautiful afternoon; there's a slight breeze coming off the Willamette River. With the Rose Festival going on, the waterfront is bustling with activities and smells of festival food. We stroll hand in hand down the sidewalk, just listening to the screams and laughter from the various festival rides whizzing around. The lights from the rides are getting brighter as the sun starts setting. The smells of different food vendors infiltrate my nose. “Why is it that festival food smells so good?” I ask.

  “I know! Not only does it smell good, it usually tastes great too. Are you hungry?” he asks.

  “How can you not be walking down here?” I say, my stomach growling at me.

  “What are you hungry for?”

  “Yakisoba noodles with vegetables” I smile up at Ian, remembering one of the first times we met; the night when I dumped my plate of noodles on him. I smile at the memory.

  “Yes! The thought of that makes my mouth water!” he exclaims. “But maybe I should take my jacket off first." He laughs while looking at me. "Then we can finish off with an elephant ear!”

  I laugh too; How often do you see a beautiful man in a tailored suit eating an elephant ear? he sounds like a little kid…and I love it. “You are so cute!” I tell him.

  He wiggles his eyebrows while giving me a smile that could light up a room, as his dimple makes an appearance.

  “God, I love that dimple. I just want to lick it!” I say, as I look up at him.

  “OOOH…what else do you want to lick?” He chuckles at his innuendo.

  “Well…I guess you’re just going to have to wait and find out.
” I laugh with a wicked look in my eyes.

  “The hell with the food... let’s go!” He grabs my hand and begins to pull me out of the park.

  I slap at his shoulder, laughing. “You’re going to need your energy, so I suggest you eat to keep up your strength!” I look at him with a mischievous smile.

  “I guess you’re right. I would hate to fall asleep on you,” he say, wryly.

  "You and me both!" I exclaim.

  We find the noodle cart and order. "It is so good. I didn't get any the first time." After we finish eating, we stroll down the waterfront hand in hand, enjoying the various games and vendor booths. We just walk relishing each other’s company.

  "Thank you for going with me today, Parker. It really means a lot to me that you would meet my family." He glances at me.

  "They seem very nice, and your sisters are a kick! I don't know how you can understand them when they both talk at the same time." I laugh at the thought.

  "I think it is out of habit because they have always been that way. When they were babies, they would talk to each other in their own little language; no one could understand them. They have always been real close, so even their fights wouldn't last long, I don't know what they will do when they go off to college or get married. They haven't ever been separated."

  "I'm sure that will be a big shock for both of them. They will need to rely on their family more, I'm sure." I wonder what it would have been like to have a brother or sister.

  When we have finished walking through the festival, we stroll to the condo to unwind from the day before having to get ready for the cocktail party. We sit outside on his balcony, watching the sailboats float by as we just relax. The light breeze is cooling us off.

  “Do you mind if I go take a shower?” I ask. "I need to start getting ready for the party, and it will take me a little longer to get prepared."

  “Of course not.”

  Heading to the en suite, I turn on the shower, undress, and move inside the steamy water as the heat soothes my tense muscles.

  As I finish in the bathroom, I walk into the bedroom to get dressed for the evening. I'm surprised to find a stunning purple cocktail dress with matching shoes and clutch lying on the bed. I stand there gaping at it; it is gorgeous. I walk to he bed and pick up the dress, running my fingers over the fabric. The smooth soft fabric is like liquid, it flows over my hand. It is backless, I put it up to me and look in the mirror, my heart is in my throat, It's beautiful and the perfect color for me. I wonder if he picked it out or if his mother or sisters did. I look inside at the size, how did he know my size? I breathe a sigh of relief, I was so concerned that my dress wouldn't be elegant enough for a cocktail party. The clutch, wow, this one I will use. I pull out the lingerie that I had bought especially for tonight, black stockings with a lace garter, and a matching lace convertible bra. I change the strap on my bra for a halter back and put it on with the rest of my lingerie; I put the dress on before my shoes. The dress hugs my body like a glove, flowing over my curves. It is a couple inches above my knees. I slip the shoes on; perfect, for stilettos they are very comfortable, I am all legs. I feel beautiful, I think this is the first time I have ever felt this way before.

  Ian is on the phone as I walk out into the living room. He hears me approach as my heels click across the hardwoods. He looks up with his eyes going wide. "I have to call you..." he says to the person on the phone. He is still saying it as the phone hits the table.

  "You look amazing!" he exclaims, looking me up and down. "Simply breathtaking."

  I walk over to him as he takes my hand in his while raising it. It's an unspoken request to turnaround. As I do, he wraps his arms around my waist while pulling my back to his chest. "You look incredible!" he says, into my hair. I can feel the heat of his breath on my neck and the beat of his heart on my back.

  "Thank you. And thank you for the dress, bag, and shoes; they are fabulous!"

  "They pale in comparison to you, my love." He always make me feel beautiful no matter what I am wearing.

  "You look quite handsome yourself," I say. He is wearing a double-breasted black suit, a white linen shirt and a purple tie that matches my dress perfectly. It's still hard for me to believe he is with me, why me?

  I kiss him passionately, running my fingers through his mussed hair, and pulling him closer to me to show him my appreciation for the dress. Whispering in his ear, I breathe, "I will show you how much I appreciate them tonight when we get back." Then I nibble on his earlobe just hard enough to make him growl before I pull it into my mouth, sucking it. I then let it slip through my teeth. I turn out of his hold and begin walking toward the door. He stands there stunned as I look over my shoulder while smiling at him. I still can't believe how I can affect him; but I am glad I do.

  The elevator door dings its arrival as we step inside. As the doors start to close, I look up at him, his eyes are dark and hooded, he licks his lip as his lips curl in a wry smile, he pushes me against the wall, pinning me there. "I think I like elevators." A low growl comes from his chest. I want to melt.

  He places his hand under the bottom of the dress, slowly sliding his hands up my legs. I feel his hands on my ass. "Holy Mary mother of Jesus, shit! You not only have a garter on but no panties on too."

  With a shy smile on my face, I lookup at him through my lashes. "I thought I would show you what will be waiting for you tonight when we get back," I say. I am feeling a little bold." A month ago, I would never have dreamed of doing something like this, but Ian excites me. I want to make him happy and excited.

  "Maybe I will just phone Mom and Dad to tell them I can't make it tonight," he jokes.

  "No, you will not do that to your family! This is an important night for your dad you need to be there to support and celebrate this with him and your family."

  "Okay, but we won't be staying long," he says, as he scans me up and down again.

  The elevator dings and Ian pulls my dress back into place. The doors open and we walk to the car.

  The party is at a winery; there are several tents setup. There's food in one, the orchestra in another, and a bar is in all three. Wait staff are strolling around the guests with trays of food and drink.

  There is dancing, fountains, and gardens with twinkle lights everywhere; it is simply spectacular . I haven't ever seen anything like this before. People are everywhere, and they all know Ian and his family. I feel as if I am way out of my league, but Ian never leaves my side; he either has his arm around me or he's holding my hand. The orchestra is playing; people are dancing, champagne corks are popping, and food is everywhere; it is simply magical. This is a night I will never forget. Ian looks so comfortable, he is in his element.

  Ian introduces me to a lot of their family's friends, before taking me to the dance floor. Wow, can he ever dance. "How did you learn to dance so well?" He is graceful and smooth and it is like second nature to him; as if he dances as much as he walks. I haven't ever been a great dancer but with Ian, I don't think anyone could be bad.

  "My parents thought in order to be a well rounded adult, it would be important to know how to dance, so my sisters and I took lessons." I kept thinking of the saying, 'never trust a man that can dance.' I don't know who exactly said that, but I haven't seen anything I can't trust Ian with.

  I excuse, myself to go to the restroom. Entering a stall, I sit there for a few minutes. When the door opens I can hear a couple women walk in while talking. At first I don't pay any attention to it until they mention Ian's name. They are talking about Ian, then me. My heart is racing. I panic.

  "Did you see Ian brought a date?" one of them says. "He never brings anyone to parties, why bring someone when he can take his pick of anyone here."

  "I did. Who is she?" the second one asks. "I've never seen her before."

  "No one knows, but I heard they have been seeing each other for a month or so." the first one replies.

  "I heard he picked her up on the streets of Portland; maybe an escort?" At
this point, I don't know who is saying what, but I am in shock at what they are accusing me of.

  "She probably came in with the carnival thinking she would find a rich guy to take care of her, or maybe it is a project, like extreme make over" I gasp, throwing my hand over my mouth to stay silent.

  My eyes start to burn as they fill with tears. I would never knowingly take advantage of anyone for money, especially Ian. I sit there stunned, shocked and hurt.

  The bathroom door opens again; I hear them walking out. I feel sick and my stomach rolls, and my mouth waters. I'm glad I am the only one in the bathroom as I get sick. How could anyone think that of me? They don't even know me. Maybe this is to good to be true, maybe I am just a project for him. NO, I know better than that, I know he cares me, he has shown it to me time and again. I need to clean myself up and stand by his side, I will show them.

  I straighten my dress out, wash my hands, and rinse out my mouth. A dish of mints is sitting on the counter I toss one in my mouth as I look in the mirror before leaving my sanctuary to find Ian. I wipe the mascara that had smeared; I freshen my lipstick. I am desperate to find Ian. I walk out the door looking for him. I won't let those women ruin my night, how dare they talk about me like that. That's when I see it; he has his arm around a woman. She is beautiful, tall, and thin, with long black hair; It's shiny and striking. She's decked out in a short red backless dress that fits her like a glove, the bitch. He is whispering something in her ear, his dimple is showing as he smiles at the cow. I can see her eyes light up as she places her hand over her mouth, laughing. She takes his face in her hands, pulling him to her in a kiss. All I can do is stand there, frozen. My heart stops, my stomach rolls, I think I'm going to get sick again I talk several long breaths to hold it off.

  Ian turns, seeing me as tears roll down my face, I throw my hand over my mouth to stop the cries I know are trying to escape, they were right, those bitched in the bathroom were right, he could pick up anyone here, I'm just a pet project for him. I turn, looking for an exit, and I slip my shoes off as I start to run out of the tent. I hear Ian call my name, but I don't stop. I keep running. I get to the front of the building where all the cars are. The valets are helping people in and out of their cars. I see a taxi and his light is on so I quickly jump in the back seat, slamming the door and telling him. "Drive."