Her mind raced with images of Rick. She wanted to believe that she was being a nice girl by not sleeping with him on their first date. She told herself it would be awkward with the cast.
Truthfully, he'd been gentle with her leg all evening, careful to ask if she was comfortable. It wasn't the broken leg holding her back. She wasn't that nice. If they hadn't been interrupted, if she'd stayed in the surreal, fuzzy-headed moment of 'feel—don't think', the evening might have ended much differently, except for one thing.
Her weight. She'd never actually faced it, because it hadn't been a real problem. She bought clothes off the rack. It wasn't as if she had to shop at specialty stores. When she dressed up, even wearing nice jeans, she thought she looked good. But the idea of facing someone naked had her shaking in her plaster cast.
She turned on her side, her body tingling with anticipation. It'd been a long time since she'd had sex. Not so long if you counted the vibrator under her bed at home, but years since she'd been with a man. If she truly wanted to change things, put herself out there and see what happened, now was the time. If it didn't go well, she had the consolation of knowing she'd probably never see him again.
If it did go well—she smiled. Maybe there was still time to turn things around.
* * *
Her mother helped her dress the next day. She planted herself in the lobby while her family skied. Looking around for the better part of an hour, she never spotted Rick. Finally, she asked the desk clerk, who told her he was off that day. “He'll pop in sometime,” the woman assured her. “He always does. Typical man, thinks the place can’t run without him.”
“He's pretty handy,” she agreed, remembering all the jobs she'd seen him do the previous day.
“He has to be. His father's making him learn all aspects of the resort before turning it over to him.”
“His father?”
“Richard Beaufort, Sr., the owner.”
“I met him.” Deidre nodded, confused. “He sent flowers after my accident and visited me.”
“He's a tough boss, but he has a heart. Actually, I think he's toughest on Rick. I guess parents are like that sometimes.”
“Rick's father owns the resort?” she asked, stunned. He'd never given any indication that he ran the place, or would one day own it. She'd called him a maintenance man, and he hadn't corrected her.
A man approached the front desk, and the clerk turned to help him. Deidre returned to her chair, processing the new information. Her parents had acted like snobs in front of him, but rather than get angry, he seemed hurt. Why hadn't he spoken up? They would have groveled at his feet if they'd known he was the owner's son. Hell, they might have thrown her at him.
It suddenly became crystal clear. She had to talk to Rick.
* * *
He never showed up in the lobby. Late that afternoon, a plan in mind, Deidre returned to her room to dress for the evening. Given enough time, she managed to kick out of her jeans. They tore a bit in the process, but she didn't care. Her mother had to slice them up one leg anyway, to make room for the cast. When she returned home, she'd be wearing lots of dresses.
Fortunately, she brought a dress on the trip—dark green, soft velour, perfect party attire. She washed and styled her hair, applying makeup with a delicate touch. She wanted to look just right, and when she finished, thought she'd accomplished just that.
For all the good it did. Rick was nowhere in sight in the already crowded ballroom. Deidre didn't know if she was even on the guest list, but decided she'd crash the party if she had to.
The attendant found her name on the list and asked someone to escort her to a table. It was full, save two empty chairs, and she didn't know anyone there. Her parents sat across the room, her sister and brother-in-law nowhere to be seen. Great. She'd end up alone in a room full of happy couples.
Just as appetizers were served, Rick appeared, dressed in a tuxedo, dark hair slicked back neatly. “Good evening.” He slipped into the chair next to her.
She blinked. “Pretty sure of yourself, buster.”
“Not sure at all. I've been watching for you, nervously. I barely got my work done.”
Deidre picked up her water glass and sipped. “I'd imagine running a resort is a big job.”
“Somebody has a big mouth.”
“Certainly not you.” She looked at him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
His face flushed light pink, and he shrugged. “I should have. There've been people in the past who wanted to be with me because of the things I had. It was an awful feeling. I discovered it was just as horrible to have a girl dump me because I didn't have enough. That was a new one, and it shocked the hell out of me.”
Floored, she asked, “Is that what you think happened?”
“What else could I think? Things were fine until your mother called. She reminded you I was a maintenance man. That one phone call, and our evening was over.”
“Oh, my God.” She set her glass down. “You got so many signals crossed I'm surprised you didn't electrocute yourself.” She glanced around. “Can we go somewhere and talk? I'd like to explain, but not here.”
“Dinner's being served.”
“I don't care.”
“Let's go.” He led her out of the ballroom to a quiet alcove. “You look lovely tonight.”
“Thank you.” She smiled up at him. “You look rather fabulous yourself.”
“This old thing?” He pretended to dust off the sleeve of his jacket, and she reached for his hand.
“Rick, I need to be honest with you. This is difficult for me.”
He squeezed her hand, gazing into her eyes. “God, you're beautiful.”
“No, I'm not! I'm fat! I've gained a ton of weight since college, and I haven't been with a guy for years. Add to that my leg cast, the fact that it was our first date, I might never have seen you again—”
“Whoa!” He put two fingers to her lips. “Where did all that come from? Is that what was bothering you last night?”
“Exactly.” She shuddered, relieved to get her fears out in the open. What he did with the information remained to be seen.
Rick smiled. “I really was headed in the wrong direction, wasn't I? All the time I thought you were some high maintenance woman, too good for the likes of me.”
“Nothing could be further from the truth. I'm a normal, self-conscious woman who doubts herself like crazy.”
“I'd like to address your concerns, but this is still too public. I have a suite upstairs; can we go there?”
“Yes, please.” She allowed him to lead her to the elevator. Before the door even closed, they kissed.
“I can't believe you think you're fat,” he murmured, mouth pressed against hers. “You're perfect!”
“I've got love handles,” she admitted.
“I hope so,” he whispered in her ear. “We're both going to need to hang on for this ride.”
A tingle went straight to her core. “You really don't care?”
“Care about what? I think you're beautiful, Dee. Give me some time, allow me to prove it.” The elevator stopped, and he ushered her to his suite. He helped her in, kicking the door closed behind them.
“This is nice.” She glanced around.
“Yeah, lovely.” His gaze rested on her as he yanked his bow tie free. He unbuttoned his shirt, tossing it and his jacket aside.
“I might need a little help,” she admitted.
“Sit.” He threw back the covers and settled her on the bed. “You don’t have to do a thing. Let me take care of it all.”
Her heart pounded as he removed his pants and boxers. His thick erection sprang free, jutting out from the soft brown hair on his body. She bit her lip, anxious. It'd been so long since she'd been with a man. Would she remember the right things to do?
With deliberate care he removed her dress, and she released the snap of her bra. Her breasts bounced loose, round and full, and Rick inhaled.
Deidre lay back, and he dragged her
panties over her cast and legs. He licked his lips as her body was bared to him. “Jesus,” he muttered.
“Such a sweet talker,” she teased.
He glanced at her and grinned. “Sorry, I'm in awe, here. Allow me a few minutes to gaze upon your beauty.”
“Stop it.” She swatted his shoulder. “Now you're mocking me.”
“No way.” He climbed between her legs, kissing the ankle of her good leg and moving higher. “I intend to do a lot of things to you. Mocking is not one of them.” He nibbled his way to her apex, spreading her thighs apart.
Deidre giggled. “Tell me more.”
“Want me to tell you or show you?” He separated her folds, blowing a puff of air over her clitoris.
Shuddering, she managed to say, “Show me, definitely.”
He released a muffled chuckle. “I'd be happy to.” His tongue flicked the nub, lightly at first, growing harder and faster. After a few minutes he drew it into his mouth.
She squirmed with delight.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, burying his face in her pussy.
His tongue darted inside her, sending jolts of liquid heat in all directions. She gasped. “You're going to make me come, very fast.”
“That's the idea.” he said, his voice still muffled, his tongue delving deep into her core. “The first time should be fast. The rest of them will be torturously slow.”
His words sent her over the edge. Throwing her head back, she groaned as he brought her to a sharp, piercing orgasm. His tongue drilled deeper than she ever dreamed possible. Wave after wave of sensation flooded her, until she needed to grab on to something to ground herself. She pushed his head back gently and found him smiling at her.
“If you don't feel beautiful now, then you're nuts, lady. That was the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen.”
“I do feel beautiful. Come here so I can hold you and believe this is real.” She opened her arms, and he rose above her.
“It's real.” Stopping just long enough to roll on a condom, he gazed into her eyes. His cock nudged the opening to her soaked pussy. “You ready for me?”
“Very ready.” She opened herself as wide as possible with a casted leg, and he sank in. Fully seated within moments, his body a perfect fit, Deidre sighed. It was as if they were meant to be together. Her muscles tightened around him, accepting his bulk like they were pieces to a puzzle, finally solved. “Oh, yes,” she groaned, another orgasm imminent.
He thrust into her solidly, but she sensed he was taking it easy because of her leg.
Gazing into his eyes, she adjusted her pelvis to meet his. “Don't hold back. I'm fine—and I want more!”
“You got it, baby.” He rose above her, pulling his cock out to the edge. They both glanced between their bodies, watching him drive into her again and again.
It was the most erotic moment imaginable. As the waves of another exquisite orgasm washed through her, she moaned, “I'm coming!”
“Me too,” he grunted, his body slapping against hers. “Come with me—now!”
Deidre hadn't thought that first glorious time could be beat, but sharing a climax with him made it even sweeter. His heat pulsed, she heard his groans of pleasure, intensifying her feelings all the more.
He landed sprawled across her, their sweat-slicked bodies intertwined. “I'm crushing you. I'll move in a second. It just feels so damn good…”
“Don’t you dare move!” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Stay right where you are.”
He grinned, moving his mouth to her neck, where he resumed kissing. “We missed dinner. We might be able to catch dessert.”
“You got your dessert, right here.”
“Yes, I do.” He nibbled her throat.
She giggled. “We can eat anytime. We can sleep anytime. I only have about thirty-six hours left here. I'd like to make the most of them.”
“I like your way of thinking.” He nuzzled her earlobe, adding, “Did I mention that I'm a licensed pilot? I fly to and from Denver fairly regularly.”
Deidre's heart leapt. “You do? What for?”
“This and that. I can see I'm going to be flying there a lot more often.” He reached between them and fondled her breasts. “For this…and that…”
“Oh, my God!” she squealed, hugging him. “That'd be wonderful! I was trying not to be too needy, but I couldn't imagine not seeing you again. It would have broken my heart.”
“Mine too, and we can't have that. No more broken body parts, for me, or my beautiful woman. One leg is enough to deal with. Let me know when you get the cast off. I'll fly up and we'll celebrate—naked in a hot tub somewhere.”
“That sounds wonderful.” She raised her lips to meet his, and they kissed.
A cell phone rang from amidst the pile of clothes on the floor. “Damn.” Rick rose up.
“I don't suppose we can ignore it.”
“Probably not. Excuse me.” He made a face as he pulled his body from hers then fumbled on the floor for the phone. “Yep,” he answered. “Yeah. Sure.” He flipped it shut.
“That was fast.”
“Pretty much what I expected. My father needs a couple things done at the party. After that, I should be free for the night—if you're interested.”
“I am. I'm afraid I'm going to need some help, though.”
“Anything.” He helped her clean up and dress then did the same for himself. They made it back to the ballroom in time to grab a bite to eat. While he saw to business, she checked in with her parents. They met at their table shortly before midnight.
“You talk to your folks?”
“Yes. I told them goodnight and that I'd see them in the morning.”
He smiled. “Did you tell them I'm not a maintenance man?”
“Nah. It's much more fun to let their imaginations wander. I'll tell them sometime—later.”
He picked up two glasses of champagne the waiter had just poured and handed one to her. “You're going to be busy later.”
She batted her eyelashes and smiled. “Yes, I am. Much later, I mean. Much, much later.”
“First we have to ring in the New Year. Our first of many, I hope.”
Deidre gazed at him lovingly, feeling happier and more excited about life than she had in a long time. She raised her glass as the bandleader began the countdown to midnight and smiled.
Letting Go
by
Ava Rose Johnson
Chapter One
At three o’clock that afternoon, it started. Black clouds of thunder formed in the sky. They darkened the city of Dublin, drenched the streets with rainwater. Of course, it came as no surprise. It was Ireland, after all. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop Grace from cursing the weatherman to Hell.
Cooped up in her office all day, listening to her colleagues drone on and on about the Christmas season and how much debt it was costing the country, made her anxious for escape. Grace had glanced at their designer stilettos and diamond earrings and said nothing. The only reason these people would get into debt was because they had no damned self-control.
After the clock ticked past five p.m., she’d raced out the door, stopping only to grab a spare umbrella.
As she sat on O’Connell Street
and watched the rain clog her windshield, she wondered why she’d bothered to rush. It would take another hour, at least, to get the few miles out of the city and home.
While the radio aired Fairytale of New York for about the hundredth time that day, she propped her elbow on the window ledge and squinted through the windscreen, barely making out the huge Christmas tree taking center stage on the city’s main street. The fairy-lights twinkled through the rain, like tiny stars.
Leaning back against the headrest, she thought of New York. This time of year always made her homesick, and this year it was worse than ever. She longed to run into her mother’s arms and pour out every last bit of emotion which had her heart in tatters. What would her mother say if she knew what was happening in her daughter
’s life? The thought set her mind adrift, her thoughts falling into the ever-open black hole that was her marriage. Just as John’s face filled her mind’s eye, her cell phone rang.
Oh, what the hell is it now?
She fished it out of her purse, flipping it open. “Hello?”
“Mommy, where are you?”
A smile crossed her face at the sound of Bella’s voice, and the tension instantly ebbed from her body. “Hi, sweetie. I’m on my way home.”
“You’re late.”
“I know. There’s bad traffic. Now, what’s the problem?”
“Auntie Lou says me and Carrie can have a sleepover with her tonight.”
Grace grinned at Bella’s excited tone. The kids adored John’s sister Lou and they were lucky to have her so near.
“That sounds great, Bella.”
“Daddy says you have to say yes first.”
“Well, I say yes.”
Bella’s hoot at the other end of the phone nearly burst Grace’s eardrum. She laughed as she heard Bella inform her little sister of the news.
“See you tomorrow, Mommy.”
“Okay sweetheart.” Grace’s heart swelled as Bella blew great smacking kisses down the line. “Sleep tight.” The line went dead, and she hung up, grateful to see the line of traffic moving forward another inch.
Though she loved how much the kids enjoyed staying with their Aunty Lou, she wasn’t looking forward to a night alone. No doubt John would disappear down to the pub or God-knows-where-else. He’d go to the ends of the earth to avoid being alone with her—of that, she was certain.
She looked to the right, her gaze resting on the Gresham Hotel where they’d spent their honeymoon night five years previous. It seemed so long ago now, almost a world away. The bride she’d once been would never have guessed her marriage would crumble. Could never have foreseen a distance growing between her and John.
Grace glanced down at her ring finger; the gold band looked decidedly out of place. She swallowed, the temptation to remove it eating her up inside. Tearing her gaze away, she wrapped her hands around the steering wheel. After the holidays, she and John really needed to talk.
Dream by the Fire: Winter Magic Page 6