“So?”
“So…wadya mean so?” Virginia asked. That was the last word she expected anyone to say for telling them news like that.
“So, as in so what’s the problem? You obviously like the guy. It’ll bring him here, and you guys can see how things go. If you like each other, then great, you’d already be married. And if you don’t then you can just ship him right back,” Nancy said all matter of fact. “It’ll be like that Ryan Reynolds movie: The Proposal.”
Virginia laughed a genuine laugh for the first time that day. Nancy was so practical and so funny, but for some reason, the thought made Virginia laugh because Dmitri looked in some way like he could be related to Ryan Reynolds. That could possibly be one of the reasons why she was so attracted to him.
She couldn’t even believe she was entertaining the thought of marrying a complete stranger. Nancy made it sound so easy.
“I have so much to think about.”
“What’s there to think about?” Nancy squawked. She was a hopeless romantic and bona fide soldier of love. When Virginia had gone to her to tell her all about her time with Dmitri, she kept sighing dreamily and fluttering her eyes.
“I barely know him!” Virginia protested.
“And how else are you going to get to know him unless he’s here with you? You said so yourself, he wasn’t interested in your money or status. He cared about what you thought and how you felt. He went all the way to your hotel to tell you he liked you before he said goodbye. If that’s not like a romantic comedy, then I don’t know what is,” Nancy said.
Virginia sighed. She didn’t know what was going on in her head. Trying to distract herself from her emotions made her so proactive. She was on top of her work, and was already raking in new clients. She couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to have someone genuine to share that with.
Virginia couldn’t deny that Nancy had a point. Virginia was moving up in her career, and she was almost 30 and never been in a long term serious relationship. Men either feared her or used her. It would be a shame to lose the first one who seemed to appreciate the person she was.
“Ok Nancy,” Virginia said finally. “I’ll do it.”
Chapter 5
Virginia was nervous. It had been another two weeks of working and anticipating. She was pacing around her apartment, and cleaned things that were already clean. She couldn’t keep her mind focused on anything.
She waited a few days after her talk with Nancy to give Dmitri a call with her decision. She couldn’t focus on work; she was too exhausted from the last few weeks. She decided to reminisce about her phone call with Dmitri as she paced. She needed to get her mind off being so anxious.
“I’ve been weighing the pros and cons about this,” was the first thing she had said when he answered the phone.
“About what?” Dmitri was genuinely confused.
“About us,” Virginia admitted. “I mean, I know there is no actual us. But there could be. I’m always so bold with my clients and with my work, but when it comes to relationships…I never seem to understand people the way I understand my designs.”
It had been so strange to be so vulnerable with a man she barely knew, but Virginia felt like she knew him better than she knew a lot of the people she interacted with on a daily basis. Dmitri had been genuine with her since they met.
“So what are you saying Virginia?” Dmitri’s voice filled Virginia with warmth and hope.
“I’m saying that I’d like to give this us thing a shot. It’s scary, and you’d have to go halfway around the world,” Virginia couldn’t believe she was actually going to do this. “But I was wondering if you would be willing to…to…”
Virginia couldn’t finish her sentence. She had always wanted a big wedding, and a dream husband, and to be married in a dress she designed herself. Now she would have to give that up just to see if the man she was interested in could be the dream man she had always wanted.
“Marry you?” Dmitri finished her sentence for her.
“Would you?” Virginia said shyly. Her face was getting hot, and she covered it with her hand, even though he was on the phone and Dmitri wasn’t there to see her.
“Well, I would need to bring my paintings. Not sure where I could have an art studio,” Dmitri laughed.
“I have a few spare rooms in my apartment. It would be wonderful to see your work,” Virginia couldn’t stop blushing if she tried.
“I can’t wait to show you,” Dmitri said.
“So are you saying…?”
“Yes, Virginia. I would like to marry and get to know you,” Dmitri said. He laughed another sweet laugh.
And that brought Virginia to this moment. Pacing around her giant living room and rearranging things here and there. She had bought some wine, and ordered some food from an expensive catering service. She had no idea what Dmitri liked to eat. She didn’t know a lot about what he liked or didn’t like, and yet she was marrying him.
Nancy was thrilled, and told Virginia to call her for any wedding plans. She really wanted to meet Dmitri. She was excited to be a part of the wedding. Dmitri and Virginia had decided to go to the courthouse to get a few papers signed and make as little fuss as possible. There was no point in getting fussy when neither of them knew what the other wanted on a wedding day. They also didn’t have any time. They had 3 months to get married, or Dmitri would have to go home. Virginia was so busy she wouldn’t have time to plan a wedding so fast either.
Virginia’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. She spun to face the door so fast she almost got vertigo. Her stomach had switched places with her heart, and both were about to leap out of her body. Her legs were gelatin.
Virginia collected herself almost immediately.
“This is silly Virginia. Get a hold of yourself,” she said under her breath.
She had met him before. She knew what to expect. She knew how to handle herself in any kind of situation. She was a social chameleon. If she could make Jimmy Fallon laugh, then she could certainly get over being reacquainted with her would be husband.
Nancy had to remind her sometimes that she was one of the most beautiful and powerful black women in the whole world. She channeled that confidence in the way she swung her hips and walked towards the door.
Virginia opened the door of her apartment, and the sight of him nearly took her breath away. He was more handsome than she remembered. Now his hair wasn’t gelled back; it fell limp and almost covered his eyes, but he had it swished to the side. He had grown a bit more than a five o’clock shadow, and he was in a button up red shirt and black pants. His dark eyes lit up when he saw her.
All he could muster was her name, and he pulled her in by her waist and kissed her lips passionately. Virginia’s insides caught fire and she allowed herself to melt into him. He really did care about her as much as she did about him.
She was obviously going to have to give Nancy a raise.
*****
It took 2 more days for Dmitri’s things to arrive. In that time they had spent almost every moment together.
Being a gentleman, he opted to sleep in the guest room until they were both comfortable with each other. He was so full of life when he wasn’t supposed to be working for another person. They talked about more than just art. They wanted to get to know each other as much as they were able to in the next few days. Dmitri arrived on the red eye flight on Friday night, and he and Virginia decided to get married on Tuesday, which happened to be a public holiday.
Dmitri talked about his childhood and his older brother. His brother was in Australia and lived on a sheep farm with a wife and child. They wrote to each other often, but they hadn’t seen each other in about 4 years. They both had different schedules, and Dmitri didn’t have as good a relationship with their mother as his brother Viktor did. His mother was a beer heiress, and though she did pay for all of their schooling, she wasn’t really a mother to them. She was a means of getting financial help, that Dmitri did not complain abou
t, but she was also an alcoholic who had never really gotten over his father leaving her.
Virginia’s mother was a show biz mom who wanted to have her children become famous by any means necessary. Her father was always busy, but he shared her mother’s vision of having a famous family. Her mother Tina, pushed Virginia, her older brother, and her 2 younger sisters too far. Her brother Troy was reckless. He had a short lived rap career and managed to get about 2 and a half hits on the charts. After an awful car accident, he retired from rapping and decided to produce instead. He lived a much quieter life on the West Coast and gave other people the spotlight.
Virginia’s sister Maralynn was on her way to becoming an actress but it never worked out. She tried out for a reality show and her life later revolved around drugs and partying. Virginia had to send her to rehab to set her straight. Maralynn was still trying to make it and ride on her sister’s coattail, but Virginia only ever helped her if she had to take another trip to rehab or a therapist.
Virginia’s youngest sister Jade was a designer too. She had a humble bathing suit and jewelry line, but mostly kept to herself. She was the one that Virginia was closest with, because she was the one who was all about the love of her work, and not about the potential fame that came with it.
Dmitri was a keen listener. He paid special attention to what Virginia said about her life. He was also an excellent cook, who didn’t necessarily have a vast knowledge of the wines and cheeses that his fiancé adored so much, but he told Virginia that he was open to finding them out from her.
Dmitri wasn’t just a visual artist, he was a poet and he also played the violin. It was one of the things that came with his paintings and art supplies.
“Dmitri, you’re amazing,” Virginia said when she saw the first piece that he unpacked. The colors were dark, as she expected them to be, but he never used black. He expressed extreme darkness in grays and greens in shades so dark that even Virginia didn’t know what to call them. The whites were never so stark. No color just was. Faces were a worn yellow; the blush of someone’s cheek could have been used with an orange, and with paintings of the vast outdoors Dmitri managed to sneak in purples and shades of blue in blades of grass and forests. He had a way with colors the same way that Virginia had a way with color. He was right when he said that they were both artists.
On Sunday morning, Virginia woke up to a familiar smell. She could pick up eggs, and bacon, and something else that smelled sweet that she couldn’t quite tell. She was going to guess waffles. Even with a maid and her own personal chef, Virginia gave them some time off so that she could be alone with Dmitri.
Virginia groggily got out of bed. The smell was too enticing to ignore any longer. She made her way down the spiral staircase. Her eyes were still a bit foggy, but she could clearly see a shirtless Dmitri getting better acquainted with the kitchen.
“Good morning,” Virginia said through a yawn. She stretched her arms overhead and twirled her wrists in an attempt to better wake her body up.
“Shit. I knew the smell would wake you. I wanted to bring you breakfast in bed,” Dmitri said. He smiled down at her, and she tiptoed to give him a kiss good morning.
“That’s sweet of you. This all looks delicious,” she said.
“I hope it tastes as delicious as it looks,” Dmitri replied. “I wanted to get an early head start. Today’s an important day for us.”
They both stood awkwardly in the kitchen for a bit. It had been a wonderful few days, but they still hadn’t properly wrapped their minds around the fact that they were getting married in just a few hours. They were both giddy, and nervous, and excited, and curious. They had only dipped their toes into the vast pools of each other’s minds.
The two ate their breakfast in relative silence. They sat on the balcony outside, taking in the late morning New York sun. They were so high up that they couldn’t hear what was happening in the street below. The wind whipped around them. The air was cool, but Virginia could tell her face was warm. She hadn’t been able to stop smiling since Dmitri had come. He was so down to earth and unmoved by how much wealth that she had. He always offered to pay for something if the time came, but she told him not to be silly since he hadn’t actually gotten a job yet.
No matter how calm he made her, or how funny he was, Virginia couldn’t shake the nerves she was feeling. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She wasn’t sure she was ready for this, but there was no turning back now.
*****
The wedding ceremony was simple. Nancy was there as the couple’s witness, and she was more dressed up than either of them. Dmitri wore a simple black button up with black slacks. He almost looked the same as the day they had met. Virginia couldn’t help but melt a little when she saw him. She wore one of her own designs, like she had always wanted for her wedding. It was a short white lace dress with intricate patterns and long sleeves. She wore her hair down adorned with a flower crown that Nancy had picked herself.
Even if the ceremony wasn’t like a traditional wedding, Virginia seemed happy. It wasn’t until they left the courthouse that the true nerves kicked in. There was absolutely no turning back from this point. The only option would be to annul or get divorced. She wanted her private life to stay private, especially if something went wrong, but it would be difficult now with a husband.
“How are you feeling?” Dmitri asked when they had gotten back to her apartment. They hadn’t said much to each other during the car ride, even though they held hands the whole way back.
Virginia wasn’t having doubts, but she was full of worry.
“I feel ok,” Virginia said. Dmitri had a puzzled look on his face. He was searching her eyes for an honest answer. She wasn’t being dishonest, but there were things on her mind she wasn’t sure she could tell him.
“I hope you’ve been having a good day. I never imagined a wedding that quick and painless before. And Nancy said we saved so much on catering,” Dmitri said. Virginia smiled. That certainly did sound like something Nancy would say.
“It’s been a beautiful day. An unexpected day, but it’s definitely a good day,” Virginia said. “I guess I’m worried about the future.”
“Ahh but why worry about the future when right now is when you’re worried?” Dmitri asked. That was an interesting question. It made Virginia stop to think for a while. He was patient, and he waited for her to speak. Virginia looked in his eyes. He stroked the side of her face with the back of his hand and leaned in to kiss her.
It was different from their other kisses. This kiss was filled with passion. His tongue teased hers, and he softly nibbled on her bottom lip. Dmitri’s hands had found her neck and he tilted her head more upward towards his. She held onto his wrists and moved in closer to him.
Virginia’s hands traveled down Dmitri’s arms and onto his firm chest. She paused and felt his breathing as he kissed her. He moved one hand from her neck and ran it down her arm and to her waist. They were sitting on the couch, so she couldn’t press her body against his even though she knew that she wanted to.
As if he were reading her mind, Dmitri very cautiously moved his face forward. They continued to kiss and bite and tease each other until Virginia was lying on her back on the couch. She was becoming more and more turned on when Dmitri’s hands had moved from her waist to her stomach and then very seductively along her thighs.
Virginia sighed when she had a chance to breathe. Dmitri was nibbling on her neck. His hand had traveled to her inner thighs. Virginia spread her legs slightly and let out another soft sigh. She ran her hands through his hair and took a firm grip with both hands. Her soft sighs turned into purrs and light moans as he kissed lower down.
Dmitri was kissing her breasts through her lace dress and his hand had moved up and underneath her dress. She could feel his warm hand on her bare stomach. He snaked up her body with his fingers. His touch was warm and they made Virginia tingle. Her nipples were erect with longing, begging to be licked and squeezed.
Dmitri
once again brought a hand down her body and to her panties. He reached in between her legs, and let out a satisfied grunt when he found that she was wet. He teased the wet spot of her panties with the tips of his fingers, and moved up to play with her clit.
He was now kissing back up her neck and to her cheeks, and then finally her lips. She moaned with pleasure when he moved his hand into her panties to feel how wet she really was. When he slid a finger inside her, her head tilted back and she sucked in a breath. He slid his finger as deep as it would go and kept a slow and steady rhythm. He could feel his wife’s pussy getting more and more wet as he continued to finger her.
“Dmitri…” Virginia moaned. He kissed her cheek and was picking up the pace of his movements a bit. He slid another finger inside her; enjoying the sounds of her wetness, and enjoyed the way she was moaning his name even more. He cupped his hand so that when his fingers went inside of her, the palm of his hand rubbed against her hardened clit. Every movement of his hand brought Virginia a pleasure she had not yet felt before from anyone.
“Yes pet,” he whispered back at her.
For some reason, hearing his voice almost alarmed Virginia. She was so caught up in ecstasy that she forgot that she didn’t really know this person. This man who was now her husband.
She could still feel how amazing his fingers were inside her, and how willing he was to please her sexually, but she couldn’t help but think that this was too soon. She still wanted to know him before the sex and the pleasure.
“Dmitri,” she moaned again, but this time it was to get his attention. He could tell right away by the difference in her tone. He stopped thrusting his finger in and out of her and instead focused on her clit.
“Is everything ok?”
Virginia looked at him and nodded.
“Would you like me to stop?” Dmitri said. He didn’t sound hurt or upset. He sounded concerned. He looked like he was afraid of hurting her. She let him know that he wasn’t causing her any pain, but she also needed to let him know that she wasn’t ready for this.
Take My Hand: BWWM Romance Page 21