by J. G. Sumner
“Oh God, you feel so good. You’re so wet.” Tony throws his head back, exposing more of that sexy neck of his. I welcome the opportunity to bite down on it and slowly move up and down on the manhood that’s begging for my attention.
He pulls his head forward and brings his hands to my face. His gaze bores into mine with such intensity and need. It ignites a fire in my body, and I want nothing more than to stoke it.
“Your pussy is fucking magic. I don’t know how you do it, but you’ve managed to put me under your spell. I don’t ever want you to let go of the hold you have over me.”
With that, I increase my speed and rhythm. Tony moves his hands to my bottom and guides me up and down, creating the right amount of friction. The tension is mounting, and I know my release is coming. Tony bites my nipple through my dress, sending me into a spiral of pleasure. My heart is pounding and my breathing is rapid. I hold back the scream that aches to escape. Tony continues to move me up and down, milking the ride I’m on until it comes to completion. He increases the rhythm, moving me up and down faster until he finds his own release. He lets out a guttural moan as his eyes roll into the back of his head. I kiss and suck on his neck until his breathing slows and his heart no longer feels as though it’s going to jump out of his chest.
We gaze into each other’s eyes. Our attraction is magnetic. Perhaps it’s the endorphins running rampant through my body. Maybe it’s the alcohol that’s gone to my head. Either way, I can’t contain the feelings I have for this man. “I love you, Tony Bertalucci.”
Tony’s lips meet mine as he pulls me into him. He parts my lips with his tongue, crashing into me like a tidal wave. He claims ownership of my mind, body, and soul. We are united as one. I can’t get any closer to him if I tried. I’m his and he’s mine. The rest of the world fails to exist in this very moment.
The car comes to a stop and I look up to see we’re at our destination. The driver exits the car. I quickly jump off Tony and adjust my dress. Tony zips up his pants, grabs my undies, and sticks them in his pocket just as the driver opens our door. My cheeks burn, and it’s as though I’m standing inches from a bonfire. I can only imagine how red they are. I may be embarrassed, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. It’s fun living on the wild side.
Tony takes my hand and assists me out of the car as we head into the park. There are tons of people out today. Some are running, others walking their dogs, or lying in the grass reading a book. The flowers are in bloom and are a vast array of colors. This is my favorite time of year in Central Park. It’s so green and lush. There’s no place in the world like it.
As we walk along the sidewalk, a horse drawn-carriage approaches. Tony hails it and ushers me in. This is another first for me. I’ve never been in one. I’ve always wanted to, but never wanted to go alone. Previous boyfriends thought it was corny and refused to go with me. Needless to say, I’m thrilled I finally get the opportunity.
The sun is starting to set and this is probably one of the most romantic moments of my life. I’m savoring every second of it. The clicking of the horse’s hooves, the smell of the flowers in the air, and the bustle of people around make a magical experience that leaves me feeling like a princess. The ride lasts about an hour and ends beside the limo. As Tony helps me out of the carriage, the driver hands me a single red rose. Attached to the stem is a note. I unwrap the paper, eager to find out what it says.
Before I met you, I saw the world in black and white. You’ve brought color into my life, much the way spring and summer provide life to this park. I only hope I can give you half of what you have given to me. Make your way to the life of the city—Times Square.
We climb back into the limo. Contentment steals my heart. I take Tony’s hand in mine and squeeze. He plants a tender kiss on the top of my head and lingers for a bit. We take most of the ride in silence and look out the window at the world around us. It’s surreal; the bubble has returned. If I could live here in this moment forever, I think I would.
After a while, I note the driver isn’t taking the most direct route to Times Square. It’s starting to get dark and fatigue is setting in. As much as I’ve enjoyed this day, the hangover I had this morning is rearing its ugly head and my headache has returned.
“Where are we going?”
Tony pulls me into him. “I asked the driver to give us a little more time before we get there. I thought it would be nice to just enjoy the tour alone in the back of the limo.”
As tired as I am, Tony has worked really hard to make this a special day, and I don’t want to ruin it. I rest my head on his shoulder and close my eyes just for a few moments. I reflect on the adventures of the day and end up nodding off. I’m not sure how long I was out. It seems like only seconds, but who knows. Tony nudges me awake.
When I open my eyes and focus, I see darkness has settled in. The buildings are lit up with an array of colors almost as if it’s Christmas time. Tony opens the sunroof and encourages me to stand up. I try to refuse, but he won’t let me. Tony pulls me up and before I know it, both of us are standing up with our bodies half out of the car. The warm air is blowing through my hair. We’re in Times Square. It’s busy, and there are people everywhere. It’s awesome to be in the car and not walking through the craziness. We’re laughing, and the smile on my face is so big that my cheeks are aching. This is the life I was meant to live. I was almost deprived of the excitement and happiness. Tony gave that to me. He brought out a side of me I didn’t know existed and may have never found without him.
Traffic forces the car to come to a stop. Tony points and my gaze shifts to the well-known billboards defining Times Square. Each one of them have a separate word:
Kate, will you marry me?
I stare at the signs, waiting for the realization to settle in. I know the question is meant for me, but I’m not ready to believe this is really happening. I’d been with Mike for five years before we got engaged. I’ve known Tony for a year and a half, and most of that time he was gone. Is it too soon? Am I ready to go down this path again? I ponder for a minute before looking away from the sign and giving my full attention to Tony. He’s smiling and holding a very large heart-shaped diamond ring.
“I’d get down on my knee, but then you wouldn’t be able to see me.” He lets out a nervous laugh, and his lip quivers despite his attempt to smile. “Before you, I never knew what love was. You’ve brought meaning to my life, and you fill my heart with joy and happiness. You’re the smartest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I want to spend the rest of my days protecting you and making you happy. Will you do me the honor of choosing to spend your life with me?” His hands begin to shake as he carefully pulls the ring out of the box.
He’s clearly as nervous as I am, but he seems so sure. He wants me. Flashbacks of Mike proposing pop in my head. His wasn’t nearly as meaningful. He basically pulled out a ring and said we’ve been together so long we should make it official. It was almost as if it were a requirement. Tony’s words are sincere. His body language suggests I’m the one he wants, but what do I want? I glance into the emerald eyes staring back at me, his quirky sideways grin, and that beautifully sculpted chest that shows through his shirt. I love this man. I love everything about him. That year we were apart was agony. I can’t ever imagine being away from him that long again. I love that he’s the last thing I see when I go to bed and the first thing I see in the morning. Suddenly, I know the answer. His eyes lure me into a trance and before I know it, I’m crying, “Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you!”
Tony connects his lips to mine as though they’re searching for the life that only I can provide. I melt as he pulls me into his arms. Electricity surges through my nerves, causing goose bumps to rise on my flesh even though I’m warm from the inside out.
Tony severs the connection, takes my hand, slides off the ring he gave me in Italy, and places the new one on my finger. It fits perfectly.
“The ring my father gave my mother helped provide them with a lif
etime of happiness and memories. My father was poor when he purchased it. I wanted to have the same symbolism and meaning in your ring. That’s why it’s heart-shaped like my mom’s. It’s three carats. On the inner band, our names are inscribed. We’ll have the date of our wedding put on it when we pick one.”
My heart is melting and oozing love for this man. He’s thought of everything, and is the hopeless romantic I’ve always dreamed of. I’m a princess; he’s my prince. Fairytales do come true. I throw my arms around Tony, and nuzzle into the crook of his neck. Tears of joy escape my eyes.
Tony pulls back and wipes the rogue tears from my face. “Baby, don’t cry. Only happiness comes from here on out.” He gently kisses the tip of my nose and presses his warm, soft lips to mine. I want to stay in this moment forever. Unfortunately, the people blasting car horns around us have other ideas. I look and find our limo is stopped in the middle of the road. There’s no traffic in front of us, but there are some very angry drivers behind us who are eager to pass.
Tony begins to laugh and ducks back down into the car. “Stay there!” he calls out. Emotions swirl through my mind. I’m giddy and excited, yet nervous about being in the middle of Times Square with some obviously unhappy people. Tony pops back through the sunroof with a bottle of Dom Perignon. While he shakes it, he screams from the top of his lungs, “My beautiful Kate has agreed to marry me! She’s going to be my wife!” Tony pops the cork and champagne flies everywhere. Onlookers from the street begin to cheer and clap. I laugh at his exuberance and excitement.
Champagne is raining down on us like fairy dust, and the moment feels so much more magical if that’s even possible. Tony grabs another bottle and two glasses from inside the car and pours one for each of us. He pats the top of the car and the driver proceeds forward, although well under the speed limit. It allows us to continue to stand up and celebrate the first few moments of our engagement while driving through one of the most magical parts of the city.
Tony hands me a glass and begins his toast. “To a lifetime full of happiness, wonderful memories, and firsts. There’s no one I’d rather take this adventure with.”
Is it possible that God created the perfect human? If so, he’s standing in front of me.
Chapter Eleven
Kate
I wake up secure in Tony’s arms. I know by his steady breathing and heart rate that he’s still asleep. I quietly sneak out of bed and run to the bathroom. My bladder feels as though it’s going to explode. When I’m done, I crawl back into bed and reach for the phone on the nightstand. I’m eager to text Kendall and inform her of my new relationship status. Much to my dismay, she already knows. There’s a message clearly stating how unhappy she is that she had to find out from the news instead of me calling her right away.
My heart pounds as I desperately search the internet to find out what information has been spilled. It doesn’t take too long to find it. It seems every local news agency has my picture plastered over their website. Crap! This means my parents know too.
I read one of the articles that summarizes the events in Times Square. They even have a picture of Tony placing the ring on my finger. I gasp, reading Tony’s name in the news. We’ve tried to keep our relationship private to prevent people from finding us. Now, it’s out there for God knows who, including the green-eyed monster, if he chooses to surface.
My parents. What about them? This is a horrible way to find out about the engagement. I need to call them. As it was, they weren’t very excited when Tony came back. They initially wanted to blame him for what happened. It took a lot to convince them it wasn’t his fault. Tony also met with my dad privately on a few occasions to ensure that my safety was his top priority. Since then, my dad has been okay with him, but I don’t think this will go over well.
I climb back out of bed to make the necessary phone calls without waking Tony up. I dial my parents first. This has got to be killing them. I can’t believe they haven’t already tried to get ahold of me. My mom answers the phone after only two rings.
“Katherine, I’m so glad you called.” She sounds ecstatic. “I think congratulations are in order.”
“Thank you?” I’m surprised by mom’s reaction. Why isn’t she angry she didn’t hear the news from me? What’s going on?
“So, were you surprised? Was it everything you wanted it to be? Where’s that future son-in-law of mine?”
I’m perplexed. This is definitely not the reaction I expected. I’m still hesitant, but I’m going to go along with this. “Yeah, I didn’t expect it. Tony gave me the most romantic proposal ever.” I’m gushing now. “It was like a fairytale. He’s so amazing.”
“Oh, I’m so happy for you. I know that we were concerned about him at first, but when he came over and asked Daddy for your hand…”
“He did what?” I’m floored. I can’t believe Tony did that. When did he do it?
“Tony didn’t tell you? He came over last week and asked Dad for your hand in marriage. He was very respectful; he’s such a considerate young man. You know Mike never did that.”
I have a smile beaming across my face. I fight the urge to jump for joy. I’m so proud of Tony and couldn’t be happier we’ve garnered my parents’ approval. All the stars are aligning. I’m very optimistic about our future. “I had no idea. Everything came out of left field.”
“You’ve got a great guy. I can see why you fell in love with him. I want to throw an engagement party. It’s time the world meets my daughter’s fiancé.”
Oh Lord. I should’ve known this was coming. I really don’t want a party, but I spend the next ten minutes listening to all of her plans. Clearly she’s been thinking about this since Tony’s visit. I stare out the window at the people walking below while she continues to ramble on about this elaborate party with a guest list that easily adds up to four hundred people. I’m pleasantly surprised when Tony comes from behind and wraps his arms around my waist. He kisses my neck, causing goose bumps on my arms and neck. He moves his hands up to my breasts and begins to fondle my nipples. I want to giggle, but at the same time, I’m becoming aroused.
“Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you later.” I hang up the phone without waiting for her to respond. I throw the phone down, turn around, and jump on Tony, wrapping my legs around his waist. I plant my lips to his and take control of his mouth. Somehow knowing that he won over my parents has made me happy and really turned on. This man is mine, and I’m never letting go. Never. I hold on for dear life.
Tony pushes me up against the window and pulls up my nightie. I use my feet to pull down the shorts he slept in, springing loose the part of him I want most at this moment. I wrap my legs around his waist again and hold on as Tony pushes inside of me. He pins me against the window and takes his time thrusting in and out. I squirm in an attempt to get more and to find that spot that makes my world spin out of control.
He takes his fingers and applies pressure to the bundle of nerves that can unwind me. Our lips are locked and I feverishly search for the gratification only Tony can provide. Just when I think I have control, Tony takes over my mind, body, and soul. I’m his again and will do whatever he asks or wants. I’m completely wrapped around his finger.
Tony pulls away from my mouth and bites down on one of my nipples. It drives me insane, and I spiral into ecstasy as Tony finds his own release. I throw my head back against the window in an attempt to catch my breath. The hold this man has over me is beyond comprehension. All I know is there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t want to be with him, and every moment we spend together, I love him that much more. Oh, yeah. I made the right decision. If I had any doubts about marrying him before, I don’t now. This man owns every part of my being, and I love it.
When we’ve both recovered, Tony sits me down. He holds on a few seconds extra to let me get my bearings. It’s a good thing because I’m a little light-headed, and when he finally lets go, I’m weak in the knees.
“Why didn’t you tell me you asked my da
d?”
“I don’t know. It’s not something I thought about last night. I was just so happy you said yes. For a minute there, I wasn’t sure what you were going to do. It looked as though you might run for the hills. I’m glad you chose otherwise.” Tony brushes the hair off my face.
“I was just reflecting on everything we’ve gone through since the first day on that train. Who knew then I’d be standing here engaged to you? The handsome man with the emerald green eyes I was drooling over.”
Tony flaunts that gorgeous crooked smile. “Drooling? I must’ve missed that.”
I laugh. “Okay, maybe not, but you definitely caught my eye.”
Tony glances at his watch. “What would you like to do today?”
I remember that I haven’t told Kendall yet. She’s probably chomping at the bit and waiting by the phone for me to call. I’m sure she’s chewed on every one of her manicured fingernails. She’s not going to be nearly as receptive as my parents were about hearing about my engagement from the news. “I need to call Kendall. Maybe we can all go out and have a celebratory dinner.”
“I’d like that. I’m sure Jasper would be happy to give me some crap for finally throwing in the towel and settling down.”
“Why is that?”
“When we were in college, we were serial daters. We always joked that neither one of us would ever get married. Until I met you, I’d never even had a serious relationship. I don’t think Jasper has either. The single life was a lot of fun, and we were fine with it.”
A pang forms in my gut as I think about all the women they must’ve gone through. “So, what changed?”
Tony wraps his arms around my waist and looks into my eyes. “You—you changed everything. Until we met, there wasn’t anyone who could strike my fancy. I’m not sure how you did it, but you had me wrapped around your finger after only a few days. That night at the Duomo in Florence, I knew that I was hooked. There was no going back; you owned my heart. I’m a much better person for it.”