Or maybe it was because of Roman.
I held my breath for four hours, wondering when he was going to return. Not that I wanted him to come back. God, no! But the thing was, I didn't know if he would. I was still trying to figure out why he'd shown up at my wedding in the first place. The image of him standing there next to my boss, Shelly, haunted me through the entire reception. Had he somehow shown up with Shelly? Like, was he her date? That would've been a disaster, since Shelly and I shared mutual feelings of strong dislike for each other.
As Kenny and I moved from table to table greeting our guests--and accepting the envelopes that I prayed were filled with lots of money--I kept one eye on the door. And as Kenny and I shared our first “married” meal together, I watched for signs of Roman. Even when we swayed together for our first dance, I positioned Kenny so that when I looked over his shoulder, I could see the door in case I had to make a run for it. But as Kenny and I danced, the only thing I saw was my boss sneaking out after she'd eaten all of my food.
There was no sign of Roman, and for the last hour of the party, I breathed and enjoyed myself, at least with my family. Especially my nephews. Those little boys loved to dance. As I carried James in my arms and held onto Junior's hand, we danced to every Michael Jackson song that the DJ played.
Finally, the reception was over. And to tell you the truth, I was shocked that Roman hadn't appeared again. He hadn't shown up and destroyed my five-hour marriage.
“Okay,” Yolanda, the planner-from-hell, yelled. “Let's line up.” She clapped her hands and screeched some more.
Yolanda gathered the guests and directed them to stand on either side of the door, creating a center aisle for me and Kenny.
“What is this?” I asked Yolanda. This hadn't been part of the plan.
Her lips spread into a sinister smile. “This is a surprise. Something special I put together just for you.” She motioned for me and Kenny to walk down that lane.
When that first grain of rice slapped me on my cheek, I was pissed. Kenny laughed and ducked down as grown men and women tossed rice at us. The guests cheered and I winced. Those morsels felt like lethal weapons every time I got popped on my bare arms or someone hit me with a shot in my face.
I knew a couple of those women were taking direct aim at me. Especially Alexis and Stephanie. The two stood shoulder-to-shoulder with sadistic smiles on their faces and rice piled high in their hands.
But I weathered it all like the champ that I was and as Kenny held my hand, I dragged him as quickly as I could down that torture lane.
“Have a good honeymoon!”
“Wishing you God's blessings.”
“Don't do anything I wouldn't do!”
That last bit of advice came from the wedding planner!
I was more than relieved when Kenny and I stepped out into the hallway, but before I rushed away from everyone, I wanted to say goodbye to the people who mattered to me.
“I'm so happy for you,” Kyla said as she hugged me. “Kenny is a good man. Always remember that.”
She didn't have to worry. I knew that now and I would remember it always. Kenny Larson was a do-right man, better than the hundreds of men I'd met in the club all combined and definitely better than that psycho Roman who, thank God, I would never see again.
I kissed my father, hugged my sister, and wrapped my nephews in my arms.
“Where you going, Auntie?” Junior asked me.
“I'm going on my honeymoon.”
“Can we go with you?” James asked.
I laughed. “No, not this time, but you know what?”
“What?” my nephews said together.
“I'll bring you both back something fabulous!”
“Yay!” James cheered.
“From where?” Junior asked.
“From my honeymoon,” I said. I was still excited about the fact that I was going to some unknown exotic location. Just the thought of that made me want Kenny even more.
I gave my nephew's a final kiss, then took hold of my husband's hand and smiled. He gazed into my eyes like I was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and I was sure that I was.
Now, I was ready to begin our new, wonderful life together.
***
Kenny didn't even let the door to the bridal suite close before his lips were all over me. He smothered me with soft kisses, gentle kisses. And I was caught up in his rapture as he carried me from the hotel's threshold into the bedroom.
It wasn't until he laid me on the bed that my eyes popped open and I pushed him off of me.
“What happened?” he asked, his face crinkled with confusion.
“Nothing, nothing,” I said, as I closed my eyes tightly and tried to push back the images. Dang! How was I supposed to lay down with my husband on the same bed where Roman tried to break my back last night? I hadn't thought this part all the way through because if I had, I would've never let Roman ravish my body in what was supposed to be my bridal bed.
“Jasmine,” Kenny called me away from my thoughts. “What's wrong?”
I had to come up with something quick. “Really, it's nothing. I…I was just thinking that…this is gonna be our first time as man and wife. I want to take it slow. I want it to be special.”
His smile was so full of love that I wanted to take back that lie.
“From the moment you said, 'I do,' this has been special for me. And this,” he pressed his lips against my neck, “and this,” now he went for my nose, “and this!” He ended his words with a kiss and I returned his emotion.
I pushed back every thought, each image I had of me and Roman together in this bed, and it was easy at first because all I wanted to do was love my husband. But as soon as I hit the sheets, it was Roman's lips on mine and Roman's hands on me.
I couldn't take it.
This time, when I sat straight up, I pulled Kenny up with me.
“What the….?”
He didn't get the chance to finish--my lips were all over his. I led him into the bathroom and while we were still connected, I tore the tuxedo from his body as he ripped the dress from mine.
“Why the bathroom?” he asked when our lips parted for just an instant.
“Because we've never done this before. I want us to take our first shower together.”
He grinned. “Kinky!”
Kinky? Not so much! If Kenny only knew the number of men who'd had me in a shower….but it didn't matter. He and I had never done this before, and for me, this was the only time that it would count.
Kenny turned on the water in the over-sized stall to full blast, checked the temperature and then asked, “What about your hair?”
I answered him by pushing him into the shower until he was against the marble wall, and with the shower's rain pelting gently against my back, I knelt before my husband.
He closed his eyes and groaned and moaned and shuddered as if he was a teenager and this was his first time. But he couldn't help it. Kenny didn't know that he was in the hands of an expert. With the skills that came from my years of practice, I showed him how happy I was to be his wife.
We made love in the shower for what felt like hours, until our skin was too pickled to stay there any longer. But Kenny wasn't finished and when he carried me from the bathroom to the bedroom and gently laid me down atop the satin duvet, this time, I was able to enjoy every inch of my husband, every moment of our consummation. Now, I had no thoughts of any other man, no memories of what had gone on in this bed just twenty-four hours before. My thoughts were only of Kenny Larson.
Roman had been washed away in the shower and I was clean…as clean as any virginal bride.
Chapter 8
Lifting my head up just a bit so that I could glance at the clock on the table next to the bed, I was shocked to see that it was already after ten. Had we slept this late?
I couldn't believe it, but I shouldn't have been surprised. What else could either of us do after making non-stop marital love? I grinned--all the men I'd been
with, and the most memorable now was last night with Kenny.
Rolling over, I propped myself up on my elbow and stared at the man who was making it so easy for me to love him again. His lips were parted, just slightly; he slept silently.
My husband!
It was hard for me to believe that it had finally happened. I'd wanted Kenny for so long, had wished for it so much, and now I was lying next to him with a ring on my finger. He looked peaceful. And happy. He slept with a smile that I was glad I'd put on his face.
I could've watched him for the rest of the day, but I knew that we had to get going. Kenny hadn't told me anything about our honeymoon plans--not the time we were leaving nor our destination. But I was sure that we couldn't stay in bed much longer. We had to be leaving for the airport soon.
Last night had been exciting and romantic enough, but now it was time to take this honeymoon up a notch. He had been so secretive; I couldn't imagine where he was taking me. Were we going to be making sweet love on some Caribbean beach? Or kissing under the stars in Hawaii? Or professing our love to each other on the top of the Eiffel Tower?
That last thought may have been a bit of a stretch - there was no way Kenny could afford a trip to Europe. But that was okay…wherever we ended up, we'd be together and I'd get to love my husband all day and all night long in some tropical paradise. I knew this upcoming week was going to be one I would always remember.
Giving my husband a gentle shove, I called his name, “Kenny.”
He didn't move.
“Baby. Come on. We have to get up.”
With his eyes still closed, he stretched a bit in his sleep. Then his eyes opened slowly and his smile widened into a grin.
“Good morning, wife,” he said through a throat that was still filled with sleep.
Now I was the one grinning. “Good morning, husband.” I wasn't big on any contact with my partner before he or I took care of our morning breath issues, but this was one time when it didn't matter. Maybe it was that husband thing, I don't know. But Kenny didn't taste half-bad.
After at least a dozen kisses, I pulled back. “Baby, we have to get up and get going.” Pushing myself from the bed, I stood, excited, ready to get to the real honeymoon. “So, where are we going and what time do we have to get to the airport?”
It wasn't until Kenny's eyes roamed over me that I remembered that I was standing there naked. Inside, I sighed. Really? Did a naked body break all men's concentration so easily? Dang! Women could solve all the world's problems with these kinds of abilities. Just send a delegation of shapely, butt-naked women to negotiate with the heads of state of any foreign country, and the U.S. would have nothing but peace and power.
I laughed.
“What's so funny?” Kenny was still stretched out in the bed, only now his head was propped up as he rested on his elbow.
“Nothing,” I said. I reached for his arm and tried to pull him up. “Come on. We have to get going. What time is our flight?”
But instead of me pulling him up, Kenny snatched me down and I flopped onto the bed.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said.
“What?”
He pulled me into his arms and grinned like he had big news.
Oh, my goodness…were we going to Europe? My heart started beating so fast.
He said, “We're going to begin our life as husband and wife in totally luxury.”
We were going to Europe! Already I was imagining the beaches of Cannes and Nice. Weren't they topless? Oh, if this man was taking me to Europe, I was going to give it to him good! It would take him weeks to recover from the things I planned to do to him on our honeymoon.
He said, “We're going to stay here--in the Ritz Carlton--in this suite. And with room service and this grand bed, we never have to get up and go anywhere!”
It took a moment for my brain to understand what my ears had heard. I pushed myself away from Kenny and stood up and with my hands on my hips.
“Repeat that, please?” because I wanted to give him a chance to take back that lie that he'd just told.
He grinned even wider. “We're gonna stay here, baby. I know how much you love the Ritz.” He sat up. “And all of this,” he spread his arms wide as if he was giving me the world, “all of this is yours for a week. I arranged it with the hotel last month. Isn't this great?”
I didn't even wait a beat. “You have got to be kidding me.”
It was my tone and my stance that probably gave Kenny the first clue that I was not impressed. “Are you serious!” I tried not to shout. “You want me to spend my honeymoon here? In Los Angeles?”
“Not in L.A., baby. Here in the Ritz Carlton. I thought you loved this hotel.”
“I do. And for my honeymoon, I expected to be in a Ritz somewhere in another country.”
He rolled over to the edge of the bed, propped himself up onto his knees and reached for me. But I stepped back, far from his embrace.
“Baby, what's wrong?”
“Are you really asking me that?” I crossed my arms. “Kenny, please tell me that you're kidding.”
He frowned. “I thought you would love this idea. It's not like we'll ever leave the hotel--no matter where we go. So I thought, why not stay here and save the travel time?”
“No, you thought, why not stay here and save the travel money.” My anger was building and I stomped my foot. “Kenny, I told you that I would pay for the honeymoon, but you insisted.”
“Whether you paid or I paid, it wouldn't have made any difference. I thought…I think this is a great idea. You said yourself that this is a beautiful suite.”
“Yeah, for me to spend the night before my wedding and the night of my wedding, but I don't want to spend my honeymoon here.”
He shook his head. “I'm sorry. I thought you'd love this idea as much as I did.”
I glared at him and he held his arms out to me. “Jasmine, babe, come here. I promise you, we're gonna have a good time.” Once again, his glance took in every inch of my nakedness, and I grabbed the coverlet that was tossed over the lounger for decoration, covering as much of my body as I could. Kenny didn't deserve to see me naked.
“Jasmine,” he began as I wrapped myself up, “come on. This is going to be wonderful…I promise.”
I didn't say a word to him. I just stomped out of the room.
“Jasmine!”
I slammed the bathroom door and then stood with my back against it. I could not believe this was happening to me. I was born in L.A., raised in L.A., had gone to college in L.A., and now I was going to spend my honeymoon…in L.A.?
I wasn't the kind of girl who cried; I had been through too much for that. But something came over me now. I wasn't sure if it was the expectation or the disappointment that filled my eyes with tears.
Turning back to the door, I clicked the lock, then dragged myself to the vanity. In the mirror, I stared at my reflection--tearful eyes and a face stretched with sorrow. Definitely, there were many occasions in my life that were more painful than this. But in this moment, at this time, all I could think about was the hurt that I felt right now. Why hadn't Kenny taken the time to plan our honeymoon as he promised? Did he not think I was worth it?
Or maybe it wasn't him at all. Maybe it was all me. Had I just made the biggest mistake of my life? Was I going to be able to live with a man as ordinary as Kenny?
Those questions made me weak, made me crumble to the floor. And now I cried, for real.
***
Hours passed before I unlocked the door and came out of the bathroom, now wrapped in one of the thick, oversized towels. Kenny sat on the edge of the bed, covered by nothing, but his face drooped with the same sadness I felt. I couldn't figure out why he was sad.
“Jasmine, I'm sorry,” he whispered.
I didn't bother to look at him as I searched the bedroom for my overnight bag. Was I going to have to put on the same clothes that I'd worn to the hotel?
This was un-freaking-believable.
; As if he read my mind, Kenny said, “I brought a suitcase from home for you. It's in the closet.”
I could have said thank you, but I didn't even have that many words inside of me for him. I stomped to the closet, rolled out the suitcase, hoisted it onto the lounger, and unzipped the bag.
My first thought when I looked inside was, “This fool done brought me somebody else's clothes.” Kenny sidled up behind me and I cringed as he pressed his desire for me against my behind and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Baby, I'm sorry, but I was thinking about better ways to spend our money. So one of the things I did was go out and buy you a couple of new outfits.” He chuckled a bit, though he didn't sound too happy. “Actually, I didn't pick out a thing, so you don't have to worry about that. This suitcase is filled with all new clothes that Kyla, Alexis, and Stephanie picked out for you.”
My first thought was there was not one of the three who I would've taken shopping with me. Yes, Kyla was my best friend, and we would be cool forever, but the girl dressed like a boring doctor's wife. And Alexis and Stephanie? Please. I wouldn't ask them to buy me a bag of rocks.
Kenny whispered in my ear. “Really, baby. I put a lot of thought into all of this. I was trying to make you happy with surprises for you all through the week. This is the first one.”
Okay, so at least he had thought about something. First I pulled out a gorgeous purple oversized top with major Dynasty-style shoulder pads and an acid-washed denim mini-skirt. I loved it. With each new top, and pair of jeans, and Members Only jackets I pulled out of the suitcase, another tear was wiped away. I couldn't believe Kyla and her buddies had done right by me.
He said, “Do you see anything you like?”
Was he kidding me? I loved every single thing in this suitcase, but I wasn't about to admit that because fabulous clothes did not make up for the fact that I'd still be spending my honeymoon in L.A.
“There are a few things that are okay,” I said, trying hard to be nonchalant. I mean, don't get me wrong: I'd been given much nicer, much more expensive things by any number of my dates. But this all did feel really special coming from Kenny. I just didn't want him to know that yet.
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