by CJ Murphy
Val began to undulate her hips, grinding their centers together and wetness escaped from Laurel. Val slipped a hand between them and entered Laurel, who in turn rode Val’s hand, clenching down on her lover’s fingers. Laurel reached between her own legs with her left hand and brought the soaked fingers to Val’s lips. Laurel felt her greedily suck them into her mouth and tongue each of her fingers along with the diamond ring.
“Like that?” Laurel whispered, smiling.
Val groaned and protested when Laurel removed her fingers, wet them again, and brought them back to her lover’s lips once more. Val tensed, urging her to move up her body.
“Val, your shoulder.”
“It’s fine. Please? I want you in my mouth.”
Laurel could no more deny Val this than deny that she loved her with all she was. She was still worried about causing Val pain. As soon as Val’s tongue hit her center, all thought shattered. She spread her hands on the truck bed and allowed Val to devour her. She felt the soft tongue stroke her and enter her, driving her to release with broad strokes and light flicks over her clit. Her breath quickened. She looked down at Val whose eyes met hers. Her orgasm built. Val again drew her clit in between her lips. Laurel’s body shook and stiffened as the orgasm washed over her.
She threw her head back and cried out into the star-filled sky. Crying one name. The name that meant more to her than life itself. “Val!”
Val changed her stroke to soft passes allowing the climax to be drawn out. Finally, the tremors subsided and Val urged her down and into her arms. Laurel’s rapid breath calmed and the pulse pounding in her chest slowed. After a few minutes, she kissed Val’s chest. “That was incredible.”
“Yes, you were.” Val grinned, raising Laurel’s left hand so that they both could look at it.
Laurel buried her face deeper in Val’s neck. “Not something I expected, Viking.”
“I know. I’m beyond happy you said yes. Every time I came back, I was trying to show you how much you’d come to mean to me. Ree’s crisp is amazing, but it wasn’t what brought me back time after time.”
Laurel rose up on her elbow, staring at her, realizing her love for Val had grown deeper over the years and the need for her had grown larger every time she rode away. “I was so scared when I thought I’d lost you.”
“The accident made me realize I couldn’t keep riding away from you.”
Laurel settled back down into Val’s arms. “What do we do now, Viking?”
“For right now, we lay here and watch this incredible nature show above us. I take a few more pictures and then we make love until we fall asleep.”
Laurel snuggled into Val’s side. “I like that idea. I was thinking a little farther than just tonight. Are you really ready to settle down for good? I have Gram and the store. I can’t take off and follow you.”
Val entwined their fingers. “I’ve never been more ready in my life. I’ve never called any place home before because no place has ever felt like home until I came here. Home is where you and Ree are. I asked her permission to marry you, you know.”
“What?” Laurel tried to sit up, but Val held her tighter. She asked my grandmother? Oh Viking, you never cease to amaze me.
Val chuckled and kissed the top of Laurel’s head. “I said, I asked Ree for her permission to marry you.”
Laurel smiled at the sweet gesture and kissed her. “Thank you, baby, for including her.” She started to think about all the other parts of Val’s life. “What about your work?”
“Ree is a big part of who we are as a family. Now in reference to work, I’ve talked with the magazine. I’ll do a few feature pieces a couple of times a year. I’ll expand the blog and believe it or not, I’ve had requests for more of the post cards we’ve been selling at the store. I can expand the nature shots and maybe sell them to a few of the magazines I’ve submitted photos to over the years. The point is, I have my marine disability, my photography, and blog enterprise. That’s not even mentioning the substantial trust fund that Grandmother Magnusson left me. Our family claim to fame is holding several patents on specific gel inks. The family we create won’t have to worry about money.”
Laurel squinted at Val. Trust fund? She’s never mentioned that. Was she afraid I was a gold digger? “Val, I don’t want your money. I want you.”
Val reached to her side and drew the sleeping bag over them both. She shook her head. “I know that. I didn’t mention it because it’s never been important to me. Most of the time, I don’t even think about it at all. The majority of it I haven’t even touched since I’ve spent most of my life in either the military or on the back of a bike. Now that money can help do a lot for any renovations we would want to the store or the house. I asked you to marry me and you said yes without knowing I had a single dollar to my name.” Val traced her lips. “Once we’re married, that money will be used for building the life I never knew I could have. My grandmother would have wanted that.” She stroked Laurels cheeks with her thumbs and smiled. “Or it will make a nice college and trust fund for our kids.”
Laurel propped herself up on her arms, her mouth fell open. “Our kids?”
Val smirked and tapped the end of Laurel’s nose. “Don’t tell me you don’t want them. I know better. I’ve seen you with the three musketeers. I want them, too. If you don’t want to carry them, then we’ll adopt. There are thousands of kids that need good homes, and we could provide that. You don’t have to decide tonight. I know you and I know me. I also know there’s a five foot nothing spitfire who wants great grandchildren.” She held up Laurel’s left hand. “I’m pretty sure once Ree sees that ring, she’s going to start knitting baby booties and quilting a baby blanket.”
Laurel laughed and rolled to Val’s side, looking her in the eye and kissing her softly. “Valkyrie Vör Magnusson, have I told you how much I love you?”
“Yes, but I could stand hearing it a few million times more.”
Laurel pulled on Val’s hand and encouraged her to roll on top of her. She began a slow smoldering kiss that she knew would lead them back to the edge of ecstasy and beyond.
***
The next morning, Val woke up spooning Laurel’s back. It was warm inside the sleeping bag.
“We’ve got to get up.” Laurel pulled Val’s hand tighter between her breasts.
“I know. Just not ready to go back to the real world. I want to spend a few more minutes with my bride-to-be.”
Laurel raised her hand and gazed at the diamond ring. “How soon were you thinking we should have the wedding?”
Val kissed Laurel’s bare shoulder. “The sooner the better. I’ve spent enough time without you. We need to decide soon so we can give everyone enough notice. Liz and Jo, and my editor, Jenny.”
Laurel turned her head slightly toward Val. “And your mom. I’m not going round and round with Cruella because you didn’t invite her.”
Val snickered at Laurel’s nickname for her mother. “I know. Anyone else on your list?”
“You’ve met the people who are important to me.”
Val stretched and shifted. “I want Jo to stand with me, figuratively speaking. Although she does have that fancy chair she built to help her stand.”
Laurel rolled on top of Val, resting her head on her crossed hands. “Bobeye and his family. Mule, too. Allie can be the flower girl! She’ll love that. I think at six she’ll know what to do, right? The boys can walk with her as our ring bearers. I’ll ask Beth to be my maid of honor, and Liz can be a bridesmaid. Oh, and the crew from the store has to come.”
Val laughed at Laurel’s rapid fire thought process. “Liz and Jo will have a few things to say about me popping the question. They even had a hand in this proposal. Jo went with me to pick out your ring while Liz kept you busy shopping on our last trip.”
“You’re kidding. Those sneaks! I love them both. Thank you for bringing them into my life.” She wrapped her arms under Val’s shoulders, allowing her head to settle just under Val’s chin.
“And I love you, more and more every day.”
Val kissed Laurel. “I love you too. I’m not sure how Jo and I kept a straight face that night.”
They lay together as the sun came up over the horizon, eventually deciding it was time to head to the house to shower and get ready to go to work at the store. They knew both Ree and Beth would be beyond excited, and they wanted to announce their engagement to everyone. That would lead to figuring out a time and place to hold the ceremony. It was a little past seven as they made it back home. Ree and Beth were gone.
Val watched as Laurel stared at the ring on her hand. She drew Laurel’s hand in her own and kissed each knuckle. “Believe it, and this. I’ll marry you today, tomorrow, or whenever you want. I’ll spend the rest of my life waking with you every morning. We’ll laugh and cry together, because a love this strong has no choice but to grow.”
“I love you so much, Val. Unfortunately, if we don’t finish what we came in here for, we’re going to be behind all day.”
They needed to get to the store. Gram would be busy baking pies, and Beth would be running things until they got there. Val wanted to write up yesterday’s adventure for Rider Magazine and work on Maggie May after Wunder finished his shift.
Val smiled as Laurel rested her hand on her thigh while they drove. She kept stealing glances at the sparkling diamond, her heart filled with warmth. She remembered sitting out on the deck with Ree a few weeks ago.
Val raised a glass of lemonade gathering her courage. “Ree, I need to ask you something.”
Ree sat flipping cards on a table in a game of solitaire. “Ask away. Ha! Ace. What can I do for ya?”
Val sat up straight and put her hand on Ree’s arm. “Ree, you know I love Laurel, don’t you?
“Never had any doubt. Ya gonna tell me something I don’t know?”
Val shook her head and laughed. “Ok, how about I want you to know I’m hanging up my rambling boots.” She turned the formidable woman to her. “Ree, I’m asking for Laurel’s hand. I want to spend the rest of my life right here with her and all the rest of you I’ve come to call family. May I have your permission to ask Laurel to marry me?”
Ree narrowed her eyes and smiled at Val. “Well, it’s about damn time.”
Val was stunned. In all the time she’d known Ree, she’d never heard the woman cuss. She broke out into a shaking laugh. After she’d been able to bring herself under control, she hugged Ree. “I have to agree. Now, I’ve got some planning to do.”
“Penny for your thoughts.” Laurel took her hand from Val’s leg and pulled off the leather ball cap. Placing it on her own head, she ran her fingers through Val’s hair.
Val stuck her tongue out. If someone told her seven years ago, she’d be engaged and settling down in the mountains of West Virginia, she’d have told them they’d lost their mind. Here she was, putting down roots in a place where her wife-to-be’s family had been born and raised.
“I was thinking about your roots. They run over a hundred years deep in these mountains. Now here I am, being grafted into this amazing family I never knew I could have. I’m thinking about how damn lucky I am.”
“It’s not just you. I’ve spent most of my life believing I was living on borrowed time, constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.” At that statement Val furrowed her brows and Laurel paused. “Oh, I didn’t curl up in a corner. I just wouldn’t let myself believe I could share my life with anyone. I thought it wasn’t fair, because I might not be able to give them long. And then this tall Viking rode up on a gleaming black Indian. She was decked out in black leather, wearing a million-dollar smile, and that all went out the window.”
“Thank God.” Val laughed and pulled into the store.
They came in the back door so Ree would be the first one they would see. She was leaning over the counter, her hands covered in flour.
“Morning, Gram.”
“Morning, you two. How was the star gazing?” Ree rolled out dough for fried apple pies.
Val walked over and popped a piece of scrap dough into her mouth, trying to hide her grin.
“Pretty spectacular if I do say so myself. Funny thing, one of those stars fell out of the sky as a diamond and ended up right here.” Laurel reached out and put her left hand down on her grandmother’s arm.
Ree’s eyes lit up, and she yelled for joy. “Hallelujah. I got to thinking I was going to have to pop the question for both of ya. Gracious. Oh, honey, I’m so happy for ya.” Ree wrapped her arms around her granddaughter and held her tight. She extended an arm and pulled Val in with them. “I’ve thought of ya like family for a long time, Val. Now ya officially will be.”
Beth walked in and saw the embrace. “Hey, am I missing out on a group hug or what?”
Laurel tilted her head out of the circle, grinned at Beth, and held out her hand.
Beth’s eyes grew wide, and her hand shot to her mouth. “Oh my God, Laurel!” She ran across the kitchen stopping to kiss Val on the cheek before wrapping her best friend up in a hug. They jumped up and down. “Jumping off Seven Island bridge doesn’t hold a candle to this!”
Val couldn’t help but smile. She looked at Ree who had her arms crossed.
“Those two sometimes don’t use the sense the good Lord gave them.” She rubbed Val’s back and went back to rolling out her dough.
Val had to hold the stitch in her side that developed while laughing at Ree’s assessment.
Beth peppered them with orders and questions. “We’ve got so much work to do. We have to plan the wedding and the reception. We have to go shopping. Where are you going to have it? When?”
Val laughed, crossing her arms. “You tell me where to be and the time to be there. If you need help, ask. I have no doubt the two of you will have it in hand.”
Laurel and Beth both turned to Val, hands on hips. “Oh no you don’t. This wedding is yours too.” Laurel squinted at Val. “Your list is coming, trust me.”
Val raised her hands in surrender. “Name it, and I’m on it.”
They spent the rest of the morning and afternoon working at the store. Val had set up a small work area over in the sit-a-spell. Her cellphone rang. She looked at the display and laughed. “Hey, Jo.”
Jo’s voice boomed. “Don’t hey me. Give! What did she say?”
Val fessed up. “What do you think she said? She said yes!”
She could hear Liz yelling in the background over Jo’s congratulations. “Fantastic. When’s the hitchin’?”
“We haven’t set a date yet, but we’re working on it. I imagine it’s going to be an evening ceremony so everyone here can attend if they want. Where, I have no idea. I do have a question for you. You’ll stand with me, won’t you? I’ve already told Laurel I want you to, but I wanted to make the formal request.”
Jo chuckled. “It would be my honor to stand beside you. Someone has to keep you from making an idiot of yourself.”
“Then the job’s yours. She was quite happy with the ring we picked out.”
“Told ya. You let us know the date of this shindig, and we’ll be on our way. Any clue about the dress code yet?”
“Uh, no. That’s Beth and Laurel’s department. I have a list of things that I’m responsible for, although I have yet to see it.”
“We’re so happy for you. I can tell you from experience, there’s nothing like it.”
“Amen to that, Jo. I best go check with the boss of me to see what my marching orders are. I’ll let you know details as soon as I get them. My love to Liz there in the peanut gallery.”
She could hear a faint, “Love you too,” as they said their goodbyes.
Val worked through the day on her story and her postcard venture. Laurel called her into the back for a late lunch, and they ate together around the island. Ree was baking cookies with the biggest smile on her face Val had ever seen.
After lunch, Val went to find Wunder so they could go work on the bike at Bobeye’s garage. Val’s current job was sanding the fenders
Bobeye had painstakingly pounded and rolled out and back into their original form. She laid the fender across her lap and wet sanded the primer. It brought her great satisfaction to be making progress on the bike. Wunder had the engine block out and was working on the cylinders, rings, and pistons. The smell of the grease and oil put her at ease. She was fascinated watching Wunder work. He’d already taken apart the fuel system and replaced anything that couldn’t be fixed. Val had found a site on the internet that specialized in vintage motorcycle parts.
She cleaned her hands and dialed. They knew her by the sound of her voice. “Hey, Terry, I’ve got a few things for you to look for.”
Terry Austin owned Vintage Iron in Boise, Idaho. He was a magician at finding rare motorcycle parts and accessories. Val tried to imagine what the gruff voiced man looked like. He answered in his deep Midwestern accent.
“Hey, Val,” Terry growled. “What impossible to find part are you looking for today? You sure don’t make it easy on a guy.”
She placed an order for a few things and then asked about something special she wouldn’t reveal to anyone until she was sure it could be done.
Val held the phone with her shoulder as she went back to sanding. “You think you can find one in the next few months?”
“I wouldn’t get your hopes up too high. It’ll be a challenge, and it won’t be cheap.”
“You just find it, Terry, and I’ll worry about the cost.” Val always tried to picture the man she’d been doing business with almost once a week for the last month. She could only imagine a hulk of a man typing hunt and peck style on a dirt stained keyboard.
“I’ll see what I can do, Val. How’s the Indian coming?”
“Every day, she’s a little closer. We’re taking our time to do it right.”
“Nothing else would do it justice if you didn’t. I’ll get to work finding what you need. I’ll call you in a few days to let you know if I have any leads.”