by Laura Burton
“That was the world’s fastest shower,” she said between breaths. She had to gasp for air after laughing so hard. “Why are you wearing a face cloth?”
David’s face grew crimson red as he clutched the towel protecting what was left of his modesty.
“There aren’t any towels in the bathroom.” He sidled toward the closet. Grinning sheepishly at her, Emily roared. In fact, she laughed so hard, she creased over clutching the splitting pain in her side as she fell onto the bed.
“You look––”
“Sexy?”
Emily eyed him. His body glistened in the golden sunset streaming through the windows, which softened the lines of his muscles. Yes, he did look sexy. But the miniscule square of cotton had her rolling around on the bed with laughter again.
“That is the funniest thing I’ve seen all year!” She sat up and looked down at the dress laying discarded on the bed. David disappeared behind the door of the closet and Emily took the opportunity to pull on the dress in a swift movement. She was bending her arms back like a contortionist when David reappeared, this time with a large white towel wrapped around his waist. Suddenly, the sight of him was far less amusing and a lot more thrilling.
“Do you need help with that?” His voice was low and silky as he swaggered across the room, toward her. Emily’s cheeks warmed as she eyed him, closing the space between them.
“I’ve managed to dress myself perfectly well for the last twenty-five years,” Emily said defiantly as her fingers slipped over the zipper. David rolled his eyes and ran his hand through his wet hair.
“Turn around,” he said with a sigh. Emily gulped. She lowered her hands and slowly spun to face away from him.
Two hands gently grasped her dress from the back and pulled as the zipper rose to her neck.
“There,” David whispered softly. He swept her hair away from her neck, and the touch of his lips against her skin sent shivers down her spine. Emily turned around and looked up at him. She wondered if his skin was on fire; the heat radiating off his body flooded her senses and she bit her lip against the rush of excitement growing within her.
It would have been so easy to throw her arms around his neck and give into her instinctive urges.
“We got married today,” David’s low voice vibrated through Emily’s body. She inhaled the menthol from his body wash and held her breath.
“Sorry Mr. and Mrs. Marks, the door was ajar. I did knock.”
Emily and David jumped away from each other and looked in the direction of the apologetic voice by the door. A short elderly man dressed in a black suit bowed to them both.
“Martin. It’s great to see you again,” David said as he strolled over to the man. Martin’s face creased as he grinned back. Neither of them appeared to be abashed by David’s towel sarong.
“And you, Mr. Marks. Congratulations, we were all very happy to hear about your news.” He beamed at Emily, which she took as a cue to walk up to him.
“Hello,” she said as she held out her hand. Martin hesitated and glanced at David for approval before he tentatively took her hand. “Please, call me Emily. It’s nice to meet you, Martin.” The look of surprise on Martin’s face told her that it was not common for the service staff to be spoken to so directly. He gave a furtive look at David who nodded reassuringly.
“Thank you, Mrs… Emily.” He cleared his throat after they shook hands and turned back to David.
“I have come to tell you that the party is about to begin.”
David and Emily exchanged looks.
“I thought it wasn’t going to start for another hour, at least.”
Martin shuffled his feet and looked to the floor. “Mrs. Marks… senior, is anxious to begin, now that her guests have arrived.”
David nodded to him and Martin slowly vacated the room, closing the door behind him. David turned to Emily.
“I guess we need to be quick, then.” He grasped her hands but she stepped away, keeping a safe distance between them.
“David,” she said in a warning tone. Despite her attempt at giving him a hard look, a bubble of laughter escaped her lips. David rubbed the back of his neck and grinned, his face flushed with color.
“Right. I’m going to touch up my hair and make-up in the bathroom while you get dressed.” She wagged a finger at him as she spoke and pointed at the clothes lying on the bed.
“You sure I shouldn’t go down like this?” David asked, sashaying his hips side to side with a grin. The towel loosened and he grabbed it just before it fell. Emily threw her head back and laughed as she marched to the bathroom. She turned and just before she closed the door, caught David’s eye, still grinning at her with his head tilted to the side. Her heart swelled.
As Emily did the finishing touches to her make-up, there was a knock on the door. A young woman dressed in uniform politely offered to take her to David, who had gone down to meet the guests. Emily slipped on her favorite pair of Jimmy Choo shoes, secured the sunflower necklace around her neck, and followed the woman out of the room.
The sky was dark, but the blanket of darkness gave way to a huge mass of twinkling stars. Emily was overwhelmed the moment she stepped out into the veranda. There was a large crowd of well-dressed men and women talking together in quiet tones. A string quartet played in front of a large fountain, and servers walked around the guests with silver platters, handing out drinks and appetizers. Emily craned her neck to catch a sight of David, but could not see him anywhere. None of the guests appeared to be aware of her arrival; she was able to turn and follow the small path toward the summer house unnoticed. Perhaps David was speaking to his grandmother. As she rounded the corner to the home, the screeching birds alerted her arrival.
“Is that you, Emily?”
Emily peered through the dim lighting to see a tall figure walking toward her. The person stooped down and kissed her on the cheek. Emily thought for a moment it was David, but the bristles of his beard gave him away.
“Edward, where is Catherine?”
“She’s off talking to the Sultan of wherever. He’s a fan of the opera, you see.” He offered his arm. “Walk with me?” Even though he said it like a question, he did not wait, but began to walk them down toward the aviary. Emily slid her hand into the crook of his arm and took care not to land on any cracks in the path.
“My brother has good taste,” Edward said silkily. His teeth glowed white as he grinned at her. Emily wondered if he was trying to pay her a compliment. “I hope you understand, when I first heard about your marriage, I was concerned.”
“Oh?” Emily tried to sound innocent, but part of her was beginning to panic. Here we go. She had a feeling someone in the family wouldn’t buy their situation.
“I know my baby brother, and he doesn’t make a decision… quickly.” Edward appeared to be choosing his words carefully. Emily remained quiet, sensing he had more to say. “When we were kids, and we’d go to the zoo, David would agonize for ages over what toy to get in the gift shop. I remember he spent forty minutes unable to choose between a giraffe plushie and a tiger yo-yo.” He chuckled. “Father told him he could get both, of course, but David follows rules. He was supposed to choose.”
Emily chewed her lip with a nervous smile. Getting married in secret, out of the blue, would be weird behavior from most people. But for David, clearly, this was totally out of character. Add to that, the fact it would scupper his brother’s inheritance, it was a sticky situation. Emily surreptitiously looked around the garden for David’s familiar form. Or anyone, for that matter.
“Yes, David used to be indecisive, but now not so much,” she said thoughtfully as walked further into the garden. Edward gave an awkward laugh.
“Touché,” he said. “I can see why he’s so fond of you.”
He stopped walking and Emily dropped her hand and stood away from him a little. The evening chill had her holding her arms.
“I’m just curious,” Edward said. His voice had a dangerous tone to it. She knew th
ose three simple words were going to lead to difficult questions. She stiffened and held her breath. The party of guests were well outside of earshot now, and David was nowhere to be seen. Emily wondered whether to feign illness or run away screaming. Instead, she stood rooted on the spot.
“Why would David lie to his dying grandmother, telling her that he just got married?”
There it was. The words smacked her in the face as if he physically hit her. Emily’s brain went into overdrive. She set her jaw and reverted back to her training. Difficult conversations happened all the time at work. Heartbroken women weeping in her office, over the callous men who had convinced them of their love, only to find they were dating several women at the same time. Furious men who were stood up. The complaints were endless. She imagined that Edward was just another dissatisfied client who needed to be dealt with professionally. The first step; validation.
“You’re right,” she said firmly. Edward stood immobile, but the twitch of his head told her he was listening. She took a breath and resolved to tell the truth—sort of. “David and I were not married when he told the family. I think it’s like you say, he doesn’t usually jump into anything too quickly. He didn’t want the family to change his mind.”
“Why would we––”
“Let me finish,” Emily said curtly. Edward closed his mouth and folded his arms. This gave her more confidence. “It was a whirlwind, I’ll grant you that.” That was the truth. “But when you know, you know.”
“So, I’m supposed to believe that this is all about love at first sight, and nothing to do with my grandmother’s inheritance? You are aware, I presume, that now David is married, he will receive a portion of her estate?”
“Careful, it sounds like you’re accusing your brother––”
“Maybe I’m more suspicious of you and your intentions,” Edward cut in.
“Are you calling me a––”
“Desperate gold-digging woman who saw an opportunity and––”
Whack. Edward stopped talking and moaned, as something––or someone, had punched him on the cheekbone.
“Stay away from my wife. You don’t have any right.” David’s words set a fire alight within Emily and she couldn’t stop her face from breaking into a smile. David and Edward had a silent standoff, their shoulders squared and fists clenched. Their eyes glinted dangerously in the lighting. Emily wasn’t sure if they were going to fight or walk away.
“I was only congratulating Emily on joining the family. She seems very happy—considering the circumstances.”
David raised his fist, but Edward lifted his palms up in defeat.
“All right, I’m going. But this isn’t over.”
“Oh, yes it is,” Emily said with her hands on her hips. She gave him a steely stare. A triumphant smile flashed across Edward’s face and his eyes flitted between David and Emily. It was as if this moment was part of his plan. Why would he be pleased? Emily wondered as she watched him wave a hand and walk away without another word. David turned and pulled Emily in for a tight hug.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” His voice was smooth and gentle again. Emily broke away and looked at him.
“I was okay, you know. I can stand up for myself.”
David laughed. “I know,” he said as he took her hand, and they walked farther down the path away from the house. “But what he said was––”
“Absolutely true,” Emily said simply. David stopped walking, Emily followed and turned to him. “When you came in and told me you needed a wife, it couldn’t have been at a more convenient time. If I believed in that sort of thing, I would have called it Fate.”
“But you weren’t looking for my money….”
“Maybe not, but you were the key to getting those investors onboard. And I put my ambition ahead of your feelings. I owe you an apology for that. I’m sorry.”
David clutched her hands and pressed them to his lips. The heat of his breath against her skin took out the chill in the air and Emily was basking in his warmth.
“You never need to apologize for anything,” he said in a low voice. His eyes darted left and right, and Emily wondered if he wanted to say something; if he had, then he appeared to decide against it.
“I want to show you something,” he mumbled and they started walking again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sweet, tender mercies
“Shouldn’t we be getting back to the party?” Emily asked, as they hurried farther down the winding path. David’s heart was pounding so fast he could hear it in his ears.
“I’m not going to subject you to anymore interrogations,” he replied. The path ended and they were walking on sand now. Emily stopped for a moment to take off her shoes.
“But your grandmother––”
“She’ll be fine. She’s enjoying the music and the sound of everyone having fun.” David looked over at Emily, her dress flowed out at the waist and the tight bodice accentuated her curves. The sunflower necklace stood out in the dark of the night, a flash of yellow, like a line of stars on her neckline.
“My brother and I would make a den down here. There’s a cave farther along the shore.”
He watched Emily take in the scene before them. The moonlight flooded the still water to make it look glassy and palm trees stood like shadows in the sky. David swayed as the air moved with the tide. The water eased in and out as if the ocean were breathing. He watched Emily close her eyes and inhale deeply, taking in the salty, sea-air.
“Well, this is magical,” Emily mused, opening her eyes. They glowed like two moons. David had the urge to cradle her face with his hands and kiss her. He let go of her hand and took his shoes and socks off. Emily dropped her shoes on the sand and pulled something out of her hair. The bun unraveled and her wavy hair fell in a swift motion to her waist.
“Come on.” Emily picked up the ends of her dress and ran toward the water. David raised his brows as he watched her dipping her toes in and spinning around in circles. She was a beautiful silhouette, dancing in the water. He removed his jacket and tie and followed her.
“Here, you need to cool down,” Emily said as she splashed him, dropping the skirt of her dress. The water was like tiny daggers against his body; he shuddered. David thrust his hand in the water and showered Emily from head to toe.
The two of them playfully splashed one another and ran around in the shallow water for some time. David’s cheeks hurt from laughing and smiling so much, but he didn’t care. Within minutes, the two of them were soaked from head to toe and the cold air had them both shivering.
“You see, this is why I love you.”
The words escaped David’s lips before he could register them. Emily stopped splashing and stood still, staring at him.
“You love me?” she asked.
David’s defenses fell away. He had never been sure of anything in his life, always second-guessing everything, always wondering if he was doing what was “right.” But being with Emily felt natural—who he’d been missing all along. Even in all the chaos, the lies, the politics… Emily made him feel grounded, safe, and sure.
“I want to make this work,” he said as he took her hand. He held it to his chest and stared at her imploringly. There was no time to wonder if she would freak out and reject him. Or if he was being too forward. They got married, didn’t they? She agreed to that. They’d spent more time together in the last few weeks than he ever had with his family. Yet, it wasn’t enough. He wanted more time with her. He never wanted to be away from Emily again.
“Do you think we can?”
David crouched and lifted her up in his arms. She cried out in shock from the cold, and laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?” she asked through giggles. David carried her easily, walking back toward the house.
“Isn’t it tradition for a man to carry his bride over the threshold?”
“Wait––wait. Put me down,” Emily ordered. David lowered her and she stood eyeing
him carefully. “You mean it? You want to be married to me, for real?”
She sounded hopeful. David thought his thumping heart might burst out of his chest.
Yes, for real. I’m never letting you go.
“If you will have me.”
Emily grabbed David’s neck and pulled him down. He happily allowed it, and Emily captured his lips with a kiss. All the barriers that had kept them apart, came crashing down as the two of them explored each other. They broke away gasping and Emily grinned at him.
“You were saying something about a threshold?”
David picked her up again, the two of them laughing and he practically ran back up to the house.
David woke up in a state of confusion. What day was it? Why was he aching in places he didn’t know could ache? Why was he ravenously hungry? Where was his shirt? He rubbed his eyes and sat up in the four-poster bed and looked around the room. Had he been dreaming? Was last night an extension of his previous fantasies?
Weak sunlight poured in through the white curtains and he stared at the black gown, water-stained and creased, laying on a chair by the window. He blinked away the sleep in his eyes and looked at the bathroom door as it opened. Emily walked in, her cheeks were rosy and her hair was completely wild. Curly, wavy, and frizzing at the hairline. She paraded around barefoot in a blue shirt that came to her knees.
“Hey, that’s my favorite shirt,” David said with feigned indignance.
“Oh I’m sorry, I had no idea.” She sauntered over to the bed. “Do you want it back?”
“Yes, I do,” David said, he no longer cared about his aches and pains. Emily placed her hands on her hips and gave him a mischievous smile.
“Well, you’ll have to come and get it.”
David threw the sheets off and crawled across the bed like a lion.