Chapter 14
“This isn’t going to hurt”, Dr. Li-Yung’s soft voice was barely audible, but the gentle tones didn’t take any of the fear away. The trans-vaginal ultrasound dildo, which the doctor insisted was called a wand, was pointed right at Aurora. There was no way she wanted to have that scary-looking thing inside of her. Of course, everything seemed scarier when you’re in the stirrups.
Aurora closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, but then nothing happened. She opened one eye and noticed that the doctor had left the room. She could hear him out in the hall talking on the phone. His secretary was out sick today. Aurora let her head fall back onto the wax paper that covered the exam bed.
“Am I late?”
Aurora’s eyes flew open at the sound of Lance’s voice. She was speechless, and just staring up at him. There was no way to try and look cool now. She had been crying since leaving Lydia’s apartment, although it had been a gentle sob, the constant stream of tears had done a number on her face. Not to mention that there is no way to look good in stirrups.
“Just give me a minute”, Lance said to the doctor as he closed the door to the room.
“I need him in here”, Aurora snapped. “I can’t stay like this all day”.
“I’m sorry, but you’ve been dodging me for weeks and I am not about to let this opportunity pass me by”. Lance laughed to try and lighten the mood, but Aurora was not ready to joke about this. She turned her head toward the wall.
“Okay”, Lance sighed. “I get what you’re saying. You need to be more than my mistress, and it just so happens that…uh…that, that works for me”. Lance’s silver tongue seemed to be failing him. Aurora had never heard Lance stammer.
“What are you saying?” Aurora needed more from Lance. “Do those words mean something to you? I don’t want to be your mistress and that works for you, great so than what am I?”
“I am choosing you”, Lance said as the doctor pushed through the door. “Can we have another minute, please?!”
“Whoa!” Aurora’s eyes went wide as the probe was inserted in a less than gentle manner. “See what you did?!” She sneered at Lance who put both of his hands up.
Though it was rough, Dr. Li-Yang reassured Aurora that everything was all right, and the baby was very healthy. The doctor also gave the pregnant woman her first baby picture.
“It looks like an alien”, Lance said as he looked over Aurora’s shoulder.
“I have to get dressed”, Aurora commanded Lance pointing to the door. He protested for a second, but he left.
Pants back on, Aurora looked out the door to see if she could make a run for it. Lance had the place sealed off. He was waiting by the desk, and Anthony had the front door covered. She closed the door and took a deep breath.
Opening the door widely this time, Aurora came out into the main office walking like she had a purpose. She was heading for the door. Her plan was just to walk straight through Anthony. Was he really going to tackle a pregnant lady? Aurora figured he’d move.
A hand latched onto Aurora’s arm. “You didn’t pay your bill”, it was Lance’s voice in her ear. Aurora’s shoulders dropped. “Don’t worry, I did it”.
“Oh, well I guess I owe you then”, the sarcasm was dripping off of the words as Aurora rolled her eyes dramatically. Then she dropped her purse and started taking off her shirt. “Let’s just get it over with…”
“What?” Lance was trying to stop Aurora from stripping in the crowded waiting room.
“You paid the doctor, and now you what? You get to fuck me, right?” Aurora was still trying to wrestle her shirt off as she watched Lance turn beet red. He was looking around the room at all of the angry, hormonal faces.
“No, no!” Lance said as he tried to avoid being beat down by a room full of pregnant mothers. “This is not going well. I came here, because I want to be with you”.
“Terrific”, Aurora said as she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.
“What are you doing?” Lance was chasing Aurora down the stairwell that led outside. She knew that she couldn’t out run him.
“Did you think I was going to make this easy on you?” Aurora asked as she spun around. “I can’t do this anymore. It is too painful. You need Carly to keep your company, so stay with her. You live your life, but you also need to let me live mine”.
“I can’t”, Lance said. He put his hand under Aurora’s chin and led her face up to his. The kiss felt electric. It was the first time that their lips had touched in weeks. Aurora could feel her toes crinkle as they kissed in the stairwell.
“I can’t”, Aurora breathed as she pulled away.
“I have some errands to run”, Lance said as he took a step back. Aurora was a little taken aback by this change in tactic. They were passionately kissing, and now he had somewhere else to be? “Come with me and if you still don’t want to be with me by the end of the day…well, then I will disappear”.
“You promise?” Aurora said as she stuck out her hand. Lance shook her hand and then turned his hand and led her down the stairs. How did I let that happen? Aurora wondered.
She felt a smile on her lips. Aurora could tell that Lance was wearing her down. He looked so genuinely excited by this opportunity. Aurora was trying to fight the smile away. She wanted to stay strong, but it wasn’t working.
Anthony was holding the door to the limo open as they got out of the building. “Miss”, Anthony bowed low as Aurora moved past him and into the back seat. Aurora knew that Lance had warned the driver to be on his best behavior, but the young woman enjoyed the bow. She knew that it was killing the driver to do it.
“So where are we headed first?” Aurora asked as Lance took the seat beside her.
“We have to drop off some paper work”, Lance said as he held up a piece of black cloth.
“What is that?”
“I just don’t want to ruin the surprise”, Lance said as he started moving the cloth toward Aurora’s face.
“Not a chance”, Aurora said as she dodged and to another seat. Lance kept coming, and Aurora got her hands up over her face.
“Come on, I need you to trust me”, Lance sighed. “I want this day to be special for you”.
Aurora almost couldn’t believe what she was letting Lance put her through. As the cloth tightened around her eyes, Aurora knew that she was giving over control to Lance. She was once again unable to resist his will. She had to hope that he was going to treat her right this time.
“What are you going to do to me?” Aurora grumbled after the blindfold was in place. Lance stoked her thigh gently, but he didn’t speak. Aurora sighed breathlessly, she had gone weeks without any type of sexual contact and this was getting to be too much. She had never been blindfolded before.
Lance’s hand pulled away as the car came to a stop. It was agony for Aurora. She wanted the hand back on her thigh, she wanted to know where she was, and she wanted out of this car. Aurora tried to stay calm. Lance took hold of her hand and led her out onto the street.
“Can I take this off?” Aurora begged.
“Just a little longer”, Lance’s voice sounded calm, and gentle. He gave a gentle tug and guided her carefully through a door, and into an elevator.
Aurora thought she recognized the ding of the door closing. She knew this elevator. She couldn’t be sure, but she had a hunch. Lane took her hand again as the elevator came to a stop and he led her out.
They stopped and Lance knocked on a door. Aurora was about to hazard a guess at their location when the door swung open and she was tackled. “My girl!” Aurora knew the strong, smooth hands right away.
“Lydia, get off of me”, Aurora laughed as the Russian pulled the blindfold off and got Aurora back on her feet.
“I was so worried about you”, Lydia cooed as she straightened Aurora’s hair and helped her to the couch. “I hated to see you leave so upset”.
They sat down together on the couch and watched as Carly and Lance filled out the paperwork. “Are you sure?” Carly asked. “I’ve been living here, you can just take everything”.
“I wouldn’t do that to you”, Lance sighed as he looked over at Aurora and Lydia on the couch. “It’s not like I’ve been a saint. I’m just glad that we’ve both found people that make us happy”.
Aurora and Lydia exchanged glances. It was an oddly pleasant moment. Lydia seemed really moved by the situation, and she threw an arm around Aurora. Aurora didn’t fight the hug. She embraced her friend. They had lived together through some very odd times, and while they were no longer roommates it felt like they were starting a new journey together.
“We need to stay in touch”, Aurora cried onto Lydia’s shoulder. The Russian nodded as her tears soaked through Aurora’s shirt.
“So, we’re divorced”, Carly said as she held out her hand. Lance wrapped his arms around her. “Okay”. Aurora could see Carly’s eyes welling up with tears. Aurora and Lydia looked at each other and then stood up to join in the hug.
It felt like an important moment to Aurora, like it was the birth of some bizarre extended family situation. She wasn’t sure what role these two would play in Aurora’s future with Lance, but it seemed like they were going to stay in the lives of the new couple.
“We’ve got to go, more errands”, Lance said as he took Aurora’s hand and the paperwork and led the way out the door.
“I’m sorry Aurora”, Carly cried the words, but only because everyone was still misty from the hug.
“I know”, Aurora kissed Carly on the cheek, and then followed Lance out the door. She really did forgive Carly. It was a weird situation to be sure, and Aurora wasn’t sure how she would’ve handled things if the situation was reversed.
“Do I need to wear the blindfold again?” Aurora asked when they got back into the elevator.
“No”, Lance said as he pushed the buttons. “The blindfold was just necessary for the one stop”.
“Too bad”, Aurora said, but she was turned away, so she missed the sly smile that moved across Lance’s face.
They got back into the car. Anthony called Aurora ‘Miss’ again, and this time Aurora could see the pain on his face. It was like a punch to the gut. She smiled warmly at him and even used his hand to get into the seat.
“To the office”, Lance said to Anthony as he got into the seat beside Aurora.
“What are we doing now?”
“More paperwork”, Lance said.
Aurora was getting swept up in the excitement. It was a weird thing to say about a day filled with paperwork, but it felt like whatever Lance had planned next was going to be monumental.
On the top floor of the Salacity Building, Aurora sat outside Lance’s office as a bunch of grumpy old men raged at Lance inside. She couldn’t make out what they were saying, but she knew it was important. Aurora had been inside the room, but they demanded that she leave.
“Only shareholders can be present for this meeting”, the leader of the grumpy old men had snarled the words. Lance had clearly gotten himself into some sort of trouble.
“So, we meet again”, Trevor said as he sat down in the seat beside Aurora. “You know, I have to thank you. I don’t know what you did to my brother, but it has been a huge help, and I just can’t thank you enough”.
Trevor was overcome with joy. Aurora was worried, because if Trevor was happy that likely meant that something bad was going to happen to Lance. Aurora’s eyes went right to the door labeled “Lance Macauley” she wanted to rush in there and save him.
“I think I’m going to redecorate this office”, Trevor said as he put his foot up on the coffee table. “What do you think? I have a painted surfboard that would look great on that wall. I just have to make it feel more like me”.
Aurora wanted to yell at Trevor, but the door swung open and Lance came out of the room. He walked right over to Aurora and kissed her as he pulled her up to her feet. The trip to standing left the pregnant woman feeling a little off kilter, but she used Lance’s strong arms to steady herself.
“There all yours”, Lance said to his brother. His eyes never left Aurora’s, but Trevor knew who Lance was addressing. “You can have all of the headaches, and the pressure. You can have it all”.
“Terrific!” Trevor laughed as he jumped up out of the seat. He patted Lance on the back. Trevor hopped over the coffee table and walked into his new office. He reached out for the door and then turned back to Lance. “It just doesn’t feel right. I wanted to beat you, but you just rolled over”.
“You think that sucks”, Lance teased. “Wait until you find out how crappy this job really is”. The brothers shared a little laugh and then Trevor went into the office. The yelling picked up right where it had left off.
“You gave it all up?” Aurora asked.
“I kept my stocks”, Lance shrugged. “But now I’m just a shareholder. I don’t have to run around being this guy that I don’t want to be. I can be the guy that I want to be”.
“And who is that?”
“Your husband”, Lance’s hand moved up to come right between them, as he dropped to one knee.
“We haven’t spoken in weeks, and you think today is the right time to propose?” Aurora said the words, but she was already putting the ring on her finger. She pulled Lance’s face up to hers and they kissed right there in his old waiting room.
“Yes, it’s the perfect time”, Lance said as their lips parted. Their foreheads were still pressed together. “I never want to go through that again. I want you with me always”.
“Okay”, Aurora sighed as she kissed Lance again. “I want that too. I want you”.
They left the office and headed out on their last errand of the day. Lance wouldn’t tell Aurora where they were going, but she knew it was somewhere good her new fiancé was extremely excited.