Chapter 16
They had dinner that the housekeeper had prepared before leaving for the day and Stephan and Garrett talked about business while Afiya told her the town’s history. Sasha admired the confident way the woman was in her home and around her husband who could not keep his hands off her! She was wearing a dove grey dress that fitted her very well and she smiled a lot. She looked at her husband every few minutes and the love they shared was unmistakable! There were pictures everywhere of them with what looked to be an almost two-year-old boy who had curly dark hair and amazing hazel eyes.
They were finished with dessert when Afiya made the request. "Darling, I know that you want to talk some more to Stephan and I want to get to know Sasha better."
"That’s my wife’s way of saying we should get lost," Garrett said with a teasing look on his face as he got up and came around to kiss the top of her head. "Come on, Stephan, let’s retire to the man cave that I had built to get away from her when she starts nagging me."
She poked her tongue out at him and he laughed as they left.
"Let’s go into the living room," she suggested and Sasha followed her.
"Do you know why Stephan brought me here?" Sasha asked as she took a seat on the brocade sofa across from the fireplace.
"I can hazard a guess," Afiya said softly as she looked at the woman. "He probably thought we would become friends."
"I am not much of a friend person," Sasha told her.
"We can be friends though. You are marrying Stephan and are going to become a part of a group of women that are simply amazing! I met most of them when I was getting married and they are absolutely lovely. I was intimidated, but they made me feel comfortable at the beginning. I travel to different parts of the country to meet up with them and they come here to spend time with us."
"He thinks I have a problem with my weight," Sasha told her abruptly.
"And do you?" Afiya asked her.
"Don’t you?"
Afiya shrugged and then smiled. "I never did. My mother made me feel as if I was a misfit when I was a child but my dad, bless his soul, always told me how beautiful I was. I thought so too until I met Garrett and he had me feeling that way too. The women he dated before were thin and beautiful and he had no intention of falling for a plus sized woman. He fought it every step of the way until he could not do so anymore. I am comfortable with the way I am, Sasha, because I know that I am in fact a beautiful woman. I don’t envy women who are thin and the women in the group of wives never made me feel that way and I have to tell you, girl, there are some incredibly beautiful women in the group!"
"I have seen them," Sasha said with a smile. "I almost broke what Stephan and I have because I could not believe that a man who looked like him could love someone like me."
"I looked at Garrett and I could not believe he loved me. I spent a long time waiting for him to say that he did not want to be with me."
"And now?"
"And now I know without a shadow of a doubt that he is one hundred percent my man."
*****
"I should be mad at you," she told him softly as they made the walk through the quaint town. It was approaching nightfall and they would be flying back home in a few minutes.
"But you are not?" he asked her, his gray eyes meeting hers.
"I am not," she said quietly. "I love you for what you do, Stephan."
"What did I do?" he asked her innocently.
"You have showed me that being who I am is okay and that you love me." She stopped suddenly and turned to him. "I love you and it scares me how much. It also scares me how damned pretty you are and the way women look at you."
"I have eyes only for you and I resent the part about me being pretty," he told her mockingly.
"You are." She placed a hand on his chest and looked up at him. "I love you so much."
"I love you," he told her soberly. "And I think this is the appropriate time to give you this." He took out a box from his coat pocket and opened it. Sasha stared at the exquisite pink sapphire ring glowing in the dark. "Sasha Aisha Fullerton, will you marry me?" he asked as he took out the ring. Both Garrett and Afiya had turned back and joined them.
"Yes," she whispered as she held out her hand for him to slide the ring onto her finger. She felt the tears in her eyes as he pulled her into his arms. It was the perfect moment for Garrett to pull his wife closer to him!
******
That night, as she lay in his arms, admiring the ring on her finger, she told him.
"I know where I want to get married."
"Where?" He was wonderfully sated and for the first time since his mother’s illness, he felt a sense of peace around her.
"Roseville." She lifted her head and looked down at him. "It’s such a beautiful place, Stephan, that I think it would be perfect for a wedding. I know you will have to ask Garrett and Afiya-"
"I am sure they will say yes," he murmured, his gray eyes meeting hers.
"Do you think your mother will be up for the trip?" she asked anxiously.
"We will see to it. Anything for you, baby."
"Did you see the way he looks at her?" Sasha asked him dreamily.
"Who?"
"Garrett."
"Do you see the way I look at you?" he asked her softly.
"Yes." She put her hand on his chest and felt the beating of his heart. "I feel so special."
"You are." He switched positions with her and Sasha could feel the evidence of his erection against her thigh. She wrapped her hands around his neck.
"I love you, Stephan Dion Coleman."
*****
"The phone has been ringing off the hook with reporters asking if it is true that Stephan Coleman’s fiancée is really employed here." Benjamin met her at the glass door of the entrance and his curious eyes went to the ring she was wearing.
"I met a few of them outside and told them to go and take a hike." She looked at him with a grin. "So I get the special treatment from now on? You coming to meet me at the door? Am I going to have red carpet thrown down for when I come in each day?"
"You are actually a VIP," he told her with a nervous smile as he trailed after her. She ignored the stares as she made her way to her office. "Your fiancée could destroy this agency with one call."
"And Stephan would never do that. Relax, Benjie, you are okay and so is the agency." She sighed as he came in and closed the door behind them. "What is it?"
"Your status as an employee is up for question. You are the best account exec I have and I would hate to see you leave, but you are going to be wealthy enough to buy several hundred agencies for yourself and I am not going to be able to afford you."
"What are you saying?" she asked him with a frown.
"You are better off at your fiancé’s company, Sasha, working for him exclusively. I am surprised he has not suggested that to you."
She sat down and stared at him for a moment. "He has not," she said slowly. "We have not discussed it."
"You should." He sat down with a sigh. "I am going to miss having your acid tongue around here each day and your talent."
"Well, I am not gone yet and I have work to do," she pointed out.
He nodded and got to his feet. "Congratulations."
"Thank you," she told him. She reached for the phone as soon as he left.
"Hey." His deep voice had her closing her eyes.
"Hey, you. Quick question: What is your take on me still working at the agency?"
"I figured you would tell me what you want to do. Why?"
"I don’t think it’s fair for me to continue working here when we are married."
"You could always come work for me," he told her casually.
She thought about it for a moment. "As long as I have creative freedom."
"You would."
"Okay. See you later."
"That’s it? No arguments?" he asked her teasingly.
"None whatsoever," she told him. "See you later."
******
"You are seeing Darius?" Sasha looked at her friend in surprise. "When did this happen?"
"Two weeks ago."
Sasha was at her apartment where she was spending the night while Stephan took a quick trip out of town. She had invited her best friend over as she had not seen her in several weeks and was starting to feel guilty. A wedding planner was already dealing with the upcoming nuptials and Monique Romano was meeting with her at the manor in the coming week to help her choose a wedding dress. It seems as if everything was happening so fast!
"How do you feel about it?" Diana asked her anxiously.
"Good, I guess." She sipped her wine and looked at her friend. "He is a good guy."
"He is." She glanced at her friend. "Are you sure you don’t mind?"
"I really don’t. It’s just strange, but if you are happy with him I am happy for you."
"I am. We went to dinner several times and we hit it off. He still has a thing for you, but I can deal with that."
"I never felt anything other than friendship for him," she clarified.
"I know, he told me."
"It has always been Stephan for me," Sasha said wryly as she sipped the wine. "You are my bridesmaid by the way."
"I kind of figured that out," Diana said with a laugh. "Even though you are this big shot fiancée of Stephan Coleman. How does it feel?"
"I try not to think about it and I try my best to ignore the flash of cameras when we go out together. I went to the café a couple of blocks away and I was accosted by photographers. I had to get my latte to go."
"You are not an ordinary woman anymore, honey," Diana told her.
"I know," she said in wonder. "Invite him to the wedding."
"Are you sure?" Diana asked her.
Sasha nodded. "I am."
******
The last Saturday in April came with a slight drizzle that petered off midafternoon making way for a brilliant sunshine that was perfect for the wedding that was taking place in the small but picturesque town of Roseville. It was a throwback to another big society wedding that had taken place two years ago between the man who had arrived in the small town and changed it for the better and the woman who owned the quaint store by the name of Treasure Trove. The visitors had started arriving two days ago and the hotels were filled to capacity. As before, the members of the community had thrown their doors open to admit and make room for the overwhelming amount of people attending. Garrett King had drawn a lot of guests, but Stephan Coleman had doubled that because of who he was! Both he and Sasha and his mother, who was well enough to travel along with a nurse to attend to her, were staying with Garrett and Afiya. Sasha had fallen in love with the little boy named Gavin and had told Stephan that she wanted one as soon as possible. He had smiled at her and told her that he would make sure that happened. Sasha had come off the pill several weeks ago.
Sasha stood in front of the mirror and stared at the ice white dress that had been specially designed for her. She had told Aaliyah that she wanted nothing puffy and the woman had looked at her with a wry look on her face. "Honey, we are plus sized women and we don’t need puffs."
The dress was close fitting and hugged her curves lovingly, just barely touching her ankles. A filmy white trail drifted from the waist and flowed gently behind her. She was wearing matching sapphires in her lobes and around her neck. Her hair had been styled by a professional that had been flown in to attend to the women but mostly her. It was brushed back severely from her face and had several big knots on one side of her face with a thick braid going down one shoulder. Her makeup was flawless and she was wearing a soft shade of plum from the new line of lipstick from Skin Deep. She heard a movement and looked around to see Afiya looking stunning in a deep blue dress. "Ready?"
"I am,"
"Girl, you are rocking that dress!" she exclaimed.
"Thank you. I should be nervous, but I am marrying the man I love so I am not, "she said with a grin. "Let’s do this."
*****
Stephan stood there trying not to appear nervous as he waited on his bride. The ceremony was due to start at three and a discreet glance at his watch told him that it was ten minutes away. Garrett stood with him as his best man and they were both wearing dark blue tuxes. They commanded a lot of attention, one so fair and the other so dark but both incredibly handsome men! There were no shortages of that in the packed church. The local people were once again treated to the beautiful people who had come for the wedding. David Snyder sat with his wife Hailey, holding her hand. There was Brad and Leesa Wellington, Kane and Kelly Takahashi, Patrick and Carrie Copeland, Prince Alexander and Princess Debbie, Phillip and Allison Anderson, Preston and Addison Sinclair, Lee and Eva Faulkner, and several others. But Stephan had eyes only for the doorway where she would be coming in any minute now. His mother was seated at the front and he would look over at her every few minutes to assure himself that she was okay. His shoulders straightened as the music changed and the guests got to their feet. His hands clenched as she walked in with her bouquet of wild daisies and tulips in her hands. His gray eyes met hers and he saw the impish smile on her exquisite face and relaxed suddenly. She had the power to rile him up and made him feel at peace!
*****
"Aren’t you tired?" he asked her gently. The ceremony had been over for the past two hours and they had gone over to the local hotel for the reception. The food had been eaten and the cake cut with cameras flashing and recording every moment of what they did. The photographers were having a field day!
"Not in the least," she said with a laugh as she wrapped her hands around his neck. She and the other wives had been dancing up a storm and enjoying themselves to the maximum! She had kicked off her heels at some point in the evening and was in her stockings. "God, you are so beautiful!" she exclaimed as she went on her toes and kissed him. "How soon can we leave?"
"Whenever you say." He pulled her closer to him. "How about now? I reserved a room upstairs."
"That sounds good." She leaned into him. "I am about ready."
******
He took the dress off her slowly, loving the feel of the material and the way it looked against her skin. He groaned as he saw the transparent teddy she was wearing beneath. His hands wandered over her body for a moment before he slipped the straps down. The simple gold circle on his left finger glinted in the lights as he moved his hands over her body. She had asked him if he wanted to wear a ring and he had told her that he wanted to world to know that he was taken so certainly he wanted a ring. She unbuttoned his crisp white shirt and took it off. He pulled the undershirt over his head and she unbuckled the belt. He finished undressing for her and they climbed onto the bed. A bucket with a bottle of champagne had been sent up for them but it was not needed, not now.
He bent his head and kissed her slowly, sinking into her as she wrapped her hands wound his neck, her fingers toying with the ends of his jet black hair. He climbed over her without breaking the kiss and Sasha reached between them as she opened her legs. He lifted his body so she could put him inside her. He did not have time to do the romance thing because all day long he had been thinking of being with her. He sank his penis into her and felt his body shudder with the usual reaction of being with her like this. He had pledged to love and honor and take care of her until death parts them and he had meant every word. He sank deep into her and felt her movements beneath him. He had watched her laugh and dance with several of the male guests and had to restrain himself from going to her and letting them know that she was his wife! He lifted his head and stared down at her, his gray eyes turbulent revealing everything he was feeling! "I love you so much." His breathing was shallow as he moved inside her.
"I know," she whispered as she ran her hands over his muscled shoulders in wonder. "I love you too, baby."
He bent his head to hers again and swallowed the cries as she heaved against him. It was not long before he followed her, his body shuddering against hers!
******
One year and six months later…
Sasha stepped into the room with their six-month-old daughter in her hands and saw her husband standing by the bed his mother had slept in until two weeks ago. Her funeral had been on Saturday and the turn out had been huge! The doctors had given her three months to live, but she had defied that and had lived long enough to see her son married and welcomed her granddaughter. Sasha had held her husband’s hand during the ceremony and stood by the casket as he looked at her for a long time. She had also stood there at the graveside long after the others had gone and held him in her arms as he broke down. He looked around as he felt their presence and immediately walked over to get his daughter. Stephanie Elizabeth Coleman reached for her dad immediately, her dark brown eyes lighting up as he took her into his arms and kissed her forehead. He automatically tugged at her jet black curls.
"I have asked the maids to clean out the room," he told his wife quietly.
"Are you sure?" she asked him.
He nodded and walked over to the small table where he picked up a photo with her holding Stephanie in her arms. The baby had been several weeks old then. He smiled at the incredibly happy expression on the woman’s face as she held her granddaughter. "She was so happy," he murmured as he put the photo back. "And that is what I want to remember." He reached for Sasha’s hand. "You and our daughter made her very happy."
"That was easy to do." She lifted his hand to her lips. "It’s okay to grieve, baby."
"I know." He pulled her into his arms. "You have made me so happy and not to mention my princess." He placed his head on top of his daughter’s curls. "I could never have gotten through her death if I did not have you."
She hugged him around the waist and after a moment they left the room and went up to their suite. She had started working at his company a few weeks after they were married and traveled when he had to for business. He handed their daughter to her nanny and went to their suite of rooms. He pulled her into his arms and inhaled her scent as he closed his eyes. "Thank you, baby."
"You are welcome."
With a sigh, he wrapped his arms around her and felt the peace settling over him. He was with the woman he loved and everything was right!
The end... but wait:
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