Chapter 38
Lucas
My aunt and cousins surround Olivia trying to get a glimpse of the ring. She’s glowing. I know if I leave her alone for a few minutes right now, my absence will barely register.
I listen to them ooh and ahh as I sneak out of the room unnoticed. I enter the kitchen prepared for my mother’s disapproval. Disapproval will be welcome. I expect her to go off on a tirade.
I knew she wouldn’t be happy I brought a guest, as she’s been very possessive of me since the divorce. I also knew she’d be stunned by the engagement and hoped I could curtail her anger.
When I walked into the jewelry store in the morning I planned on picking up a bracelet or earrings. As I looked for something to catch my eye, I found myself drawn to the ring. The vibrancy in the diamond reminds me of the liveliness in Olivia’s brown eyes. I couldn’t resist.
My mother stands at the kitchen sink scrubbing a burnt pot. I place my hands on her shoulders and kiss her on top of her head.
“You know you’ll always be the most important woman in my life, don’t you?”
“If that were true you might have given me warning before dropping your little bombshell.”
I shut the water off and turn her to face me, “I’m sorry.”
“You will be.” Her eyes look fierce.
I pick up a walnut and a nut cracker from the bowl on the counter, and break open the shell. “I love her.”
My mother glares at me. “She’s going to break your heart.”
I lean against the counter, “Why? Because we haven’t dated for five or ten years? Because those relationships always work out?”
She shakes her head. “She's just like Stacy. I don’t understand why you can’t see that.”
“Because she works in a medical office?”
“That’s right. She’s looking to find herself a rich doctor."
"Mom, come on. Stacy was the exception, not the rule. Plenty of women worked for Dad, young and old. And Stacy didn't even work for him."
"And who is to say for sure that nothing happened before Stacy? Can you?"
"No. But can you be sure he slept with them all?"
"I'm telling you, Lucas. She's a little gold digger. Nothing more.”
“If that were true she wouldn’t be with me. I don’t make that kind of money.”
“Exactly. And once she reels in a bigger fish, she’ll leave you like yesterday’s trash.”
“I don’t think she’s going to reel in this fish.”
“What makes you so certain?”
“She works for Dad.”
My mother’s eyes blaze. I regret telling her, but it’s better out in the open. She turns from me, back to the burnt pot, signaling the end of the conversation.
I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss her head. “You’ll never think anyone is good enough for me. It’s part of the mother/ son thing.”
“I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I’d rather take the chance of having my heart broke again, than live without her. She brought color back into my life and made me see I wasn’t living. I was existing. Now I feel again. I feel alive, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her because she's already a part of me. A part I never want to be without.”
“That’s your prerogative. But don’t ask for my blessing. I won’t give it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that because I am going to marry her. And I’d love for you to be part of our life together.”
I turn to leave, but hesitate a moment, hopeful my mother might have a change of heart. She continues to scrub the pot, as if getting the black off the pot will change the situation at hand. I walk out of the room, leaving my mother to stew, believing in time she’ll come around.
*
It’s midnight when the festivities at Aunt Rose’s comes to an end. We say our goodbyes and head home. I watch Olivia nestle against the soft leather of the passenger seat of my car. She looks happy. That’s all I want. To make her happy. I take her hand in mine and give it a squeeze.
“Your family is amazing,” she gushes.
“They are pretty special. But you know, they're going to be your family soon, too.”
"Lucas?" I hear the question in her voice.
"Oh, no you don't. You said ‘yes.’ I have witnesses."
She giggles. "Are we rushing into this?"
"I don't need to wait a year or two to know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're already woven so completely into my soul. I'm not whole without you."
She smiles. And I can’t help but notice the glow on her face. Being with her is easy. Every minute doesn’t have to be filled with mindless chatter. It’s one of the many things that make our relationship special. The warmth of the silence between us speaks volumes.
Olivia brushes her hand over mine, sending waves of pleasure through my body. No one else, not even Stacy, ever affected me like this. Just this simple touch has my cock twitching in my pants.
I press down on the accelerator in a rush to get her home and into bed so we can have a private celebration. Knowing how close I am to both of those things, my desire for her grows, until it’s painful.
There was a small part of me that worried she'd say ‘no’ when I asked her to marry me. It's true, we hadn't been seeing each other long, but I know she’s the one. If not, I would've lost interest long ago. But she keeps me more intrigued each day.
And the fact that she didn't walk out on me Friday, means somewhere deep inside, she has to think the same about me. Because anyone else in their right mind would've left without a second thought.
It isn’t until we’re in Olivia’s apartment that I notice the tinge of sadness clouding her eyes. “What’s wrong?” I ask, gathering her in my arms. I want this night to be perfect, so if there’s anything I can do, some way to fix whatever’s saddening her, I’ll do it.
Olivia hesitates a moment, biting her bottom lip. I’m nervous because she’s stalling. She doesn't want to tell me. "I can't make it better if you don't tell me." I push, but not too hard. I don’t want to ruin the magic of the evening. "Just spit it out."
“I wish she didn’t hate me.”
My mother. I relax. I worried Olivia changed her mind. That she'd say she didn't want to embarrass me in front of my family, and no, she doesn't really want to marry me.
“She’ll come around.”
I hold Olivia’s chin and kiss her. My tongue brushes up against hers, gently, twirling around her mouth, cradling her face in my hands. I want to communicate how precious she it to me.
“What makes you so sure?” she asks, pulling away just enough to meet my eyes.
“Mmm,” I moan as I slide my hands under her dress and up her toned thighs. I hook my fingers into her panties and shimmy them off, lowering my body along with them, until I’m on the ground kneeling in front of her. “Family means the world to her. She’ll adore the mother of her grandchildren.”
“Grandchildren?” Olivia's eyes open wide. Fear colors her voice.
I need to get her mind off my mother, off children, and back on me. I know I can start by getting her out of her clothes.
"Take off your dress."
She looks down at me, her eyes still full of apprehension, but she pulls the dress over her head.
"Tonight I want to taste you."
She shakes her head, her eyes fill with outright terror. "No, don't."
I move my hands up and down her legs, hoping to calm and relax her. "No, you don't want me to? Or are you afraid?"
"I'm afraid. No one's ever . . ." Her eyes shift away from mine as she nibbles on her bottom lip.
"I'm just going to kiss you. That's all. Kiss you here." I lift her foot and bring it to my mouth. "And here," I reach for her hand and move my lips and tongue over her palm. "Kiss you everywhere. And while I'm kissing you, I want you to imagine what it'll be like when you're my wife." She breathes hard. "I want you to think about all the things you want me to do to your body. Especially the ones you're too shy to say out loud."
I reach my hands around, and massage the globes of her ass. "Close your eyes and feel me touch you. Don't think about anything else." I circle my tongue on the area inside her leg just above her knee.
She sucks in her breath.
"That's right baby. Relax." I pull her down to the floor so that she’s lying on her back as I continue using my mouth to caress her leg. Up to the top of her thigh. Her fingers wind tight in my hair, as my tongue touches her clit.
I lick her and flick my tongue over her bundle of nerves. Olivia pulls on my hair as she moans softly every now and then. Her legs drop and spread further apart as my tongue strokes her more aggressively.
I lick my way from her clit to her opening and penetrate her with my tongue. Extending it as deep as I can, I swirl it around inside her, using my fingers to tap on her clit.
Olivia’s pussy squirms under my mouth, pressing against me, her moans growing louder until her hands fling out to her sides, and she screams my name.