Champagne Romance (Romance Novel) (20 page)

A sleeping Swan and Slater were awaken
mid-morning with little feet jumping up and down on the bed and an
excited baby voice saying, “Daddy, daddy!”

Slater felt Swan tense beside him. She tried
to bounce up and away, but Slater held her close with one arm as he
cuddled and kissed Quinn with the other until Quinn decided that it
was Mommy’s turn. Then, Quinn was off to tell the news about Daddy
to anyone who would take the time to listen.

Slater peered down at Swan. She wasn’t saying
anything, just soberly looking at him and waiting. She tried again
to put some distance between them, but Slater was not giving her
even an inch of opportunity. He liked her naked and pressed up next
to him. He looked down at her nude body and he couldn’t think of
one reason why he shouldn’t indulge himself.

Slater began nibbling on Swan’s ear, “Marry
me.”

Swan just spent a miserable night on a
red-eye flight to Europe. She was vulnerable and exhausted. She did
not know how Slater had slipped past Kat and why he was in her bed.
She only knew that every time she had a visual rerun of the
blonde’s toes creeping up Slater’s leg, she wanted to bonk him
several times on the head. She didn’t know where he was going with
this “marry me” bit, but she certainly had no intentions of falling
for it. So, she said nothing.

That nothing brought Slater to a three second
abrupt stop. He hadn’t totally known what to expect, but he had
expected some enthusiasm from the woman of his dreams. It always
infuriated him when Swan went into her not talking mode, but he was
getting better at figuring out this puzzling woman. Not letting
Swan’s reaction dash his hopes in any way, he continued charging
forward. He did not let up on his nibbling and kissing of all soft
spots that he could get to in spite of her squirming and pushing
beside him.

Finally, she said one word, “Why?”

Slater paused a moment from his on slaughter
of love making to peer down his nose at Swan. His thoughts were
still coming from his lower region, so it took him a few seconds
for her words to travel up to his brain and comprehend what she was
asking. She was piercing him with her aqua blues. He knew she was
searching deep into his soul as she always did. He must have
hesitated a little too long as he watched her begin to pull
mentally away.

“
Be---cause,” he enunciated distinctly
one inch from her nose, “I love you.”

Unpredictably, her eyes began to swell up
with tears. Not quite the response he wanted, but at least it was a
genuine. Before he could pursue the conversation any further, he
groaned as he heard the patter of small feet running down the hall.
The door was thrown open again with a little Quinn rushing into the
bedroom.

“
Hurry up, hurry up, breakfast is on
and you’re going to miss it!” Then, he bounced out of the room
again.

Slater kissed Swan’s forehead and put his
head next to hers. He wasn’t about to be strung along waiting until
they were alone again. He wanted a commitment pronto!

With a little apprehension he softly asked,
“Well, what’s your answer?”

She said nothing, but only shook her head up
and down against his chest. He smiled, that would have to do for
now.

A grinning Slater entered the breakfast nook
with an arm around a serene and happy Swan. Kat was relieved to see
that she had read Slater correctly and that the dicey situation had
apparently turned out for the best.

Quinn didn’t understand what was happening,
but was able to grasp the jubilant atmosphere around him, which
made him bubble with antics that kept them all laughing throughout
the delicious brunch. Quinn was soon finished and off to play with
the remote control truck that Auntie Kitty Kat had given him.

Slater looked at Kat, “Swan has agreed to
marry me.”

Kat clapped her hands with glee. She always
loved a wedding whether it was one of hers or someone else’s. After
congratulating them with happy hugs and kisses she had her cook
bring out champagne cocktails in celebration.

Clinking glasses, Kat asked, “When do you
think you’ll tie the knot? “

“
Soon,” Slater replied, “Swan’s
pregnant.”

That brought the celebration to an abrupt
halt as Kat’s eyes widened and swiveled questionably on Swan. The
only sound that could be heard was the toy remote in the
background.

“
I am not,” she countered
indignantly.

“
I beg to differ,” Slater smiled.
“Think about it.”

As she did so, Slater watched his new fiancé
turn peaked, then a little green as she left the table to throw-up
in the nearby bathroom. With a wink and grin at Kat, Slater got up
from the table to help Swan.

A trip to the pharmacy did indeed confirm
Swan’s pregnancy. It had probably happened in Malibu three weeks
ago prior to their falling out. Slater was elated! Swan was having
a little trouble getting her mind around it, but with some
adjustment she began to get caught up in Slater’s enthusiasm. She
hoped that this pregnancy would be different and easier because
Slater would be with her all the way. His support and love would
get her through any hurdles that she might have to endure. That
gave her strength. She had never been loved before Quinn. It was a
security that she had experienced from very few adults and never
from any adult male.

CHAPTER 45

Slater was determined to make their
engagement spectacular and special. Kat had agreed to watch Quinn
for a few days while they jetted to Paris and picked out an
engagement ring. Slater had contacted the most prestigious jeweler
in all of Europe. When they arrived, followed discreetly by the
pilots that Swan finally realized also doubled as body guards, they
were led into an exclusive backroom that was only reserved for the
sheiks, kings, and other special people with unlimited funds.

Swan and Slater looked over the gorgeous gems
that sparkled under the vaults bright lighting. Swan was having a
difficult time deciding which diamond was the most beautiful.
Slater was on the verge of telling her to take the whole tray or
pick out the largest and gaudiest ring so that anyone in the next
county could see that Swan was his. In the end, Swan picked a
simple gold band with small diamonds encircling the edge on each
side all the way around. Slater, however, was determined that she
have a large carat to wear when they attended social events or on
special occasions. He left with a simple, but very large rock that
he planned to give to Swan when he officially popped the question
later on that evening.

Swan and Slater stepped from the exquisite
jewelry boutique to next door and into an exclusive Paris hauteur
that contained cocktail dresses from world chic designers. The
clerks were only too happy to dress Swan’s perfect figure in any
clothing that suited Slater’s fancy as he sat with a glass of wine
in a plush chair orchestrating what he wanted. He reminded Swan of
a sultan and she tolerated his fantasy ego for only a short
session. After indulging him for thirty minutes, she finally gave
the ultimatum to “snap it up” or he was going to get to repeat the
session with him trotting around in front of her for approval.

Ten minutes later they were out the door with
several designer dresses, which Slater had decided upon within five
minutes of entering the shop. With stormy sea eyes that were
calling him all kinds of names, Slater gave Swan a sheepish grin as
they exited with six lavish boxes tied in gold ribbon and one
ecstatic clerk that they left behind.

Swan and Slater checked into the top floor
suite of the Paris King George Hotel. It was a corner suite that
overlooked the Seine River. A wrap-a-round lacy iron balcony
surrounded two sides of the room. A table with a large vase of red
roses and lilacs graced the center. Next to the fresh flowers sat a
bottle of expensive bubbly chilling in a silver ice bucket.

The Paris view from the suite was
spectacular! The Eiffel Tower could be seen in the near distance
lit up like a Christmas tree. The Arc of Triumph and the Notre
Dame’s rose window were glowing with their beauty as well. The
panorama picture could also be seen from the bed in the bedroom,
which was the size of a trampoline. Both the view and the magnitude
of the mattress made it look extremely inviting. One could use all
kinds of imagination to pursue any fantasy that was lurking in
one’s mind. Slater did not have any difficulty imagining what he
wanted and how he wanted it.

A large round tub faced the view. Slater had
plans for its use as soon as the door was closed. Holding that
thought, he tipped the bellboy and shut the door. As he turned
around, he could see Swan already running water into the “sin” tub
that immediately began making bubbles. She turned around to face
him and slowly began to peel away her clothing. Slater lay down on
the bed, crossed his arms behind his head, and enjoyed the view
that Swan presented to him. It wasn’t long before Slater joined her
with a bottle of champagne and flute crystal glasses, but not
before a giggling Swan had the privilege of enjoying his mini-strip
as his shorts landed on top of the armoire.

Dinner took place at a trendy Parisian
restaurant that overlooked a large portion of twinkling Paris. Swan
and Slater arrived fashionable past the dinner hour by limousine.
The chauffer opened the door and Slater helped Swan slip from the
luxury vehicle. She swung her slim long legs out that were encased
in pale gray fishnet stockings with gray velveteen peek-a-boo toe
shoes that had a small glittery rhinestone on top. Her dress was a
slim gray satin trimmed in gray velveteen that clung to her shapely
figure. The sleeves were short and fluttery giving them a two inch
ruffled look. The neckline plunged almost to the waist and only
gave a hint of bosom with a two and half inch antique broach of
sparkling diamonds enclosing the point. Covering her exquisite chic
dress was a short gray jacket of luxury chinchilla. Her hair was
pulled up in a sleek French roll showing off the diamond droplets
that hung from her earlobes, compliments of her husband that had
been in the bottom of the champagne glass that was sipped in the
tub for two.

The stunning couple was led by the matre d’
to a private alcove surrounded by fresh flowers with a view of
Paris. A small indoor waterfall flowed nearby that was filled with
orange and spotted coy. If you looked closely, you could see them
swimming in and out under the thick floor of glass, which brought
twinkling laughter from Swan that Slater, a man hoping to please,
was delighted to hear. Violins played unobtrusively in the
background giving the desired atmosphere of joyful romance. The
waiters were so smooth and discreet that you hardly knew they were
nearby in the shadows. Champagne flowed freely. After dinner, out
on the iron balcony with a hedge of pink roses and under the
diamond studded sky overlooking Paris, Slater on bended knee
proposed to Swan. Then, he sealed their love with romantic words
and a forever-breathless kiss.

The evening concluded with the stunning
couple being escorted by their limousine driver to a private club
on the very top floor of the highest building in Paris. It was an
exclusive fancy nightclub with high cover charges for only the very
prosperous. Three different live bands played throughout soundproof
lively dance floors.

Slater surprised Swan by twirling her around
the dance room with some pretty fancy hoofing from salsa dancing to
slow and intimate. He was extremely impressive and fun; however, by
early morning, Slater began to munch on Swan’s silky neck and his
right dance hand began to slip down to Swan’s satin fanny. It was a
really good clue that it was time to cruise back to the hotel.

After a marathon two days of romance and
making love, the happy couple returned to Kat’s castle near Rome.
The vibrant glow of Swan and Slater made it quite obvious that
their little rendezvous had been a successful one. As they entered
Kat’s summer home, they were greeted with enthusiastic laughter and
gurgles of delight as Quinn spotted his absent parents.

The next day, the family boarded Slater’s jet
plane back to the States. Suffering from jet lag, an exhausted Swan
climbed into the large bed in a small room located at the back of
the plane. Meanwhile, Slater entertained Quinn until he, too, fell
totally “pooped” into his daddy’s lap.

CHAPTER 46

After arriving home from Europe, the next few
weeks were a whirlwind as Slater wanted a wedding before the
holidays began. That didn’t leave a lot of time to plan. They
agreed that the ceremony would take place on the lush grassy lawn
of the Beverly Hills Bel Air Hotel. It would be outside with the
manicured flowers that overlooked a small lake with a bevy of white
swans. The wedding would take place among the deep pink
bougainvillea that hung over lattices and rafters intertwining over
any cover they could reach throughout the grounds. In abundance
were roses and tiger lilies in every direction that would be part
of the backdrop as well.

The guest list would be about one hundred and
could have had a P.S. that said, “Only the young, beautiful, and
wealthy may attend.” The guest list consisted of Swan’s closest
friends and acquaintances from the world of modeling. Slater had
his buddies and business acquaintances from all over the world,
which included a prince from a small remote country and Dog with
his many stunning mistresses.

The day of the wedding, everyone looked
surreal with their exotic and glamorous beauty. It was a heaven for
the rich, famous, and lovely in their entire magnificent splendor;
however, the most exquisite of all was the lovely Swan in her
champagne silk white crystal beaded gown.