Into the Flames (Out of the Ashes #2) (21 page)

In between kisses he manages to breathe out.  “Oh sweetheart, I’m going to have to redden that ass tonight.  I thought I was going to burst with all that waiting you made me do.  Be prepared.  I told you I always get what I want.”

“I have no doubt about that.”  I kiss him hard in return.  “And I intend to make sure you get exactly what you want later tonight.”

“You’
re such a naughty thing.”  He says pulling me closer as he places one hand between us to adjust himself.  “Now I have to go back to my mother looking like this.”  His smile doesn’t falter and I know my face is the same.  God, I didn’t know I could be this happy, deliriously happy is the only way to describe it.

We had no sooner stepped up to the table when three sets of arms tried to embrace us all at once.  Marlene manages to capture me first.  “Oh my dear, I’m so happy.  You have made me the happiest mother on the planet.  I can’t believe I get to have
two
gorgeous daughters.”  I didn’t think it was possible to get any happier.  Her calling me her daughter has overfilled my heart and the only place for the emotion to spill out is my eyes.  “So when’s the date?”

And the Marlene that we know and love is back. 
“Slow down, Marlene.  I just said yes.  Of course I’m going to need lots and lots of help planning.”  That brought the twinkle to her eyes. 

“My dear
, I have such plans for your wedding.  You and Ian need to set a date soon.”

“Hey
, let my fiancé breathe a little, mother.  We will set a date soon,” he drops a kiss to her cheek, “I promise.”  I mouth a thank you to him before turning to Gavin.

“Well
, my darling,” he lightly kisses my cheek, “I see you’re going to go off and leave me again.  Permanently this time.”

“Now don’t be silly.  I would never abandon you.  I need you to take me shopping and keep me in the latest fashion.  And you need me to have someone to shake your ass with so I guess we’re stuck with each other.”
  I give him a light smack on the arm for trying to get rid of me so quickly.  Like just because I’m getting married means I won’t need him anymore.  Then before the tears that are threatening again begin to fall, I pull him in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  “Gav, I love you.  You will always be my best friend.”

“Oh babe, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to upset your happy moment just trying to lighten things up.  Apparently I have done a bang up job on that.  Well how about a toast to make up for my fuck-up?”  He lifts his glass from the table and motions to a waiter nearby who promptly brings over another tray of champagne.  “To my darling best friend and this gorgeous man about to marry her.”  He winks at Ian who quickly turns about fifty shades of red. 

“Now Gavin I thought you were toasting us not flirting with my fiancée.”  I smile over at Ian still caught up in the moment and unwilling to let it go.  I want to bottle this feeling and this moment in time.  I want to keep them for always to visit whenever time gets tough or the fear becomes too much. 

“Well
, then stop looking at him like you want to eat him up.  You’re making me jealous, woman.”

“I can’t help it.  I didn’t think this night could get any
more perfect and now…  Well, now…  I don’t even have the words for it.”

“Lauren,” Gavin says w
rapping his arms around me, “I’m truly happy for you.  You deserve this more than you will ever know.  I’m glad he makes you this happy and glad that I got to know him like I did or I’m not sure I could give my permission.”

“Well,
Dad
, I’m glad you approve.  Speaking of approval, and this may be a bit premature since we haven’t discussed anything yet, but would you give me away at the wedding?”

“Now you’
re trying to make me cry.  I was hoping to be the man of honor but I suppose I can do that job too.  Just so you know that I’m not going relinquish my entire hold you when I give you away, you are still my best friend and I expect dinner every now and then even when you are living happily ever after.”

“Alright if you don’t mind I
would like to steal my fiancée, I love the sound of that, for another dance.”  I don’t know why but his words cause me to blush.  I can’t wait to be in his arms later just the two of us.  I can already tell how different it will be knowing I’m going to be his wife.  I can only imagine what making love will be like once we are married.

“Did you have a good time tonight, sweetheart?”  His
mischievous smile tells me he already knows the answer to his question but I respond anyway.

“How can you even ask me that?  The evening was wonderful.  Your mother did a fabulous on everything from the clothes to the food to the entertainment.”

“Oh are those the only things that made your evening special?”  His right hand takes my left and he twirls the engagement ring around my finger.

“I think something else happened tonight as well but I forget.  Maybe you should refresh my memory
.”

“Hmm
, my fiancée seems to have forgotten that I proposed.  How do I refresh her memory?  Maybe I should take her ring until she can remember that she is mine.  No, the ring is there to show others that she is mine plus it looks too damn good on her hand.   So I don’t want to do that.  I know another way I can show her she’s mine.”

With that he scoops me up off the floor carrying me into the bedroom and dropping me unceremoniously onto the bed.  “Now to show you that you are mine so that you will never forget.”

“Ian, you should know there’s no way I would ever forget but if you want to remind me, I’m never going to stop you.”  I reach for the zip on my dress and watch his eyes as the fabric slides down my body to pool at my feet.  I hear his sharp inhale as he takes me in; my lace bra and panties do nothing to hide my excitement.  I step out of the dress and move over to him. 

“Oh no, beautiful
.  Back on the bed with you.  I plan to undress myself tonight.  I won’t have you tempting me with that delicious body so close to mine.”  I take a couple steps back and sit down on the edge of the bed and wait while he undresses.  He makes quick work of the jacket but every button on the shirt is opened with excruciating slowness.  I want to tap my foot to show him in impatience but I know he would only make me wait longer.  When the last button is free, I breathe a sigh of relief and wait for the shirt to join the jacket on the floor.  I was in such a hurry to see his sculpted chest I forgot about the cuff links until he holds up his hands and begins to undo one and then the other.  This slow strip tease from my man is the most pleasurable torture I have ever experienced.  With each cuff undone, he carefully places the cuff links on the dresser cherishing each one the same as he did on Christmas when he received them from me.  He presses each link to his lips and I wish those lips were on my body instead of that cold metal.

He moves gracefully back in front of me and continues his show.  Like a man with a purpose,
he slowly removes the loose end of his belt and pulls it out of the loop.  He then unbuckles it and pulls it free from his pants, dropping to join the growing the pile on the floor.  I want to jump off the bed and rip his pants off his body and get to what is underneath but I sit and wait.  He looks up at me well aware of the frenzied state he is putting me in.  Only then do I realize that while unbuttoned, his shirt is still on.  I give a frustrated sigh which only earns me a panty-dropping smile in return.  Yes, yes, I think, I’m a sure thing over here.  See, I can drop them now if you want me to.  I stand to do just that and he shakes his head at me.

“No
, Lauren you’ve done quite enough already now just sit down over there and let me finish.”

I’ve done enough. 
I’ve done enough; the voice in my head is indignant.  All I did was drop my dress and I did in that in 3 seconds flat; none of this torture he’s making me endure.  But endure it I will because I know my prize in the end will be well worth the wait.  I sit back down on my hands this time to keep from fidgeting with my impatience and he resumes his undressing.  As if just realizing himself that his shirt is still on he pulls the sides apart and slowly withdraws each arm before dropping it and returning his gaze to me.  I am no longer looking in his eyes but mine roam the hard length of his torso enjoying every crease and crevice his chest and abs have to offer me.  My view of his deep v is cut off by the waist band of his pants and I pout unhappily.  His laughter deep and throaty greets my ears.  I thought I was only pouting in my mind but apparently it slipped through and also showed on my face.  I love the sound of his laughter and soon join him.

“Well stop making me wait then.  I need to be reminded remember or do I need to remind you?”

“Oh, sweetheart,” his pants are gone and his hard length strains against his boxer briefs, “I never need reminding when it comes to you.”  His voice is deep and his eyes are filled with lust as they rake over my body.  It almost feels as if his hands are touching me as he looks me over.  I tingle everywhere his eyes touch. 

As good as his eyes make me feel I still long to feel his hands.  My wait is thankfully short as he moves to
lie beside me on the bed.  His hands roam my body taking in every curve and the feel of the lace while mine trace the lines of his torso down to the waist band of his briefs.  His fingers tease my taut nipples through the lace of my bra.  I moan in delight at his touch.  My hands wander further south and cup his length through his underwear.  I want these barriers between us removed and begin to unhook my stockings.

“See you have forgotten
, sweetheart.  Cause this,” he grips the straps to my garter, “this is mine. And only I will ever unhook them again.”  His fingers cover mine and he works each hook free from the stockings then rolls each one down my legs.  He drops kisses to my sensitive skin as he works.  I am a bundle of nerves and craving the release that I know only he can give.

“Is that more what
you were looking for?”  All I can do in response is shake my head and move my hands to his waist band.  I am done waiting for these to be removed.  I want the two of us naked together now.  A small laugh bubbles out of his throat.  “Ah I see well if you are going assist me then perhaps I should assist you.”  I continue running my hand down the front of his boxer briefs and he removes my bra before working his hands down my panties.  “These are truly exquisite.”  He says just before taking his finger to the thin straps over each hip and pulling.  The ripping sound is one I have grown familiar with though usually it’s followed by buttons flying.   Briefly I mourn the loss of the gorgeous panties Marlene designed for me but my attention is soon diverted elsewhere as his fingers explore my hot, wet core.

My work on his underwear is quickly forgotten as his finger
s slip and slide over my folds.  It feels like pure electricity dancing on my skin.  I cry out from the pleasure of it.  His other hand works its way up my body and fondles my exposed chest.  He rubs and twists each nipple in turn while continuing his teasing of my core.

His fingers quickly find their destination and begin to slide in and out while his thumb teases over my clit.  I can’t control my screams of pleasure.  He knows exactly where and how to touch me.  And sooner than I would like I am
running toward the edge, doing nothing to slow myself from the rush of pleasure that I know is to come. 

“Fuck” is the only response I get as my wall
s contract around his fingers and I come with a scream.  He pulls his fingers from me and licks them clean.  “You taste so good, love.”

As I come down off my
post-orgasmic high, I remember the underwear that have plagued the last couple of hours are still in my way.  I harden my resolve; no pun intended and start in again on removing them.  Once I slip them over his ankles with no resistance, I know I’ll soon have what I’ve been craving.  Without waiting for any instruction from him, I push him back and slowly sink down over his shaft.  The feel of him inside me in indescribable like joining with a part of myself that has long been missing.  It’s in these moments that I feel most whole.  I ride him until I have him moaning with pleasure then just to tease jump off and sit back on my heels.  I can tell he is stunned by this turn in our love making as it seems too cruel of a thing to do, but I’m not done with him yet. 

I bend down and wrap my lips around his shaft; our
tastes mingling together are so erotic.  His groan tells me that he enjoys this just as much I do.  I bob my head up and down his length, twirling my tongue around the tip.  His hips buck beneath me forcing his erection back into my mouth and I take as much as I can using my hand to accommodate the rest of him.  His thrusts become harder, deeper and soon I feel his cum, hot and wet, fill my mouth.  I swallow down every last drop, greedy to feed on him.

“Holy shit, sweetheart.  That was, well, unexpected.  But you’re crazy if you think I’ve had my fill of you yet.”

He rolls us over and his lips wrap around my nipple.  He licks and suckles at it until I am writhing with need once again.  Once he knows my body is again prepared for him, he slides into me.  This feels so good I wish it would never end.  Throughout the night over and over again, he shows me just how good it feels to be joined with him.

~

It’s hard to believe that just a short year ago we were here and attending the Royal Hospital fundraiser, our first night out as an official couple.  And now here we are again.  We leave for the States in just a couple days and I couldn’t think of a better way to close out our trip.  The preparations on the house in New York are finished and all the proper security is in place for Ian and I to finally return home.  Though things have been very quiet from Dean and Rebecca over the last month, almost too quiet.  I know that has Ian on edge especially after Detective Barrows called a few days ago to tell us Dean failed to show up for the first day of his proceedings and there’s now a warrant out for his arrest.  The detective didn’t think we had anything to worry about where we are but nevertheless he has been in contact with the proper authorities to make them aware of the situation.

I’m determined despite this news to make the most of the end of our trip.  Once again the lavish event is decorated to the nines and the people in attendance are no exceptions.  Gorgeous designs of every kind
are strewn throughout the room.  Thanks to Marlene my eye for fashion has become a little shaper.  There are plenty of people here for Ian to meet and mingle with but like last time, we are not here on official work business so this is just another lovely night out for the two of us.  Since New Year’s, we have become tabloid fodder, which has not pleased Ian at all.  He’s mostly worried about Dean or Rebecca being able to locate us because of the attention but the attention itself bothers him as he would rather our relationship be private.  I also confess that I’m not happy with the constant presence of the paparazzi and they have no love for me either.  So far I’m the cause of Elizabeth Burke’s heartbreak and even in their eyes, I’m a gold digging whore though my bank account can definitely hold its own if they would bother to look.  I wish they could see us as a power couple like they did for Ian and Elizabeth but maybe it’s easier to create a fake relationship than to be happy for a real one; it still stings though.  I have tried to avoid all of that as much as possible since the first articles came out but us coming to this event tonight we knew there would be no stopping them as there is a full red carpet event to walk before the gala.

I’ve
done my best to hold my head high and give them nothing to work with but a smile.  With Marlene’s help in the fashion department, I’m sure I look the part of calm cool socialite through their lens and that is exactly what I want.  Once we are inside and safe from their flashbulbs, I can once again be myself on Ian’s arm.

About halfway through dinner
, I excuse myself to use the ladies room. Ian has been extremely wary over not having a female security officer for me but with the amount of security at this event I feel confident that I can run to the ladies for a few minutes with nothing to fear. 

As I cross the floor back to our table
, I notice Ian is absent.  I glance around the room and spot him by one of the bars talking to a group of people.  As I approach, I feel her presence before I see her and I can’t believe that once again she is here to wreck my evening.  Well, this time I have the upper hand because Ian has been with me for the last 6 months and our relationship is well established.  I look down at the ring on my finger and think just how far we’ve come in the last year.  Her hand comes to rest on his chest as I walk up and he discreetly brushes her off as he continues to talk to several colleagues.  I wonder how she wormed her way onto the invite list when I see Patrick in the midst of the people that Ian is talking to.  I almost feel bad for the guy; somehow he keeps getting sucked back into her clutches and she uses him every time to the same end.

Walking straight up to Ian and ignoring his unexpected company I give his lips a slight brush with mine before turning to the others in the group.  After a few more minutes of conversation the tension must be mounting because Ian
’s colleagues politely excuse themselves and we are left with just Rebecca and Patrick.  Rebecca wastes no time slithering up to Ian.  No longer surrounded by people he is not so polite to her advances any longer.

“Rebec
ca what the hell are you doing here?  And you,” he says looking to Patrick, “I would have thought you’d have learned your lesson with this one.”

“
Apparently I’m a slow learner.”  He responds but without a hint of humor in his voice.  In fact Patrick sounds resigned almost sad and his countenance shows the same.

Rebecca takes that as her cue to talk to Ian.  “Now Ian baby don’t be this way.  You know what we have together is the real thing.  I understand why you feel obligated toward her but like I told you at Thanksgiving this is not what your father would have wanted for you.
  He always liked me.  Don’t do this out of some misplaced sense of duty.  She doesn’t deserve it.”  She continues to talk and I can see Ian seething, trying to keep his composure because we’re still in public and the paparazzi are still lurking like vultures.  But I stopped listening right around the word Thanksgiving.  Is this her way of getting under my skin again or was he really with her Thanksgiving night?  Ian’s hands are in his hair and I’m afraid of what that means. He has not moved to quiet her or discredit her; he just stands there looking even more defeated than Patrick, that’s when I realize there must be some truth to her words.  Rather than give her the satisfaction of once again coming between Ian and I, I vow not to say anything about it until we are back at the estate later.  But then come hell or high water he will explain to me what is going on.  I feel my heart breaking at the thought of what could be coming; at the thought of once again losing him because he is unable to let her go. But this time I will walk, ring or no ring, if he can’t promise to keep her out of our relationship once and for all.