Save the Date (Modern Arrangements) (24 page)

"I only have three hours."
Phoebe scoffed and grabbed Lilli, pulling her up the stairs.

Lilli stumbled a few times on the stairs,
turning around to glare at me when I laughed. Phoebe pulled her along into the
bedroom.

"Hurry up! Get in the shower qui—"
The slamming of the door cut off Phoebe’s rant.

Shaking my head, I continued to watch
TV.

Around two o’clock, I made a move to get
ready. By three thirty, I was downstairs drinking bourbon and pacing
impatiently in a tux. James had already called me three times, informing me of how
I was slacking in my Best Man duties. I assured him I would meet him and the
rest of the wedding party by four thirty after taking Lilli over to Viola and
Liam’s.

When a door opened, I looked up to see
Phoebe bounding down the stairs. She smiled at me, grabbed the bourbon out of my
hand and finished it. Placing the glass on a nearby table she spoke.

"You shouldn’t be drinking before
you have to drive. Plus, you’ll want to be completely sober when you see
her." She giggled and then breezed out the front door.

"Lil-li," I started to yell
for her to hurry but froze when I saw her at the top of the steps.

"Calm down," she rolled her
eyes. "I’m coming." She started down the steps. All I saw was legs.

From the flesh toned heels, up her
creamy perfectly toned silky legs, my eyes drank her in. Exposed to mid-thigh,
dark blue material rose up over her curves, to her collarbone. The flawless
creamy skin of her shoulders and arms were bare. She looked stunning. My
masturbation material just went up about a hundred notches.

"Hellllooo…Aidan?" Lilli waved
a hand in front of my face, clearly trying not to laugh.

"Huh?" was my brilliant
response.

"Are you ready to go, Mr.
Impatience?" She grinned.

"Uh…" I looked her over again
"Yeah." I collected my thoughts. "You look…nice."

Nice? She looks like I want to lick her
from ankle to nose with only a few stops along the way.

"Uh…yeah…thanks," she blushed.
"Phoebe did it." She crinkled her nose a little and smiled.

There was an awkward silence. I swallowed
hard. "Okay, well, let’s go."

In the car, her dress rode up exposing
more of her thighs. I began rethinking dropping her off with my aunt and uncle.

Did I really want her walking in alone
looking like this?

The only thing calming me was that she will
be with Viola. I did a double check of her left hand. She wore the ring, my
ring. Tonight, everyone would know she was off limits and that it was
me
she
belonged.

"So, you’re sure you’re okay with
going over with Viola and—?"

"It’s fine, don’t worry about it."
She smiled at me, and then went back to looking straight ahead.

"I’ll be with you at the reception.
We’re not sitting as a bridal party but at family tables. So…"

"Aidan its fine, you don’t have to
explain to me." She shrugged.

We pulled up to Viola and Liam’s home.

"Wait!" Grabbing her thigh,
her eyes shot to my hand.

Did she feel it too, this intense need?
I let me hand linger too long.

"Stay here." Collecting
myself, I went around the car, opened the door and helped her out. "You
need to get used to that."

"Uh…okay," she furrowed her
brow.

The front door opened before we got up
the stone stairs. Mrs. Summers, Viola’s house keeper, stood with a large smile
on her face.

"Good evening, Mr. Iverson,"
she nodded. "Ms. Snowe." She smiled.

Lilli smiled back warmly.

"Lilli, I’ll see you at the church,
okay?" She nodded and entered the house. "Lilli," I blurted.

She turned around, brows drawn in
confusion. "Yeah?"

Stepping up close to her, her body
tensed. I pressed my lips to hers. Savoring the taste of her lips for only a
minute, I pulled back. Eyes still closed, she swayed toward me.  
Oh yeah,
she feels it too.
With a self-satisfied smile, I walked back to my car. My
lips prickled with the lingering heat of her mouth all the way to the church.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lilli

What the heck was that?
Tingling danced over my lips.

"Lilli, dear," I snapped
around quickly to see Viola coming downstairs in all her glory. She radiated
classic beauty. She was in a classic floor length black dress that had a boat
neck style collar and was sleeveless. The dress had a thick cumber ban style
waist that showcased her 1940’s starlet curves. Her caramel hair was in finger
waves that rested on her shoulder. "You look lovely dear," she smiled
widely. "Aidan must have been struggling to leave you tonight." She
lightly giggled.

"I’m sure he’ll be fine." Forcing
a smile, I tried to play off the left over feelings brought on by Aidan's kiss.

"Hey, Lilli." Maggie called
out as she descended the stairs, dressed in what I was learning was typical
Maggie fashion.

Geez, I need to get her and Phoebe
together
.

Maggie was Phoebe's living dress up doll
wet dream, prancing down the stairs in a strapless silver dress with black lace
overlay. The hem of the dress whispered over her knees with a full puffy skirt.
Accentuating her tiny waist, a black belt with large black rose hugged her. Black
lace gloves and black platform shoes were her perfect accessories.

"Geez girl, you look hot," she
gestured for me to twirl.

"You’ll have to talk to my friend
Phoebe. She did it all." Looking up from my own dress, I glanced between
Viola and Maggie. "You both look amazing."

"Oh thank you, dear," Viola
kissed my cheek.

"Alright ladies, we must get going.
The car is waiting." Liam appeared from a side room. He looked over the
three of us. "Well, Aidan’s loss is definitely my gain. I get to enter
with another lovely lady." He smiled widely.

"Liam Iverson quit your flirting,
you dirty old man!" Viola giggled and smacked him lightly on the chest. He
smiled down on her with such love and adoration I felt like an intruder on their
intimate moment.

"Oh God!" Maggie groaned.
"Go to your room. We have a guest here!" She rolled her eyes. Mrs.
Summers arrived with coats.

We climbed into the car and took off for
the church. The church was gorgeous and once we were seated the groom and
groomsmen took their places. I looked over to Aidan as he stood smiling and
fighting laughter next to James. It was in that moment I saw the copper tones
reflect in his hair from the light shining in through the window behind them.
His skin was so perfect, almost like perfect white marble. He turned toward his
family and when his eyes locked on mine he smiled and I smiled back before
turning my head toward Maggie.

Maggie was discussing the wedding and
the Irish traditions that their family followed, however, I couldn’t seem to calm
the fiery ache that was nagging at me and my lady parts. One look and a crooked
smile was all it seemed to take for me to react to him.

I really was a whore.

I pulled myself together just in time to
hear Viola chime in that we should get together to discuss some wedding details
as well as get my dress fitted.

"You don’t mind wearing my dress do
you?" She said in a hushed tone with concern in her voice.

"Viola, I told Aidan we could just
go to the Justice of the Pea…" she gave me a horrified look. I put my hand
on top of hers and tried to recover quickly. "He insisted that you wanted
this, so I am more than happy to do whatever it is that you have planned."
I smiled at her and she seemed to finally breathe again.

"Well, I still want your input.
Come to my house on Wednesday, can you make it?" I nodded just as the
music started. We all turned to see the bridesmaids enter, followed by the
flower girls. Last was the very princess like bride. Her dress was huge and I
only prayed that Viola did not have that in mind for me.

Once we arrived to the reception I sat
between Maggie and Viola, who were oohing and awing over the décor of the
table. I sipped on my water listening to them discuss wedding plans and ideas.

"Lilli, how about you come over
around ten on Wednesday morning? I will have the dress ready as well as some
dresses brought over for you to look through for your bridesmaids."

"Sure." I tried to look
excited about the details.

"You should bring your friends so
they can be fitted as well." She smiled and the new couple was announced.

I was sitting and laughing with Maggie
when I felt fingers run across my shoulder. I snapped around quickly. Aidan was
smiling down on me.

"Hey," I breathed out and then
rolled my eyes at the smirk on his face, clearly proud of catching me off
guard.

"Hey Aidan-o," Maggie giggled.

"Did someone let you into the
champagne?" He scowled playfully at her. "Cause it sounded like you
called me Aidan-o, Magpie." He smirked and she scowled at him. "Move
over." He ordered.

"No, I’m sitting next to Lilli. I’m
her date." She laughed, wrapping her arm around mine. I played along with
her.

"Oh Maggie, what would I do without
you?" I said over dramatically.

She giggled.

"You wouldn’t be able to survive, my
love."

"Okay, enough." Aidan rolled
his eyes. He grabbed Maggie’s chair and moved her over, placing a chair in the
now empty space. He smiled in victory at Maggie who huffed and threw her napkin
at him.

"Margaret!" Viola chided
across the table. Maggie scoffed at hearing her full first name.

"He started it," she said and
turned her back on Aidan.

I was laughing when I felt his breath on
the side of my face.

"I think we should start practicing
the public displays of happiness," he kissed my temple and then sat back
in his chair with a grin.

Oh really…well two can play this little
game.

I leaned over to him stopping my lips
just one tongue flick from his ear.

"That’s what you are paying me for,
I guess," I teased, grazing my freshly licked lips across his cheek as I
sat back into my seat and giggled under my breath.

I grabbed my water glass and was mid-sip
when I felt his hand on my leg. Just like in the car, I felt the pulsating heat
that radiated between us. I looked up to him and he was grinning.

"Loser," I mumbled under my
breath and laughed silently. He just smiled larger.

Once all of the toasts were completed
and Liam made sure to announce Aidan’s engagement, the music began and everyone
stood to dance. Viola and Liam excused themselves to go to the floor and Aidan
grabbed my hand, pulling me up from the chair. I hesitated.

"What?" he asked.

"I…uh…don’t really dance like
that," I motioned to Liam and Viola who were elegantly moving in a waltz
or something.

"I know how, you can just follow my
lead." He tugged and wrapped one arm around my waist while holding my
other hand to his chest.

"Aidan…"

"Shhh…"

He swayed us slowly and then began to
move us around the floor. I was surprised at how easy it was to follow his
lead. We didn’t speak but his body seemed to get closer and closer to mine. He
spun us and then dipped me, setting me off into a laughing fit which he joined.

The ride home was quiet and I had to
remove my shoes. They were killing me. Thinking back on the night I realized
how much fun it had been to be with Aidan and his family. I adored Maggie. I
don’t remember falling asleep but I woke to Aidan carrying me bridal style into
the elevator of his building.

"Oh shit…I’m sorry," I rubbed my
eyes.

"It’s fine," he said tightly.

I could feel that sensation between us
when we touch.

"Um, I can walk," I said as I
wiggled for him to put me down on my feet.

"It’s alright, we’re almost
there." As soon as he finished the sentence, the doors parted and he
stepped out to our floor.

With his arms full, he was having a hard
time maneuvering to open the door. I reached down and turned the knob.

"Thanks," he said.

"You can put me down, you
know?" I said again bracing myself to be put down as I felt his muscles
flex under my thighs and my back. I bit my lip to control myself.

"Oh, sorry," he put me down
and as I turned to head for the stairs he grabbed my arm. I turned back,
surprised by the action, and he handed me my shoes.

"Oh. Thanks." I smiled and
headed to bed.

After showering, hanging up the dress
and climbing into bed I fell into a restless sleep.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Aidan

The workweek came about quickly. Lilli
and I had spent Sunday around the apartment, though we didn’t necessarily
interact too much. Once she fell asleep on the couch watching TV, I sat across
from her watching. She would make the most interesting faces while she slept, I
wished I could read her mind.