Marcie and Leo Ch. 119

I want to think I am an intelligent individual. Although my reputation is as the "silent partner" in the business relationship with my best friend since we were kids, it does not signify that I am the "dumb guy". I graduated near the top of my class from college. Many of the things we pay our lab techs, engineers and such now were the things he and I did when we started the company. Technology comes second nature to me.

However, I have ignorance for other things. When Missy, my late wife, and I were getting our house built, Missy was the one who designed what she wanted. The only two things I desired from her for the design were a computer room and the pool we had in the background. Everything else about the house was her idea. It was one reason why when the house became Aubrey's later, she didn't have to do many things to make it hers. Being Missy's best friend from college and having similar taste was a plus.

One of the ways I supplement my knowledge is to have experts that I am friends with. From Sabrina who owns the flower shop to Ben who handles the car maintenance to Sal who owns the pizza place, I have a great group of friends who help me with the non-technical stuff. Add Deb and Janet who keep me out of trouble at the office and Aubrey who makes sure I know what's going on, I have a great network. I also have a wonderful therapist who has been helping me with my emotional stuff for years.

One person who had been there for both Missy and I was our friend Pierre. I bought Missy's engagement ring from him, then we bought her wedding ring and subsequently, her collar after. Pierre also helped me when it came to finding a collar for Marcie before he helped me with her ring and necklace when I proposed. This was something that came up the week after Thanksgiving when Marcie was looking in the mirror.

She bought herself a new casual dress to wear when she visited the office. It was an idea she had that if she was married to the CFO of the company that she should look more proper when she comes in. I never had a problem with how she dressed. Neither did Matt or Aubrey or anyone else to be honest. It was just something she thought about. It was then she was looking at her wedding ring. She smiled warmly as she looked at it. It was then she saw me watching her.

"Penny for your thoughts," I said.

That was always her phrase when I was in thought. I saw her smile warm a little more before she answered.

"I am curious how you came up with this design for the ring."

I smiled back.

"Honest answer, Pierre designed it."

She looked at me a bit more curiously.

"He said you had a hand in it."

I walked closer before I held her from behind, looking in the mirror at the loving couple before I answered.

"I thought about what Mitch would want to include to remind you of him while at the same time sharing you with me."

She kissed me gently on the cheek before she looked in the mirror. I could tell her mind was working a bit. It was then she turned to me.

"So, Pierre's shop used to be local?" she asked as her hands went around my neck.

"It was. It used to be where the lingerie shop is now. He moved to his present location years ago."

"With some help?" she asked, feeling my hands on her waist as she started snuggling closer to me.

"Yeah, he started getting more clients and needed more space for the shop. His house is nearby also."

I started getting the feeling she was interrogating me, not in an aggressive way. I could feel her lips kissing along my neck.

"I am curious how Mitch would have found Pierre. I mean, his stuff seems so much more expensive when we saw them in his shop," she said before her lips went back to that spot on my neck.

"Sweetheart, that was before my time. I would have had no idea."

The kiss stopped. It was then I felt her melt against me. I held her tight before she started to whisper.

"So, Pierre wasn't making up the fact..."

"Sweetheart, I have known Pierre for a while. Every ring he makes is unique. If he said that Mitch came to him, I believe him. I didn't know you guys back then. I hadn't met Mitch until you introduced him to Missy and me when we first moved in. I had no idea he bought a ring from Pierre. I found out the same time you did."

Her lip pressed against that spot again. This time, it felt more insistent.

"What are you thinking, Baby?" I asked.

I felt the pressure stop.

"Can you undo the belt around my dress for me?"

I moved my hands away from her hips to undo the belt. I watched as the dress began to unwrap before she leaned in for a kiss.

"I like that lingerie shop," she whispered.

My hands slide through the opening in the dress back to her hips to find the red lingerie underneath it. I started to kiss her a little deeper.

"I love seeing you in everything," I whispered.

The dress dropped to the floor. The whole picture was gorgeous. In a sense though, I was perplexed until she leaned in for a whisper.

"I bought some lingerie when I bought the dress. The thought that Pierre's shop was there was something that piqued my interest in the ring. I thought about it while I was trying on the dress here."

"And the questions..." I started to ask.

"I know you would never hold back a secret from me, Leo," she whispered. "I was just curious. There have been times over the years before him that I had to learn to be careful. The wonderful thing about him and about you is that I knew you both loved me and wanted to protect me. The old instincts don't always go away though."

I held her tight against me as her head pressed against my chest.

"Do you forgive me?" she asked.

"Always, my love."

"For buying the lingerie as well as the dress?'

"It's alright, baby," I encouraged her.

"And for interrogating you?"

"My heart and mind are an open book for you, Marcie," I whispered.

I felt her hand rub against me.

"I would feel better if you would help me break in this lingerie, Leo," she said with that saucy seductive look on her face.