Meetings 02

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" I asked, finding his earlobe with my lips. I heard a muffled noise, felt his body start quaking beneath me. I braced myself on my palm, moving the mountain of pillows from over his head, finding him laughing. "Ha ha, Hercules"

"Other than the fact that just looking at you takes my breath away, I'm fine." He said, grinning, threading his fingers into my hair.

"You're too sweet."

"Can't be too sweet to you." He said softly, trailing his thumb along my bottom lip. "You're my angel, my sweetness."

"Keifer..."

"Unless you're going to tell me you love, be quiet."

"I love you Keifer Alexander Hammond."

"Wow, the whole name and everything..." he grinned. I studied his smiling face. Those gorgeous amber, whiskey eyes, smiling with love. His full bottom lip spread wide in his smile. I knew my heart was his forever. "...you realize now, that you'll have to marry me soon enough."

"...hmm, soon enough."

"...tomorrow too soon?" he asked, pulling a blue velvet box from under the pillows. I froze, watching him non-chalantly flip open the box. "...I ask only because it matches the pendant."

He turned the box so I could see. A five and a half carat emerald, surrounded by a matching crust of diamonds, set into a gold and platinum setting. My breath caught in my chest somewhere, kind of like when you get thumped pretty hard in the solar plexus. "I know it's a surprise..."

"Very huge surprise." I croaked out. I could feel tremors start shivering through me, a chill coursing through my veins.

"...I know how we've talked before..."

"...your divorce just became final..."

"Yeah, a fucking year ago, so?" his eyes showed me his confusion. "You're not going to give me some 'go sow your wild oats' speech are you? I haven't felt what I feel with you in forever. I want to feel that every morning. Every night. It's you and nothing else will do. Will you marry me? Become my wife? My partner?" His hand was warm on my arm, gently stroking.

"I... I don't know..." Terror coursed through me, chilling my skin. Why did it feel like yesterday? Why can't I just fall in love and be happy? Leave all this bullshit in the past where it belongs? Bad experiences had shaped the woman I've become, made me stronger in spirit, gentler in more intimate situations, humble, honest.

I felt my hand resting on his chest. His skin was warm, smooth. The very same skin that I've been aching for, for the last few weeks. "How do I get my brain around it? I want you, more than I've wanted anything in a long time. My heart is already yours...so how do I get past these stumbling blocks of my past?" I mumbled as his palm cupped my cheek, gazing into his eyes.

"Second by second, until you can get to a minute." I knew I could trust him. I knew I could believe the words he spoke. I knew he was my protector, my best friend, the love of all my lives. "You can do this." I saw his belief in me in his eyes, took a deep breath, sighed it out. My gaze landed on the sparkly in the box still.

"You had this made too."

"Your dream."

"And you made it come true." I halted, searching for the words. "No one has ever done anything like this. For me or because of me. I don't know why, other than the fuck ups in my past, that I'm not bouncing around ecstatically, ripping that ring out of the box and screaming 'yes' for the whole world to hear."

"The only one who needs to hear it is me, and I'm right here."

"I know." I looked down at my hands, wondering, wishing I had the courage to face the old, dusty bullshit. He was nothing like any of the men in my past. He's honest, hardworking, sensible, and generous to a fault. I looked in his eyes again, seeing him, his soul, open to me. "I'm scared."

"I know."

"Yes." I blurted out. He cocked his eyebrow, waiting. "Yes, before I lose my mind! Yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Yes, I want to be your wife. Now."

"Now?" It was his turn to look surprised.

"Now. Surely someone in this ritzy joint can find us a J.P. at two thirty a.m. and get it done." He reached out and grabbed the phone, pressing the numbers for the concierge.

"Fifteen minutes." He said replacing the hand set. "You lucked out, my love. There's a conference going on."

"A justice of the peace conference?" I asked, rising from the bed.

"No, mortuary sciences conference. One of the medical examiners is also a j.p."

"Well...what the hell?" I said, letting a grin spread over my face as I shifted my corset into place, pulled the Velcro tight. I watched him as he slid his shirt on, buttoned it, my mouth going dry. 'This is love, not fear, I'm feeling.' I reminded myself. 'I have nothing to fear from him.' Letting the butterflies fluttering in my stomach free, giddily. I pressed my hand to my stomach, took a deep breath.

"That isn't too tight, is it? I did see Pirates of the Caribbean."

"No, it's not." I said with a grin at his reference. "I've just got a belly full of butterflies." I said, walking out to find my sheath by the window. He leaned against the door frame, watching me, his eyes filled with love.

"I can understand that." His words ending in a groan as I shimmied the sheath down over me. "It'll be off again within an hour. I can wait...and when I take it off then..."

"I'll be your wife."

"You'll be my wife." He smiled. The room phone rang. He answered.

"We'll be right down." He hung up the phone, made sure he had his wallet, handed me my micro purse. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Hand in hand, we went down to the smaller of the two function rooms. Three hotel employees had been drafted as witnesses and along with the J.P., the concierge and the manager, were the only other people in the room. The J.P. was a fan, hurrying through the flowery descriptions to get to the vows. He did. I did. I now pronounce you husband and wife. Forever and always. He slid the emerald from the bed on my finger, held my gaze as our lips met.

Flurry of scenes, signing papers, smoldering glances from my groom that set my body ablaze, champagne toast, gifted by the hotel, blurry passionate ride back up to his penthouse. Key swipe, pressed up against the door, he ground into me, hungrily, primally.

I felt the straps break, felt the sheath slide down, felt his rough hands, kneading, rolling my nipples, sending bolts of lust arrowing to my loins, shocking a moan from me that he swallowed whole. Buttons hitting my face, the floor, my hands racing over his chest, skimming over his light fur, tugging his shirt from his shoulders, flipping his belt open. Growls, snarls, hands reaching, opening, finding.

I felt my corset drop to the floor, as he slowly slid his cock into me, filling me. I was wrapped around him, using whatever leverage I could find to meet him stroke for stroke.

Whirling across the room, to the next flat surface, panting, groaning as he thrust even deeper, harder. His hand curved along my cheek as he plowed me. The moan started deep in my throat, rolling up and out as I was thrown into the evergasm, coming like a fireworks finale, every stroke, exploding faster, hotter. Volcanic proportions, sending out a feral growl for satisfaction, completion that he answered.

I know what it feels like to be a pretzel. I thought, feeling out my body, still wrapped tight around him. My legs wrapped and entwined together around his waist, my arms wound around his neck and shoulders.

I opened my eyes, seeing the abstract painting, leaning drunkenly to the left, the silk flowers dangling over the back of his head, meaning that at the moment we were parked on the desk in the main room. I felt bubbles of joy rising in my throat, erupting in laughter. He lifted his head, gazing at me with a grin.

"Pretty funny huh?" he asked.

"Yeah, it is. It's also such a confidence boost, knowing you want me so much..." I croaked out, running my fingers through his hair, feeling his arms slide under my back.

"I hope you aren't expecting an apology for..."

"...taking me like a Wildman on steroids and red bull? Dear heavens no, I enjoyed every second of it." I grinned. "Being man handled is something that adds to my..."

"...orgasm?" he supplied with a snicker, lifting me up, holding me close still, watching still, feeling the aftergasm roll through, rippling all along his cock. I opened my eyes again, seeing his smug grin, smiled back.

"That too." I purred, moving in, launching my assault on his throat. Whirling again, landing, bouncing on the mattress, face to face, on our sides, still joined most intimately. We lay for a while, just watching each other, gentle fingertip caresses the only movement.

"Has it hit you yet?" he asked quietly, his amber eyes warm and clear.

"I don't think so. Probably be like a bombshell in the morning when I wake up."

"I think it'll hit you sooner than that." His hand trailed slowly along my ribcage, dipping silkily into the dimples above my ass, tracing faintly along my tan lines. I let my eyes travel slowly over his chest, seeing the pattern of light fur trailing down his almost flat belly, seeing his all over chest tan, the dusky beige of his flat nipples.

'Mine!' I thought greedily, feeling my mouth begin to water. 'My husband!'

"I wonder what goes on in your mind when your eyes get all hazy and distant."

"I'm thinking of how I want you...and how you're mine now...and how much I want you to start all over again."

"Making love to you?"

"Yes."

"All night long?"

"If it's not too much to ask." I said, batting my lashes, flirtatiously.

"I'll see what I can do." A loud gurgle rose from between us, making us both grin.

"I think we both need some fuel first." I'd barely gotten the words out when his alarm started blaring. "No way." I said, leaning up on my elbow, reading the digital numbers in disbelief. "It's four. We have to go do a radio interview. And by the way, how did you manage to make it a joint interview?"

"I asked." He shrugged, dialing room service, ordering coffee to be sent first, then enough breakfast for four. "Think of it this way, we'll get to spend the day together and after the second interview, we're off to the airport..." here he made whooshing noises like a plane taking off, making me laugh, "...and hello Cozumel. Warm beaches, sultry nights." He trailed a soft fingertip along my cheek, along my jaw.

A discreet knock sounded from the other room. As much as I wished them to the devil at the moment, I was grateful to first see Helena with my luggage. She took in my disheveled state, the sheet wrapped around my obviously naked body and grinned, using our old hand signal code to say 'Three for three', making me grin foolishly.

"Sorry I didn't get this to you last night..." she began. I waved her off as a waiter appeared with coffee, cups and fixings on a tray. Sooner or later, we'd all get together and share stories, but now, I was focused on coffee and fashion.

It was a radio spot, I thought, pulling out my black jeans, a turquoise t-shirt, lilac bra and matching panties, setting them all out on the bed. He leaned against the bathroom door jamb, watching as I made my choices, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as I passed by him, heading for the shower, which was amazing. Glass walled, multi headed, multi tempo, amazing.

I was just finishing rinsing conditioner from my hair, when he slid in behind me. His arm slid around me, bar of my favorite soap in his hand, lathering my skin, sensually spreading soap suds over my stomach, under, over and around my breasts, over my shoulders and down my back.

"We're going to be late..." I groaned as his fingers rubbed lather into my quivering hole.

"I don't really care." He groaned back, as my hand stroked his cock from base to tip, feeling every ridge, every vein, every throbbing inch.

I felt him lift my leg, and surge into me, filling me completely. I braced my hands on the wall in front of me as he pounded furiously into me, one hand braced on my hip, the other buried in the suds around my clit. "...mine now...mine always..." I heard him softly chant with every thrust, feeling the pleasure building level upon level.

The hot water sluicing over, between us competed with the heat from his mouth trailing along my shoulder. My howl rose slowly, growing with each successive wave that crashed through me, writhing and bucking under his hands, under the hot water. His hands clutched me tighter as he added his howl of release to mine.

Limply, I leaned back against him, hot water spraying my chin and dribbling down my stomach. I sighed, feeling his lips nuzzling behind my ear. 'My husband is nuzzling...wait, did I just say my husband? I did, didn't I? Dear heavens, I married him.' Over and over my brain spun it, up, down, forward, backward, diagonally. Then I realized I was okay with it. It surely didn't suck, at the moment.

With a kiss, I left him to finish his, and wobbled into the bedroom. My clothes weren't where I'd left them. Instead of my jeans and t-shirt, my denim mini skirt and a shimmery shirt of amethyst. I slid into my bra and panties, realizing Keifer had done the switch out, wondering why but slipping them on anyway. I twisted my long hair up into a bun, keeping it mostly out of the way.

"God, you're never going to wear your hair like that anymore."

"What? I do this until it dries. When I let it down, it's..."

"All the curls and waves I've fallen head over heels with." He said, sidling up behind me, resting his chin on my shoulder, his hands on my hips. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you."

"That pendant sits perfectly, right there..." he growled, gazing at it nestled in the swell of my breasts.

"It does. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever had." I said, meeting his eyes in the mirror. "If you hustle a little, we won't be more than a few minutes late."

"Alright..." He groaned, releasing me, "...already nagging." He laughed, seeing my jaw drop to my chest. "I'm only teasing, sweetness."

"I know." I said softly, gazing down at the ring. I listened, sipping my second cup of coffee, as he dressed in jeans, button down shirt, tan cowboy boots. "So, I must ask, where'd my clothes go? And what do you have against my jeans?"

"They're in your bag, folded neatly. The only thing I have against your jeans is I can't get my hands inside them when I want. This..." he continued, sliding his hands up my thighs, under the mini in a flash, his fingers teasing and toying with my panties, my bush, "...gives me almost instant access, which I really love, especially when you start purring like this." With a simple touch, he turned my legs to jello and my brain to a melted goo ball.

I caught sight of us in the mirror, a pair of oblivious lovers intent on nothing more than satisfying each other and felt such a peace and security in his arms.

"Yep, we're gonna be late." I purred, reveling in his oral assault.

"Told you before, I don't really care." He growled, nipping sharply at my throat. "But, for you I'll resist my baser nature until we're on the beach in Cozumel."

"How about until these interviews are done and then you can paw and maul me to your heart's content."

"Deal. C'mon, the limo's downstairs." With my hand in his, he led me down and out to the limo. After a short trip, we were getting shuffled up to 98.3's booth, meeting with Jay and Delia, the morning jocks. Settled into chairs with headphones on our heads, we took the gentle ribbing for being ten minutes late. Keifer pushed aside a wedding query, after Delia spotted my ring.

"Is it an engagement ring?" she asked.

"It's the whole kit and caboodle as we did the deed around three a.m. this morning." He said, trying to stifle a yawn.

"You got married last night?" Jay asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah, we did." I agreed, watching the stunned expressions on the jock's faces. I answered Delia's questions on what I had worn, who was there, how it all came about. Keifer sat back, drawing me to lean on him, snuggling me into the crook of his shoulder, his hand resting just above my breast.

"So you two must be exhausted." Jay said, moving some papers in front of him. "Are you planning on a long honeymoon?"

"Yeah, Fiji for a couple of weeks. Then wherever the roads take us." Keifer said, shooting me a quick look.

"Dari, you can write anywhere, right?" Jay asked.

"Well, yeah. As long as there's power for my charger, I can write pretty much anyplace."

"Are your stories based on actual, um...experiences...in your life? Or is it all imagination? Fantasy?" Delia asked.

"Sometimes I weave in bits and pieces of actual events but most of the time, it's all fantasy."

"Doesn't say much about your prowess in the bedroom, now Keifer, does it?" Jay commented snarkily.

"That all depends on which one you're reading. Or in your case Jay, which one is being read to you." With gentle bantering we finished the interview and went up the two floors to the next, getting coffee in the Green room. "Wish I had a whole pot of your coffee right now. I'm draggin' ass."

"Me too. This stuff is barely drinkable." I said with a grimace. Feeling the hours we didn't spend sleeping, led us into the next interview. Kasey and Carter who covered the late morning show for the prima donna of the station, plodded us through the forty-five minute interview. No unexpected laughs, none of the previous friendly banter. As we were going down in the elevator, he let me know why the prima donna wasn't there.

"Last time, he was rude to the point of me almost knocking his teeth down his throat."

"Wow. He must like me then."

"Sweetness, everybody likes you, you're pure sweetness. That man though, he doesn't even like himself." He said nuzzling in along my throat. "It's a five hour flight."

"Is that all? Plenty of time for a well-deserved nap." I said with a yawn.

"That sounds so good." He growled beside my ear. "And tonight, when we're on the beach, with you in my arms, dancing in the sand, you'll be rested enough to begin our honeymoon."

"The one we're going on to Fiji?"

"Subterfuge. Sleight of hand."

"Keeping the crazies off our trail?"

"Keeping the crazies and the paparazzi from ruining our time together, like Martinique."

Martinique had been our only disaster. We'd been haunted by photographers from hell and a group of rabid ladies who thought he was their husband. We'd flown in together, in the morning and had flown out that afternoon, on different planes, and hadn't spoken for a week. I suppressed a shudder as the doors opened at lobby level.

"Thank you. That's a repeat performance I'd rather not see again...ever!" We held hands as we walked to the limo. Before I got in, he brought my hand to his lips, pressed a warm kiss to the center of my palm, warming my heart and making me smile.

Traffic was light on our trip to the airport, so the trip only took twenty minutes. Our bags were already stowed in the cargo hold of the jet. Keifer checked in with the pilot and the crew, signed a few necessary papers, as I got settled into the large bedroom suite. After slipping off my heels and my clothes, I snuggled in under the covers and immediately passed out. I felt him join me sometime later, and turned to snuggle into him.

Four and a half hours later, we were woken by Sheryl, his stew.

"We'll be landing in a little over forty-five minutes. Would you like anything? Coffee? A snack?" she asked, standing just inside the door.

"Coffee, strong. And please use the big mugs." He rumbled beside me.

"Certainly, sir." I heard the door close as she left.

"...mmm sweetness..."

"I'm awake...kind of." I grinned, holding my left hand up in front of my face, openly gawking at the ring, really and truly, on my finger.

"...hit you yet?" I heard him purr softly in my ear.

"Yeah, and I still think I'm dreaming. Then I look at this ring, and I know it's not a dream. It's real. We got married barely twelve hours ago." I purred, enjoying the decadence, the sensuality, the blatant, raw sexuality oozing from the man spooning behind me.