OUR PREDICAMENTI COULD ALMOST HEAR THE snare drum in my head beating a march like we were walking to the gallows, its beat picking up in pace as my hand reached out to slide my key into the slot.My heart stopped as the door flung open, my mother standing there with wide eyes, worry etched into her features.“There you are! Thank God!” She pulled me in for a hug, then stepped back to let us in. “I tried to call, but it went to voicemail. I didn’t think you’d be out all night.”“Sorry, Mom.”She glanced at Weston and looked to me, her worry melting away.“Did you two have fun?” she asked with a smile and a wink.I wanted to facepalm myself from her one-eighty change in reaction. My mom was actually hoping I had sex with him? I hoped that wasn’t it.“I’m surprised to see you, Weston,” she said, smiling at him. “Well, hurry up. Checkout is in two hours, and I want to get another few minutes in at the casino before we head out.”“Actually, Karen, we have something to tell
OUR TRIP HOMETHE ELECTRICITY FROM THE EXCITEMENT my mother stirred up had waned, and we were left with silence as we left Las Vegas and headed down the highway to Los Angeles, where Weston lived, in his car. The music was on low, and it lightened the mood a bit.“Am I the only one who thinks this is the most awkward moment?” Weston’s smooth voice spoke, breaking the heavy silence and my deep thoughts.“Nope,” I said, popping the “p” at the end.“Which is strange, because we were both so comfortable with each other yesterday.”“That was yesterday ... before we got married,” I reminded him.His head hung and he let out a sigh, looking at me cautiously out of the corner of his eye.“Never, in a million years, did I ever expect to come home from a business trip in Vegas as a married man.” He shook his head. “Fuck.”“Why am I going with you?” I asked, yet again.“Because your mom has some serious voodoo,” he noted with a humorless chuckle.I nodded. “I still c
OUR HOMEWALKING INTO WESTON’S ... our ... home was like walking into a different world. The place was huge. And spotless. It reminded me of the display homes in the new neighborhoods that Mom always liked to look at, or a magazine portraying homes of the rich and famous. There was no clutter, not a speck of dust, nothing. It was hard to find personal items, just a few pictures hanging on the wall. Otherwise, it held a museum-like feel to it. I almost wondered where the film crew for MTV’s Cribs was hiding.“Kitchen is here, living room is through that way,” he said, pointing toward the large arched hole in the wall. We walked through, Weston mapping out the layout with hand gestures. It was a lot to take in, and I knew it would just take some exploring on my own to really understand it all.He halted when we neared the stairway, and I almost ran into him.“I didn’t think you were here yet,” he said.I looked around him to find a very pretty woman w
OUR FIRST NIGHTDINNER WAS ENJOYABLE, THE ATMOSPHERE from the previous night returning. Weston was sexy, playful, funny, and sweet. A deadly combination. Afterwards, we curled up in front of the TV and channel surfed, catching a few minutes of some reality show and a bit of a comedy movie. It was very relaxing, lying nestled into his side, his arm around me. I felt warm, safe, and cherished.That night, it didn’t feel like we’d only known each other for a few short days. Instead, it felt like years had passed and we were an average couple hunkered down for the evening. Two people just enjoying being together. I hoped that even after some time passed that feeling would continue, never to fade.When it was time for bed, he walked me upstairs and stopped in front of my bedroom door.“Goodnight,” he said as he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine.I didn’t want him to pull back. I wanted to continue feeling his body against mine and the comfort he provided. He looked betwe
OUR NAMEI AWOKE TO SOFT CARESSES on my arm, fingers dancing up and down my skin. A warm chest, a beating heart, and humming. I groaned, not wanting to open my eyes, and burrowed further into what I knew was Weston’s chest. He chuckled, his chest bouncing beneath my head, his hand never stopping his soothing caress.“Too early,” I said as I nuzzled against his skin.“Good morning to you, too.”I pulled back, tilting my head up, and Weston did the same, his eyes dancing with amusement.“Morning.”“How did you sleep?” he asked, his hand moving to brush the hair from my face.“Extremely well. You?”“Ditto.”I burrowed back down, loving his spicy scent that filled my senses. My eyes drifted closed again as I lay in his warmth when he sighed.“I don’t want to get out of bed. It feels so good here with you.” His arm wrapped tight around me, pulling me as close to him as he could.“But?”“But, I need to get the day going. You stay and sleep for a while longer. I’m going to
OUR FAMILYWESTON HAD SOME WORK HE needed to do, so I decided to explore some more of our beautiful home. I wandered outside, an area I hadn’t gotten to yet. I’d only admired it from the inside. There was a shaded deck area overlooking the pool with lounge chairs, ceiling fans, and slate flooring. Between the fabrics and the lights, it was sheer elegance.Sitting down on one of the two-person loungers, I looked over the beautiful grounds. It was paradise, pure and simple. I could see myself spending many hours out here reading, or swimming in the pool. Sophie said she set me up with about ten swimsuits, but I never did get to see one. Maybe in the morning I could take a swim.While dreaming, my phone rang from the pocket of my jeans. Pulling it out, I saw “Mom” flashing on the screen.“Hi, Mom,” I said after hitting accept.“Wren! Oh, honey, I miss you so much! How is California? How’s Weston?”After seeing the movie posters, I was certain my mother knew who Weston was wh
OUR DESIREIT WAS SO WARM AND comfy all snuggled down in my bed the next morning that I didn’t want to wake up. I was dreaming of Weston: his warmth, his scent, his touch, his body. And I didn’t want to leave it. I wanted to indulge in every heavenly ounce of it. The comfort of his body pressed against mine was all I needed.It was when I felt the hairs tickle the back of my neck that I realized the warmth wasn’t solely from my covers. As I surfaced into consciousness, I felt the weight of Weston’s arms across my waist, legs tangled in mine, the warmth of his body pressed behind me, and his breath as it swept across my neck. Turning to look back at him, he groaned, his grip tightening on my waist, his face nuzzling into my neck.The feeling that coursed through me from such a small, simple action was indescribable. Warmth, need, want ... love.I tried to turn around again, and a frown formed on his face. He reminded me of a little kid who didn’t want to wake up.
OUR FIRST ARGUMENTIT WAS AMAZING THAT WESTON wasn’t more injured than he was after his tumble from the treadmill. I helped to patch up a burn from the belt on his arm, along with a bleeding gash on his knee, but could do nothing for the bump on his head except kiss it. He said it made it better, but I think he was just placating me. It was sweet nonetheless.I kissed his boo-boos one last time before we curled up in bed together that night. Our first night with my belongings combined with his; my clothes in his closet, toothbrush touching his, the other vanity no longer empty. I fell asleep easily wrapped in his arms, fingers caressing me into dreamland.All too soon the alarm was blaring and his body left mine. Weston had unfortunately left for work early with the promise of returning in the early afternoon.“I’m sorry I keep leaving you alone all day,” he’d said with a heavy breath, looking into the mirror as he looped his tie around his neck.“This wasn’t planned, and