[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
asked, Will you marry me?
Caroline was dumbfounded. She could think of nothing& nothing at all.
Was she dreaming, or was he joking? That must be it& he was joking.
She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. Larry, that is really not
funny. I know that you are not serious. You hardly like me, let alone love
me. And I feel the same about you. So stop being silly, and let me get a
shower. She turned away quickly because she did not want him to see the
tears in her eyes. In her heart, she knew she did love him, probably had from
the first day she saw him leaning so indolently against her kitchen counter,
appraising her body, making her shiver, and making her body respond
inwardly.
She practically ran into the bathroom, too upset to notice the gold and
white appointments. Stripping off her clothes, she pulled aside the curtain,
turned on the water, and stepped inside. Now the tears could flow, and it
would not matter as she held her face to the falling water. A sob escaped her
throat, and she dropped down to the shower floor, head bowed, crying into
her arms.
She did not hear him move behind the curtain with her. She was startled
to feel his arms around her as he knelt beside her. He lifted her face, gently
kissing her eyes and then her lips. As they kissed, he pulled them upright.
He slid his arms so tightly around her that she could feel every inch of his
body against her. He touched her face, her hair, her neck.
Caroline, it was not a joke. I do love you. I want you to marry me. I
want you to love me. I want to protect you. I want you to be mine. Even if
you do not love me now, please consider that you might love me in the
future. If you cannot say yes now, I will understand and wait as long as it
take for you to say it later. He kissed her again, softly, over and over until
her mind was reeling.
She moved her head away from him, knowing that if he continued to
kiss her like that, he would never stop. She had to tell him, Larry, please
listen. I do love you and I do want to marry you, but right now all you want
is my body, and I want yours. When this flurry of passion is quelled, you
will wish you had not asked. I understand that. Can t we just give in to the
passion and love each other without the ties of a marriage?
132 Beverly Sims
It was his turn to pull away completely. No, Caroline, we cannot. If
that is what you think, then you re right. We should not marry. Nor should
we just have sex. Yes, I want your sex, but I want you more than that. He
stepped out of the shower, grabbed his clothes, and moved into the bedroom.
Caroline was still dripping wet when she reached him, her towel barely
wrapped around her. Please, Larry, don t run off again. Let me explain.
Honey, you can explain all you want, but I won t be here. I will
arrange for you to stay a couple weeks and then fly home from Reno to
Portland. I ll drive back and finish the house and be done with you. Hell, I
think I ll even move away, maybe back to Portland with my sister for a
while or even another state. I can t live there this way any more. Goodbye,
Caroline, have a good life.
Wait! She grasped his arm. He shrugged her away, moving to the
door. Larry, I love you. Yes, yes, yes, I will marry you. She dropped to
her knee at his feet, towel spilling around her on the floor, exposing all her
charms. Larry Gardiner, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?
For long moments, neither of them moved. She finally rose. He made no
movement to touch her or even speak. At last, he reached for her hand.
Looking deeply into her tear-swollen eyes, his eyes too filled with tears.
Yes, Caroline Fleming, I will marry you. But we will do it right. I will
arrange a wedding fit for a queen. My Queen Caroline. I will call you in the
morning, and we ll go shopping. You will need a dress and I a suit or
whatever men wear.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Goodnight, my sweet. He
unlocked the door and closed it gently behind him. She was standing naked
with the towel at her feet, and he had left her. She sank to the floor and
cried.
Caroline s House 133
Chapter 29
Morning came to find Caroline wrapped in one of the huge towels,
asleep on a couch. When the phone rang, she awoke, confused as to where
she was. Hello. Yes, but give me five minutes.
It was not Larry, but rather room service, asking if they could bring a
light breakfast for them. For her. She felt tears but decided enough was
enough. She ran into the bedroom, careful not to look at the bed. She pulled
on some clothes and gathered her dirty ones from the bathroom floor,
shoving them in a bag provided. She would not have them laundered here
but would do that when she got home tomorrow, or even tonight.
Room service arrived with a covered tray. The server took his tip and
left. She opened the tray to see a pitcher of coffee, some pastries and juice,
and an envelope. For a long while, she debated rather or not to open it, but
finally she eagerly pulled out the paper inside.
Darling. I understand there is some stupid custom that a groom is not to
see his bride on their wedding day, so I will abide with it, even though I
would rather come up there and ravish you this very minute. A car will be
waiting for you in front at 10 AM. Just tell the bellman your name. They
will know your destination. Larry. P.S., I love you more every second.
Caroline was smiling ear to ear. She read and re-read the note a dozen
times while she drank her juice and coffee. At 9:55, she took the elevator to
the lobby. At the door, a bellman asked her name. He motioned her ahead of
him outside to a waiting limo, long and white. The chauffeur nodded to her
and then drove off. She had no idea where they were going until the limo
pulled up in front of a lavish wedding store.
As she entered, a woman asked her name and smiled. I am Madame
LaMoora, and I will assist you. Please make yourself comfortable in the
pink chair to the right and watch as the staff brings out items for your
selection. We will be a bit longer than planned, because the gentleman had
134 Beverly Sims
no idea of your size. I truly think he would not know a size 4 from a 24, but
it is so obvious he adores you. Is a size 10 right?
Caroline nodded, took the glass of wine offered, and nodded yes or no
as each dress passed in front of her. When she had seen enough, she
indicated she would like to try them on.
It was no problem choosing. She selected a soft lavender gown, so light
it was nearly white. To the delight and amazement of the staff, she asked if
they had a dark, dark purple cloak or cape that would match. They did! She
selected shoes, undergarments, including a garter belt and very sexy
rhinestone hose, a barely-there bra and two incredible nightgowns. The
people there were enthralled at how lovely she looked when adorned in her
wedding attire. They even asked if they could have her photographed for
their front window. One of them crept forward to ask for an autograph for a
copy of one of her books; until then, no one had known of her celebrity, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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asked, Will you marry me?
Caroline was dumbfounded. She could think of nothing& nothing at all.
Was she dreaming, or was he joking? That must be it& he was joking.
She took his hand and pulled him to his feet. Larry, that is really not
funny. I know that you are not serious. You hardly like me, let alone love
me. And I feel the same about you. So stop being silly, and let me get a
shower. She turned away quickly because she did not want him to see the
tears in her eyes. In her heart, she knew she did love him, probably had from
the first day she saw him leaning so indolently against her kitchen counter,
appraising her body, making her shiver, and making her body respond
inwardly.
She practically ran into the bathroom, too upset to notice the gold and
white appointments. Stripping off her clothes, she pulled aside the curtain,
turned on the water, and stepped inside. Now the tears could flow, and it
would not matter as she held her face to the falling water. A sob escaped her
throat, and she dropped down to the shower floor, head bowed, crying into
her arms.
She did not hear him move behind the curtain with her. She was startled
to feel his arms around her as he knelt beside her. He lifted her face, gently
kissing her eyes and then her lips. As they kissed, he pulled them upright.
He slid his arms so tightly around her that she could feel every inch of his
body against her. He touched her face, her hair, her neck.
Caroline, it was not a joke. I do love you. I want you to marry me. I
want you to love me. I want to protect you. I want you to be mine. Even if
you do not love me now, please consider that you might love me in the
future. If you cannot say yes now, I will understand and wait as long as it
take for you to say it later. He kissed her again, softly, over and over until
her mind was reeling.
She moved her head away from him, knowing that if he continued to
kiss her like that, he would never stop. She had to tell him, Larry, please
listen. I do love you and I do want to marry you, but right now all you want
is my body, and I want yours. When this flurry of passion is quelled, you
will wish you had not asked. I understand that. Can t we just give in to the
passion and love each other without the ties of a marriage?
132 Beverly Sims
It was his turn to pull away completely. No, Caroline, we cannot. If
that is what you think, then you re right. We should not marry. Nor should
we just have sex. Yes, I want your sex, but I want you more than that. He
stepped out of the shower, grabbed his clothes, and moved into the bedroom.
Caroline was still dripping wet when she reached him, her towel barely
wrapped around her. Please, Larry, don t run off again. Let me explain.
Honey, you can explain all you want, but I won t be here. I will
arrange for you to stay a couple weeks and then fly home from Reno to
Portland. I ll drive back and finish the house and be done with you. Hell, I
think I ll even move away, maybe back to Portland with my sister for a
while or even another state. I can t live there this way any more. Goodbye,
Caroline, have a good life.
Wait! She grasped his arm. He shrugged her away, moving to the
door. Larry, I love you. Yes, yes, yes, I will marry you. She dropped to
her knee at his feet, towel spilling around her on the floor, exposing all her
charms. Larry Gardiner, I love you with all my heart. Will you marry me?
For long moments, neither of them moved. She finally rose. He made no
movement to touch her or even speak. At last, he reached for her hand.
Looking deeply into her tear-swollen eyes, his eyes too filled with tears.
Yes, Caroline Fleming, I will marry you. But we will do it right. I will
arrange a wedding fit for a queen. My Queen Caroline. I will call you in the
morning, and we ll go shopping. You will need a dress and I a suit or
whatever men wear.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Goodnight, my sweet. He
unlocked the door and closed it gently behind him. She was standing naked
with the towel at her feet, and he had left her. She sank to the floor and
cried.
Caroline s House 133
Chapter 29
Morning came to find Caroline wrapped in one of the huge towels,
asleep on a couch. When the phone rang, she awoke, confused as to where
she was. Hello. Yes, but give me five minutes.
It was not Larry, but rather room service, asking if they could bring a
light breakfast for them. For her. She felt tears but decided enough was
enough. She ran into the bedroom, careful not to look at the bed. She pulled
on some clothes and gathered her dirty ones from the bathroom floor,
shoving them in a bag provided. She would not have them laundered here
but would do that when she got home tomorrow, or even tonight.
Room service arrived with a covered tray. The server took his tip and
left. She opened the tray to see a pitcher of coffee, some pastries and juice,
and an envelope. For a long while, she debated rather or not to open it, but
finally she eagerly pulled out the paper inside.
Darling. I understand there is some stupid custom that a groom is not to
see his bride on their wedding day, so I will abide with it, even though I
would rather come up there and ravish you this very minute. A car will be
waiting for you in front at 10 AM. Just tell the bellman your name. They
will know your destination. Larry. P.S., I love you more every second.
Caroline was smiling ear to ear. She read and re-read the note a dozen
times while she drank her juice and coffee. At 9:55, she took the elevator to
the lobby. At the door, a bellman asked her name. He motioned her ahead of
him outside to a waiting limo, long and white. The chauffeur nodded to her
and then drove off. She had no idea where they were going until the limo
pulled up in front of a lavish wedding store.
As she entered, a woman asked her name and smiled. I am Madame
LaMoora, and I will assist you. Please make yourself comfortable in the
pink chair to the right and watch as the staff brings out items for your
selection. We will be a bit longer than planned, because the gentleman had
134 Beverly Sims
no idea of your size. I truly think he would not know a size 4 from a 24, but
it is so obvious he adores you. Is a size 10 right?
Caroline nodded, took the glass of wine offered, and nodded yes or no
as each dress passed in front of her. When she had seen enough, she
indicated she would like to try them on.
It was no problem choosing. She selected a soft lavender gown, so light
it was nearly white. To the delight and amazement of the staff, she asked if
they had a dark, dark purple cloak or cape that would match. They did! She
selected shoes, undergarments, including a garter belt and very sexy
rhinestone hose, a barely-there bra and two incredible nightgowns. The
people there were enthralled at how lovely she looked when adorned in her
wedding attire. They even asked if they could have her photographed for
their front window. One of them crept forward to ask for an autograph for a
copy of one of her books; until then, no one had known of her celebrity, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]