| AGAIN BY TORRI |
CHAPTER 22 |
Part 22
The first day that I saw you
I wanted to be a part of your life.
I longed to be any object
that you laid your hands upon.
I wanted you to look at me
with love,
desire,
passion in your eyes.
I wanted to be not only in your arms,
but in your heart.
Then,
you looked at me,
really looked at me,
and I felt a tremor in my soul;
my heart skipped a beat.
Here we are
years later,
trials later,
vowing our eternal love.
Now,
when you touch me,
I feel your love
awakening parts of me,
I never knew existed.
When you look at me
your love burns a hole
in my entire being,
arousing every inch of my flesh;
every inch of my heart.
The breeze from the ocean blew the white rose petals, blanketing the sand around in a circular motion. Todd had contacted Rachel and Nick earlier about coming to the wedding. Surprisingly, they both agreed without protesting.
Tea had no idea what was planned for the evening, only that she was again marrying the love of her life. She looked at the stranger in the mirror, smiling at the image; the happy image that she had never seen before. Well, this is it. This is forever. She smiles again, as she takes one last look in the mirror.
The dress that Todd had picked out was perfect in every way. A white, silk, form-fitting dress hugged her body like a second skin. The splits on either side exposed her toned legs. She looks out the window, and sees her lover waiting impatiently for her arrival.
Todd gnawed at his fingernails, willing her to appear by his side. He had purchased a white Armani double-breasted suit, with a cream colored tie. He preferred black, but this was Tea's day, and he was going to do everything he could to make things perfect for her, including inviting her friends. Damn, he wished she would hurry up.
The minister, along with Rachel and Nick, stand away from Todd, talking amongst themselves.
"You think he's going to be alright? He seems kinda nervous," observes Nick.
"Yeah, that's Todd. Come on, Tea should be here in a minute," Rachel says as she takes her place opposite Todd. Nick stands beside Todd, acting as his best man, Rachel, the maid of honor.
The violinist begins to play as he spots Tea coming out through the doors. The photographer and videographer grab their cameras and begin filming. Tea walks down the aisle at a snail's pace, wanting to savor each step. This was her last trip down the aisle.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union between this man, and this woman-"
"Yeah, can we skip this part and get to the vows?" Todd asks, interrupting the minister.
"If that's what you want Mr. Manning."
"Yeah, I'll go first. You look beautiful by the way," taking Tea's hand into his own, rubbing them gently.
"Thank you."
"Yep. I'm not the kind of guy that believes in lasting love, or fifty-year wedding anniversaries, or any of that other junk. What I do believe in, is you and me. We've been through so much, together and apart, and it's only made our connection stronger. I am not perfect, but you're the only one, who accepts me completely, with all my imperfections. I love you so much; I can't express it with words. You are everything to me, everything; without you in my life, I am nothing. I promise, I will spend to rest of my life trying to make you happy, and prove to you how much you mean to me. Okay, I'm done," he says as he wipes the tears that have begun to stream down her cheeks. "Oh jeez, why are you crying?"
"That's the most beautiful thing I have ever heard."
"Yeah, well, you don't have to cry."
"Tea, have you written something that you would like to say to Todd, or do you want to stick with the traditional vows?" The minister asks.
"Well, Todd and I have never been traditional, so I guess I'll wing it too. You probably never noticed, but I was attracted to you from the first time I saw you. I used to dream about what it would be like to be touched by you, held by you, loved by you. In those dreams it was the best feeling I had ever known, until I got the reality. We have endured more in these past two years than most couple's experience in a lifetime. But we are stronger for it. I know now that whatever adversity we experience in the future, together, we can overcome it. I can't remember a time when I didn't love you. Truth is, I don't want to remember because back then I was only going through the motions of living. I wanted to give up on love, but the minute I stopped looking, there you were; and here we are. On this beautiful island with my two best friends, and God, getting remarried to my soulmate. I love you Todd Manning, with all that I am, and all that I will ever be. I pledge to you my undying love, devotion; my heart. I love you now and forever."
"Do you have the rings?" The minister asks.
"Yes," Rachel and Nick answer in unison, stepping forward with the bands.
"Repeat after me, with this ring, I thee wed," Todd takes the ring and slides it on Tea's finger.
"With this ring, I thee wed," he repeats.
"With this ring, I thee wed," Tea says as she slides the ring on his finger.
"You can skip over the rest and just pronounce us man-" Tea clears her throat, "I meant husband and wife," he says catching his mistake.
"Well, you may now kiss the bride."
Todd wraps his arms around her petite waste, lifts her chin to him, and kisses her with all the passion in his heart. "I love you, Delgado," he whispers as he pulls away.
"I love you too."
"Okay, everyone is invited back to our house for some food. Uh, the house is unlocked, and the food is already set out. We're going to stay out here for a little while."
"Congratulations," Rachel says to Tea as she kisses her on the cheek. "I hope the third time really is the charm. Todd, take care of her," she bites the bullet and kisses him too. He winces, but accepts her good wishes.
"I'm really happy for you Tea. You deserve a little happiness," Nick says as he hugs Tea. "You take care of her," he says to Todd and extends his hand for a handshake. Todd maintains control of his jealousy and returns the gesture. Hand in hand, Nick and Rachel walk toward the house.
"You happy?" Todd asks, hoping that this day was perfect for her.
"Happier than I've ever been in my life. I love you Todd."
"I love you too. I can't wait to get you out of this dress," he tugs at her zipper, trying to pull it down. She puts her hand on top of his, stopping his action.
"Todd, we have guests in the house. We can't do this now."
He smothers her lips with his own, daring her to pull away. He explores her mouth with his tongue, while lightly running his hands up and down her spine. She shivers, his touch turning her on in every way. She wants to pull away, but is paralyzed by his touch.
"You're right, we can't do this now," he says and pulls away from her lips. "I mean, they're only a few feet away," he walks away, luring her to another part of the beach. Predictably, she follows him, wanting more physical closeness.
"Todd," her thoughts are interrupted, when she sees where Todd has led her. A blanket lies in the middle of a secluded area of the beach, not too far from their house. The blanket is surrounded by dozens of peach roses, their scent filling the ocean air. A picnic basket sits in the middle. "What's this?" She asks as she grabs Todd's hand and walks toward the basket.
"Open it and see." She does as he says, and opens the basket. Inside, there are the biggest, reddest, ripest strawberries, along with whipped cream, and a bottle of expensive champagne to wash them down.
"These look so good," Tea says, referring to the strawberries. Todd takes one from the top, and slides it across Tea's lips; teasing her. Each time she tries to seize it, he takes it away from her mouth, making her want it more. Relenting, he finally allows her to take a bite of the sweet berry.
"Good?" He asks as he opens the champagne bottle with a pop.
"Perfect, just like everything else today."
"Yeah, well, it's your day, so it should be perfect. I guess we should make a toast, so here it goes." He raises his full glass, "Here's to your happiness-"
"Our happiness," Tea interrupts.
"Our happiness, from this day forward," their arms interlock as the pour the champagne into each other's mouths. Todd spills some down her chin, to her neck, absorbing into her dress. "I'm sorry," he says with a mischievous grin. "Let me clean you up." First he licks her lips, then her chin. "I think I saw some on your neck." His tongue tickles her neck. "I think we're going to have to take this dress off, in case some seeped through," he pulls her zipper down, this time, she doesn't resist. "Yeah, you have some right her," he plants a kiss in her cleavage, then licks all around her nipple. "Can I try something?"
"I am yours, you can try anything you want."
He removes the top to the whipped cream, shakes it, and then sprays one drop on each nipple. She shivers from the cool cream, but enjoys the sensation. He takes two of the smaller strawberries, and places them on top of the cream. He opens his mouth and licks the cream around the berry. With one final look, he takes the remaining cream and strawberry into his mouth, his mouth hovering over her nipple. Teasing her, he abruptly lifts his head and chews it seductively. She makes a move to sit up, but he gently pushes her back down. He does the same with the other berry, except this time he holds it between his teeth, leaning over her for her to take the other end.
The Manning Estate
"Where did the happy couple go?" Nick asks Rachel. The photographers and minister left immediately after the ceremony, leaving the two of them alone.
"I have no idea," she responds. They are sitting at the dining room table, drinking champagne, and feasting on the spread that Todd had provided.
"They probably couldn't wait for us to leave to begin their wedding night."
"I don't know about that," says Rachel as she takes a sip of bubbly.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, it was just a statement, nothing more. This house is incredible. I didn't know Todd had such great taste," she says, changing the subject.
"It is nice. Hey, let's check out the bedrooms," taking her hand and guiding her upstairs her upstairs.
"We can't do that in their house," fighting the temptation.
"This is a big house and no one's around. Come on Rach, live a little." He kisses her, knowing that it would get him his way.
The Beach
Todd, holding the champagne bottle, pours it down her neck, watching it roll down the front of her body. He licks his lips seductively, as he runs his tongue along the trail of champagne.
"Um, that feels so good," Tea says with her eyes closed, enjoying his erotic movements. She wraps her fingers around his head, as his tongue trails lower and lower. She raises her pelvis, meeting his tongue halfway. "Oh god." He plays around her clitoris, alternating between his tongue and his finger. He feels her wet with desire for him, wanting to tease her some more.
The Manning Estate
The house is completely silent, with the exception of the moans coming from one of the guest bedrooms. Rachel is wearing only her bra and panties, Nick has on a pair of black briefs. She slides his underwear off, revealing his hardness.
With a flick of the hand, he expertly undoes her bra, and throws it to the floor. She takes off her panties, and sits on top of his manhood, moving to a slow, rhythmic beat. He kisses her neck, moving down to her breasts. He suck and sucks, increasing the intensity of her moans.
They come to a shared climax, with one last, intense moan. She continues to sit on him, not wanting to break their connection.
The Beach
Tea is now in control, having stripped Todd of his clothes. He was reluctant at first, wanting only to please her. She rubs his penis, moving her hand up and down, very slowly. She knows that he likes to have the underside touch, so she touches her fingertips to his muscle. He moans at the feel of her feather like touch. She places butterfly kisses along his hardness, flicking her tongue every now and then. She kisses the tip, then lightly licks it. He moans and grips her hair, as she taunts him with her lips.
"Oh, Tea, I want you so bad right now." He shifts her so that he's on top, and rests on his elbows, looking down on her. He stares at her for a few moments, drinking in her appearance, completely naked, completely exposed, completely vulnerable, and completely in love with him. "I love you so much," he says as he overtakes her lips with his own.
She guides him inside her moistness, as he expertly moves in and out of her. She moans in ecstasy, as his breathing quickens. His pace increases, as does hers, as they explode simultaneously. He lies on top of her, kissing her over and over.
