Chapter 14

Ron placed his hand on April’s knee. “You really look gorgeous in that dress,” he said. “I think the white stockings were the icing on the cake.”

“Gloria really did a nice job. She added more lace and some embroidery. I really love the dress and I will be able to wear it ... once it gets warmer.”

“I think you can afford to lose the veil.”

“Oh, duh...” April removed the headband and the gauze veil. She put the headband back on.

“I like how that looks on you ... sort of an updated hippie vibe.”

“So, where are we going?”

“Have you heard of the Bristlepine Resort?”

“Yeah ... Brad and Rayla used to go there. I’ve never been there, though.”

“We have reservations for three nights in one of their honeymoon suites. I also made dinner reservations. We can cancel those if you’re too full from our post-ceremony buffet.”

“I’m not,” she replied. “I spent more time chatting and really didn’t eat much. I think I’ll have an appetite by then.”

Ron drove toward the resort and parked under a porte-cochere. He popped the trunk and a bellman loaded their cases onto a cart. A parking valet gave Ron a claim check and he stepped out of the car. April pulled her stole around her shoulders and followed Ron into the lobby.

They approached the front desk. “Reservations for Quick,” he said.

The clerk printed forms and Ron signed them. “Here are your passcards. Billy will show you to your room. Congratulations, you two. That’s a very pretty dress.”

“Thank you,” April replied with a smile.

Ron tipped the bellman and they looked over the room. “Wow -- this is quite the place,” April said. “Look at the size of that tub ... and the standing shower with all the shower heads. It’s big enough for two.”

“Not only that, but we have spa privileges. You can sign up for spa treatments if you’d like. There’s a pool in the spa as well as a year-round outdoor hot tub on the roof. You can sit in the water and look up at the stars or have snow falling around you.”

“So that’s what the bikini is for.”

“Precisely. We have dinner reservations. Shall we?”

“Do I need this?” she asked and picked up her stole.

“No -- the restaurant is in this building. In fact, you won’t need to go outside until we’re ready to check out.”

“I did pack warmer clothes,” she said, “and a winter coat.”

April and Ron rode the elevator to the main floor and headed to the resort’s high-end restaurant. The hostess seated them. “Those are fancy outfits you two are wearing,” she said. “What’s the occasion?” Ron and April held up their left hands. “Congratulations. That is a really pretty dress.”

Their server approached with a tray and two glasses. “Complimentary Champagne for the newlyweds,” she said. “Here are your menus. I’ll be back to take your orders.”

Ron picked up his glass. “Careful,” April said. “Remember your heart.”

“How can I possibly forget it?” He held up the glass. “To a long and happy life together,” he said.

“I’ll drink to that.”

Ron sipped from the glass and set it down. “I just love Champagne,” April said.

He pushed his glass her way. “Then you can finish mine, too.”

Ron held April’s hand and they locked fingers as they headed back to their room. He unlocked the door with his passcard and they stepped inside. He faced her and looked into her eyes. “I love you,” he said.

“I know,” she replied.

“I love saying it.”

“I know ... Ron...” She bit her lip. “Ron -- tonight I want to be a virgin. I want you to be the one to deflower me.”

“Do you mean, role-playing? If you tell me you’re a virgin then you’re a virgin.”

She shook her head. “No. I want to be a virgin. A real one, and I know I can’t be.”

A tear ran down her cheek and he kissed it away. “What brought this up?”

“Oh, Ron ... tonight of all nights I wish I was one. When we’re together, I feel your love for me, your acceptance of me ... your faith in me. When we’re apart ... that’s when the doubts and insecurities intrude. Last night at your folks’ place -- I couldn’t sleep. I was tormented with guilt and remorse over my past. I’ve done things I’m not proud of ... been involved in relationships I wish I hadn’t. I even doubted that I was worthy to be your bride.”

“I told you -- your ... history with men, as you call it, is of no concern of mine. I don’t care how many previous lovers you’ve had, whether it be one or a hundred. I don’t want to know the details. How much or how little you share with me is up to you, but I don’t care.”

“You’ve told me this over and over,” she replied. “Every time I feel the absolute truth to it. You haven’t told me why.”

“You want to know why I don’t care?”

April shook her head. “I NEED to know. I worry, Ron. I worry that you’ve convinced yourself you don’t care but deep down have nagging suspicions that some day will surface, and you’ll ask yourself, why did I marry a woman with a reputation?”

“The answer is simple, April. Those men, those relationships ... they’re part of what formed you. They’re part of your makeup. Without them, you’d be a different you and it’s you I love. Without them, you and I wouldn’t be here. Think of it -- if you were a virgin right now, there’d be no Mattie. There’d be no job for you as her nanny. There would have been no opportunity for us to meet. I not only accept your past, I embrace it ... because it’s what made you.”

Her tears began flowing freely. “Oh, God, Ron!” Sobbing, she embraced him.

“Careful -- this is a rented tux.” He held her face and covered it with kisses.

She kissed his lips. “I love you so much. Ron -- I feel the truth in what you said, and you’ve lifted a weight from me. I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

“Those beautiful vows you wrote -- beside you is where I belong and beside you is where I’ll remain ... April, with you by my side all that matters is the future. The past is gone -- you can’t change it. Why dwell on it?”

“You’re absolutely right,” she replied.

“Do you still want to be a virgin?” he asked.

“No. I want to be me.”

“Good, because that’s who I married.” They kissed again. “I think we should avail ourselves of some of the amenities this room offers.”

“Like what?”

He glanced toward the oversized whirlpool tub. “You look so beautiful in that dress, it’s a shame to take it off. On the other hand, I can’t wait to get out of this monkey suit. Do you realize you were getting looks in the restaurant?”

“Was I?”

“You sure were,” Ron replied. “I’ll fill the tub. There are resort supplied robes in the closet.”

April took one of the robes. “Oh, this is so long and heavy and absorbent,” she remarked and headed into the bathroom. Ron began running water to fill the tub. Then he slipped out of his tux and into the other robe.

She approached him in her robe and her hair up in a bun. “Water’s almost ready,” he said. “I’m just adjusting the temperature...” He turned off the taps. “Ladies first.”

April stepped out of her robe. Ron held her hand as she stepped into the tub. “Oh, it’s deep,” she said and giggled.

“What’s funny?”

“Every time you see me naked I get this flash of pleasure and desire from you. It’s very sweet, Ron.”

Ron slipped out of his robe and into the water facing her. “Let me see if I can figure out these jets...” He manipulated the controls for a gentle bubble massage.

“Oooh, this is nice,” she said. “Look -- loofas. We can soak and exfoliate.” She removed the cellophane wrapper and began scrubbing her legs and feet. “Do my back?” She turned around and bent forward. Ron began rubbing the loofa up and down her back. “Oh, that feels good. Down a little...”

“How pink do you want to get?” he asked.

“Just a little more. I feel all warm and tingly ... like I’m glowing.”

Ron coaxed her to sit up and began kissing and nuzzling the back of her neck. “Your luxurious hair is usually in the way so I can’t do this.”

“Feels really nice.” She leaned back against him and he put his arms around her. “This feels really close and I’m feeling your love and passion.”

“Isn’t it nice to have time by ourselves?”

“Mmm ... It sure is.”

“We should do something like this on a regular basis. I’ll bet my folks would agree to keep Mattie from time to time ... just for a weekend so we can have a break.”

“I’ll bet Mattie would enjoy that, too,” she said.

Ron cupped his hands under her breasts and began stroking them with his thumbs, running them across her areolas and nipples. He continued nuzzling her neck and shoulders.

“That feels really good,” she said. “The water is keeping my breasts warm and relaxed. Mmm...” She put her hands on his thighs

Ron continued his languid fondling of her breasts. April squeezed his thighs. Then she slid down so she was chin deep in the water with her knees protruding from the surface. Ron began caressing the inside of her thigh with his right hand while holding and fondling her breast with his left.

His hand reached her pussy and he began playing with her bush and watching how her hair moved with the water. “It’s like seaweed,” he remarked. By now April had parted her lips and was breathing heavily through them.

Ron slid his finger to the very top of her slit and began running it along her clitoral shaft. “Feels pretty hard down here already,” he said.

“Feels good right there,” she replied. He began a slow stroking of the firm lump that had formed between her labia. “Just like that.”

“Something’s peeking,” he said. “You really do get a hard-on.”

“I know.” Her breathing became panting and Ron felt her heart throbbing through her breast. “It feels ... like a golf ball...”

“That would be something to see. No, it’s more like a ball bearing or a pebble.” He began rapidly rubbing the little pale knob between her hairy lips.

“OH!” April gasped, her legs and belly trembling. “Oh, God, enough.” She relaxed against him until she regained her breath. Then she sat up, turned and kissed his lips. “I was not expecting that.”

“Let’s consider it an appetizer. We’ll have the main course after we dry off.”

“I think I’m ready to get out. Otherwise my fingers will get crinkly.”

“We don’t want any cases of crinkle-finger.” Ron switched off the jets. He stood and climbed out of the tub and slipped into his robe. Holding April’s robe he gave her a hand so she could stand and step out.

She slipped into her robe and Ron patted her to dry her. “I’ll be right out,” she said as she headed into the bathroom.

Ron sat on a loveseat near the bed. What is it with women and bathrooms? he thought.

April stepped from the bathroom in her robe. Ron stood and approached her. She untied her belt and pulled it open. Ron’s jaw dropped. Underneath she wore a skin-tight, sheer, fire-engine red teddy. The low-cut bodice gave her breasts some lift and ample cleavage, and the leg openings were cut high on the sides. She slipped out of her robe and turned around to model for him. The back was low cut with satin shoulder straps and the crotch strap was like a thong -- a ribbon ran between her cheeks. In addition she wore matching mid-thigh-high sheer red stockings.

“What do you think? Was your impatience worth the wait?”

“I wasn’t impatient.” Her eyes narrowed. “Old habits die hard. Yes, it was worth the wait. April -- you look sensational. Where did you find that little number?”

“On my shopping trip with Gloria. She insisted I have something special to wear on our wedding night.”

“That’s not off-the-rack from any store I know of,” he replied.

“Gloria took me to an adult store she patronizes.”