“A suite? Something like that.”
“You’re just not going to tell me, are you?”
“Nope. Maybe you need a lesson on the word ‘surprise.’”
She laid her head on his shoulder. The little crown dug in, though, to his shoulder and apparently her head. She sat back up straight. “I’m so ready to get out of all this stuff.”
“You’re beautiful, though. Just spectacular.”
She grinned and plucked at her skirt, making the crystals twinkle. “It really is pretty, isn’t it?”
“The dress is lovely. But I can’t wait to get you out of it. You’re the vision. You glow.”
“It took three people to get me into this thing. There are buttons everywhere. I’m not sure you’re up to the task.”
“Sounds like a challenge.”
“Are you up for it?”
“I am.” He pulled her hand to his crotch and showed her.
The limo stopped. Beverly peered through the windows. “Where are we? Not a hotel.”
“No, not a hotel.” The driver opened the door, and Nick stepped out, then turned around and held his hand out for her. She took it and, after some negotiation with the miles of satin and lace she was wearing, got out and stood at his side.
She looked up, her forehead creased. “Okay. Is it still a surprise? Because I don’t get it.”
They were parked on the circular drive of a large, two-story, shake-shingle house at the top of a hill. It wasn’t Greenback Hill, but it wasn’t far from it. The back of the house faced the ocean. The beach was at the bottom of a fairly steep rise of sand and beach grass—all the sea sounds, the sea view, but none of the beachgoers to invade privacy. But Beverly didn’t know all that yet. Right now, they were looking up at the front of the house. All the lights were on.
“It’s empty.”
“Mostly, yes.”
She scanned the front of the property and then saw the real estate broker’s sign. “Oh, my God. Did you buy this?”
“No. I rented it for the night. I wouldn’t buy a house you hadn’t seen and agreed to. But I think you’ll like this one, so all the papers are ready, and the seller has already agreed to my price. If you like it, it’ll be ready for us when we get back from our trip.”
“My God.” She turned that fantastic smile on him. “You’re amazing.”
“So are you, bella. So are you.”
Then she frowned again. “Wait. We’re spending our wedding night in an empty house? That’s…I don’t know.”
The driver had their bag in his hand, and Nick waved him up and took it from him, then sent him on his way. They’d have no more need of him tonight. “Not exactly empty. Come see.” He took her hand and led her to the door.
Once inside, he ushered her forward. “We can poke around to your heart’s content in the morning. Right now, follow me.”
He led her up to the second floor and down to the end of the hallway, her dress swishing and rustling all the way. Then he opened the door to the master suite.
And then, feeling an old-fashioned romantic impulse, he swept her up and carried her through. Her elated laugh at that heated his blood.
The suite was furnished with a king-size, four-poster bed, dressed in luxurious linens, a linen-covered table laden with snacks and drinks, and a bathroom ready for bathing or anything else one could think of to do in a tub and a shower, both built for two.
“All the amenities of a fine hotel, but perfect privacy.”
He set her down and watched her take it all in, her mouth open, its corners turned up in pleasure. She spun in place, making her confection of a skirt puff up even more. “This is…this is so beautiful and perfect I don’t know what to say. It’s so romantic!”
He caught her hands. “I want you to feel the way you feel right now every day of your life. Ti amo, Signora Pagano.”
She shook his hands from hers and threw her arms around his neck. “I love you! I love you! I love you! Now get me out of this dress!”
Laughing, feeling content and complete, he did her bidding.
~oOo~
There were, indeed, a lot of buttons, long lines of them at her wrists and all the way down the length of her spine. Tiny satin buttons. But what was underneath was brilliant.
First, there was a full underskirt that seemed to be made of about a hundred layers of netting. It cinched at her waist with lacing. He untied it slowly and lifted her out of the mountain of fabric that was her dress and that skirt. He carried her to the bed and laid her down. She smiled sexily up at him and stretched, arching until her breasts came up out of her corset.