Rapture and Lace(9)

The assistant came back holding a pair of white satin pumps with delicate crystal beading that stretched across the toe. They had a beautiful vintage vibe that would be perfect with the dress. I slipped them on and she took a few more measurements for the hem.

"All done. I'll just shorten the length and it will be perfect. It'll only take me an hour." She smiled at my reflection in the mirror. I nodded and the assistant helped me out of the dress. Truth be told I wasn't ready to take it off, I wanted to wear it for days—it was so beautiful. I sighed wistfully and stroked my fingers along the dress one more time before leaving the room.

I made my way into the kitchen to grab a bottled water before realizing that I didn't even know the price of the dress. I'd been so caught up in its beauty, I hadn't even looked at the tag. My stomach did a few nervous flips remembering some of the other price tags. I could afford the low end of five digits if I put it on my credit card, although I would be paying for it for months and months, however, it would be so worth it. But what if it were the high end? I knew designer wedding gowns could be $25,000 and more. I bit my bottom lip and prayed that wouldn't be the case.

I darted back into the guest bedroom where the designer was working. "Excuse me, I forgot to ask, how much for the dress?"

Nanette lifted her eyes in a reassuring smile. "Not to worry, Miss Austin. It's been taken care of."

"Oh, well, how much was it anyway? Just so I know?" I could find another dress that was in my budget if need be.

"I’ve been told to keep the total to myself, Miss. Something about there was to be no limit on price, and that you weren’t to know the total because, and I quote, 'she is stubborn enough to walk down the aisle naked if she thinks the dress is out of her price range.'" The woman smiled politely.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes that Carter had managed to stay a step ahead of me. Now I would never know if the dress was way under my budget, or through the stratosphere over it. I gritted my teeth and vowed to make him pay for embarrassing and outwitting me all in one go.

"Well, thank you, I guess, for your help." I smiled at her.

"No, thank you, Miss Austin." She beamed. I clenched my teeth and knew in that instant that the dress was way over my budget.





Chapter Four





After the dress designer left I wandered up to the master suite Carter and I were sharing and rifled through my purse for my phone. When we rushed out of the apartment, Cate knew we were away for the weekend but had no idea about the proposal or that we were running off to get married.

I dialed her number. I had no intention of revealing that small slice of information now, but I was going to touch base and let her know we'd made it here safely.

She answered on the first ring and we talked for a while. I told her about the gorgeousness that was Carter's home in the mountains. She asked if we were having fun, and I knew she was referring to the hot sex we usually had. I mumbled that he had actually put a halt to that situation.

"What?" A shriek came over the phone.

"He wants to... abstain until we work some things out." I fibbed. I figured I would meet with some resistance from her about our decision to get married, and I wasn't willing to discuss it from a thousand miles away. It would be easier to break the news when I got home and there was no changing the situation. It wasn't that I was afraid that she could talk me out of it, I knew she couldn't, no one could—and for that reason I wasn't willing to defend myself to someone else.

We chatted for a while longer before she wished me a good vacation and we hung up. I felt immensely guilty for not sharing the biggest news of all with her, but it was the way it had to be for now.

I heard Carter come home a short while later and I wandered downstairs to greet him.

I hit the bottom of the stairs, searching for him. The house was silent. I made my way around the main floor in search of him. Off of the great room I found a small study with the door ajar. I peeked my head in to find Carter on the phone. When he looked up I gave him a smile and a small wave but before I could leave he gestured me in to sit on his lap.

I sat down as he continued his phone conversation. His warm hand smoothed up and down my back as I listened to his deep voice talk to the caller on the other end of the line.

Carter continued a few more minutes before finishing his phone call and then placed a sweet kiss on the back of my neck.

"Did you have lunch?" I asked him.

"No, I have a few more calls to make and then we'll find something."

"I’ll leave you then. I just wanted to check in." I started to get off his lap before his hands slid to my hips and held me firmly.

"Stay here, I won't be long." He ran one hand up my back and rubbed. I smiled and nodded before his phone rang again.