After another moment of the clapping, Teren took my hand and led me down the carpet path placed over the Plexiglas floor above the pool. Along the sides of the carpet, I could see the pool water glowing blue, lit from the bulbs beneath it. Combined with all the candles and the twinkling lights above, the space was well lit, and no trace of a glow was in Teren's eyes as he shook hands with my relatives, no glow but a happy one, that is.
The music shifted to a happy beat as Teren and I drifted over to the barbeque area of the patio, where the tables of food were being set up. People congratulated us and gave me hugs. In fact, I hugged so many people that my automatic response to someone walking in front of me was to grab them and enclosed them in a teary embrace. Teren thought that was pretty funny, since I didn't even know the majority of the people's names.
Between the bustle of talking to strangers and having my sister shove some food in my mouth, some sort of teriyaki beef that was to die for, the folding chairs were swished off the pool, and the red carpet rolled away. As I noticed people starting to dance on the huge Plexiglas floor, I also noticed that the lights under the pool had started shifting to different colors in time to the music. They pulsed red and then blue and then a really beautiful green. I smiled around a mouthful of food at the beauty of my fairytale wedding. And I hadn't planned any of it really.
I firmly embraced and thanked every in-law I could find after that. With tears running down my cheeks, I even told Halina I loved her. She smirked at that, raised an eyebrow to Teren, and then proceeded to bump and grind a couple of my cousins on the dance floor, her super short, strapless dress, riding even higher up her toned thighs.
I pulled Teren out to that dance floor, and much to my mother's dismay, we danced all night long. People were so entertained by the environment and the food and the music, not to mention the wine and the huge hot tub that a few brave souls jumped in, that no one really noticed that we skipped over the cake cutting, just serving the slices instead, and no one gave any champagne toasts, we didn't need them anyway. Well, my mom noticed, trying to get me off the floor several times to do the "formally correct" wedding things, but I ignored her, only hugging Teren tighter as he twirled me around the see-through floor, and telling her we'd do it later. Of course, I had no intention of doing that, as my husband couldn't eat or drink, and I was not about to subject him to another round of blood-chucking on our wedding night. I had much more appealing plans for him than that.
Eventually, Mom let it die, Alanna helping with that by keeping her occupied on the floor with her and Ashley. When it was horribly late at night, the revelers finally started dispersing. I cried and hugged each one, telling my third cousin, Tyra, that I loved her and we'd get together soon, even though we'd never hung out before and I wasn't even sure of her last name.
When just a handful were left, and Teren and I were sleepily slow dancing, Hot Ben and Tracey came up to us. Teren stopped our movement and we broke apart, both of our eyes on Ben. Tracey, oblivious and slightly tipsy, congratulated us both and gave us each long hugs and sloppy kisses on the cheeks. After pulling apart from Teren, which made Ben clench his jaw, she slurred, "It's getting cold out here." With a grin she added, "You should go upstairs before Teren turns into a Popsicle."
I giggled at that, but stopped when I noticed the pale look on Ben's face. Teren extended a hand out to the side of the pool and asked Ben to talk to him for a minute. Ben swallowed, but eventually nodded, looking around at all the human witnesses before he did so.
I sighed at his reluctance to be alone with him, and without seeming like I was eavesdropping, which I was, I turned to Tracey, who muttered to me, "Did you see Ben during the ceremony?" She shook her head, her now freed blonde curls dancing, "You'd think he was getting married up there, by how nervous he was."
I giggled self-consciously as Tracey frowned at her seemingly reluctant to commit boyfriend. I was pretty sure that that wasn't the case, since Ben adored Tracey, but I couldn't really explain the reason for Ben's nerves to her, so I didn't comment. Luckily I didn't need to, as a beaming Ashley joined us.
"We're gonna take off, sis," Ashley said brightly.
I cocked my head at her. "You're not gonna stay until tomorrow?"
She shook her head and she and Tracey both giggled. "No way, we don't want to be anywhere near you on your big night."
I flushed furiously and smacked her arm. "God, Ashley. We're in a different building for goodness sake." I wasn't worried about their ears hearing us anyway.
She and Tracey exchanged a look and then they laughed again. "Yeah, we know." I completely couldn't hear what Ben and Teren were talking about, over their fresh bout of giggles, but figured Teren would tell me later. Wife's privilege, right?
I sighed and smacked them again before they went off to pack their stuff. As they walked away, Teren and Hot Ben came back. They both looked worn, but had slight smiles on their faces. As Ben gave me a hug goodbye, I watched Teren over his shoulder. He cocked his dark head, listening, and then muttered something under his breath. I knew he was talking to his family, and could easily imagine which one. As Ben and I broke apart, I looked over to the other end of the dance floor. Halina was staring at us unabashedly, her eyes narrowed in disapproval as she stood still amid the handful of dancers left.
Ben noticed my gaze and looked at her too. He sucked in a quick breath as he caught her glaring at him. I think if Halina had made the slightest move towards us, he'd have bolted. "Oh god, did she hear Teren and me talking? Does she know that I know?"
I didn't need to answer him, for Halina, several feet away from where he'd whispered that, nodded, slowly and deliberately. There was no question that she was answering him. He gasped and backed up into Teren. Teren put a hand out to steady him and Ben looked back, a little unsure about his closeness. Teren kept his eyes on Halina, as he firmly said, "You won't be bothered, Ben. You're free to go home, if you wish."
Halina shifted her gaze to Teren, clearly not happy about that, but made no move to disagree with his decree. Ben took Halina's distraction as a chance to scramble away from us. I sighed as I turned to watch him leave, both grateful that he'd chosen to remember, and sad that he wasn't as instantly okay with it as I had been. Although, when it came to Halina, even I had needed a minute to adjust. Teren's eyes still on Halina, I heard him mutter, "We'll talk about this later."
Halina shot him a glare and then turned to walk away from the pool, out the back of the patio where she could disappear into the night. I figured a cow or two were going down tonight and I hoped no humans were, deserving or not. Teren sighed and looked down on me, an arm wrapping around my satiny waist. I sighed as I wrapped an arm around him.
"So?" I asked.
He shook his head. "He says he wants to remember...but I feel like he, just as much, wants to forget." His eyes looked sad as he softly smiled. "I don't know if we'll ever be the same, but I don't think he'll say anything." His eyes lifted to a point off to his right, where he could sense his great-grandmother in the darkness. "And if he does...she'll take care of it."
I patted his chest, leaning into his side in sympathy. I knew what that friendship had meant to him, and I hoped it could somehow survive. Before I could respond to him, the rest of the guests started coming up, saying their goodbyes. My mother said it last, wishing us well, but not wanting to stay and pester our first night together. I automatically put a hand on my ever-so-slightly expanded belly, thinking it was nowhere near our first night together, but understanding my mom's sentiment. In a way, it was our first night together, as husband and wife anyway.
As she left, Alanna came up to us. With tears in her eyes, she congratulated us both. Then she turned and started to walk away, towards the darkness Halina had disappeared into. "Where are you going?" I called after her.
She turned, a knowing smile on her lips. "We are all spending the night at the ranch hand's home." Her arm lifted to indicate the massive, empty spread. "You have the main house all to yourself."
I flushed everywhere as I stammered out a thank you. She shook her head and giggled, the youthful sound matching her youthful appearance, and then she blurred from sight. Teren chuckled at seeing her dash away, and then swept me into his arms, a broad smile on his face. "Mrs. Adams, are you ready to retire for the evening?"
I tightened my arms around his neck, pushing aside my embarrassment as the desire to rip off that incredible tuxedo struck me. "Oh, yes, Mr. Adams." I leaned in, giggling as I kissed him.
I felt his strong arms tighten and then the rush of air as he blurred us upstairs, no longer having to hide his abilities in this empty home. An empty home that for once wouldn't be privy to my moans of passion. I delighted in that fact, just as much as I delighted in the feel of his stubbly jaw along my sensitive skin.
He set me down beside our massive bed, a fire in the fireplace already going and dozens of candles around the room, already filling it with the heady scent of vanilla. The multiple flickering orange lights masked the glow of his eyes and emphasized the desire in them. He stepped away from me, his hands trailing down the lace sleeves as he took me in. "That dress...is spectacular," he murmured.
His eyes, combined with his feather-light touch down my arms, heated my core, made me start to burn with need for him. He inhaled deep, his eyes unfocused when they came back to mine. Stepping toward me, his body lightly brushing mine, he leaned in to whisper in my ear, "Do you have any idea how good you smell...when you're ready for me?" His nose ran up my bare throat, left purposefully unadorned for him, since my bare neck was what he preferred most, and a gasp escaped me, my knees feeling weak. "When you're wet...because of me?"
I could only groan at his erotic words, speech not really capable in my brain anymore. His cool lips closed over an earlobe as his hands ran up my back, the chilly fingers tracing the heart outline between my shoulder blades, giving me goose bumps. As his mouth shifted back to mine and my fingers traveled up to that dark, thick hair, he started popping open the pearl buttons along my spine.
He did each one at a slow, human speed, and it took awhile; they went all the way down to my backside. Then, with our mouths never stopping, he slipped the satin and lace material off my shoulders. His fingers followed the fabric down my arms and my breath picked up with each new inch of skin exposed. When my arms were free, his fingers explored the ribbon corset highlighting my ample cl**vage before he let the dress drop. When all that remained was a satiny white pool of symbolic purity, he pulled away from my mouth and gazed at my body. His face was anything but pure as he took me in.
His breath heavier, he trailed one finger along the strap of my snow white bra. Achingly slow, he followed the strap down to the cup. My chest heaving at this point, he dipped his finger into the cup, twisting it, so the cool pad could caress the twin wounds he'd made earlier. I gasped at the sensation and the memory, and attacked his mouth, ripping his jacket off in the process.
He lifted my body out of the remnants of my heavy dress and set me on the bed. Leaning over me, still kissing, he helped me remove his shirt and vest and other fabulous adornments. When only his lower body was dressed, he straightened and looked down at me. Under his powerful gaze, my shaking fingers went to the button of his pants and slowly unfastened them. His hand came up to run through a curl in my up-do and as I, amazingly slow, opened the zipper of his black slacks, he pulled out the pins keeping my hair in place.