Chapter Seventeen
Over breakfast the girls debated their best plan of attack for the day.
Finding Kelsey a dress was top priority, as well as checking out the various wedding chapels and seeing what would be available.
Ty’s parents were flying in the next day for the ceremony and the bridal dinner, but they needed to return to their home in Arizona the day after.
Everything was up in the air and what were their men doing?
Apparently when the going gets rough, the men go golfing!
“The first thing we need to do is find Kelsey a bridal gown,” Brandy offered, sipping her Mimosa.
“No, no bridal gown,” replied Kelsey. “I have plenty of beautiful dresses to choose from, including my pink cocktail dress. I just love that one,” she continued, picking up her milk “and besides it’s good luck.”
“What is good luck?” Elena asked.
“My pink dress,” Kelsey grinned. “It’s what I was wearing when I met Ty.”
“But a bride must wear a white dress,” Elena gasped in shock. “It is the tradition, yes?”
“Only for a virgin,” Kelsey stated firmly “and I am not that.”
“Kelsey,” Jo laughed. “If only virgins wore white gowns the bridal business would be extinct. It’s acceptable for brides to wear white, regardless of their previous marital status, age or level of experience.”
“I agree,” Elena chimed in. “Besides aren’t we all virgins still in some ways?”
Everyone looked at each other, not exactly sure what she meant as Elena blushed. “Have I said something wrong?”
“Not at all,” Sue replied. “We’re just not sure what you mean. In what ways are we still virginal?”
“Well, I’m not sure how to say this correctly,” Elena said quietly, “but surely some of us are virgin in certain areas, yes?”
Brandy got it first and coughed discretely into her hand to hide her smile. “I’m sure you’re right,” she assured Elena, patting her hand. “Not all of us have experienced everything and therefore could be considered virginal in that area, sort of,” she said looking to Susan for help.
By now all the women were giggling and Sue shushed them.
“Now we are all friends here and Elena obviously has something on her mind. What is it honey?” she encouraged.
“If I marry Jeff, I want to be able to wear white and have a beautiful church wedding, so there have been a couple of things he has wanted me to do that I manage to wiggle out of. I was thinking that if I was a virgin in some areas I could still wear white,” she said.
“Of course you can,” Erica said smiling. “I for one intend to have a huge wedding when I finally find the right man, and I don’t care what anyone thinks.”
“Exactly,” Jo agreed, “but Elena is there something Jeff wants you to do that is making you uncomfortable? Something you don’t want to do?”
“It is not that I do not want to please him, it is that I do not know how,” she sighed sadly.
“What exactly does he want you to do?” Sue asked, looking at the concerned women around the table.
Elena opened and closed her mouth several times, yet nothing came out. Finally she reached to the middle of the table and picked up a banana from the fruit bowl. Slowly she peeled it and gently slid it between her lips, her face on fire.
Instantly silence engulfed them as each woman clearly understood what she was asking.
“I am sorry if I have offended any of you,” she sighed. “I have no close friends and I can hardly ask my Mama.”
Susan promptly picked up her glass and raised it. “A toast to Elena for being so brave,” she said clearly and each woman raised their glasses in turn and clinked them together smiling in approval.
“Now,” Susan continued, deadly serious. “As far as your question, I don’t think there is any wrong way to do what you’ve asked, providing you’re gentle.
I’m sure you will be able to tell if he’s enjoying it.
That being said, there is one cardinal rule.
You must never allow him to sink his hands into your hair or even touch your head, for it is at that precise moment you will no longer be ‘doing’ him, he will be ‘doing’ you. ”
The table erupted in laughter and after a moment Elena got the clear picture of what Sue said and joined in.
Heads turned from every direction, wondering what was going on at the table of beautiful women and it was several minutes before they quieted to the occasional snicker and giggle.
Even Kelsey had trouble getting herself under control and she smiled at Elena.
“Thank you for asking that, Elena,” she said. “You and I are in the same boat and I just learned a valuable bit of information.”
“Me too,” added Erica, blushing madly but smiling just the same. “Thanks Susan.”
“Glad I could be of assistance,” Sue replied sweetly. ‘Now how about we ‘blow’ this joint and go find a dress suitable for our beautiful Kelsey to marry the love of her life in?”
The girls were laughing so hard, they were holding each other up as they made their escape from the curious eyes in the restaurant.
They found Kelsey’s dream dress at the second store they hit.
It was pink chiffon, so pale it was almost blush and spattered with glistening stones that reflected every beam of sunlight that came through the shop window.
The tea length creation was as delicate as a spider web with a full crinoline that made the dress swirl with each movement.
A blush, elbow length veil was perfect with the sleeveless gown and they added long gloves and Cinderella heels.
Kelsey balked at the price until Susan whispered in her ear that if she didn’t buy the dress immediately she would tell Marcus to have Ty spank her.
“You wouldn’t?” Kelsey gasped in shock.
“I certainly would,” Sue informed her, with her hands on her hips. “That dress was made for you and if you don’t buy it, I will and give Ty the receipt. Now, what’s it gonna be?”
“Please Kelsey,” Johanna added. “It’s so lovely it will just about break my heart if you don’t take it. You look like you stepped right out of a Grace Kelly movie.”
“Who is Grace Kelly?” Kelsey whispered at Susan.
“A movie star who married a real live prince,” Sue replied with an eye roll.
“I’ll take it,” Kelsey told the owner, handing over her credit card. “Do you know of any really nice wedding chapels we might look at?”
As luck would have it, she did. Her uncle owned one slightly outside the city limits that catered to a more traditional cliental.
Handing her his card, she also called and asked if they could come right over and have a look at the place.
After a short limo ride they arrived at what resembled a quaint country church and Kelsey booked it without hesitation for four o’clock the next afternoon.
She ordered pink and blush rose bouquets for her and Susan and boutonnieres for Ty, Marcus and their Dad.
She also ordered a blush corsage for Ty’s mother.
Their errands accomplished the girls headed back to the hotel, arranging to meet at the pool for drinks later in the afternoon.
It was there, soaking up the hot Nevada sun that Marcus finally caught up with Susan.
Her cell phone rang just as she was turning over onto her tummy to let the rays add some color to her pale back.
Having consumed several tropical drinks, she was in a mellow mood when she answered.
“Hey babe,” she sighed, “are you back yet? Did you get everything taken care of? I see you found time to replace your phone.”
“Yes, Ty got the rings and we made arrangements for a private dining room tomorrow night at eight. The hotel is taking care of the cake and Ty hired a photographer. Where are you?”
“I’m at the pool with the girls.”
“At the pool? Are you wearing sunscreen?” he questioned sharply. “I hope you’re staying out of the deep end!”
“Geez, Daddy,” she shot back sarcastically, her mood rapidly evaporating. “Give me some credit will you?”
“I wasn’t aware you were interested in that type of relationship,” he replied smoothly, his voice rich and dark, “but I’m sure I’d have no trouble setting up a nursery at the lodge if that’s what you’re looking for.”
“Shit,” she swore, sitting up and snatching her drink from the poolside table. “No, no, that’s not what I’m looking for. I’m sorry,” she apologized quickly.
“I know I’m a little older than you, but call me Daddy again in that tone of voice and you’ll think you’re about five years old when I get done with you,” he promised.
“Okay, okay Marcus, I said I was sorry” she whispered into the phone as several pairs of curious ears strained to hear the conversation. Brandy and Johanna were grinning at her dilemma and she flipped them off as she continued trying to placate Marcus.
“We’ll discuss this later,” he advised her, causing her to suppress a shiver. “We’re all meeting for dinner and a show around seven so don’t be too long.”
“We can do that,” she informed him, turning back to the girls and raising her voice, “but after that we want to take Kelsey out, sort of a last single fling.”
“Surprisingly that doesn’t sound like the Kelsey I know. Who wants to go out, Kelsey or the rest of you girls? If you think I’m turning you loose in Vegas, you have another think coming and I’m sure the other men will agree with me.”
“We’ll stay in the hotel…Marcus,” she promised, crossing her fingers and hoping he could get the others to agree. “There are couple of clubs here that should be fun and really how much trouble can we get into if we stay here?”
“That my love is exactly what worries me,” he answered dryly. “We’ll talk about it at dinner. Right now Ty and I are meeting the others for a few hands of poker. I’ll see you upstairs in a couple of hours.”
“Okay, bye.”
“He’s not going to go for it, is he?” Erica asked, rubbing lotion on her arms. “Damn, I was looking forward to a night of really letting loose. You know what they say about what happens in Vegas,” she teased with a wink.
“What about John?” Elena asked basking in the sun with her eyes closed. “Will he not be angry if you do not spend the evening with him after you asked him to accompany you?”
“John? John’s a cupcake,” Erica replied.
“He’ll do anything I say. I’ve never met a man more eager to please me.
It’s strange really; I was the one who interviewed him and yet I never would have guessed how amenable he would be based on his questionnaire.
In fact, I may have to snatch him up myself.
I mean what more could I ask for? He’s attractive, obscenely wealthy and caters to my every whim. ”
“I’d watch it if I were you,” Sue offered, laying back in her deck chair. “Not all men are what they seem.”
“I agree,” said Brandy. “They say ‘still waters run deep’. It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for.”
“I think this is true,” Elena added. “Mr. Jeff, I mean Jeff was so very polite and soft spoken when I first met him. He never raised his voice or got angry until the night of the party. All I did was follow Susan’s advice and dance with another man and the next moment he was carrying me off the dance floor over his shoulder.
He was a very angry man that night,” she said with a shiver.
“How is he now?” Johanna asked. “He seems so deeply in love with you.”
“He is a wonderful man and so loving and gentle to my precious Rosalie. Yet, if I do not mind him he thinks nothing of taking me over his knee and spanking me like a child! I try to stay angry with him, but when he holds me after I melt into his arms. Why is this so?” she asked, lifting her sunglasses and peering at the other women.
They all laughed except Erica, and Johanna answered.
“If we knew the answer to that we’d all be sitting easier,” she replied wryly. “I guess when you love someone; you have to love the whole man, discipline and all.”
“As the oldest here,” Brandy added with a grimace, “and having been married to a man who believed in domestic discipline for many years, I will tell you it gets easier. You will learn what his hot buttons are and not to push them, unless of course you actually enjoy having your bottom roasted,” she sighed, winking at Susan.
“Why are you winking at me?” Susan demanded. “You don’t think I like getting spanked, do you?”
“Of course not,” Brandy laughed, raising her eyebrow in disbelief.
“Okay, I admit it. A little spanking can be sexy as hell. I just never know when I’m going too far and it will turn into something really unpleasant.”
“Don’t worry sweetie,” Brandy replied. “You’ll get the hang of it. Soon you’ll know exactly when to stop to avoid the real thing. It just takes time.”
“Yeah, well by the time I figure that out, I may be long gone. There are only a few months left on our contract and then I imagine we’ll both move on.”
Brandy and Johanna both snapped to attention in their chairs.
“You can’t be serious?” Jo asked stunned.
“Why not? There’s no guarantee Marcus will want to renew the contract when the time is up.”
“Honey, you will never be able to run fast enough or far enough to get away from that man,” Brandy told her. “He will never give you up. Trust me.”
A part of Susan’s soul prayed Brandy and Jo were right even though she rolled her eyes and slumped back in her chair.
Kelsey, who had been unnaturally quiet throughout the entire discussion, sighed and added, “I hope you’re right,” as she gathered up her beach bag and rose.
“Ladies it has been an enlightening conversation,” she quipped.
“Hopefully I’ll be able to remember all the important stuff when I need it, but for now I’m heading back to my room.
I don’t want to be a sunburned bride tomorrow. ”
“I think that’s a good idea,” Susan added, feeling like she had reached her limit of rays despite the sun block. “See you all at dinner.”