was so gorgeous and I simply couldn’t believe that he was for me alone. “I’ve got to be the luckiest girl in the entire world.”
He dipped me low and then raised me to his lips.
I kissed him once more and then begged to leave his presence to go hit the shower.
I rinsed off and then slipped on a simple pink, cotton romper that I seldom wore (mainly because I couldn’t wear a bra with it), but it was quick and comfortable. When I came back downstairs, Mom was putting things away in the kitchen, Kimmy was swimming in the pool, and Micah was seated out on the deck watching the sunset, still in his dinner clothes.
“We brought you back some food,” he said as I sat down by him. “Did you eat?”
“Not yet. I’ll get something a little later-I didn’t want to miss watching the sunset with you.”
He smiled and looked away, “So, I didn’t ask earlier, but how was your afternoon with-with Ryan.”
I wondered if I should tone down all the fun I had, but trust depends on truth, “I had a great time. He put a new engine in his car and I could actually pull the front tires off the ground.”
He laughed softly, still watching the sunset, “Sounds like fun.”
“I wish you’d stayed,” I added. “You didn’t have to do what you did.”
“I’ve got to learn to try things that are uncomfortable for me where you’re concerned so I don’t end up smothering you. By the way, did he kiss you?”
I was shocked that he threw that question out there like it was an unimportant afterthought.
“No, but…”
He turned to look at me as I struggled to finish what I had to say.
“…I actually kissed him.”
I watched Micah’s eyes involuntarily grow larger and he swallowed hard.
“He wanted to know if he could kiss the bride, but I told him these lips belong to you alone. I kissed his cheek and said he could return it, on my cheek, after the wedding.”
He looked both relieved and upset at the same time.
“I’m sorry if-”
“It’s okay, Leese. A kiss on the cheek is infinitely preferable to what I was afraid might happen.”
“No,” I started to say Ryan wouldn’t do that to me, but Mom came out onto the deck with two glasses of wine.
“Micah, would you like another glass of…”
Micah was saying no as I put my hand out for the glass. I could tell she was reluctant to hand it to me, but she did.
“Leese would prefer if I didn’t drink, Nadia,” he stated without explaining why.
I knew what impression she would come away with and I didn’t want her to think he had a weakness for it. “He doesn’t have a problem, Mom. I just don’t see why it’s necessary to use alcohol.”
Mom smiled, “Honey, there is nothing wrong with a little wine once in a while.”
“I know, Mom, I just don’t like it.”
“That’s because you don’t drink it,” she added with a light laugh.
I had enough. Micah asked me to try wine and now it appeared Mom was alluding to the same. I put the glass to my lips as Micah reached for my arm, but I leaned away from him and slugged down the terribly flavored liquid. I couldn’t help the shiver, followed by an immediate grimace that hit me. It must have been at least twelve ounces.
“Leese!” Mom snapped, taking the glass as I handed it back to her, “you aren’t old enough!”
“Now I can say that I have drunk it and I still don’t like it. Ah! How do you guys stand that crap-it’s awful!” I shivered again.
I noticed Micah was angry, but yet trying not to laugh at my reaction.
Mom turned and headed back into the house, still grumbling about what I’d done.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” he chided, clearly the anger was winning over the humor. He switched from his lounger to seat himself on mine. “Was that honestly the first time you’ve ever touched alcohol?”
I swallowed, trying to get use to the odd flavor still remaining in my mouth, “Yeah, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about, it’s-”
“No matter what anyone says, it’s not the taste that draws people in; it’s how you feel after you drink it. If you decide you enjoy the buzz then what’s to stop you the next time? You said you didn’t like me drinking-I won’t touch it again, but you’ve got to promise me to never do something stupid like that again. You pissed off your mother
My vision was starting to swim as the tears built on my bottom lashes, “I’m sorry, it’s just that you had asked me to try it and it seemed like-”
“When did I ask you to try it?” he responded indignantly.
“Last night,” I reminded him, but could see his face was a blank. “It would make you sleep better,” I repeated his words.
He sighed and seemed to calm, “I guess I need to pay attention to what I say around you or I’ll ruin you.”
That was enough to send the tears over the edge. I wanted to run to my room, but he kept me immobile.
“Let me go,” I said, trying to push him back.
“No. Why does it upset you if I say I’m ruining you?”
I looked at him, not wanting to say what I was thinking, but I was starting to get an odd feeling. My legs had begun to tingle, like I had danced too long or had suddenly become scared and they were turning to jelly. My stomach was warm and it was gently spreading through my limbs. The fact that my stomach had been empty and I had been thirsty was giving quick access to the wine’s effects.
“What happens when you decide I’m ruined, Micah? You won’t want me anymore, will you?”
“Ah, Leese, don’t think that. I can’t help myself when it comes to loving you, but if I tear off that beautiful innocence, I’ll only have myself to blame.”
I was playing with the strings of my romper now, feeling a giddiness that was foreign, especially since I was crying at the same moment. “You’re right about the wine,” I admitted, taking the cloth strings and wiping away my tears, “my legs feel funny.”
“Stop that, baby,” he whispered, clamping his hand over mine as I continued to tug nervously at my strings.
I didn’t realize at the moment that I had pulled the rim of my romper too low and was exposing excessive cleavage. I pulled it back up and dropped the strings. Kimmy was still swimming and I was hidden by Micah’s broad shoulders and chest. He leaned into me and gave me a tantalizing kiss and then grabbed the strings himself. My eyes were wide, but I offered no resistance to stop what he was about to do, and at that moment I wanted nothing more than to let him take control. He began lowering the fabric. He moved closer to me so no one would know what he was doing. His cheek was against mine as his mouth moved to my ear.
“Take it down, Micah,” I pleaded. “Don’t stop.”
“You see what I mean about the alcohol? If I brought that bottle out here right now and asked you to drink with me, would you do it?”
I knew I’d do just about anything he wanted right now. “No,” I lied, realizing if he had drank a glass my top wouldn’t be teetering on coming down, it would be down and we would be relocating this game of uncovering Leese to a place where I could do the same to him.
“You want me to keep going, don’t you?”
“Yes, let’s go upstairs, Micah.”
“You were right, alcohol is dangerous,” he said pulling my top back where it belonged.
“Kiss me, Micah,” I begged. The feeling of the wine still traveling through me, and I was ready to forget about the wedding date, the fact that my family was home, none of it mattered. I felt his arms lifting me from the lounger and I was thinking I was going to be carried upstairs and get my wish, but I realized too late he was moving to the pool and before I could tell him no, he threw me in.
Kimmy thought it was hilarious. The shock of the water cleared my head as I moved to the stairs and began climbing out. He was big, but I was contemplating every possible move I had in my black belt arsenal to throw him in the water as well.
Mom heard the commotion and reappeared on the deck as I stood there dripping wet and plotting my
