Bouquet Toss (21 page)

“Like what, exactly?” I goad Tanner, not to torment him or make him uncomfortable, but because it drives me crazy knowing how much I excite him. 

“Well, for example, when you tease me and act like a little jokester.  It’s adorable and sexy and I can hardly stand it.  C’mon, you know you drive me senseless, Daphne.”

“Senseless?  Well, that doesn’t sound very pleasant,” I say, pouting slightly.  As hard as it now is for me to express myself, I love hearing Tanner confess his feelings for me and want to hear more, so much more.

“Oh, it’s better than pleasant.  You drive me insane in a way that no one else ever has.  The way you glance at me when you think I might be looking your way is one of my favorite things in the world,” he says dreamily, stroking my hair with his fingers.  “Sitting across the table from you at Henry and Elise’s dinner party was the best possible torture.  You kept glancing my way, thinking I might be looking back at you.  What you didn’t realize is that I
never stopped
looking at you that night.  You were all I could think about.”

“I felt the same way,” I finally admit, not wanting Tanner to think his confessions are the least bit one sided.  Reaching out, I gently play with the whiskers of his goatee.  Tanner responds as he always does, by breathing in deeply and closing his eyes tight.  I know how to turn him on and I love it.  I can’t get enough of this feeling, this feeling of having power over another person’s emotions and desires.  I’m wrapped up in Tanner in a way that is new yet somewhat familiar.  He is so unlike Mayson, honest and direct. 

“God, you’re gorgeous.” Tanner says as he opens his eyes. He looks at my cheeks, my forehead and my nose, exploring every curve of my face.

“Thank you,” I giggle, “But, you don’t have to butter me up to get in my pants.”

Tanner looks hopeful as he gazes into my eyes. “I want you so badly.  Are you sure you’re ready?  We can stop if you want to wait.  It’s alright.  Really, it is,” he says, his voice strong yet cracking a bit with emotion.  His brown eyes are sweet in their expression as he attempts to suppress the building desire within his body.   We’ve been dating for several weeks.  We agreed to take it slow and we have.  But, today things are different. 

“No, I’m so ready for this.  I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. Please, Tanner, I need you, every bit of you.” I pull him back down to me and his mouth is once again pressed to mine.  Parting my lips, I invite his tongue back into my mouth.  Just as he begins to submit to my kiss, I tug swiftly on his shoulders and flip him to his back. Leaning my hands into his chest, I smile giddily.  His muscles are tense and firm as a look of astonishment spreads across his handsome face.

“Wow, you’re pretty determined, aren’t you?”

“I told you, I’m ready.  And I won’t let you talk me out of this.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” he laughs as I slowly nibble on his neck.

Cupping his face with my hands, I press my lips against his, letting him know that I’m in no mood to stop.  I want him desperately.  He shifts himself slowly and moans quietly into my mouth.  Message received. 

I rock into him again and again until he pulls his mouth from mine.  His eyes sear as he flips me onto my back and kisses me passionately, holding my arms above my head with one hand.  With the other, he slowly traces an invisible line down to my shoulder blade and a delicious shiver runs up my spine.  He is driving me wild and he knows it.  He pulls away and gazes down at me lovingly.  He pushes my bangs from my eyes and caresses my cheek with his strong hand.  This sweet, simple gesture sends me into a frenzy. I want him. 

Our tongues and bodies dance and twist together in a rhythm I’ve never experienced with another man.  It’s so passionate yet so effortless.  I can’t seem to get enough as he moves tenderly above me, stopping every so often to gaze into my eyes with absolute love and devotion.  I stare at him in awe, urging him to continue as the pressure builds inside of me.  It is agonizing, yet beautiful and I never want it to end.  Tanner pushes me to the edge and I feel myself breaking apart as I cry out his name.   His body tightens above me as he finds his own release.  He lays down beside me, both of us speechless. Every part of me tingles from my fingers to my toes.  As I struggle to catch my breath, he slowly traces the curves of my side with his fingers, leaning in to plant tiny kisses in the small of my back. After several minutes, I finally find the energy to speak.

“That was…wow,”

“I know,” Tanner says, clearly proud of his accomplishments.

“That was honestly, the best ‘first time’ I’ve ever had.”

“That’s awesome,” Tanner says, astounded. “You, you’re awesome.  That was, by far, my best experience...ever.  I’m so wrapped up in you, it’s ridiculous.” He says, lovingly threading his fingers through my hair.

“I haven’t been this wrapped up in someone since...well, it’s been a long time.”

His brow furrows knowingly as I almost mention Mayson. “Look, I know it must be really hard with everything you went through, but I need to know something.”

My nerves stand on edge as I await his question. “I must know.  Am I a rebound?  You mean so much to me and the thought of coming in second with you is excruciating.”

“Tanner, that’s not fair.  There’s no comparison.”

Tanner sits up quickly; his eyes bore into mine.  He’s obviously not happy with my answer.  “I’m not asking you to compare us.  But, I need to know that I’m not your recovery guy, the one who simply helps you get your groove back.  I need to know that you actually want something real with me, because I’ve never wanted anything more.”

“Of course I want something real with you.  You’re fantastic.  I love being with you, love spending time with you. Yes, I loved Mayson.  But, he’s gone and I’m ready to move on.”

“Are you?” Tanner questions, his eyes turning frustrated.

“Yes!  We just made love, for God’s sake!  Do you think I do that with every guy I date?  Please, stop this.  I want to be with you and I don’t know what else you want me to say.” Gazing into his eyes, pleading for patience, I reach out to run my fingers through his beautiful chocolate-brown hair.  He presses his eyelids tight and takes a deep breath.

“Alright,” he nods, “I’ll work on it.  Just know that I’m not giving up on you.  I will fight for you, sweetheart.”

“I hope so,” I shiver, pulling Tanner’s arms around me, regrettably thinking of Mayson.

Rooftop

“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I tease Tanner, knowing full well he is ready to meet my family.  We are joining them at a rooftop Cubs game along with several of my other relatives.  As we stand on the platform, waiting for the train that will take us down to the city, I stop to admire my handsome boyfriend.

“What are you doing, sweetheart?” Tanner tilts his head to the side curiously.

“Just admiring you,” I smirk.

“Hmmm,” he says, pulling me into his arms, “I could get used to that.”

“Me too,” I say, planting a small kiss on his full lips.

“So, remind me again, what are the topics I should avoid with your Dad?  Politics, religion...anything else?”

“Hmm, stick to talking about baseball and you should be all set.” I laugh.  “No, seriously, everyone will love you.  Just don’t mention that you’re a White Sox fan.”

“I’ll keep it a secret, that’s for sure.” Tanner laughs. “How long do we need to be dating before I’ll be able to reveal my true nature?”

“Hmm, it may be a few years yet.” I smile.

“A few years?  Nah, they’ll love me right away and I’ll convert them.”

“You think so, huh?  That’s another sign that you’re not from
Chicago
.  There are no converts in this town.”

After a short train ride, we arrive at the
Sheffield
Building
to watch the Cubs game.  As we climb the three flights of stairs, I fend off Tanner’s roaming hands as he tickles and pinches my bottom.  We reach the entrance and see my Dad waiting for us at the top. I turn to look at Tanner who grins sheepishly. 

“Daphne, honey, you’re here.” My dad smiles and extends his hand to Tanner.

“Mr. Harper, it’s great to finally meet you.  I’m Tanner.”

“Yes, Tanner, I’m glad you were able to join us today.  We’ve been waiting for Daphne to bring you around.  Come on, let’s grab a beer.”  He pats Tanner on the back and gives me a wink.  As they walk away, I hear my Dad ask, “So, Tanner, tell me, are you a Cubs fan?” 

“Daph, honey, you made it!” I turn to see my Mom headed towards me.  She is radiant in her Cubs visor and top; she’d live at the ball field if we’d let her. “I saw your father talking with Tanner.  He’s very cute, sweetie.”

             
“Yes, he is.  And he’s also funny.  His sense of humor is one of my favorite things about him.  Mom, I’m so excited for you to get to know him.  He’s positively amazing.”

My mom runs her fingers through my long hair, giving me a warm smile.  “Oh, darling, you have no idea how lovely it is to see you happy.  Your father and I have been worried about you.  You’ve gone through so much.  But, the look on your face tells me all I need to know.  I’m certain I’ll adore Tanner.  He’s making you glow with such happiness.  Come on, let’s catch up with those guys and have a drink.”

Several hours later, Tanner and I are sitting on the train headed back to the suburbs.  I’ve had a few too many beers so I’m leaning on Tanner’s shoulder for support.  His hand caresses my leg gently, drawing shapes on my thigh with his fingers.

“Your family is such a blast,” Tanner reminisces.  “Your aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone was really nice to me.  They welcomed me with open arms.  My family isn’t quite so...”

“Loud?” I ask, giggling.  Tanner gives me a fake scowl before continuing.

“What I meant to say was that they are boisterous.”

“That’s just a smart word for loud.” I shrug.

“Yeah, ok, they are loud.  But, I love that.  Don’t get me wrong, my family is great, but they are definitely reserved.  My mom won’t be offering you a beer the moment she meets you.  I think your cousin Trevor offered me a beer about every ten minutes.  If I’d accepted each one, you’d be dragging me home right now.  But, he’s a hell of a guy.  I’m really looking forward to seeing your relatives again.”

Sighing with satisfaction, I mentally replay scenes from the baseball game in my head; Tanner joking so easily with my Dad, charming my mother and my Aunt, drinking beer with my cousins.  He fit so beautifully into my family, into my world.  With each passing day, my feelings for Tanner are getting stronger.  Remembering what my Mom had said to me earlier, I smile knowing that Tanner has made all the difference in my life.

Engagement

Tanner and I are cuddled up on my sofa, eating Chinese food and watching a romantic comedy (take that, Abram!) when the phone rings.  Glancing at the caller ID, I see it’s Morgan calling from the
Bahamas
. 

“Hello?”

“Daphne, you stinker!” Morgan laughs into the phone.  “You knew Matt was going to propose!  You helped pick the ring!”

“Yes, I did, Morgan.  Did you say yes?”

“Well, of course I said yes!”

“Tell me all about it.”

“Oh, Daph, it was so wonderful.  He arranged to have a private dinner set up for us on the beach at sunset.  We had our own little canopy draped over the table and there were candles everywhere.  It was so incredibl
e.  He got down on one knee
as soon as we reached the table. It was adorable.  He couldn’t even wait for us to eat.”

“I’m so thrilled for you!  I’m dying to know, do you like your ring?”  The awkward pause that follows makes my heart sink.

“No.” Morgan says, sounding sad.

“Oh,” I respond, dumbfounded.

“I LOVE it!

“Ah!” I yell into the phone, “Who’s the stinker now?”

Morgan laughs, “I had to do that, just to even the score!  Seriously, though, it’s breathtaking.  I don’t think I could’ve chosen anything better.  Thank you so very much for helping Matt.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“I need to get back to my fiancé,” She giggles, “We’re going to go for a long walk to discuss our plans for the wedding.  But, before I go, I have an important question to ask you.”

“Yes?” I reply.

“Will you be my Maid of Honor?”

“Of course!” I shriek, bouncing up and down on the couch, causing Tanner to drop his chopsticks.

“Hooray!  Thank you for everything, Daph.  We’ll be home in a few days. I can’t wait to see you.”

“I can’t wait to see that ring on your finger!  Enjoy the rest of your vacation.”  Hanging up with Morgan, I let out a contented sigh.

“So, he asked her, huh?”  Tanner questions, “He was really nervous before the trip.  He was convinced that Morgan would see the ring at the airport.”

“Matt planned to put it on the conveyor inside his shoes, ring box and all. I knew Morgan would be so distracted by her own things going through the conveyor, she wouldn’t pay any attention.”

“Obviously it worked or he would’ve gone down on one knee right there in airport security,” Tanner smiles.