The Theron Residency (Brides of Theron Book 4) (3 page)

“That will do. But, if I could, I’d like to make a suggestion. When you sense the perfect opportunity arise to ask her you should tell her how you feel about her and why you want her in your life,” Grace added. “Girls always like to hear all the good things that their men think about them.”

“What can I give you for these rings? They look valuable after all, and they must mean something to you. I mean, you brought them all the way here with you.”

“My mother’s grandparents got married using those rings. They were simply one of the many family heirlooms that I brought along with me and one that I didn’t necessarily need to keep. I see no better purpose for these rings than to give them to you. They are just sitting in a dark box waiting to be used again. I believe that it would honor my great-grandparents by letting you and Laura have them. Go on, take them,” she said. “All I want in exchange is details. I want to know everything that happens when you ask her to marry you. You know, I can even perform the ceremony for you both if she wishes. I was once asked to marry a couple of friends of mine. Robert and Edward were in love and the state of New York had just legalized gay marriage. I took an online course and I am actually an ordained minister in the state of New York.”

“Thanks, Grace! This is really great,” Ceran said as he looked down at the rings in the box pulling out the largest one and placing it on his finger. It was a perfect fit as if it was meant to be his. He looked at them and smiled. “I’m going home. Thanks for everything. I’m sorry I was upset with you earlier Zane, but I meant what I said. You two have a good night,” Ceran said as he showed himself out.

Once Grace and Zane were alone, she said, “You know Zane, I am so glad that we bypassed all the awkward stages of a relationship and jumped right in.” She leaned over and kissed him on his temple. Zane pulled her into his arms and kissed her. His lips tasted of the lemon liqueur he was sipping. He made her lay down on the sofa as she giggled with anticipation of what was to come.

“Agreed,” he mumbled as he kissed down her neck. “How was your day?”

“Oh, Doctor, I have been a very naughty girl today,” she shivered as he nibbled down her neck to her shoulder blade. His hands were busy exploring her body.

“So,” He was now beginning to unbutton her blouse, “Are you saying you need to be punished? Is that what we are aiming for tonight?”

“Oh, yes I am!” She pulled his head to hers and gave him a kiss. The kisses were getting hotter by the second. Letting out a moan, she could feel the need for him burning inside her. “Do you know of a cure for my unruly behavior, Doctor?”

“Do I ever!” He kneeled in front of her and lifted her off the sofa. Carefully he placed her down on the rug near the fireplace as he opened her shirt over her shoulders. She could see him rake over her with his gaze. Her breasts were fuller and tender with pregnancy. He took off her bra and started to kiss her lower and lower, tracing a path to her nipples. Each tender touch brought on a sense of urgency. She arched her back to bring him closer as he wrapped his arms around her using the now open space beneath her. She pulled his uniform top over his head and threw it over his shoulder, hearing the buttons of his uniform when they hit the floor. He unbuttoned her pants and tugged them down over her hips.

He returned his attentions to her breasts, fondling them, surrounding the darkened pink tips with his mouth as she heard herself moan in pleasure. He slowly kissed his way lower and lower until he reached the hem of her black lacy panties. He looked up at her from below with a mischievous stare. “Are you sure you want to be punished? My punishment can be rough. Is that really what you want?”

“Oh, hell yes!” She moaned as he kissed over her most sensitive parts as he removed her panties. She reached down, running her fingers through his short, thick hair. The tips of his hair were starting to curl. It was about time for a haircut. With each lap of his tongue, expertly exploring her sex, she wildly grabbed at anything she could reach. Every time she squirmed it made him wilder as he held her more firmly. As the wave of orgasm crashed over her, he focused his attention downward, lapping every drop of her sweet honey. She said as he looked up at her with his chin sitting just below her belly button, “If that is my punishment, I should be bad more often.” She laughed breathlessly.

“I assure you, I am just getting started.” He growled beastly as he reached around her grabbing hips and turning her over. He bit the cheek of her ass playfully as she reared up to him on all fours.

“Oh yes! Yes!” She shouted as he took his hard cock and hid it deep inside her. She intensified the intensity of her desire by rocking hard back into him. He pushed into her faster and faster. The fire was burning hotter and hotter with each thrust. She could feel the tight grip he had on her hips as he pulled her to him over and over again. She felt the pulse of his release deep inside of her as she let go. Their bodies starting to still as they relished in the pleasure they found in one another. They laughed and she turned over to her back as they both collapsed on the floor. She snuggled in close with her head on his shoulder, hip to hip. As she lightly ran her fingers across his chest, she said, “Zane, You make me so happy. I love you.”

“I love you too, Grace.” He said then brushed his lips across her temple.



Ceran walked in through the front door slipping the black velvet box in the pocket of his pants as he entered. Before he brought Laura home, his house was always too big for just him when they assigned it to him. Now, with her in it, he could see it for all if it’s potential. There would be plenty time and space to add many memories. Maybe, in the relatively near future they could add children. They would also have many great neighbors. All the officers on the ship lived in this sector and Zeb and Avery lived several houses away close to Brylon and Emma. Avery and Grace were already with child so if he were to succeed with Laura there would be plenty of kids for their children to play with nearby.

He found her where he usually did when she was home. He entered the study and found her sitting with a book in her hands near the lamp. She was a voracious reader and always had a book nearby. Her long blond hair was draped over her left shoulder slightly darkened from washing it. He watched her as she twirled a lock of golden hair around her finger with her lips silently forming the words as she read. He thought about the time she insisted on bringing every book in her small library at home when she was given the opportunity to retrieve her belongings. Most of the books were medical school textbooks, but she also enjoyed the classics and historical fiction as well. Fortunately, most of her stuff was already packed up in boxes and ready to go. “How was your bath?”

“It was just what I needed,” she looked away from her book. “Where were you? I looked for you when I came down.”

“I went to Zane’s house,” he said as he sat across from her.

“How is Grace, I’ll have to go and visit her soon,” she finished reading the sentence, marked her place, and closed the book on her lap. “Do you think that she knows Lars is back?”

“I got the feeling that she doesn’t know yet. It isn’t any wonder with the beating he gave her at their last meeting. He probably would have broken the bones on her face if he would have hit her any harder. I wouldn’t volunteer to be the one to tell her that the Theron traitor has returned,” Ceran shook his head at the thought. He looked out the open French doors that lead out onto the balcony. He always loved this room in the house. He was fond of the rich red tones in the fabric of the furniture to the warm brown finish of the woodwork lining the walls of the room and doors. The cool breeze coming in from the open doors of the balcony felt nice against his skin.

“So you did not tell her, right?” Laura looked worried.

“I didn’t tell her anything. It’s not my place to. I initially went over there to tell Zane that I didn’t appreciate him ordering you to take care of Lars. When he explained his reasoning behind it, it makes perfect sense why you were assigned to treat him. When I look back on my reaction and my initial compulsion to personally go over there and kill Zane for putting you at risk, I realized that I was a bit irrational. I know that Zane would never put you in harm’s way. I am sorry Laura. I have this unexplainable need to protect you even though I’m more than aware that you will do just fine on your own. You are one incredible woman.”

She started to blush and a smile began to settle across her face. “I knew you would come around.” She looked deeply into his eyes. Gods, she’s so beautiful. It was like this room would have never been complete without her in it. She belonged with him. He thanked the Gods for her at that moment and prayed that she would never leave.

Ceran thought what Grace had said about the traditions on earth. He took a moment to figure out the best way to press forward in his own relationship. He needed to find a way that would give him the best chance to ask for her hand in marriage. “Could you tell me a story about your parents? How’d they meet?”



Laura smiled at the memory of her parents. All her life she dreamed that she would find a love that would stand the test of time as her parent’s had. “My mom and dad grew up in the same small town that they raised me in. They lived five houses apart in the same neighborhood when they were children. They played together every day. One day when my mother was about 7 years old, she was walking home from school and got picked on by a couple of bullies named Margo and James. The bullies followed her after school one day to the small blacktop basketball court in the neighborhood park and punched and kicked my mother in the stomach more times than absolutely necessary. She said was down on the asphalt after the first punch begging for them to stop. They left her there alone. When she knew that they were gone, she got up and cried all the way home.”

“For the next few days, she refused to go to school. One day when her mother intended to force her to go she stood over the sink, stuck her finger down her throat and threw up all her coco puffs. When my mom missed a couple days of school, my father went to her house to check on her. My father was furious when he found out what had happened. He said that he felt that he should have been there to protect her. He insisted on walking her to school every day from that day forward. They were inseparable from that day.”

She laughed out loud, “One time my mom was all dressed for church in a light blue dress with lace around the collar, her favorite. My father knocked on the door dressed for school with his books under one arm and his Star Wars lunch box in the other. She said he was wearing a plaid shirt with brown, red, and light blue lines and a pair of brown corduroy pants. His brown hair was wet and his cowlicks that would typically stick up no matter what he did, were combed down and away from his big brown eyes. No matter how much water he used to keep it down, he always had that one cowlick in the back that would eventually stand up as it dried. When he asked her if she was ready to go to school, she told him it was Sunday. Without a word, he stalked off back to his house. He returned bright and early Monday morning to walk her to school the next day like nothing ever happened. I think that he just wanted to be near her as much as possible. He would say that she was his first thought every morning and the last thought before he went to bed. If she stayed late at school, he waited for her. They ended up being high school sweethearts and married right after graduation. I came about a year later.”

“Did he ever date anyone else?” Ceran asked.

“No. He always said that she owned the key to his heart the moment he saw her for the first time. Can you believe they were only three when she moved into the neighborhood? After graduation, he proposed, he said,” and she thought a moment before continuing, “There isn’t anyone in this world that makes me feel the way you do. Please do me a great honor and marry me, because I never want to know what it is like to live without you.” She let the memory of her father retelling this story over and over again. She could even hear his voice in her head as she said the words aloud. This story was forever engraved in her heart. He would tell it to her every night before he kissed her goodnight. She never grew tired of hearing it.

“I think I know exactly what he means,” he looked at her then. His face was growing red and he shifted awkwardly in his seat, “I know for a fact that there was no one on this planet that ever made me feel like you do. I had to go all the way to Earth to find you. I can’t even express to you how glad I am that you are here with me now.”

She could feel the heat rise in her face as the blood rushed to fill the tiny capillaries just under the surface of her skin. It was hard to ignore the flutter of her heart and the rush of blood pumping madly throughout her body whenever he was near. Her traitorous body gave proof that she was very attracted to the man sitting in front of her. She had never had a relationship with a man. Come to think of it, the only kissing experience she had besides the not so intimate kisses she shared with Ceran occurred at a birthday party at a cousin’s house as a teenager. Her cousin Tina was a popular girl and Laura was certainly not included in her cousin’s social sphere. She envisioned the scene from one of her recurring nightmares.

Tina had pleaded with her mother and father for Laura, to be excluded, but her aunt and uncle said because Laura was the same age as Tina she had to be...

All of the kids looked and stared at her as she walked down the steps into the basement. They traded barbed whispers and comments about how unfair it was that Tina’s parents forced her to invite Laura to the party as she walked by them. An hour after she had arrived it was as if she were invisible. Anna, who was a pretty, petite red-headed girl, suggested that they all play spin the bottle. She could tell that Anna had a crush on Jeff. Who didn’t? He was a head taller than the other boys with wide shoulders, narrow hips, dark hair, and green eyes. He had full lips that would tilt up on one side when he was amused. She was pushed toward the circle and down to the floor. Tina grabbed her upper arm tightly as Laura sat whispering in her ear a threat that she better not embarrass her.