Chapter 35

"Oh my gosh, that's great!" Jenny cried when Catherine told them about where and when the wedding was going to be.

"It is actually perfect!" Nancy added a bit more quietly than Jenny. "I bet I know just what costume you'll be wearing Cath!"

"Costume? I hadn't really thought about one for me. What did you have in mind Nancy?"

"Really?" she asked in amazement. "I just remember how much we all loved that movie "The Labyrinth" and thought Sarah's gown from the dream sequence would be wonderful on you."

Vincent watched a slow smile spread across Catherine's face as she pictured the scene in her mind. He could tell at once that she loved the idea. Even before she spoke, he knew she would agree.

"You're right, Nance that would be perfect! What do you think the chances are we could get Vincent into the same outfit David Bowie wore?"

"Oh god, he would look awesome in skin tight tights!" Jenny drooled, looking Vincent over like he was a seven-course meal.

"Tights, Catherine?" Vincent protested plaintively.

"All the women were swooning over them Vincent…but on the other hand, I'm not sure that I want all the women falling at your feet!"

"Like they won't anyway!" Jenny assured her.

With a pleading look in his eyes that all three ladies found endearing Vincent begged, "Please don't ask me to wear tights, Catherine."

"I won't, Vincent. Mary has asked me to take her shopping for material this weekend, I think she has something special in mind for you."

"Thank you, Catherine."

The phone rang and Catherine with a reluctant sigh got up to answer it. She thought it was probably Joe calling about work. However, she was pleasantly surprised when she heard the voice on the other end. The three at the table could only hear her side of the conversation.

"So you got it! I'm so glad."

"Yes it is important."

"Yes I know what it is, but he will want to tell you himself."

"No you don't have to wait. He's here, we just finished dinner."

No one was more surprised than Vincent when Catherine called him to the phone. "It's Devin," she told him holding out the receiver to him.

A smile fought the wary look on is face as he took the phone from her hand. Even though he was thirty-five years old, he had never used a telephone before.

As Vincent tentatively placed the receiver to his ear, a faraway look came over Catherine's face as she remembered 'discovering' his ears that first night they'd made love. It was funny that in all the time she had known him she'd never seen them before. They were always well hidden under his golden mane. Catherine had found that they were lightly furred like his nose was, but the reason that he kept them so well protected was a secret that she now shared with only one other.

That person being the very one Vincent was now talking to. He had told her that when he and Devin were young they'd shared the bed he still used to this day and one night while tussling around, as boys will do, Devin learned his secret. As Catherine watched Vincent talking to his brother on the phone a mischievous grin came across her face.

Alerted by her change in mood through their Bond, Vincent looked over at her with a question in his eyes. She said nothing, just allowing her smile to widen. Lifting her hand she swept her hair away from her face tucking it behind her ear. As Vincent watched her, his expression changed to one of trepidation. He could no longer concentrate on the story Devin was telling him about a trip he and Charles had gone on. All he could do was send a pleading look at his beloved.

Catherine however, was not to be deterred from the secret torment she had in mind for her love. Her fingertip slowly traced over the back edge of her ear and she could feel Vincent shudder all the way across the room. He was actually squirming as Catherine continued to play with her own ear. She had found out something Devin would never know, Vincent could even be tickled from across the room when you shared a Bond like he and Catherine did!

Not realizing that he should cover the mouthpiece if he didn't want the person on the other end to hear, Vincent finally begged, "Catherine, please!"