When they got back just about everybody had arrived. Janice ran on ahead whilst Ace and Laura stayed behind, he lifted her on to the hood of his car whilst the puppy explored the garden.
"You okay baby," Ace said, wrapping his arms around her.
"I'm not worried about her," Laura said resting her head on his shoulder. "I just don't like her."
"Yeah well I fucking hate her," he replied frustratedly.
"Don't get mad," Laura said rubbing his chest, "it's my birthday." She moved her head so she could kiss him deeply.
"That reminds me," Ace said, "I still haven't given you your Valentine's Day gift."
He opened his car and pulled out a box. Laura opened it and pulled out a very short, sleeveless and quite sheer nightgown.
"What is it?" she asked innocently.
"It's called a babydoll," he said, "you wear it to bed."
"It looks pretty," she said, liking the pale pink fabric, "but it's so short."
"I know," he replied, "consider it a present for both of us," he winked.
"I can't wear this, my mother won't like it at all."
"Whoa babe, don't show your Ma," he said putting it back in the box. "This is just for us."
"I'll wear it tonight," she said, still enthralled by the garment.
"I'm coming over then," he said kissing her again.
Laura spent the afternoon accepting best birthday wishes and congratulations on her engagement. The whirl of faces was becoming overwhelming when she felt a tug on her hand, leading her outside.
"I'm saving you," Ace said, lifting her off her feet and carrying her away from anyone lingering outside. The puppy trotted after them.
"Hey little one," Laura said bending down to scoop her up. "You must be cold."
"You thought of a name for her yet?" Ace asked, putting his arm around her.
"I think I'll call her Daisy," she said after a while. "Do you like it?"
"I think it's perfect," he said kissing her.
"I better go back inside, I don't want to be rude."
"Don't worry about everybody else, you should be enjoying yourself."
"I know," she said, "but I can't abandon my own birthday party."
"Let me know when you want to leave," he said kissing her again, watching her walk back into the lion's den.
The evening seemed to drag on stuck in conversations with people she had maybe passed by on the street but never given a second thought to. These almost strangers sang her happy birthday as she leaned in to blow out seventeen candles.
"I'm taking her home," Ace said, managing to grab a hold of Caroline, "she looks exhausted."
"Yes I think you're right," she said, "tell her I'll be home soon."
"Take your time," Ace said, "I'll see she gets to sleep."
He managed to find Daisy who had fallen asleep under his bed and pulled Laura away from a man she was in mid conversation with.
"They just won't leave you alone will they babe," he whispered in her ear.
"I want to go home," she replied.
"I know doll," he said. Laura insisted they say goodbye to his parents before they headed back to her house.
Ace flicked the lights on and led her through the house to her room.
"This is better," she said, kissing him softly as he sat next to her.
"Did you remember your present?" he asked her, eager to see what it looked like on.
She showed him the box she had sat next to her.
"Go put it on," he said, shooing her away.
"Do you want me to change here?" she asked.
"Go change in the bathroom," he said, "I want the full effect all at once."
"Okay," she said, bounding out of the room. She undressed from her day clothes and slipped into her new nightgown. She felt very exposed as she made the quick trip from the bathroom back to her bedroom, praying her mother wouldn't walk in.
"What do you think?" she asked, opening the door.
Ace ran his eyes up and down her body lustfully. "You're so sexy babe," he said, standing up to walk over to where she stood, still not completely comfortable in her new nightgown.
"Relax," he said, still not breaking his gaze from her.
He was just about to kiss her when they heard a small whimper come from the other side of the door.
"Oh Daisy," Laura said, opening the door and scooping the puppy up. "Oh you don't mind do you?" Laura asked uncertainly, she was sure this was not what Ace had in mind for their evening.
"It's okay babe," he said sitting back down on the bed, "we can wait until she's ready to go to sleep."
Truth was he was having enough of a good time just leering at her.
"What did you wish for?" he asked, brushing her hair away from her face, "when you blew out the candles."
She smiled at him and leaned on to his shoulder, whispering, "what do I need to wish for?"
THE END
