No, I still don't own Lizzie McGuire, or any of it's characters. Get real.
If I did, updating would be no problem. I'd just dictate to someone else,
and let them post it for me!
I would like to apologize for the ridiculous amount of time it has taken me to update, and beg to be forgiven by all you wonderful people who have taken the time to review and give me encouragement. I can only plea an extreme desire not to let you down by writing something that disappoints.
And now a warning: This chapter contains lots of fluff that borders on limey. Proceed with caution and promise to brush and floss after you finish.
This chapter is dedicated to Skgrrrrrrrl, because she made me get off my dead butt and write it. Thanks, GF. I can finally move on with the rest of the story. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It all seemed like a dream...or a fairy tale. The evening was perfect ~ warm, but with the occasional chilly breeze that seemed to whisper "get closer" to the couples seated cozily on the terrace of Vincent's. Everywhere around them there were vine wrapped columns, wisteria draped canopies, and tiny fairy lights. Candlelight was the only other illumination, aside from the fireflies dancing in the distance. The sun was making its final descent onto the horizon, and the sky was painted in magnificent hues ranging from cobalt blue to brilliant copper to crimson. It was almost unbearably romantic.
For dinner, each couple had had a small table to themselves, but they were grouped together so they could all talk. Later, when Lizzie tried to recall the details of the night, she wasn't at all sure she could remember what she had eaten, but it had all been wonderful. Now, they were all seated on outdoor benches with large overstuffed cushions, a small table in front of each, for coffee and desert. Each bench had a small canopy around it, and was faced slightly away from the others, offering each couple privacy.
In their private little cove, Lizzie and Gordo watched the sunset cuddled close together, shutting out the rest of the world. Lizzie's head rested on Gordo's shoulder in perfect contentment. Who needed to go to the prom ~ she would be happy to stay right her all night. Except that Gordo looked so...amazingly hot in that tuxedo. She felt her face flush. Definitely hot. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought he was before, but there was something about the fact that Gordo, who didn't care what the world thought of him, who dressed to please no one but himself, who thought designer labels were shallow and ridiculous, had put on this uncomfortable suit just to make her happy. And damn! He looked good!
Gordo was also lost in thought ~ about the ring in his pocket. It wasn't an engagement ring, or even a promise ring, but to him it meant the same thing; that is heart belonged to her and always would. Would she accept it? That he had made it himself, that it was a piece of himself that he was giving her ~ would she understand that? He reached over to touch her face, and gently turned her it towards his. 'God, she's beautiful! And mine! All mine! What karmic debt do I owe for this good fortune?' She gazed up at him with a dreamy smile. He searched her eyes and saw love, devotion, loyalty.and something else. Fire? His breath caught in his throat, and his pulse quickened. He bent his head to taste her lips and moaned softly as he felt her tongue slide across his lower lip. He opened his mouth to her and eagerly met her tongue with his own, tasting and exploring.
"Mmmmm, Gordo..."
When they finally came up for air, they realized that in their "absence" the waiter had brought their desserts and set them on the small table in front of them. Gordo, perhaps for the first time in his life, had found something that he liked much better than food. No matter how delicious that cheesecake looked, it didn't even begin to compare with Lizzie. He turned back to her, wanting to resume their activities, but Lizzie had reached for his plate and was cutting a bite for him.
She playfully fed Gordo a bite of cheesecake, and watched him enjoy it. She cut another bite with the fork, then smiling seductively, this time fed it to him with her fingers. He looked a little startled, but caught her finger with his lips as she popped the bite into his mouth. She smiled again as she wiped a few crumbs from his lips with her finger, then daintily licked that finger. A light blush stained her cheeks, but she didn't break their eye contact. His heart was thundering in his chest. Never could he remember dessert being so exciting. But here, with his stunning girl ~ no, woman~ he knew he would never be able to see a cheesecake the same way again.
He decided he'd better reciprocate, so he picked up her glass filled with creamy chocolate mousse. He took a spoonful and offered it up to her luscious lips. She took the bite, then closed her eyes and seemed to purr, "Mmmmm." He decided two could play her game, so he swirled his finger in the mousse, and then offered it to her. She smiled and took his chocolate covered finger into his mouth, sucking gently, then licking it clean. He watched her with a growing hunger that had nothing to do with the deserts they had on their plates. Or at least, nothing to do with eating them. She smiled seductively again, and said, "Would you like to try it?"
Unable to answer, or even break his gaze on her lips, he could only nod. She smirked and curled her hand around the back of his neck, then brought his lips down to hers. She opened her mouth to allow him to taste the rich chocolate on her tongue. His senses began to cloud over, and all there was in the world was him and this gorgeous woman that he had known all his life, had loved for years, and who he found, amazingly, loved him back.
She pulled back and eyed him playfully. "Want some more?" she purred, as she swirled her own finger into the thick, creamy chocolate and then to Gordo's surprise, traced a line from the base of her throat downward. Gordo stared at her for only a moment before bending forward to trace the line with his tongue. He came to the cleft between her breasts above the neckline of her dress, pausing there to enjoy the taste of the rich confection mixed with the saltiness of her skin. He heard her moan softly, and drew back to see her neck arched and her head tilted backward, lips parted, cheeks flushed, and her breath coming in soft rasps.
Every fiber in his body was screaming at him, "Do something!" He wanted desperately to let his hands wander over the curves of her lush body, to take this delightful experience to the next level. But that annoying voice in the back of his mind reminded him that this, the patio of the restaurant where they had just eaten their dinner, was not the place for it. He knew it to be true, but his body wasn't listening. That voice could not stop the warmth spreading all over his body that was making his pants uncomfortably tight. He cupped his hand around the back of Lizzie's head and brought her lips to his in a kiss of pure heat and passion. She answered with equal hunger, letting her hands wrap around his trim waist and run up his well-muscled back.
"Hey, you two! Do we have to get a fire hose to cool you down?" Miranda was peeking from around the canopy. "Kate and I are going to check our hair and make-up in the Ladies' before he head out." She eyed Lizzie critically, "You'd definitely better join us, Lizzie! Luckily, Kate brought "the kit.""
Lizzie and Gordo both blushed bright red and tried to stand, but clumsily fell back into the soft cushions. Miranda grinned and turned to leave, but then glanced back at Gordo, "You could use some help too, pal! Better check that shirt and tie."
The couple looked longingly down at their abandoned desserts. Then they smiled at each other, and exchanged a lighter kiss. In Gordo's eyes, she didn't need any "fixing up." Her flushed face and swollen lips made her more tantalizing than ever.
"Lizzie."
"Hmmm?" She was trying to adjust her neckline.
"I love you forever."
"And I you, Gordo." She brushed his lips lightly with her own, then got up to follow Miranda. Gordo stayed put for the moment, to try and let the more obvious evidence of his arousal lessen before joining the other guys. Of course, it didn't help. As soon as the girls were gone, the guys came around to join him.
"Hey, Gor-don, way to go!" came Ethan's usual insightful wit.
Danny just grinned at him. "You know, Gordo, we have a suite at the hotel tonight, compliments of the record company. Sort of a perk. The keep it for visiting bands, and no one was using it tonight. We can use it to rest, or change, or...whatever. There's even a private hot tub in it." He handed over one of the card-keys for the door. "Top floor ~ number 1201."
Gordo was trying really hard to be cool about this. He was pretty sure these guys both had a lot more experience with women than he did. He tried really hard not to remember that some of that experience on Ethan's part might be with the love of his life. But all he could do was blush a little and say, "Well, you know, it hasn't really gotten that far yet..."
Danny smiled, "Not with us either. But you never know. There are lots of condoms in the nightstand drawers, also courtesy of the record company. Don't forget that." He eyed them both, not sure which of the three couples was most likely to need them. "Or to bolt the door when you're using the room!"
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In the Ladies' lounge, Kate applied a little foundation and some powder to Lizzie's face. She took out a small brush and outlined her lips, then filled them in with a shimmery terra cotta color. She then dusted them with powder, and made Lizzie blot with tissue. She then repeated the color. She stood back to study the effect, and announced her salvaged.
Miranda took over and checked her tousled hair, but decided that amazingly Lizzie and Gordo had only managed to improve it. She just fixed a few stray tendrils and shellacked it all with hair spray.
They weren't silent during any of this, of course. There was, of course, the obligatory ribbing and interrogation for details. But when they came to the subject of the "Company hotel room," Lizzie turned her eyes to Miranda in the mirror.
"Miranda, I hope if you and Danny had ever, you know...gone all the way, you would have told me, right?"
Miranda stopped with her mascara wand in mid-air, looking a little guilty. She looked at Lizzie's reflection and continued to paint her eyelashes, "We've never gone that far, Lizzie. I would have told you. But we have done...other things. To mutually satisfy each other. It's hard sometimes. I mean, we've been together for so long. And it's getting harder not to."
"So, you think about it, anyway, right?" Miranda nodded. "And you, Kate; I assume things haven't changed since you asked Ethan to the prom?"
"We haven't even been on a date, so, no. But before, when we were dating, it was hard not to. Like I told you, we almost did."
Lizzie was quiet for a minute, then said, "I know what you mean. I mean, I have known Gordo forever, and I know everything about him. Or, at least, I know a lot about him. But I never knew how it would feel to kiss him. I mean, kissing Ethan was great, exciting. But kissing Gordo just feels...amazing. Like we physically and I don't know, ...spiritually connect. Like our hearts beat together. I feel so...connected ~ so complete. It's....euphoric! I know it sounds stupid and weird, but I feel like I was made to kiss him. And I'm dying to know what it will feel like to connect even more with him. I...I just want all of him, sometimes, and it's hard to control. Do you know what I mean, or am I just nuts?"
She spoke so passionately that her friends just stared at her, awestruck. Kate finally broke the silence, "Wow! You're a lucky woman, Lizzie. Most people search all their lives for someone who makes them fell like that. And he was right in front of you all the time."
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They all arrived at the hotel at the same time, but when Lizzie took Gordo's arm and started into the ballroom, Gordo hesitated. He had seen a beautiful waterfall outside the lobby window, and it was just a short walk down the path. He really wanted to present her with his gift before they went into the dance, because he was afraid the night would get away from them and he would lose his chance.
Lizzie looked back at him with a question in her eyes, and he took a deep breath and asked, "Mind if we go for a little walk first?" He gestured toward the waterfall.
She breathed, "Oh, it's lovely!" and turned to follow him.
Out in the courtyard, the air was heavy with the heady fragrance of tropical flowers. The stars shown above likes diamonds on black velvet, but the moon cast an ethereal glow that was almost as bright as daylight. That moon. The moon that seemed to care for them when Lizzie was in danger. It appeared to be there for them again.
Gordo stopped by the waterfall and they embraced. He could hear soft, romantic music emanating from the ballroom. He whispered into her ear, "May I have this first dance?"
Without a word, she laid her head on his shoulder, and they swayed gently to the music, mindful of the closeness of their bodies, the synchronized beat of their hearts. Gordo pulled his head back to look at her lovely face, eyes closed, cheek rested on his breast. He took her chin tenderly with his fingers and lifted it to touch her lips with his. She answered his kiss and tried to deepen it, but he pulled back. If he let their passion go again, he would never get around to doing what he had been waiting so long to do.
He pulled away and reluctantly disengaged their bodies. Lizzie's glance held a question, but he took her hand and led her over to a garden bench by the cascading water. He sat down next to her, and took both of her hands in his.
"Lizzie, I'll answer you now. You wanted to know where I was going every Wednesday night. I can tell you now." He pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box, tied with a white ribbon. He placed it in her palm, indicating that she should unwrap it. She glanced up at him questioningly, but then turned her eyes back and eagerly pulled the ribbon to unwrap her present. While she was doing this, he began telling her the story of his shopping trip with her brother, and about finding the stone and taking the jewelry class to make the ring for her.
When she finally got the box open, there was another box nested within it. It was a ring box, and it made her heartbeat quicken. Was this an engagement ring? Surely not. They were only 18! Of course, it hardly mattered, since she knew with all her heart and soul that they were meant to be together, but it still seemed too soon. Gordo had stopped talking, waiting for her to open the box.
She slid the little box out if the larger one, and looked up at her love. He took it from her and opened the lid. Lizzie stared at the ring that nestled inside. She looked up at him, "You made that? For me?" Tears formed in her eyes. No, it wasn't an engagement ring, but a piece of his heart. Any other guy would just go out and buy some trinket for his girlfriend, figuring that his money would speak for him. But not Gordo. No, he had taken the time to make this unbelievably beautiful ring just for her. There wasn't another one in the world like it, because he made it. Just for her.
Gordo watched her carefully. She hadn't taken it out of the box yet. She was still staring at it, with tears in her eyes. 'Doesn't she like it? Is it ugly? Tacky?' His heart was beating wildly within his chest. To hide his nervousness, he did what Gordo usually did; he started chattering. He was telling her about first seeing the stone and how it perfectly matched her eyes, and how he had felt in his heart that she needed to have it. He started to tell her about the design process, but stopped when she looked up at him, tears rolling down her cheeks and a smile on her lips.
She sniffed, "Oh, Gordo! It's beautiful! I can't believe you did this for me! It's the most wonderful, amazing thing anyone has ever given me!"
His heart surged with joy. She loved it! She really loved it! He took the ring from the box, and took her hand. "Can I put it on your left ring finger? For now? Until I replace it someday with a diamond?"
She just nodded mutely, too choked with emotion to speak. He showed her all the parts of the ring and explained their significance. When he turned it over and showed her their names molded into the gold, she smiled up at him and said, "Thank you. Thank you Gordo. It's beautiful, but that's not what I love most about it. I love that you did this for me, and I love you even more for it, if that's possible. I will never take it off. Even if I let you replace it with another ring, I will wear it always. But I can't imagine a diamond that would be more beautiful or mean more to me than this." And with that, she pulled his mouth down to hers in an intoxicating kiss of passion that ignited his heart and sent fire surging through his entire being. He thought longingly of that card-key in his pocket.
But no, they had a prom to get to. And he wasn't going to skip this night with the most beautiful woman in the world on his arm, and the chance to dance the night away with her. There would be the rest of their lives to do...other things.
So, when she pulled back and smiled at him, he rested his forehead on hers and gently wiped the residual tears away, and rubbed away a small smear of lipstick with a folded handkerchief. She giggled and took the hankie from him to wipe the lipstick from his mouth, then paused. "I've marked you. Maybe I should leave it as a warning to other females who see you."
Gordo grinned back at her, "Oh, yeah, I have hoards of love-sick women following me everywhere! Like, none!"
"Well, they haven't seen you in a tux yet." She answered. "Still, I guess we don't want you wearing deep coral in the pictures." And she delicately removed the evidence of their kisses.
Inside the ballroom, she ran to the others who were in line for pictures, and excitedly showed them her ring. They admired it, and gaped at Gordo. Miranda smirked at him and said, "Who knew? Our Gordo can add jewelry designer to his long list of talents. And a good one, too!"
Kate then looked at Lizzie in fake exasperation and exclaimed, "Can't you two keep off of each other long enough to take a picture?" she giggled, and said under her breath, "Lucky!" She handed Lizzie the tube of lipstick and a small mirror from her "mini-make-up kit" (purse). Lizzie applied it and handed back to Kate. Kate then took out her pressed powder and dusted Lizzie's nose, cheeks and forehead. "All right, Girl, this is the last time. After this, you're on your own!"
Lizzie grinned, "After the pictures, it won't matter so much will it?"
When their time in front of the camera finally came, they stepped up to the mark. Katherine, the photographer knew most of the kids from various events over the years, and knew Lizzie and Gordo both pretty well. She was pleasantly surprised when they stepped up to her mark together, and even happier to note that they hadn't just come together as best friends. She looked through her viewfinder at what she thought was the most perfect pair she had ever photographed.
She looked out from behind the camera and suggested that Gordo stand on a small lift behind Lizzie. "Yeah, yeah, I know I'm short!" Gordo quipped in pretended offence, but he took the lift and stood on it.
Katherine took another look through her camera, and said, "Gordo, since when did you start wearing lipstick?"
Kate could be heard off camera, "I swear, those two..."
But Lizzie grinned and turned to him. "Sorry." She put her left hand gently on his cheek to steady his head, and then moistened the thumb of her right hand on her tongue. She reached up and gently rubbed the lipstick away. All this while, Gordo had his hands rested lightly on her hips as he gazed lovingly at the face of the angel who ministered to him.
Katherine watched this all through the viewfinder of her camera, and was awestruck by the amount of feeling that came through from this couple in just these simple actions. She almost wasn't aware that she had started clicking her shutter, frame after frame, until Lizzie finally finished. She started to reach up for a kiss, then stopped when she heard a sharp hiss, "Don't do it!" from the side. She grinned sheepishly, and turned for their posed Prom photo.
The rest of the night was a dream. It flew by like magic. They danced all night. They mixed up the couples for a few dances, and danced as a group for several. But Lizzie and Gordo danced all the slow dances together, and several times had to be reminded when the music sped up.
One of the cheerleaders was prom queen, one of the basketball players was king. No one but them really cared. While they took their dance alone on the dance floor, Lizzie and Gordo surveyed the refreshment tables. Lizzie grinned wickedly as she grabbed a tall glass of brown fluff, and said, "Want some chocolate mousse?"
Gordo blushed and grinned, "Only if you're wearing it!" It seemed as if he had to add chocolate mousse to his list of "deserts he would never see the same way again."
A/N Ok, I finally updated! I hope you enjoyed it! Lot's of limey fluff for all you incurable romantics. The night's not over, and there's a little more to go, but frankly I'm exhausted and need to hit the sheets. The way my schedule is looking, you might not see the rest for a week or so, but I really will try to update sooner. After all, I'm on a roll!
"
I would like to apologize for the ridiculous amount of time it has taken me to update, and beg to be forgiven by all you wonderful people who have taken the time to review and give me encouragement. I can only plea an extreme desire not to let you down by writing something that disappoints.
And now a warning: This chapter contains lots of fluff that borders on limey. Proceed with caution and promise to brush and floss after you finish.
This chapter is dedicated to Skgrrrrrrrl, because she made me get off my dead butt and write it. Thanks, GF. I can finally move on with the rest of the story. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It all seemed like a dream...or a fairy tale. The evening was perfect ~ warm, but with the occasional chilly breeze that seemed to whisper "get closer" to the couples seated cozily on the terrace of Vincent's. Everywhere around them there were vine wrapped columns, wisteria draped canopies, and tiny fairy lights. Candlelight was the only other illumination, aside from the fireflies dancing in the distance. The sun was making its final descent onto the horizon, and the sky was painted in magnificent hues ranging from cobalt blue to brilliant copper to crimson. It was almost unbearably romantic.
For dinner, each couple had had a small table to themselves, but they were grouped together so they could all talk. Later, when Lizzie tried to recall the details of the night, she wasn't at all sure she could remember what she had eaten, but it had all been wonderful. Now, they were all seated on outdoor benches with large overstuffed cushions, a small table in front of each, for coffee and desert. Each bench had a small canopy around it, and was faced slightly away from the others, offering each couple privacy.
In their private little cove, Lizzie and Gordo watched the sunset cuddled close together, shutting out the rest of the world. Lizzie's head rested on Gordo's shoulder in perfect contentment. Who needed to go to the prom ~ she would be happy to stay right her all night. Except that Gordo looked so...amazingly hot in that tuxedo. She felt her face flush. Definitely hot. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought he was before, but there was something about the fact that Gordo, who didn't care what the world thought of him, who dressed to please no one but himself, who thought designer labels were shallow and ridiculous, had put on this uncomfortable suit just to make her happy. And damn! He looked good!
Gordo was also lost in thought ~ about the ring in his pocket. It wasn't an engagement ring, or even a promise ring, but to him it meant the same thing; that is heart belonged to her and always would. Would she accept it? That he had made it himself, that it was a piece of himself that he was giving her ~ would she understand that? He reached over to touch her face, and gently turned her it towards his. 'God, she's beautiful! And mine! All mine! What karmic debt do I owe for this good fortune?' She gazed up at him with a dreamy smile. He searched her eyes and saw love, devotion, loyalty.and something else. Fire? His breath caught in his throat, and his pulse quickened. He bent his head to taste her lips and moaned softly as he felt her tongue slide across his lower lip. He opened his mouth to her and eagerly met her tongue with his own, tasting and exploring.
"Mmmmm, Gordo..."
When they finally came up for air, they realized that in their "absence" the waiter had brought their desserts and set them on the small table in front of them. Gordo, perhaps for the first time in his life, had found something that he liked much better than food. No matter how delicious that cheesecake looked, it didn't even begin to compare with Lizzie. He turned back to her, wanting to resume their activities, but Lizzie had reached for his plate and was cutting a bite for him.
She playfully fed Gordo a bite of cheesecake, and watched him enjoy it. She cut another bite with the fork, then smiling seductively, this time fed it to him with her fingers. He looked a little startled, but caught her finger with his lips as she popped the bite into his mouth. She smiled again as she wiped a few crumbs from his lips with her finger, then daintily licked that finger. A light blush stained her cheeks, but she didn't break their eye contact. His heart was thundering in his chest. Never could he remember dessert being so exciting. But here, with his stunning girl ~ no, woman~ he knew he would never be able to see a cheesecake the same way again.
He decided he'd better reciprocate, so he picked up her glass filled with creamy chocolate mousse. He took a spoonful and offered it up to her luscious lips. She took the bite, then closed her eyes and seemed to purr, "Mmmmm." He decided two could play her game, so he swirled his finger in the mousse, and then offered it to her. She smiled and took his chocolate covered finger into his mouth, sucking gently, then licking it clean. He watched her with a growing hunger that had nothing to do with the deserts they had on their plates. Or at least, nothing to do with eating them. She smiled seductively again, and said, "Would you like to try it?"
Unable to answer, or even break his gaze on her lips, he could only nod. She smirked and curled her hand around the back of his neck, then brought his lips down to hers. She opened her mouth to allow him to taste the rich chocolate on her tongue. His senses began to cloud over, and all there was in the world was him and this gorgeous woman that he had known all his life, had loved for years, and who he found, amazingly, loved him back.
She pulled back and eyed him playfully. "Want some more?" she purred, as she swirled her own finger into the thick, creamy chocolate and then to Gordo's surprise, traced a line from the base of her throat downward. Gordo stared at her for only a moment before bending forward to trace the line with his tongue. He came to the cleft between her breasts above the neckline of her dress, pausing there to enjoy the taste of the rich confection mixed with the saltiness of her skin. He heard her moan softly, and drew back to see her neck arched and her head tilted backward, lips parted, cheeks flushed, and her breath coming in soft rasps.
Every fiber in his body was screaming at him, "Do something!" He wanted desperately to let his hands wander over the curves of her lush body, to take this delightful experience to the next level. But that annoying voice in the back of his mind reminded him that this, the patio of the restaurant where they had just eaten their dinner, was not the place for it. He knew it to be true, but his body wasn't listening. That voice could not stop the warmth spreading all over his body that was making his pants uncomfortably tight. He cupped his hand around the back of Lizzie's head and brought her lips to his in a kiss of pure heat and passion. She answered with equal hunger, letting her hands wrap around his trim waist and run up his well-muscled back.
"Hey, you two! Do we have to get a fire hose to cool you down?" Miranda was peeking from around the canopy. "Kate and I are going to check our hair and make-up in the Ladies' before he head out." She eyed Lizzie critically, "You'd definitely better join us, Lizzie! Luckily, Kate brought "the kit.""
Lizzie and Gordo both blushed bright red and tried to stand, but clumsily fell back into the soft cushions. Miranda grinned and turned to leave, but then glanced back at Gordo, "You could use some help too, pal! Better check that shirt and tie."
The couple looked longingly down at their abandoned desserts. Then they smiled at each other, and exchanged a lighter kiss. In Gordo's eyes, she didn't need any "fixing up." Her flushed face and swollen lips made her more tantalizing than ever.
"Lizzie."
"Hmmm?" She was trying to adjust her neckline.
"I love you forever."
"And I you, Gordo." She brushed his lips lightly with her own, then got up to follow Miranda. Gordo stayed put for the moment, to try and let the more obvious evidence of his arousal lessen before joining the other guys. Of course, it didn't help. As soon as the girls were gone, the guys came around to join him.
"Hey, Gor-don, way to go!" came Ethan's usual insightful wit.
Danny just grinned at him. "You know, Gordo, we have a suite at the hotel tonight, compliments of the record company. Sort of a perk. The keep it for visiting bands, and no one was using it tonight. We can use it to rest, or change, or...whatever. There's even a private hot tub in it." He handed over one of the card-keys for the door. "Top floor ~ number 1201."
Gordo was trying really hard to be cool about this. He was pretty sure these guys both had a lot more experience with women than he did. He tried really hard not to remember that some of that experience on Ethan's part might be with the love of his life. But all he could do was blush a little and say, "Well, you know, it hasn't really gotten that far yet..."
Danny smiled, "Not with us either. But you never know. There are lots of condoms in the nightstand drawers, also courtesy of the record company. Don't forget that." He eyed them both, not sure which of the three couples was most likely to need them. "Or to bolt the door when you're using the room!"
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In the Ladies' lounge, Kate applied a little foundation and some powder to Lizzie's face. She took out a small brush and outlined her lips, then filled them in with a shimmery terra cotta color. She then dusted them with powder, and made Lizzie blot with tissue. She then repeated the color. She stood back to study the effect, and announced her salvaged.
Miranda took over and checked her tousled hair, but decided that amazingly Lizzie and Gordo had only managed to improve it. She just fixed a few stray tendrils and shellacked it all with hair spray.
They weren't silent during any of this, of course. There was, of course, the obligatory ribbing and interrogation for details. But when they came to the subject of the "Company hotel room," Lizzie turned her eyes to Miranda in the mirror.
"Miranda, I hope if you and Danny had ever, you know...gone all the way, you would have told me, right?"
Miranda stopped with her mascara wand in mid-air, looking a little guilty. She looked at Lizzie's reflection and continued to paint her eyelashes, "We've never gone that far, Lizzie. I would have told you. But we have done...other things. To mutually satisfy each other. It's hard sometimes. I mean, we've been together for so long. And it's getting harder not to."
"So, you think about it, anyway, right?" Miranda nodded. "And you, Kate; I assume things haven't changed since you asked Ethan to the prom?"
"We haven't even been on a date, so, no. But before, when we were dating, it was hard not to. Like I told you, we almost did."
Lizzie was quiet for a minute, then said, "I know what you mean. I mean, I have known Gordo forever, and I know everything about him. Or, at least, I know a lot about him. But I never knew how it would feel to kiss him. I mean, kissing Ethan was great, exciting. But kissing Gordo just feels...amazing. Like we physically and I don't know, ...spiritually connect. Like our hearts beat together. I feel so...connected ~ so complete. It's....euphoric! I know it sounds stupid and weird, but I feel like I was made to kiss him. And I'm dying to know what it will feel like to connect even more with him. I...I just want all of him, sometimes, and it's hard to control. Do you know what I mean, or am I just nuts?"
She spoke so passionately that her friends just stared at her, awestruck. Kate finally broke the silence, "Wow! You're a lucky woman, Lizzie. Most people search all their lives for someone who makes them fell like that. And he was right in front of you all the time."
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They all arrived at the hotel at the same time, but when Lizzie took Gordo's arm and started into the ballroom, Gordo hesitated. He had seen a beautiful waterfall outside the lobby window, and it was just a short walk down the path. He really wanted to present her with his gift before they went into the dance, because he was afraid the night would get away from them and he would lose his chance.
Lizzie looked back at him with a question in her eyes, and he took a deep breath and asked, "Mind if we go for a little walk first?" He gestured toward the waterfall.
She breathed, "Oh, it's lovely!" and turned to follow him.
Out in the courtyard, the air was heavy with the heady fragrance of tropical flowers. The stars shown above likes diamonds on black velvet, but the moon cast an ethereal glow that was almost as bright as daylight. That moon. The moon that seemed to care for them when Lizzie was in danger. It appeared to be there for them again.
Gordo stopped by the waterfall and they embraced. He could hear soft, romantic music emanating from the ballroom. He whispered into her ear, "May I have this first dance?"
Without a word, she laid her head on his shoulder, and they swayed gently to the music, mindful of the closeness of their bodies, the synchronized beat of their hearts. Gordo pulled his head back to look at her lovely face, eyes closed, cheek rested on his breast. He took her chin tenderly with his fingers and lifted it to touch her lips with his. She answered his kiss and tried to deepen it, but he pulled back. If he let their passion go again, he would never get around to doing what he had been waiting so long to do.
He pulled away and reluctantly disengaged their bodies. Lizzie's glance held a question, but he took her hand and led her over to a garden bench by the cascading water. He sat down next to her, and took both of her hands in his.
"Lizzie, I'll answer you now. You wanted to know where I was going every Wednesday night. I can tell you now." He pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small blue box, tied with a white ribbon. He placed it in her palm, indicating that she should unwrap it. She glanced up at him questioningly, but then turned her eyes back and eagerly pulled the ribbon to unwrap her present. While she was doing this, he began telling her the story of his shopping trip with her brother, and about finding the stone and taking the jewelry class to make the ring for her.
When she finally got the box open, there was another box nested within it. It was a ring box, and it made her heartbeat quicken. Was this an engagement ring? Surely not. They were only 18! Of course, it hardly mattered, since she knew with all her heart and soul that they were meant to be together, but it still seemed too soon. Gordo had stopped talking, waiting for her to open the box.
She slid the little box out if the larger one, and looked up at her love. He took it from her and opened the lid. Lizzie stared at the ring that nestled inside. She looked up at him, "You made that? For me?" Tears formed in her eyes. No, it wasn't an engagement ring, but a piece of his heart. Any other guy would just go out and buy some trinket for his girlfriend, figuring that his money would speak for him. But not Gordo. No, he had taken the time to make this unbelievably beautiful ring just for her. There wasn't another one in the world like it, because he made it. Just for her.
Gordo watched her carefully. She hadn't taken it out of the box yet. She was still staring at it, with tears in her eyes. 'Doesn't she like it? Is it ugly? Tacky?' His heart was beating wildly within his chest. To hide his nervousness, he did what Gordo usually did; he started chattering. He was telling her about first seeing the stone and how it perfectly matched her eyes, and how he had felt in his heart that she needed to have it. He started to tell her about the design process, but stopped when she looked up at him, tears rolling down her cheeks and a smile on her lips.
She sniffed, "Oh, Gordo! It's beautiful! I can't believe you did this for me! It's the most wonderful, amazing thing anyone has ever given me!"
His heart surged with joy. She loved it! She really loved it! He took the ring from the box, and took her hand. "Can I put it on your left ring finger? For now? Until I replace it someday with a diamond?"
She just nodded mutely, too choked with emotion to speak. He showed her all the parts of the ring and explained their significance. When he turned it over and showed her their names molded into the gold, she smiled up at him and said, "Thank you. Thank you Gordo. It's beautiful, but that's not what I love most about it. I love that you did this for me, and I love you even more for it, if that's possible. I will never take it off. Even if I let you replace it with another ring, I will wear it always. But I can't imagine a diamond that would be more beautiful or mean more to me than this." And with that, she pulled his mouth down to hers in an intoxicating kiss of passion that ignited his heart and sent fire surging through his entire being. He thought longingly of that card-key in his pocket.
But no, they had a prom to get to. And he wasn't going to skip this night with the most beautiful woman in the world on his arm, and the chance to dance the night away with her. There would be the rest of their lives to do...other things.
So, when she pulled back and smiled at him, he rested his forehead on hers and gently wiped the residual tears away, and rubbed away a small smear of lipstick with a folded handkerchief. She giggled and took the hankie from him to wipe the lipstick from his mouth, then paused. "I've marked you. Maybe I should leave it as a warning to other females who see you."
Gordo grinned back at her, "Oh, yeah, I have hoards of love-sick women following me everywhere! Like, none!"
"Well, they haven't seen you in a tux yet." She answered. "Still, I guess we don't want you wearing deep coral in the pictures." And she delicately removed the evidence of their kisses.
Inside the ballroom, she ran to the others who were in line for pictures, and excitedly showed them her ring. They admired it, and gaped at Gordo. Miranda smirked at him and said, "Who knew? Our Gordo can add jewelry designer to his long list of talents. And a good one, too!"
Kate then looked at Lizzie in fake exasperation and exclaimed, "Can't you two keep off of each other long enough to take a picture?" she giggled, and said under her breath, "Lucky!" She handed Lizzie the tube of lipstick and a small mirror from her "mini-make-up kit" (purse). Lizzie applied it and handed back to Kate. Kate then took out her pressed powder and dusted Lizzie's nose, cheeks and forehead. "All right, Girl, this is the last time. After this, you're on your own!"
Lizzie grinned, "After the pictures, it won't matter so much will it?"
When their time in front of the camera finally came, they stepped up to the mark. Katherine, the photographer knew most of the kids from various events over the years, and knew Lizzie and Gordo both pretty well. She was pleasantly surprised when they stepped up to her mark together, and even happier to note that they hadn't just come together as best friends. She looked through her viewfinder at what she thought was the most perfect pair she had ever photographed.
She looked out from behind the camera and suggested that Gordo stand on a small lift behind Lizzie. "Yeah, yeah, I know I'm short!" Gordo quipped in pretended offence, but he took the lift and stood on it.
Katherine took another look through her camera, and said, "Gordo, since when did you start wearing lipstick?"
Kate could be heard off camera, "I swear, those two..."
But Lizzie grinned and turned to him. "Sorry." She put her left hand gently on his cheek to steady his head, and then moistened the thumb of her right hand on her tongue. She reached up and gently rubbed the lipstick away. All this while, Gordo had his hands rested lightly on her hips as he gazed lovingly at the face of the angel who ministered to him.
Katherine watched this all through the viewfinder of her camera, and was awestruck by the amount of feeling that came through from this couple in just these simple actions. She almost wasn't aware that she had started clicking her shutter, frame after frame, until Lizzie finally finished. She started to reach up for a kiss, then stopped when she heard a sharp hiss, "Don't do it!" from the side. She grinned sheepishly, and turned for their posed Prom photo.
The rest of the night was a dream. It flew by like magic. They danced all night. They mixed up the couples for a few dances, and danced as a group for several. But Lizzie and Gordo danced all the slow dances together, and several times had to be reminded when the music sped up.
One of the cheerleaders was prom queen, one of the basketball players was king. No one but them really cared. While they took their dance alone on the dance floor, Lizzie and Gordo surveyed the refreshment tables. Lizzie grinned wickedly as she grabbed a tall glass of brown fluff, and said, "Want some chocolate mousse?"
Gordo blushed and grinned, "Only if you're wearing it!" It seemed as if he had to add chocolate mousse to his list of "deserts he would never see the same way again."
A/N Ok, I finally updated! I hope you enjoyed it! Lot's of limey fluff for all you incurable romantics. The night's not over, and there's a little more to go, but frankly I'm exhausted and need to hit the sheets. The way my schedule is looking, you might not see the rest for a week or so, but I really will try to update sooner. After all, I'm on a roll!
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