OMG! Before you throw things at me, let me first say how incredibly sorry I am for making you wait so dang long for this update. This time of year is always crazy. I went on a pretty major trip and saw my friends get married. I came home right before my sons birthday and Christmas two weeks away. Then as if the holiday season wasn't busy enough, I got a new job. Still the same hospital but a different department so for this month I have been training. I'm actually STILL in training. It's a lot of new stuff to learn. But on the bright side, I do not work front line in covid hell anymore. YAY me and the BEST part, I'm working remote. So I'm at home with my kids close and hopefully after training, more time to write. Anyway that is what was happening these last couple months. I know no excuse but here is the much awaited update! Just a note, I received all your messages, asking for updates and reviews and I thank you so much for dealing with me and my crazy life. Enjoy!
Chapter 18
La Brune
Brenda
I felt strong arms encircle my waist. Pulling my backside against the front of an obvious morning wood. Dylan groaned squeezing me tighter against him.
"I'll never get sick of this." He said so simply and so confident it made me smile.
I wiggled my back end against him receiving the sexiest groan. "Me too."
He leaned his face against the side of mine, kissing my cheek briefly, "It's going to be a long two months." His voice calm but sadness behind it.
"We've been apart for the last four years, we got this." I tried to be strong but my chest ached at the reality behind being apart again. So much could happen in two months. How long was I in Paris for…six weeks? It had taken six weeks for Dylan to fall in lust with my best friend. At the time when my world shattered. I had thought love but I was beginning to believe it hadn't been after all.
"We should get up." He breathed, but made no effort to move.
Laying in bed with Dylan like this was favorite thing. Something about the serenity and warmth that flowed through us, a connection and rightness. When we began our relationship we were so young. Sleep overs were out of the question. Even with Dylan and I's midnight rendezvous, he made his way back into that cot before we could get to comfortable. There was Baja, which for 36 hours I was alone with him. It was amazing even though we spent a good portion of it fighting. I giggle remembering how my overreaction of Stacy thankfully hadn't ruined one of the best nights of my teenage life.
"What's funny?" Dylan asked curiously as his hand moves south, his warm lips on my neck.
"I was just thinking about Baja."
I feel Dylan's smile against my neck, "La Boca Grande de Baja." Before I can even comment I'm moved to my back. My Dylan looks down at me with love in his eyes. "We have to get up. I have plans for us today."
"Plans? What plans you say?" I smile as he leans down and captures my lips in a gentle kiss.
"I have to see a guy about a boat." He pecks me quickly and gets up.
I sit up, taking the sheets to cover my bare chest. "A boat? Are you buying a boat?"
Dylan chuckles with a shake of his head. "I'm selling a boat?"
My eyes widen, "You have a boat?" Fuck my new/old boyfriend is fucking rich.
Dylan looks towards me with a playful look, "We baby…we have a boat but yes I'm selling it. Can't necessarily bring it to London now can I? I thought maybe you'd like to take it out with me one last time?" He smiles sweetly at me, "Maybe we can look at new ones when we get settled in the UK."
I roll my eyes with a laugh, "Gloat about your boat much?' I joke.
Dylan tosses his head back with a laugh, "You're a poet and you don't know it."
"We're rhyming now." I smile, letting the covers fall from my chest and raise to my knees. I don't miss the way Dylan double takes, his eyes not hiding as they travel down my naked form. It brings a rush of warmth through my body. I feel sexy and empowered. He moves towards me, still naked, dropping his clothes he had collected to get dressed. He moves slowly, stalking, one knee rests on the bed, the other joining seconds after.
"Gimme a kiss or I'll be pissed." He says sultry.
"That doesn't rhyme" I move closer with a shake of my head. "Try this, I'll give you a lick, you give me dick."
He laughs, moving his arms around my waist as he pulls me flush against him. We're still kneeling to one another, our bodies meshed together deliciously. "Sometimes you are so proper and cultured. Other times, you're so naughty." He whispers against my lips.
"I don't hear many complaints." I sass.
"You won't hear any complaints from me on your naughty sass." His hands run down and squeeze my butt. "And fuck I love this ass."
"Ooo." I say with a smile, "Sass…Ass…good one."
"Now get dressed." He rubs my ass before spanking it gently, "We have a plan…damn I'm a lucky man." He jokes.
"Okay…now your just showing off plus you are lucky, damn it I'm a prize." I wrap my arms around his neck tightly.
"That," he says groaning as he moves to kiss me, "Is a fact."
Our lips touch again in the simplest, sweetest way. There is no urgency, no desperation. Just two lovers kissing like it's the most natural thing in the world. He kisses my cheek with a smack and gets up to finish getting ready. I watch him with a smirk. He is so loving, so handsome…all mine. Dylan may think he is a lucky man…but I'm pretty lucky too.
Dylan holds my hand all the way to the marina. We walk down the dock and ten feet in front of me is the most gorgeous yacht I've ever seen. I pull his hand back to stop him.
"That is not a boat Dylan…that's a fucking yacht."
Dylan laughs, "It is, you like it?"
I notice the name, "La Brune." It takes me a second as I look him. It's French, "The brunette?" I say out loud with a smile.
He is close to me, his warm strong hands grip the tops of my arms, his mouth against the shell of my ear. "I named her after you." He breathes into it, causing goosebumps to light up down my arms and legs.
I breath out amazed. "I don't even know what to say…it's gorgeous." I look at him curiously, "You sure you want to sell this?"
Dylan moves around me so he's standing in front now, his hands cup my face, "It doesn't make sense to keep it. I'm getting top dollar for it and won't have to think about taking it to Europe. It's just easier but I'll tell ya what, if you want a boat we can buy one there, one just like this. Go for romantic river rides, travel to different countries on holidays, kiss under the London Bridge." He kisses me gently. I look into his eyes. All I see staring back at me is love…intense love.
"It's not that…just…you're doing so much so we can live in the same place. Moving your life, your business, selling this boat? How can I ever repay you."
Dylan smiles, "You'll see." He takes my hand, "Come on." I haven't a clue what he's talking about but I shut up and follow him. Stepping up onto the biggest and most beautiful boat I've ever seen. I don't even want to think about how much this costs or what he is selling it for. Dylan was always rich but billionaire rich was another level. A level I don't know if I will ever get used too.
Dylan has a crew, a boat this big justifies it. I'm standing close to the bow taking in the salty air when I feel Dylan stand beside me.
"She is really beautiful." I breathe looking out where all I see is water to the horizon.
"She sure is." he responds simply, I look over to him and he's looking at me. I smile and look down. Heat rushing through my veins knowing he is talking about me and not the boat.
"Can I ask you a question?" I turn towards him as he does the same.
"Shoot." His hands gently lay on my hips giving me his undivided attention.
"Why did you name this boat after me?"
He smiles, "You sound surprised."
"Well I am. I assume you bought this boat in the last couple years. We were over. You dated other people…"
"Bren." He interrupts me. "My feelings for you were far from over. I guess this was my way of keeping you close."
I smile, "None of the gang asked about the name?"
He laughs, "I only ever brought Steve and David on it. Steve wouldn't know French unless it was named ménage à trois."
I laugh out loud. "Touché." Dylan chuckles with me. He pulls me in kissing my forehead.
"You want to take the helm?" He asks sweetly.
"Me?" I look up to him.
"Yeah you." He smiles a handsome smile at me.
"I don't know how to drive a boat." I laugh. He winks at me and takes my hand. Gently pulling me starboard to the cockpit or whatever the control area of the boat is called.
I grip the wheel or helm as Dylan called it. He is standing close behind me. His hands over mine. Whispering directions in my ear.
"Oh my god. Oh my god." I gleefully say over and over as he lifts his hands and lets me steer by myself. "Shit…oh my god…I'm doing it."
Dylan chuckles in my ear. "I'm the captain. Oh my god" I giggle and Dylan lets out a deeper laugh from behind me.
"You're doing it." He reassures me.
"This is amazing." I whisper, feeling the control under my palms. Dylan's hand finds what looks like a handle, he pushes it forward and I feel the boat pick up speed. I giggle out loud.
"Hold steady." He says in my ear and I do just as I'm told. I feel free. It's invigorating and all I can do is laugh and smile as Dylan joins me.
A member of Dylan's crew, Dominic I think his name was appears beside us. He smiles at my excitement before making eye contact with Dylan. They have a silent conversation that ends with a nod from Dylan.
"Dom will take over the helm. Come on." Dylan reaches for my hand, I'm pulled gently as I watch Domenic take over the wheel. My head whips toward the direction I'm being pulled as we head to the back of this massive boat. When we finally reach the back, I close my eyes as the wind whips my hair too and fro.
"This has been a perfect day." I breathe as I open my eyes. "Dylan what's that? That island?" I feel him behind me but he doesn't answer, "Dylan?" I turn to look at him. "What's wrong?"
His eyes glaze over with a dreamy stare while he stands quietly. I start to worry, wondering why he hasn't moved or why he hasn't answered me.
"Brenda?"
I swallow the lump moving inside my throat. "Yes?"
Dylan reaches out both of his hands, standing tall in front of me, looking incredibly handsome in his collared shirt and cargo shorts. His brown hair, normally styled when dressed in a suit, is loose and makes him look like that bad boy that caught my eye riding his motorcycle. I offer a timid smile, not sure how this change of playful to serious happened suddenly. As I stare into his brown eyes, that look almost hazel in this light, the energy around us is intense. He looks almost nervous compared to the cool and collected Dylan he's always brought forth. I squeeze his hands, reassuring that he can tell me anything. At least I think?
"I've spent days racking my brain of how perfect I wanted this moment to be. But no matter what I came up with, it all seemed insignificant. You see, wherever we are, together is perfect because when you are by my side, nothing else matters."
"Dylan…" my voice begins to quiver. 'What are you trying to say?"
I watch with wide eyes as he slowly bends down onto one knee. My breathe hitches.
"I promised I was all in…no turning back. If I got the chance to be with you again, I would spend everyday fighting for our love…for you. I love you. I've always loved you. Marry me Brenda. Marry me here today?"
He produces a box from his pocket, opens it, and inside sits my mother's ring. Actually it was my grandmothers ring, my father had given my mother when she was pregnant with myself and Brandon. I throw my hands over my mouth, hiding my smile while exhaling the deepest of breaths. Carefully, he removes the ring from the box and slides it on my finger, without waiting for me to respond.
"I could wait for you to say yes." He gazes at me with an arrogant sexy as sin smirk. "But we know you were always meant to be my wife."
I'm unable to speak, and with a burst of excitement, I take his face into my hands and kiss him deeply. Our tongues meet in a frantic dance as he stands, arms enclosing me with warmth as we continue to kiss deeply.
I pull back just enough to whisper, "Yes, a million times yes." Against his lips. He kisses me roughly again and that's when I hear it.
The cat calls and applause ring out loudly. Our foreheads touch as we grin hopelessly at one another.
"Do you trust me?"
I nod with tears in my eyes. He takes my hand turning me now towards the noise and not even five feet away from us is the dock. The best part was my entire family is there. All of them with bright smiles on their faces, applauding. Hot tears fall from my eyes when I see my mom and dad, tears in their own eyes clapping away. Beside him Brandon smiles widely, Kelly beside him, Donna, David, Steve, Janet, Maddie, Valerie, Iris, Erica, Andrea, Brian, Nat and…
"Oh my god Anna." I look at Dylan. "How did you do all this? How the hell did you do all this without me knowing?" I literally had talked to Anna two days ago, presumably I thought she was still in London, watering my freaking plants.
"It was all Cindy and Donna." He praises, with a beam of excitement in his eyes.
I shake my head, trying to calm myself as the crew docks the boat. I can't even think straight. "What is this place?"
"It's Catalina Island." His lips touch my temple gently.
"Wait, so we're getting married here…right now?" The thrill of excitement jolts through my entire body.
"Only if you want to. I know it's not fancy, and if that's what you want, we can do that later. I didn't want anything to come between your career and the play coming up but I'm a selfish man Bren. I want you to be my wife now. Before you head back to London and before we are apart while I'm getting things ready for the move. I've waited too long."
"It's perfect Dylan. We have waited too long. As long as our friends and family are with us, nothing else matters. It's absolutely perfect." I breathe.
Domenic stands on the side of the boat and reaches his hand to me. I allow him to help me off the boat and onto the dock. After I get hugs from my mom, dad, Brandon, Iris and Erica, Valerie interrupts, "Ok I'm stealing you now."
"Steal me?" I look around at my girlfriends, Kelly, Donna, Anna, Andrea and Janet.
Donna grabs my hand, "Well, you're not getting married in a pair of jeans and a crop top."
I pull back and turn to Dylan again. I place my hands on his chest while taking a deep breath. Lost in his loving gaze, there is no doubt he was always meant to be the one.
"See you at the alter?"
"I'll be there." He winks, kissing me one more time. "Last kiss as a single woman. How does it feel?"
"It feels like time is too slow." He smiles a gloriously handsome full smile at me. "I love you." I mouth as the girls get impatient with me and pull me away from him.
He nods, "I love you." He mouths back.
The girls bring me to a room off of the marina. Donna asks me to close my eyes. When I open them, there hanging from the rack is a stunning ivory lace dress in a mermaid silhouette. It looks antique and so gorgeous.
I run my fingers over the delicate lace admiring the detail and beading around the neckline, then turning it around to see the low back hem. The design takes my breath away, something I never imagined I would feel over a wedding dress.
"Do you like it?" Donna asks quietly, nervously.
I look to her, tears well in my eyes, "I love it." I choke, unable to hide my emotion. "Did you make this?"
She shyly nods. "Oh my god." I breath, "It's perfect."
"I took measurements from an evening gown Val had that you wore to a benefit? She said it fit you like a glove. I brought my sewing kit if we need any quick alterations."
I rush her. I hug her so tight she giggles. "You really love it?"
"Yes, it's phenomenal Don."
I look up to see Valerie's hand touch my shoulder, she smiles at me, "Let's get you married."
I grab her and hug her too. Soon I feel all the girls move in. I laugh as they join in as we all group hug like the old days.
The dress of course, fit's perfectly. Valerie does my hair and make up, keeping it natural and pretty. Kelly affixes my veil pinning it just so. Beside me, mom sits quietly but never without her adoring smile.
I grab her hand, while Kelly puts the last of the pins in my hair. "Thank you." I whisper to her.
She squeezes my hand, "You're breathtaking." She tells me softly. "Your father is nervous."
I take a deep breath, not from nerves but from the excitement. An hour ago, I thought we were just enjoying a romantic last ride on Dylan's yacht before he sold it. Now I'm moments away from getting married. I take in how different I feel. How calm and right this feels compared to being on that mountain with Austin. Frozen, scared shitless of him kneeling in front of me. How no matter how forceful I smiled, my heart broke with the realization that Dylan and I were apart. How when I looked into Austin's gaze all I saw was him. Anna appeared in front of me. She had a thick make up brush touching up my face.
"I can't believe you're here." I smile at my best friend. It wouldn't have felt this perfect without her.
She smiles at me, "Like I would miss this wedding for the world. Are you nervous?"
"No." I shake my head. "I'm excited. I just want to marry him."
Anna leans in with a knowing grin. "It's the spark. You guys have always had it. I remember it so fondly and seeing it again after all these years." She breathes out, "God Brenda I can't believe I even entertained the idea you wanted to marry Austin. There is no comparison."
"Fuck Austin." Valerie growls as she takes one final inspection of my make up. "You're prefect." She smiles and I laugh.
There is a gentle tap on the door. I look into the mirror and see my father in the reflection. He is dressed in a tuxedo, despite this being an impromptu beach wedding. I turn around and stand up, moving closer to him.
His eyes fall upon me with a shallow sigh following. I reach out my hands for his, then squeeze them tight.
"I'll always be your little girl." I remind him gently. "That will never change."
In my entire life, there's been a few times when my dad has expressed any sentimental emotions. I always felt love from my father but he always stayed in control for the most part and conveyed through words rather than expressions.
But standing in front of me, his eyes glass over, a mixture of sadness and honor.
"You look beautiful Brenda." He croaks, followed by a smile. "Are you ready?"
"Been waiting a lifetime…"
Next up the ceremony and Brenda and Dylan say goodbye for two months. Sorry for the long wait again. I'm a shit. Hit review my lovely's, I won't make you wait so long again. Promise!
