Chapter VIII: Sleepless Nights & City Lights
Author's Note: As Shane and Oliver embark on their honeymoon trip, I have taken a bit of poetic license and departed a bit from what's been established in the canon. All usual disclaimers and warnings (married themes, physical intimacy) apply, and my heartfelt thanks to all who are reading and reviewing!
Shane couldn't believe Oliver surprised her with a stop in Manhattan en route to Europe. He was spoiling her to such an extent she had no idea how she was going to adapt to routine once they got back to Denver. She decided she wasn't going to dwell on that. They were finally on their honeymoon trip and they were going to stay a few days in New York! It was all very exciting!
She wondered if Oliver made an itinerary. He had always been such a stickler for planning and organizing, but on this trip, Shane was being thrown for a loop. She had never seen him so relaxed and so at ease. Eating dinner in bed? Asking her to join him in the shower? Not needing YooHoos? Could this be one of those situations where she should have been careful what she wished for…? She wanted Oliver to lower his defenses, but how much was too much?
She really needed to stop overthinking or she'd be the one in need of serious chocolate. She stopped, at least for the moment.
They checked in at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square and made their way to their room. It wasn't as luxurious as the Brown Palace suite, but it was beautiful nonetheless, with a great view of the city lights on Broadway.
"My love, what would you like to do here in New York? I wrote down a list of various things we could do, but there are a few set in stone." Oliver gave her a big smile. "Those things are surprises I have for you, so they'll be revealed in due course." He then handed her a sheet of paper.
Shane noticed it wasn't the standard white sheet, but instead it was beautiful green stationery. The list read: Visit the MET, MOMA or Guggenheim museums. Take a walk in Central Park. Lunch at Balthazar's. Dessert at Magnolia's Bakery. Little Italy. Sandwiches at Katz Deli. Shopping on 5th Avenue. Broadway show. Ice skating at Rockefeller Center. Flatiron District. Top of Empire State Building. There were so many choices, but the only detail Shane could focus on was the green stationery!
"Oliver, did you choose green for the stationery because of the yellow and blue itineraries you made for us for the DC trip?" Shane's face glowed.
"Yes… it seemed fitting, now that we're married." His boyish smile was too cute for words. Shane gave her husband a huge bear hug. Pulling back, she looked at him and said, "You pay so much attention to detail, you're spoiling me!"
"Does it make you happy, that I am this way with you?"
"Oliver, of course!"
"I did vow that my only dream is to make you happy."
Shane responded with a meltingly sweet kiss. It almost made Oliver forget about his plans. He had the evening planned out and he was going to make sure they weren't going to miss any reservations!
"My love, ponder over that list for tomorrow. I've taken care of the rest of the day."
"Oh, you have?"
Oliver's response was a playful smile. "Yes indeed."
"So, what should I wear?"
"I'm wearing a suit. Maybe you can wear one of your lovely swirly dresses."
"Swirly dresses?" Shane was slightly confused with his description of the evening's dress code. "Do you mean a flared skirt?"
"Is that what it's called? I mean one of those dresses with a skirt that can swirl around your legs as you move."
"Oliver O'Toole, are you taking me dancing?!"
"Uhmmm, maybe?" He couldn't contain his impish grin.
"How exciting! I have the perfect dress!"
"I am sure you will look exquisite, Shane." Seeing her so happy was his newfound quest. Knowing it was his behavior and attention to detail that made her feel that way filled him with a joy he never knew possible. "We have to leave in a couple of hours. That's more than enough time to get ready, right?"
"Sure! I'm going to unpack a few things and take a shower."
Oliver busied himself by getting the room organized. He double-checked the reservations, took his suit out of the suitcase, and decided to get it pressed. Some things can change, but he'd never be caught in public with a wrinkled suit!
Shane had her hair in rollers and was applying her makeup when Oliver stepped inside the bathroom.
"Hopping in the shower now, is that alright?"
"Sure, Oliver, go right ahead!" Shane couldn't wipe the smile off her face. There she was, wearing a fluffy hotel robe, getting her hair and makeup done for a night out on the town with her husband. And here he was, behaving as if stepping into a bathroom where she was getting ready was second nature.
Shane kept her back to Oliver, but she could look in the mirror to her heart's content since the shower was right behind her. There was no shower curtain, just glass doors. While they had shared that incredible interlude in the tub, she hadn't been inside the bathroom when he took a shower… and she felt like this was her chance to slowly look at him to satisfy her longing and get her fill. Goodness gracious, give her a bowl of popcorn, a glass of wine and she could stare at that man naked all day long.
Oliver stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. As he dried off his hair, he pulled Shane close and dropped a kiss on her forehead. He could be so sweet, Shane thought. That was definitely one of the things that made her fall in love with him. Oliver was sweet, sensitive, loving, intensely intelligent, loyal… and all wrapped up in a delicious package. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, and she caught a glimpse of his beautiful behind as he pulled on his underwear.
Shane felt her pulse quickening, but it wouldn't do to jump on him now. She wasn't about to ruin their first honeymoon outing. It technically was their first date as a married couple. She also didn't want to ruin her hair and makeup!
She gave her curls a shake, along with a spritz of texturizing spray and added a swipe of gloss to her lips. It was time to put on her dress. She looked at it with a smile on her face. She hoped Oliver might want to take her dancing during their honeymoon. She had shopped for an appropriate dress for the occasion. It was ivory, with an abstract rose pattern in a shimmery deep beige to create contrast. The neckline was reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany's, but hers was shorter with a flared skirt. The dress highlighted her waist and left her arms bare.
Shane walked into the bedroom to put on her shoes and final accessories when she saw Oliver dressed in black pants, a white dress shirt, and a black suit jacket. He wasn't wearing a tie and he had undone a couple of buttons on his shirt. Her mouth suddenly went dry, feeling like cotton. Oliver looked devastatingly handsome. She gaped at him like she was looking at him for the first time.
"Everything okay, sweetheart?" Oliver asked.
Shane cleared her throat. "Yes… you do realize you're not wearing a tie?"
"I thought I might try something different. How do I look?"
"Devastatingly magnificent?" The description earned her an equally devastating smile from Oliver.
"And you, my Shane, look stunning. My own mix of temptress and angel."
"Your own mix of what?"
"You heard me."
"I am going to pretend I didn't hear that and we're going to go out on our first date as a married couple. If I don't pretend, we will miss our reservations."
Oliver placed his hands on her waist, widening his fingers slightly to pull her firmly towards him. He nuzzled her cheek, the soft spot between her earlobe and her neck, taking in her rose and blackberry scented perfume. He inhaled deeply, planted a soft kiss on her jawline and looked into her eyes.
"Shane, if it were up to me, I would lock us up in the bedroom and never leave. But anticipation certainly provides for more enjoyable encounters, does it not?"
"I think I'd have to agree," she replied breathlessly.
"Good. Let's go have dinner, and then we'll go dancing. At least I can hold you close while we're on the dance floor… and we'll build that anticipation… But believe me, when we return, I am going to love you…thoroughly."
Shane had been holding her breath and it finally came out in a rush. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, took his hand and let him lead her into the Manhattan evening.
###
Oliver made reservations at The Modern. The restaurant was located within the premises of the Museum of Modern Art, otherwise known as the MOMA. It was a gorgeous space overlooking a sculpture garden. He couldn't have chosen a better place for their first dinner out as newlyweds. They sat in a secluded corner and both nursed a glass of white wine.
When it was time to order, Shane settled on seared scallops with a squash gratin and artichokes. Oliver opted for herb roasted beef and new potatoes. A side of asparagus with cherries and a Dijon vinaigrette would accompany their meal. Everything was presented beautifully, tasted even better, and they enjoyed it fully.
"Do you want to order dessert?" Oliver asked.
"I would love something sweet, but if we're dancing, I don't want to be too full."
"We could have dessert after dancing." The cornflower blue eyes Shane loved so much shone with impish humor. Shane couldn't help but blush. Oliver was starting to love the feeling of being the cause of that appealing rush of color. "Shane, I hope 20 or 30 years from now I can still make you blush."
"Oliver, stop it!" She exclaimed, bubbling with laughter. "Come on, let's go. Take me dancing!"
Oliver stood up, took her hand, and led her outside the museum where he had a car waiting. In a few minutes, they were in front of a club called Swing 46. It was a jazz club that featured Swing era music, where ballroom amateurs and even pro dancers could dance the lindy hop, waltz, fox trot…along with other styles. There were also lessons for those who wanted to brush up on their steps or even learn something new. Shane was absolutely amazed Oliver had found this place!
"I can't believe this place exists! How did you find it?" Shane asked Oliver.
"Online research." He answered.
"Online research? Oliver, I'm calling the cops. You went online?"
"I had Rita go online and help me out." He looked down, smiled, and with his hands behind his back, adorably bounced on his toes. Shane sighed with relief, looked up and silently thanked God. Her husband was still technologically challenged, and he kept his quirk of bouncing on his toes when he got excited about something. All was right in the world.
The hostess led them to a lovely table that gave them enough privacy but still had a good view of the dance floor. Oliver ordered a bottle of white wine and Shane was thankful. They didn't tend to overindulge, but she certainly didn't want to mix spirits. Getting sick on your honeymoon was a huge no-no. However, a little tipsy might be interesting. She'd never seen Oliver tipsy. She wondered how her newfound relaxed and flirty Oliver might behave with a couple of extra glasses of wine…
Oliver interrupted her thoughts by asking her how she liked the place. "Oh my gosh, I absolutely love it! You couldn't have chosen better."
"I was thinking, maybe we can take dance lessons again when we return to Denver? What do you think, my love?"
"I think that's a marvelous idea! Would you be open to learning other styles of ballroom dancing?"
"Yes, I think I would. I feel like I can do anything as long as it is with you, Shane."
"I feel the same way, darling." Shane's lips spread into what she felt was the goofiest grin. She could get used to feeling this way forever. "Hey, I have an idea," Shane said, still grinning. She would throw the idea out there, just to see what kind of reaction she might get from Oliver. "How about having Ramon teach us the latin styles? They look like so much fun, and they're very sexy too. We could learn the cha-cha… salsa… and ooooooh, how about the tango?"
Oliver's face blanched for a second, but he quickly composed himself. He certainly favored the classic styles of ballroom dancing. He also wanted to improve the basic waltz steps they learned initially, and maybe try the fox trot or the quickstep? But the latin dances? He would need a serious intervention to even try… but maybe the tango wasn't a bad idea. He knew enough of the style to know the couple had to hold each other quite close.
Clearing his throat, he answered her question, "I might be coerced to learn the tango."
Taking a sip of the chilled wine, Shane smiled into her glass and said, "I'll arrange that then when we return."
The rest of the evening was a blur. They both enjoyed the live entertainment. The music was amazing and watching the pro dancers who frequented the place just let loose and have fun was very entertaining. They participated in the basic swing class and after a couple of awkward attempts, they got the hang of the basic rock-side-to-side step and pulled off a few minutes of the energetic dance.
A slower tune followed, and the blissfully happy couple was able to match the steps of "their dance" to the music. It brought back so many memories. As the tune ended, Oliver pulled her closer for a tender kiss.
"Oliver, you're kissing me in public?"
"Would you believe me when I say being married to you makes me feel like a new man?"
Shane didn't have time to reply before the next song started playing. It was Etta James' At last. Holding out his hand, he asked, "May I have this dance, Mrs. O'Toole?"
"You may." They swayed to the music, cheek to cheek, Oliver holding Shane's hand close to his heart.
"At last / My love has come along / My lonely days are over / And life is like a song."
Oliver couldn't help but think the lyrics of the classic song described his feelings exactly. He certainly felt his lonely days were finally over, and the past couple of days had felt like a love song. He loved Shane to distraction and her happiness was his. She had changed his life in so many positive ways, a lifetime wouldn't be enough to show her how grateful he was nor how much he could love her.
Her closeness was very distracting, and all he wanted was to take her back to the hotel room. He had planned their honeymoon trip down to the last detail, but if it were up to him, he would toss all those plans and spend the remaining vacation days sequestered with her in the bedroom. Remembering the previous days at the Brown Palace, he felt a tremor of excitement. He hadn't expected that level of passion, nor how Shane had responded to him. All he knew was that he wanted to rush back to the bedroom and explore their desires further.
Shane felt Oliver kiss her cheek softly, then he pulled back gently to look at her face. His eyes bore deep into hers as he told her, "I desperately want you, and I hope you want to go back to the hotel, too."
A simple, but to the point, "yes" was her reply. Without further ado, Oliver took her hand, placed it in the crook of his arm, and led the way out of the restaurant.
###
On the ride back to the hotel, the air was thick with tension. During their dates in Denver, they were able to exercise self-control, but now all bets were off. They knew once they reached their destination, they could have their way with each other, and the anticipation built in crescendo during the minutes it took to get back to the Marriot Marquis.
They were silent in the car as both tried to control their urges. They wanted to pounce on each other badly, but the only thing they could do was pray they got back to the hotel quickly enough to avoid embarrassing themselves in front of the driver!
Oliver couldn't get inside the room quick enough. The elevator ride felt like an eternity. Once they entered the room, he grabbed Shane and swiftly pulled her towards him. He kissed her desperately, wanting to get his fill of her as quickly as possible.
"I have been going crazy all night wanting you," he breathed into her ear.
Shane couldn't speak. His hands were everywhere and the way he kissed her drove her to insanity in an instant.
"The two days at the Brown simply were not enough!" Oliver blurted out as he grabbed a fistful of her dress.
Oliver had contemplated getting Shane out of her clothing the entire night. He never took his eyes off her. She looked so lovely in her Audrey Hepburn style dress. The zipper was hidden, and it took him a bit to figure out it was on her side instead of her back. He pulled at it slowly, snaking his hand inside, spanning her waist and softly squeezing her warm flesh. He deftly pulled the dress over her head, exposing the captivating sight of his wife's body adorned with lacy wisps of underwear.
"I could get used to unwrapping you every day, my love."
Shane couldn't help but shake slightly at his words, as that was exactly how she felt. She could unwrap him every day and play with him to her heart's delight. She was melting inside as she crushed her lips to his, all the while peeling off his suit jacket and pulling his shirt from the waistband of his trousers. Her hands immediately went to his strong chest, reveling in how warm his skin felt, also feeling a slight tremor from his muscles.
"I don't think I'll make it to the bed, my love," Oliver panted. He backed her towards the nearest wall, pinned her hands over her head, and pressed his body to hers. His open-mouthed kiss had Shane shuddering with excitement, and her tongue met his in a completely luxurious kiss. She could get used to tasting him this way every single day for the rest of her life.
As the heat rose between them, Oliver palmed her bottom bringing her thigh to his hip. She responded by wrapping her leg around him, desperate to feel him inside her. Shane didn't remember when he had finally taken all his clothes off, probably when he first pinned her to the wall, but she didn't care.
"Please, Oliver, I can't..."
"I can't wait either…" he said as he tore away her underwear and filled her. Oliver groaned slightly as he lifted her so both her legs could wrap around him. Shane whimpered at the pleasure the sudden change in position created. Feeling the tension building even more, she wantonly desired to move, but Oliver kept his grip on her, firmly keeping her pressed against the wall. As he found his rhythm, he plundered her mouth with the most incredibly hot kisses, evoking devastating sensations within her, as they both reveled in the feeling of being one.
"Darling, are you close?" Hearing his husky voice in her ear sparked Shane's climax, and she moaned once again as she convulsed around him. Simultaneously Oliver found his release, his chest heaving with labored breath, his forehead on hers.
Shane took deep breaths to calm herself down. This had been by far their steamiest encounter thus far and she felt delirious at how passionate things could be between them. Oliver kissed her gently, sweetly, softly nipping her lower lip, and she shuddered once again as she lowered her feet to the ground.
"I feel like I should apologize for my lack of gentleness, my love, " Oliver said while he ran his hand through Shane's hair.
"There's no need. In case you didn't notice, I thoroughly enjoyed that… so you kept good on your promise," she replied as she bestowed upon him a very sexy smile.
"Which was…?"
"You don't remember? You said that after returning from our date you were going to love me…what was the word?... Thoroughly? Yes, that was it." Mirth was starting to bubble up as she said these words, looking at him through lowered lashes.
"You're right," he said as he took her hand and lovingly pressed his lips to her knuckles. "Could I entice you with some dessert now?"
"That wasn't it?" Shane asked, trying to control the giggles threatening to erupt. But with one quick look into Oliver's eyes, they both exploded with uncontrollable laughter.
"Shane, I could get so used to this. This joy, all the love, all the passion, and all the laughter. Sometimes, for a fraction of a millisecond, I think, when is the other shoe going to drop? But I shove that thought out of my mind immediately, because all I want right now is to live the gift of the moment. With you. Always with you."
"It's amazing how you always know the right thing to say, Oliver. And that other shoe you worry about dropping? … It won't! Do you know why? Because as long as we have each other, love each other and talk to each other…it won't happen! I love you so much. I don't know how else to express verbally how strong my feelings are for you. How can it be the phrase "I love you" can feel lacking when it comes to what I feel for you?"
"I understand…more than you think." He replied with a caring smile, as he ran his knuckles on the flushed skin of her cheek. "Come, let's have dessert. I did order a few treats from Magnolia's Bakery."
Shane's eyes shone. "Is there some serious chocolate in there?"
"Yes, but this is for indulging a bit, not for shoving down any nervous feelings, alright?"
"Yes, dear husband!"
After getting themselves settled in the hotel room for the rest of the night, Oliver opened the bakery box. He handed Shane a luscious fudgy chocolate cupcake topped with white chocolate buttercream and sprinkles, while he chose Magnolia's famous banana pudding. When Shane started dabbing buttercream on his chest and licking it off, any other thought was rendered null and void as he grabbed her to have his way with her once again.
While Oliver knew the honeymoon had to end at some point, he focused on the now, and it was quite delicious indeed.