The day slowly rolled into an evening and Grace covered her mouth with her fingers, letting out a small yawn, blinking slowly as she scribbled in her notebook.
Her day was filled with playing with the kids who "missed their Gracie to the Moon and back last night". They showed her the drawings of hearts they did last night as they explained how that nice doctor told them how the heart works, how important it is for everybody to take care of their hearts and some of them were excitedly chattering about hearing their own little hearts thumping through that "funny tuby thingie".
Grace smiled warmly as little Tess explained how you should "plug the tuby thingie" in your ears and then you put the other part on your chest ("right here, Gracie, on the left side!") and it thumps like a drum in your ears!
Grace helped Lillian put a few future nurses and doctors to sleep, both of them smiling all the time at the little ones' enthusiasm.
"Sounds to me that Carson was a substitute teacher for you last night", said Grace with a smile as they left the bedroom "That sounded like a science class to me!"
Lillian chuckled as she stretched, yawning a bit.
"Yeah, it was so funny. They barely blinked, mouth gaping wide open as they listened to him. And you should see the line to try out a stethoscope!", as both of them giggled Lillian added "Someone would think that he was giving chocolate chip cookies for free!"
Grace giggled and Lillian let out another small yawn.
"I'm beaten, Gracie. I think I'll go to lay down and read a book before falling asleep. You don't mind me turning in this early?"
Grace softly smiled at her sister.
"Of course not. You go and get some rest. I will stay up a bit longer. Inspiration has hit me with the text for the invitations", barely holding her laughter back, she added with a wink "And it's all thanks to dear Valerie not being able to attend the Ball", she sniffed, making Lillian laugh before she dramatically concluded "The heartache I feel brings out the loveliest words ever!"
Lillian snorted at her sister's silliness and shook her head.
"Well, I can't wait to hear all the propositions and final solution in the morning", she opened the doors to her room and said with a smile "Good night, Gracie."
Grace smiled as she walked toward the stairs.
"Good night, Lillian."
So here she was, 40 minutes later, snuggled up on the sofa with a notebook on her lap, scribbling eagerly on the blank pages.
She giggled to herself as she read another idea for the text when there was a knock at the doors.
Pushing the blanket and notebook away Grace put the fountain pen down on the table and walked toward the doors. Opening them, her heart skipped a beat and sent a smile of pure joy to her lips.
"Lucas!", she breathed out, rushing into his arms. Closing her eyes, she hugged him tightly before pulling away enough to accept the loving kiss from his smiling lips. She kissed him back, a feeling of pure bliss rushing all over her.
As he slowly unlatched his lips from hers she smiled warmly.
"What are you doing here?", she took his palms and pulled him inside as her smile turned flirtatious "Not that I mind."
Lucas closed the doors and turned back to Grace, slowly stepping in her personal space.
"Good", he whispered as he slowly brushed his fingers through her long hair, making her sigh, before he caressed her back with his palms "I just wanted to see you", he silently murmured and the look in her eyes turned dreamy "I missed you."
Grace sighed and gently pulled Lucas closer to her.
"I missed you too", she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, feeling his heartbeat singing against hers. She hugged him, her palms caressing his shoulders and neck. Smiling breathlessly, she pulled away a bit and playfully murmured, her eyes twinkling "And it's good that you came. I need your help with something."
He gently smiled at her as he put a stray curl behind her ear, leaving his palm snuggled in her brunette waves.
"How can I be of assistance, my lady?", he gently asked.
Grace smiled as she tugged at his hands and led him inside the living room, back to her sofa and notebook.
"Well, I've been trying to come up with appropriate text for invitations to your Governor's Ball…", she started to talk, only to have Lucas fingertips gently shush her. She looked up at him from her notebook, a curious glint in her eyes.
Lucas' fingers were replaced with his warm lips as he gently brushed them over her rosy lips.
"OUR Ball", he whispered with a gentle smile.
Grace's lips spread slowly in a warm smile.
"OUR Ball", she silently repeated, her cheeks becoming rosy from his love "I was trying to come up with text for the invitations", she picked up her notebook and opened it up for him "Can you check are they to your liking?"
Lucas noticed how nervous she was and he gave her a gentle smile.
"Sure", he took the notebook and started to read.
Grace watched him as he read, nervously chewing on her lip.
Lucas slowly nodded.
"They are all good", looking up, he softly murmured "There is only one thing missing. May I have your pen?"
Grace nodded quickly and picked up her fountain pen from the table. He took it and wrote something in her notebook, smiling as he felt her peeking over his shoulder.
"What did you write?", she asked and accepting the notebook back from him she looked down at the page he wrote on, but before she could notice the change, she felt his lips hovering close to her ear as he whispered:
"I added a host."
Grace felt her lungs letting out a shaky breath as she quickly read the text.
"Dear Mr. /Mrs,
It is my (our) pleasure to cordially invite you to attend the Governor's Ball that will take place at January 15th. Please, confirm your attendance by January 9th. I (we) hope that you will grace us with your company. Yours truly,
(Miss Grace Bennett and) Governor Lucas Bouchard"
Grace felt her heart skipping a few beats, her lips going dry as she struggled to swallow a lump in her throat.
And that was when she heard his gentle murmur in her ear:
"I do believe that you are hosting the Ball with me. It is only fair that you are signed under the invitation as well", his lips brushed gently over her earlobe making Grace let out a soft whimper of pleasure "And you should sign it together with me…And", his lips slowly tugged at her sensitive earlobe before he added "You should start to practice your new signature", as her head slowly turned to face him, her eyes clouded with love and passion, Lucas whispered "You are going to use it very often pretty soon", and with those words he leaned down and kissed her.
Grace silently gasped in pleasure, a fountain pen falling from her fingers and she quickly cupped Lucas' cheeks, eagerly kissing him back. He pulled her closer to him, deepening their kiss and they got lost in each other until desperate need for air caused them to pull apart.
Grace traced her fingers from his cheek to his chin, caressing it gently as she whispered:
"I love you, my Lucas. So much."
He leaned into her open palm, a soft smile on his lips, his eyes closed.
Grace leaned in, kissing him once again and murmuring gently into their kiss:
"Thank you for the roses. You made me feel like a Queen."
Lucas smiled as he kissed her forehead.
"Good. Because you are", he whispered "You are the Queen of my heart."
Grace smiled as she felt her heart melting into tears in her eyes.
"I have no idea what am I going to wear for the Ball!", she smiled tearfully "My last appropriate dress was ruined at the first Ball", she swallowed, tears escaping her eyes as she remembered his lifeless body laying next to her as she tore her dress and pressed the material on his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. She took a shaky breath in, tears rolling down her cheeks as she mumbled "But, I don't care. All that matters is that you survived."
He took her hand and gently kissed the inside of her palm before he looked back at her, warmth pooling in his dark orbs.
"Would you allow me to buy you a dress? I would love to buy you the dress for the Ball…I promise it won't be tacky", he winked at her, making her laugh through tears.
"Oh, my Lucas! Don't go troubling yourself with that!", she mumbled lovingly "I am sure I can find something in my closet", she rambled on, but he shushed her, placing an index finger on her rosy lips. She looked up at him and he gently caressed her lips with his fingertip before he gently said:
"Please, let me do this for you, my love."
Grace gave him a tearful smile.
"Okay", she whispered and sighed in pleasure as she felt his lips melting into hers once again. She sneaked fingers into his hair, causing him to groan in pleasure and their kiss deepened, sending tingles through her entire body and she pulled him closer, wishing she never had to let him go.
—--
Grace was pottering around the kitchen, taking some pies out from the oven when she heard Lillian calling her:
"Grace! There's a special delivery for you!"
Creasing her eyebrows in confusion Grace wiped her hands on the apron and walked out from the kitchen.
Lillian was coming toward her wearing a huge box and a huge smug smile.
"Special delivery from the dress shop", said Lillian, smiling as she handed her the box.
Grace gasped and as she took the box in her hands two sisters smiled at each other and rushed upstairs to Grace's room.
Lillian shut the doors closed while Grace sat down at the bed and tore the paper from the box away.
Lillian rushed toward the bed and jumped up on it just as Grace picked up a lid from the box. Lillian took the lid and quickly threw it beside her, turning around exactly at the moment when Grace pulled out a long, black dress from the box, gasping at the beauty of it.
"Oh, Grace!", gasped Lillian "It's beautiful!"
Grace shook the material to open the dress entirely…
Only to slightly frown in confusion. Lillian joined her in with the same facial expression as she picked up a sleeve.
"It's so closed off", mumbled Lillian "Not even your hands will be visible."
Grace inspected the dress in confusion, turning it in her hands.
"I thought he liked my New Year Eve's dress…", she silently mumbled, but then her voice drifted away as her fingers suddenly discovered something odd in the material.
Getting up from the bed Grace quickly shook the dress to unfold it completely and turned the back of it to herself.
Oh, my goodness.
She sneaked her fingers to the material just to be sure.
Oh, yes. That dress definitely had a slit on its back… And Grace knew that it would provide some fresh air to breeze along her spine… But it will also enable Lucas to sneak his fingers inside…
She smiled as she shivered deliciously at the mere thought of his fingers on her bare skin.
Oh, you are going to pay for this, Governor Bouchard!
—--
Everything you are
Everything you'll be
Touches the current of love
So deep in me.
Every sigh in the night
Every tear that you cry
Seduces me.
All that I am
All that I'll be
Means nothing at all
If you can't be with me.
Your most innocent kiss
Or your sweetest caress
Seduces me.
I don't care about tomorrow
I've given up on yesterday
Here and now is all that matters
Right here with you is where I'll stay.
Everything in this world
Every voice in the night
Every little thing of beauty
Comes shining thru in your eyes
And all that is you becomes part of me too
'Cause all you do seduces me.
And if I should die tomorrow
I'd go down with a smile on my face
I thank God I've ever known you
I fall down on my knees
For all the love we've made.
Every sigh in the night
Every tear that you cry
Seduces me, seduces me
All that you do … Seduces me
("Seduces me" - Celine Dion)