Love, the Second Time Around Ch. 02

"I'd have another one for you," she winked. "Michael and I had a small wedding ceremony but the reception was a production. Dad and John invited pretty much everyone who ever worked for the company and most of our regular clients."

She flipped to a list of people which she had organized into a guest list. Her family. My family. Our close friends. Good, but not great friends. Business associates. People we were expected to invite. As things were, she was up to about two hundred people already.

"What if we just elope?" I asked, only half-joking. "Or go down to the justice of the peace and then throw a wingding of a party?"

"I'm not opposed to that," she frowned. "But my family would kill me. If it's just our immediate families, we're looking to have at least thirty people. And we're not going to get by without inviting Melanie and Kevin."

No, we couldn't get out of inviting the woman who had introduced us and her husband, plus their kids.

"What about Vegas?"

"Listen, sweetheart, this is wedding number four for me," Nichole's brow creased. "I've had the big production wedding, the small intimate ceremony, and something in-between. If it were up to me, I'd take our kids and Mom and just go away to get married. But if you want the big church wedding, we can do that. I just want to start the rest of my life with you as soon as I can."

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure I want to be with you? Yes," she kissed me on the top of my head. "Yes, I know that I promised that to two other people before, too. I wasn't ready to be married to Ethan. I think I knew it at the time, but we got married anyway. He was good to me, and I wasn't very good to him. If we hadn't had Stephen, I don't think we'd have made it to three years."

"What about your last husband?" I asked. Nichole never even calls him by name.

"I'm not sure," she sighed with regret. "He was charming, and good looking. I should have been smarter. I think I was afraid of spending the rest of my life alone. I had blinders on. Do you really want to marry me? Am I going to be your rebound?"

I snorted. "Rebound after seven years? I never thought I'd fall in love with anyone after McKayla."

"How did you think your life was going to go?"

"I never thought about it," I shrugged. "For a while, I think I was just emotionally numb. I had my daughter. My friends. But I wasn't interested in finding a partner."

"So why me?" she pressed. "Why now?"

For several long moments, I chewed on my lip, searching for a reply that made sense. Not for Nichole's benefit. For my own. "After we met . . . after you came to visit me at the beach with Melanie and Kevin and my parents . . . I had a dream. McKayla spoke to me. She gave me a hug. She told me it was okay to go on with my life."

Nichole took my hands. I had told her about my dream not long after it happened. I didn't really know what it meant. Or if it was something my subconscious made up so I could move on without guilt.

But it seemed real.

As real as McKayla's love for me.

As real as Nichole's love.

"I fall in love quickly," I said quietly. "I think I knew right away with McKayla."

We lay there in each others's arms for several minutes.

"I remember the moment Michael and I fell in love," Nichole whispered. "It was the day after I got back from China. We were at the company picnic, and went to dinner afterwards. I knew right then. I had known him all my life, and never felt any kind of attraction to him until that day. And then I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. And I knew that with you. When we were at the beach, talking about our loves . . . and you knew what I was going to say before I said it. I knew I was going to be yours."

"I don't love you like I loved McKayla," I said quietly, fear creeping into my voice.

"You will never love anyone like you loved McKayla," she replied knowingly. "She was your one true love. And I'm okay with that. I wish she were still here with you."

"You make me happy," I choked back tears. "And I want to be with you. I love you."

"I know you do." Her fingers wrapped around mind. "And when you get to Heaven, she will take you in her arms and you will be together forever. I'm okay with that, sweetheart . . . really. I'm happy to have you for as long as you will have me."

"You've had this conversation before," I said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes, you know I have," Nichole's eyes got sad. "And now from both sides."

I ran my fingertips up and down her arm, not in any erotic or sensual way. I just wanted her to know how much I appreciated her loving me. Baggage and all.

"I am going to give you the perfect big church wedding," she said softly. "Don't make that face at me. We can afford it, and besides, you want me to work less, so I need something else to obsess over. And after that, you can take me on the perfect honeymoon."

"You know our kids aren't going to let us leave them behind," I snickered.

"I'm counting on it," Nichole's smile made my pulse race. "We never traveled with Stephen as much as we wanted."

"Well, he's going to see the world with us," I nuzzled up to my bride. "When people are on their deathbed, no one ever regrets traveling. McKayla and I wanted Maureen to see the world—and not just from a cruise ship—so we took her; Rome, London, Glasgow, Geneva, Tokyo, Copenhagen . . . I'll take you and the kids where ever you want to go."

"Thank you for taking on Stephen," she turned and kissed me just behind my ear.

"You're a package deal, and I know that. Just like Maureen is with me."

"I want you to do something else while you're in town this week," her voice suddenly got serious. "I want you to go to a lawyer and draw up a pre-nuptial agreement."

"What are you talking about?"

"I want you to retain a lawyer, and I want you to get a pre-nuptial agreement," Nichole reiterated. "I know you're worth more than I am. I want you to protect McKayla and Maureen's money. I don't have a lot of personal debt, but I'm about to take on a bunch more. I want you insulated in case all of our business dealings go south."

"I don't need a pre-nup," I snorted.

"Yes, you do," her voice hardened, probably more than she meant. "You have a lot of money. I'm not poor, but I'm not rich, either. But together, we have a lot of zeroes in our assets. And if I learned anything from my third marriage, it's that we both need to be protected from ourselves and from short-sighted decisions."

I frowned, but didn't say anything immediately.

"I love you, Amberle. I haven't felt as happy and free as I do with you in years," Nichole stopped to take a deep breath. "But we both make decisions with our hearts, not our brains. And I can't let you get dragged down if I get money problems."

"Do you have money problems?"

"No," she shook her head. From what I could tell, she was almost as instinctively smart with her money as McKayla had been. "But that doesn't mean I won't. I've only got a thin margin for a bad investment or two. I've got some liquid assets, but I've also got some money that really only exists on paper. But you . . . you're free and clear of debt. You have real assets and steady income."

"I'm never leaving you," I promised her softly. "We're in this together, sweetheart. For better or for worse. In sickness and in health. For richer and poorer. I don't want a pre-nup."

"I do," Nichole brushed the tears that were forming in her eyes away. "I need to know you're protected if the shit hits the fan."

I cradled her to me. She had already made up her mind, and I knew how headstrong she could be. I didn't say anything else.

We cuddled in bed for a little while longer. I hadn't had to worry about money since the day I found out I was pregnant with Maureen. McKayla had taken care of me, both when she was alive and even in anticipation of her death.

I had annuities and accounts which were designed to ensure steady, long term growth. Most of my money was in municipal bonds which paid a regular return, and also meant I didn't pay income tax. I took a regular monthly "allowance" and rolled everything else back into the principal.

If I worked, it was because I wanted to, not because I was worried about paying bills. My house was paid off. Maureen had her own trust fund and inheritance from her mom, which was independent of any money McKayla had left me, and she had earned a full academic scholarship at Duke. When she got into medical school, she had enough to get through without taking any loans.

Our house was paid off long before McKayla died and I paid cash for most everything else, including the red BMW hard top convertible in my garage (stick shift, of course).

A few months before, Nichole and I had "the money conversation". Not in any super detail, but we each knew the short version of the other's assets and liabilities. Nichole didn't have the investment portfolio I did, but she owned the building we lived in, and didn't owe as much on it as I initially thought. She had steady rental income from the residential and commercial tenants. It was prime real estate on Central Park West and if she sold it, she could have made a killing.

I know Nichole didn't have any real financial risk, but I think her insistence on a pre-nuptial agreement was more for peace of mind than any need for actual security. So I decided I was going to do this for her.

We drifted off to sleep holding one another.

**************

When I awoke, I was lying flat on my back. I tried to roll over, but my hands were tied, spread-eagled in the middle of the bed.

I blinked but something was covering my eyes.

"Nichole!" I cried out. A moment of panic overtook me.

Her hand caressed my cheek. My heart rate dropped almost immediately.

"Right here, sweetheart," she cooed in my ear. The smell of her lotion was comforting in its familiarity. I pulled against the bonds holding my wrists. I could hear the smile in her voice. "Not so fast, Amberle. I'm not done with you yet."

Her cheek brushed mine. The raking of her lips under my ear made my toes tingle.

"I haven't even started yet." Nichole's hand clutched my left breast. I cried out in surprise.

With excitement.

Once again, I pulled against whatever it was that held my arms.

Nichole's fingernails brushed my belly. She traced soft lines down my side.

Her mouth was warm on my nipple. And wet.

I pushed my chest forward into her mouth. She pulled back, leaving a trail of wetness on my chest.

My teeth clenched when she blew across my skin. The cold blast of air made my nipple crinkle up.

"Did you like that?" she taunted me. "Maybe I'll do the other one."

Unable to see, all I could do was feel her body against mine. When I tried to kiss her, Nichole pulled away.

My legs spread with anticipation at her touch.

Her hands roamed my body.

Sometimes caressing.

Sometimes tickling.

Sometimes groping.

I tried to anticipate what part of my body she was going to touch next, but she kept me off guard.

Instead of tracing straight patterns or circles, she drew irregular lines, the uncertainty of her next movement keeping me on edge.

"Who's my bitch?" Nichole bit me just under my ear.

"I'm your bitch," I breathed softly.

I have always been sexually submissive. When I was with my ex it was mostly out of convenience. Travis was masculine and strong, and he knew exactly what he wanted in bed. I was happy to give it to him because he had a magic penis and he took great pride in his prowess and ability to make me (and presumably his other fuck buddies) cum.

McKayla was the perfect lover. I think she liked to be dominant in bed because that was when she could be in control. Between her cancer and the Huntington's Disease, so much of her life was out of her control, but when we were intimate, I gladly surrendered to her because I knew how much she loved me.

Even though we had only been together for just under two years, I gave that same deference to Nichole in bed. I was the first woman she had been with, but she was a fast learner. She also liked to be in control, and after a bit of exploring, I was happy to under her spell.

There were some differences in my lovers, though. Both were often gentle and loving. We liked to cuddle and hold one another.

When the mood struck her, McKayla could be raw and feral. She used to spank me a lot (she could never keep her hands off my butt!). She also liked to make me wear certain clothes or hidden sex toys out in public. McKayla was also into forced orgasms (if there is such a thing!). She would sit me on the Sybian and let it run on high for what seemed like hours at a time. Sometimes, she would tie me down and eat me until my clit was raw.

For the record, I'm not complaining.

Nichole has never struck me, although she does have a thing for hair pulling. She likes to grope and tease me. She is also the dirty talker. But Nichole sometimes likes for me to be in control, and the switch is nice sometimes.

Not today, however.

"What does my bitch want?"

Her body pressed against me, her bare skin warm against me.

"Eat me," I gasped desperately.

"Eat you? Where?"

"My pussy," I sighed, once again trying to throw my arms around her, but unable to move with my wrists bound.

"How do you ask?" Her hand moved to the inside of my thigh, but she didn't touch my sex.

"Eat my pussy, Nichole," I wailed. "Eat me, please!"

Her mouth latched on to one of my nipples. I let out a cry that could probably be heard down the street at Columbus Circle.

Nichole's fingertips traced circles down my body as her mouth roamed my skin.

I thrust my chest forward, my breasts hunting in vain for her lips.

Teeth raked against my ribs, sending an electric charge from my head to my pussy to my toes.

A wet tongue left a trail of warmth along my thigh, which was followed by Nichole blowing cool air against me. A shiver shot down my leg.

I lost track of time as she teased me. Her touch was always present.

But unpredictable.

Her nibbles and kisses alternated with soft bites and pinches and tickles.

Finally, she touched my pussy, which was soaking with excitement.

"Right there!" I cried out, her warm mouth enveloping my labia.

In my sightlessness, my sense of touch was heightened. Every little brush against me was magnified.

As Nichole made love to me with her mouth, her fingers and her body, I fell into a place of pure bliss.

Her tongue swirled around my clit. Her fingernails raked along the insides of my thighs. She squeezed my breasts.

Sometimes gently. Sometimes rough.

Always loving.

I pulled in vain against the ties on my wrists. I threw myself back into the softness of the mattress.

I cried out in ecstasy. I sobbed when she brought me to the edge of an earth-shattering orgasm, only to back away, leaving me to beg for release.

When she finally pushed me over the edge, my body convulsed. I screamed out her name.

My toes curled up.

All of the pent-up pleasure inside me was channeled into Nichole's able touch.

Even behind the blackness of the blindfold, I saw stars. The room seemed to spin.

I was covered in sweat. My sex was slick with desire.

As I lost consciousness and fell into the darkness, I could still feel the warmth of my lover's body pressed against me, promising safety and love.

**************

For the rest of the afternoon, the blindfold stayed on and my clothes stayed off.

We cuddled in bed for a while. Nichole would not untie me, even when I asked.

I could have used our safe word, but I didn't, sensing she was enjoying the control. And in truth, I rather liked it.

But, oh, how I wanted to hold her!

Eventually, she released the ties from our wrought iron bed frame and led me out to the living room. The loving never stopped. Nor did the sex.

I rode her strap-on to orgasm, held securely in her arms. She lay me out on the kitchen table and went down on me again. Nichole bent me over one of the barstools and fucked me doggy style.

As I recovered on the couch, she answered the door when the delivery person dropped off the sushi we ordered through Grubhub. I only assume she put on a robe or something instead of answering the door with her boobs and dildo hanging out.

Nichole fed me pieces of maki and nigiri. I nibbled on her fingertips when I could.

She never passed up a chance to grope me.

For my part, I just savoured her touch. Whether it was gentle. Playful. Or firm. I just liked having her near me.

When dinner was done, Nichole drew a hot bath.

We washed one another. My hands were my only guides, and they lingered on her soft skin as much as she would allow.

Nichole dried me off and then led me to our bed. Neither of us bothered to dress.

She finally slipped the blindfold off as we burrowed under the covers. Even with the lights out and only the soft glow of the streetlights peeking around our drawn curtains, it took my eyes a few moments to adjust back from the darkness.

"I love you," she whispered, brushing the hair out of my face. Leaning in, she kissed me gently. "You are so beautiful, Amberle."

"I love you, Nichole." My arms wrapped around her. Our bodies pressed together.

The hunger in her touch was gone. I reached down and cupped her firm rear end. As I reached between us, she pulled my hand away.

"Not now." All night, she had taken me to the very heights of pleasure. I wanted to do something for her, but instead, she cradled me to her breast. "Just hold me. Make love to me in the morning."

"I am never letting you go," I drew her lips back to mine.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

**************

"What the hell are you talking about?" My jaw dropped. I stared at my fiancé dumbly for what seemed like forever.

The kitchen table was strewn with papers and our breakfast.

"After Stephen gets out for the summer," Nichole repeated. "Let's get married and go on our honeymoon. Then we'll go stay at your house at the beach—"

"It's 'our' house at the beach," I interrupted to correct her.

"We'll go stay at our house at the beach," she smiled, "Until it's time to come back here when school starts."

"What about . . . I mean . . ." I stammered. "You can't just leave things here."

Technically, she could, but I didn't know if she was psychologically capable of letting go of her work.

She took a deep breath. I could tell this was difficult for her. "I need to. We're already going to be gone for three weeks. What's another two months? I can do just about everything I need to do over the phone or in a video conference. I do that when we're at the beach already."

"Who are you?" I asked, deadpan. "What have you done with Nichole Galloway?"

She reached across the table and took my hand in hers. "You want me to work less. Jim and Erica can take care of the day to day business. Everyone knows Paulie has been running the show in this building for years anyway. Besides, Maureen will be here for part of the summer for her summer internship at Columbia, so we can use visiting her as an excuse to pop into town for a couple of days."

My heart skipped a beat at the prospect of getting Nichole to cut back on her work and enjoy her life in the moment.

That meant I might actually have her all to myself! Without her rolling over to check her phone in the middle of the night, or answering business calls while we were out.

My heart raced. It's a good thing Stephen was gone for school and Nichole didn't have to go downstairs to the office for a little while.

I tripped her on the way into the bedroom when she got up to get dressed.

When she finally left to go to work, she had to wear a turtle neck to cover up the marks I left on her neck.

**************

"You're pacing again." Maureen looked up from her phone just long enough to scold me. "Don't give me that look, Mommy; you're the one who wanted a late afternoon wedding. If you'll remember: I suggested getting married at twelve-thirty so you wouldn't spend all day fidgeting or drinking."