Stumpy and Olive

...

I was feeling terrified. I bet I walked five miles going from the banquet hall to the grand foyer. Emily finally calmed me down.

"Relax, Caroline just sent me a text. They're pulling in the drive now. Let's neaten you up a bit."

She adjusted my tie and collar, then dusted imaginary lint off my suit, trying to calm me. Her phone chirped again. She glanced down, grinned, and said, "they're here. Go get her, tiger!", and shoved me forward.

...

We were here. I sat paralyzed, all kinds of thoughts going through my mind. I looked down and smoothed my dress. When I looked up, there he was.

All I saw was a toned body under an obviously expensive suit, crisp, just right haircut and a dazzling smile. He opened my door slowly, and reached for me.

"Olive?," he asked, in a quiet voice. I looked into his eyes, seeing the hope and uncertainty in his eyes, those beautiful brown eyes, and suddenly I felt serene. I stood, still holding his hand. "It's Amber. You don't know how happy I am to meet you." Without letting go of his hand, I leaned forward and kissed him.

Not hard, no tongue, lasting maybe two seconds, but it was the most enjoyable kiss of my life so far. He just stood there stunned as I grinned.

"Stumpy, I hope?"

He shook a little trying to regain his composure, before giving me a terrific smile. "It's Garth, actually. And you have no idea how pleased I am to meet you."

I don't know how long we would have stood there if someone hadn't loudly cleared their throat.

"Hi, I'm Beverly, your future mother-in-law if things go right. I'm not generating the heat you two are, and I'm freezing here. Can we please go inside now?"

"MOM!"

Stumpy/Garth laughed, tucked our arms into his, and walked us inside. Mom made sure her little bells were tinkling. He looked down, noticing them, and looked up smiling.

"Do you like them?"

I didn't get to speak before Mom quipped. "We love them. If it doesn't work out with my daughter, look me up. I'll model them for you. Of course, for the full effect I'd have to be naked. Maybe you'll get to ring my bells."

"MOM! Stop it!" They both laughed.

"Calm down, baby. I'm at the Grove Inn, going into what looks like a very nice party, wearing an expensive gift a man just gave me, dressed to the nines.I intend to drink, dance, flirt, maybe find someone who'll hold my interest for more than five minutes."

...

I felt like I owned the world when I went through the doors with a beautiful woman on each arm. I was well aware I'd earned the nickname of 'Monk' in the last year. Take that, doubters.

People were gravitating towards us when my sister showed up. "Back off, people. The parents get the first crack."

She held out her hand to my ladies. "Hi, I'm Emily. His little sister. It's a pleasure to meet you, nice to see the woman that finally made him smile again. Now that he's finally met you, I suspect the smile will be permanent. Come on, I'll introduce you to our parents, and our brothers."

They stood when we approached the table. I know my mouth hung open in surprise. "Now you know where the nickname comes from.," he said, grinning. I hadn't really noticed, but thinking back, when we kissed, I had to raise my head slightly. I glanced up again.

"A little over six four. Pretty impressive, until you realize everyone in the family has at least six inches on me. it almost gave me a complex."

Emily chimed in. "Don't let him fool you. He's the most driven of all of us. We all know when dad retires he'll take over."

I wondered what she was talking about until the introductions were made. Her father shook my hand, seeming genuinely happy to meet me.

"Welcome to our family gathering, Amber. Don't let the Stevens name throw you, we're just average people who were a little luckier than most."

Stevens? It hit me, Stevens Auto Group. These guys had a company worth in the high millions. I looked over at him.

"Car salesman?" He actually blushed.

His mother, who had just hugged me, spoke.

"Don't be so hard on him, dear. He didn't tell you a lie, he does sell cars. He just has a less active roll, being manager of our most successful dealership."

Conversation flowed, and my mom and his seemed to hit it off. I saw them a few times deep in conversation. I asked her a few months later what they talked about so hard. She seemed surprised.

"Your wedding, of course." She laughed at the look on my face.

Mom had a ball, especially when she was introduced to one of their managers a little older than her. He was single, the result of a nasty divorce. They traded war stories.

"She dumped me for someone younger. Actually, she didn't dump me, she wanted to keep me for the lifestyle I offered, depending on her boyfriend for her other 'needs'. When I caught them and she realized there would be no forgiveness, she got ugly. Fortunately for me, the prenupt held up. I still had to pay her alimony, but only have one left. I'm going to deliver it myself, in change and ones. My last chance to tick her off."

"Maybe mine ran off with yours, I also got dumped for a newer model. We didn't have a prenupt, and it cost him a bundle to make me go away."

There was a spark there, everyone could see it. They had a lot of common interests, including gym time and hiking. She told him she didn't get to hike much, a woman alone was just too risky.

"I'm not trying to outrun time, just making it a interesting chase.," he said, explaining his addition to exercise. "Listen I belong to a hiking group. We're going to hike the Andes this summer in a group vacation. Here's our card. Give me your number. The next time we go out I'll give you a call."

After that, she was hooked. She still danced a few fast numbers with others, but he got all the slow ones. I was happy for her.

I was introduced to people I wouldn't remember an hour later, danced with a few people I didn't want to, had a vicious pang of what, jealousy, shoot through me when he danced with a striking blond who wasn't familiar with the concept of personal space. I was glad to see he actually looked happy when it was over. I took a firm grip on his hand and didn't let go.

We gradually drifted to the back, where we found a secluded table.

...

The family seemed to like her, and her mother. Both mothers had several long discussions, no doubt with us as subject matter. Her mother met Jeremiah, one of our top managers and a close friend. I was happy to see them connect.

Finally, I got her alone.

"I'm sorry about my family. I know they can be overwhelming."

She actually giggled. "Remember, I'm a lawyer. It takes a lot to overwhelm me."

"Good. I need to tell you that even though my family owns the company, I'm not a spoiled rich kid. I work hard to make my dealership the best. I make a hundred and fifty thousand a year, plus bonuses, a bit high but still competitive in the industry. I don't drink much, never smoked, never been in trouble. A bit boring, actually."

She smiled. "I can do boring. My ex was a bit of a risk taker, and his get rich quick schemes almost put us in bankruptcy several times. Just another reason we didn't make it."

"Mine didn't do so well in the divorce," I explained. "Mom didn't trust her, and she had our lawyers come up with a prenupt that stipulated that if she was caught having a legally proven affair she was out with just her car, clothes, jewelry, and twenty-five thousand dollars. She tried to fight until she realized she'd used up half of her settlement and got smart. I did pay the whole twenty-five just to get rid of her faster. I hear she's a waitress at Hooters now."

"It makes you cynical, doesn't it?" I think I scored points with my reply.

"Not in my case, but it did take a lot out of me. It's made me cautious, but I still believe in love. I still want the dream. A good woman that has my respect as well as my total love, the kids, the house with the picket fence, all of it. Someday, maybe."

...

The statement made me warm all over. Men with that view of life were getting increasingly hard to find. Was he one of a dying breed? If he was, I needed to get my brand on him quick. I rubbed his arm, pushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead.

"Someday may come sooner than you think, honey."

His mouth hung open and I leaned in, closing it with a kiss. A real, tongue twisting, lip smashing kiss that lasted about thirty seconds. When I finally pulled back, we were both gasping.

"Wow! Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but what was that?"

I giggled. "That was me staking my claim. I want your attention focused on me."

He shocked the hell out of me when he stood, offering me his arm, and when I took it he dipped me suddenly, holding me like a feather. The kiss was firm without being harsh, but it was demanding. I couldn't tell you how long he held me like that, or how long we kissed, but when he stood me up, lovingly tucking a stray lock behind my ear, our families were standing there grinning.

"I'd say get a room, but we've already got one. Honey, it's after two, and I've had as much fun as this old body can take. Jeremiah is going to escort me to our suite, be a dear and come along." Mom stopped and looked at her watch. "In about an hour or so."

She giggled like mad as they went towards the elevator, her arm around him. Mom liked to tease, and I knew it wouldn't go past a few kisses or so tonight, but who knows what the future may bring.

The parents and siblings wished us a good night, and followed them.

...

I managed to get a carafe of coffee brought to the table, and we sipped companionably, talking softly. Occasionally we'd lapse into silence, but it wasn't the awkward silence many people feel. We didn't need to fill the time with needless conversation, content to just be. Be with each other. True lovers, married or otherwise, would know what I meant.

About three-thirty we both started flagging, and I escorted her to her suite. She asked me to come in for just a second and I gladly agreed, wanting to prolong our time together as long as possible.

She disappeared into the bathroom, coming out in a robe a few minutes later, face freshly scrubbed. Sitting beside me on the sofa to talk devolved into a pretty intense makeout session, leaving us both gasping when we broke. She stood, holding out her hand.

"I won't be able to control myself if we don't stop, honey. Time for you to say good night, or more appropriately good morning. I'll see you at brunch."

She walked me to the door, giving me one last kiss. She stepped back, and I started to open the door, when she called to me. She was halfway across the room by then.

"Garth, honey, you've been just perfect tonight. Consider this just the beginning."

She had unbelted the robe, and it dropped of her shoulders as she clutched it to her waist. She stood in a velevty black bustier, with silver lace trim. It rode so low her nipples threatened to pop out any minute. She giggled as my mouth hung open, then blew me a kiss and disappeared into her room. It took a cold shower to calm me enough to sleep.

...

I woke with a smile, remembering last night. I'll remember the look on his face as I dropped the robe. I'd pulled it down as far as I dared. Even though he said there was no such things as boobs too big, I had to wonder what he thought of my 42c sized breasts. My ex had loved them at first, but as we drifted apart he started making fun of my chest, especially to his buddies, often where I could hear him. I cried several times over it before I toughened up and told him the next nasty crack he made I'd return it by talking about his little dick. He shut right up.

Shaking away the bad memories, I smiled again. He'd looked at me like a thirsty man would a pitcher of ice water.

Mom was sitting on the sofa when I came out from my shower, chatting on the phone. "Oh, here she is, back to the land of the living. No, I'll tell her. We'll be waiting."

"Waiting for what?," I asked, as I ran my hands through my wet hair.

"Waiting for your boyfriend and mine to escort us to brunch. They'll be here in fifteen minutes."

Fifteen minutes? I couldn't possibly be ready by then. My need to be as perfect as I could be when he saw me was almost manic.

"MOM!" I screamed, running back into the bathroom as she cackled. I'd have to return this favor someday. I achieved a personal best, being ready in twelve minutes, applying the last of my makeup as the knock came.

I had on a sweater dress in a nod to the season, deliberately leaving the top three buttons undone, hoping he'd be interested. Oh, he was indeed, if his eyes were any indication. To his credit, after the first minute he concentrated on my face.

Jeremiah was with him. When we entered the restaurant, his family waved us over. His little sister and I sat beside each other, and we almost ignored everyone as we talked. Deciding we'd like to know each other better, his sister, mother, and one sister-in-law decided Mom and I needed a girls night out, to talk about Garth, of course.

Kim laughed as they finalized plans. "We'll give you the scoop on him, by the time we're done, you'll know all his secrets. Of course, fair is fair, and we'll get your Mom to spill yours too."

Mom said it sounded like an excellent idea while I blushed. I almost didn't get to savor the buffet for worrying. You know how mothers could be. His mother surprised me by hugging me tightly, thanking me for bringing him back to his old self.

Finally, it was time to leave. There was three inches of snow on the ground from the storm last night. I was having such a good time I had completely forgotten the weather. Caroline was there in the silver Hummer, the carriage waiting to take Cinderella home.

We had decided not to see each other until the party next week. He was going to pick me up, no limo this time. "I want every second I can get with you," he said as he walked me to the Hummer.

We stood awkwardly for a second, before I mentally said 'screw it', grabbed him, and laid what I hoped was a really hot kiss on him. He must have thought it was, the way his eyes seemed to glaze. I jumped in and we took off before he could recover.

Mom was all over me. "Well?"

"I think secretly he must be a ax wielding serial killer who preys on children and old people. He just have to be as nice as he is to keep it hidden. Still a good kisser, though."

She burst out laughing. "Know what I was thinking when I met him? I was thinking about how pretty my grandbabies were going to be. And big, a whole new generation of Amazons."

I flamed red, but agreed they would be just darling.

...

I got very little work done the next week, which sucked because people buy a lot of cars during the Christmas season. My secretary just laughed and fended off everyone, leaving me a lot of time to think.

She was just too good to be true. I'm sure if I had her investigated all kinds of nasty things would come to light. I decided to ignore such negative thoughts and concentrate on our upcoming date. We still communicated, oddly, by email. She said it gave her a chance to consider her statements, make sure what she wanted to say was understandable. The lawyer in her talking, I suspect.

I picked her up in my Mercedes SUV, fidgeting nervously as I waited for her to appear. Her mother sat beside me, smiling. Finally she reached out and patted my leg.

"Relax, honey. She's just as nervous as you are. Frankly, I think it would take a nuclear holocaust to keep you two from getting together."

I actually did relax, until she leaned forward and whispered in my ear.

"Summer Eve. Such a catching name for a little girl. Think about it." Summer was my mothers' name, Eve hers.

Before I could react Amber flowed into the room. Flowed? It was the only description that fit. Hair upswept into tight curls, diamond studs in her ears, a simple diamond pendant nestled between those perfectly formed mammary glands. Boy, our kids were sure going to get a mouthful. What? Where did that thought come from? I admired her full length gown, dark red with a dangerous slit up the front. She grinned and stuck her leg out, showing me the five inch heels, the silver anklet jingling over her hose. I wanted her so bad I couldn't see straight.

...

The look on his face was worth the torture I went through to fit int this dress. Of course, the stays in my red velvet corset helped a lot.

I loved his car. "This would make a pretty good mommiemobile," I said, watching his face as i said it. To my surprise he grinned.

"I'll file that away, should the situation ever occur." Now it was my turn to glow.

He was a smash at the party. I loved watching his face as the associates took turns telling him fart jokes we'd looked up on the internet, but was amazed when our senior partner made his speech, then shocked us all with the most vulgar fart joke I'd ever heard.

"That was for Amber and her new man. You should know by now there are no secrets in this office."

He raised his glass, "To Garth, for bringing our happy Amber back to us. And to Amber, the newest junior partner in the firm. May you find professional and personal success in your lives."

I cried and clung to Garth as I was congratulated. I truly didn't expect to make partner this soon. What could possibly top this evening? A good career and a great man to share it with is about as good as it gets.

I knew what could top it. When we finally said our goodbyes I surprised him by steering towards the elevators instead of the parking lot.

"It isn't the Grove Inn, but they have some really nice suites here as well. Care to check one out with me?"

After about thirty seconds with the classic 'deer in the headlights' look, he couldn't get to the elevators fast enough. She held my arm as she opened the door.

"Gee, this is kind of disappointing, honey. I hope the bedroom looks better. Come on, let's see."

...

I wanted her so bad I couldn't see straight, but there was no way I was going to mess this up by going fast. So I kind of hesitated. Didn't keep me from giving her a bunch of kisses before backing up.

"Are you sure you want this? I'm already kind of in love with you, and I DO NOT want to screw this up."

When I said I was kind of in love with her, tears started flowing. I cuddled her until she pushed me onto the couch, leaning over, giving me a full view of her exquisite cleavage. She grabbed my head and pulled it up until I was looking her in the eyes.

"Eyes up here lover. If you're a good boy I'll let you look at the girls later. If you're really good, touching may occur. Now focus! I know we haven't actually physically known each other for just a few days, but we looked into each others' heart and soul for months through our emails. I KNOW you . You KNOW me. What's about to happen is the end result of two people falling in love. There is no kind of for me. I am in love with you."

She stopped talking, eyes blazing, chest heaving. It was a hell of a sight. Wordlessly, she undid the tie at her waist and shrugged. It fell in a silky pile at her waist.

She was so beautiful it made my eyes water, standing there in a red corset, nipples peeking over the top of the cups. She had a pair of red hose held up by a matching garter belt, one ankle sporting the bells. She raised her foot and shook it, making the bells jingle.

"Well, you gonna ring my bells?"

I was on her like a maniac, hands roaming while I kissed every inch of skin I could reach. It shocked her when I swept her off her feet and carried her into the bedroom, dropping her in the middle of the bed. She told me later she'd never been with a man strong enough to lift her.

I shed my clothes in record time while she lay there, taking me in. I thanked little sis once again for nagging me to go the gym, pleased with the little gasp Amber gave as I lost my underwear.