One Hundred Fifty-Three

“Thank you again for my gift,” he murmured nuzzling behind her ear as she stood at the sink a few hours later.  David and Lexi still hadn’t arrived, but everyone else was in the living room having pre-dinner drinks.  Richie had seen Allegra steal away for a moment and followed close behind.  “It’s beautiful.”

She smiled, arching her neck to give him better access as she put the glass she’d been carrying into the sink.  “The guitar isn’t really your gift,” she sighed, enjoying his heated breath filling her ear and stirring up her hormones.  “I just picked out something for you to buy.  The real gift is what I’m going to do to you while you’re playing it for me tonight.  Although, I’ve fantasized about it so long, I’m not sure who’s really getting the gift.”

“Fantasized?” He spun her in his arms, eyes heating as they took in her slightly wicked grin. 

“Mm-hmm.” Her agreement was muffled when she buried her nose and lips in the hollow at the base of his throat.  He’d worn a button-down shirt for her, well aware of how much she liked the skin it revealed.  “Although there’s one thing I still can’t decide…”

“Yeah?  What’s that?”  His wide-splayed palms roamed up and down her back possessively, enjoying the feel of her softness.

“If I’d rather suck your cock dry or let you come on my face.  Do you have a preference?” she asked innocently, trailing her fingertip down his sternum, exposed by the line of buttons he’d left unfastened. 

Her wicked grin kicked up a notch as his hands stilled and he went instantly hard against her belly.

“Who the fuck are you, and what have you done with my sweet little nun?”

Her chuckle was far from sweet, and shot straight to his groin.  “You knocked me up, you have to deal with the hormones – both good and bad.  My mind stays in the gutter lately and gets dirtier the longer it stays.”

“Well, I hope there’s room for two.” His hands crept down to her backside, squeezing its roundness as he thrust his hardness against her.  “Because you sure as hell aren’t gonna be there alone.”

“So you’ll join in all the sexual depravity that’s been running through my mind?”

His hips involuntarily thrust again.  He was the luckiest bastard alive.  “Hell, yes!  Can we start right now?”

Levering up on her toes, she swiped her tongue across his bottom lip, sending more tingles southward.  “No, but if you’re a really good boy, I’ll let you eat a special dessert after we have cake and you cover me with your creamy icing.”

Richie couldn’t control the groan that escaped from the back of his throat.  She was going to fucking kill him, that’s all there was to it.  “I’m keeping you pregnant, you know that, right?”

Another sultry laugh filled his ear, along with her breath.  “I’ll gladly give you a houseful of kids if you can make me come before someone walks through that door.”

The word ‘come’ was no more out of her mouth before his hand was in her pants, two fingers buried knuckle-deep.  She was so wet that they slid home with no resistance.

“Don’t try and out-dirty me, baby.  You’ll never win,” he growled, pumping in and out of her heat, enjoying the way her eyes drifted immediately closed with pleasure.  He wasted no time skimming over that special little patch of skin hidden inside her slippery channel.

Allegra clung to his shoulders, head falling back with a whimper and offering up the long span of her throat.  He couldn’t resist a sharp nip on the tendon that stood in taut relief on the silken skin. 

“Funny, it feels like I’m about to win,” she gasped, rocking her hips against his persistent fingers.  “Harder.”

His other hand tightened on her hip as he thrust as deep as his fingers would go, reveling in the slick moisture coating his hand.  She was wound tight and set to go off.  Especially if he rubbed his thumb right… there.

Richie never thought that a grunt could be sexy, but when she buried her face in his chest and grunted out her release, he nearly blew behind his zipper. 

How in the hell was he supposed to go back out there and pretend to enjoy the idle chit-chat for a socially acceptable amount of time?  All he could think about was shoving her pants down, bending her over the counter and pounding into her until her insides were coated with that icing she had been talking about.

“One houseful of kids,” she panted against him, muscles still rippling along his fingers.  “They’re yours, sweetheart.”  She tipped her face up to kiss the underside of his jaw.  “God, you’re good.”

Countless women had gifted him with similar compliments throughout his lifetime, but he’d never thought much of it.  He made sure his partners were well taken care of, and they appreciated it.  But Allegra’s praise hit him with a sweet, warm punch.  His heart swelled almost as big as the other part of his anatomy, which was impressive considering how much blood he had pumping below the belt. 

“I want to mark you,” he said as easily as if he were asking for a cup of coffee.  His fingers slid out of her warmth and he helped her adjust her pants.  “I want you to suck me until my balls feel like they’re gonna turn inside out, then cover your pretty pink lips with what you do to me.”

The pupils dilated in her already glassy baby blues, and the tip of her tongue darted out as if she could taste him already.

“Go get your guitar.  We’re done here.”

It was his turn to chuckle as his lips fastened over hers in a hard, hungry kiss.  “Soon, my sweet, dirty girl.”

♥ ♥ ♥

By the time they rejoined the others, David and Lexi had arrived with an extra guest in tow.  Kristofer’s little dog was draped over his arm, all dressed for a party in a little black bow tie and top hat.

The man himself showed more restraint – barely.  A shiny gold shirt under a black sharkskin suit with some type of reptile-skin boots could be considered understated in some social circles. 

But the fact that everyone else in the room was wearing jeans – even Joan – made Kristofer’s ensemble even more…  distinctive.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” David whispered as he greeted them.  “I think she’s about to give him a bedroom at the house.  Holy shit, I had no idea she was gonna bond with the little flake.  If I go to bed tonight and find him and that damn dog propped up against the pillows, I’m calling the whole thing off!”

Allegra shook her head with a laugh.  The thoughts of dealing with Kristofer weren’t nearly as stressful now that Richie had talked her off the ledge and helped her figure out their wedding.

“It’s okay David.  That’s the beauty of a Mexican buffet – there’s plenty of food.  Kristofer is welcome.”

“You hate me, don’t you?”

“She may not, but I do,” Richie muttered below his breath.  “It’s my birthday, dude.”

“I know, I know.”  He expelled a sharp breath, looking at the floor.  “I’ll make it up to you.”

Holding her hand out, Allegra did much better this time than the last at controlling her urge to laugh out loud at the flamboyant little man.  “Hello again, Kristofer.  I’m glad you could join us.”

He clasped her hand briefly and offered her a smile that more closely resembled a sneer.  “Thank you.  I didn’t want to intrude, but Lekthi inthithted.” 

Behind him, David rolled his eyes.

“Well, I’m glad she did, because Richie and I were going to call you.”  She nudged Richie with her elbow.  “Weren’t we?”

Socially acceptable smile in place, her fiancé nodded amiably and stuck his hand out as well.  “Yeah, man.  Good to see you again.”

Tico and Jon were standing in the far corner, soon joined by David, shaking their heads and laughing.  Dot poked her husband as she walked by to deliver a glass of wine to Lexi, joining her and Alejandra in unabashedly eavesdropping.

“Oh yeth?”  Allegra could swear his ears perked up.  She knew Jasper’s did.  “Did you dethide on thomething?”

She herded him toward a small grouping of chairs.  “Yes, actually, we have.  If you want to sit for a moment, I’ll fill you in.”

“I’ll just go – “ Richie started to say, but snapped his jaw shut in mid-sentence, his tongue pierced by the Glare of Don’t-You-Dare-Leave-Me-Alone-With-Him.   Allegra was learning all kinds of useful tricks from Dot.  “Umm…  I’ll just go right over here and join you, if that’s okay, baby.”

She bestowed an angelic smile upon him.  “Absolutely.”

Jon and Tico’s snickers carried from across the room, and he flipped them the bird behind his back.

It occurred to Allegra that they hadn’t discussed anything wedding related since making their decision a couple of days ago.  She hadn’t even told Dot and Jon what they intended to do, and she’d bet Richie hadn’t told anyone either.

“Richie have you told your mother?”

His guilty glance toward Joan was answer enough. 

Allegra took a deep breath.  It would probably be better to take care of all these birds with one stone.  Since everyone in this room was invited, it only made sense to do it now.

“Then Kristofer, allow us to share this with our family and friends at the same time, if you don’t mind.”

“Of courthe.”

Turning toward the others, she laughed.  “Well, you didn’t know this was going to be a wedding briefing did you?”  Allegra reached for Richie’s hand and he posted himself by her side with an encouraging smile.

“Richie and I have picked a date.  We’re getting married over Labor Day weekend – in Hawaii.  It’s going to be a sunrise ceremony on the beach and you’re all invited.”

There were nods all around and most everyone seemed pleased with the announcement – except Lexi, who appeared sick, and Jon, who was scowling.

“Jon, do you have a problem with your cousin’s wedding plans?” Dot inquired archly.

“Sunrise, Allegra?  Do you know how fuckin’ early in the morning that is?  Do you think you can even get his ass out of bed by then?”

She squeezed Richie’s hand, and gave him a knowing smile.  “I’m sure I can.”  Turning her attention to Jon, she said, “And if you don’t want to come, then I’ll ask David to give me away instead.”

“I never said I didn’t wanna come,” he grumbled.  “If anyone is giving you away other than your dad, it’s gonna be me.”

“That’s what I thought.  Richie, tell them the rest, please.”

Lifting his arm to rest across her shoulders, he continued.  “The only guests will be those of you in this room.  You’ve been witness to our relationship since the beginning, and we want you to be there for the next step.  Afterward – sometime in mid-September – we’ll have a reception here in Jersey for the extended family and friends.  That’s where you come in Kristofer.  We’d like you to help plan it for us.”

Lexi appeared relieved, and Allegra briefly considered that Kristofer had some type of crazy hold over her.  Why was she so desperate to get him another booking? 

Kristofer, however, curled his lip in barely veiled distaste.

“A dethination wedding.  Thothe can be nithe, I thuppose.” 

Was this little man looking down his nose at them?  Had she committed the faux pas of the century in his little bridal consulting world? 

Arrogant little -

Richie’s arm tightened around her.  “It will be very nice, Kristofer.  I can’t think of anything that would be nicer, as a matter of fact.”

All very nice.  Very polite.  But with a thread of steel that defied contradiction. 

Kristofer read that loud and clear, and his required bootlicking crowded aside his disdain.  “Oh yeth, of courthe.  A local retheption will be lovely.  We mutht dithcuth themes thoon.  Maybe we could carry over the tropical theme into the retheption.  Yeth, I think that hath pothibilieth.”

The guys were snickering evilly behind their hands, and even the wives – Lexi excepted – were laughing quietly at the exchange. 

“We’ll get back to you on that,” Richie assured him, baring his teeth in what was supposed to pass for a smile.   

Allegra turned her face, grinning into his shoulder. 

Her protector.  He made everything okay.