Her Heart's Desire (17 page)

“Yes, Ivan Thomas Mangum,” she said simply. “Yes, I’ll marry you...because I love you and can’t be without you, either.”

He kissed her left hand before sliding the diamond ring onto her third finger.

“It fits perfectly—just like we do.”

“We just got engaged.” She sniffed. “We’re getting married.”

“You got that right.” Ivan pulled her into his lap. The fabric from her gown pooled around them.

Tiffany took his head in her hands. “I love you, Ivan Mangum. I always have.”

“You’d better, Tiffany soon-to-be Mangum, or this would have been the most expensive date I’ve ever had.”

“Ivan?”

“Yes, my lovely fiancée?”

“Make love to me.”

He laid her down on the bed. His hand lightly caressed her cheek before moving lower. “I’ve wanted to do nothing else since the first day I met you.”

Time ceased to matter outside of their illuminated piece of paradise. Ivan carefully removed her gown, and Tiffany helped him out of his suit.

She backed up and climbed onto the bed. She held out a finger and beckoned him over. “You did say you wanted to see what was in my bag of tricks.”

In an instant, Ivan was on the bed and kissing a trail up her body. His eyes glowed with excitement. “Bring the rain, baby.”

* * *

“I can’t stop staring at it,” she gushed the next morning. “My ring is so beautiful.”

“We should definitely throw an engagement party the next time I’m home.”

“I agree.”

“Do you think we need an event planner?”

The look she gave him spoke volumes. He chuckled. “Okay, that’s a no.”

“This is our engagement and our wedding. I want us to experience these once-in-a-lifetime moments as much as possible.”

He squeezed her hand. “However you want to do this is one hundred percent fine with me. My time and my credit card are at your disposal.”

“Ivan, you don’t have to do that.”

He glanced over. “True, but I’m doing it. My grandmother alone can drink enough Grey Goose to put the bartender’s kids through college.”

Tiffany giggled. “She does not.”

“I’m telling you, she was on her good behavior at my going-away party. She could’ve drunk us all under the table.”

Early that afternoon, Smithers returned to pick them up. In the car, Tiffany fell asleep with her left hand resting on Ivan’s thigh. Even through his jeans, he could pinpoint every inch of skin that connected with his leg. He got turned on just thinking about the ways he was going to bring her body to ecstasy.

“Tiffany?” he said urgently.

“Hmm?” She opened her eyes. “Are we there yet?”

There was a gleam in his eye when he reached over and kissed her neck. “Not yet, sweetheart. We’re taking a minor detour.”

She sat up. “We are? Why?”

“Smithers,” Ivan called out.

“Yes, sir?”

Ivan glanced down at his bride-to-be. “We’ll be taking the long way home.”

“Very good, sir.”

Tiffany blushed profusely as the privacy glass slid up between them.

“Do you think we’ll ever make it anywhere without taking a...detour?”

“I think you need to be concerned when we don’t want to take a detour,” he said with a wink.

* * *

That night, a thunderstorm rolled in. There was a crack of lightning, and a loud clap of thunder shook the house. Tiffany sat up with a jolt.

“Ivan,” she called.

“Right here, sweetheart.” He rushed to her side.

Tiffany wrapped her arms around him. “Where were you?”

“Just looking at the storm. Hey, what’s wrong?”

“You were gone. You didn’t come home when you said you would, and then I’m in some strange place looking for you, and I can’t find you. I’m looking everywhere, and each face looks the same. I can’t speak the language, and then I see you and you’re working, but then you turn to come help me and you get hurt, Ivan. I—”

“Shh, it was just a dream, Tiff. You’re safe, and so am I. I’m here, sweetheart. We’re in my bed. Can you feel me?”

She hugged him tighter, afraid to break contact with him in case he was an illusion. She let out a shuddering sigh. “Yes.”

Ivan stretched out on the bed next to her. He rubbed Tiffany’s back in circles hoping to calm her down. After a few minutes, her breathing evened out.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? Having a nightmare?”

She put her arms under her head to prop herself up on his chest. “Yes. I don’t want to worry you...not before you go. You need to be focused on your work, not me. I don’t want you thinking I can’t handle you being gone, because I can, and I’ll never be untrue to you, Ivan. I’ll be a good wife.”

He ran his fingers through her hair. “I know you will, Tiff.” He sat up. “Hey, where’s all this coming from?”

“I’ve never done this before, and none of my relationships lasted. My parents were miserable, but I don’t want you worrying about me when you’re out there doing your job, okay? Your safety is what’s most important. I don’t ever want to be a distraction,” she finished in a rush.

“You aren’t,” he assured her. “You’ll be on my mind wherever I am, sweetheart, but I don’t have any doubts about your abilities, Tiffany. You’re strong, capable and loyal. I know you’ll always protect me and the family that we create together. You’ll be a fantastic wife and mother. Sweetheart, loving you is never, ever a distraction for me. It’s a blessing to me. You’re not jeopardizing my job by becoming my wife, Tiffany. If anything, you’re keeping me safer, because I have someone at home who loves me and needs me to return. You keep me grounded—and focused.” He tilted her face upward so that they made eye contact. “Never doubt that, okay?”

Too emotional to speak, Tiffany could only nod. Ivan held her until she fell back asleep.

* * *

“Come on, sleepyhead, breakfast is ready.”

Ivan rolled over. His head was pounding, and he felt like he’d been jumped on in the middle of the night and thrown back into bed. He sat up and observed his awake and extremely chipper fiancée.

“Good morning,” he said hoarsely. “Why are you up so early?”

“It’s actually not that early,” she informed him. “It’s ten.”

“Ten?” Ivan sat up, fully alert. “What is going on with me? I’m usually not a late sleeper.”

“You should be when you can. You don’t sleep nearly as much as you should.”

“Years and years of painful memories,” he answered honestly. “Some things stay with you.”

Sitting on the bed, Tiffany handed him a tray. A look of understanding dawned on her face. “I get it. I’m sorry, Ivan.”

“Don’t be sorry, Tiffany. I did the job that I had to do—and still do. I’m living my dream every day. A few lost hours of sleep are a small price to pay to keep people safe.” He folded a large amount of pancakes into his mouth. He sighed. “Wow, these are incredible.”

“I’m glad you like them. It’s my grandmother’s recipe.”

He nodded. “These are awesome. When you create one, make sure that recipe is in
our
family cookbook.”

She beamed. “I will.”

“There’s one thing today that’s pretty important that we need to take care of.”

“What?”

“We haven’t set our date yet.”

Six weeks later...

“I think December 24 is a perfect day for a wedding,” Norma Jean gushed to Ivan’s grandmother at Tiffany and Ivan’s engagement party. “Of course, that doesn’t give them much time to plan a wedding, but I’m sure it will go off without a hitch. Ivan is everything I want for Tiffany and more. I couldn’t be happier. Besides Adrian and Milán, they’re my best match.”

“Your match? The way Ivan tells it, you kept fixing Tiffany up with men who were completely unsuitable for her, and that they got together on their own.”

Norma Jean sat down next to Cecile. “You know, sometimes getting a basket full of prepackaged fruit isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. On the top, you might have some good-looking fruit that’s shiny and appealing, but if you buy the whole basket without delving deeper, you might find yourself at home later with some old, rotten pieces, too. But when you pick and choose the fruit yourself, taking the time to really look around, you find the fruit that you were meant to have. That’s the kind that tastes the sweetest.”

Cecile snorted. “Are you saying you planted my grandson in Tiffany’s fruit basket?”

Norma Jean smiled. “I’m saying that things have worked out the way they were meant to.”

“Well, it’s all kind of fast, don’t you think? Don’t get me wrong, I love Tiffany. She’s time enough for my grandson, but in my day we had courtships. Weddings took time to plan, and there was a great deal to do.” Cecile observed Tiffany and Ivan from across the room.

“Kids nowadays rush to do everything,” Norma Jean agreed. “But in this case, they truly love each other and can’t wait to start their lives together. With Ivan traveling as much as he does, I think they should cut the long engagement short. Besides, I think it’s much more romantic than an extended, drawn-out affair.”

* * *

A round of toasts was done by Norma Jean and Heathcliffe, Cole, Milán and Adrian, and lastly, Ivan’s grandmother.

Next Tiffany presented Ivan with a gift. He opened the box and held up a charm of two white-gold swans interlocked to form one heart.

“Sweetheart, it’s beautiful.”

“This is so you’ll always remember how strong our love is,” she explained. “Like this symbol, we’re joined together by love, faith and commitment. You’re taking my heart with you to Dubai, Ivan. I won’t be whole again until you return.”

He swept her up into his arms and kissed her. “I love you,” he whispered for her ears only.

“I love you,” she whispered back.

He held out a beautifully decorated box. She opened the gift to find a date book with a bright red piece of fabric. She went to that page and flipped it open. Each box had a red X across the date. She turned to the next calendar, and it was the same. She flipped through the remainder of the calendar until it ended. Curious, she gazed up at Ivan.

“When I come back next week, I’m not going on any assignments again until after we’re married and back from our honeymoon.”

Tiffany’s face lit up. “Ivan, are you serious? I’ll have you all to myself till the end of January?”

He nodded. “At least. Can you handle that, Mrs. Mangum-to-be?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly. “You know, I think I could definitely get used to that.”

She loved this man so much. There may be obstacles to face on the road ahead, but they would face them together. Ivan always said that they did their best work together, and it was true. He had done much more than protect her since walking through her door months before. He had restored her faith in love, in the commitment between a man and a woman, and the notion that there was truly a happily-ever-after. Ivan Mangum was all she had ever wanted. She had found her heart’s desire.

Epilogue

T
he marriage of Colonel Ivan Thomas Mangum to Tiffany Adele Gentry was a very grand affair. They were married at Ivan's parents' church in Beverly, followed by an elegant reception at the Trump International Hotel and Tower, where the newlywed couple truly started their amazing journey together. The bride wore a Vera Wang gown, and the groom a black Brioni tuxedo.

Several hours later, the groom carried his bride upstairs to the same suite they'd used the night Ivan proposed. The next day, they would fly to the exotic retreat of Turtle Island in Fiji and stay in an ultraprivate villa called a
bure
that overlooked the Blue Lagoon. The pictures looked breathtaking, and Tiffany couldn't wait to get there and be totally alone with her new husband.

Ivan was lying on their bed wearing only silk pajama bottoms. His arms were crossed behind his head, patiently waiting for his bride to emerge from the bathroom.

“Should I send in the troops?” he called out.

“I don't think you want them seeing your wife like this,” she replied sweetly.

Moments later, Tiffany appeared in a long silk gown. It curved around her body like a second skin before trailing behind her.

“Wow,” Ivan said appreciatively. “You were most definitely worth the wait.” He held his hand out. “Come here, Mrs. Mangum.”

She walked over slowly so that she could afford him a longer view. She stopped at the edge of the bed. He stood up and took her hand to ceremoniously spin her around to see the back of her gown. He was not disappointed at seeing the now signature plunging back.

“You're a vision,” he said reverently.

“Today is the most perfect day of my life,” she said tearfully.

He captured a tear between his thumb and forefinger. “There'll be plenty more, I promise.”

“Yes, but only one wedding night.”

“That will most assuredly be true for you because I'm not letting you go...ever,” Ivan pledged.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

“Would you like your gift now, Mrs. Mangum?”

Tiffany glanced down at her ring finger. In addition to her diamond engagement ring, there was now a one carat wedding band of cognac and white diamonds. They reminded her of her husband's eyes. She was blissfully happy. “I'll never tire of hearing you call me that,” she confessed.

“I'll never tire of saying it.” His kissed her again before walking around the bed to the nightstand. He opened the drawer and pulled out a small box.

“That was there the whole time?”

“Yep. Hey, I can't help it if you're not that inquisitive.”

“Wait,” she said and then went to pull a box of her own out of her purse. “I've got a gift for you, too.”

“Open mine first,” he instructed, before handing it to her.

Tiffany scooted to the middle of the bed. Ivan joined her. She sat cross-legged and opened the box. There was a velvet bag inside. She opened it and turned it upside down. A key fell into her palm. She gazed up at Ivan.

“Is this what I think it is?” Tiffany whispered.

“It is. We're now homeowners of a modest cottage in Oak Park.”

She threw herself into his arms, laughing and crying simultaneously. “Is it the Mangum version of a cottage?” She laughed.

“Of course.” He grinned. “Just under six thousand square feet, and waiting for its mistress to decorate it however she chooses. I've got some pictures, too,” he told her excitedly. “We'll move in when we get back from our honeymoon.”

“Oh, Ivan,” she cried. “I love my wedding gift.”

“I'm glad,” he said, in a relieved voice. “Because it would've been a bear to return.”

“Now it's your turn.” Tiffany handed him her gift-wrapped box. Ivan tore into it with excitement.

“Is it a new Audi sports car?”

“Not this time.”

“Golf clubs?”

She shook her head. “Nope.”

Ivan opened the box and stared at his gift almost a full ten seconds before his startled gaze met his wife's patient one.

“Is this what I think it is?” he said hoarsely.

He held up the sonogram picture. “Tiffany, you're pregnant?”

“Yes,” she cried. “That's a picture of Baby Mangum. It's too early to determine if it's a boy or girl yet. And I wouldn't want to know anyway...not without you.”

Ivan leaned over and kissed his wife reverently on the lips. “This is the best gift in the world, sweetheart. Thank you.” His voice was heavy with emotion. He wiped the tears from her eyes with his thumb.

“I can't take all the credit. You helped.”

Ivan stared at his baby's sonogram again. “I'm going to be a daddy.” He looked up at her. “When?”

“Our baby will be making his or her grand entrance sometime in July.”

Ivan did the calculations. He started to laugh. “I'll bet we created this wonderful little person the night we got engaged.”

“In this bed,” she mused. “Talk about amazing.”

Ivan leaned Tiffany back, and then settled right beside her. He rested his head on his hand. The other one traced a path from her heart to her stomach. “I can't believe we made a baby.” He touched her face. “He or she is our engagement and wedding gift.”

“You said we work well together,” she reminded him.

“Well, the proof of our handiwork is snuggled safe and sound in here,” he said, rubbing her stomach.

“Honestly, I'm still in shock. It's hard to process all of the good fortune we've had in such a short amount of time. We found each other, we fell in love...got engaged...got pregnant...”

“And got married—all within a few months.”

“Don't forget the cottage we now own.”

“Just in time,” he said seriously.

“Ivan, our baby isn't going to need all that space.”

“Trust me, we'll need it. Once our family and friends find out you're pregnant, they'll be permanent fixtures.”

Suddenly recognition dawned on Tiffany's face. She started laughing.

Ivan stared at her. “What?”

Tears of joy trickled down her face. She glanced lovingly at her husband, the man she'd fallen in love with the moment she saw him. Their love was the kind that dreams were made of.

Ivan sat up. “Tiffany, will you please tell me what's going on?”

“Nothing...everything,” she exclaimed. “Ivan, I just can't believe our good fortune. I've never been happier in my life.”

“Me neither, sweetheart, but I'll need a new charm.”

She looked at him questioningly.

“Remember the charm you gave me for my engagement gift? There were two swans entwined as a symbol of our love. Now we'll need three.”

* * * * *