Authors: D. T. Jones
“What time is it?” she asked rolling onto her back and stretching her arms above her head.
“It’s a little after five. The guests will be arriving in about an hour.” He watched as her stretch deepened, causing her to moan at the tense muscles.
“Too much running?” he asked her with an amused tone.
“Hardly,” she snickered. “I’ve had more stiff muscles after a day in bed with you and your private lessons, than running three miles.” Creighton laughed while he lay down beside her, pulling her into his strong embrace.
“So I assume you’re not complaining…about the private exercise that is.”
“Never.” She wrapped her arms around his neck as he rolled her beneath him. “How could I complain about the best exercise routine I’ve ever experienced and the best personal trainer I’ve ever had? Besides, you’re a very irresistible man, I don’t know if I could refuse you if I tried.”
“I’m happy to hear that,” he said as he kissed her cheek, moving slowly down to her neck. “Because I have to warn you Mrs. Ashford, I have no intention on stopping.” Sandra giggled when he began nipping at her neck, sending chills of anticipation running down her spine.
“Creighton, we don’t have time for this,” she argued weakly when his hands slipped under her tee-shirt, his long fingers fumbling with the front closure of her bra. “Your mom will be calling us soon, or Irena will interrupt us again.”
“Irena is in her room admiring herself and mum is busy with the caterers. They are driving her mental; they’ve taken over the entire kitchen and are fixing all types of salads and desserts. She’s not used to letting go like this.”
“Will she survive, or is there another family member who will be angry with us for life?” Creighton raised his head up and looked into her bright green eyes, smiling. Her words were light, but he knew the argument with her sister was bothering her more than she wanted to admit.
“My mum is very easy going and rarely holds grudges,” he assured her, kissing her lips tenderly. “Especially when it comes to family; if she weren’t as strong as she is, she would never survive my Uncle Fenton. Now, back to this,” he said with a wicked grin, pushing her bra aside beneath the fabric of her shirt. “We can do this quick, just enough to hold us until the party is over, or I can make us late for our own reception; which I’m sure my parents will object to, not to mention your grandmother and Rochelle.”
“You hate being late and you’re not going to do either one.” She smiled but her resistance was feeble and quickly weakening. “We don’t have enough time to play and I don’t like quick romps as much as I do long leisurely episodes of lovemaking.”
“If you don’t agree to something now, then you’ll have to promise me an eventful trip back to France.”
“On a plane?” she asked, staring at him with wide eyes. “Are you crazy? We couldn’t possibly…”
“It’s my plane and haven’t you ever heard of the
Mile High Clu
b? There are a lot of interesting things that can be done on a private jet.”
“You wouldn’t dare?”
She tried to sound stern, but lost her resistance and laughed, knowing her husband well enough to know he would dare…and would most likely succeed.
A knock on the door interrupted his reply as Rochelle pushed the barrier open, smiling at the two lovers embraced on the bed; Creighton’s hand still beneath Sandra’s shirt, cupping her full round breast, her feet hooked around his calves as he lay on top of her.
“I could come back if you’d like, but this looks rather interesting. Mind if I stay and watch?” she asked them causing Sandra to blush scarlet and Creighton to erupt in a hearty laugh.
“Sorry love, but you’re not invited,” he told his friend, kissing Sandra once more, pinching her nipple hard enough to make her gasp before lifting himself off her. He watched as she struggled to refasten her bra without lifting her shirt, glaring at him all the while.
“So it seems Rochelle has made the choice for us,” he remarked with a wicked grin. “Versailles is going to be wonderful trip.”
Sandra watched her husband as he climbed off the bed, adjusted his pants around his erection and winked back at her. He kissed Rochelle on the cheek then stepped to the door and glanced back across his shoulder as Sandra stood by the bed, smoothing her shirt down across her torso.
“Nothing too elaborate, Oakley,” he teased, causing Rochelle to glare at him for using the nick-name he knew she hated. “I don’t want to spend the evening waiting for her to wash that stuff off.”
“Just for that, I’m tempted to make it a very long wait,” Rochelle assured him, grinning at the laugh he left in the room with them. “That man is very aggravating,” she said turning back to Sandra who stepped to her side.
“You have no idea,” she answered with a warm smile.
“You look amazing,” Irena said half an hour later when Sandra emerged from Creighton’s bedroom once again; her hair styled as it had been in Paris, her makeup applied to perfection. She wore Sabrina’s newest style, a simple white chiffon form fitting cocktail dress that fell mid-thigh. It was quite lovely with yellow trimming around the sleeveless top and scooped neckline, the skirt flaring just enough so walking was easy and unrestrained.
She wore her mother’s earrings, the emerald and diamond leaf designed necklace and diamond bracelet with the sapphires that matched the ring Creighton had given her when they posed for Chang in Paris. Complete with a pair of white open toe heels, she was ready to take on the rest of the day with confidence, excitement tingling around the edges of her movements.
“Thank you,” Sandra answered with a soft blush as the two began walking down the wooden staircase. “Let’s just hope the evening goes better than the day has.”
“It has to,” Irena added with wide eyes. “I mean really, who would have imagined finding two dead bodies literally a few yards from your own house? That’s so gross.”
“Wait, two bodies?” Sandra asked coming to a halt on the last stair.
“Yeah, didn’t Crey tell you? They found another body next to the first one. It’s really sick.”
“Irena, you have a very big mouth,” Andrew accused stepping into the entry, narrowing his eyes to his little sister. “Why don’t you go find mum and tell her she’s looking for you.”
“Fine, but I don’t see why it’s a secret,” the girl grumbled walking past her brother. “It’s not like everyone in Yorks doesn’t already know.”
“Two bodies?” Sandra asked stepping down the last step.
“I’m sorry Sandra,” Andrew said. “Crey didn’t want you to know just yet; he wanted you to enjoy your evening without dark clouds hanging over the event.”
“Do you know who the second one is?” she asked in a hushed tone.
“No, but it looks like she was there as long as the first.”
“She? Another female?”
“I’m really sorry honey. Please try not to worry about this. We’ll get things straightened out so you can start your marriage off on a better footing.”
Creighton joined the two in the entry, his face set in a stern frown. He glanced from one to the other and back to his wife, drawing a deep breath.
“I’m sorry darling,” he said gently. “Irena has a big mouth and she hasn’t yet learned how to sensor it.”
“Creighton, what’s going on? Is there a serial killer loose?” Sandra asked, holding the hand he reached out to her.
“If there is, then it was a long time ago. Andrew is taking care of the investigations and he’ll find out what’s going on. You just have to keep faith in the judicial system.”
“I don’t know how your judicial system works here, but I have faith in Andrew,” she said, glancing to the man standing next to her husband; a proud expression crossed his handsome face. “Just please stop hiding things from me. I’m twenty-six years old; I’m quite capable of hearing the truth.”
“I didn’t want anything else to upset our day; it’s been bad enough already,” Creighton said, wrapping her into his strong embrace.
“You told me Cathy was hiding me in her shadow,” Sandra said, pushing away from him and staring him in the eyes that frowned down at her. “You’re doing the same thing. I can handle anything except dishonesty and deceit. I hate liars and I hate secrets.” Creighton kissed her gently but briefly, easing her back into his embrace and hugging her to his chest.
“I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m used to protecting the people I love; I’m not sure how to change that, especially now. If anything were to happen to you, I don’t know what I’d do.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me and regardless of how many objections my sister makes, I am not leaving you. I married you for better or worse and right now, I’ve got both. We’re in this together for the long haul, no escape clauses, remember?”
“I remember and I’m sorry. I promise to keep you informed of everything that happens.”
“Good, now tell me about this second body. What’s going on?” Creighton drew a deep breath and stepped into the living room with her and Andrew, sitting on the sofa; her hand held snuggling in his. He exchanged looks with his brother then glanced back to his wife who was waiting patiently for an answer.
“Right now it looks like Bachmeier has a lot to answer for,” Andrew said quickly before his younger brother had the chance to change his mind and hide the truth from his new bride.
“We don’t have an official report and the coroner needs to verify what we suspect, but if the first body is that of Lynette Stone, she left her husband about fifteen years ago. We don’t know who the other body is yet, but she appears to be around twenty years old, maybe a little younger. I don’t remember hearing of any local girls who went missing during that time, so the search is going to take a while to determine who she may have been.”
“The dogs are still sniffing around,” Creighton added quietly as voices and car doors echoed from the front of the house, indicating the start of their reception. “We’re hoping they will find some evidence to help identify her.”
“Fifteen years is a long time to have a body preserved so that you can identify it,” she said.
“The bodies were wrapped in plastic trash bags,” Andrew said, watching the slight grimace expression cross her eyes. “That combined with the dry soil made decomposition slow.”
“What happens now?” Sandra asked.
“Clark and his team are here and the place is locked down,” he answered. “We have a team over there and they are still searching. It will undoubtedly take a few more days to survey the rest of the area.”
“What about Bachmeier, the younger one? Has anyone seen or heard anything from him since last night?” Sandra was feeling a little dizzy with the information she was absorbing, but she was determined to be a part of the solution.
“Not yet, but we will,” Andrew insisted. “The local constable and the neighbors have been alerted to him and patrols have increased. Everyone is watching so it’s just a matter of time.” Sandra looked out the front window to where their property was located and frowned.
“Why is there a tent up in the front yard?” she asked seeing the large tan colored canvas tent in the same area as the new garage was planned to be built.
“It’s there to keep observers away while the police do their investigation,” Creighton said.
“I don’t want you to worry about any of this, honey,” Andrew said gently. “The party is starting and you need to relax and have some fun. We’ll get answers for you and have things resolved soon.”
“Are you ready to go?” Creighton asked a moment later, a wide smile on his face; though it didn’t seem to quite reach his eyes. Sandra knew it would be difficult for him to remain calm with so much going on that he couldn’t control.
“I’m ready for anything you desire,” she told him with a smile, knowing this would send visions of multiple, less generic ideas racing through his mind. Andrew chuckled under his breath as Creighton’s smile turned genuine and wide; telling her the attempt had worked. She smiled as she stood up from the sofa with him accepted the hug he gave her and biting back the giggle when his hand cupped her bottom.
Before leaving the room, Sandra took one last glance out the window, then rose up on her tiptoes and kissed Andrew’s cheek.
“Thank you,” she told him. He smiled back at her with a very proud, almost child-like expression; it was a simple act of gratitude, but the undertone spoke of much deeper appreciation than the words alone ever could.
Creighton danced with nearly every woman at their reception; aunts, cousins, his mother, his sisters, Kristen, Mary, even Bess, his housekeeper from Chelsea. He spent as much time as he could with his new bride in his arms while the music played on for what seemed like an eternity. The band was amazing, with an attractive young dark haired girl about sixteen and a boy who looked a bit older who sang both solos and duets. The music played was a variety of love songs, modern hits, pop and classical along with several Broadway tunes.
Sandra found herself enjoying the evening despite the fact that she was the center of attention, with no memory of the afternoon’s events to mar the festivities. She danced with Derek and Andrew as well as James and William and found herself passed around more uncles and cousins than she would ever remember; as well as business associates of Creighton’s and many neighbors both young and old, until she felt dizzy and exhausted. Once she found herself back in her husband’s embrace, however, she found herself re
-energized and ready for more.