Honeymoon

Chapter 16

“YOU WANT TO do it in the garage?” Nora asked with a giggle.

Connor could barely contain his laughter. “No,” he said. “That’s not the surprise. It’s not such a bad idea, though.”

He’d led Nora around the side of the house, stopping about ten feet in front of his five-car garage. All the doors were closed. Nora stood there with him, not knowing what to expect.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

He reached into the other pocket of his trousers—the one without the wad of cash—and pulled out the garage door opener. It had five buttons. He pressed the middle one.

The door began to rise slowly.

“Omigod!” shrieked Nora.

Behind the door, facing out, was a brand-new bright red Mercedes SL 500 convertible with a huge white bow strapped across the hood.

“Well?” said Connor.

Nora was speechless.

“Thing is, if you’re going to be my wife, you’re going to need your own set of wheels, don’t you think?”

Nora was still speechless.

He was getting a big kick out of this. “I take it you’re surprised?”

Nora leaped into his arms. The words came, and very loudly. “You’re absolutely amazing! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She flashed her left hand. “First a beautiful ring and now—”

“A key ring,” he said as if it were another one of their mantras. “Which, by the way, is waiting in the ignition.”

Connor carried Nora into the garage and placed her gently in the driver’s seat. Then he raced around to the other side, removing the bow along the way. “Shotgun!” he yelled like a schoolboy, hopping over the door into the passenger seat.

Nora sat admiring the car’s interior, running her fingers along the stitched leather of the steering wheel. “What do you think? Should we break it in?” she asked.

“Absolutely. That’s what it’s for.”

She looked at him, the corners of her mouth curling mischievously. Her hands were suddenly nowhere near the ignition. They were playing between Connor’s legs.

“Oh,” he said happily, his deep voice cracking.

Nora nimbly climbed out of her seat and over to Connor. On top of him, knees bent, she began to run her fingers through his thick black hair while gently kissing his forehead, both cheeks, and finally his mouth. She unbuttoned his sports shirt.

“How far back do you think these seats go?” she asked.

“I’ll have to check that out.”

He reached down along the side of his seat, and like that, it began to recline with a low-pitched hum. They began to undress each other, and it was as if their clothes were on fire. His shirt, Nora’s blouse and bra. Trousers and skirt, briefs and panties.

“I love you,” Connor said, staring up into her eyes. There was no way not to believe him and to feel something for him.

“I love you, too,” she replied.

And right there in the garage, Nora went for a ride in her new car.