Chloe

Chapter 20-Amateur

My feet hurt, my legs hurt, my fingernails hurt, yet Sandra continued on her quest for school clothes. I had thought my aunt knew how to shop, but she was pure amateur compared to Sandra. The girl was a shopping machine and I felt dizzy and exhausted within the first few shops. However, I kept going like some deranged drug addict searching for my next fix. It was crazy. - Chloe’s diary

Chapter 20

Amateur

Sometimes she swore that people would look closely at Sandra as if they wanted to say something or knew her, but like Edwin, whenever a question was about to be asked, Sandra would move on quickly. It seemed one thing they had in common, they really didn’t like people. It was strange but as usual Chloe put it out of her mind. 

   After lunch, at a darkly lit remote café, Sandra took her to an interesting stucco building that was elegant and expensive. She tilted her head back to admire the domed entry way as a footman like dude opened the doors for them to walk through. When her eyes adjusted from the outside bright California sun, the inside was stunning, grand, with tall ceilings and marble columns. Their footsteps echoed as they walked to the only thing in the room, a single desk positioned toward the back. 

The best description she could come up with for the lady who sat behind it was that she was beautifully maintained, almost as if she was made of plastic.  Chloe felt completely out of place, cheap and tawdry.  

Sandra, however, had no such insecurities as she waltzed assuredly to the plastic lady and shared a few indistinguishable words while Chloe ogled the rich décor. No more than a few minutes passed when someone came out from the back and immediately whisked her away not to see Sandra again until what felt like days later. 

Chloe was subjected to complete and total torture. She was plucked, waxed, her hair was cut and styled, rolled, dipped, rubbed and God knows what else. She went through every phase of pruning and when she emerged she felt wholly unlike herself. When she was about to run from the place screaming, she was pulled into yet another room where Sandra was sitting waiting, reading serenely. Chloe had to admire Sandra as she looked refreshed, beautiful and glowing. 

   “Oh gosh, you look fantastic, beautiful. Edwin is going to go through the roof!” Sandra exclaimed when Chloe walked into the room. Then Sandra frowned looking at her clothes and added, “Those won’t do,” waving her hand regally at her outfit. Chloe looked down at her shorts and designer tank top wondering why “they won’t do” when Sandra held up a tiny royal blue silk dress and a pair of matching heels that they had argued about the impracticality of the purchase earlier in the day. 

Chloe had shoved the dress back but Sandra must have bought it anyway. 

Chloe sighed. Why not? She had already been through so much anyway. She took the dress in an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes. Sandra responded by looking very smug.

   It was dark when they arrived at the cottage, but it was ablaze with light and activity. When they walked through the front door, it was to her surprise to find the entire fire gang sitting in her living room. 

She shot Sandra a dirty look realizing she must have called ahead to make sure Chloe had the proper audience to view her transformation. Sandra laughed, flipped her hair and strode further into the room. She had no choice but to follow.

When Sandra moved out of the way to present Chloe, the only noise was the waves beating shells into sand. Christoph cleared his throat and shifted, Duke stared dumbly. She felt uncomfortable and ready to run. It was Penelope who broke the silence with a sincere, “You look wonderful.” Everyone nodded in agreement as she glanced at all the awe-struck faces.

She saved looking at Edwin until last, shy of what he would think, afraid that he wouldn’t like a shinier Chloe.  When their gazes met, his reaction shot fire straight through her. He looked…unglued.

   Sandra turned toward her effectively blocking Edwin’s view and handed her a little blue gift bag, “You’ll need these tonight,” then she turned and bounced out to the back deck. It was as if she knew what was going to happen next, whereas Chloe hadn’t a clue.

   Edwin walked up after Sandra left and touched her cheek. His eyes burned with a desire that reached down to her deepest recesses. Her heart was beating so rapidly she relaxed her lips take in a breath, but it was also a natural way for her to body to automatically prime itself for his kiss. 

She jumped back when Edwin barked, “Everyone out!” breaking the sensual haze. Everyone fled.

Her gaze landed on Christoph and his knowing smirk as he patted Duke on his back, “Doesn’t look like they will be joining us at the fire tonight.” 

She blushed. The only fire she was thinking about tonight was the one burning inside of her. She prayed Edwin was prepared.

   Once the last person walked out to the deck, shutting the door quietly behind them, Edwin hefted her into his arms and carried her to her room. He used his foot to slam the door closed then carefully placed her on the bed. She watched him through hooded eyes as he locked all the doors and closed the curtains. She was trembling when he finally took a deep breath and quickly divested himself of his shirt. 

She swallowed. Oh heavenly God, but he was beautiful. 

 In her hand she still clutched the little gift bag Sandra gave her. She let it go. It fell off the bed to the ground where the contents spilled. She burst out laughing.

 Edwin, who was moving toward her on the bed, looked at her blankly, “Do tell what’s so funny.” 

She dropped her hand off the bed and scooped up the package of condoms to show Edwin, “She told me that we would need these…” she paused for dramatic effect, lifting an eyebrow and continued, “tonight.” 

He busted out laughing, “I think she’s right. I’ll have to thank her, as I only brought one.” He raised his hand showing the condom nestled in his palm.

   One would have thought him saying that out loud would have sent her running from the room. Indeed panic shot through her but she wanted him more. It was probably a mistake, but it was her mistake to make. 

She was stretched on the bed, her hip and elbow propping her up when Edwin lay beside her. He tenderly cupped her check with his palm, whispering how much he loved her and all panic and all thoughts flew right out of her head.

  Before she knew it, Edwin was on top of her with her dress nearly off, the kisses were deeper edged with desperation. Suddenly he broke away eliciting a moan of protest from her. 

“I said I’d not pressure you and I’d wait until you’re ready, but most important I would have my facilities together. I don’t think I’m pressuring you,” he glanced at her for confirmation, she nodded and he continued, “but, god, when I’m around you my facilities are never together. All my plans go out the window and I’m warning you if we continue I don‘t think I will be able to stop.” He looked in pain.

“I am ready, I…” she was going to say she was not scared but that wasn’t true so she said, “I’m prepared this time.”

Those words were all it took for Edwin to be everywhere at once. Chloe trembled with emotion as they continued further than she had ever gone before.

   The act itself was painful at first, and she wondered why anyone would want to do it regularly, but then something happened and it became something more than physical, more than need. It was as if this one act intensified the love she had for Edwin. It wasn’t cheap, as some girls had described it, but she could see how it could quickly turn that way if theirs wasn’t a love union. It was as if she was completing something with Edwin that she hadn’t known was missing.

Afterward, he held her, shaking just as badly as she was, his face buried in her neck. Their naked sweaty entwined bodies felt combined. She did not know where her limb began or ended or where his were, but it didn’t matter because it was perfect.

 After a long moment he began kissing her neck when he choked out, “I love you seems inadequate to the way I feel about you.” 

The words sent her soaring. She pulled slightly back to meet his gaze but found he wouldn’t look at her. When she finally forced him to raise his head his expression was troubled. 

Fear and panic shot through her, “What’s wrong?”

   “You said you were prepared, but I was not prepared to feel this way.” 

Her heart sunk. He didn’t like it. It wasn’t earth shattering for him as it was for her. 

Oblivious to her crushed heart, he continued, “I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve been with others.” 

No shock there, you didn’t come into life looking like Edwin without women falling at his feet. She was sure he has taken advantage of that more than once, even though she hated thinking about it. She shifted away from him knowing there was no big revelation that she was lacking. 

He gently turned her head back to him and said, “I wish.” He stopped, took in a breath, then continued, “I wish, I could have saved myself for you,” his eyes bored in hers, “The others felt cheap, dirty, and empty. You’re all I will ever need or want. I love you so much. You’re everything to me.”

She blinked a few times and smiled. To her profound relief she didn’t cry. She didn’t want to cry, she was so happy, so fulfilled that she didn’t need to cry and that was the best gift Edwin could have ever given her.

He lay next to her holding her so tight that she wondered how she was able to breathe. They both relaxed and eventually fell into a blissful sleep.