THAT MAN 4 (The Wedding Story-Part 1) Read online

  Chapter 6

  Blake

  I spent Sunday afternoon at Equinox where I played a mean game of racquetball with my best bud, Jaime Zander. I kicked his ass and hence he treated us to a round of beers at the upscale sports complex bar.

  “We set a date for the wedding,” I told him over a frothy Guinness on tap. “Saturday, December 20th.”

  “Awesome, man. Where’s it being held?”

  “At my parents’ house.” I took a swig of the golden ale. “I think Jennifer was disappointed. She was hoping it would be at her parents’ house.”

  “She’ll get over it. It’s going to be the wedding of the century.”

  I twisted my lips. “Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of. Anything my mother plans is always over the top and you can’t get in her way.”

  “I hope I’m invited.”

  I smiled at my best friend. “You’re more than invited. I want you to be my best man.”

  “Fuck, man. Get out. I’d love to. Come on, let’s toast.” He lifted his mug and clinked it against mine. “To the wedding of the century.”

  “To making it through the wedding of the century.”

  We simultaneously took a slug of the beer.

  Jaime set down his mug. “Let me give you a bachelor party.”

  “Let me think about it.”

  “Don’t think too hard. It’ll be fun. A guys’ night out.”

  “What if you get me smashed and I go MIA?” I asked, thinking about the movie The Hangover. While every guy I knew found this flick hilarious, it creeped me out. I didn’t want to miss my own wedding.

  Jaime snorted and guzzled his beer. “Don’t worry. I’ll have your back. In the meantime, why don’t you and Jen go out to dinner with Gloria and me tonight? Our treat. We’ll celebrate.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks. It’s been a crazy weekend. We’re just going to hang out. Maybe order in and watch something on Netflix.” And fuck our brains out.

  “Sounds good, man,” said Jaime, reaching for the check.

  *

  After showering, I headed home. I thought about ordering-in dinner while I was driving; I was that hungry. Maybe Thai or Chinese or something from that new Vietnamese restaurant that had opened on Westwood Boulevard. The thought of Jennifer and me feeding each other with chopsticks sent my cock into overdrive. I was hungering for her. A good game of racquetball often had that effect.

  I opened the door to my condo and was greeted by a tantalizing familiar aroma. Upon hearing me enter, Jennifer came running out of the kitchen. Fuck. She looked delicious, wearing a dainty little apron over a pair of cropped leggings and barefooted.

  She flung her arms around me and, on her tiptoes, gave me a kiss. “How was your game?” she breathed against my neck.

  “Awesome. I creamed Jay-Z. And guess what, he’s agreed to be our best man.”

  “That’s wonderful. I’m going to ask Gloria to be one of my bridesmaids.”

  “Cool.” With a sniff, I wrinkled my nose. “What smells so good?”

  She smiled seductively. “I have a surprise for you.” My eyes stayed on her as she dipped her hand into the deep pocket of the apron and pulled out a stunning jacquard tie.

  “A new tie?” Jennifer loved to buy me ties.

  “Mmm hmm,” she purred. “I want to put it on you.”

  “But, baby, don’t you think I should put on a dress shirt to get the full effect?”

  “You don’t need to right now.” She stepped back up on her tiptoes, and the next thing I knew, the tie was wrapped around my eyes like a blindfold.

  “Are we going to have some kinky sex?”

  “Maybe. But I’ve got another surprise for you.” She took my hand and led me in the direction of the kitchen. The delicious aroma grew stronger.

  “Sit on the counter,” she ordered when we got there.

  I hoisted myself onto the granite countertop. My imagination was flying. Was she going to suck me off?

  “Open your mouth,” she breathed.

  I did as she asked, and on my next breath, a spoon with hot broth filled my mouth. I swallowed.

  “Jeez, Jen. This is good. It tastes just like—”

  “Your grandma’s matzo ball soup. She taught me how to make it today.”

  “You spent the day with Grandma?”

  “Yes. She’s amazing.”

  I heard a spoon clink against a bowl.

  “Okay, baby, now try one of my matzo balls.” I felt her warm breath against my neck as she blew on the ball. The sexy sound and sensation made my cock twitch.

  “Take a bite and tell me what you think.”

  My lips clamped down on the fluffy ball, and I bit into it.

  “Wow! It’s delicious. As good as Grandma’s.”

  Still blindfolded, I could imagine my tiger’s adorable smile as I swallowed.

  “She taught me the trick to the balls. You have to use club soda.”

  “Soda shmoda,” I mock-mimicked Grandma. “Let me have another taste.”

  “My turn.”

  In my mind’s eye, I could see her lips going down on the tender ball. Circling around it. Taking it into her mouth. My pulse sped up, and my own balls tightened as my cock strained against my jeans. What was it with matzo balls and Jen that turned me on every fucking time?

  “Are there any other tricks to the balls?”

  “Uh-huh. There’s an art to rolling them.”

  Seriously? My cock was going stir crazy.

  As if she read my mind, she yanked down my fly. Commando, Mr. Burns came flying out. She curled her fingers around my enormous erection, and getting down on her knees, began stroking it, hard just the way I liked it. Then, without stopping her hand action, she flicked her tongue along my smooth sack of balls, hitting a spot on the bottom that made me want to jump out of my skin. Holy shit! And if I wasn’t already on my way to heaven, she wrapped her soft lips around them, rolling them around in her hot, hungry mouth, one big ball at a time. An insufferable electrical current spread from my head to my toes, the blindfold heightening every spark I was feeling. Squirming on the counter, I fisted her hair.

  “Jesus, tiger,” I hissed. “Is this what Grandma taught you?”

  “Mmm hmm,” she moaned, feverishly sucking my balls and pumping my dick. It felt fan-fucking-tastic. She was making my soup to nuts fantasy a reality. Who cared if the soup was getting cold when my balls were on fire? An orgasm of titanic proportions was not far away. That telltale tingly feeling of fullness saturated my cock, and in a harsh breath, I came all over Jen’s talented hand.

  Back on her feet, she undid the tie. I blinked. My river of release was seeping through her fingers. She gazed at me, her green eyes glistening with pride. “Did you like that?”

  Hell, yeah. I took her into my arms. “Is this going to be one of our rituals as husband and wife?”

  She smiled sheepishly. “It could be.”

  “What other tricks did Grandma teach you?”

  “What you can do with an apron is amazing.”

  Leave it to my sex-crazed grandma. I glanced down at the sexy little one strewn around her waist. “I’m eager to find out.”

  She cocked another smile. “Come on, let’s finish the soup.”

  I jumped off the counter. “No offense, baby. Your soup is awesome, but I’m more interested in getting a taste of your new trick and anything else you’ve got cooking.”

  Her eyes smoldering, she draped her arms around my shoulders. “Babykins, I’ve got a lot of things cooking.”

  “You’re going to make one hell of a wife.” I tore off her apron.

  One breath later, we were fucking our brains out right on the kitchen floor. The strings of her apron bound around my wrists, I discovered what other wonders my bride-to-be had in store.

  Chapter 7

  Jennifer

  “Happy Birthday, girlfriend!”

  Libby was at the door of my office. Holding a small shopping bag, she barged in and placed the bag on m
y desk.

  “This is for you. It’s just a little something.”

  “Oh, Lib, you didn’t have to get me anything,” I protested, already dipping my hand into the bag. I broke into a smile. It was a T-shirt with “Mrs. Always Right” printed boldly on it.

  “I know it’s a little premature, but you need to remind ‘Mr. Right’ that you’re the smart one.”

  “This is perfect. I love it.” I stood up and rounded my desk to give my redheaded best friend a big hug.

  “Why don’t I take you out for lunch?” she asked.

  “Can’t,” I sighed. I then explained to my future maid of honor that Blake and I had finally set a date and his mother was planning the entire wedding.

  Libby knitted her brows. “Are you cool with that? What about your mom?”

  “Yeah, we’re both okay with it. With all the guests the Bernsteins have to invite, we don’t have much of a choice.” I glanced down at my watch. It was almost noon.

  “Shit. I’ve got to go. Blake’s mother set up my first meeting with the wedding planner.”

  I grabbed my purse and walked out of my office with Libby.

  “Good luck. I want to hear everything. I can’t wait to tell Chaz.”

  *

  One for punctuality, I got to Enid Moore’s office early. Located not far from Conquest Broadcasting’s headquarters, it was housed in a lovely two-story brick townhouse right off fashionable Robertson Boulevard. Upon entering it, I was greeted by a stylishly dressed male receptionist, handsome enough to be called pretty.

  “You must be Jennifer.” His voice was effete yet warm.

  I nodded. “Yes.”

  “Have a seat, sweetie. I’ll let Enid know you’re here. Can I get you some tea or water in the meantime?”

  “I’m fine,” I said, plunking down on the very formal loveseat and soaking in my surroundings.

  The reception area was elegantly decorated in shades of ivory, all silk and gilt, and lit by a crystal chandelier. Antique oil paintings of aristocratic brides were artfully scattered on the walls. Soft classical music piped through hidden speakers.

  The coffee table in front of me was lined with impeccably arranged bridal magazines from around the world. In the center was a thick leather-bound album labeled “Moore is More.” I lifted it into my lap and began flipping through the parchment leaves. Page after page was filled with photos of events that Enid had created. My eyes widened. Each event was more extravagant than the one before—ranging from a baseball-themed bar mitzvah featuring namesake baseballs at every seat and a life-sized ice sculpture of a young boy swinging a bat—oh my God, it was thirteen-year-old Blake!—to a Cinderella-themed wedding, complete with a pumpkin-shaped horse-driven carriage carrying the bride and groom and flower-entwined cages of white mice for centerpieces. I shivered, not knowing if the mice were real or not.

  The sound of an intercom buzzed in my ear. I looked up from the album.

  “Enid can see you now,” said the receptionist. “Her office is upstairs.” With a roll of his twinkly blue eyes, he wished me good luck.

  I set the album back on the coffee table and clambered up the marble stairs. As I neared the last step, a shrill voice pierced the air.

  “I personally don’t care if you have to rent a private plane and go to France yourself. My client wants fresh mussels flown in from the Côte D’Azur. Period!”

  Enid was still on her cell phone when I stepped into her office. She acknowledged me by lifting a perfectly manicured bony finger that silently said, “I’ll be with you in a minute.” Studying her spacious office, which was even more elegant than the reception area, I took a seat on a gold-leafed velvet armchair facing her desk. I kept my purse on my lap while she finished up her call.

  “I will not take no as an answer. You’re fired!” With a loud, exasperated huff, she terminated the call and slammed her phone onto her pristine desk, which looked to be a museum quality antique. My eyes stayed on her as she lifted, pinky finger out, a cup of tea.

  For a woman likely in her fifties, she was extremely beautiful though surely preserved with the help of some nips and tucks and the magic of Botox. Her tight-skinned face with its high cheekbones and emerald eyes was made even more regal by her tightly pulled back jet-black hair. Substantial diamonds glittered on her earlobes, and a pair of pearl encrusted reading glasses dangled from a gilt chain and rested on her ivory silk blouse. She twitched a small smile. Something told me that was as far as her mouth ever went to avoid smile lines and other wrinkles. There was seriously not a line on her face.

  “Sorry about that. A ridiculously impossible vendor. Trust me, he won’t be working in this town again.” Her voice was now deep and breathy.

  “No problem,” I squeaked, admittedly intimidated by her.

  “Well, let’s get down to business. I’m extremely busy and am doing my dear friend Helen a big favor by squeezing you into my jam-packed schedule. Consider yourself lucky.” She gave me the once-over. “I do hope you own a pair of contacts. Those hideous eyeglasses will never do on your wedding day.”

  “I do,” I muttered, not happy with her insult. I liked my tortoiseshell glasses. They suited me.

  “Good. One less thing to worry about. As you know, Helen wants her son’s wedding to be the wedding of the century.”

  I nodded wordlessly.

  She took a sip of her tea and then set the flowery bone china cup down. “I always thought my daughter would end up with Blake. Helen and I used to joke about it all the time.”

  A soupçon of suspicion niggled me. I wondered who her daughter was. My father’s words of wisdom—curiosity killed the cat—stopped me from asking.

  Enid sighed. “Bygones are bygones. Though you’re not exactly in Blake’s league—or my daughter’s—I can’t let my dear friend Helen down.”

  Internally, I cringed. How dare this haughty woman insult me like that? I had the burning urge to lash out at her and defend myself, but I bit down on my tongue. Starting things off badly wouldn’t benefit anyone.

  “Did Helen tell you anything about the way I work?”

  “Not really.” But I was already getting an idea.

  “My motto, ‘Moore is more’ has made me the most sought after event planner in Los Angeles. In fact, the world. I just got back from Dubai where I created an Arabian Nights wedding for a young Saudi princess. At the reception, the bride and groom came flying in on a magic carpet. We’re going to have to top that, aren’t we?” She flashed that half-smile again.

  Speechless, I nodded my head like one of those bobble head dolls. Gah! I just wanted something simple and elegant. I guess she never heard of the expression: Less is more.

  “So tell me, do you have a favorite movie?”

  What did that have to do with my wedding? I searched my mind. I loved animated movies and had several favorites, among them Frozen, Despicable Me, and The Little Mermaid. I randomly spewed the latter.

  Enid’s almond-shaped eyes lit up. “Fabulous. I love it. We have a theme.”

  “A theme?”

  “Darling, all my events have themes. Yours will be an underwater fantasy. I can see it now. Guests will dance on a glass-topped aquarium filled with tropical fish of all sorts. You’ll get married under a canopy encrusted with exotic seashells. We’ll do a coral and white color scheme, and at the reception, we’ll have stations of seafood flown in from all over the world—from fresh sushi made by the chef I work with in Japan to a boatful of shrimp straight from the Louisiana bayou. And of course, mounds of Beluga caviar from my preferred vendor in Russia.”

  As I listened, unable to get a word in, her voice grew more excited, and she began gesturing dramatically with her hands. “And pearls! What fun we can have with them! Hmm. Maybe pearl encrusted invitations. Ooh! Maybe we’ll place them in giant iridescent plastic clamshells. With oyster white bows! A first! And of course, edible pearls all over the ocean-inspired wedding cake. And your dress. Don’t even get me started on that. I’ll have to call
Monique right away.”

  “Monique?” I peeped. Talking about clams, I was clamming up.

  Enid shot me a quizzical look. “Monique Hervé. She’s one of my dearest friends as well as Helen’s. Anyone who’s anything in this town has a gown custom-designed by Monique. I’m sure you saw the one Star Davis was wearing at her nuptials, which, by the way, I coordinated. It was on the cover of In Style.”

  No, I didn’t and I didn’t care. There was only one person in the world that was designing my dress. “Excuse me, Enid, but I already have a designer in mind.”

  She looked taken aback. Unable to lift her brows or scowl, she pursed her fire-engine red lips. “Really? And who might that be?” Her voice was frosty. She obviously didn’t like being challenged.

  “Chaz Clearfield.”

  “Who the hell is he?”

  “A young, up-and-coming designer. He’s very talented and happens to be one of my best friends.”

  Enid’s eyes bugged out. Suddenly, she reminded me of Cruella de Vil, and in fact, they could have been separated at birth.

  “I. Don’t. Think. So.” Each word was a sharp staccato.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Monique is already committed. And the publicity this wedding will get will assure her hundreds of thousands of dollars in business. You should know she is a very big supporter of Helen’s charities.”

  “But—”

  Enid rudely cut me off. Her eyes flared. “Let’s get something straight, Jennifer. I’m in charge here. Helen has put her trust in me to create a spectacular wedding. There are no buts. Are we clear on this?”

  Shriveling in my chair, I nodded.

  “Good. With the ridiculously tight time frame, there’s absolutely no room for second guessing.”