Consequences

would and it obviously does. I am still slightly in shock.” Claire took a drink of water and caressed Tony’s arm. Looking into his brown eyes, she said, “It’s a good shock.” He took her water and started to kiss her neck. “Do you realize you have taken my sandwich and now my water?”
    Tony cooed, “I think maybe you have taken something of mine.”
    He stood by her chair. She put her arms around his waist and looked up at his face. “I did? What did I take?”
    He bent down to kiss her. She stood to meet him halfway. His lips softly touched her lips and her neck as his hands became tangled in her hair. “I believe it was my heart.” Claire’s body forgot the demands of the previous night. Actually, it began to make demands of its own. He tugged her hair with his fingers, causing her face to look up. She considered asking about Patricia, it was a fleeting thought. There was a more pressing issue. “Is everyone still here?” she pressed back.
    “Brad and Monica left, they will return Monday to give us more information. We can make more definite decisions then.” She kissed his neck as he spoke. His voice revealed the effect of her kisses. “And Patricia is collecting names for our guest list. She is still in my office. I told her I needed to check on you to make sure you were feeling all right.” His chocolate eyes hid behind his closed lids.
    Claire couldn’t resist. “I’m feeling very good, how do you think I’m feeling?” He murmured agreement as she spoke between kisses. “So explain why I can’t be in your office alone and she can?”
    He pulled her close. “Because I said so.” His hands caressed the soft skin under her sweater.
    “I hated that answer when it came from my parents, I don’t think I like it from you either.” She wasn’t arguing or complaining. On the contrary, she was agreeing with everything.
    “Okay, how about because you don’t need to worry your pretty head about anything in there? The telephones, Internet, computers . . . All you need to worry about is me.”
    “Oh, and I do! I worry about you constantly.” She nuzzled his chin and listened to his heart pound rapidly in his wide chest. “So you don’t worry about Patricia’s pretty head?”
    His voice sounded gravelly and far away. “Does she have a pretty head? I haven’t noticed.” He couldn’t have said anything that would have pleased Claire more at that moment. She suggested going to his room or her room, he mentioned the attributes of the kitchen floor, when Catherine made a loud coughing sound.
    “Excuse me, Mr. Rawlings, Ms. Claire. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are here to see you both.”
    Claire looked at Tony with desperation. “What happened to never having visitors?” She smiled and tried to straighten her hair and sweater. Tony suddenly turned away from Catherine and looked out the back window, breathed deeply, and tried to adjust his appearance. Claire decided she should address Catherine, Tony was having difficulty talking. “Thank you, Catherine. Can you please tell them that Mr. Rawlings and I will be there in a few minutes?” Catherine said she would show the Simmonses to the sitting room. Claire went to Tony and whispered in his ear, “Sorry.”
    He turned to her, grinning, his voice adoring and playful. “You aren’t yet, but give me some time.” There was a time that those words would have terrified her. Today wasn’t one of them, the wedding planning, being home, and fanciful foreplay had set the stage. The stage felt warm, like her visions.
    “I look forward to that promise.” She leaned against a counter and waited for him to contain himself. She tried, but couldn’t remember one time in the past eight months that he’d been in this predicament. Grinning, she found it amusing.
    They walked hand in hand to the sitting room. When they reached the archway Brent and Courtney stood to greet them. Courtney ran to Claire and hugged her. Next to Catherine, it was the best response she received from anyone regarding their engagement. She really felt like she was being hugged by a friend. Claire couldn’t help feeling happy. It was a real happy, one that suddenly seemed to be recurring. She liked it. Courtney pulled Claire’s left hand to see her ring, and led her to one of the sofas. She wanted to hear all about New York, the proposal, and everything! Claire looked to Tony. He and Brent were involved in discussions that led them away from the ladies and toward