Tuesday Teaser: 2/16/16: Olivia’s Mate

      Well, I didn’t finished the rough draft this weekend, but I’ve finished the wedding. Just the brief dinner scene, and then the wedding night. Poor Kit! I imagine he’s pretty peeved with me. Olivia too!  LOL

      I’m still recovering from pneumonia, but feeling better tonight. Still, I think I better hit the hay now. Here is the next bit in Olivia’s Mate. It’s not at all edited, so please disregard the boo-boos.

“I look ridiculous.”

It was a horrified murmur so low that none of the other women in her bedroom could have heard it. Olivia stared at herself in the mirror. The dress Aunt Marissa had sewed and which she was so proud of was an absurd billow of white satin. It flared up and out around her bare shoulders, narrowed so tightly around her waist that she could barely breathe, and belled out to the floor in a series of ruffles that made her look like a stick figure stuck into an upside down bowl. A mostly naked stick figure.

That reminded her of Kit’s remark the night they were engaged. His ‘they could do it naked’ comment had roused a chorus of giggles nearly completely drowned out by lupine growls. Olivia had definitely blushed, but it had roused more than giggles in her. The kisses that followed in the small dining room had been nice, but Kit’s gentle exploration of her body had left her wanting more. In only a few hours she would be naked with him. She would finally lose her virginity with the man she loved.

Aunt Marissa gave a mighty tug on the strings that laced the back of the dress closed. Olivia squeaked. “Well, I guess you were right, Tami. It is a little snug in the waist, but we’ll get it closed.”

“It’s fine. Leave a little gap. The veil will cover it.” Her mom patted Olivia shoulder from behind. “We don’t want her to pass out during the ceremony from lack of oxygen.”

In the dry note in her mom’s voice told Olivia she wasn’t actually joking. Olivia tried to draw in a deep breath and failed. “Yeah, let me breathe.”

Victoria came to her with a froth of white netting in her hands. “Here’s the veil. Let me put it on you.”

In the mirror, Olivia saw her mom standing on her right, Aunt Marissa barely visible behind her, and Victoria, six inches taller than any of them, on her left. The veil and was several layers of fine net. Victoria set it just so over her blond hair so that it hung in filmy waves over her face in front and to her waist in back. A circlet of red silk roses was pinned to her hair to hold it steady on her head.

Aunt Marissa turned her and stood back to take in the full effect. Tears gleamed in her eyes. “You look so beautiful,” she crooned. “That dress is so beautiful on you. It’s exactly the kind I always wanted to have for my wedding, but it looks perfect on you.”

Olivia made herself smile. “Thank you, Aunt Marissa. You’re so generous.”

Olivia’s mom put an arm around the other woman. “Thank you, Marissa. Would you and Victoria wait outside? I need to have a few words alone with my daughter.”

Once the room was empty, Olivia carefully flipped the veil up so she could see clearly and sat on the edge of her bed. The dress puffed around her like a demented marshmallow. Her mom perched on Victoria’s bed opposite her.

“Livvy, I know this isn’t the dress you would’ve chosen, but it’s good of you to let Marissa have her way.”

She tried to tame the waves of satin at her shoulders. “It’s very pretty,” she said with forced enthusiasm. “Maybe Kendra would like to wear it when she gets married.”

Her mom’s lips twitched. “It looks a lot like the dress I wore for my first wedding.”

Olivia perked her ears. Her mom seldom spoke of her life in the Times Before. “That was before your air plane crashed in 2064, right?”

“That’s right.” She waved a dismissive hand. “But that’s not what I want to talk to you about. Today you’re getting married. Tonight you’ll be a wife.” Red stained her cheeks. “I mean, uh, it’s your wedding night. We should talk about that.”

Olivia felt matching heat surge into her cheeks. “Mom,” she protested. “I don’t need to talk. Really. I know what happens. You gave me The Talk when I turned sixteen, remember?”

“Sure, I remember.” Her mom’s lips twisted into a half-smile. “You know which tab goes into which slot. There’s more to lovemaking than that.” She studied her clasped hands. “I think you know that there’s a difference between sex and making love.” She looked up into Olivia’s eyes. “I won’t waste my time telling you about all the mechanics. There’s really only one point I want to make, and that is communication.”

Communication? “You think I should talk during sex?”

“Before, during, and after. Unless your young man can read your mind, how can he know what you like? Maybe if he’s observant he’ll be able to tell when you’re uncomfortable, but maybe not. It’s important for you to let him know when he does something you like and when he does something you don’t like. Lovemaking should be wonderful. The first few times might be a little uncomfortable. Physically uncomfortable, I mean. Once your body gets used to… uh, it, you should feel pleasure.”

Olivia smoothed the ruffle over her knees. This was so embarrassing. “Thanks, Mom, got it.”

She saw her mother give her a long, steady look. “Okay. Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“No.” Olivia inwardly cringed at the squeak in her voice. “Thanks. Really.”

Her mom sighed. “Okay. Just remember that if you don’t enjoy it, you shouldn’t do it. Let’s go face the music.”

Olivia hurried to leave the bedroom she’d shared with Victoria. Aunt Marissa and Victoria waited for them in the living room. Aunt Marissa smiled and stepped forward to re-arrange the veil back over Olivia’s face.

“I peeked downstairs, and it looks beautiful,” she said to Olivia’s mom. “There’s a Christmas tree there. Reminds me of our weddings. Remember?”

Olivia saw her mom’s face relax in a smile. “It was a good day.” She turned to Olivia. “We’ll go down now to be sure Kit isn’t hanging around.”

“That’s right,” Marissa said with a grin. “Your bridegroom isn’t supposed to see you before the ceremony. You and Victoria come down in a few minutes.”

After the older women had left, Olivia turned to her cousin. “Thanks, Vic, for being my bridesmaid.”

“No problem. Thanks for not making me wear a dress like that one you’ve got on.”

Victoria ran a hand down her blue velvet hip. Her dress was elegant, closely fitted with a V neck, long sleeves, and narrow skirt slit to mid-thigh. She had ordered it early in the fall for the Mayor’s Gala that would take place in a month.

“You look really good in that dress,” Olivia told her honestly. “There was no reason for you to buy a new one.”

Victoria scooped up a small bouquet of blue satin roses tied with blue and white ribbons and handed a second, larger bouquet of red roses to Olivia. “We should just be glad we’re not Kendra. Can you imagine what Aunt Marissa will do for her own daughter’s wedding?”

“If I were Kendra, I would elope!”

They laughed together. Victoria smoothed her dark blond hair back. “Well, should we go? Uncle Taye must be done talking to Kit by now.”

“Uncle Taye? Why would he talk to Kit?”

“Oh, you know, just to give his usual What-To-Do-To-Please-Your-Mate-In-Bed speech.”

Olivia jerked to stop, wondering if her blush was visible behind the veil. “Oh,” she squeaked. “That one.”

Victoria laughed so hard she had to bend over. “I’m going to make him give that speech to Marty.”

Olivia stopped again. “Did Marty ask you to marry him?”

“Not yet.” She smiled with iron confidence. “But he will.” She twisted the knob and opened the door. “Shall we?”