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8 - Aurora
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2025-03-25 02:45:138 - Aurora
“Yeah right, you were off with the Corleone’s. So it still counts as vacation. You were in the tropics. Everyone knows Lady C uses her business trips to vacation. And you got to hang out with Lady C and her walking I*******m filter.” He says, setting his laptop on the coffee table and opening his arms for me to join him back on the couch.
“Ok, you’re not totally wrong, she does have a system for her business trips, but we did actually contract a business deal, this time anyway. This was my first trip with her, I am usually remote handling the numbers and information she needs for negotiations. We happened to finish the details for the deal earlier than expected. I wasn’t needed after that so Lady C sent me home. That’s all.” I shrug. I don’t mention that I think Lady C needs to look over the fine print of the contract. I don’t think she is getting the deal she believes. But, she never wants my unasked for opinion so I keep it too myself. And I am still waiting for him to acknowledge that he ignored my call for a ride.
“So what did you get up to while you were there?” He asks with a sly smile.
The memory of that run—the voice on the phone, the way he made me fall apart without even touching me—burns in my brain like wildfire. I don’t respond. It’s all I can do to keepmy heartrate at a normal level.
My eyes narrow. “I had one day. I worked the rest. The deal closed faster than expected. I wasn’t needed afterward.”
“So… no tan, no hikes, no poolside cocktails? I think you’re doing the vacation thing wrong.” His brows lift like he’s teasing—but something’s off. His tone is just a little too careful. His embrace is starting to feel suffocating.
“I’m telling you, I worked.” I squirm.
“You don’t have to get defensive, Rory. I’m just surprised. Most people go to the tropics and at least dip their toes in the ocean.”
“I’m not most people, Gabriel,” I snap, voice sharper than intended. “And I wasn’t on some influencer retreat. I was on Lady C’s clock.”
He sighs, like I’ve overreacted. Like I’m being unreasonable. “So, you didn’t have any fun while you were there?”
My eyes open wide, I am totally caught. I didn’t cheat technically, I had s*x with myself, it just wasn’t Gabriel on the other line giving me instructions and it was one of the hottest things I have ever done in my life. Just the thought has my core on fire and as much as I love Gabriel, he has never gotten that kind of reaction out of my body, ever, in the years we have been together. Sex with him is very vanilla.
“W-What d-do you mean?” I try getting the question out as calm as possible, but the thoughts are already there. Copyright ©️ 2025 Miss L Writes and Ember Mantel Productions
“Well, you said you took a morning run, did you have time to sight see? All that boring walking around, hiking and history stuff is totally your thing right?’ He laughs at me a little. Is that really what he thinks of me?
“No, actually. I only had one full day. We did the negotiation almost right away when we got there and then the next morning we finalized all the details in person and I was on the next red eye home.” I answer, now suspicious of his question and the tone. “Why do you ask?”
“No reason, You were in the tropics and didn’t take advantage of any of the sights. Didn’t lay out and tan. I don’t know anyone who does that.”
“I was working, Gabriel! It was NOT a vacation for me! I was there on Lady C’s dime and she only kept me as long as she needed me in person so I wasn’t in the way.” I snap at him now getting irritated. I stand, needing the physical space. I don’t know how many other ways to tell him, I literally did nothing. This is my first trip with my company and he's criticizing my ability to relax.
So I walk away—I really was about to jump him with the thoughts and feelings of the call with Nathan in my head, and the need still coursing through my veins. I wanted to want Gabriel again. To feel desired. Tethered. But instead, I want to be alone. I can’t be near a man who treats my career like a cute hobby and my exhaustion like a mood swing. I huff out of the room, into the bedroom he’s left looking like a tornado hit it. Clothes everywhere. Bathroom a war zone. One day. He’s been home one day and this place was spotless when I left after he did. I don’t scream. I clean. Thank God its a one bedroom apartment.
It’s like a pack of teenage girls got ready for a club in here. I don’t think he has a single piece of clothing left in the closet. I love Gabriel, I do, but this is ridiculous! I’m too irritated and s*xually frustrated to deal with this right now, but I won’t be able to sleep if my room isn’t clean either, so I keep working. I don’t bother hanging up or putting away any of his clothes. I don’t know what is clean or dirty so I’ll just start from scratch another time.
Once the bedroom is back in order, I start on the bathroom taking out all of my frustrations. I’m lucky enough that most of the things in here only need to be put in their places, nothing more. When everything’s back in place except my mood, I grab the one thing I know will take the edge off—my vibrator. I usually save it for when Gabriel is away. He’s probably never noticed it. Or maybe he has and pretended not to. Either way, I don’t care. Tonight, he’s not the one I want. I lock the bathroom door, turn the shower to nearly scalding, and step in. And for a long, long time… I remember how Nathan’s voice sounded over the phone. Low. Sure. Sinful. I remember the way he never touched me… and still made me fall apart over and over again.
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The Last Minute Bride 26 - Aurora
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The Last Minute Bride 24 - Nathan
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The Last Minute Bride 23 - Nathan
23 - NathanI am getting ready with Brandon and Sam. We have done everything together, including taking over family businesses and sending Brandon down the aisle a few years ago.Sam is a little salty because he can’t go and meet my mystery bride, but he’s faking his enthusiasm well. I was told my bride made a stipulation that I could only bring one groomsman to the first look and like the adults that we are, they played rock, paper, scissors for the honor. When I found out that the one person rule applied to everyone, including her parents and my grandfather and uncle, I was happy. My bride at least has shown a sense of intelligence. I’m not sure if we have met and the first time should not be at the end of the aisle. It crossed my mind that Sullivan is keeping her identity a secret because it’s likely that I do know her and don’t like her. But this last minute request tells me otherwise. No girl attached to my grandfather would care about meeting me first, and most certainly would
The Last Minute Bride 22 - Aurora
22 - Aurora“What if he knows what I look like, then sees you and he calls the whole thing off and shuts down my family’s whole operation?” Mia asks. She has been asking some version of this question since her dad took the amendments back to the groom’s family and we haven’t heard a thing from anyone. I think it has helped having her panic, because I have had to remain calm to keep talking her off the crazy train. I love that her worry isn’t for herself, but her family and their employees. She is so mature for her age.“Remember, we asked to meet him beforehand so we could have a moment. Your mom thought that was the greatest idea.”“Yeah, she was hoping to get reveal pictures, right up until you told her she couldn’t be there, along with everyone else who wants to meddle.” Her eyes lit up at the memory. She called her parents on a video call and I stayed just off screen. We were hoping to find out about the contract changes, but with no answers. I came up with the meet idea on the
The Last Minute Bride 21 - Aurora
21 - Aurora“We need to tell my dad.”“What? Why? Isn’t the idea to not tell your parents until it’s too late for them to stop anything?” We sit on my couch with laptops and papers spread all over my living room.“Yeah, but that is more for my mom’s sake. She doesn’t really understand what is going on, or at least that is what she is pretending to do. She is really good at sticking her head in the sand, only resurfacing when the problem has been handled.” She rolls her eyes at me. “She’s not a bad person, just lazy by design. Her and my dad were matched up kind of like what they are doing to me. They are lucky though and I think they eventually fell in love, or something like it. But, my dad needs to know in case sh*t hits the fan and we need help. You also asked to see the marriage contracts. He ocan get those for us, be our go-between.”“I mean, if you’re sure. I just don’t want this to turn into a battle or for him to try and change your mind.”“He won’t say anything, because it’s a
The Last Minute Bride 20 - Aurora
20 - AuroraAmelia smiles and looks as nervous as she probably really is as we wander among the open racks. She’s running her hands over the different soft fabrics.“Are you sure you've never done this before? How did you know what to ask for?” Amelia asks over her shoulder.“I have been here a couple times with friends. I never drink here. First of all the champagne is nota great brand and will leave you with a raging headache. And some of the more shady attendants try to get wealthy women a little drunk so they just keep adding things to their orders. It’s actually a really good marketing tool. The problem is, these types of clients come in often and change their minds so many times that not many of the upsells stick. If attendants thought through the upsell and maybe went for less items that might cost a bit more…” I shrug, “and fit what the bride really wants, the sale is more likely to stick.”“You should do trainings for them and really become a consultant. You are amazing
The Last Minute Bride 19 - Nathan
19 - Nathan“Nathan! How can you be so rude? She was my guest in my home…”“I’m going to stop you right there.” I hold my hand up and pausing my retreat. “At some point in the last few years, you and Preston have forgotten that you are guests here. Eleanor left the house and the business and everything to me. My grandmother, your wife, left it all to me. She may have loved you and cared about your well-being, but she sure as sh*t didn’t trust you to maintain her legacy. You have been provided for and yet you still live here, with me, on my dime. It is time you remember that. I don’t know what you and Preston are up to, but you need to settle down.” I growl the threat and walk away.I talk to the kitchen staff and move to my wing of the house. Here I don’t have to worry about anyone but me. I let my grandfather stay in the master he shared with my grandmother and renovated the wing opposite, and furthest away from him. When my uncle and cousin ‘needed’ to move home to be closer to the
The Last Minute Bride 18 - Aurora
18 - AuroraWe get back to my apartment and I show Amelia around. She starts asking a thousand questions. “Wow! You pay for all this by yourself?”“Yes, but I sacrifice a lot too. I don’t have many friends that I still talk to on a regular basis. My boyfriend of three years decided to cheat on me with my boss’ daughter because he thought I spent too much time working and not enough with him. Even though he paid for nothing and really enjoyed the lifestyle that my very inconsiderate job afforded him.” I roll my eyes and she laughs.“Well at least I know that this is still possible.” She waves an arm dramatically around my apartment, which is in Gabriel mode and disgusting by my standards. He hasn’t been back to get his stuff in the hours that I have been gone. I wonder if he thinks I will do it for him, if he decides to not show up, like the servant he seems to believe I am. I’m tempted to recruit Amelia to help me bag it all and toss it out by the dumpsters. I shake my head of the
