White Orchids

“Nicki. Babe, you gotta wake up,” Tyler whispered as he shook her lightly.

She moaned and fidgeted on top of him. About an hour into the flight, Nicki had realized that she could lift the arm rest that separated her seat from Tyler’s, and made quick work sprawling herself across him. She’d slept through more than half of the twelve hour flight.

When she opened her eyes, a smile instantly found its way to her face. Tyler bent forward to leave a kiss on her forehead.

“You’re adorable,” he said, brushing a few stray pieces of hair from her face.

“And you’re comfy,” she mumbled as she nestled herself closer to him. “I’m going back to sleep,” she said through a yawn.

Tyler chuckled. “You can’t go back to sleep, we’re landing. You have to get in your seat.”

Nicki’s eyes shot open and she sat up. “We’re landing? What time is it?”

“Um, in Hawaii time it’s almost eleven,” he said, checking his watch. “We have just over an hour. Good thing the airport is only five minutes from the resort.”

After all of the wedding excitement wore off and they began to look forward to the honeymoon, Nicki pointed out that, due to the long flight, they may not get the chance to sleep together on their wedding day. Tyler found that to be a little too disappointing to bear, and promised that they would; he even moved them up to an earlier flight and left the reception early. Luckily, everyone understood. Except for Bella.

“Good thing is right,” she agreed while fastening her seatbelt. “I hope you slept a little bit. Because I’m energized and ready to go, and we aren’t stopping until I physically cannot keep going.”

The sincerity in her voice both frightened and excited Tyler. He had slept for an hour or so off and on, but was on a high from the day they’d just had. Technically, their bodies thought that it was almost four in the morning. He felt like he could run a marathon.

He laughed and rested his hand on her thigh. “Fine by me.”

Tyler had been on edge since they left the Cape. When they retreated back to their rooms to get their suitcases for the trip, he realized that they certainly wouldn’t be boarding a plane in a wedding dress and a tux. He explained to Nicki that it was his duty to take the dress off of her, and she gladly complied. Little did he know that he would just end up torturing himself.

He leaned towards her, trying to get a view of her neck. Nicki caught on to what he was doing and laughed, showing him what he was trying to see.

“People are going to think I beat you,” he said, tracing his fingers along the marks on her skin.

“People are going to think that I have a husband who is fantastic at kissing my neck,” she rebuffed as she grabbed his hand and brought it to her lips.

It was going to take a while for Tyler to adjust to his new title. He looked at the hand Nicki held up to her face, and at the silver band that wrapped around his finger. He was finally a married man; and his wife just so happened to be the most incredible woman he’d ever met.

** * * * *

“After you, Mrs. Seguin,” Tyler said with a grin as he opened to door to the building they were staying in.

Nicki was beaming. He got the sense she might have cried, if her mind wasn’t so set on getting to their room.

“What room did they say we were in again?” she asked, power walking through the lobby and glancing down either end of the hallway.

Tyler pulled the key card out of his pocket and scanned over it. “Room C.”

She took off sprinting down the hallway to the left. Tyler laughed and followed her slowly, checking out their surroundings. The entire resort was gorgeous, but each building was designed a little differently. Most of them had a tropical feel to them, but upon entering he could tell that this was the area designated for honeymooners. The decorations were elegant and high class, and the lighting was dimmed and soft. It was nothing like the other buildings they’d been in.

Nicki seemed to have found their room, as she was stopped in front of the door.

“Hurry up!” she snapped, “We only have like twenty minutes!”

He wanted to tell her that in their condition, they probably only needed five. But he decided against it and picked up his pace until he reached her. Tyler swiped the card and the red light on the control pad turned green, unlocking the door.

“Stay here, okay?” he said, grabbing her suitcase as well as his own.

Tyler tossed the suitcases in the corner of the room before he looked around. The room was perfect. The bed was enormous, the lighting was low, and there was a spacious balcony that looked out over the ocean. The sense of privacy was unrivaled; he knew that it would feel like they were the only two people in the entire world.

He went back into the hallway and scooped up Nicki in his arms. Before he brought her in, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

“I love you,” he whispered.

His words seemed to calm her sense of urgency. Her eyes examined his face and she wrapped her arms around his neck in silence. For a moment, Tyler thought something was wrong.

“You always get to say it first,” she said, playing with a tuft of hair on the back of his head.

Tyler smiled and left a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Next time you can say it first, okay?”

She nodded, and at last he brought her into the room, watching her face as she saw for the first time where they would be spending the next two weeks.

“Ty, this is amazing…”

He kept walking, heading straight towards the bed. They were down to fifteen minutes. It didn’t matter much to Tyler, as he knew that in no time at all he would be doing something he’d dreamed about for months.

Tyler kissed her again before he set her down, and kicked off his shoes as he laid on top of her. Her hands snaked up his shirt, lifting it off easily. They broke apart for a moment so that she could get it off, before he sent his lips crashing down to hers. A moan came from deep within her throat as he kissed her, and seemed to ignite all of the feelings she’d been holding back the past four months. In a matter of seconds, her clothes were left in a messy pile on the floor.

He was tempted to bring up how quick she’d become at getting undressed, but decided that his lips could be put to better use. Tyler brushed them across her already bruised neck, sucking on every inch of untainted skin. He could feel her hands trying to rush him, and couldn’t decide whether or not he should give in to her. It had been so long, everything felt strange; the fluidity they’d once had seemed to be missing.

“Tyler, please,” she begged, cupping his face in her hands.

He nodded and turned his head, placing a kiss in the center of her palm. Nicki tugged at the button to his shorts, but struggled. Tyler could feel her fingers shaking against his skin, something she hadn’t done in years. He thought back to the sweet, nervous girl she’d been when they met, and realized just how far she had come since then. Just how far he had come since then.

After helping her with his shorts, he kicked them to the floor and positioned himself between her legs. Tyler took a deep breath in, knowing that it wouldn’t be an easy task to remain in control. Nicki whined his name again; his hesitation was obviously causing her pain. He couldn’t figure out why he was having a difficult time.

Nicki got her hands on the back of his head and brought him to her, leaving light, eager kisses on his lips. Bracing himself, Tyler slid his arms underneath her and held her head in his hands. Finally, he pressed into her, letting out a deep groan and dropping his head to her shoulder.

Instantly, whatever had been missing moments ago returned. Tyler lost every ounce of self control he’d been able to maintain. He thrusted mercilessly, so much so he was afraid he might hurt her. But the fingernails that dug into his skin and the cries that came from her mouth suggested she was doing just fine.

She whispered something by his ear, but his heavy breathing made it impossible to hear what she was saying. If he didn’t know better, he would have sworn that she’d said “harder”. Tyler lifted his head to look at her, and the expression on her face implied she had said exactly what he thought he’d heard.

He did as she asked, and found himself grinning as she shouted out a long string of profanities. Nicki’s legs entrapped him, driving him deeper. The grin faded from his face as he concentrated on getting her before he got himself. He kept his rhythm despite the cramps forming in his hips, determined to set her off.

At last, the moment came. Her fingers pulled his hair so roughly, he was sure that she’d ripped a few pieces out. Tyler never stopped, letting her ride out her high. Only when she went completely limp underneath him did he finally let go, emptying into her. He allowed his weight to fall on her and closed his eyes as her hands ran soothingly across his skin.

“I actually managed to forget how incredible that was,” he said softly, placing tender kisses where his lips rested against her neck.

When he felt something wet against his cheek, he pushed himself up to look at Nicki, who was crying silently.

“Hey,” he said, brushing the tears away with the back of his hand, “What’s wrong?”

Nicki pursed her lips together and shook her head. “Nothing,” she choked.

“So why are you crying?” he asked. “You know I hate your crying face.”

Thankfully, that managed to get half of a giggle out of her. She sniffed and wiped away the traces of mascara that had transferred from her eyelashes.

“Do you remember that first time you took me to Brampton?”

Of course he remembered. He immediately knew what was wrong with her. Tyler had never quite managed to shake the overpowering feeling he’d had that week.

“Do you feel like that again?” he inquired, becoming concerned. He recalled just how volatile and unstable he’d felt. He didn’t want her to feel that way again.

Nicki nodded as fresh tears trickled down her face. Tyler pressed his lips to her forehead, and left them there until she stopped sobbing. When he pulled away, she seemed calmer, more collected.

“Please never make me go that long without sex again,” she said, her strained laugh coming out huskier than normal.

He let himself laugh with her, relieved that she was composed enough to joke. Tyler kissed her once more before rolling off of her and pulling her to him. It was then he noticed how beautiful she looked in the soft glow of the lamps that stood to either side of the bed and the one that hung above them. After the initial pressure of having sex for the first time in nearly a half a year wore off, Tyler was left feeling more than romantic.

** * * * *

Nicki let out a soft sigh as she retreated to Tyler’s warm body, curling up underneath his tattooed arm. The panic she’d felt before had subsided, and all that remained was a sweet serenity. She was still throbbing from Tyler’s efforts; not once had she ever felt so satisfied. For once, it hadn’t left her wanting more. She would have been perfectly content lying there, underneath the protective cover of his arm, for the rest of the night. Just as she settled in and shut her eyes, it became clear that Tyler had other ideas.

“You know,” he said, rubbing his hand across her stomach, “I didn’t just pick this room for the balcony.”

She rolled over and enjoyed a moment of bliss as her face pressed against his chest. Instead of lifting her head to look at him, she buried it deeper. Sometimes, being close to him wasn’t enough. There were times when Nicki wished that she could wrap herself up in him, to wear him as a second skin.

“What are you getting at?” she asked playfully, her voice muted slightly as she spoke into the hollow of his neck.

“Remember how much you loved that bathtub in Greece?”

Her head shot up. “The one that was perfect for sex?”

Tyler chuckled and nodded his head. “That’s the one. Well, it just so happens that this room has one that’s awfully similar…” he said, his words filled with implication.

Just the memory of their time in Greece was enough to get Nicki rearing to go again. She inched her hand down Tyler’s stomach, hoping to let him know that she was fully on board for whatever he was thinking. When she reached her destination, she nearly choked.

“Tyler… how are you still – “ Her voice trailed off as she became distracted by him in her hand.

She watched as his already flushed cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. He cleared his throat and mumbled, “I might have, uh, taken something.”

“Tyler! What did you take?!”

He did everything he could to avoid making eye contact with her. “Viagra…”

Nicki tried her hardest to hold back her laughter, to no avail. “What?! Since when have you had a problem getting it up?!”

“Shut up,” he snapped, giving her a lighthearted shove, “I did it for you. It’s a little intimidating when you constantly remind me that you plan on drying me out.”

“Aw, Ty, you did it for me?” she asked, suddenly overcome with gratitude.

“No, I did it just for the fun of it,” he scoffed. “Of course I did it for you. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

Nicki rested her hand on his cheek, moving her thumb back and forth across his still freshly shaved skin.

“You could never disappoint me.”

With that, Tyler held her close and sat up, taking her off of the bed with him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gingerly pressed her lips to his skin, anywhere she could get to. He brought her across the room and nudged the bathroom door open with his foot. Nicki gasped as she looked around, it was the most gorgeous bathroom she’d ever seen. The ceilings were just as high as the main room, and a sophisticated chandelier hung from it, directly over the bathtub that she instantly recognized. It was a near perfect match to the one in Greece, where they’d spent a majority of the trip.

“I can’t believe you found this,” she said, flashing him a grin.

She remembered precisely why she had liked it so much. The curve of the tub gave Tyler the perfect angle. The first time they’d tried it, she’d come undone in a matter of seconds. It was one of the most powerful things she’d ever felt.

“I figured you might like it.”

Tyler sat on the edge of the bathtub, keeping Nicki on his lap while he turned the faucet to let the water run. After sticking a hand underneath the stream to check the temperature, he wrapped both arms around her stomach. She reclined back and let her head fall against his. There was nothing quite like being naked with him; his smooth, warm skin against her own was nearly enough to make her comatose again.

Nicki grabbed one of his hands and held it up to her lips, leaving kisses from his palm up each one of his fingertips. One of them curled, and in a moment of curiosity she opened her mouth and ran her tongue gently along the pad of his finger. Tyler moaned a little and inched it further, so that nearly the entire thing was in her mouth.

He leaned his head back and asked, “Why does that feel so good?”

She giggled quietly and continued to tease him, enjoying the satisfactory noises coming from his throat. In retaliation, he took her hand off of his and did the same to her. As his tongue hit her skin, she collapsed into him and her mouth dropped open, making his hand fall from her mouth and down her chest.

“Oh my God that does feel good,” she groaned, overtaken by the feeling of his velvety tongue against her sensitive fingertip.

Nicki could feel his lips pull into a smile. She knew that he loved it when he could give her a taste of her own medicine. She considered that maybe she should stop being such a tease to him, but quickly decided against it. To back up the decision, she swiveled her hips in small circles on his lap, rubbing up against him. Teeth bit down on her finger, so hard that it nearly hurt.

“That’s it. Get in the tub,” he said, lifting her off of him and into the decadently warm water.

She pushed herself back and let her head hang over the edge, trying to position herself the same way she had in Greece. It was only slightly different from a normal bath tub, but she noted the difference in feel immediately. She wondered if someone designed it specifically for the purpose they’d come to use it for.

Tyler wasted no time at all, lying on top of her and grabbing the brim of the tub to keep himself steady. The water splashed around her, some of it spilling out onto the floor.

“You ready?” he asked, shifting above her.

She felt him brush against her leg and nearly lost it. She nodded and used a hand to guide him to her, gasping as he pushed his way through. Already, she felt the strong percussions that came just before an orgasm. A high pitched whine escaped her lips as he hit her soft spot time and time again. Nicki tried to focus on anything that would make her last longer, and chose to watch Tyler’s chest above her face, moving over her as he used his arms to support himself. If anything, it made it more difficult to bear.

Nicki let her eyes flutter shut and allowed the pleasure to take over; there was no sense in fighting it anymore. Tyler must have sensed her change in body language and slowed, nearly coming to a complete stop. He moved as though he was in slow motion, letting her fully experience every minute sensation.

“Enjoy it,” he whispered, pulling back to place a kiss on her forehead.

She did as he told her to, and one by one relaxed every muscle in her body. Her hands rested gently on his sides, giving her the opportunity to feel every movement he made. He kept going that way until a groan pushed its way through his lips. Nicki knew that he was reaching his breaking point and pulled him closer with her legs. The instant she did, she began to hit her high. Tyler’s groaning only weakened her resolve. Something about knowing that she was the cause of it gave her a proud sense of fulfillment.

Nicki called out his name in the hope that it might send him over the edge. Nine out of ten times, it worked. She felt him go off inside of her and she finally crumbled. The closeness she felt to him was suffocating, and she reasoned it might have something to do with the ulterior motive behind what they’d just done. It wasn’t just for fun or to see who could get the best of who anymore. It was about so much more than that.

** * * * *

After a relaxing bath, trying out the hardwood floors and the vanity, and another round in bed, Tyler suggested that they check out the balcony. He truly wanted to see how nice their view was, but he was exhausted. He needed an excuse to stop for an hour or so and recuperate. It stunned him that Nicki wasn’t showing a single sign of fatigue.

He plopped into one of the two chairs that accompanied the small breakfast table on the balcony and stretched his arms and legs, trying to regulate his circulation. Somehow, he had begun to lose the feeling in his toes and fingers, and considered it may have something to do with the amount of energy he’d exerted over the last three hours.

Tyler hadn’t realized just how perfect the weather would be. The air was a little muggy, but the night was cool and a slight breeze rolled in from the ocean beyond them. The darkness of the resort allowed for the moon and the stars to shine their brightest, and it lit up the small deck and the water around it. It brought Tyler back to the night they spent at Lake Huron, back in the beginning of the summer. It had been one of the single most perfect nights of his life. Until now.

Never had he felt more wanted, or more treasured, than he did just then. Everything Nicki did, everything she said, was laced with an undying affection. Tyler truly believed he was the only man in the entire world that was treated as wonderfully as he was. He’d never seen any other girl speak with such kindness, or act with so much love. Not in his entire lifetime did he ever think that another person could make him feel so special.

A noise from behind him startled him, and broke up his train of thought. Tyler peered over his shoulder and smiled when he saw Nicki waddling out of the sliding doors, sheets and pillows in hand. The sheets were too long for her, and she kept tripping over them. Before she hospitalized herself, Tyler jumped up from his seat to take them from her.

“What did you do?” he asked, chuckling. “Strip the bed?”

“No, there were extra sheets in the closet and I brought them in case we get cold.”

“So what are the pillows for?”

Her face contorted as she tried to conceal a smile. “Okay, maybe I was hoping we could have sex one more time then cuddle,” she explained, talking so fast that he could barely understand her.

“Of course you were,” he said, watching as her face dropped at his tone. “I’m just teasing you, babe. We can do whatever you want.”

She finally allowed herself to smile, and Tyler shook out the sheet and spread it across the knotted wood of the deck. He realized that it wasn’t two sheets, but one huge one, which was perfectly fine with him. That just meant they’d have to be wrapped up in it together. Nicki tossed the pillows against the wall of their room, and the end result was a very uncomfortable looking bed.

Nicki let herself fall to the ground, head on a pillow and legs spread wide, with an oversized grin on her face. Tyler burst into laughter at the sight of her. It was as if she was mocking her own desire for him.

“Is that your ready position?” he asked, still chuckling at her open legs.

She nodded enthusiastically and patted the insides of her thighs as an invitation. Tyler shook his head at her, pretending to be disgusted. It wasn’t always going to be easy to admit that his wife had a stronger sex drive than he did. Or that in the blink of an eye she could turn him ravenous, overwhelmed with the urge to be with her. No man in their right mind would want a woman to have so much power over them. Yet somehow, that always seemed to be the case.

Tyler dropped to his knees and crawled to her, lying flat on his stomach when he reached her legs. He lowered his head between them and instantly felt her begin to squirm. Just the proximity of his face to her was enough to drive her crazy. He decided he would relish in it, and give himself the chance to revive some of his energy. Nicki pushed her hips towards him, attempting to make him touch her. Her efforts failed, and she sighed in frustration. Tyler knew that she despised it when he drew things out.

So that was exactly what he did. He inched up, letting his lips fall just underneath her belly button. He pulled her skin into his mouth for a moment, trying not to leave a mark. She had already been scathed that night, and Tyler had to remind himself that they still had two weeks ahead of them. He would have to pick his battles wisely.

He turned his head to the right and rested it on her stomach when her fingers began to sift through his hair. After everything they’d done that night, he was left feeling hypersensitive to her touch, and his scalp was not excluded. Tyler exhaled a long breath and traced his fingers over her hipbone, where a brutal scar once made its home.

It had taken a lot of push from Tyler, but eventually Nicki had agreed to get it removed. He couldn’t stand the sight of it. Every time he saw it, the horrific memories he had of those few days came rushing back to him. He would never be able to forget the way it felt when he thought he’d lost her. It had been as if his entire world imploded on itself, leaving him with a nothingness too lonely to bear.

Nicki, on the other hand, like the scar. She said it reminded her how lucky she was to be alive, and how strong she had been to survive it. After much debate, she’d given in to his idea of getting a tattoo where the scar had been. It resulted in the three letters neatly inked into her skin, just above her hipbone.

J.B.W.

Jason Brian Westmoore.

Tyler lifted his head just enough to move, and pressed his lips against it, something he had done every day since her wound had healed, four long years ago. Neither of them ever spoke about it, and Tyler never had to explain himself. Both of them knew what he was saying. It conveyed all of the things that he could never quite put into words.

The stillness of Nicki’s body caused him to look up at her, to see if she’d fallen asleep. When he did, he found her staring back at him, with the same emotion filled face he’d come to expect from her in moments such as that one. No matter how prepared for it he was, it always managed to knock the breath out of him. How someone could go through everything that she did and come out on the other side was still a mystery to him.

Suddenly, the ache to be with her was back, stronger than it had been the entire night. Tyler left another kiss on her stomach before retreating back down between her legs. An anxious groan came from above him, encouraging him to move slowly, to bend her until she was on the verge of breaking. He reached out a single finger and drew soft, small circles around her, waiting for her to moan before he slipped it inside. She was already dripping wet and impossibly warm, making things more difficult on his end. Every bone in his body told him to forget what he was doing and jump on top of her.

Tyler tilted his head back and took a breath, fighting the urge to rush. He caught Nicki’s gaze, and found himself with the perfect opportunity to get back at her for all of her teasing. He ran his tongue along his upper lip, the way he always did during a game, that she’d so stupidly told him drove her wild. A short, maniacal laugh escaped him at the crease that had formed between her eyebrows, revealing all of her frustration. Tyler left his tongue out and slowly lowered his head, letting out a hot, heavy breath as he touched her.

The fingers that had so gently tousled his hair now had his locks in a death grip, and the hips that had waited so patiently for him bucked against his face, giving him no choice but to be aggressive with her. He added another finger, and nearly lost it as she clenched around it. The contractions in her muscles hinted that she was almost there, and the pleas for him to stop confirmed it. Tyler ignored her begging and continued to assault her until she let out a scream and dropped her hands from his hair.

He climbed over her and lied down by her side, resting a hand on her stomach.

“You done yet?” he asked, figuring maybe, for once, she’d had enough.

For a moment, she remained on her back with her eyes squeezed shut and heavy breaths expanding her chest. Just as Tyler relaxed, she got up. He whimpered when she sat on top of him, still soaked from their previous encounter. She slid him easily in and out, making his eyes roll to the back of his head.

Nicki placed her hands on his chest, propping herself up as she moved in ways he wasn’t sure were possible. They both knew that it would take more than usual to set him off this time around, as it became more difficult every time. He was running low on energy and on reserves, and Nicki was doing her absolute best to get one more go out of him.

Luckily for him, she could only take so much herself, and began to lessen her intensity. She leaned forward, lying flat on top of him. Tyler adored the intimacy of it, and wrapped his arms tightly around her. Nicki’s lips moved across his neck and shoulder, leaving kisses and soft love bites, which he was sure would be visible in the morning.

He focused on the way it felt to be inside of her; it was so right in so many ways. Tyler drew a strange sort of comfort from it, a comfort he couldn’t get anywhere else. As his mind wandered, he realized exactly what they were doing, and the importance of every moment they would share over the next two weeks.

Tyler had spent his entire adult and young adult life doing everything he could to not get a girl pregnant. He’d spent an unthinkable amount of money on an innumerable amount of condoms. He’d bought countless Plan B’s, and pulled out more times than he’d care to admit. And now, his one, fueling goal was to do just that. The idea that it wasn’t just about fun or pleasure anymore was exhilarating, motivating. Any one of the last few times or the next few times could be the deciding moment. It could be the instant when everything changes; when it isn’t just them anymore.

Somehow, it was liberating. It was as if nothing could stand in their way of getting what they wanted most. The sentimentality forced tears to brim in his eyes. Tyler held Nicki closer, never wanting to let go. If only she knew all of the things running through his mind. He was sure she would be tearing up, too.

The moment his attention returned to her, he began to lose it. His toes curled underneath themselves and his mouth shot open, letting out a loud groan. His fingers gripped her back as he let go of most likely everything he had left. Tyler’s chest heaved up and down while he tried to catch his breath. Nicki skillfully rolled off of him and tucked herself underneath his arm in one graceful movement.

“Now I’m done,” she said, draping her arm across his stomach.

Tyler laughed, partially from her tone of voice, and partially out of the relief that she was finally done with him. He closed his eyes as she snuggled up to him, appreciating every second of their time together. If he had to pick between cuddling and sex, there were times when he would honestly have to say cuddling. The way it felt to hold her was unsurpassable. He was the only one who could take care of her, the only one who could protect her. Seeing Nicki let her walls down around him never failed to make him feel incredible. She held a trust in him that she did with no one else, and he cherished that more than she would ever know.

He realized that there was something else he wanted to do and said, “I have a better idea.”

Nicki picked up her head to look at him, but he didn’t explain. Instead, he sat up against the wall and pulled her between his legs, causing them to become hopelessly entangled in the thin white sheet. She leaned back and molded into him so perfectly that they could have passed for a single being. Her head tilted back onto his shoulder, and Tyler leaned his on top of it.

“This place is so beautiful,” Nicki whispered, gazing out over the endless ocean.

“You know what else is beautiful?”

“What?” she asked, well aware of what he was about to say.

Tyler put his lips to her ear and whispered, “My wife.”

As he expected, he was responded with silence. There was no need for her to say anything, because her body did it for her. She shifted ever so slightly in his arms, curling up even closer to him than she’d been a moment before.

Just as Tyler was about to close his eyes, she spoke.

“I love you.”

Tyler smiled and pressed his lips to the side of her head.

“I love you, too.”