Ride (Reposted)

June 2015

They woke up to a gloomy morning in their resort room, the day they were supposed to get their pictures done.

Jamie had let her sleep in while he cooked breakfast for her and took the dog out for a walk.
Needless to say he was a little nervous, and it showed, fumbling over pots and pans. Stuttering whenever the butterflies had came back. He had treated her to a spa day yesterday, and took her out to a romantic dinner at a small seafood restaurant in town.

"You spoil me." She sighed as she came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and still in her robe.

"You deserve to be spoiled after taking care of me for that long." He smiled at her as she put her arms around his waist, "the photographer will be in the lobby soon. We should get ready."

"You still aren't out of the woods yet. What are you going to wear? Please not black." She asked quietly.

"I think my khaki shorts and a white t-shirt. The fog will burn off." He kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to go get ready."

He watched her head back into the bathroom to get ready. Wiping his hands of sweat again for what seemed to be the millionth time that morning, he tried to keep his cool around her. Hearing Bailey whine to get onto their balcony. Stepping outside he figured it wouldn't get any warmer then the 13 degrees and he wanted to keep her warm.

Heading to the master of the suite they were using, he saw that she had on shorts and a t-shirt.

"You might want to put on jeans and a sweater." He suggested, laying on the bed.

"Is it not going to warm up?" She asked innocently.

"Nah."

He watched her shrug and shimmy off her shorts. They were already cutting it close so he had to resist all urges to have his way with her or else they would would have really been late.

"Stop looking at my ass." She laughed as she threw her shorts at him.

"I can't help it. It's my favourite thing after your tits."

"JAMIE!" She gave him a dirty look, her voice so high that Bailey could only hear it.

"I'm joking baby." He giggled, getting up to give her a hug.

"Get ready. We're late." She tried to push away, but she wasn't strong enough, "and don't slick your hair flat."

He let her go so she could go get Bailey ready, with how particular she was. He felt her grab his ass as she left, making him groan. His mission was to get dressed as quickly as possible and hide the ring in his pocket before she made her way back into the master suite.

"Babe, are you ready yet?" She hollered from the living room, as he was finishing off his hair, 15 minutes later.

Bailey was barking so she must have leashed him up.

"5 more minutes." He groaned.

Making sure the ring was safely stowed in his pants pocket, he did a once over to make sure that she didn't catch him.

***

To say Jamie was jumpy was an understatement. It was like he was startled at every move she made. He made sure she didn't lift a single finger carrying the luggage almost the entire trip when he wasn't ready to even be lifting a thing according to the doctors. They could have upped his dosage for pain meds as he had still been in a lot of pain, but being a former druggie, the meds he was on were downers, not uppers.

She let it go, thinking he had just been in a weird mood after being in the car for three days straight, at least he wasn't grumpy, but he had very obviously been calling her his fiancée or wife, and then denying it. She figured he was just being an asshole, knowing that they were comfortably common law.

It was cold on the beach, and they were finally winding down their picture session, Jamie was uncomfortable with it all and she was getting annoyed with him. They had placed Bailey back in their hotel room so they could get some pictures of just the two of them, it was a painful process and she just wanted to get it over with, knowing that the pictures probably weren't going to turn out very good. The photographer on the other hand was patient and very forgiving. She would also suggest poses for them if they didn't know what to do.

Emily had her back turned to Jamie and she quietly heard him say 'babe', very uneasily.
It made her nervous but she did turn around to find him down on one knee.

It was happening.

This was why he was so nervous. She knew it was happening. She didn't know he was just well enough to actually get down on one knee. He must have been waiting for it to be captured on camera. Fucking romantic asshole.

"Jamie," she gasped.

"Emily. When I met you in the bar that night, I wanted to take you home to bed, but I'm glad you weren't that kind of girl. When I saw you at the range that day I needed your number. I knew you were special." He said confidently.

"Babeee." She could feel herself blushing.

"We've been through a lot. And I'm sure there were times where you wanted to kill me. I've put you through a lot. With hockey, with being injured. Playing injured. Going to Russia, putting up with my black eyes, stitches and broken noses. You quit your dream job for me, to take care of me. Your my best friend, and I'm forever grateful that you are here with me today. When I found out you were pregnant, I knew I needed to make you my wife. When we lost the baby, I was wrecked, you didn't see it, but I was, especially during moments when you flatlined on me. We've come along way."

He waited for her to say something while he paused briefly. She was pretty sure she just stood there with her hands over her mouth with a dumbfounded look on her face.

"I guess what I'm saying, and you probably have known this for a while with how I've been acting, is, will you marry me?" He pulled out the ring out of his pocket and held it up to her.

She was speechless, and she felt her eyes well up.

"Emily?"

"Yes! Sorry Jamie. I knew it was coming. This explains so much." She gave him her left hand and he slid it on. Which fit perfectly.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he buried his face in her chest, she saw the smile before he hid his face. She slid down to her knees, so she was level with him. She completely forgot about the photographer, she didn't care. She let him kiss her deeply, tangling his fingers in her hair.

"Em." He grunted.

"Yes fiancé." She giggled.

"Can you help me up, this really hurts my hips." He smiled.

She pulled him up and the next thing she knew he had her in another embrace. Another half an hour and they wrapped up with the photographer. She couldn't stop looking at her engagement ring.

It looked simple from above, with its large, elongated cushion cut diamond, with a halo of very pale pink pave diamonds, followed but a second halo of white pave diamonds and the platinum band was covered in white pave diamonds as well, under the big diamond, the metal as bent and moulded in an intricate way. Jamie did well.

They parted ways with the photographer and they set foot down the beach. Walking along the shore line she clung to his muscular, tattooed arm tight.

"We have come along way." She whispered, thinking back on his speech.

"Hm?" He stopped to look down at her.

"We have come along way. Especially after you cut your long greasy hair." She laughed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"You had to go there. When should we announce?" He was eager, she could see it in his eyes.

"Let's tell our parents, Alex, Jordie and Jenny first. And then our closest friends. I have a feeling you already told multiple people in advanced and they were all very good secret keepers." She glanced up at him.

"You knew it was coming." He leaned down to kiss her.

"I did but not this soon. I love my ring. It's gorgeous." She let him kiss her, and then looking at her ring again.

"How often are you going to stare at it?"

"Until I go blind." She laughed.

"What do you say we head back to the room and practice consummating the marriage."

"Jamison Randolph Benn. Master of pick up lines. My future husband." She rolled her eyes at him, giving him a light push.

He kissed her forehead before leading her back towards their hotel, where Bailey was waiting patiently.

"Mommy and daddy are getting married Bailey!" She announced as they came in, trying to shush him as they walked in the door.

She felt Jamie's hand caress her backside as they made their way further into their room, signalling to the bedroom.

She followed him in, but it was one of the moments where he didn't want sex, but spend time just laying in bed, doing absolutely nothing but having her in his arms.

"I love you." She said quietly.

"I love you too." He pulled her closer to him.

The remainder of June was a whirl wind, Jamie watched the Chicago Blackhawks lift the cup once more with disgust. She knew how much he wanted it, along with his Art Ross trophy.

The night it was lifted they sat on their couch in Dallas, him with his hands covering his mouth, slouched forward, glaring at the TV, and she tried to soothe him by rubbing his back.

"Babe you know you can't sit like that for long." She said concerned for his hips, thinking that they would seize up again.

"That should be me on the ice lifting that trophy." He grumbled.

"Babe, you'll get yours." She wrapped her arms around his shoulder, "besides, you told me that I was a better prize then the cup."

"Yeah I suppose." He leaned to kiss her on the forehead.

***

The next thing they knew they were in Las Vegas. It was a family affair with his parents, Jordie and Jenny. They lucked out and got their own room looking over the strip. He loved his parents and siblings, but with everyone in Vegas, it was overwhelming. Especially with how proud of him everyone was. He liked he alone time in his room, especially when Emily was out shopping or having dinner with some of the other wives and girlfriends.

There was a lot of attention with the recent engagement too. A lot of positivity from the hockey world, all of Jamie's closest friends in the league knew how much he loved her. But there was some negative attention, most usually thinking that it was too soon as they had only been together for a little over two years, but he didn't listen to that. He loved seeing her all dressed up. She always got to see him in nice suits, and she rarely dressed up, aside from New Years and other team events.

"Jamie your tie is crooked." She pointed out as he put on his suit jacket, "let me help."

"It's a new tie, they're always stiff." He smiled down at her as she fixed it for him.

"You should have just left it tied."

"Yes. I know." He rolled his eyes with a grin.

"What are you going to do on our wedding day and I'm not there to fix your tie?"

"Why don't we get married tonight? We're in Vegas, you're wearing a dress. I'm in a tux." He snuck his hands around her waist, cupping her ass.

"I'm going to change into a suit." She said dryly.

"Hey, I did everything you asked. Now that I properly proposed to you I think you should improperly marry me. And keep that dress on. It looks good on you."

"Are you saying the other ones didn't look good. And I want a ceremony, a wedding dress. Bahamas, our friends and family."

"The Bahamas eh? I say Vegas tonight. Your my lucky charm babe. I can't legally gamble in the casinos but I can take a gamble on getting married tonight."

"The odds are definitely not in your favour."

"I'll just get you drunk it's easier to persuade you."

"It's time to go." She pulled away.

Watching her slip on her shoes she went from being a whole 5'4" to 5'9" and just under his chin. He didn't know how she could walk in those towering heels, but it made her long tan legs much longer. Which he thoroughly enjoyed.

"Are you coming?" She turned to look at him.

"I will be later. In bed. All night long baby." He winked.

"Jamie! Really?" She stopped and gave him a dirty look.

He didn't realize his parents were right outside their door, and heard every last word he said. Needless to say the ride down the elevator was awkward. They had a good night, until they went into Hakkasan. He was exhausted, Emily didn't feel like drinking, but everyone persuaded them to go out.

"Baby, you don't have to drink if you don't want too." He said softly into her ear.

"Maybe just a few." She giggled, as he pulled her into him, "I'm going to get something now."

***

Emily woke up with no recollection of dancing at Hakkasan, how they got home. She was wearing the worn out Kelowna Rocket's t-shirt she stole from Jamie when she first spent the night at his old apartment and a pair of his underwear. She had the hangover equivalent of being high. She knew she didn't drink that much last night. A glass of champagne in the room, another one in the bus. A vodka lime during the awards ceremony, another one when they got to the bar, along with a couple of shots. She had ordered a Moscow Mule and that's when everything went dark.

Jamie was no where to be found, and looking at the clock he was at his presser. She didn't know if she should stay and wait for him or go down to the pool ahead of him. Deciding that ordering room service and staying in bed was best suited for the day she waited for Jamie to come back to the room. After breakfast she laid in bed and dosed off as she watched TV.

"Still sleeping I see?" She heard Jamie said, with a bit of an irritated undertone to his voice.

"My head hurts so much." She groaned, rolling over under the duvet, peering out at him from underneath it.

"What did you take last night?" He accused.

"Nothing. And I didn't drink that much either." She defended herself, "I think someone put something in my drink when I was dancing with Linds and Angie."

"You were sloppy when you came back. I had to carry you back to the room because you couldn't stand. And I know how easy it is to get coke here in Vegas."

"Jamie. I swear I didn't take anything. Someone probably drugged me. You know I don't do drugs any more. I haven't touched anything besides for my pain meds since last year before Russia. And coke never knocked me on my ass." She sat up.

"Should I take you to the hospital and see if you were roofied?"

"Jamie. I know I was drugged. I know I got back safe to the room thanks to you. I can call everyone and apologize for embarrassing you."

"You didn't embarrass me. You told me you wanted to go. Very sloppily." He crossed his arms.

"You didn't even take my extensions out." She just realized, scratching at the tracks where her clip ins were.

"How the hell was I supposed to know you even had them in? Let along take them out!"

"You watched me put them in. My hair was longer and thicker then what it normally was. You just snap them out." She groaned.

"Your so attractive when your hungover." He rolled his eyes at her, taking off his dress shirt.

"I'm hot mess. With a hot fiancé and a pretty ring." She rolled out of bed and sauntered into the bathroom.

"That's my underwear that you are wearing and I want them back." He followed her in.

"I thought you put them on me last night."

"Nope, you did all on your own. I just put the shirt on you."

"I'm impressed with myself." She giggled.

"What do you say we go lay by the pool the rest of the afternoon?" He wrapped his arms around her from behind after she took her extensions out.

"I think I can handle that. You look sexy with a tan anyways." She glanced at him in the mirror.

Notes