A/N: Noah and Elle's (private) engagement celebrations
Noah
The first time I wake up, I feel a moment of sadness. I'd been having a very nice dream. Then I realize that what woke me was far more pleasant and I smirk into the darkness. Elle has decided to wake me with a combination of roving hands and a trail of kisses heading ever further south down my body. Suddenly my dream pales by comparison.
The second time I wake up, I feel ecstatic. Elle is curled against my side, her head on my chest and her left hand resting on my stomach. Her left hand that now bears the engagement ring I gave her last night. We're engaged. Elle's my fiancée.
I smile and kiss her hair, running my fingers down her arm to her hand. She stirs slightly and it's enough for me to be able to extract myself from the bed. I take a quick shower and when I open the door to the bedroom, Elle is still fast asleep. I pad past the bed in my towel and head downstairs to make coffee.
Inspiration strikes once I'm in the kitchen and I decide to make breakfast. I busy myself slicing fruit and making pancakes and when I turn around to slide the last of them onto a plate, I spot her. Elle is leaning against the doorway, wearing my shirt from last night, and I'm pretty sure nothing else. Her hair is wild, her lips are pink and a little swollen. She looks gorgeous. Clearly I've caught her staring at me, so I decide to have some fun.
"You're just gonna stand there gawking?" I smirk.
Elle catches on quickly. "Yeah. Yeah I think I might." Her gaze sweeps over me, lingering on the towel before she meets my eyes again. "You don't happen to own a grey tie, do you?"
I close the distance between us in a few steps and sling her over my shoulder again, heading up the stairs. "I think I can improvise."
As it turns out, the sash from a bathrobe is a handy substitute for a tie, at least when it comes to using it to restrain Elle's hands, anyway. I don't miss her sharp intake of breath when I pull the knot tight, or the way her skin flushes when I sit back on my heels, admiring the way she looks stretched out naked on the bed. With her arms up above her head, resting near the headboard, her chest is pushed out enticingly, making my fingers itch to touch her. But I don't.
Instead, I stay put, kneeling down near the foot of the bed, letting my eyes roam over every inch of her bare skin, watching the way it heats under my gaze. Elle's biting her plump bottom lip now, staring back at me with heavy-lidded eyes. It's insatiable, this need we have for each other, and I'm not sure how we ever managed to deny it, really. But that's a thought for another day.
Right now, in this moment, I intend to enjoy every second of giving in to my overwhelming desire for my gorgeous fiancée. Of course, that doesn't mean I'm just going to give Elle what she wants right away. Oh, no, I think smugly, it'll be far more fun to make her beg.
"Close your eyes," I whisper roughly.
Elle narrows her gaze slightly but then complies without saying a word, which is a surprise to say the least.
"Hmm, good."
She knows I'm still watching her, I can tell by the way she's trying not to squirm. Elle's waiting for me to make a move, to touch her, to do something, anything. I wait a couple more breaths, just to build the anticipation that tiny bit more. And then I move, bracing myself over Elle, making certain not to let any part of my body touch any part of hers.
She shivers when my warm breath ghosts along her neck down towards her collarbone, and her chest arches upwards ever so slightly as if she's trying to meet my lips with her skin. It's a nice idea, but I'm not playing nice just yet. Elle and I have barely left this bed since I carried her up the stairs and threw her down on it last night, so I'm making an effort to make this time different.
***
"You're teasing," Elle breathes.
I husk out a laugh, the hot air causing her nipples to harden.
"Yeah, I am. But don't try and tell me you're not enjoying it."
Her lips quirk up at the corners in response, making me smirk in satisfaction. Dipping down again, I continue my leisurely path along Elle's body, alternating between breathing out warm air and blowing lightly on her skin. By the time I make it to her knees, they're clamped together as she tries to dissipate the need between her legs. Yeah, I don't think so.
There's only one thing that's going to make that ache go away, and that's me. But first... I flip Elle over onto her front, causing her to shriek in surprise.
"What are you doing?!"
Moving back over her, I place my lips close enough to brush her ear.
"Shhh, you'll just have to trust me. Think you can do that?"
"Uh huh, yeah."
Elle's breathy eagerness makes it hard not to submit to the temptation of giving us both what we want. But I settle for nipping her earlobe and whispering, "Good girl." It's not a phrase I use often, but it has the desired response. Her breath catches, and she can't seem to stay completely still below me anymore.
If breath was the game before, this time it's going to be teeth. Not in a vicious way though, just in a light and playful way. It tends to drive Elle wild when I graze my teeth over her skin, especially right... there. That spot where her pulse thumps wildly against the side of her neck.
And... there, at her nape. I don't know if it's purely just the teeth that has her melting, or if it's the combination of that and the way I tease my tongue across the spots afterwards. With her hair already swept over to one side, I make my way down her spine. When I reach her waist, I move across, nibbling along the soft curve there, over her hip, down to where the top of her thigh meets her ass.
Elle's pretty much panting now, her legs parting slightly in anticipation of what I might do next. Her body jerks when I wrap a hand around one thigh, and my mouth finds the silky skin about halfway between her knee and where she wants me. She moans when I suck on the soft flesh, the combination of teeth and tongue rough enough to leave a mark. I repeat the process on the other side, just a little higher, a little closer, and grin against her skin as Elle arches her back, lifting her hips up the tiniest bit.
It's enough, though. Enough that I can clearly see how turned on she is. The feeling's mutual, so much so that it's a painful test of my patience. Sitting up again, I maneuver Elle's legs so her knees are bent up on either side of her hips, almost frog-like. Then I run the palm of my hand over her lower back, turning it as I slide it down her ass and between her legs. I'm still teasing, my fingertips skating along the crease at the top of her thigh, so close and yet so far from her center.
"Noah..." Elle whines, her eyes screwed shut in frustration.
"Mmm?" I hum, moving to lean over her again while my hand continues tracing safe paths between her legs. "Did you need something?"
"You know already," she pouts, head turned to the side, eyes still closed.
"Tell me anyway."
"I need you to touch me. Please."
Moving not even an inch across, I tease two fingers around her opening and she tries to push back onto them. I stop her with my other hand resting on the small of her back, keeping her hips still. An irritated sound falls from her mouth.
"Shhh," I soothe. "We're taking this slow. You said you'd trust me, remember?"
"I do, but..."
"But nothing. Relax, go with it."
"Okay, fine."
Elle's voice is a little bit huffy, but I take it, dropping a kiss on her shoulder blade and continuing the slow circles before moving higher, repeating that same circling motion around her clit without applying any direct pressure. She's pouting, but the delayed gratification will work in her favor eventually, I'll make sure of that. She can't touch me with her hands bound, can't see me with her eyes closed, can't move to get closer with my hand holding her in place. That sensory deprivation is just making everything I'm doing (and not doing) to her that much more intense.
Case in point, the way Elle moans when I finally drag my fingers over her swollen bundle of nerves. I'm barely touching her, but you'd be forgiven for thinking she was about to come, she's so loud. My fingers retreat to safe zones again, back to tracing around her center, and she gets restless.
"More?" I smile against her jaw.
"Please."
With deliberate, agonizing slowness, I ease two fingers inside her, and the way she clenches around them combined with how her back arches beneath me is enough to make me ache with need. As much as I'm torturing Elle, I'm also torturing myself, but that seems only fair. Withdrawing my fingers, I move up to her clit, circling around and over it before thrusting back inside her damp heat. Over and over I repeat this, until Elle's fingers are white from where she's gripping the headboard and her face is buried in the pillows.
I can still make out the begging, though, muffled as it is.
"Please, please, please, please. Noah, please."
"Please what?"
"Please just let me come."
"I'm not stopping you," I smirk.
Elle twists her head to the side, narrowed eyes trying to find mine.
"But you're not making me, either."
"Hmm, how about... this?"
I increase the pressure and speed of my fingers and almost immediately, Elle detonates. Her eyes slam shut again and her lips part in a silent scream. I've edged her for long enough that I know it's intense. The way I'm curved over her back, I can feel the tremors as they rip through her body. Her breath is all gasps and shallow panting for a few minutes as she recovers, but once she does, she starts giggling.
"Holy shit! That was... something else."
I bite the side of my lip to stop a laugh. "So you don't hate me then?"
"Not now!"
Elle tries to move, and I help, hauling her up so she's kneeling between my legs, her back still to my chest. Reaching around her, I undo the knots from around her wrists. They did their job well, I smirk. As soon as her hands are free, Elle half-turns and grabs my face, pulling it to hers for a searing kiss. When we surface for air, she grins at me, her eyes flicking downwards between us.
"I still want you."
"I was very much hoping that would be the case," I chuckle.
Placing my hands on her hips, I lift Elle before slowly lowering her onto me, my mouth finding her shoulder as I groan. Her head lolls back against my collarbone as I bury myself inside her as far as I can go and we pause there, savoring how amazing it feels. My arms wrap around Elle's torso, gripping her tight to me, because right now any space between us is too much. She slides her hands along my arms, before threading her fingers through mine.
My gaze is drawn to the ring on her finger, the way the sunlight catches the stones, casting glimmers of rainbows about. My heart swells with pride that this incredible woman is mine forever and that I get to be hers, always. We've staked our claims on each other - mind, body and soul. I'd do just about anything to make Elle happy, and right now that means drawing as much pleasure out of her as possible.
***
Breakfast has now turned into brunch and we are sitting out on the deck when Elle clears her throat. I look up at her and she smiles shyly at me.
"As much as I've enjoyed this bubble we've been in--"
I raise an eyebrow at her and she blushes. I know exactly how much she's enjoyed this. I've enjoyed it just as much.
"I think we should probably let people know that we haven't killed one another. And you know, the good news."
I decide to mess with her a little bit, for old time's sake, and give her a blank look.
"What good news?"
Shelly rises to the bait just like I'd hoped.
"Oh, I don't know, Noah, maybe about how you stuck this big freakin' rock on my finger last night?"
"Hey! I did not just stick that on your finger! I thought it was a pretty good proposal, missy."
She beams at me and leaps up from her chair to run around the table and jump in my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.
"Oh, it was good. It was very good. Perfect actually."
I smile broadly and she leans in to kiss me but stops, bursting into laughter.
"Oh, my God! Lee was right!"
What? Why are we talking about Lee?
The confusion must be quite evident on my face because Shelly takes pity on me and explains.
"Back when Lee and I went to Yosemite for spring break that time, we accidentally almost interrupted someone's proposal. Anyway, I said to him that in the future if someone ever wanted to know how to propose to me, they could always ask him what I'd like. But then, Lee told me that the right guy wouldn't need to ask, because he'd already know."
"So, in a roundabout way, Lee can't deny I'm the right guy for you, after all?" I grin.
Elle punches me lightly on the shoulder.
"You don't have to be an ass about it."
"Oh, no, I do. I definitely do."
I decide to make this easy on Elle, because I know it's what she wants anyway.
"In fact, I think our first phone call should be to Lee. You know, just to tell him he was right after all."
Her eyes go wide. "Really? Can we call him now?"
I nod, laughing and she grabs her phone before jumping in my lap again.
Elle composes her face, looking very serious and I know she's up to something. She presses her finger to her lips and I nod gravely. The FaceTime call connects to Lee and I can see his face, but I'm out of view at our end.
"Hey, what's up? You've been radio silent since yesterday afternoon."
"Lee," Elle starts, her voice somber and her eyes downcast. "I've got some bad news."
I know she's messing with him, but her acting abilities are a little bit terrifying.
"What happened?!" Lee's voice is loud now and verging on angry. "What did he do? I swear to God, if Noah did anything-"
"Lee!" Elle says, looking at him now, shutting him up. "The bad news is...." She brings her left hand up in front of her face, in view of the camera... "I'm officially off the market!"
Lee's eyes go wide and then I see him jump up and start bouncing up and down on the bed he'd been sitting on. "Woohoo!!! Oh, my God, yes!!! You're finally actually gonna be my sister!"
Elle giggles and just about bounces in my lap too. I can't help but laugh at the two of them. Elle's so happy and that makes me happier than I've ever been in my life.
"Wait! Wait! Where's Noah?" Lee says suddenly after he's calmed himself and sat down again.
I grab the phone from Elle and make use of my long arms again to put us both in the frame. "Hey, bro," I grin.
"Congrats, man. Good to see you've come to your senses and locked Elle down before she comes to hers."
"Bye Lee," I joke.
"No, wait! Seriously, bro. Congratulations. You know I've been pulling for you two for awhile now. I honestly wasn't sure if you'd get there, but I was hoping. Oh, my God! I'm so happy for you guys. Wait! Who knows?"
"You're the first, Lee," Elle says sweetly.
"Naww, yay! I can't wait to tell Rachel. She's gonna die. Oh! When are you going to tell Mom? Actually all our parents. Can I be there? I really want to take a photo of Mom's face, that is going to be puh-riceless."
Elle and I look at each other, both of us raising our eyebrows. We hadn't thought past the phoning Lee part. Today's Saturday, which meant we would be having lunch with everyone tomorrow... I see Elle start to grin as she comes to the same conclusion.
"I guess we could just tell everyone at lunch tomorrow?" I say to Lee.
"If!" Elle points her index finger at him. "You can keep this a secret for 24 hours."
"I have to tell Rachel!" Lee pleads.
"Yeah, of course Rachel, duh. But nobody else," Elle warns him and then looks back at me. "And we'll keep it off socials until after lunch tomorrow."
I nod, more than happy to have Elle all to myself for another day.
"YES!!" Lee yells.
Honestly I think he's more excited about being able to witness the announcement tomorrow than he is about our actual engagement, but I'm willing to give him this one. I'm pretty keen to see Mom's expression too. Elle's dad already has a heads up that this is coming, at least at some point. I had a long talk with him before I bought the ring. After everything that happened between Elle and I before, it was important to me to have his blessing. I needed to know that he trusted me to take care of Elle.
I zone out a little as Lee and Elle chatter on for awhile. I've had a lot of practice tuning them out over the years, and it no longer bothers me the way it once did. I remember a conversation I had with Rachel before she and Lee got married. Lee and Elle were in their bubble, basically talking gibberish. I looked over at Rachel and said, "You get used to it."
She laughed. "Yeah, you do. I know it got to me, back in high school. I never understood how they could be so close. Then I became friends with a girl freshman year of college who was a twin. Her brother would come to visit and it was exactly like these two," she gestured at Lee and Elle. "They finished each other's sentences, they automatically removed food the other didn't like off their plates, the whole bit. That's when I remembered you calling Elle and Lee the wonder twins."
By some strange twist of fate, Elle and Lee were born on the same day, at the same time. It was kind of spooky, but they actually had been friends their entire lives.
"Anyway," Rachel continued, "it finally clicked that this wasn't something they were doing, this is who they are. They can't be any other way."
I was glad Rachel had been able to accept the wonder twins' particular kind of crazy. I was also glad I would always have her to talk to when they were on a roll. But on that note...
"Lee," I interrupt, "don't you want to go tell your wife the good news? I would like my fiancée back now please." I kiss Elle's cheek and when she turns to look at me, I kiss her on the lips.
"Yep! Going, going now. Before I go blind. Or vomit. Congrats again, bye."
I chuckle as Lee's face disappears from the screen. I put the phone down on the table and Elle looks at me expectantly.
"What?" I ask, puzzled.
"Well....we just bought ourselves a whole other day alone together..." her smile is very coy and she's looking up at me through her eyelashes.
"Good God, woman! You're going to be the death of me." I protest half-heartedly.
Elle gets up off my lap and starts towards the house.
"Well, if you aren't up to it, I guess I'll just have to find some other way to amuse myself this afternoon."
She doesn't get far before I scoop her up with one arm behind her knees, the other around her shoulders.
"Noah!" she squeals, then wraps her arms around my neck. "I can actually walk, you know?"
I decide it's time to see if I've still got game. I give her my best smirk, the one that's just for her.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to see what I can do about that."
The look of shock on her face is totally worth it. The next look she gives me is so full of desire I know I've met my match here.