The sinking in her chest was almost as heavy as the aquamarine ring she wore on her left hand. She preferred diamonds or pearls, finding them much more classic, but something about this one called to her at the event gathering. Despite the two obviously having ‘matched’ for the evening, they had yet to speak more than a few words to one another. A greeting here, a awkward chuckle there. It was not their normal communication.
Now, sat in the back of a car with only half a foot of space between them, Lisette felt like a twenty year old again afraid of the man next to her noticing her glances. Well if he sees me looking anyway- “I like your suit, I don’t think I’ve seen this one before,” Lisette forces her voice to remain level even as her nerves eat at her. The only tell revealing this? Her -ever so slightly- bouncing leg.
If there was one thing Élodie would not deny, it was that she enjoyed attention when she invited it- and this dress certainly did just that. Hugging her body for what little skin it did cover, the black glittering fabric on her complection stood out boldly. A glass of wine already in hand, she sounters through the crowded space, happily allowing the many eyes to look up and down her long and exposed legs.
Then she saw her target not far from her. With another sip of her wine, Élode walks towards him with a smirk, “Now who wouldn’t match with you? Surely some Vixen is crying from their loss,”
Lisette had slept most of the plane ride, a habit she had since childhood travel, and now stood on the patio of their one bedroom villa on the sharpe coast of Capri in Italy. Since their three 'dinner dates’, Lisette was far more relaxed around Théo knowing what she knew now. Though the idea that they had three days and two nights together and only one queen bed to share did unsettle her. With everything the two had admitted in the last 24 hours, the idea of being away from London -away from their messy lives- was actually a good feeling.
“The girls miss the water,” Lisette says allowed as she snaps a quick photo to send to the nanny that is watching the twins while she is away. “They will be very jealous to know I’m away somewhere with a pool and this view. All I told them when I packed was that I was going away for a little vacation,” she admits with a chuckle.
Dress: Zuhair Murad Fall 2022
Nails: Matte Black and Coffin shaped (this is humorous to her)
Jewelry: Black Diamond Chanel studs
Shoes: Jimmy Choo 4 inch heels
Featuring: Cecelia Hathaway & Adam Carrigan
When: Sun. evening Feb. 13th
Notes: How Cece & her hubby spent Valentine’s Day
Most of Cecelia’s days were spent at Vixen, particularly the latter half of her days. Unless she had a meeting in the morning, she would attempt to sleep in, and her early afternoons, she would pick up her daughter from school and spend time with her family before heading into the club. She and Adam had a fairly solid routine for their family that worked well for them. However, between the two of them, he was better at surprising her and injecting welcomed moments of spontaneity into their relationship, which was just one of the things Cece loved about him.
This year for Valentine’s Day, she decided to try and surprise him. While her step-daughters had plans, she managed to secure a sleepover for Eleanor with one of her classmates. From there, it was a matter of keeping the secret from him without raising suspicion. When you’re married to someone who formerly was in the UK’s elite military forces, it was tough, to say the least. Instead of risking curiosity by being distant at the house, she’d set up her plans some time ago and instead, only told Adam not to make any plans that Sunday or Monday.
“What are we doing?” he asked, to which Cece just smiled and told him, “Just don’t make any plans, okay?”
He answered her with a smile that was both curious and entertained; to her relief, he hadn’t pressed the matter further, beyond asked, “Does this mean I should cancel the dinner reservation I made us?”
Cece hummed, “Mmhm. I appreciate the thought, but cancel them.”
He arched a brow at her but agreed to do so the week before.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
That Sunday, the two of them spent the bulk of the day with their youngest, exchanging Valentine’s Day gifts, having brunch together, and enjoying quality time together. Later in the day, Adam and Cece had showered together and gotten re-dressed in their bedroom. With what limited information his wife had provided, Adam dressed in slate-colored dress pants and a pale pink dress shirt. He had just finished tying his dress shoes and slid a wine-colored neck tie around his collar when Cece emerged from their closet in her attire for the night and a single red rose between her fingers.
“Wow...”
“You like?” she asked, giving a slow turn in her heels and then walking over to him, handing him the rose.
He gripped her waist and hummed into the crook of her neck, “Mmm no. I love.”
Cecelia gave him a quick kiss and then promptly wiped away her lipstick from his lips. She then went back to the closet and came back, setting a relatively small overnight bag on their bed. When Adam attempted to peek inside of it, she swatted his hand away.
“Hey!”
She answered his smirk with one of her own, “No peeking. Just relax and come with me.”
The pair went to Eleanor’s room to make sure she was ready to go, and then the three climbed into a waiting town car where a driver had taken them to Eleanor’s classmate’s home. The loving parents gave goodbye hugs and kisses to their daughter, thanked the family who would be watching her for the night, and then continued on.
“Will I have to put a scarf over my eyes?” Adam asked, not being given any clue as to where they were going.
Cece chuckled, “No. Although...”
Adam’s look of reproach, accompanied with a, “Don’t you dare,” made her laugh and lace her fingers between his.
“I won’t blindfold you. I just wanted to do something nice for the two of us. Give us a little change of scenery for a night.”
Some time later, the town care came to a stop at the docks of the River Thames. Just beyond that, floating on the water and gleaming under the glow of sunset was a yacht. The driver of the town car opened one of the rear doors and Adam stepped out, holding a hand out for his wife.
Cecelia accepted her husband’s hand and carefully stepped out of the car. Hands intertwined again, she walked with him to the dock. A man in a white polo and navy blue slacks greeted the couple and accepted their bag from the driver, who bid the couple a goodnight with a promise to pick them up in the afternoon the next day.
The two boarded the yacht and didn’t have far to walk before being welcomed with a candlelit table for two and soft jazz music. Someone else dressed identically as the man on the dock arrived with two silver domed plates, placing them on either side of a bucket where champagne chilled. Cece watched Adam’s reaction and then told him, “I love you. You do so much for me, for our family. You’re so loving and giving, and I know one night on a yacht in a cocktail dress doesn’t express all of my love, gratitude and appreciation--”
“Love, I would happily take you on this yacht in just those heels.” He paused and then added, “The jewelry can stay too.”
While heat darkened Cece’s made-up cheeks, she playfully smacked his chest and shook her head at him, grinning, “I’m so glad I’m over here trying to be romantic just for you to spoil it.”
Adam chuckled with zero apology and bent his head to kiss his wife full on the lips. He hadn’t pulled away until he’d thoroughly taken her breath away.
Hear heart was beating as though it was the first time he’d kissed her. He still knew how to make her head swim and her knees turn to butter with a kiss. Cecelia had her arms wrapped around his shoulders, well after their lips parted. When she found her voice again, she spoke just above a whisper, “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he replied and added an “I love you” whispered low in her ear along with a few other hushed sweet nothings, making her shiver. He must have sensed it or felt it because he chuckled and then started towards the table.
Cecelia’s hand shot out and gripped his wrist, stopping him. When he turned and looked back to her with a bit of surprise on his face, she pulled on his wrist while muttering, “Fuck it. Dinner can wait,” and pulled on his lapels with all her strength. Seconds later, her Dior-clad feet were securely off the ground and she was being whisked away to the yacht’s lower deck.
Dress- Zuhair Murad Spring 2022
Shoes- Christian Louboutin 3 inch heels (as her maker above intended)
Makeup- Dior cosmetics
Necklace- Pearl and Gold Gifted to her by Théo.
Ring- Aquamarine stone and Gold band on loan from TWI
