Thanks to all my faithful readers for waiting so long for my new story. It was a bit lengthy, so I split it into three chapters. I hope you all love this story. It took me a very long time to write. I would like to thank my editor for his patient editing and his helpful hints. Enjoy.
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Elise looked at me while I drove. Every time I looked back at her, she just smiled. I parked the car in front of my parents' house and turned to face her.
"You have been watching me the whole way." I stared into her cerulean eyes, getting lost in a sea of blue once more.
"I just love to look at you. You are so sexy... and sweet... and cute... and gorgeous... and handsome. How many times have I told you that I love you?" Elise put her hand on my leg, still gazing into my eyes.
"You've told me at least five times since yesterday and I will never get tired of hearing it, or saying it to you, either, because I know we both mean it." I put one hand on hers where she touched my leg and my other behind her neck, to pull her to me for a passionate kiss.
"I love you," we both said at the same time then kissed again.
We got out of the car and walked hand in hand into the house. The house was quiet, so I led Elise through the house and out the back by the pool. My parents were having drinks. They talked and laughed about my childhood days.
My father is a big man: wide chest, broad shoulders, muscular arms and legs, slightly flabby stomach and of course... tall, dark and handsome as my mother always says. His dark hair is only starting to show a little grey now. His face has the telltale signs of laughter lines next to his brown eyes. He has thin lips and a slightly square jaw line. I got my height from my father.
My mother fits right under his arm. She has a thin build body like me. She is very fit for her age. I got my straight blond hair from my mother. She has colour-changing eyes depending on what mood she is in or what colour she is wearing. Her lips are rich and full with a U-shaped jaw line. She also has laughter lines like my father, indicating that they live a happy life together. Except for my square jaw line and my eye colour, I look a lot more like my mother than my father.
"Please don't tell me you're laughing about my childhood sillies again," I requested as Elise and I walked toward them.
"Oh, the girls are here," my mother said. She jumped to her feet.
"Hi Mom, this is Elise my girlfriend. Elise, this is my mother, Vanessa." My Dad stood up and joined us.
"Hi my girl, how are you?" he asked as he swept me off my feet into a loving bear hug.
"Hi Dad, I'm great. This is Elise. This is my Dad, Anthony." I introduced them to each other.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear." My parents each gave Elise a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
She froze briefly when my parents hugged her instead of shaking her hand and then leaned into the hug.
"It's great to meet you. I've heard a lot about you," Elise said. She snuggled under my arm and cupped one of my ass cheeks for comfort.
Elise has always been a bit scared and shy when meeting new people. Over the past ten months of our relationship, I had taken over the role of being her rock and protector. To my surprise she didn't seem at all scared or shy around my parents. She was calm and her usual bubbly self, the same as when she was with me. We sat down and had a drink while my parents and Elise got a little better acquainted.
"Honey, I will be right back." I kissed her on the lips and went into the house. I stood at the door for a moment and watched her with my parents. They seemed to like her a lot. I headed back to the car to get her bag and the box of toys that I had hidden the day before.
"Shannon, I want to talk to you about something," my Dad called out to me.
"What do you want to talk about Dad?" I waited for him to catch up to me. He took Elise's bag from me.
"Well, it's about Elise's birthday gift. Your mother and I are sponsoring a scholarship for her. Do you know where she wants to go for further studies?" he asked while we walked toward the pool house.
"That's very thoughtful of you and Mom. Elise will be very happy. She told me that she wants to study at the college here in town to be close to me. I think it's TUT, if I'm not mistaken." I opened the door to the pool house and gasped.
It was furnished with modern furniture but looked cosy and homey. There was a table standing in the kitchen set for two with candles and flowers: Lilac and Dahlias. Next to the table stood an ice bucket with a bottle of white wine in it.
To my right, next to the home theatre system stood a CD of love songs. On the kitchen counter was an envelope, a package and a small box. The envelope I guessed was the scholarship offer from my parents. The package and small box were gifts from me. I bought an engagement ring the last weekend I was here. The package was a book I had made up of all the poems Elise had written for me.
"Dad, this is breathtaking, thank you." I threw my arms around him and kissed him on the cheek.
"It was nothing, my girl." He returned my hug.
"Did you really do all this by yourself?" I asked him, looking around the pool house.
"Well, I didn't get your mother with only my smarts and good looks. I do have good taste too." He kissed me on the forehead and gave me Elise's bag.
"Dad, what do you think of Elise? Do you think it's too early to do this?" I asked in with a serious tone. I knew and trusted that he would tell me the truth of what he thought.
"I think she's a keeper, marriage material. I can see that she really does love you. If this feels right to you and you are happy, then you should go for it."
My father released me and left. I headed toward the bedroom to put the bag and box away. There were rose petals all over the bed, fragrant candles everywhere next to the bed. I put everything down then headed back to join everyone for lunch. I grabbed the envelope, package and little box on my way out. I stuffed the little box in my pocket to hide it.
I planned all this weeks ago. I think that her birthday is the perfect opportunity. The pool house had to be finished and I had a little shopping to do. It wasn't easy to do because I let Elise read my mail for me whenever I was busy. Letting her read my credit card statement would have been a real party pooper. She would have seen the ring purchase.
We had lunch inside the house while my parents told Elise about all my and my late brother's childhood silliness. After a few glasses of wine we continued our banter outside by the pool. There were six chairs... but Elise chose to sit on my lap. I could see the curiosity in her eyes when she saw the envelope and package in my hands. I passed her a grin then looked at my parents. They nodded for me to go ahead. I handed Elise the envelope first.
"What is this Shannon?" she asked, staring at it.
