The Quiet Before

The limo glided us back to the hotel, garment bags carefully draped over the seats like precious cargo. Kate had insisted her personal makeup and hair team meet us there to prepare the ladies for tonight’s grand opening. Emily and I stepped into our room first while Iris slipped into hers next door. I caught the way Iris hesitated at her door; something quiet, almost reticent, in the way she glanced back before disappearing inside. I wondered if nerves were finally catching up to her. Tonight was huge for all of us: professionally, personally, emotionally. I was so grateful she was here to share it; the moment I’d ask Emily to be my wife forever and our career.

When Emily turned toward Iris earlier, I’d been completely unprepared for how breathtaking she looked in that silver gown. It wasn’t just the fabric; it was how she wore it. The silver clung to her tall, slender frame like it had been poured over her skin, accentuating every elegant line: the long legs, the tiny waist, the perfect swell of her hips and ass, confidence radiating off her in waves. For the first time, I saw her not just as my brilliant, indispensable partner; but as a woman who could stop traffic.

Emily had caught me staring and tilted her head with that knowing smile. “Check out Irie,” she’d said softly, almost proudly. And damn, it felt right. Iris in my arms for that brief hug, the thin silver fabric doing nothing to hide the warmth of her body against mine. I’d never seen her like that outside my own mind. Despite every professional boundary I’d tried to keep, loss had brought her closer than I’d ever planned. And yes; despite my best efforts; I’d wondered more than once what she looked like under those tailored business suits, the occasional gym clothes she’d change into using my office bathroom. The office gossip had started somewhere, after all; whispers about late nights, closed doors, “fucking on the desk.” I’d always laughed it off. But seeing her in that dress… sinfully elegant, glowing, confident… I didn’t have to imagine anymore.

The latch of our door clicking shut pulled me back to the present. The room still carried faint traces of our earlier lovemaking; musky, intimate, lingering in the air despite the staff’s efforts. The bed was freshly made, new sheets crisp and smelling faintly of cheap linen and hotel detergent. On the nightstand sat a neatly folded package: a fresh pair of boxer briefs, courtesy of the hotel concierge. Emily snatched it up with a wicked grin.

“Wonder if these’ll contain that beast between your legs, tripod,” she teased, lips wide and playful.

I chuckled, pulling her close. “Tripod. That’s a new one.”

She broke the distance between us, wrapping her arms around my neck in a fierce hug. When she pulled back, those big brown eyes locked on mine, soft and full of love.

“I’m gonna go to Irie’s room,” she said quietly. “Kate’s team is meeting us there for hair and makeup.” She stepped back further, grabbing her garment bag. “I’ll see you later tonight, tiger.”

And with that, she slipped out, the door closing softly behind her.

I exhaled, alone in the room at last.

My hand dipped into my pocket, fingers closing around the small velvet box Iris had discreetly passed me in the limo after Emily stepped out. I pulled it out, flipping the lid open. The diamond caught the light; two dolphins, tail to tail, cradling the stone exactly as I’d designed it for her. Thirty days after our first date, I’d known. Tonight, that ring would be on her finger.

Soon, I thought, heart steady despite the weight of the moment. Soon she’ll be mine forever.