Unforgotten

Chapter 10

Spring and summer brought more business my way in the way of family portraits and weddings - lots of weddings.  My weekends quickly booked up, and I was traveling all over much of the state of New York to shoot, and even sometimes out of the state.  Natasha accompanied me to many of the weddings as a camera assistant, but on one weekend, I actually asked Loki to come along, since Natasha was unavailable.  The wedding was being held on the New Jersey coast, a young couple, and they were blissfully in love and wanted lots of candid and styled shots.

"What is this celebration for again?" Loki asked me as we drove,  I chuckled, and glanced at him in the passenger seat of my Rogue.  He wasn't used to me driving, but I had that day simply to haul all of my equipment. 

"A wedding, Loki.  Two people joining their lives together because they love each other," He wrinkled his nose in a way I had seen him do so many times before when he thought something was foolish, but didn't want to say it out loud.  "There will be a ceremony, where they say vows to each other and exchange rings, then there will be a party with food and cake and dancing."

"It sounds like a feast would do for everything." Loki said simply, looking at the window at the passing trees.  I chuckled again.

"Some people do do that," I acknowledged.  "It's called eloping." Loki shrugged. 

"Your birthday will be coming soon." Loki said.  I nodded.  "I would like to take you to Asgard for a celebration." I almost swerved off the road.

"What?" I choked.  Loki looked at me.

"I have told you I wanted you to come to Asgard with me.  I believe your birthday would be a good time to do this, and a celebration for the summer solstice will provide a good excuse." Loki said, taking one of my hands from the steering wheel and holding it.  I was in shock. 

"Uh, yeah, I think that would work." What else could I say?  And a celebration?  I suddenly felt Loki's lips on my fingers.

"What are you doing?" I gasped as he put one his mouth, and sucked on it.  He ran it through his soft lips and brought it out with a pop.

"Just reminding you what you should be rushing home for this evening," he said quietly, taking another of my fingers in his mouth.  I pushed my head back against the seat, and suddenly his lips were on my neck. 

"Loki," I hissed, feeling the heat grow as his mouth and tongue played with my neck and ear.  "I'm trying to drive, you idiot!"

"You'd better keep your eyes on the road, then," Loki teased, his mouth going to my collar bone.  I shivered, and gasped, as I nearly missed the turn for the wedding venue.  I jerked the car into the turn and onto a dirt road, Loki being shoved back into his seat, laughing. 

"Don't do that!" I said, glancing at him, and he had a mischievous grin on his face, looking very satisfied.

The day went quickly - the bride and groom were easy to work with, and had several ideas for what they wanted for their wedding shots.  I took hundreds of photos, with fun backdrops provided by the venue itself.  Loki faithfully toted my bags and screens around, and I caught him watching the ceremony thoughtfully as I shot each angle carefully.  By the time the reception began, I was catching candid shots left and right, of the parents, guests, children and the bride and groom dancing up a storm.  When the DJ suddenly brought a slow song forward, I felt Loki come forward and grab me by the waist, leading me to the dance floor.

"Loki!" I hissed. "We're not supposed to do this!"

"Ah, but I requested this for you," Loki said quietly in my ear, and I heard the opening bars of Kenny Chesney's "You Had Me from Hello" playing, and I melted.  I looked up at him, shaking my head, and looped my camera strap across my chest as he took my right hand carefully, and placed my left on his shoulder.  At first I felt self-conscious, with all of the other couples dancing on the floor, but when I even spied the bride and groom dancing, grinning at me and giving me a thumbs up, I finally relaxed.  He guided me effortlessly across the dance floor, and as the song continued, I felt him pull me closer, my arm going up around his neck.