Madison clenched her eyes shut and she screamed like she had been scalded. Her limbs tensed against the restraints that held her body to the bed and her head swam. If not for the gag, Madison's screams might have woke the dead. Instead they were muffled, but still left her short of breath. Mercifully, Daniel paused and allowed her to pant herself back from the edge of unconsciousness. While she panted, Madison checked the digital timer on the night stand next to her. Teardrops smeared the red numbers, but they finally resolved themselves to reveal there were ten minutes and thirty five seconds left to go. Madison sobbed in despair while Daniel stroked her hair and "shushed" her.
"You're such a good girl," Daniel rumbled deep in his chest. "That's my girl."
Madison blinked up at Daniel gratefully and he kissed her forehead. Madison took a firmer grip on the little rubber ball in her right hand and reminded herself that she could do this.
The ride home had started quietly enough quiet, but in the silence Madison began to cry. Actually, Madison started to cry when Daniel put the old pickup in gear and basically cried the whole way home.
"You're mom hates me, Daniel!" Madison cried through her tears. "You're whole family hates me!"
Daniel looked at Madison patiently.
"I love you," he assured her in a quiet voice, but it didn't help.
"But your family hates me!"Madison persisted hopelessly.
Daniel pursed his lips thoughtfully, but remained silent and that silence made Madison cry harder.
"How can we get married if your family hates me?" she bawled at him in abject misery.
Daniel turned and looked up at her from under his eyebrows. Something about that look was terribly sexy to Madison, and that made her even more upset. It seemed no one, not her friends, not his family, not anyone understood that all she wanted was Daniel. She wanted to be with Daniel so much and now here at the finish line they might be kept apart. Unable to contain herself any longer, Madison launched into a full blown, open mouthed "boo hoo" ugly cry, complete with smeared mascara and messy hair matted to her cheeks.
"They don't hate you ...." Daniel tried to reason with her.
"Yes they do!" Madison wailed.
Daniel bobbled his head.
"I love you."
Madison sobbed as if Daniel had just broken her heart and covered her face with her hands. Daniel reached out with his right hand and stroked Madison's hair to sooth her.
"Shhhh. I love you."
Madison blubbered and uncovered her makeup smeared face.
"You do?" she asked in a tiny hopeful voice.
Daniel flashed his trademark a half a smirk that made his face look so darkly sexy to Madison.
"Of course. I love you, Madison."
Raw relief bubbled up out of Madison's diaphragm and it poured out in muddled wail.
"AAAaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Shhhhhhh. I love you, Madison."
"I love you too," blubbered Madison. "Please don't call off the engagement!"
Daniel's eyes narrowed and he shook his head at her slightly.
"Of course I won't. I love you and I want to marry you."
"Really? You're not just saying that?"
"No, I'm not just saying that."
"What about your family; your mom? They hate me!"
YOU ARE READING
A Beauteous Flower
RomanceMadison is a professional dancer and a professional dater with an eye towards a professional husband until a Romeo reminds her that she is a romantic at heart.
