My Best Friend's Weddings - Part 2

Part 2 is Rated NC-17 for Sexual Content and Language

Holy fucking hell! She kissed him! She kissed him! Granted, he hadn’t hesitated to respond, but she had initiated it.

Even though it had been several minutes since Rey had high-tailed it back to her room, her face beet red, Poe was still having trouble bringing his traitorous body under control. Judging by her embarrassment, she had not planned what had happened, nor was she happy about it. Poe didn’t know what to make of it.

He had arrived home, grumpy and full of anxiety after a rather treacherous drive, to find Rey bouncing about the living room, dancing and singing to his favorite music. He hadn’t seen her so carefree since they were children, and the sight immediately filled him with joy. When she had pulled him further into the room, encouraging him to dance with her, he couldn’t refuse, laughing and singing along with her. But then something amazing happened. She had moved in closer, and before he knew it, their energic hopping turned into full-on dirty dancing. He had no defense against Rey’s warm, supple body pressed against him, and he had become aroused shockingly fast.

The kiss… the kiss had been more than he had ever dreamed of.

Why had she done it? It had to have been an accident… well, as accidental as a passionate kiss could be. She was young, healthy, and knowing she took physical intimacy seriously, he doubted she had had sex since Ben. God, that was something he didn’t want to think about.

Rubbing his hands over his face, he determined that he would follow her lead on how to act from here on out. He was almost positive she would pretend nothing had happened, and if that was the case, he would do his best to do the same. But oh, how he hoped she would open up to him. Maybe, just maybe, she was starting to think of him as more than just a friend. Maybe, just maybe, they could quit with this make believe and turn this marriage into the real deal.

And maybe, just maybe, hell would freeze over.

The next morning, as he expected, Rey acted as if nothing unusual had happened the night before. Poe watched her carefully for any nervousness or continued embarrassment, but other than not making eye contact with him, she acted perfectly normal. His heart aching more than a little bit, he followed suit. Even the movie that night was ‘normal,’ although Poe was pretty sure it wasn’t his imagination that Rey was leaning slightly away from him through most of it.

The rest of the weekend was quiet, with Rey spending most of the bitterly cold days in her room. Poe watched her with concerned eyes whenever she emerged for sustenance, but he said nothing.

And he hated himself for it.

Life carried on. Work slowed down during the colder months, but he found that this gave him more time to do what he loved to do best: design. He drew out plans for single family homes for the low-income sector, as well as professional buildings. He also toyed with an addition to the cabin; the idea that it was too small for a family played in the back of his mind, but he wouldn’t let himself think too hard about why that should bother him.

Easter came, and Poe found himself going to mass for the first time in ages, sitting uncomfortably between Rey and his father. Rey’s father, who also looked a bit put-out, was on her other side. The four of them had brunch afterwards at the Golden Heritage, one of the local country clubs. It was a much more pleasant experience than Poe had been anticipating, and as he had at Christmas when the two older men had come over for dinner, he felt an overwhelming sense of peace. This was his family, and he loved it. He never wanted it to change.

It was two weeks later, when spring finally started to make its presence known, that near tragedy struck.

Poe woke to his cell ringing at around one in the morning. He jerked awake, grabbing it up and looking at it with blurred eyes. It was an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Poe?”

“Dad?” He sat up. Beebee, who was sleeping at the foot of the bed, also sat up, glaring at him. “What’s wrong? Why are you calling in the middle of the night?”

There was a pause. “Poe, there was a fire…”

Poe jerked his legs to the side, making Beebee jump off the bed. “What?!”

“I’m okay!” Kes rushed to say. “I’m okay. But they won’t let me back into the house. Something about checking for structural damage first, and they can’t do that until morning.”

Poe was out of bed and grabbing up his clothes. “God, Dad! What happened?”

“They said it was the space heater, that the outlet I had it plugged into wasn’t good.”

“Okay, I’m on my way!” Poe told him.

“Oh, no, Mijo,” Kes told him. “You don’t need to come. I’ll get a ride to a motel.”

Poe scoffed. “Absolutely not! You’re coming home with me!” He was shaking. Just the thought of losing his father… “Just wait for me!”

He rushed out of the bedroom, turning on the hall light. Rey was in her doorway wrapping a silky robe around herself. Despite Poe’s urgency, he couldn’t help but think how sexy she looked. Her eyes were huge. “What’s wrong?”

“There was a fire at the house,” Poe told her. “Dad’s okay, but they won’t let him back in. I don’t know how bad it is, yet.”

“Oh, my God!”

“I’m going to get him and bring him here.” He headed for the front door but then his words came into focus. He turned and looked at Rey. “If I’m bringing him here…”

Rey immediately turned back into her room. “I’ll get things ready,” she told him. He followed her and watched as she started stripping her bedsheets. As she turned to the closet to grab a fresh set, she looked at him. “Go!” she said. “Get your dad!”

With a nod, he turned and headed out once more. It was a ten-minute drive from downtown to the quiet neighborhood Poe had grown up in. The flashing lights from the fire trucks were still lighting up the street, and he quickly found his father next to one of the paramedic vehicles, a blanket around his shoulders. Poe parked as close as he could and jogged over to them. Without thought, he hugged his father close.

“Oh, Mijo,” Kes whispered. “I’m okay.”

Poe leaned back, noting that his father was still in his pajamas. “I’ve already called Servpro,” Poe told him. “They’ll be here within the hour to let us know when you can get back in.” He paused. “Dad, why did you have the space heater on while you were sleeping? You know those things are dangerous!”

Kes shrugged. “The furnace hasn’t been working right for a while. It was cold tonight.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about the furnace?”

“I was going to take care of it,” Kes told him as they began to walk toward Poe’s car. “These things cost money.”

“Dad, I can pay for it…”

“I’m not taking charity!”

Poe stopped and stared at his father. “It’s not charity. It’s taking care of my family.”

Kes closed his eyes and sighed. “I know. I’m sorry.” They continued their walk.

As Poe drove his father to the condo, he glanced at him nervously. He knew Kes was a proud man, and that he was proud of his job at the Plantsmyth, one of the local greenhouses where he had worked as a Master Gardener for the last thirty years. But Poe was also aware that the job barely paid a living wage. He knew he needed to make sure his father knew that Poe was ready and willing to help with anything Kes couldn’t afford.

When they reached the condo, Kes could barely keep his eyes open. He was shivering slightly, even though Poe had turned the heat up high in his car. The night wasn’t winter cold, but the 45-degree temp wasn’t warm, either.

Poe led his father into the building and toward the elevator. “I don’t have any clothes,” the older man mumbled.

“You can wear mine until they get yours cleaned,” Poe told him with a smile. They were similar in height and build.

As soon as they entered the condo. Rey rushed toward Kes, wrapping her arms around him.

Kes held on to her just as tight. “It’s okay, Mija,” he told her. “I’m okay.”

Rey backed out of his embrace. “Do you need anything? Something to eat? Drink?”

Kes shook his head. “Just a warm bed would be a blessing.”

Rey smiled. “We got one,” she said, and immediately led him to her bedroom.

Poe smiled as he watched them, loving how comfortable they were with each other, how protective Rey was of Kes. Then the thought he had had briefly before leaving to get Kes hit again: with his father sleeping in Rey’s bed…

He locked up and started turning off lights. It wasn’t even three AM yet. There was still time to sleep. He walked into his bedroom and glared at Beebee, who had made himself comfortable on Poe’s pillow. “Nope,” he told the cat. “You sleep at the foot of the bed.” He pushed the big marmalade cat toward the bottom of the bed, and with a little growl Beebee finally moved. Poe slipped off his shoes and the t-shirt he had pulled on before heading out.

Rey walked in, biting her lip. She glanced at Poe’s bare chest, then quickly looked away.

“I can sleep on the couch,” he told her.

She shook her head. “Your dad doesn’t need any more stress worrying about us.” She walked around the foot of the bed, reaching over to scratch Beebee as she went by him. “I take it you sleep on that side?” She pulled back the covers on the opposite side and slid under them.

It was a big bed, Poe thought. This won’t be an issue. They had slept together before. As kids. Camping. With others in the tent with them.

He was doomed.

Taking a deep breath, he slid out of his jeans and crawled back into the bed in just his boxer briefs, reaching over to turn off the light. “Goodnight,” he said. “Or… good morning? Whatever.”

Rey giggled. “Whatever.” Beebee started purring loudly, as if he was happy to have his two people finally sleeping in the same bed.

But Poe didn’t sleep. When his alarm went off at six, he jumped out of the bed as if it was on fire. He swore he could feel Rey’s eyes on him as he grabbed up his sweats and headed toward the bathroom to get ready for his run.

******

Three days.

The restoration company told Kes he wouldn’t be able to get back into his house for three days.

No surprise, Kes once more tried to convince them he could go to a motel, but both Rey and Poe argued with him.

“Why should you pay for a motel room when there is plenty of space here?” Rey demanded.

“You are not getting a motel room!” Poe insisted.

“I just don’t like being in your way,” Kes maintained. “You’re still in your honeymoon stage.”

Poe snorted. “We’ve been married almost ten months, Dad. We’re well past the honeymoon stage.”

Rey found herself a little shocked. Had it really been ten months? Crazy.

“Hey!” Kes suddenly exclaimed. “You two never did get a honeymoon, did you?”

Rey felt her face heat, but Poe was ready for this question. “We’re waiting for the transfer of Organa Enterprises to become official,” he told his father. “Then we’ll take a couple of weeks and go to Tahiti or someplace.”

Poe knew Rey had always wanted to go to Tahiti. With the money she would have even after the annulment, she could easily go herself. For some reason, going by herself held no appeal.

So, Kes settled in, and Rey was truly happy to have him for three days.

It was the nights in the middle she worried about.

She had been very aware of Poe’s discomfort the first night. She hadn’t slept, either, and every move he made, every noise, she noticed. When the alarm had gone off, he had jumped out of the bed like a runner leaving the starting blocks. The next night hadn’t been much better. She had gotten into bed long before he came to the room. It was Friday night, and they had enjoyed their usual dinner with Finn and Rose, which had included Kes this time, but upon their arrival home, Poe had busied himself on his laptop while Kes had excused himself and disappeared into the guest bedroom. Rey had decided to read in bed after her shower, stopping every once in a while to peruse ‘her’ bedroom, which she had never really been able to do before. Finally, just before ten, she had turned the light off and snuggled under the blankets, Beebee once more sleeping at the foot of the bed. Damned if this bed wasn’t more comfortable than hers, she thought.

She had still been awake when Poe finally came to bed. He had moved quietly, and she lay still, not really pretending to be asleep, but not ready to start a conversation, either. After a moment, he said softly, “Goodnight, Rey.”

“Goodnight,” she whispered back with a soft smile.

But as she lay there, unable to sleep, she became focused on how tense he seemed, how stiff his body was. When she turned her head to look toward him, she could tell he was so close to the edge of the bed, she wouldn’t be surprised if he fell out.

This was her fault, she thought. Ever since she had kissed him back in February, he had been much more cautious around her. As if he was afraid she would jump him or something. He probably dreaded her doing something like that again, because then he would have to hurt her feelings with the “I only think of you as a friend” speech. Or worse, ask if she was interested in a ‘friends with benefits’ kind of relationship, which she definitely was not.

Rey wasn’t aware of how long her mind ran around in circles, but eventually she felt herself sink into sleep. When she woke shortly before dawn, she was pleased to open her eyes and find that he too had finally found rest, his body relaxed, and his face turned toward her. She watched him for a long while, staring at his features in a way she never really could before. Memorizing him.

Suddenly, his alarm went off; the only day Poe didn’t get up early to run was on Sunday. His eyes shot open, and they immediately focused on her. They softened, and a small smile appeared on his face, as if he was happy to see her there. In his bed. Then suddenly, they opened wide in almost panic. With a soft grunt, he rolled out of bed and began to gather clothing before heading for the bathroom. He kept his back to her the entire time. She tried not to think about why.

The next night, Rey followed the same plan. She and Poe and Kes had sat in the living room until late, talking about whatever came to mind, when Rey excused herself shortly before eleven. She showered and changed into her nightshirt and shorts, then climbed into the bed, listening to the soft conversation still going on between father and son. She was tired, and within minutes was asleep.

She woke when Poe climbed into the bed with her. She was facing him and she opened her eyes to see him laying stiff as a board on the edge of the bed once more, his bare back to her.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “Poe?”

“Yeah?”

“I know you said what you said about Tahiti the other day just to appease Kes, but would you be willing to actually come with me when I go someday?”

There was a pause. “Of course,” he finally said. “I think that would be fun.” But the strain in his voice exposed the lie.

“It’s okay if you really don’t,” she told him softly. “I just didn’t like the idea of going alone.” She paused. “Maybe Dad would go with me.” Not likely, she thought. But maybe.

He didn’t respond.

“Are you really comfortable like that?” she asked suddenly.

“Like what?” His voice was defensive.

“Like you’re about to fall out of the bed,” she responded. “I promise I don’t have the plague.”

He huffed a laugh. Then he surprised her by turning over to lie on his back. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, his head turned toward her. “I’m not making this easy, am I?”

“Do you ever?”

Another laugh. Then, “Come here.”

She lifted her head to look at him. He was reaching for her with his arm, inviting her into his space. With only a slight hesitation, Rey accepted. She moved up next to him, then slowly, as if he was a stray animal that might spook at any moment, she lay her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her.

“Better?”

“Much.”

Sleep came quickly as she focused on the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and when she woke just after dawn, she was pleased to find she was still cuddled up next to Poe. Her cheek was now against his chest and her arm wrapped around his ribcage.

His breathing changed and she felt herself tense, not at all sure how he would react now that they weren’t in the dark anymore. A shiver went up her spine as she felt his hand come up to start playing with her hair. He moved it back off of her face and tucked it behind her ear. She moved her head to look up at him.

“It’s Sunday,” he said softly. “We can sleep in today.” His voice was deep and husky. Sexy.

She continued to watch him, as he continued to watch her. She saw his gaze drop to her lips, and she reacted by biting her lower one. He sucked in a breath and met her eyes with his own once more.

“Rey?” His voice was almost as soft as a breath.

Swallowing, Rey lifted her head in invitation.

Poe accepted, dipping his head down and capturing her lips with his. He moved his body into her, pushing her gently onto her back and moving his own body down to better align with hers. His tongue begged for entrance, and she obliged, unable to stop the soft moan as he dived deep. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about his kiss since the last time. She was going to enjoy this while it lasted!

Suddenly, she felt his hand touch her breast. It was tentative, cautious. She brought her own hand up to cover his, pushing it down over her breast. He responded by squeezing her gently, then again with a bit more force. She arched her back, raising up into his touch, then shifted her hips intuitively as she felt moisture flood her core. Poe came up for air and she cracked her eyes just enough to see him rake his own gaze down her body, squeezing her breast once more. His eyes met hers again before he moved his body, placing one leg in between hers, his hand leaving her breast so he could brace it on the bed and balance himself over her. She shuddered, and with eyes hooded he dropped his head down to kiss her deeply once more.

Swift knocking on the bedroom door was the only warning they had. Jerking apart, they both turned toward the door just as Kes opened it. “Either of you want to go to church with me this…” His eyes widened. “Oops! I guess not!” He pulled back, taking the door with him. “Carry on!” he shouted as he closed the door.

Rey couldn’t help the giggle, and her laughter only increased as Poe also began chuckling. She looked at him, hovering over her, watching as his eyes crinkled in his amusement. Lord, he was beautiful, his beard already thicker than it had a right to be after only twenty-four hours, his hair mussed and curling wildly. But then he looked back down at her and his smile faded. He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes full of regret. Then he closed them and rolled off of her. He left the bed and grabbed up his clothing, not meeting her gaze. And this time, he didn’t bother to hide his erection from her. He disappeared into the bathroom.

Rey lay on the bed, feeling chilled and confused. Beebee seemed to sense her disquiet and moved from the foot of the bed toward her face. She reached out to pet him and he started purring loudly. The cat’s act of comfort only made Rey feel worse, and tears formed in her eyes.

She was a fool. Ten months into this act, and she was finally starting to come to terms with reality: He was never going to love her the way she dreamed.

It was time to let him go.

******

One last black-tie gala, this one for the local symphony, before Organa Enterprises became his officially. One last event where he had to pretend his marriage was amazing and wonderful and happy. Or it should have been the last one. Just yesterday, he had been informed that the PR side of OE had decided to have a formal party the night before the transfer, to celebrate Poe becoming the new permanent head of OE, and to celebrate his and Rey’s first anniversary. The thought made him cringe.

Rey had bowed out of tonight’s event. She told him to tell the others she wasn’t feeling well. As had been the case for the last several weeks, ever since his father had caught them making out in his bed, she had been subdued and withdrawn. Gone were her huge smiles, her bright eyes, her laughter. No more sarcastic comments that complimented his own. No more gentle shoves against his shoulder when he said something he shouldn’t have.

They rarely ate together anymore, and when they did there was no conversation and she never made eye contact. She didn’t seem mad at him or uncomfortable around him; she just seemed sad.

He wanted to push and ask her why, but in his heart he knew. She was mourning their friendship, the friendship he had destroyed by giving in to his repressed sexual urges. He hadn’t been able to stop. When he woke that morning with her warm body pressed against his, her arm wrapped around his bare torso, her breath moist on his chest… it was like something from his fantasies. Rey, in his bed, finally. He could have sworn the look she gave him had been full of desire, need, and she had very much given him permission to kiss her, to touch her. He had been in heaven for those few minutes, until his father had burst the bubble.

She might have let him make love to her. She might have even enjoyed it. But then what? He could already envision her look of regret as she told him she didn’t want things to continue. That it had been a mistake. That she didn’t love him that way. Keeping his distance, following her lead, was the only way he felt they could salvage their friendship. Maybe when this charade was over, they could go back to the way things had been. If they had had sex, he knew that would be an impossibility.

So, he attended this last soiree by himself, letting people know that Rey had had a bout of food poisoning, but was fine now, just not feeling up to socializing, yet. Some of the women raised their eyebrows at him in an ‘oh really?’ kind of way, and he quickly realized they suspected that ‘food poisoning’ meant ‘morning sickness.’ He should have said she had a cold. Too late now.

He became bored quickly, uninterested in any of the conversation and missing more than he wanted to admit his partner in crime. Having her on his arm, dressed in something fabulous, her smile brighter than anything else in the room, always gave him confidence. With a heavy heart, he knew he was just going to have to get used to going it alone.

Eventually, he wandered outside to the long front porch of the old music hall the party was being held in. It was late spring, his favorite time of the year. Almost summer warm, but with everything green and blooming. The crickets were singing their little hearts out and the smells of the growing things filled the night air. He closed his eyes and breathed deep.

“I’m surprised to see your arm ornament missing this evening,” said a voice behind him.

He groaned internally, but glanced over his shoulder anyway, acknowledging Zorii as she came up next to him. He felt more than a little anger at her sarcastic comment. Rey was so much more than arm candy. “She’s not feeling well,” he mumbled. “I wanted to stay with her, but she wouldn’t let me.” He glanced up at the stars. “I’m thinking of heading out soon. It’s just not fun without her.” Though the first part of his statement was a lie, the last part was not.

“You don’t have to go so soon,” Zorii said softly, moving closer to him, running her hand along the sleeve of his jacket. “I hope things are okay with you two,” she continued with feigned concern. “I’ve heard rumors.”

Poe finally looked at her, his brows furrowed. “Rumors?” Despite their tension at home, he and Rey had made no missteps while out and about; they had become very good actors. Hell, they had their own fathers fooled! There should be no rumors.

Zorii shrugged. “Just whispers.” She gave him a side-long look. “About Ben making plans.”

“Plans?”

“Plans that include Rey,” Zorii tilted her head at him. “Apparently, he met her for lunch last week. They talked for a long while, heads together, as if conspiring.”

Poe stared at her for a moment. A part of him started feeling anxious. Was Rey already making plans for her future, for when she wasn’t his wife anymore? Was she going to go back to Ben?

His brain caught up and he took a deep breath. It didn’t matter if she was going back to Ben after this was over, he thought. She wouldn’t do anything to threaten his chance to get control of CE permanently. He trusted her to follow through with their plan. His heart ached with the thought that she might return to Ben Solo, but he would not interfere.

He gave Zorii a small smile. “Rey and Ben are still close friends, Zorii,” he said, his voice soft but firm. “But that’s all they are.”

She pursed her lips and shrugged. “Well, if you trust her…”

“I do.”

She looked startled by his resolve, then a bit disappointed. She hadn’t moved away from him, however, and in fact, she had begun leaning into him. He felt the softness of her breast pressing against his arm. She was trying to seduce him, he realized. She was trying to get him to feel uncertain about Rey and then she would step in to comfort him.

“Zorii?” he asked suddenly. Curiosity competed with antipathy in his brain. “Can I try something?”

She smiled at him. “Will I like it?”

He shrugged softly. “Maybe.”

She pushed into him more and he accepted the opening, leaning down to kiss her. She parted her lips immediately, moaning softly as her tongue touched his. She had been a good lover, he recalled. She was experienced and knew how to please a man, and get her own pleasure in return. But she had never been what he would call mind-blowing. He had yet to find a woman that could blow his mind.

Except that Rey had. With just a kiss.

He pulled back, and when Zorii tried to follow he stepped away completely.

He nodded and swallowed harshly. “I’m sorry, Zorii, but that just proved something I’ve been suspecting for a while.”

Her expression going from surprised to aloof, Zorii asked, “What?”

“You do not hold a candle to my wife,” he stated. “No woman does or ever will.”

Zorii’s expression turned irate.

“I love Rey, Zorii. With everything in me. Whatever happens in the next few weeks, that will never change.” His heart squeezed at the thought of what he knew was going to happen in five weeks, but he was telling Zorii the complete truth. He took a deep breath. “Have a good night,” he told her, then headed back into the building to say his farewells to the host.

An hour later, he found himself driving aimlessly through Aldera. He thought briefly about driving up to the cabin, but something else pulled at him. He headed for the southeast side of town, near the neighborhood he had grown up in. He turned down a gravel road, passed over the old wooden bridge that crossed Jakku Creek, then pulled over and parked. Grabbing a flashlight from his glove compartment, he stepped out and started hiking across the meadow. Toward the huge old cottonwood tree that sat by itself next to the creek.

He sat in the grass underneath, turning off the flashlight and letting the sounds of the night fill his senses. It had been too long since he had come here. He could still hear his mother’s voice as she sang to them while they played under this tree. His memory of her voice changed, and it was Rey singing now. Lord, how long had it been since he had heard her sing? Really sing. Not just along with songs from the radio. She had a beautiful voice, his Rey. He used to hear it all the time. But not since… not since High School, he thought. That was probably the last time they had been under this tree together, too.

Adulthood sucked, he thought wryly.

He finally headed home, surprised at how late it was. It was almost one in the morning when he walked into the condo. The kitchen light had been left on, and he rounded the corner heading for his bedroom. He was pulling off his jacket and the already undone tie when he stopped short. Rey was standing in the doorway to her room, looking lost and more than a little scared. His strong, confident Rey. He hated seeing her like this.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded. Surely something horrible had happened.

She seemed to collect herself. “Nothing,” she told him. “That one ran long, huh?”

It took a moment for his brain to catch up. “Oh, I left the party before ten.”

“Oh,” she said. She blinked rapidly. “Alone?” she asked, her voice cracking.

Suddenly, he realized what she was thinking. What was making her look so devastated. “Of course, alone,” he whispered. “Why would you think otherwise?”

She shrugged and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Aurra Sing called, supposedly checking up on me.”

Poe tensed. Aurra was the wife of Mace Windu, a man three decades her senior and an OE board member. She was also friends with Zorii.

“She ‘casually’ let me know that she had spotted you and Zorii outside together and then you both left the party shortly afterwards.” She rolled her eyes. “She was just trying to get to me, wasn’t she?” Her voice was more confident now, as if she was thinking things through and realizing that she didn’t believe what was being insinuated.

Poe nodded, feeling relief flow through him. “Funny thing, Zorii was telling me all about you and Ben having lunch the other day.”

Rey’s mouth dropped open. “It was just lunch!”

Poe laughed. “I know!”

Rey smiled back. “And I know you didn’t leave with Zorii.” She shook her head. “They’re trying to break us up before we do it ourselves, aren’t they?”

Poe snorted. “We’re almost there,” he said softly. “Five more weeks.”

“Five more weeks,” Rey whispered, her face serious once more. “Goodnight, Poe.” She started to step back into her room.

“Rey?” he said suddenly.

She stopped and looked at him questioningly.

“I did kiss Zorii tonight,” he told her honestly. “I wanted to know what it was like. To kiss her again after kissing you.”

Her eyes widened.

“She doesn’t even come close to you,” he said, his voice rough. “Goodnight.” Teeth clenched, he headed for his room, closing the door firmly behind him.

******

One more day.

Tomorrow was the board meeting where Poe would officially become the majority owner of Organa Enterprises. It was the day they had been working toward for more than a year now. The day this whole deception would come to an end. Poe had already told Rey that a private lawyer he had hired, Owen Lars, had drawn up the paperwork for the annulment. He would be at the board meeting, and once everyone was gone, they could get those papers signed and have it all done in one go. No one needed to know right away, and Rey was more than welcome to stay at the condo for however long she wanted. He had told her all this with a polite but nervous air about him, as if he was trying his best to please her.

As if it was what she wanted.

It wasn’t what she wanted, but it was for the best. She kept reminding herself of this. However, every time she thought about the future beyond their marriage, she grew nervous, uncertain about how exactly she was going to continue on. The call she had received yesterday from a friend had given her the answer. An answer that excited her as much as it saddened her, and a decision she wasn’t sure she wanted Poe to know about until the official transfer of OE was complete tomorrow.

But first she had to get through tonight.

The party was being held at The Aurelia, the most luxurious hotel in Aldera. It was a full-on gala, and Rey finally found her chance to wear the dress she had bought almost a year ago. She pulled it out of the closet, the silver-green gown still protected by the garment bag it had never been removed from since Rey brought it home. Rose was planning on coming over this evening to help Rey with her hair and makeup. She was going to look her best tonight, and try to be as charming as possible. After all, the board members were being told later this evening Leia’s true requirements for Poe to inherit; they would give their opinion tomorrow of whether or not they believed he and Rey were legitimately married. Rey was determined to prove she indeed loved her husband.

She hung up the dress in the guest room on the vanity mirror, then headed back out into the living room. She stopped short as Poe suddenly entered the apartment. He also stopped in surprise.

“Oh!” Rey said. “I thought you had meetings all afternoon?” Poe had informed everyone that he was taking a two week vacation after the transfer; he was exhausted and ready for a break. Today was supposed to be his last day of meetings until after he returned.

He shrugged. “They let me go early. Said something about taking my time getting ready for tonight.” He rolled his eyes. “As if it takes me that long to get ready. Shower, shave, dress.”

Rey huffed. “Be serious, Poe. They know how long you spend on your hair.”

“Hey!” he exclaimed, running his fingers through his curls, tousling them. “It’s worth it!”

Rey laughed, and Poe grinned in response.

“There’s that smile,” he said. “I missed it.”

Rey felt her face heat and she looked down for a moment, biting her lip. She took a deep breath and looked up at him. “I’ve got a couple of appointments this afternoon,” she said. “Rose is coming by to help me get ready tonight. She might get here before me, but she’s got a key, so don’t wander around in your underwear, okay?”

This time he laughed. “When do I ever?”

“Just saying…”

She realized suddenly that this was the longest conversation they had had for weeks. Her heart clenched as she thought about his reaction to her news. Would he be mad? He probably would be the longer she kept it from him. So, tell him! She thought.

“Uhm, I got a call from an old college friend yesterday,” she started.

“Yeah?” He had moved further into the room, depositing his keys on the end table.

“She’s a co-owner of a private practice and they just had one of their PTs leave so they’re looking for a new one. She thought of me, first.” She shrugged. “Great pay, benefits, and not associated with a hospital.”

Poe smiled. “That’s great!” he said, and she could see the excitement in his expression. “Where is it?”

Rey took a deep breath. “L.A.”

Poe’s smile faded. “Los Angeles?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“That’s fifteen hundred miles away.”

“I know.”

He blinked a few times. “You want to leave Aldera? You want to leave… your father?”

“I don’t want to leave,” she told him. “But I need to.”

“What?” He was frowning now. “What do you mean, you ‘need to’?”

“I need to leave… here.” She sighed, trying to maintain eye contact with him, but finding it impossible. “After this thing is over tomorrow, I… I can’t stay here.”

Poe looked confused, and she could also see anger starting to grow in his expression. His mouth hardened. “After this thing?”

“Poe, I can’t be around you anymore, okay?” she blurted.

His eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. He looked panicked, then licked his lips nervously. “Rey, I know I’ve done some stupid things this past year,” he started. “Hell, way before that, I know! But whatever I did to make you feel this way, I can fix it.”

Rey started shaking her head.

Poe pushed, raising his hands in a placating gesture. “Please, just let me know what I did. Let me fix this! We’ve been friends too long to just let things die!”

“No!” She was adamant.

“What did I do to make you hate me?” Poe practically yelled.

The desperation in his voice undid her. “Don’t you get it?” she shouted. “I don’t hate you! I love you!”

He froze.

“I’m in love with you,” Rey continued. Why stop now? “I have been since High School.” She shook her head and huffed. “Probably way before that.” She gasped, desperately trying to control the tears now forming in her eyes. “Do you know how hard it’s been, watching you flirt and date and know you’re having sex and almost marry everyone but me? But you come crawling to me, your ‘buddy,’ to cry on my shoulder whenever they all fail!” She bit her lip and breathed in through her nose, holding in a sob. “When this is over, I can’t… I won’t go back to that.” She shook her head, feeling a tear fall. “I need to find myself, and I can’t do that with you in my life.” Her voice broke, and she lowered her eyes, unable to look at the devastated expression on his face anymore. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

She turned and walked toward the door, grabbing her purse and keys as she passed them on the counter. “I have to go. I’m gonna be late.”

She heard his footsteps as he rushed to follow her, but she was still startled when he grabbed her arm. “Rey?” he said harshly.

She turned to face him. “Let me go,” she whispered. She looked him the eye. “Please, Poe. Let me go.”

She watched as he shook his head ever so slightly, then he blinked and she saw tears on his cheeks.

Then he let her go.

She rushed out of the apartment and to the elevator. She felt her body start to tremble as she waited impatiently for it to reach the ground floor, then she hurried outside. She made it to her car before the sobs she had been holding in overtook her. She let them out, trying to imagine the tears as cleansing. Purifying. Finally, she was able to control her breathing again. She grabbed a tissue and wiped her face, blowing her nose. When she was finally composed, she started the car.

And promised herself that would be the last time she would ever cry over Poe Dameron.

******

“I’m very thankful for how you’ve watched over Rey,” Luke Skywalker said. “I know that you are very fond of her. But you have to know that she is destined for bigger, better things than this town – or you – have to offer her.”

“Sir?”

“No man in this place is worthy of my daughter. Especially not you.”

The words, or words very similar, had been spoken to Poe by Luke Skywalker more than once from the time he turned sixteen to the week before he left for college. Even after that, Luke’s icy glare seemed to follow him around whenever their families got together for the holidays. Those piercing blue eyes chastised, threatened, and discouraged. “Protect my daughter,” they said. “But don’t touch.”

He never realized how much Skywalker’s attitude toward him had affected the way he treated Rey. The way he thought about Rey. It was as if he had been brain washed into thinking of Rey only as his childhood friend and never as a woman. Even as he recognized her beauty, her maturity, her sexiness, he never acknowledged it as something he could ever have access to. This ‘marriage’ had changed things. He had been able to touch. To taste. To love.

And as he sat in his living room, still stunned by Rey’s confession, he realized that Luke Skywalker had done nothing to quash this marriage that he believed was real. Had, in fact, seemed to be comfortable, if not happy, with it. Rey had stood her ground and Luke had accepted her decision.

What if Poe had told Rey the truth all those years ago, ignoring what her father had told him? What if he had told Rey he loved her, wanted to spend the rest of his life with her? Would she have stood her ground then? How different would their lives be now?

The sound of a key turning in the lock caused him to turn his head to watch the door. Was she back? Was there still a chance to fix this before the party?

Instead of Rey, Rose walked through the door. She stopped short when she saw him. “Oh, hi!” she said with a smile. “I didn’t think you’d be here or I would have knocked.”

Poe barely acknowledged her.

Rose seemed to recognize his despondent expression right away. “What is it?” she asked, rushing over to him. “What happened?”

Poe shook his head as she sat down on the edge of the couch, panic on her face.

“Did you know Rey is leaving?” he asked, his voice rough.

“Leaving?”

“She’s been offered a job in L.A.”

“What?!” Rose gasped.

Poe felt a moment of relief knowing that Rey’s ‘other’ best friend didn’t already know. He shrugged. “She’s done with me, I guess. Tired of loving a man too stupid to realize how much he keeps hurting her.”

Rose leaned back a bit. “She told you, then?”

Poe glared at her. “You knew?”

She took a deep breath and glanced down at her hands. She winced, then looked back at him. “Do you remember Senior Prom?”

Poe frowned. What did Senior Prom have to do with this conversation?

“Of course, you don’t,” Rose continued. “You weren’t there.”

Poe felt guilt flow through him. He had intended to go. He had made it all the way to the school that night, but he hadn’t gone inside. He had known Rey would be there. That she would be dressed up and looking pretty. That she would probably want to dance with him. And he chickened out. Instead of going in, he had run into Qi’ra Vos. She had been dumped by her date and was trying to find anyone willing to ditch prom and have their own party elsewhere. Her selling point had been a case of beer.

“Rey only went with us because you had said you would be there,” Rose told him. “Oh, you should have seen her! She was gorgeous! Her dress was this beautiful emerald green, and it fit her like a second skin. You know how she usually dressed so grunge back then?” She shook her head and smiled. “She looked so different. Grown up and amazing. She told me she couldn’t wait to see your expression.” She laughed softly, but her smile faded. “But you never showed.

“All the guys were looking at her. ‘Oh, my God! Is that Rey Skywalker?’ But none of them asked her to dance.” She frowned at Poe. “They were all scared of you. Her protector. Her bodyguard.”

Poe felt shame flow through him, remembering when Rey had told him essentially the same thing almost a year ago. He had done exactly what Rey’s dad had wanted him to do: kept Rey ‘safe’ from all the local boys.

“She sat alone at the table all night,” Rose continued. “Until she was just gone. I panicked. She wouldn’t answer her phone. I called my sister and we drove around looking, and finally drove to her house, terrified to tell her dad that she was missing.” Rose gave him a sad smile. “She was on her front porch, curled up in a chair. She had walked home, two miles, mostly in her bare feet because her heels started hurting her. And she was crying.”

Her sad look turned into a glare. “That was the first time you broke her heart. It wasn’t the last.” She paused, and Poe dreaded what was coming. “Monday morning, we found out where you were. Qi’ra couldn’t keep her mouth shut, especially when it meant bragging about having sex with Poe Dameron.”

Poe closed his eyes, unable to look at Rose’s accusing expression any longer. He had been drunker than a skunk, but not drunk enough to make him forget losing his virginity.

This had all happened over ten years ago, he thought suddenly. For some damn reason, Rey had stuck with him. Through their separation due to college, through his ‘casual sex’ phase, through four women he thought would make him happy. Four women who he left at the altar. The guilt he still felt about them was great, even if it was Rey who had reminded him that all four had loved his money as much as, if not more, than him. Four women who all shared a passing resemblance to each other… and to Rey.

He looked at Rose, standing up suddenly. “Is Finn still at home?”

Rose looked surprised. “Yeah. Why?”

“I need his help with something.” An idea was forming in his head. He needed to tell Rey the truth. The party tonight would not be the best place to do so, but he didn’t think he could wait until after, so… “I’m going to fix this.”

Rose huffed out a laugh. “How?”

“I have an idea.” He grabbed up his keys and headed for the front door. “You just help Rey get ready for tonight like you planned. Don’t tell her you talked to me.”

“Poe?”

He stopped at the door and looked back at Rose.

“Tell me you’re not going through with this annulment.”

He shook his head. “If this plan works, there will be no annulment.” He winked at her as she grinned back, then he left, pulling out his phone and calling Finn.

An hour later, he helped Finn load his car with their purchases and gave him the key to the cabin.

“You got a play list?” Poe asked him.

“I think I got a good one, yeah. You’re not looking for just slow, romantic stuff, are you?”

“Well, I’d like to think there were some romantic songs at prom,” Poe responded with a frown. “But they don’t all have to be like that. Just get what you remember.”

Finn nodded and opened his door. “This is nuts,” he said with a grin. “You’re an idiot, you know that? Almost thirty years being friends and one year of marriage and you’re just now getting around to telling her you love her?”

“Hey, she just told me today!” Poe argued, heading for his own car.

“You’re both idiots!” Finn shouted as he slid in and closed the door.

Poe couldn’t deny that.

As he headed back home, he made a quick call to Ben Solo. Once he arrived at the condo, he was relieved to see Rey’s car in the parking lot. He heard voices coming from the guest room as soon as he entered the apartment. Scratch that. Just Rose’s voice. She was chattering away, and Poe suspected Rey probably wasn’t feeling up for conversation.

He quickly undressed and got in the shower. Shaking his wet hair out afterward, he remembered Rey’s teasing about how long it took for him to get it ready, and decided to just finger through some leave-in conditioner rather than taking time to style it. His curls would fall wherever they wanted to but at least it wouldn’t look frizzy. He shaved, then pulled out his best tux. As he put on his watch and noted the time, he smiled. If they were going to The Aurelia, he would be in panic mode about now, so he better act the part.

He left his room and faced Rey’s door. “It’s a quarter to!” he shouted. “We’re gonna be late!”

“Fashionably late!” Rose yelled back. He heard more conversation between the women, then the door opened and Rose stepped out. She was grinning. “Are you ready?”

No, he thought to himself. “As I’ll ever be,” he answered aloud.

Rose moved to the side and Rey walked out of the room, her expression more than a little nervous.

Poe felt his jaw drop.

It sounded like a cliché, but she looked like a princess. The dress was long and flowing and he couldn’t even describe the color. It was a greenish-silver, but as she moved and the skirt swished around her legs, he could see bits of pink and purple peeking out from underneath. The upper part was a halter-top, making her look almost prim as the material swept up to encircle her throat in an elegant collar, but it also left her shoulders and upper back bare. Her hair was up in a classic bun and the gold and diamond earrings he had given her for Christmas hung in her ears. She wore more makeup than normal, her eyes looking smoky and provocative. She raised those eyes to meet his and his heart stuttered.

“Poe!” Rose said. “You’re drooling!”

He closed his mouth and cleared his throat. “I guess I don’t have to say that you look amazing?” he said softly, never taking his eyes off of his wife.

“Thank you,” she responded in kind. “You look pretty amazing yourself.” She smiled briefly, then grabbed the little clutch that had been dyed to match the dress. “We should go.” She headed for the door.

Poe watched her walk by. She was slightly taller than him, which meant the heels she had on under that skirt were higher than normal. He grinned, then gave Rose a side-eye as he followed Rey.

“Have fun!” Rose squealed.

They managed to make it down to the car without any real conversation, but Poe felt that the tension that had been between them earlier had dissipated somewhat. Maybe it was due to his reaction to her appearance, or maybe Rose’s chattering to Rey had relaxed her. Either way, he knew it was bound to get tense again when she realized where they weren’t going.

They made it all the way across town before Rey seemed to realize something was amiss.

“This isn’t the way to the hotel,” she said, looking at him in surprise.

“Nope.”

She was silent for a moment. “Poe?” she said, her voice dark. “Where are we going?”

“I called Ben and he’s going to tell everyone there tonight that we decided to celebrate our first anniversary by ourselves,” he told her without really answering her question. She would figure that out soon enough.

“Poe,” she argued immediately. “This is important. We need to make sure no one questions this marriage. You need the board to vote for you tomorrow.”

He nodded. “If any one of the board members thinks this marriage is a sham after the last year, one more party together isn’t going to change their mind. They’ll believe what they believe.” He glanced over at her. “I’m done playacting. And I’m tired of schmoozing. I want to have fun tonight.”

She was silent again, considering his words, and when he glanced at her he could tell she was taking note of what highway they were on. He was pretty sure she now knew where they were going, but he was just as sure she had no clue what awaited them there.

******

What the hell was going on?

Rey felt like she was literally on the edge of her seat as Poe continued to drive them silently to the cabin. She was pretty sure that’s where they were going, anyway. And she didn’t understand at all what he hoped to accomplish by doing this. Was he trying to make her feel better after her confession earlier? Knowing she never did like big parties and crowds, did he think avoiding this last event would make her happy? More likely he was trying to ensure she wouldn’t take the job in California and leave Aldera. She closed her eyes. No. Poe may be blind to a lot of things, but he wasn’t that selfish, was he?

As her mind raced through the possible reasons he had for stealing her away, they came to the turn for the cabin. It was still light out, as the sun didn’t set until almost nine o’clock this time of year, but the shadows created by the trees along the short gravel drive reminded her how late in the evening it was. They pulled up to the cabin and parked.

Rey watched as Poe exited the car and walked around to open her door. She took his proffered hand if only because she needed his assistance to get out with the full skirt she was wearing, but she pulled away as soon as she was standing. He grimaced, but said nothing as they walked up the steps to the porch and to the front door. She glanced around, making note that there were no other vehicles in the vicinity. Still, she stopped at the door as he unlocked it and looked at him accusingly.

“There’s not going to a be a crowd of people in there yelling ‘surprise’ when you open the door, is there?”

Poe looked horrified. “Of course not!” he exclaimed. “I would never do that to you!” He opened the door and stepped aside to let her pass him.

She stepped in, stopped, and stared.

“Surprise!” Poe said softly in her ear from behind her, making her shiver.

The main room of the cabin had been transformed. The table in the dining area had been pushed up to the counter and the furniture in the living area had all been moved into the corner, leaving the floor completely open. Balloons and streamers in pearlescent blue, purple, and dark pink dotted the ceiling, and strings of white LED Christmas lights hung on the wall, circling the entire room. White pearlescent butterflies dangled from the balloons and lights and the late evening sun shining through the west windows made everything glow. Rey’s eyes were drawn to the sign hanging over the fireplace: Iridescence.

It was a recreation of her Senior Prom.

Poe closed the door behind them and moved quickly across the room to the fireplace. He picked up the ipod sitting on the mantle and fiddled with it. ‘Only You Can Love Me This Way’ by Keith Urban began playing from the speakers sitting on either side of the fireplace. He walked back toward Rey, who had not moved from where she had stopped inside the door, and looked at her with trepidation.

“I had Finn fix this up,” he told her. “It’s from his memory of that night, so anything he got wrong, you can blame him.”

Rey just blinked at him, stunned.

Poe licked his lips. “I was told tonight that you had a horrible Prom, and I was told that it was my fault.” He shrugged. “I know this won’t make up for that night. But I really needed to get your attention, and I thought maybe this would be the way to do it.”

Rey tried to collect herself, trying not to let her emotions take over. “Did Finn tell you about that night?” she asked. Why would Finn have even noticed her heartbrokenness?

Poe shook his head. “Rose did.”

Rey closed her eyes. How much had Rose told him? She couldn’t be mad at her friend. After all, she had made Rose promise not to tell Poe she loved him, but Rey had already done that. Rose had no more secrets to keep. She opened her eyes as she heard Poe move closer. He was holding out his hand.

“Dance with me?” he asked.

Taking a deep breath, she took his hand and let him lead her to the center of the room. She let him pull her in close, placing her left hand on his shoulder, but she still didn’t look directly at him. She couldn’t. She was afraid if she did, she would start crying. Hadn’t she promised herself she wouldn’t cry anymore? But the setting. The song. The man. It was too much.

As the song ended, she cleared her throat and finally met his gaze. His eyes were intense and focused solely on her, and she felt a bit unnerved by his scrutiny. “So,” she started. “You have my attention.”

A new song started up, and she and Poe stared at each other for a moment as Kelly Clarkson began singing ‘My Life Would Suck Without You.’ Poe started laughing and Rey couldn’t help but smile. Poe shook his head and stepped back away from Rey, keeping her hand in his, then pulled her back into him, spinning her around to the faster beat. Rey rolled her eyes, but didn’t fight him, and soon found herself following his lead as he continued to dance to the song, his eyes bright and his smile beautiful. Rey was very aware of the way her skirt swished around them as they moved, and though she felt a little uncoordinated moving so quickly while wearing four-inch heels, Poe’s secure hold on her kept her vertical.

By the time the song ended, they were both laughing and breathless. Rey was leaning on Poe when the next song began. Her smile faded as she realized what it was and she straightened up and tried to back away, but Poe wasn’t letting her go. He kept his arm tight around her waist, grabbing up her right hand and tucking it close to his chest. Bruno Mars had always been one of Rey’s favorite artists, and when his ‘Just the Way You Are’ began playing, her heart refused to slow its pace.

Though the beat of the song was fairly fast, Poe continued to hold her tight and he watched her closely, as if he knew exactly the effect this song was having on her. She found that she couldn’t look away.

“Poe?” she whispered.

“Do you know why I didn’t show up that night?”

Grimacing, Rey looked away for a moment, but she brought her eyes back to his as she answered. “Because Qi’ra and alcohol were more important?”

Poe shook his head. “Because I was scared,” he told her.

“Of what?”

“You,” he said simply. Then he rolled his eyes. “And your father.”

Rey was shocked. “My father?”

“I knew that I would not be able to resist you, all dressed up and beautiful. I wouldn’t be able to keep looking at you as if you were my best bud. My confidant. My sister.” He shook his head. “I knew I wouldn’t be able to deny how much I wanted you. And if I gave in, if I danced with you and told you how I really felt, not only would you hate me, but your father would kill me.”

Rey frowned. “Poe, I don’t understand.”

“Rey, I loved you,” he told her, his expression almost pained. “I was in love with you. But I had been told over and over again by your father that I couldn’t love you that way. That I would never be good enough for you. So, I wouldn’t let myself love you. I kept telling myself that you could never love me back, so why bother?” He had stopped dancing and he had pulled away from Rey a bit. “I spent over ten years telling myself these things. Trying to find what I wanted in other women, knowing deep down they could never compare to you.” He shook his head and gave a self-depreciating laugh. “I thought I was protecting you. Making sure you had the freedom to find your happiness, and instead I just kept hurting you. Over and over again.”

Bruno had stopped singing. Lifehouse’s classic ‘You and Me’ started.

“I love you, Rey,” Poe whispered harshly. “I always have. And I always will.” He took in a deep, shuddering breath and blinked rapidly, as if he was fighting tears. “I’m not going to ask you to stay. I’ve already asked too much of you. But you need to know that I don’t want to give up on this marriage. That I want to make it real. That I want to spend the rest of my life making up for the last ten years.”

Rey was trembling. This, she had not expected. She had expected him to use their friendship, their bond, to encourage her to stay. That he was telling her he loved her… it was a dream come true. A decade long fantasy being fulfilled, right here on a fake dance floor in the middle of a mountain cabin.

She wanted to laugh. To cry. To run. To hug him. To hit him. To tell him she loved him again. To tell him to go to hell.

She had made up her mind. She saw her future and he wasn’t a part of it. Why did he have to do this now? Why, when she had finally broken free from him?

Because, she hadn’t. She knew she hadn’t. And maybe she never would.

“Rey?”

His whispered plea tugged at her. She knew what she had to do. But maybe, just maybe, she could live this fantasy just a little longer.

With a soft cry, she moved forward, taking his face in between her hands and kissing him. There was no shyness, no hesitation. Though he seemed startled by her onslaught, he responded quickly enough. His arms wrapping around her, his lips parting, his tongue meeting hers with vigor. She threw her arms around his neck, bringing one hand up to burrow in his hair.

With Lifehouse still playing, she pulled away slowly, then with a small smile, she backed up. She grabbed his hand in hers and turned toward the steps that led to the bedrooms. He followed, his eyes wide. Lifting her skirts, she stepped up the stairs, then turned toward the bedroom Poe always used when they stayed, the one with the larger bed. The room was dusky, the late evening light turning it a pinkish color as the sun began to set, still providing enough illumination to keep it from being dark. She dropped Poe’s hand and stepped toward the middle of the room. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face him.

He was watching her warily now, his expression uncertain. She had to fix that. Without breaking eye contact with him, she casually untied the sash-like belt that was cinched around her waist, then let it drop to the floor. She reached behind her and pulled down the short zipper along the small of her back, then she reached up behind her neck, finding the two tiny hook-and-eye fasteners and undoing them. She watched as Poe’s expression changed, as he realized what she was doing. She looked directly into his eyes and slowly brought the front of her dress down, exposing her bare breasts. She could tell he was having a very hard time keeping eye contact with her, and his breathing quickened. She smiled and continued to let the dress fall over her hips. The only thing she was wearing underneath were her favorite pair of pink silk panties, a garter belt, and stockings. As the dress dropped down to her feet, or as far as the full skirts would allow, she held out her hand to him.

“A little help?” she said brazenly.

She saw him swallow and step forward to take her hand. Using his support, she stepped out of the dress. His eyes raked her from head to toe and he took a shuddering breath as he did so. Her own body felt overheated and she knew she was probably blushing; she blushed so easily. She released his hand and bent to retrieve the dress off the floor.

“Since only you and Rose have seen me in this, I guess I can wear it again someday,” she teased, tossing it gently over the back of the chair in the corner. Then she turned toward Poe again.

He had collected himself somewhat, and his dark eyes were once more focused on her face. He stepped toward her, moving into her space without touching her. “You always wear stockings, don’t you,” he murmured. “I never see panty hose hanging on your shower rod.”

“I hate panty hose,” she said softly. “Too restricting. Makes me feel like I’m suffocating.”

“I used to wonder,” he continued. She could feel his breath on her cheek. “Whenever I saw you in a dress, if you were wearing this underneath.” He reached out with both hands and touched the straps of the garter belt with the tips of his fingers. “Then I would force myself to stop thinking things like that. Not about you. Not about my Rey.”

Rey was trembling now, wanting his touch as badly as she wanted her next breath. “Poe?” she whispered. “Please?”

“Please what?” he breathed against her lips.

“Please?” she gasped. She moved her lips forward that last centimeter, and felt him respond immediately, kissing her hard. He suddenly stepped into her, making her back up. Her legs hit the edge of the bed and she let herself fall back onto it. Instead of following her down, he grabbed her under her arms and lifted her, pushing her back even more, placing one knee on the bed between her legs. She gasped, more than a little surprised by the ease in which he lifted and moved her. He made eye contact with her and gave her what could only be described as a devilish smile, then he lowered himself down between her legs.

She watched as he focused on the straps of the garter belt, easily detaching them from her stockings. Once all four were undone, he grabbed the elastic of her panties, looking at her once more, asking silently for not only her permission, but her assistance. With a sigh, she lay back and lifted her hips. He pulled off her underwear and tossed them over his shoulder with a smile. Her resulting laughter turned into another gasp as he gently spread her thighs. He began kissing the inside of her right thigh, moving up quickly until his lips had reached her core. She began whimpering as his tongue carefully began to explore her folds. She felt a rush of moisture flow from her, and his resulting growl made her arch her back, pushing herself closer. Shuddering, she grabbed his hair with one hand, tangling her fingers in his soft curls. She had only ever had a man go down on her twice before, and both times Ben had seemed uncomfortable doing it, making Rey just as uncomfortable. There was no awkwardness from Poe, no uncertainty. His lips and tongue played her like an instrument, and the sensations were absolutely magical. She couldn’t stop the noises that emanated from her, the gasps and moans and cries. She arched upward again, only to have him bring his arms around her hips, his hands on her belly, lacing his fingers together and holding her down. He continued the assault on her senses, his tongue strumming her clit with precision. Finally, she could take no more. Her vision blurred and she felt tears seep from the corners of her eyes as her orgasm took control. She cried out, loud and long, as he continued to work her through it.

Her body became limp, her thighs quivering, as she took in large gulps of air. Eventually she became aware of one of her stockings being pulled gently down her leg, her shoes already gone. She opened her eyes and watched as Poe removed the other one, then reached for the clasp on the garter belt, removing it as well. She felt shock roll through her as she gradually realized that he was still dressed in his tux, bow tie and all, and she was now completely naked.

“Why am I not surprised that you’re really good at that?” she said, her voice rough.

He smiled wickedly at her. “Why am I not surprised that you taste like ambrosia?” He leaned down over her, taking her lips with his, and she tasted what he spoke of. He straightened up and began to tug at his tie.

Rey sat up and pushed herself further back onto the bed, never taking her eyes from him as he slowly undressed. He took far less care with his tuxedo than she had her dress, and it didn’t take long for him divest himself of everything until he was as naked as she. She let her gaze roam his form; it was familiar to her, as she had seen him more than once in nothing but swim trunks or boxers, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the one feature she had yet to see, though she had imagined it often enough.

It didn’t disappoint. A little more than average in length, he was thick, and he was very aroused. She couldn’t help licking her lips, anxious to return the favor he had just given her.

He seemed to know what she was thinking. “Not right now,” he told her, his voice deep and slightly strained. “Later.” He crawled onto the bed and over her, sliding effortlessly between her spread thighs. He kissed her again, and she felt the weight of his arousal against her pelvis. She arched up into him and he brought his lips down to her neck, then her upper chest, then her breast, teasing her there with his teeth. Suddenly, he pushed himself up and spread his knees, positioning himself at her entrance, grabbing her thighs and stretching them open even more. He looked at her, a question in his eye.

She nodded. She knew that he knew she was on the pill; she kept the case in his medicine cabinet, after all. And she knew they were both clean, having both been tested before their wedding.

Still, Poe hesitated. He looked at her, his brow furrowed. “Do you know how many times I’ve imagined this?” he asked in a harsh whisper.

Rey felt tears once more form in her eyes at his question. Why, she thought? Why had they waited so long?

Clenching his jaw, Poe pushed forward, his cock sliding effortlessly inside her soaked pussy.

“Oh, my God,” Rey moaned. The pressure, the fullness, it felt so good! She had expected it to be at least slightly uncomfortable; it had been a few years since Ben, and he had been her only lover. But this… this just felt right.

Poe was watching her with hooded eyes, pushing in until he couldn’t any more, holding her thighs almost perpendicular to her body. She felt exposed like never before, and she reveled in it. When he began to move, she closed her eyes and tried to absorb the sensations.

“Fuck,” she heard him say. “You’re so tight!” He began to move faster. “Please tell me I’m not hurting you.”

She huffed a laugh and opened her eyes to look at him. “Oh, God, no!” she exclaimed. “So good! Oh, God, Poe, it’s so good!”

“Stop feeding my ego by calling me God,” he told her with a mischievous grin. His hips started moving faster, his thrusts harder.

Rey’s laugh turned into a moan as the pressure inside her built. She arched her back and the change in angle caused her to squeal. “Oh, shit!” she said.

Poe noticed and adjusted his own angle. “Right there?” he asked.

Rey nodded. “Yeah!” she breathed.

His thrusts quickened even more and Rey felt another orgasm within reach. She touched his hands where they were holding her thighs and slid her own hands up to grasp his wrists, raising her upper body off the bed slightly. “More!” she breathed. “More!”

He drove into her faster and faster, and soon she felt her body convulse. As she closed her eyes, absorbed by the feeling, she heard Poe grunt and a warmth filled her. Her orgasm flared up in response to his ejaculation and she cried out, opening her eyes to see his own rapturous expression. She smiled, joy filling her. That they could find such ecstasy with each other, just this once…

Before she said goodbye.

******

Poe’s dream was disjointed and perplexing, as most dreams are, but it felt real, more like a memory than a dream. He was walking along the bank of Jakku Creek with Rey. It was summer and it was hot. They must have been about nine or ten, and they were chattering to each other about some kid that they both disliked from school, wondering if he would be back in the fall. Suddenly, he became aware that she wasn’t answering him, and he turned to find she was no longer there. He looked around desperately, his eyes searching the creek, which was far too shallow for her to have disappeared in, over the rise to his left, even up in the trees. But it was no use.

She was gone.

“Rey?” he shouted as he sat up in the bed, awake in an instant. Even as he looked at the empty space beside him, he instinctively knew she was gone. Still, he pushed himself out of the bed, rushing to the bathroom. “Rey?” he called again. Empty. He looked about the room frantically. It was daylight, but knowing the sun came up around five, this didn’t tell him what time it was. As he searched for his tuxedo jacket, knowing his phone was in the inside pocket, he noticed the chair where Rey had tossed her dress was empty. As he grabbed up the jacket, he took note that her shoes were also gone. As were her panties, stockings, and even the garter belt he had removed last night.

He pulled out the phone, briefly registering that it was shortly after seven, and dialed her number. It went straight to voicemail. “Shit,” he mumbled, as he grabbed up his pants and pulled them on, then headed out the door and into the main room. The fairy lights were still on, the balloons and other decorations floating about the room undisturbed. He found his keys in his trouser pocket and one glance out the front window confirmed his car was still parked where he had left it. She could have called an Uber and met them at the end of the drive, he thought. Or maybe…

He opened his phone and found Rose’s number. It rang four times before she answered. “Poe?” she mumbled groggily.

“Have you heard from Rey this morning?”

“What?!” He heard her move about and could imagine her sitting up in bed. “What time is it? Geez, it’s barely seven!” There was a pause, and then her voice turned accusing. “What did you do?”

Poe sighed. “I didn’t…” he stopped. “She’s just gone, Rose. I need to find her.”

“You said you were going to fix this!”

“I did!” he argued. “At least, I thought I did!” He ran his hand through his hair, walking back up the steps and toward his bedroom. “I need to talk to her, Rose. If she calls you or you find her before I do, tell her I need to talk to her!”

“When’s your meeting?”

He stopped short. Shit! The meeting! He hadn’t even given it a thought! “Nine,” he said, his voice tight.

“She’ll be there,” Rose told him. “You know she’ll be there.”

“God, I hope you’re right,” he whispered. Whatever he had done to upset her, she wouldn’t back out of their deal, would she? Or had she up and left for Los Angeles already? To hell with him and Organa Enterprises? “Please, Rose…”

“If I hear from her, I’ll let you know. I promise.”

That was all he could ask. As he looked up from turning off the phone, something caught his eye. His mouth suddenly dry, he walked over to the nightstand and stared down at the object sitting right on the edge. The sapphire and diamonds sparkled in the sun that was shining through the window, but it seemed a sad sort of radiance, as if it was mocking him. It was his mother’s ring, the ring Rey had worn on her finger for the last year. Poe felt panic explode in his chest and he began to hyperventilate. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on his breathing, slowing it down, ignoring the tears that began to seep from under his lids. She had left. And she had no intention of coming back.

No! She would not leave until the deal was done, he thought. He opened his eyes and grabbed up the ring, putting it in his pocket. Whatever he had done to destroy their bond, he knew she would not break her promise. She would be at that meeting.

With determination, he finished getting dressed, then locked up the cabin and headed down the mountain. The normally relaxing drive had never seemed to take so long as it did then, but finally he reached Aldera. He felt no surprise when he did not see Rey’s car in her spot, but he still rushed into the building and raced up the stairs to the 3rd floor condo, not wanting to wait for the elevator.

“Rey?” he called as he entered the apartment, but only Beebee’s pitiful meow welcomed him. “Hey, buddy,” he said to the cat. “Was Rey here?” He headed for her bedroom, the cat following him. The first thing he saw when he entered the room was that magical dress of hers hanging from the vanity mirror. Then he saw the open suitcase on the bed. Some clothing had been thrown in haphazardly, but not a lot, as if she had started to pack and then either got distracted or changed her mind. He moved into his bedroom, where most of her belongings still resided for appearances sake, and noticed her overnight bag was missing. He also noticed one of her two business suits was not hanging where it normally did. Had she indeed left, deciding she would come back for the rest of her things later, or had she just taken what she would need for the meeting and left to prepare elsewhere?

Taking a deep breath, he knew there was only one way to find out. He pulled off his own clothing and jumped in the shower. Shave, tame the mane, dress in his best suit. The dark blue one, Rey’s favorite. He chose the grey/blue tie to go with it. Sharp without being too stuffy. He grabbed up everything else he needed, checked to make sure Beebs had food and water (he did; Rey must have done that before she left), then headed for OE.

Most of the board members were already there by the time he arrived, and D’Acy and Lars both showed up right after he did. He was very aware of the looks he was getting from many of them, and remembered that D’Acy had informed them all last night of the true conditions of Leia’s will. Poe sat down in his normal seat around the circular table, glancing at the empty chair next to him. The one that had been added for his wife. He glanced up at Ben who was watching him with a frown. He tilted his head at Poe questioningly when they made eye contact and Poe just shrugged. Zorii walked in right before nine, the last of the members to arrive. Poe looked at the door worriedly. Was this it, he asked himself? She didn’t really need to be here, of course, but he had always assumed she would be here for this. He looked at his watch. It was time.

The door opened and Rey rushed through. Though she acted harried, she looked perfect. She wore the suit he had noticed missing, the navy blue one that matched the suit he was wearing. The pencil skirt ended just above her knees, and though he knew she was probably wearing a camisole underneath the form fitting jacket, he couldn’t see it. She had on black open-toed pumps and wore her hair down. Her makeup was subtle and understated. She looked perfectly put together and professional.

She gave the room a bright smile. “I’m sorry I’m late! I had a meeting of my own this morning and it ran long!” She walked behind Poe and leaned over his shoulder, kissing him on the cheek. He couldn’t stop himself from closing his eyes and breathing her in; she smelled divine. She moved around him and sat in the empty chair, then looked at him, meeting his eyes with her own for the first time. This close, he could see the red that rimmed them. He was pretty sure she could see that his matched.

“Are we ready?” D’Acy asked.

Taking a deep breath, Poe looked away from Rey and toward the lawyer. “Yes. We’re ready.”

D’Acy nodded. “As you were all informed last night, this meeting is to determine not if Poe Dameron is qualified to run Organa Enterprises, because I think everyone in this room knows he is, but it is to determine if his marriage to Rey Skywalker is valid. Leia insisted that Poe not only marry, but that the marriage be legal and binding. So today, myself and the fifteen members of the OE board will vote, ‘yes’ if you believe the marriage is authentic and Poe should remain the CEO and majority share-holder of Organa Enterprises. ‘No’ if you believe his marriage to Ms. Skywalker is not real and if so, the majority share will go to Ben Solo.

“Before we vote, you are required to know of a change in the conditions of the will. While Leia was thorough and had prevented any sale of the majority share for the next ten years, she did not ban gifting a part of that share.” There was some nervous shifting among the group. “Mr. Dameron did his homework, and should you vote ‘yes,’ 25.5% of the majority share will be gifted to Rey Skywalker.”

Poe felt all eyes in the room land on him, but there was only one astonished stare he cared about. He tightened his jaw and continued to look at D’Acy.

“Mr. Dameron will remain CEO and official owner of OE, but Ms. Skywalker will have an equal share not only in the company profits but in any future voting. This of course means that the minimal share she was to originally receive upon completion of this year is no longer valid.”

D’Acy paused once more, then she nodded. “Shall we vote?” As the group nodded back, she looked to the woman seated on Rey’s other side. “Ms. Holdo? Your vote?”

“Yes,” the woman said.

One by one, D’Acy circled the table. And one by one, the members voted ‘yes.’

“Mr. Solo?”

Ben looked at Rey with a soft smile, then looked at Poe, and his expression seemed approving. “Yes,” he said firmly.

“Mr. Hux?”

Hux frowned. “I think they’re faking it,” he griped. “So, no.”

“Mr. Windu?”

The older man glanced at Hux and smirked. “I agree with Armitage. I think they’re faking.” He paused. “But I also know Dameron is the best thing for this company. He’s done great things already, and I can’t wait to see what he does next. So, I vote yes.”

“Ms. Bliss?”

Zorii was staring daggers at Rey. “No,” she said simply, but there was venom in her voice.

D’Acy nodded. “And I, of course, am voting yes.” She smiled at Poe. “Congratulations, Mr. Dameron. Organa Enterprises is officially yours.” She handed him a document. “Just sign this.” She reached around him to hand Rey another form. “And Rey, if you’ll sign this, then Poe please sign after her. This is for the split share.”

Poe handed the signed form back to D’Acy, then took the paper Rey had signed. As he did so, he noticed that her hand was trembling. He signed under her name and gave that sheet back to D’Acy. He took a deep breath and looked around the table. Most of the faces looked pleased. “Thank you, everyone,” he said, and cleared his throat as he heard the tremor in his voice. “As you know, I’m taking the next couple of weeks off. I think I just may sleep the whole time.”

There was laughter from some of them.

“When I come back, we’ll continue to do what we’ve been doing: making Leia proud.”

There was a smattering of applause.

“Meeting adjourned.”

Slowly, everyone got up from the table and exited the room. Ben gave one last look at Rey, who was still sitting at the table looking a bit stunned. Eventually, only he, Rey, D’Acy, and Lars remained.

“Congratulations, you two,” D’Acy told them. “Very good acting. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought your marriage was the real thing.”

Poe looked at her in shock and he knew Rey was also staring at the lawyer.

“You didn’t think I really believed it, did you?” She shook her head in exasperation.

“Uhm,” Owen Lars stood from his chair along the wall, having been silent through the whole proceeding. He pulled some papers from his briefcase. Poe’s heart sank. “I have the paperwork for the annulment, if you both are ready to sign?”

D’Acy scoffed. “Not wasting any time, are you?”

Poe looked back and forth between the two lawyers, panic fighting with embarrassment. Lars placed a copy in front of Rey and another in front of him. He looked at Rey, but she was staring down at the sheet in front of her, her face expressionless.

No! This wasn’t going to happen. He wouldn’t let it.

He stood, taking up the paper in front of him. Slowly and deliberately, he tore the sheet in two. Rey looked up at him, her face no longer impassive.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Lars,” Poe told the lawyer, who was looking at him with wide eyes. “An annulment is no longer possible.” He looked down at Rey’s shocked expression. “The marriage has been consummated.” He reached down and grabbed up his briefcase, the one Rey had gotten him for Christmas. He turned to her once more. “If you want out of this, you’ll have to file for divorce,” he told her, then he swung around and walked to the door. When he reached it, he turned back to look at her. “And I’ll fight it, every step of the way.”

With a nod to D’Acy, he left.

******

“What just happened?”

Rey’s question seemed to echo in the almost empty room. She looked from the door Poe had just walked through to D’Acy.

The older woman shrugged and gave her a small smile. “Exactly what Leia had hoped would happen, I think.”

“What?!”

“Uhm, Mrs. Dam… I mean, Ms. Skywalker?” Owen Lars was still standing on Rey’s other side. “Mr. Dameron was wrong. You can still request an annulment. You just need to change the criteria: coercion, false pretenses…” He cocked his head. “It will take longer if you are the only one asking, but it can be done.” He paused. “Unless you want to file for divorce, instead.”

Rey stared at the lawyer. Nothing about this day had been normal, she thought. Even the things that she thought she could count on had been altered somehow. And it had all started when she woke this morning just before dawn, naked and spooned with the man of her dreams, proving that the night before had not been a fantasy.

She had lain there, content and happy, her thoughts going back to the night before and the absolute magic she had found in Poe’s arms, when reality had hit her like a wet towel to the face. This didn’t change anything. His words. His actions. They were too late. She had made up her mind. She was leaving. Last night had only happened because Poe was trying to keep her from going. This was pretend. He could never truly give himself to her, body and soul. Eventually, he would realize, as she had with Ben, that they made better friends than lovers.

And this time, when he broke her heart, she didn’t think she would be able to recover.

Somehow, she had managed to slip out from under Poe’s arm and out of the bed without waking him. She had climbed back into her dress and fancy shoes, found her clutch with her phone in the living area where she had set it down the night before, then quietly snuck outside as the sun was coming up. She had found service on the phone just as she reached the end of the driveway, then she walked another half-mile to the ‘neighbor’s’ house, where the Uber she had called met her. She said nothing in response to the driver’s odd look at her attire; she didn’t want to even think about it.

Panic built as she arrived home. She once more slipped out of the dress and pulled on a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, then grabbed her suitcase and started throwing clothes into it. As she did so, Beebee wandered in, his expression concerned, and for some reason seeing him made her remember the meeting. Today was the day the board was voting on whether or not Poe would get the controlling share of Organa Enterprises. She stopped. She knew she didn’t need to be there, but she also knew that being there, offering her support to her husband, making sure they believed the marriage was real, would go a long way to ensuring Poe got the vote. And she wanted him to get that vote. He loved OE, and he would do so many good things if he became the primary owner. If she didn’t do everything in her power to help him get it, then what was this last year for?

She couldn’t leave. Not yet. She had to finish this. The idea of Poe finding her here before the meeting sent her into another panic. She wasn’t ready to confront him, especially after sneaking out of his bed this morning like a cheating wife. She went into Poe’s room and grabbed the overnight bag, putting in some clean underwear, her makeup kit, her favorite blue suit, and whatever else she might need. She refreshed Beebee’s food and water, trying not to look at his still concerned face, then left the condo. She briefly thought about checking into a hotel, but then another option came to mind, and before she knew it, she was pulling into the driveway of the house she had grown up in. Her father taught physics at the local community college, and she knew his first class wasn’t until ten today.

Luke Skywalker was more than a little surprised to see her after she knocked on the door, but she already had an excuse for being there. “They shut off our water for some repairs this morning and I have a meeting at nine. Can I use your shower?”

“Of course!” he told her, stepping aside to let her in.

“Thanks!” she told him as she sidled by.

“I heard you weren’t at that big party last night,” he said as he followed her further into the house.

Rey glanced back at him. “Yeah, Poe wanted to celebrate privately.”

Her father nodded sagely and smiled a bit. “Good man.”

Rey stared at him for a moment. “Is he?”

Luke looked startled. “What do you mean?”

“Is he a good man?” Rey asked. “It seems to me you never really liked him.”

Luke shook his head. “That’s not true!” he argued.

“You told him he wasn’t good enough for me,” Rey said accusingly.

Luke grimaced. “I firmly believe no man is good enough for you.”

“He loved me,” Rey continued, feeling the tears she had been fighting all morning well in her eyes. “He loved me and he never told me because you made him believe he would never be good enough for me.” She swallowed. “Do you know what our lives would be like if he had told me he loved me all those years ago? How much heartache I could have avoided? You could have a grandchild by now!”

Luke shook his head. “Shara was so convinced you two would end up together, but I wanted you to have more opportunities. More prospects.”

“I loved him,” Rey continued, as if he hadn’t spoken. “And I could never tell him, because he took care of me like a brother would. Because he never once made me feel like I was anything more than a friend.” She wiped her eyes. “And now it’s too late.”

“What do you mean, too late?” Luke asked. “You’re together now. You’re happy.” He cocked his head at her. “Aren’t you?”

Rey looked at him. How did she tell him? Would he be mad at her? Would he blame Poe? She shook her head and turned away from him. “I have to get ready.”

Luke had tried to get her to talk to him more when she was done with her shower and was dressed, but she had refused, telling him she would be late. He let her go, but the concerned look on his face almost started her crying again, and that she could not do. She had to look her best at the meeting.

Now, here she was, stunned three times over in less than fifteen minutes. First, learning Poe had gifted her with half of his share in Organa Enterprises, then his refusal to allow the annulment, and now D’Acy telling her that Leia Organa had in essence planned it all?

She looked at Lars. “Thank you, Mr. Lars, but your services are no longer needed.”

The lawyer looked resigned and nodded. Gathering up his briefcase, he headed out of the meeting room, giving Larma a nod as he passed. The older woman nodded back, then she focused once more on Rey.

“What did you mean, that Leia hoped this would happen?” Rey asked.

Larma sighed. “Leia was always complaining about Poe’s behavior. She was convinced that every woman he dated, every woman he almost married, was just a poor substitute for you.” She shrugged. “She always talked about how you and Poe reminded her of herself and Han. That you were best friends, siblings, adversaries, lovers… only you hadn’t figured out the lovers part, yet.” She smiled sadly. “She obviously hadn’t intended on dying when she did, but she made sure she left her mark; she knew Poe would turn to you to help him fulfill her requirements.”

Rey bit her lip. “She took an awful risk.”

Larma shrugged. “I think she knew that even if Ben got the majority share, he would keep Poe as CEO. And despite what Poe thinks, he wouldn’t have sold to Hux.”

Rey nodded. She had known that, too, but convincing Poe was impossible. She swallowed nervously, then focused on Larma once more. “When did Poe gift the half-share to me?”

Larma looked surprised by the question. “When? Back in January. Right after New Years.” She cocked her head. “Why?”

Rey shrugged this time, not willing to tell the lawyer her thoughts. January. Before that first kiss. Before the tension had gotten unbearable. Before she had told him she was leaving. “Why did he do it?” she asked softly. “I was already financially set thanks to the smaller share and his allowance.”

“I always assumed it was because he wanted to make sure you knew you were more important to him than money. More important than his control of Organa Enterprises.” Larma’s voice was just as soft as Rey’s had been. “He trusts you, Rey. With everything.”

If she left, she would destroy that trust, she thought.

And break both their hearts in the process.

Taking a deep breath, Rey stood. “Thank you, Larma, for everything you’ve done for Poe and for Organa Enterprises.”

Larma nodded. “Leia was my friend and I know her company is in wonderful hands.”

Rey nodded back. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a few important things I need to do.”

“Like what?” Larma’s smile was sly.

“Well, first I need to make a phone call, then I need to find my husband. He has something that belongs to me.” Rey offered Larma her own mischievous smile and headed out of the board room.

She stopped at Poe’s office first, knowing he wasn’t going to be there, but checking to make sure. Even his administrative assistant, Evgeni, wasn’t at his desk. As she headed out of the building, she pulled out her phone, making that important phone call she had told Larma about, then got in her car. She sat for a moment, thinking. Where would he go?

The answer was so obvious she was mad at herself for having to stop to ponder it. Determined, she started the car and headed for her childhood home for the second time that morning. Or almost. She drove past her old house, then turned onto the gravel road that ran parallel to Jakku Creek. Once she drove over the bridge, she saw his car on the side of the road. She pulled up behind it and parked, then stepped out into the hot, humid sunshine. She looked off toward the creek, and the huge old cottonwood that grew next to it. Sighing, she pulled off her pumps and her jacket, throwing them back in the car, and headed across the grassy meadow. She glanced at Poe’s car and was unsurprised to see his jacket and tie lying over the hood. She marched across the grass, wincing every now and then as her feet were poked by one thing or another; the sheer nylons she wore offered little protection and she was not used to going barefoot anymore.

She reached the bank and looked down at the man sitting in the shade of the cottonwood. She realized suddenly that she hadn’t been here in years, and she hadn’t been here with Poe since… since before Prom. He was sitting with his knees bent, his forearms resting on them. He’d taken off his shoes and socks, and rolled up the bottom of his pants. The sight made her smile; he must have been wading in the creek. She stepped down the slope and slid down next to him, her shoulder brushing his. He didn’t look at her, but his head tilted her way, acknowledging her presence.

They sat silently together for a long while, listening to the bubbling of the creek and the birds singing in the trees and bushes surrounding them. Finally, Rey broke the silence.

“I made a call to Jannah when I left OE,” she said softly. “I told her that as much as I loved the sound of her job offer, I couldn’t take it.” She paused, feeling his body tense. “I told her I was making plans to open my own practice here in Aldera. That I had been hesitant, scared even, but that I knew I could do it with the support of my best friend.”

Poe looked at her then. “I will support you always. In anything. You know that.” He took a deep breath. “Even if it means you leave Aldera.”

Rey nodded without looking at him. “I don’t want to leave Aldera. I thought I did. I thought I needed to.” She shook her head. “But I’d just be running away.” She finally looked at him. “I intend to stay. My future is here. I just have to find the right path.”

“Do you intend to follow that path alone?” Poe said softly.

“I hope not.”

Poe looked away and swallowed. “Do you remember when we were under this tree and you told me you were going to marry me?”

Rey gave a soft laugh. “And you told me you were never getting married.”

“Do you remember the reason I gave?”

Rey felt her smile fade. “Yeah. You said you didn’t want to feel the pain your dad felt when he lost your mom.”

“I kind of know… what that pain feels like now,” he rasped. “Only a fraction of it, of course, but that sense of loss.” He looked at her again, his eyes mournful. “When I woke up, and saw you’d left that ring. When I was sure you were done with me.” He swallowed. “Eight-year-old me didn’t understand that marriage has nothing to do with heartbreak.”

Rey felt her eyes fill with tears. “I’m sorry,” she told him. “I was scared. Scared you’d just said those things to keep me from leaving. Scared I was just going to be another of those women you left at the altar.”

Poe closed his eyes, dropping his head toward her until his forehead touched hers. “Never,” he whispered. “I promise I will never leave you.” He brought a hand up to touch her cheek. “You are my other half, Rey. You always have been.”

Rey felt the tears slide down her cheeks, and Poe reached for her, bringing his arms around her. She embraced him in return, and they sat like that, holding each other for a long time, their legs tangling together, under their cottonwood.

******

Poe pulled away after several minutes and as Rey wiped her tear-stained face he got up on his knees, reaching into his front pants pocket and pulling out his mother’s ring. Rey’s eyes widened and she took a shuddering breath, but she didn’t say anything.

Taking a deep breath of his own, Poe lifted up the ring. “Rey Skywalker, will you marry me?”

Rey gave a soft laugh. “We’re already married, you dweeb.”

He snorted a laugh of his own. “Renewal of vows, then. Is that what they call it?” Poe argued. “In a church, with a priest, your dad can walk you down the aisle. We can even have a small reception.” He tilted his head at her. “Let’s do it for real this time.”

Rey nodded, biting her lower lip. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”

Poe picked up her left hand as she got up on her knees to face him, and then slid the ring back onto her finger, where it once more joined the wedding band he had placed there a year ago. He brought his hands up and cupped her face, looking directly into her eyes. “I love you, Rey. So much.”

“I love you, Poe.” She moved forward to kiss him, and he met her eagerly, dropping his hands so he could bring his arms around her back. She wrapped her own around his neck, and they spent a long time just enjoying each other, kissing and nuzzling each other over and over again.

Poe reveled in her taste and the feel of her warm, supple body pressed against his. He could smell the subtle scent of the floral body lotion she used, and he could also smell her sweat, brought about by both the heat of the day and her arousal. It was musky and sweet at the same time, and he immediately became hard. He pulled back a bit to look at her, not surprised to see her pupils were blown; she was as turned-on as he was.

“Do you know how many times I’ve fantasized about making love to you under this tree?” he asked her, his voice rough.

She gave him a wry smile. “Poe! What would your mother think?” she inquired teasingly.

“Well, if my dad was right and she wanted us to grow up and marry, I think she’d be very happy about it.”

Rey nodded. “You’re probably right.”

“In fact,” Poe continued. “I think she’d be thrilled to have a grandchild conceived under this tree.”

“Now there’s an idea,” Rey said softly, then leaned forward to kiss him.

He sank into her kiss once more, but then she pulled back.

“Poe?” she whispered.

“Yeah?”

“Do you remember last night, when I wanted to do something and you told me ‘later’?” She brought her hands down to his belt and began to unbuckle it. “It’s later.”

For a moment, Poe couldn’t move. Of course, he remembered last night, and what she had been about to do when he had stopped her. He cleared his throat as Rey continued with her task; she had undone the button on his slacks and was working on the zipper. Poe let himself fall backwards onto his ass, then leaned back on his elbows. Rey followed him on her knees, her focus on the bulge in his pants. She gave him a wicked grin, then proceeded to pull his pants and boxers down just enough to free his cock.

Poe’s breathing became erratic. He had imagined this, too, but had never really thought it could happen. His Rey seemed so innocent, so sweet. While the idea of her going down on him turned him on, it just seemed so far-fetched. Yet, here she was, about to do just that.

“Now, I’m not that experienced with this,” she told him, a sly smile still on her lips. “So, you need to let me know if I do something you don’t like.”

Poe huffed a laugh. “First, I don’t want to think about what experience you have, and second, I don’t think there is anything you can do that I won’t like.”

Giving him one more impish smile, she took him in her hand and proceeded to lick him from base to tip. Poe jumped at the feel of her tongue. “Oh, God!” He watched, enthralled, as she whirled her tongue around the tip of his shaft, then took it into her mouth. The gentle suction made him groan, and he dropped his upper body down completely on the ground. He stared up at the leaves of the tree above him, panting as her amazing mouth continued to torture him. The warm wetness, the velvet of her tongue, the slight scrape of her teeth, the soft moans she emitted, as if he tasted wonderful to her. He squeezed his eyes shut, realizing he had been worked to the edge faster than ever before.

He reached for her, touching her hair gently. “Rey!” he gasped. “Rey, stop!”

She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes hooded, her breathing hard, one hand still holding his cock by its base.

He licked his lips and cleared his throat. “As much as I absolutely love what you are doing, I really don’t want to come in your mouth. That’s not where it belongs.”

She smiled her bright smile, then she quickly straightened up and sat so she could wriggle out of her panties. Without any hesitation, she hitched up her skirt and moved to straddle him. His hands went to her thighs, running his fingers up the silky nylon covering her legs and up under her skirt until he felt the elastic of her thigh-highs.

“No garter belt?” he asked huskily.

She looked down at him as she settled over his erection. “This skirt is too thin,” she explained matter-of-factly. “It would show.” She reached behind her and grabbed his cock once more, then moved him to her center. He could feel how wet she was before his tip even entered her. With a soft cry, she sank down on top of him, letting him fill her completely. Good Lord, she was tight and oh, so wet!

With her face set in concentration, she began to slide her hips back and forth. Her mouth opened and her eyes closed as she reacted to the feelings coursing through her. He slid his hands up to cup her butt, using gentle pressure to help her move. He noticed droplets of sweat rolling down her chest, disappearing beneath the silky baby blue camisole she was wearing. He ached to lick them, to follow their path toward her breasts with his tongue, but he didn’t want to move and disturb her hypnotic motions.

Eventually, she fell forward, her mouth reaching for his once more. As they kissed, her rocking continued. Their noses bumped gently with her motions and he slid his hands up her back underneath her cami, his fingers drifting along with featherlight contact. She shivered in response, and her undulations increased.

He couldn’t be still any longer, and his own hips began to pump, matching her rhythm. Her soft cries and moans became more frequent, and he realized he was unconsciously making noises of his own. “Fuck!” he hissed at one point, the tightness in his lower back becoming almost unbearable.

Suddenly, Rey sat up again, pushing herself down hard onto him. Her hands grabbed at his arms and he brought his own hands up to meet hers. Their palms connected and their fingers laced together as she threw her head back, her eyes closed. She cried out and he felt her squeeze him internally as her thighs began to tremor. “Oh, God!” she shouted.

Just watching her come was enough to push him over. He ejaculated hard, shouting out, “Yes!” as he continued to pump up into her. She opened her eyes, her body still convulsing, and looked down at him.

She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His lover. His wife. His best friend.

His Rey.

Several minutes later, after they had readjusted their clothing (just in case someone should wander down the creek and see them), they lay quietly on their backs in the shade of the cottonwood, holding hands, fingers entwined.

“Leia planned all this, you know,” Rey said suddenly. “Larma admitted it after you left the conference room.”

Poe lay still, Rey’s words running through his brain over and over again. He couldn’t understand why they didn’t shock him, why they made sense. He finally looked over at her.

“How do we thank her?” he asked softly.

Rey looked back at him and smiled. “By living happily ever after?”

Poe grinned. “Let’s do this.”

***

Ten Years Later

Under the Cottonwood Tree

Rey leaned back gratefully in the camp chair Poe had thoughtfully brought with them today on their trip to the creek, rubbing her distended belly. With less than a month to go before she popped, she wasn’t exactly comfortable sitting on the ground. She looked down at Seth, who sat at her feet with a book on his lap. At five years of age, he was already reading by himself, and she smiled as he read out loud to her.

“Once she forgot that cats can’t fly,” he said, then giggled as he looked up at her. “Beebee can’t fly, can he?”

“No,” Rey said, shaking her head and grinning. “But I bet he wishes he could.”

As Seth continued reading, Rey looked over toward the creek where Poe was sitting on the bank with eight-year-old Leia. They were supposed to be fishing, and they did both have lines in the water, but Leia was too busy telling Poe all about something that happened in the park the other day. Something about a boy who was her new ‘best friend.’ At that point, Poe looked back at her, his eyes wide with exaggerated panic, then he grinned and focused on his daughter again.

Looking back at Seth, Rey yawned and rubbed her belly, trying to sooth the restless baby they had already tentatively named Shara. Rey hadn’t been getting a whole lot of sleep of late thanks to her unborn daughter. Of course, it didn’t help that they had participated in the Aldera Chamber of Commerce Awards last night, where Organa Enterprises had won the Best Local Corporation award for the fifth time in the last ten years. OE had also won, for the third time, the national award for Regional and Urban Design from the American Institute of Architects last month.

Rey’s own business had grown significantly in the last ten years. She had started out on her own, renting out retail space at a local strip mall, and for two years it had just been her and two assistants/receptionists. But her reputation was solid, and her clientele grew by leaps and bounds. By her third year, shortly after she had given birth to Leia, Rey had hired two more PTs to join Skywalker Physical Therapy, and the next year they moved the practice to their own building, one that happened to have been designed by her husband.

Life was good, and Rey had to admit that even she had not foreseen just how happy saying ‘yes’ to Poe Dameron’s marriage proposal would make her. Even if it had taken a year for them to figure it all out. Their eleventh anniversary had come and gone with little outward fanfare, but their private celebration had been more than enough.

Nodding at Seth when he stopped to look up after a particularly challenging word, she once more glanced at her husband. At thirty-nine, there were streaks of grey in his thick dark hair already, but Rey thought it made him look debonair and aristocratic, and she had made him promise not to color it to hide the grey. He seemed to grudgingly accept her decree, but she could tell he was secretly pleased by her fascination with his salt-and-pepper curls.

Poe seemed to sense her gaze, because he turned his head to look at her once more. The corner of his mouth curled up and one eyebrow rose inquiringly. Amidst Leia’s giggling and Seth’s reading and Shara’s tumbling, she mouthed “I love you.”

His smile grew, then he took a breath and soundlessly said, “I love you back.”

THE END