Southern Comfort_Chandler's Story Read online

  After a relaxing bath with Banton entertaining me while I soaked in bubbles, I returned to my room to dress. I donned a pretty chocolate brown voile sleeveless dress that had the slightest shimmer of tiny sequins sewn over the outside layer, with a matching light jacket. Everett had outdone himself on this outfit – it was absolutely beautiful, even on me, I thought. I took my hair down from my bathtub bun, flipped it over and brushed it, flipping it back to fluff it. Then I pulled it around to the side over one shoulder and clipped it with an antique hair clip that had belonged to Maw Maw Irene, and donned an antique bracelet that had been my grandmother’s as well.

  “All ready,” I called, entering his room from the double French doors.

  I silently drew my breath in. Banton had dressed in a white linen shirt and black jeans that hung of his hipbones in just the right way. He couldn’t have been any yummier.

  “Chandler, you look even more beautiful than you did on our first date.” He cupped a hand around my cheek and paused for a few seconds, holding my gaze. He gently kissed my lips, pulled back as he smiled down at me, and took my hand as we walked out the door.

  We walked several blocks, and wove our way in and out of antique shops, specialty shops and boutiques. I was disappointed we didn’t run across any voodoo shops, but he assured me there would be some of that tomorrow where we were going. As I left one small antique shop, Banton lingered behind, and then reappeared outside carrying a small bag with handles. I raised my eyebrows at him, and he put his finger to his lips as if to say “It’s a secret.” We sauntered on along the beautiful brick sidewalk.

  “It is absolutely beautiful here. I love this city – It seems so old, like you’ve just stepped back in time. The pace is slower, somehow,” I mused aloud, gazing up at the hanging baskets of ferns and ivy over my head.

  “That’s why I love it so much. It reminds me of some of the rural towns and small cities in Europe, except it’s in the heart of a city.” He reached over and put his arm around me as I wound my arm around his waist.

  We still had some time to kill before we had to meet Constance, so we sat down at a café and ordered something to drink. We took in the beautiful fall evening, admiring the ferns dripping off every balcony down the street. They swayed in the breeze, music wafting from an open doorway where a jazz band had begun to play.

  “Chandler, I have an errand I would like to run around the corner. I’ll only be a minute, okay?”

  “Um, sure. Don’t leave me here alone too long, though, I might run away with one of the guys in the band.”

  He laughed, and stood up and kissed me before he left. I thought to myself, I’ve found a guy like my dad. He was so quick to show affection to me, and I had noticed he was quick to show affection to his family while we were there this morning.

  I listened to the band play a couple of numbers, and watched the horse-drawn carriages go by with tourists and lovers out on the town for the evening. After about twenty minutes, Banton returned with a secretive smirk on his face.

  “What’s up with you?” I asked.

  “Don’t snoop, you’ll ruin the surprise,” he answered sternly. “Come on, it’s time to meet Constance.”

  We walked hand-in-hand the rest of the way to the restaurant. Upon entering the main dining room we found Constance already seated. She immediately spotted us and waved. As we wound our way between the round tables full of people, she jumped up and met us. Dressed in a tiny sleeveless black mini-dress, her dark tan and blonde hair glowed in the candlelight of the restaurant.

  She threw her arms around me, exclaiming, “Andie! I’ve missed you so much! I’ve made up my mind. I can’t stand being away from you another semester. I’m definitely transferring to LSU this spring.”

  Teary eyed, we both stepped back at the same time, and she took a long up and down look at Banton. He was grinning. I had already filled him in on how she could just throw out the damndest comments, and he’d heard her answering machine monologues as well, so he was prepared for anything.

  She quipped, “Well, this must be ‘Mister Tall, Dark and Handsome.’ Andie girl, I can see why you don’t return my phone calls. I’d never come up for air, either!” She reached up to hug him, and planted a sisterly kiss on his cheek.

  “Banton, I’d like for you to meet my cousin…well, sister really, Constance La Blance. Constance, this is Banton Gastaneau.”

  Banton grinned down at her, flashing his famous dimple. “I’m glad to finally meet the notorious Constance.”

  She flashed her best southern-belle smile back at him. “The pleasure is all mine, I’m sure, sugar!”

  The waiter came over just then, and brought a round of drinks Constance had already ordered for us. Evidently, here in southern Louisiana you didn’t have to order tea, and you definitely weren’t asked if you wanted sweet or un-sweet. There is only one way to drink tea in the Deep South, and that is strongly brewed and preserved in sugar. He placed three glasses of that famous brew in front of us, and then took our order. Constance was fairly bouncing in her seat, and before the waiter even closed his notepad, she exclaimed, “Tell me everything about Chase!”

  After I had relayed the events of my evening with Jamie for her, including the broken nose and black eye, she turned to Banton.

  “I can’t believe that you let her go out with Jamie after all, although I’m glad you did so she could check up on Chase,” she wondered aloud.

  “I trust Chandler completely. Anyway, she made the date before we began seeing each other,” he replied, smiling at me.

  “Poor Jamie, how did he take the news?” she asked, grinning at me. “He certainly seemed to be blown away by you this summer!”

  I blushed deep crimson.

  “Well, he seemed to bounce back quickly. He drove away from our house with a back- up redhead in the front seat.” Banton flashed the dimple.

  Constance turned to me. “Who was it? It must have been Brie! I thought she was seeing Tyson! Okay, spill it, Andie!” she demanded.

  I filled her in on the rest of the people there, and what small bits of gossip I had been able to pick up from my short visit with Brie. Banton listened politely the whole time. As our salads arrived at the table, Constance exclaimed, “Oh, and how did you like the TV my parents gave you for your birthday? I heard you also ended up with Maw Maw Ann’s castoff furniture. And you haven’t sent me one picture of your new house. So, here.” She smiled smugly and plopped a wrapped package in front of me.

  “Happy late birthday!”

  I kissed her on the cheek, and then began unwrapping the package.

  “Constance, you shouldn’t have!” It was an expensive Canon digital camera with multiple lenses.

  “I didn’t. Daddy’s credit card did. Now you don’t have an excuse to leave me in the dark about all the gorgeous things you have done around the house, and all the gorgeous things you have in the house.” She glanced over at Banton.

  Banton leaned over and retrieved the sack off the floor. “Well, I guess I’ll give you mine as well. I didn’t find out Chandler’s birthday had passed until today. I had to do a little last minute shopping with her along. It’s hard to keep a secret from you, you know.” His eyes sparkled as I pulled two boxes from the sack, one in plain brown paper, the other wrapped in silver and pale blue ribbons, obviously from a jeweler.

  “Banton, what have you done?” I unwrapped the plain box first. Inside, nestled in tissue, was the most beautiful antique silver Vienna etched-glass hand mirror, with matching silver brush and comb set. They had to have been at least a hundred years old. I looked up at him in wonder.

  “I saw you look at them in the last antique store we went in. My mother has a set like this in almost every bedroom in our house, and I thought it might be something you’d like to add to your mother’s things in your bedroom,” he said, as he studied my face.

  With tears threatening, I rose to lean over and plant a kiss on his gorgeous lips. It had to be the most romantic gift I could think of
for him to give me. An antique seemed so thoughtful, and so personal. Then he urged “Open the second one.”

  I began to unwrap the elegant ribbons on the small box. “Oh, Andie, just tear into it!” Constance said impatiently.

  I pulled the shiny paper from the box, and then slowly opened the satin lid. Inside was a pair of diamond solitaire earrings, with a matching diamond solitaire on a slide, attached to a flat silver serpentine link necklace. I looked up at him in disbelief as he rose to take the necklace from my hands, and place it around my neck.

  “Well, nothing says, ‘I’m getting laid tonight’ like a diamond of two carats or more!” Constance said, clapping her hands.

  Banton smiled down at me as he adjusted the diamond on the chain around my neck. My face was beet-red at Constance’s crude comment, and he seemed completely amused, especially in light of our agreement about taking things slow. I recovered somewhat, and removed the earrings from the box, placing them on my bare earlobes. I looked at Banton with big tears brimming in my eyes for the third time today. He reached over and brushed them from my eyes, and smiled warmly at me as if to say you are welcome.

  “Absolutely beautiful!” Constance breathed. “What does he do to rate the kind of dough it took to buy those! Okay, does he have a brother?”

  “No, but I do have a great roommate for you to meet,” Banton teased.

  “Well if he’s anything like you, Chase might be in for some competition when I get back to Baton Rouge,” Constance replied, raising her glass in a mock toast, and draining her drink. She motioned to the waiter, as I heard someone from behind me exclaim “Constance!”

  I turned, and several college-age kids were making their way to our table. She jumped up and embraced the first two. She made introductions hurriedly, and then they made their way to their table.

  “I swear you know someone everywhere we go,” I exclaimed as she sat back down.

  “Must run in the family,” Banton answered, smiling at me.

  We lingered over dessert as we visited for a while longer, and then we said our goodbyes. We promised Constance we would call her Sunday morning for brunch before we left town. As she climbed into her sports car, Banton turned to me and exclaimed, “Well, I love her too! She’s a pistol. I honestly don’t know how one family can stand so much beauty under one roof. No wonder Mr. Lon is so protective. I’d travel everywhere with a shotgun, if I were him.” He smiled down as he kissed me.

  We walked arm-in-arm back to our hotel. We climbed the steps in silence – I was still in shock over his extravagant gift to me. We entered his bedroom, and I crossed through the bathroom to put my presents and purse in my room. When I returned, Banton had two glasses filled with red wine set on the coffee table in front of the large sofa, and soft music playing on the sound system. I crossed over to the sofa and sank down beside him on the soft cushions. Kicking off my shoes, I gathered my bare feet up beside me.

  “Banton, thank you for the beautiful diamonds. They are so extravagant …I…I don’t know what to say.” I looked at him with wonder for the hundredth time tonight.

  “Just say you love me. That’s all I will ever want.” He drew me in to kiss me. We began slowly, softly, and then his kiss became more forceful, more demanding. I wrapped my arms around him, and his hands began to explore my ribcage, my back, the curve of my breast…I shivered as he drew his lips away from mine, and traced his lips down my neck, to my collarbone. He placed a warm, lingering kiss on my breastbone, and then slid down to the top curve of my breast, just above the neckline of my dress. He looked up into my eyes, tracing his thumb along my skin just above the fabric. His eyes smoldered, as he reached down and grasped my bare leg at the knee, and pulled it up around his hip, placing his leg just between mine.

  My world was tumbling. I had never, ever wanted anything so much as I wanted him. His lips found mine again, and I slid my hands down his back and slipped my fingertips into the waistband of his jeans, down inside the band of his briefs and to his bare skin. Moaning, he then began exploring the inside of my mouth gently with his tongue. His kisses were electric, and I lost all control. I reached to unzip my dress down the side under my arm.

  The sound of my zipper caused him to pause and pull away from me. “Chandler, no. I didn’t mean to push this…”

  “Please, Banton. I’ve never wanted anything so much in my life. Please make love to me,” I whispered, as I grabbed him around his neck, and drew him back into our kiss. He ran his hand back around my hip, and pulled me under him. Sliding his hand inside the bare spot where I had unzipped my dress, he pushed the underside of my bra away with his thumb. His hand seemed to set my skin on fire, his thumb gently caressed the underside of my breast. I reached up and unbuttoned the first three buttons of his shirt, and then pushed the fabric away as I kissed his bare chest. He enveloped me totally in a fierce embrace as I ran my mouth over his chest muscles. Suddenly he made a growling sound, and I pulled away and looked up at him.

  “Damn it, Chandler. I have absolutely no self control with you. I want you so badly, I can’t stand it. But I promised myself I wouldn’t do this, not now.” He sat up on the couch, running his hand through his hair.

  “Why not now?” I asked him. “Banton, what is it? Why won’t you…why can’t you…?” I couldn’t finish the question.

  “Because it’s too soon. And because I know …I know that you’re the one. I want this to be special.” He reached over, taking my hand to pull me upright on the couch beside him. “I want to do everything right. You’re so young, Chandler.”

  “Why do you keep saying that? It’s not like I’m some college freshman, I’m twenty-two. I’m on my own, I own my own house, and I will be out of college in a little over a year.”

  “I only mean I want everything to be special, for you. And I meant it when I said I want you to be absolutely sure about your feelings. Chandler, your parents just died in May. A lot has happened since then, and it’s only October. Six months isn’t long enough to sort through your emotions, much less make sense of our whirlwind relationship.”

  “Banton, everything about this is special for me. I’ve never…well, I’ve never made love with anyone before. So no matter what you say, it will be special. I am absolutely sure about my feelings.”

  “You’ve never been with anyone else?” he asked me wonderingly.

  I answered, looking down, embarrassed at the admission. It made me seem even younger and more inexperienced, somehow. “Not ever. Cody and I came close, but I never would. I wanted to wait, and I figured that was why he cheated on me. I kept him waiting too long.” I looked back up into his eyes as he studied me.

  “Cody must have been an idiot. He had no idea what he had,” he said as he caressed my cheek. “The fact that you are a virgin makes me want to wait even more. Do you know how special that is to me? But knowing you, I should have guessed that you were before now.”

  He pulled me into his arms, and held me close. Then he whispered in my ear, “This will be enough for now. The fact I can hold you in my arms anytime I want, well, the rest can wait. We have a lot to look forward to, Chandler.” He cupped my chin in his hand as he placed a slow kiss on my lips, and then pulled back to look into my eyes.

  “I hope so,” I sighed.

  I was so happy he felt that way, but disappointed too. I felt like a sixteen year old teenage boy with raging hormones.

  I pulled away and rose from the couch. “I think I’ll get ready for bed. If I stay in here any longer, I’ll attack you,” I whispered, and then shook my head as I left the room.

  Back on my side of the suite, I opened my suitcase and rummaged around until I found the pink pajamas. I looked wistfully at the beautiful white sexy nightgown Everett had packed for me, then folded it and put it back in my suitcase. I decided I would have to start one of those sappy hope chests when I got back home, and this would go right on top.

  After I had donned the pajamas and brushed out my hair, I pulled the covers back on the mas
sive four-poster bed. Banton knocked softly on the partially closed door, and peeked around the open door. “Can I come in?”

  “Of course. I was wondering if you would come and tuck me in.”

  He flashed his dimples, and walked across the room to the side of my bed. He had on a pair of pajama bottoms and no shirt. I had a really hard time concentrating on what he was saying.

  “Good night, Beautiful. Only good dreams,” he said, placing a soft kiss on my lips.

  “Good night, Banton.”

  He left the doors to our rooms wide open. I could hear his steady breathing in the dark, as I was sure he could hear mine. I longed to go across through the bathroom to his large bed and climb in with him, but I knew after the episode on the couch, neither one of us had any control. Sighing, I snuggled deeper in the covers. My dreams would have to be enough, tonight.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I bounded out of bed as the sunlight beamed across the room through the massive window. Running through the bathroom and across Banton’s room, I jumped in the middle of the bed, and snuggled close to his still-sleeping form.

  “Well, good morning, sunshine!” Banton exclaimed as he woke. “You seem to be wired this morning.”

  I rose up on one elbow, and leaned over and kissed his lips. “I am. Where to, today?”

  He laughed and replied, “Well, first, Café du Monde for beignets. Then we’ll tour St. Louis Cemetery No. One, and then see what else we have time for. Sound okay?”

  “Perfect. I’ll be ready in a jiff…”

  I ran back to the bathroom and jumped into the shower, thinking that would be quicker than a bath. After, I wrapped myself in a towel and hurried into my room to get dressed. Behind me in the bathroom, I heard Banton start the shower.

  I hurriedly pulled on a pair of whitewash jeans and long, pale pink angora sweater that exposed one shoulder. Everett had certainly turned up the sex appeal with these outfits. I pulled on my comfy Birkenstocks for walking, and donned the necklace and earrings Banton had given me the night before. Out of curiosity, I tested several of the bottles of French perfume lined up on the counter. One pale green bottle smelled heavenly, like sweet limes and grapefruits with a spice undertone. I spritzed a little on my neck and wrists, and then pushed the door to the bathroom open and met Banton halfway. He looked wonderful in a dark plaid Polo shirt and dark khakis and loafers. He smiled as he leaned down and placed a kiss on my bare shoulder. “You look so gorgeous in everything you wear.”