🐬🐬AN: FAIR WARNING--Last Chapter, except for maybe an epilogue, okay??🐬🐬

So they went through the line and met the royal couple, a first for both of them, and neither one of them committed any faux pas, with both of them remembering the proper forms of address, how to bow and curtsy and all that, and knowing when to move on. Jack was looking around to see if he could catch a glimpse of Phoenix anywhere. Kelsey saw him and guessed what he was doing.

"Jack, please, please, no scenes tonight, okay?" she murmured into his ear. "Today has been an absolutely perfect day, a pearl, no, a diamond of a day." She fixed luminous gray eyes on Jack, her touch gentle but insistent on his arm. "Don't let that loser, who's just, so, not even important in our lives ruin it for us? For me? Okay?"

Jack looked at her. He held their joined hands out a little, so he could take her in from head to beautiful toe. "I won't do anything to ruin today for you, Kelseylove, I give you my word," he vowed. "And that especially includes doing anything to Phoenix McTaggart."

"Thank you," she acknowledged. "Now, let's get some champagne, okay? At least for me. We can find some Kool-Aid or something for you," she added with a grin.

So they grabbed drinks and wandered through the crowd, and Kelsey introduced Jack to everyone she knew, people Jack never, ever thought he'd meet in his lifetime. These people were different from the people he met in Hollywood, even though most of them weren't nearly as well-known. There was something about them, a patina of self-assurance, of class, for lack of a better word. Put another way, it was a lack of something; they were missing that feeling of desperation, that aura of scrabbling for an angle, a way in, a way to work the situation to their best advantage.

And Kelsey blended with them. They were members of the royal family, of course, and their extended family. In addition, they were philanthropists, ambassadors to various countries, directors for the different famous charities of the world. Jack recognized the pins and sashes of the Peace Corps, the UN, UNICEF, the World Wildlife Federation, the World Health Organization, and the IOC, just to name a few. In addition, there were a few celebrities like Kelsey, the glamor factor, people who represented the top tier of Hollywood, and he realized how important it was for her to be seen here. It really solidified her place in the world, in the strata of who was whom and where they fell.

No wonder Don Simonsen was so desperate to be seen here with her.

Kelsey herself was a little starstruck at times. "Oh my god, Jack!" she said, tugging on his sleeve. "Look! Those tall guys who just came in!"

Jack looked over. "You mean the guys with that gorgeous redhead and the pretty brunette?"

Kelsey rolled her eyes at him. "You dick," she said, laughing. "Anyway, yes, those guys, with those women, are UK Crush! That's Gethin Wren, that's Ronan Donohue, that's Theo Shelley, and next to him is Matty Campbell!"

"Oh my god!" Jack did his best imitation of Kelsey. "I'll hold them down, and you rip off their clothes, okay?"

"Jack!" Kelsey gave him another look. "I can't help it, I'm still just a simple thing from Iowa at heart, you know?"

Later on, she pointed out George Wilder, who hadn't been seen in public in over a year, and after that Jack himself recognized Pete Santangelo. Kelsey actually introduced Jack to Charles McAllister, with whom she'd made a movie the previous year.

Kelsey was approached over and over, by just about every group present at the event, to work with them or for them, to take a trip to Africa or Southeast Asia with a film crew to highlight one crisis or another. Kelsey was prepared, with Ray's business cards that had her signature on the back, and she passed them out to people whose interests she shared.

Jack himself got involved in a conversation with someone who represented a group which was trying to promote swimming in African schools, of all things. Everyone knew of the story of Eric Moussambani Malonga, the swimmer from Equatorial New Guinea who competed in the Olympics having never seen a 50 meter pool before. Jack and Kelsey spent a long time talking to this person who was trying to build pools in central locations in African nations as a way to teach swimming and physical fitness and promote swimming and clean water as well.

"It could tie in well with promo for your movie," the man was saying. "We'll be looking for opportunities to talk to the public next year, and that's when you'll be looking to promote, right?"

Kelsey nodded, turning to include Jack in the conversation as she handed the man a card. He sounded legitimate, he was talking film crew and everything.

Jack was fascinated, and proud of Kelsey in a way he never had been before. "Wow, Kels," he said, leaning in to kiss her after the young man had excused himself, "you are an amazing, incredible, articulate young woman."

Kelsey smiled at him. "Honestly? No one's ever talked to me about stuff like this before," she confided. She gave a little shiver of delight. "This is the coolest thing ever."

Quite a few people noticed that Kelsey was wearing a ring on her "important" finger, and they were congratulated and toasted over and over. Jack's cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling so much.

"Pinch me, Jack," Kelsey whispered. "I can't believe this is me, that I'm here, in this dress, with this ring on my finger, engaged to you."

They were standing close to a wall, and Kelsey felt Jack's hand stroke her bottom before he gently goosed her.

She jumped and let out a little squeal, causing people near them to look over at her. She smiled until they looked away. Then she turned to her fiancé. "I can't believe you just pinched my ass while I'm wearing a couture ballgown in the presence of royalty," she hissed out of the corner of her mouth.

He gave her a wicked grin, winking a gorgeous hazel eye. "I know! Imagine if I were actually imbibing alcoholic beverages tonight?" he asked, goosing her again, making her let out another little squeak.

"Haha!" Jack let out a delighted little laugh as he looked around, slipping a comfortable arm around Kelsey's waist.

"JACK!" Kelsey gave him a horrified, wide-eyed look.

Jack turned to her as if surprised. "Kelsey Carlisle, here?" he asked loudly, as if scandalized. "What if someone sees us?" He looked around, obviously embarrassed.

Kelsey covered her eyes, mortified.

"Maybe we should just leave, Kelseylove," Jack whispered to her.

Kelsey could only nod.

They quickly paid their respects to the royal couple again and left, walking across the beautiful lobby again, entering the elevator arm in arm.

Kelsey turned on Jack and opened her mouth, but he shushed her, pointing up at the cameras.

She pursed her lips and waited until they were safely in their room before turning on him.

"Jack LaGuardia, I can't believe you did that!" she began. "You have no idea who was watching! For all you know, someone could--"

Jack pressed her against the door like he had earlier in the day, cutting off her words with a scorching kiss. He lifted her off her feet, wrapping her legs around his waist, pulling her heels off her feet and tossing them over his shoulder and into the dark room.

"Have I ever told you how much I love to kiss your mouth when you've been drinking champagne?" he muttered. "You taste so good." He captured her mouth again, pressing her into the door with his body, grasping her throat with his hand to anchor her head in place.

The words she was going to say had died in her throat, and all Kelsey could think was that Jack was wearing too many clothes. She lowered her legs to the floor so she could peel his jacket off him, then his tie. She reached behind him and unhooked his cummerbund, letting it fall on the floor.

"Kels?" Jack's voice was quiet in her ear, and so sexy.

"Yes?"

"I want you naked, like, right now, but I don't want to wreck this dress, you know?" He laughed. "It's probably the most expensive thing I've ever touched in my life, and I'm working in the dark here."

Kelsey laughed, a real laugh. She let go of Jack and walked over to the bed, leading him by the hand. She flicked on the lamp next to the bed so they could see, and, while he watched, she slowly reached behind herself and unzipped the dress, letting it fall from her shoulders. She pushed him so he was sitting on the bed in front of her.

Then she unpinned her hair, again, taking her time, placing the pins on the bedside table, letting her dark hair cascade around her shoulders, until it was all down, and she stood in front of him in just her white lace thong.

Next, she unbuttoned his shirt, sliding it off his shoulders, tossing it aside. She lifted his undershirt over his head, exposing his beautiful torso, which still made her catch her breath after all this time.

She quickly unzipped his pants, pushing him so he was lying on the bed, and he obligingly lifted his hips so she could slide them down and off, along with his socks. He was already completely hard, the top of him dark red and showing above the top of his briefs.

Kelsey smiled and reached for him, breathing her warm breath onto him before sliding him into her mouth. She pulled his briefs off as she pulled him completely into her mouth. She could feel every vein and ridge, and sucked on him, hard, because she'd missed him, and wanted him to know.

He gasped at the sensation, and twisted his hands into her glorious hair, sitting up so he could see her taking him, ready to lose control at the sight of her, mouth stretched, spit-covered lips dark and swollen with desire before they'd even gotten started.

"Oh god, kiss me, kiss me, please," he whispered, and she popped off him, reaching up eagerly with open mouth to accept his mouth, his lips, his tongue, moaning with anticipation as one of his hands stayed tangled in her hair and the other reached for her breast.

Her nipples were already tingling with anticipation, tightening and ready for his touch, and Jack could feel them, like hot bullets on his chest as he lay back down with her soft body on top of him.

He effortlessly rolled them, so she was under him, and he was already spreading her legs with greedy hands, stroking her smooth thighs, loving the delicate softness of the grooves where they met her hips.

"I can't believe you're going to be mine forever," he confessed, looking down at her. "You know that I love you, and that it has nothing to do with how you look, but god, you're so fucking beautiful, Kelsey, and we're going to belong to each other for the rest of our lives, you know?" His voice was quiet, and held awe and wonder.

Kelsey nodded, tears slipping out of the corners of her eyes and sliding to the bedsheets. "We're going to belong to each other for the rest of our lives," she repeated. She dug her fingers into his back, planting her feet on the bed, knees raised, giving him room to settle between her legs.

"Come to me, Jack," she whispered. "Come into me."

And he did, like he had for the very first time the summer before, on that hot night in the City of Angels. He pushed into her body, claiming her again, hooking one leg under his arm as he drove into her heat, making her feel it, making her feel him, to her core.

"I'm going to come now," she told him.

"Really?" he asked, lifting his head to look at her.

She just nodded, pulling his head close to kiss him as he thrust into her again and again.

"Me too," he murmured, kissing her neck. "Oh god, me too, me too."

She called his name, over and over. "Jack, Jack, I love you, I love you..."

"I love you, Kelsey," he replied. "I love you, Kelseylove..."

***************

They were nearly asleep, so close that the join didn't show, when Kelsey whispered, "I should probably tell you that we might have made a baby just now."

Jack was motionless for a beat.

"What?" He sat up in bed, wide awake.

"I stopped taking the pill when I was in the hospital, and I just, never started again," Kelsey said, rolling over to smile sleepily at Jack. She shrugged. "There didn't seem to be any point, you know? You didn't seem to want to sleep with me anyway." She peered closely at Jack's face in the darkness. "You don't mind, do you? Because I kind of like the idea of having your baby."

Jack blinked. "No, I don't mind, exactly. I just, uh, it's kind of a surprise, that's all."

"A good surprise, thought, right?" Kelsey insisted, yawning as she cuddled into Jack's side, pulling his arm around her body.

"Yeah, um, yes, a good surprise," Jack echoed. He began to smile as he stroked Kelsey's back. "Definitely a good surprise."

"Good," Kelsey murmured, nearly back asleep. "Night, Jack, I love you."

"Night, Kelsey. I love you too. So much." Jack continued to smile, long after Kelsey purring the gentle breaths of sleep into his side.