by D. L. Roan
“I had a meeting with the assistant dean of students yesterday,” she said, tucking Clay’s hand beneath her cheek.
“Sounds serious,” he murmured with a sleepy hum against her neck. “Everything okay?”
Dani nodded. “I told him about Uncle Cade’s new prognosis,” she said, twisting to look over her shoulder at him. “He said I could test out if I wanted, so I could be home with him and my family.”
Clay propped his head on the heel of his hand and peered down at her. “Test out?”
“I can take my finals for the classes I have left, instead of completing the semesters.”
Clay was silent for a beat, then laid back onto the pillow they shared. “Is that what you want?”
The only stipulation her dads had made in exchange for their blessing was that she finish college before she and Clay got married. If she waited until graduation, Uncle Cade wouldn’t be there.
Dani drew in a long breath, then let it out with a shrug. “I want Uncle Cade to be at our wedding,” she finally said, turning back to gauge his reaction. Concern creased his forehead as he met her gaze. “He’s getting worse.” During the follow-up tests after Uncle Cade’s ulcer surgery, they’d discovered the cancer had spread to his liver. “He won’t make it until next summer.”
Clay placed a lingering kiss to her temple. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I know it hurts.”
Dani swallowed back the knot forming in her throat. Uncle Cade had outlasted even the longest estimates the doctors had given him. But no matter how much she wished otherwise, his time was running out.
“Are you saying you want to get married sooner?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.
Dani nodded, frowning when she noticed the hesitation in his gaze. “What? You don’t want to?”
“Beautiful, I want us married yesterday.”
“But…?
“Finals and planning a wedding?” he asked. “And don’t forget about moving to Texas. Are you sure you want to take all that on at once? I know Cade wouldn’t want—”
Dani shook her head in protest. “It’s not just for him.” She pulled his arm tighter around her, snuggling deeper into his embrace, pressing her backside into his hardened length. “I want this,” she breathed against his lips. “I want to be able to kiss you every day.” She traced his bottom lip with the tip of her tongue, a whimper escaping when his darted out to meet hers. “I want to be able to touch you,” she whispered, gripping his firm, bare ass. “To make love with you every night.”
Clay drew her leg back to rest over his thigh and positioned himself right where she craved him. “I want that, too,” he said with a strained sigh as he pushed inside her.
“Mmm.” She squeezed her inner muscles around him, gripping his hip to keep him from withdrawing. “So, we can get married? Before Thanksgiving?”
He rolled her onto her stomach, blanketing her back, stealing her breath as he peppered her shoulder with slow, languid kisses. “Name the place and date, beautiful. I’ll be there waiting for you.”
Dani parted her legs and pushed back against him, the new angle making him feel impossibly deep, filling her completely. “I want to get married on Falcon Ridge,” she said, her breath hitching on his next thrust.
Clay urged her knees further apart, his grip on her hips commanding and urgent. “Anywhere you want.” His voice was heavy with desire as he traced the outer shell of her ear with the tip of his tongue.
Her hands fisted into the sheets, every slow, taunting drive pushing her to want more. “I love you,” she breathed as he slowly slid back in.
“I love you.” His warm shuddered exhale puffed out against her skin as he kissed her temple. “But what about your dads?”
“Can we not talk about my dads right now?” Dani closed her eyes, blocking out everything but the orgasm she could feel building in her core.
Clay chuckled, but his slow rhythm never faltered. “Fair enough, but they won’t be happy about you not graduating with your class, and you know they’re going to think this was my idea.”
“Clay, please.”
“Mmm,” he hummed in her ear and snapped his hips forward, teasing her with the powerful thrusts he knew she craved before he withdrew and paused. “Please what?”
Not one to beg, Dani rose onto her hands and knees and took what she wanted, pushing back against him until he filled her completely. “Fuck me,” she demanded.
Clay grabbed her hips and pulled her into his punishing thrust, his fingers digging into her flesh, providing a rewarding sting. “I love that dirty mouth of yours, beautiful,” he said as he fucked her, the strain in his voice a sign he was as close to the edge as she was.
Her arms buckled and she tipped forward, bracing her hands against the headboard.
“This what you wanted?”
“Yes.” The harsh rhythm sent a rush of satisfaction racing along her spine.
“Beautiful,” Clay ground out as the first tendrils of her orgasm pulsed through her. “Damn, that feels good.” He shuddered, his rhythm faltering for one brief second. “You slay me, Dani,” he panted against the back of her neck. “Every time I’m inside you.”
The muscles in her arms and legs burned as the edge of her release grew sharper. Clay fisted his hand into her hair and tipped her head back, capturing her mouth in a blistering, desperate kiss that finally sent her barreling over the cliff and she shattered, her breath coming out in long, surrendering moans.
“Christ!” Clay collapsed against her back, his cock pulsing inside her as they both gasped for their next breaths.
A whimpering sound bled through the wall behind the headboard, and Dani froze.
“What’s wrong?”
“Shh.” She tipped her head and listened. “Oh, my God,” she murmured into the pillow when she heard her roommate’s moan. “Molly’s listening.”
Clay snorted. “Sounds like she’s doing more than that.”
“Not funny.” Dani twisted from beneath Clay. “She’ll never let this go.”
“Hmm.” Clay gathered her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers. “I’ll never let you go.”
When Dani finally emerged from her bedroom the next morning, Molly didn’t disappoint, turning breakfast into a mocking moan-fest, shouting yes and oh, fuck yes after every bite of her cereal.
“Oh, shut up.” Heat rose in Dani’s cheeks and she pushed her bowl away. “You’re just jealous.”
“Are you kidding me? Of course, I’m jealous.” Molly glanced over her shoulder toward the bathroom where Clay was taking a shower, then leaned across the table. “Are his brothers as…you know…hung?”
Dani rolled her eyes.
“What?” Molly shrugged. “Just because your brothers are off limits doesn’t mean his are.”
“Like I’d know how big his brothers’ dicks are.” Seriously. “And stop checking out my boyfriend’s.”
“You said you saw Jackson in his underwear when you were in Texas.”
“It was dark! And I was definitely not looking at his dick.”
“Oh my God! Why not?” Molly argued.
Dani shot up from her seat and took her bowl to the sink. “Trust me, you don’t want to go down that road with Jackson.” She wasn’t sure she wouldn’t throat-punch Jackson the next time she saw him. “Besides, you’ll get to meet them all for yourself in October, at my wedding, if you’ll be my maid-of-honor.”
Molly whipped around in her chair with a gasp. “What? I thought you were going to wait until after graduation.” Before she could explain, Molly jumped from her seat and took her by the shoulders. “You’re pregnant!”
“What-no!” Dani twisted from her grip, shaking her head. “Uncle Cade is getting worse, and I want him to see me get married. I talked to Clay about it this morning, and I’m going to test out of my final classes so we can have the wedding sooner.”
Molly stared at her for a long moment before she erupted with a joyous squeal and pulled her back into her arms. “O
h my God! You’re getting married!”
Confused, Dani furrowed her brows as her best friend mauled her with another hug. “It’s not a surprise, Moll. You’ve seen the ring and everything.”
Molly laughed, grabbing her hand to look at Clay’s mother’s ring on her finger. “I know, but I didn’t really believe you’d go through with it until now.”
What? “Why wouldn’t I?”
Molly shrugged, fingering the ring. “You never talked about things like love and marriage before. I thought maybe it was a phase, you know, because he’s your first. And you still call him your boyfriend, not fiancé.”
Dani started to argue but couldn’t find the words. Molly was right. She’d never thought, not even once, that she’d fall in love so quickly and completely. Least of all with Clay. “Fiancé just seems so…sappy,” she said, holding up her ring finger, “but he is, and we are getting married. So, are you in or out?”
“Oh, I’m so happy for you!” Molly gathered her into another hug. “Of course I’ll be your maid-of-honor,” she said with a sniffle when she finally let her go. “I’d be so pissed if you didn’t ask me.”
“No sneaking pictures of Con and Car, though!” Dani reminded her. It would be the first time she’d brought anyone home who openly stalked her country music superstar older brothers.
“Holy shit!” Molly gasped. “I totally forgot!”
“Molly, promise me!”
“I won’t!” Molly squeaked behind the hand covering her mouth, her eyes as wide as saucers.
“Promise!” Dani insisted. “I’m trusting you.”
“No pictures. I promise.” Molly sobered but couldn’t hide the excitement in her eyes. “Holy—I’m going to meet the McLendon Brothers!”
“Molly,” Dani warned.
“Not just meet them. I’ll be in your wedding with them! You have to pick sexy bridesmaids’ dresses!”
Dani shook her head as she turned away and marched to her room. “No bridesmaids, just you,” she tossed over her shoulder. “It’s going to be a small wedding, so you can pick out your own dress.”
“This totally makes up for testing out and leaving me to graduate all by myself!” Molly called out before Dani could escape.
Molly’s next squeal carried through the bedroom door, and Dani laughed as she collapsed back onto the bed.
Holy shit! I’m getting married!
Chapter Three
Looking deceivingly at ease in the seat across from Clay and Dani, Grey McLendon peeled off his reading glasses and tossed them onto the coffee table between them. “What do you mean, you’re testing out?” he demanded, his piercing gaze darting to Clay.
Clay slowly withdrew his hand from Dani’s, using his jeans to wick the sweat from his palm before discreetly shielding his balls, a strictly self-preserving reaction to the imaginary—but still very threatening—daggers being lobbed his way, by all three of Dani’s dads.
“This was my idea, Daddy, not Clay’s.” Dani took Clay’s hand back into hers, locking him to her side. “I’m still getting my degree. I just won’t be taking as long to do it or walking in the graduation ceremony.”
“That’s not what you promised,” Mason chimed in, his eyes narrowing at Clay.
Clay shifted in his seat beneath the intensified scrutiny, trying to pry his hand from Dani’s, but she tightened her grip, crushing his fingers between hers.
Of Dani’s three fathers, he’d originally expected Grey to be his biggest challenge. He’d had his stipulations, but to his surprise, Grey’d been fairly cool about everything…so far. Matt hadn’t made any kind of hay about their engagement, only to say he was happy as long as Dani was, which pretty much made them natural allies. Matt’s twin brother, Mason, however, apparently still hadn’t come around to the idea of him marrying their only daughter. Clay was at a loss as to what to do to win him over. The man was a conversational lockbox, avoiding him at every turn, and now he wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t try to kill him in his sleep.
“I promised I’d finish college, Dad, and I’m still doing that,” Dani argued.
“But you’re missing the point,” Mason insisted, shifting his gaze back to Dani. “The graduation ceremony is part of the whole experience, something Matt and I regret never doing.”
“Speak for yourself,” Matt scoffed from his seat beside Mason. “College wouldn’t have changed anything for me, one way or the other.”
Clay caught a breather when Grey and Mason turned their accusing glares to Matt. He pressed his lips together and drew in a deep breath. Staying silent went against every instinct Clay had, but he held his tongue anyway, and let Dani do the talking. If there was one thing he’d learned about the woman he loved, it was that once she set her mind to something, there was little chance of changing it.
As she argued with her dads, he tamped down the urge to check his phone for a reply from the builder he’d contacted earlier that morning. Getting married six months earlier meant he was now five months behind on the house he was planning to surprise Dani with on their wedding day.
The front door swung open, and the arguing stopped as everyone turned to greet Dani’s mother, her arms laden with plastic grocery bags. “Sorry I’m late!”
Grey popped to his feet to retrieve the bags, and Gabby hurried around the end of the sofa to greet Dani with a hug. “What an unexpected surprise,” she said with a genuine smile as she pulled Clay into the hug, too.
“You can say that again,” Mason grumbled.
Gabby cast him a sideways glance before she turned back to Dani. “I thought you weren’t coming home until next weekend. I would’ve gone into town yesterday if I’d known you were coming today.”
Matt pushed to his feet and gave her cheek a peck. “Situation update,” he said, nodding at Dani and Clay. “These two want to get hitched sooner rather than later, and Uptight and Tighter are having their usual meltdown.”
Gabby gasped, then threw her arms around Dani again. “I knew it!”
Clay glanced over at Mason and had to suppress his grin when he caught him rolling his eyes.
“When?” Gabby asked with breathless excitement, taking them both by the hands and leading them toward the kitchen. “I pulled all my wedding planning stuff down from the top of the closet a couple weeks ago. Oh!” She paused in the hallway and turned back to Dani. “Please tell me I have time to special order. I have invitation samples I want to show you, but they take two weeks minimum to ship.”
“We’re hoping for late October,” Dani told her.
Gabby’s brows furrowed, her lips twisting into a pucker. “That’s only two months.”
“I know, Mom, but—”
“We can work with that,” Gabby assured her, drawing her into another hug.
Dani smiled over her shoulder at him. “Told you she’d be fine with it,” she whispered.
Clay tried to be happy about that, but Gabby wasn’t the one he was worried about.
“Don’t you think we should talk about this before you start sending out invitations?” Grey asked Gabby as they filed into the kitchen.
“Daddy, I’ve made up my mind.”
“How are you going to study for your tests and plan a wedding?” Mason asked.
Clay flinched, not realizing Mason had sneaked up behind him.
“What tests?” Gabby asked, emptying the grocery bags on the counter.
Dani glared up at Clay, her eyes urging him to contribute, and he answered with a quick shake of his head. Was she nuts? Despite sharing Mason’s concern, it was apparent neither he or Grey would appreciate that fact, or anything else he had to say for that matter.
Gabby continued to clear the counters as Dani told her about testing out of her classes early, hoping to leave all the planning to her mother while she studied for her finals.
Clay jolted when his cellphone buzzed in his pocket. Damn nerves. “I need to take this,” he said when he saw his contractor’s number, politely excusing himself from the ongoing debate.
“Ken, hey. Thanks for calling me back,” he answered when he was out the front door, checking over his shoulder to make sure Dani hadn’t followed him.
“You bet,” the contractor replied. “Sorry it took a bit to get back to ya. Had to finish up a final inspection down in the Big Bend area. That place is like Swiss cheese for cellphone coverage.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” Clay unlatched the tailgate on Dani’s truck and pulled himself up to sit. “Listen, you know those blueprints I sent you last month?”
“Sure do. You ready to break ground?”
“Yeah, but there’s been a development.” The late summer sun beat down on his shoulders and he flipped his hat off to wipe away the beads of sweat already forming. “I need it built by the end of October.” He squeezed his eyes shut as he waited for Ken’s reply, hoping the man didn’t laugh him off the phone. He was a talented builder, but Clay knew good and well what he was asking for was damn near impossible.
For ten years, he’d worked on designing the perfect house, making notes and upgrades, drawing stick figures on paper napkins until he had enough money to have professional blueprints drawn up. Until he’d met Dani, building it had been little more than a pipedream, but when she’d agreed to marry him, he took the plans to Ken and started the process of making that dream a reality. He’d said a hundred silent hell-yes’s since she’d suggested they move the wedding date up, but getting their home built before the wedding was a big ask.
Ken let out a long whistle. “That’s a lot of square footage and not a lot of time, Sterling.”
Clay released a helpless sigh. “I know.”
“Even if I can move some things around and get the inspections prescheduled, I’d need a second crew to pull this off,” Ken continued. “That’s going to cost you.”
