Advice from a Jilted Bride

by Rayne, Piper

  “What’s the matter now?” Grandma Dori asks.

  “I’m just mad.” I stomp ahead hearing all their footsteps behind me.

  “Why is she mad? I fixed this,” Grandma says.

  “Juno’s fault,” Kingston chimes in.

  “Juno, let whatever the problem is go. She’s been through enough. Now with this Wyatt fellow being a Whitmore.”

  I whip around right when we enter the doors of the hospital, holding up my hands to stop everyone from entering. The balloons hit me in the face, and I blow my hair out of the way and wrestle with them until I can see everyone. “Can everyone just leave my love life alone? I’m good! I’m great actually!” I square my eyes on Juno. “And yes Juno, I had sex with him, and it was amazing, and I plan on doing it again. Is he using me? I have no clue, but I don’t care. For once in my life, I’m laying it all out there without knowing how it will turn out.” I reposition the balloons to my other hand. “For once, can this family just stay out of my business.”

  Juno steps up. “Brookie,” she says.

  “No Juno. Don’t Brookie me. You of all people should not be treating me like some young naive girl. I know exactly what I’m getting myself into with Wyatt okay? And I’m okay with risking my heart this time around. At least this time I know it’s a risk.”

  I whip back around to find the elevators when a set of blue eyes and a heavy smirk greet me.

  I hand the balloons to Wyatt and walk away to find a hole to crawl into.

  Forty-Two

  Wyatt

  “Here.” I pass the balloons to Sedona and follow Brooklyn.

  “Phoenix? Sedona?” Austin asks from behind me.

  I don’t get to experience the homecoming of the youngest Baileys. It didn’t take a lot for me to get them here. A few red-eye plane tickets, but I wanted to surprise Brooklyn.

  “Brooklyn!” I yell as she exits the hospital into a courtyard. She doesn’t stop and I jog to catch up. “Please, just stop.” She doesn’t until she hits the end of the courtyard where you can’t go any farther unless she wants to scale a wrought iron fence, she’s cornered. “Brook,” I say, coming up alongside her. I slide her veil of blonde hair out of the way so I can see her beautiful face.

  “I’m sorry you had to hear that.”

  I step closer. “I’m glad I did.”

  She looks up at me and I wipe one of her tears away with my thumb. “Don’t cry.”

  “I’m such an idiot. Just go.” She turns away from me again.

  “No.”

  “Please, Wyatt. I’m embarrassed enough as it is, I don’t need to hear any more warnings about staying away from you. Especially from you. That you’re not who I think you are. That we have no future. Juno is right. I know I’m on my way to heartache but…” She glances over to me for a fleeting moment. I’m stunned into silence because I’ve never had anyone pour their heart out to me—for me. “I can’t stay away from you. So.” She wipes her eyes. “You have to be the one who walks away here because I can’t do it.”

  “Look at me,” I say softly.

  She shakes her head.

  “Please, Brooklyn. Look at me.”

  She sneaks a glance my way and whatever it is she sees on my face has her turning all the way in my direction.

  “I’m not going anywhere.” Her eyes widen and she sucks in a quick breath. “Did you even hear me when I said I’m glad I overheard you? I had no idea if you thought of us as a rebound or what. And yeah, I’m scared to entertain the idea of an actual relationship with someone, but you’re the only one I can see trying it for. Do you think I’d do what I’ve done for you to anyone else? I mean I left my sister’s wedding and took a favor from my dad to use the company plane. I hate owing him anything. I just flew your twin sisters here because you were so upset last night.” A hesitant smile forms on her lips. “Christ, I didn’t even fire Reagan because of you.”

  I step closer, tucking her hair behind her ears again. “You’ve done something to me and I’m man enough to admit that I like it. Maybe it’s time we talk about what’s really going on with us.”

  She nods and I escort her over to one of the tables. We sit and I take her hands in mine.

  “I’m not sure what kind of boyfriend I’ll be, but I want to try.”

  “Okay.” A hesitant smile pulls at her lips.

  “Can I get graded on a curve?”

  Her smile lifts higher. “I don’t want you to treat me with kid gloves. I’m a grown woman and if we do this, I don’t want you thinking you have to be perfect or think that you can’t break up with me. Tell me if you can’t be with me anymore. I know it will hurt but please just don’t run away.”

  I meet her gaze so that she can see the truth in mine. “I promise.”

  Her eyes sparkle when she smiles this time.

  “Can I kiss my girlfriend now?” I shake my head and chuckle. “Damn, that sounded so middle school. Sorry.”

  “Wyatt.” She stands and comes to sit on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck.

  “Yeah?”

  “Kiss me.”

  Easiest request today. My lips meet hers and I pour all the determination to make this work into our kiss. Too bad we’re in public. I close the kiss and pull her into me, needing to feel her pressed against me.

  I have no idea where we’ll end up, but I do know that I’m willing to see where this goes. I care too much about this woman to willingly give her up at this point. We’ll deal with the future later.

  “Woohoo!” someone screams and we both look to find the sliding doors opening and closing while some of the Baileys watch on.

  “Are you sure you’re willing to take me with them in the package?”

  I stand and lower her to the floor. “I’d take on a pack of hungry mountain lions if it meant I got you.”

  She places her hand on my cheek, staring at me like I’m her one and only. I wait for her to tell me how stupid of a line it is. I’m not used to all this romantic stuff, but she wraps both arms around me and throws herself into my chest again. “Me, too.”

  “Let’s go see your brother,” I say to her.

  “Thanks for bringing my sisters here.” She nuzzles her head into the crook of my arm, and I kiss her forehead.

  We walk through the courtyard over to the sliding doors.

  “Shouldn’t you all be with Denver?” Brooklyn asks when we reach her family.

  “They won’t let us up yet. He’s getting a room,” Rome says.

  “Speaking of rooms, if the two of you want to get a room, we’ll give Denver your love,” Kingston adds in.

  Juno smiles and hugs Brooklyn to her, whispering something I can’t hear into her ear.

  Austin approaches me and puts out his hand. “It means a lot to us that you brought the twins back. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  We all find seats in the waiting area with Grandma Dori talking to the lady at the desk the entire time, I think with the hopes it gets us to Denver’s room faster.

  Liam clicks on the television to help pass the time.

  “He’s fucking famous!” Kingston yells.

  Liam turns up the television.

  It’s there that we see an interview with Griffin Thorpe, Denver’s passenger on the plane. He’s a big enough deal that he’s being interviewed. He’s talking about the accident and Denver’s picture is in the corner of the screen.

  “That’s who he saved? Griffin Thorpe?” Phoenix runs over to the television and stares up at it in awe. “Do none of you know who he is?”

  We all shake our heads.

  “He could change my career,” she says more to herself than all of us, I think.

  “Way to think about Denver, Phoenix,” Savannah says, looking up briefly from her phone.

  I swing Brooklyn’s legs over my lap. We can’t seem to let one another go. Talk about a major cockblocker—admit your feelings for a girl and then be stuck with her family for hours afterward when all I want to do is mak
e love to her.

  Shit, do I even know how to make love?

  I start to panic inside and then I remember when I woke her up in the middle of the night the day of the wedding. I think we may have made love then.

  Shit, did I know I loved her… no… do I love her? No way. I can like her a lot—enough to want to see where this goes—but love is another thing entirely.

  Forty-Three

  Brooklyn

  “Thanks for the ride home.” I put the key in my door.

  Wyatt comes behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “Come on. Even I know once you’re a couple, you rarely spend a night apart.” His lips dip to my neck, casting small kisses along the bare skin.

  The question of what will happen when he leaves for New York is on the tip of my tongue. We’ll be spending nights apart then. But I can’t do that to us. I have to live in this moment, enjoy our time together like nothing is going to change.

  “Are you asking if you can spend the night?” I turn in his arms and his lips continue their exploration down my neck as he secures his hands to my hips. “I bet that’s not normal behavior for you?”

  He looks at me through his thick dark eyelashes. “You’re a special case.” Rising to his full height, his large palm winds around my neck, my hair threading between his fingers. “For lack of a better word, you’re the exception.”

  I turn the knob behind me, and the door falls open. “Okay, smooth talker.”

  As we fall into the apartment, he works to strip me of my clothing. His hands clutch the hem of my t-shirt to pull it up my body. I raise my arms in the air because I’m more than in agreement.

  “Now you’ve got the right idea.” He reaches behind my back and unclasps my bra while his lips land on mine, his tongue slipping into my mouth.

  My fingers fiddle with the button of his jeans and the zipper slides down, I push them down and he dislodges his arms from me to shred them off his body, hopping on one foot with his lips attached to mine.

  We walk backward toward the bedroom, a scatter of clothes left in our wake. By the time we’re in my bedroom, he’s in his boxer briefs and I’m in my panties.

  “Tell me you have condoms,” he says in a sexy growl.

  My hand stops massaging his length through the cotton. “Shit.”

  “Yeah, I’ll be back.” He gives me a chaste kiss and he’s out of the bedroom. I hear him dig into the pocket of his jeans. “Naked on the bed when I get back.” My front door opens and closes.

  I slip my panties down my legs, wishing I’d shaven this morning. Luckily, I did before the wedding, so the stubble is minimal.

  Crawling up the bed, he returns in record time, opening and shutting the door, shoving his boxer briefs off as he tosses a box of condoms on the bed and climbs up to join me.

  Once he’s over me, his hands run over my body slower than ever before. His kisses slow and his touch becomes softer. His tongue searches and explores while his hands move as though he’s memorizing my every dip and curve. Somewhere in the frantic act of stripping one another, he’s taken a moment to regroup.

  “Wyatt,” I murmur, my eyes falling shut as he slides on top of me, nudging my legs open with his thighs.

  “What do you need?” he asks, his lips kissing every square inch of my body from my neck, venturing down to between my breasts. My nipples are rigid points begging for his attention.

  My hands wind through his dark hair. “You. I just need you.” My head falls back to the bed.

  “I like the sound of that,” he mumbles against my heated skin.

  His lips never linger anywhere for long, keeping me on my toes and pushing my desperation to a level I didn’t know was possible.

  I know now that I’ll never free myself from Wyatt Whitmore. Even if he leaves me, a piece of me will always be with him. And that piece is my heart.

  * * *

  I roll over on my pillow and someone places their lips on mine.

  I peek an eye open to see Wyatt tying his tie in front of me. The smell of coffee arouses my senses. “What time is it?” I ask, slowly getting up and resting my back against the headboard.

  “It’s seven thirty. I have to get to the hotel. We should’ve talked about this, but since the news came out about who I am…”

  “How are you up? What did you get, an hour of sleep?” I wipe my eyes not ready to talk about Glacier Point or how the employees will feel about being lied to.

  “I’m still on the adrenaline rush of taking you so many times.” He leans forward to kiss my lips and I rear back, my hand shielding my mouth.

  “Morning breath.”

  He moves my hand and kisses me anyway. Minus tongue, thank God.

  “Like I was saying. Do you want to go in together or separate? I’ll leave it up to you, but Mr. Clayton is leaving today and I’m going to be announced as my real self.”

  I shake my head, still trying to clear the cobwebs. “When did all this happen? How long have you been up?”

  He stands and grabs his suit jacket from the edge of the bed. “You forget. New York is four hours ahead of us.”

  I nod, dragging the coffee cup off the nightstand. I blow on it. “A girl could get used to this treatment.”

  He laughs, straightens his shirt inside his jacket.

  “You’re leaving now?”

  “I’ll wait for you if you want to go in together.”

  I sip the coffee hoping for an immediate hit of caffeine to my veins. After Wyatt took his time with the slow circular motion of his hips and promising words in my ear, we ended up in the bath, in the family room and finally the kitchen when we got hungry. It was an amazing night. I’m not at all in the mood to go clean rooms right now.

  “Since you need a ride.” I throw the covers off me and slide my legs over the edge of the bed.”

  “I’ll turn on the shower for you. Hurry. Your shift starts at nine and you don’t want to have to report to the boss’s office, do you?”

  I stick out my tongue. “Maybe I do.” I sneak one more sip of coffee and head into the bathroom.

  Wyatt follows me. “I think lunches might get a little more interesting from now on.” He waggles his eyebrows and I raise to my tiptoes and kiss him.

  He grabs my ass and deepens the kiss. “Talk about agony. I have to watch you in a maid’s uniform all day?”

  “Good thing it’s from the nineteen-eighties.” I lower my feet and inhale his sandalwood scent.

  “Maybe that’s my first line of business. Get new housekeeping uniforms ordered. I’ll order a special one for you.” He laughs and I step into the shower to get going if we’re going to be on time. I don’t want people to think I’m suddenly getting benefits for dating the boss.

  I peek my head out of the shower. “How about I wear the maid costume and you wear the bellhop?”

  “I’m seeing your naughty side now.” He leans over, kisses me and then walks out of the bathroom. “I’ll put your coffee in a to-go cup.”

  “You’re treating me like a princess,” I call out after him and smile.

  I quickly wash my body and my hair and twenty minutes later, my hair is slightly damp ready to be pulled back at work. I walk out in my street clothes, grabbing my coat and shuffling into my shoes.

  Wyatt is in his suit with my coffee waiting for me in a to-go cup and a granola bar next to it.

  “I feel like the slacker of our duo.” I accept the coffee and grab my purse and keys.

  “You do have to be my chauffeur, so it’s an ‘I’ll scratch your back you scratch mine’ kind of thing.” He opens the door and we walk down the three sets of stairs and out the building.

  It feels nice to be in a couple again. Although I talk a big game about plunging with two feet into this, I still wonder about what’s on the horizon for us.

  I unlock my car and hurry to his side, opening the passenger side door for him.

  “Let’s not get too carried away.” He takes the door and holds out his hand for the
keys.

  “Come on. It’ll be fun.”

  “Not day one it’s not.” He snatches the keys and waits for me to climb in. When I stand, wondering if I should give in, he lifts his wrist and glances at his watch. “You have fifteen minutes to be clocked in before you’re written up.”

  I roll my eyes and slide into the passenger seat of my car.

  Once he’s in and has his seat belt fastened, I soak in this feeling of being with Wyatt. Nothing’s changed between us except I get to kiss him, touch him and have sex with him. All the really good stuff.

  We pull out onto the road that leads out of our apartment complex and he reaches over and rests his hand on my knee.

  Yeah, a girl could get used to this.

  Forty-Four

  Brooklyn

  “I wish you all the best. We knew this day was coming when I sold the hotel, but it’s hard nonetheless. I never meant to deceive any of you, but as you know, Wyatt would’ve never gotten the full lay of the land at Glacier Point if you knew he was the owner.”

  All the staff were called into the private dining area in the restaurant during the time it’s closed after the lunch rush and before dinner. Mr. Clayton is saying goodbye and Wyatt is saying hello as the official manager representing the new owner.

  Reagan nudges me with her elbow.

  “What?” I whisper.

  “We need to talk.”

  “I only found out right before you. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

  “So, without any further delay, I present you, Wyatt Whitmore.”

  Wyatt stands and shakes Mr. Clayton’s hand. God, he looks so hot when he’s being professional and in charge.

  “I’m not mad,” Reagan leans in and whispers. “But isn’t it against the rules to fraternize with the help?” She raises her eyebrows. Who knew Reagan would be the one who read the new employee handbook? She shrugs when I raise an eyebrow. “I have a lot of time when I’m bedside with Mom.”