Claimed by the Hero

by Yahrah St. John

  “Why shouldn’t I? Are you going to deny that going from being a single candidate to a married one isn’t beneficial to your campaign?” she asked, essentially raising the same question she had asked him on the night of his proposal.

  “Of course I’m not going to lie and say it’s not a benefit. But it’s not why I asked you to marry me. I want to give Liam a home and a family—you, me, him, and my entire family. Is that so wrong?”

  “No. But you have to understand all of this is new to me. I feel as if I’m being thrown into the deep end of the ocean and told to swim.”

  Caden walked toward Savannah and pulled her down to the sofa next to him. “You won’t be. It’s why my campaign manager, Jack, who also happens to be one of my oldest friends, is going to set you up with a stylist. They’ll walk you through everything.”

  “And my job? What about that?”

  Caden had known this discussion was coming but wasn’t looking forward to it. He would have to take a page out of Jack’s book and be blunt. “You might have to give it up,” he suggested. At the horrified look on her face, he quickly added, “Or take a leave of absence, at least for now. Campaigning is going to take up a big part of our time, and I’d like to do this with you at my side.”

  A slow smile spread across her lips. “You do?”

  “Yes, I do.” Caden leaned across to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “I want you in my life, Savannah. You and Liam. I’m hoping you’ll meet me halfway.”

  “When you put it like that, you make me seem unreasonable.”

  Caden stared deep into her hazel-green eyes. “Not unreasonable. Scared.” He could see the fear lurking in the green depths. “I know this is out of your wheelhouse, but you won’t be alone. I promise you. You’ll have all the help you need to navigate this new world.”

  She visibly swallowed, and Caden could see she was wrestling with her fears. “I don’t want to let you down. I know you have a lot riding on this.”

  “True, but nothing is more important than your and Liam’s well-being.”

  He meant that. If he had to give up running for governor for the welfare of his son and soon-to-be wife, he would do it. He may not like it because he wanted this badly. He had worked his entire life, it seemed, to come to this moment, and he felt he was suited to be the leader of Maryland.

  “Thank you. That means a lot to me.” She rose from the sofa, but Caden grabbed her arm and pulled her into his lap.

  “Caden—”

  His name died on her lips because he was covering her mouth with his. There was no tender exploration. Instead, Caden dove inside the kiss, devouring her lips with the hard pressure of his own. He heard her gasp, and then she was thrusting her tongue into his mouth in a way that was intensely erotic and made him tighten his grip around her waist.

  When he dragged his lips away, Savannah gave a murmur of protest until Caden placed them on the sensitive spot at her nape. Then she was moving her bottom against his crotch, causing him to harden underneath her. He wanted to touch her and explore her body. Before he was even conscious of it, Caden was peeling down the off-the-shoulder romper, revealing Savannah’s bountiful breasts. Once her breasts were bare, he bent his head to first one and then the other. He grazed his teeth over each puckered nipple. Savannah gasped again and curved her hands around the back of his head, urging him all while her hips moved in unspoken invitation.

  Caden’s erection jerked, and lust rushed through his body. He tugged harder on one nipple and then laved it with his tongue. He wanted to take her right here on her living room sofa, but he couldn’t. He needed to show restraint, which was hard to do when he was alone with her. Slowly, he hauled her romper back in place to cover her breasts.

  “I should go,” he said huskily.

  “Why?”

  “Because I have an early morning and so do you.”

  “I do?”

  “Yes. Since tomorrow is your day off, Jack has arranged for you to meet with the stylist while Liam is in school.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “Trust me, I’d rather stay the night in bed with you, Savi, but neither one of us will get much sleep. Plus, it will be all the sweeter when we’re husband and wife.”

  Caden couldn’t wait for the day when he would have unfettered access to the woman of his dreams. He intended to sate them both day and night until they were spent. Savannah had no idea what he had in store for her.

  Chapter 16

  Savannah was extremely busy in the days leading up to their wedding. She’d met with the stylist Jack had commandeered for her, and she was now in possession of an extensive wardrobe suitable for her role as Caden Mitchell’s wife as well as a beautiful yet simple wedding dress.

  The stylist had taken her to a salon where they’d chopped off several inches of Savannah’s hair until it fell a few inches below her shoulders. A makeup artist had given her a lesson on how to highlight her best features so much so that Caden had hardly recognized her that evening when she met him at his office.

  Caden told her that his mom was arranging a small but lavish spread for their immediate family. Savannah didn’t have many people on her side other than her mother, abuela, and Charlotte. She’d finally explained to her friend that she and Caden were getting married. Charlotte had screamed from joy.

  After that night on her sofa, in which Savannah had nearly begged Caden to make love to her, her life seemed to have spiraled out of her control. Caden hired a moving company to pack up her abuela’s house. She couldn’t complain. The new living facility her grandmother was being moved to was top notch.

  It was Saturday morning, and the movers had already arrived to move her abuela. However, Liam had become unruly and she’d called Caden, who luckily didn’t have a campaign event. Savannah knew that wouldn’t always be the case. She was thankful that he could stop everything and arrive as soon as he could.

  “I don’t like this,” Liam now said as they placed her grandmother in the van. “I want her to stay.”

  “You remember, sweetheart, I told you that your abuela will be taken care of much better in this new facility. They can take better care of her than I can. We can go see her anytime you want.”

  “It won’t be the same.”

  “True,” Caden joined in, taking off his suit jacket. “But think of what you will be getting. You’ll get to live with me and your mom in a big house with a pool and a big back yard.”

  “Pool,” Liam repeated.

  “That’s right.” Savannah nodded as she glanced at Caden. “We’re going to have so much fun. You, me, and your father.”

  The light gleaming in Caden’s eyes was evident, and it warmed Savannah’s heart considering she and Liam’s lives were changing so drastically from their previous quiet existence. Caden’s life was full and in Technicolor.

  “You promise?” Liam asked hopefully.

  “Yes.” Savannah prayed she was telling the truth because she too was afraid of all the changes ahead. She hoped she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life.

  On Sunday, Caden stood under the white hydrangea and red-rose-draped canopy as he glanced over at the officiant, who threw him an encouraging smile. He couldn’t believe the day had finally arrived when he would marry Savannah Grace Vasquez. Although marriage was unknown, he wasn’t in the least bit nervous at the prospect of joining their lives.

  “You okay?” Cameron asked by his side. He’d asked his younger brother to stand up for him because Cage was nowhere to be found. Most likely his Navy Seal brother was on yet another secret mission. He wondered what it was that kept him away from the family.

  “I’m great,” Caden replied.

  This moment was twelve years in the making. He’d known when he was a West Point cadet that Savannah would be his bride one day, but then she’d run away. Caden had never thought the day would come that the dream
he’d had back then would ever come to fruition, but now it was finally happening.

  Was he trying to relive the past?

  Recapture what he and Savannah once had?

  Maybe. But learning of Liam’s existence had changed everything. He wanted his son to have the very best in life, which included having two loving parents. And if those parents happened to not be able to keep their hands off each other, all the better. They had the makings for a good marriage.

  So what if love wasn’t part of the equation? Caden no longer had any illusion on that score. He’d tried the love approach his first go-round with Savannah. This time he was basing their relationship on honesty. So why was his conscious experiencing a flicker of unease?

  Perhaps because he’d once been madly in love with this woman and she’d broken his heart terribly. And by marrying her, she could again. No, no, he wouldn’t let that happen.

  A sudden rustle of movement caused Caden to look up, and as he did, any doubts he might have harbored fled.

  Savannah took a deep breath and then smiled down at her escort, Liam. They’d practiced this moment for several days, but she was afraid all the eyes on Liam might cause him to bolt. Instead, as instructed, Liam kept his eyes on Caden, who was beaming at his son.

  Savannah focused on Caden as she made her way down the aisle of the terrace. He looked handsome in a dark suit and white tie. Hands down, he beat any other man Savannah had ever met. Out of the periphery of her eye, she could see Caden’s parents getting to their feet, as well as Charlotte, her mother, and her abuela in a wheelchair, but Savannah’s eyes were mostly fixed on the man standing at the far end of the aisle looking dapper in a tuxedo.

  Is this what we could have had twelve years ago? Did my fears and insecurities once deny us this day? There was no time to answer those thoughts because she and Liam’s walk had ended. Caden was patting Liam’s shoulder and praising him for a job well done. Savannah watched Liam take his seat beside her mother and glanced back up to find Caden’s midnight eyes on her.

  Her breath caught as it always did, especially when his long, dark lashes were lazily sweeping over her, taking in every detail.

  “You look incredible!” he said so only she could hear.

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  Savannah didn’t hear much else as the officiant began to speak. She barely heard herself recite the traditional vows. Instead, she watched with something like astonishment as Caden slid the wedding ring on her nervous finger. Then she said more words as did Caden, slid a wedding band on his finger and soon the officiant was joining them in holy matrimony.

  After nearly twelve years, she was Caden’s wife.

  Caden was glad to be on the road with Savannah in his BMW, driving away from the Mitchell mansion. The ceremony had been civil and short, unlike the wedding he’d once imagined in which he’d heard himself saying flowery words as Savannah trailed down the aisle in an amazing dress. But today was just a simple service followed by a delicious lunch of delicacies his mother had ensured were on hand.

  He’d been introduced to Carmen Vasquez, Savannah’s mother, and what a character she was. She made no qualms about her joy over Savannah’s rise in station. In fact, at one point, she cornered Caden to ask if he would be able to help her financially. Dear Lord! No wonder Savannah had no relationship with her mother. She was why Liam would be staying with Charlotte while they were away.

  Caden’s mother, however, would have much preferred getting to know her grandson while they honeymooned, but Caden and Savannah had agreed that Liam had been through a significant amount of change during the last week. Leaving him for a week with someone he didn’t know would be asking for trouble, and Charlotte had graciously agreed to allow the newlyweds some time to themselves.

  Meanwhile, Caden would have preferred to take two weeks off to fully indulge in having his wife all to himself to slake the lust that had been building between them all week. But he’d only been able to carve out a week for their honeymoon. Caden would take full advantage of uninterrupted sex with Savannah.

  He’d purposely kept away from her because he’d known that anticipation would make their coming together all the sweeter. But it also meant he had a raging erection now. It was a good thing she’d been kept busy with a personal stylist, moving, and getting ready for the wedding. Fortunately, she had been able to use vacation days to take the time off from work in preparation for her nuptials and to honeymoon too.

  Now, it was just the two of them driving to a vacation rental in a nearby beach town near the Chesapeake Bay. After an hour and a half on the road, Caden pulled into the gravel driveway and parked his BMW. “We’re here!” He turned to face Savannah, who’d quietly dozed for most of their journey.

  Savannah stirred, slowly awakening and looking at her surroundings. The cottage was on the lakefront and completely private. “Where are we?”

  “On the Chesapeake Bay, about an hour or so outside Baltimore. What do you think?”

  “I like it!” Savannah slipped on the four-inch heels she’d worn during the ceremony.

  Caden jumped out of the car and opened the trunk to remove their luggage. After Savannah exited the vehicle, he led her to the cottage, and after producing a key, he lifted her off her feet and swung open the front door.

  “Welcome to your honeymoon, Mrs. Mitchell.” Slowly, he lowered her to the floor, sliding Savannah down his body so she could feel every inch of the hard length of him.

  “Oh!” she gasped when she came into contact with his erection. Immediately, she pushed away.

  He grinned and said, “I’ll go get our luggage.” He was back in a few minutes and saw that Savannah’s shoes were left in the foyer. She was making herself comfortable in the kitchen and opening a bottle of wine with a cork opener. He’d made sure the cottage was fully stocked with food and wine. After pouring them both glasses, she walked over and handed him one.

  “This place is great,” she said, looking at the open kitchen, living, and dining room that faced a large wall of glass doors overlooking the bay.

  “Wait until you see the rest of the place,” Caden said. He’d made sure the master bedroom and bathroom were luxuriously appointed because he had several ideas in mind for them. “C’mon, I’ll give you a tour.”

  He led her from the kitchen to the master bedroom, done in white, teal, and blues with a large four-poster bed. Then there was the master bath with travertine tile, modern above-counter sink, rainfall shower, and a sumptuous sunken Jacuzzi tub complete with a plush shag rug in front of the fireplace. Caden was already thinking he intended to make love to Savannah in front of that very thing.

  Savannah must have been thinking the same thing because she blushed and quickly moved out of the bathroom. “Can I see the rest of the house?”

  “Of course,” Caden said. “There’s a door here,” he said, lifting a curtain in the master bedroom, “that leads out to the terrace. The view is—”

  “Spectacular,” Savannah finished. “We can eat out here.” A dining table was set up as well as two Adirondack chairs.

  “Or walk down the deck to the water,” Caden offered. For a sizable deposit, the owner of the cottage had agreed to allow them the use of his boat and jet skis.

  “I look forward to it, but I have to admit I’m surprised.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought you might want something more glitzy or glamorous.”

  “There’s a lot you have to learn about me, Savannah. My public image is one thing, but in private I’m really down to earth. Besides, I didn’t want to share you with anyone. I wanted you all to myself.”

  He was gratified to see a blush stain her cheeks, but he’d waited this long, a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt. “Let’s just enjoy this down time getting to know each other,” he said. “There will be plenty of time for us to be onstage in the co
ming months. Sound good?”

  “Oh, it does!” Warmth oozed from her voice—exactly what Caden wanted. He wanted this weekend to break down any further barriers between them, and he planned to ensure that happened.

  They continued enjoying the wine as they sat in the Adirondack chairs watching the sunset until the doorbell rang with their dinner. Since it was their first official night as husband and wife, Caden had arranged for a caterer to bring them truffle scallops and creamy risotto with crispy, roasted mushrooms. Afterward, they would have to fend for themselves, but tonight, he wanted to make it special. And Savannah felt every bit of special.

  Throughout the evening while they dined, Caden gazed at her, leaving no doubt of how he wanted the night to end. But she was grateful when he adopted a more genial air and regaled her with anecdotes about his adventurous life in the military and the rigors he’d endured in Afghanistan and Iraq. Even though he had been an officer, physical and creature comforts had been scarce.

  Despite his fascinating stories, eventually a long yawn bellowed from her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize.” He pushed back his chair, getting to his feet. “You’ve had a long day. Perhaps you would like to retire to bed.”

  The inference was alone, but Caden was too much of a gentleman to say so.

  “No, I would love some fresh air,” Savannah said.

  The night was cloudy with only a faint breeze of ocean air, and once outside on the deck, Savannah gave a sigh of pleasure. It was so great to be away from the city and life’s stresses.

  “This place is great, isn’t it?” Caden said. “You can let all your worries go.”

  “And do you have them?” Savannah asked. “Worries?”

  He glanced over at her. “Of course. I know it may seem as if I don’t have a care in the world, but I want to not only be a good father and husband but governor as well.”

  “Something tells me the road ahead won’t be easy.”