by Ruff, K. S.
I hadn’t realized how much I’d been relying on adrenaline until my head hit the hotel’s luxury goose down pillows. I slept for five hours. Kadyn was sleeping in the room directly across the hall. Maxim was sleeping in the room next to him, and Rafael was in bed with me.
Rafael woke me with a kiss. “Wake up sleepyhead.”
“No,” I groaned.
“The wedding rehearsal is in an hour,” he chided.
I pulled the pillow over my head. “Call Cenia and see if she’ll reschedule.”
Rafael laughed. “I don’t think that’s easily rescheduled.” He scooped me up and lifted me out of the bed.
“What are you doing?” I demanded shrilly.
He smiled. “You’ll see.”
I gasped when I caught sight of the bathroom. “How? When did you do that?”
Rafael set me down next to the tub. “About fifteen minutes ago. I solicited some help from the concierge when we first arrived at the hotel.”
I dipped my hand in the steamy water and swirled the deep red rose petals around. The bathroom lights were off, but tiny pinpricks of light bounced off the water from the thirty or forty tea lights that Rafael had scattered around the bathtub.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
He smiled as he folded me in his arms. “It’s been a very stressful week. I just… I wanted to give you an opportunity to relax before all the wedding festivities began. Why don’t you get undressed?”
I stepped out of my panties and relinquished my bra. “Are you joining me?” I asked curiously. The tub was certainly big enough.
Rafael shook his head. “No, baby, I want you to relax.”
I tried not to think about how tempting he looked in his dark gray boxer briefs. I planted a kiss on his cheek and stepped gingerly into the bathtub.
Rafael set his iPhone to play music before placing it on the counter and stepping out of the bathroom.
I scooped a handful of rose petals up as I sank into the warm water. I brought the sweet smelling petals to my nose and inhaled deeply. I sighed contentedly, leaned my head back, and closed my eyes.
My mind remained blank for a few blissful minutes, soothed by the steam, the soft lighting, and the fragrant flowers. My thoughts eventually drifted toward Rafael. I was trying to process the fact that he didn’t want to have sex. Between Maxim kissing me at the church and me clinging to Kadyn during the drive back to McAllen, I thought Rafael would require some attention. Instead, he asked the front desk to ensure Kadyn’s room was close to ours, and he offered to hold me while we slept.
I squeezed the hotel’s complementary body wash into my hand so I could wash up. My hand paused briefly over my stomach. How much comfort had Rafael drawn from our conversation last night? I pressed my fingers into my tummy. Could I already be carrying his child?
I washed and rinsed my hair, added some conditioner and stretched out in the bathtub. The GYN I’d seen in Montana couldn’t have been more wrong. Michael and I became pregnant the first week we made love. I sank into the tub and rinsed my hair again. My relationship with Rafael had never really proceeded in an orderly fashion. Still, I wanted to be married before we had a baby. Sadly, I’d been dragging my feet for so long, I hadn’t a clue how to expedite a proposal, unless of course I did it myself. The idea was tempting…
I sifted through ideas on how I might go about proposing to Rafael before climbing out of the bathtub. I discarded every single one. I eyed the rose petals and the candles while I toweled off. I should be patient, give Rafael time, and let him be the one to propose. He was far better at sweeping people off their feet than I was.
I slathered some lotion on before tying the towel around my chest. I frowned while combing the tangles from my hair. The next two days were going to be awkward. I was supposed to be Kadyn’s date, but now that Rafael and Maxim were attending the wedding festivities, I couldn’t exactly ignore them.
Rafael’s eyes met mine in the mirror. He was leaning casually against the doorframe. I hadn’t a clue how long he’d been standing there. “I just wanted to check on you to see how you’re coming along.”
My heart clenched when I registered the emotions reflected in his eyes. I slowly turned around. “Can I just hold you for a minute?”
Rafael’s eyes softened. He pushed off the doorframe and held out his arms.
I tried not to weep as I sank into his chest. Physically, I couldn’t get close enough, even though I could feel Rafael’s heart beating against mine. I wanted to climb inside of him. I closed my eyes and willed us whole.
“Are you okay?” he asked, softly rubbing my back.
“Yes,” I breathed. “I’m just… I just… I love you, Rafael. I want you to know how much I love you. And I want to thank you for putting up with the insanity that is my life.”
He smiled knowingly. “I don’t mind Kadyn. It seems he’s always been a part of your life. But Maxim’s another story. I don’t understand or trust his intentions where you’re concerned, and I don’t like feeling obligated to him.”
I nodded. “I’m sorry I asked Maxim to come. I should have waited for you to arrive, and I should have trusted you to find Kadyn. I was so afraid he was going to be tortured or killed. I thought Maxim could get him released faster than anyone else.”
“I would have found Kadyn,” Rafael assured me, “but Maxim did have some useful connections. It’s okay, love. I can’t fault you for asking Maxim to help find Kadyn, not when I relied on Maxim to save you. Now, stop worrying about my pride. You need to get ready for the rehearsal.” He patted my bottom as I walked toward my suitcase.
I noticed Rafael wasn’t making any effort to get dressed. I stepped into a gold lace thong. “Aren’t you coming with me?”
Rafael shook his head. “I thought you and Kadyn could use some time alone, so I asked Maxim, Konstantin, and Shae to join me for drinks in the bar downstairs while you’re at the rehearsal. We’ll be at the rehearsal dinner, though.”
I stepped into my dress.
Rafael raised an eyebrow when he saw I wasn’t planning to wear a bra.
I turned around to show him the back. “I can’t wear a bra because the back is cut out, but there’s a bra built into the bodice.”
He stepped behind me and pulled my bottom against his hips. His hands traveled over my hips, waist, and chest before he turned me around. “I have to sit at that rehearsal dinner, knowing the only thing you’re wearing under that dress is that skimpy little thong?”
I laughed. “Would you prefer I take the thong off?”
His eyes widened. “God, no. That would be even worse.”
I rubbed up against him until he hardened between my legs. “I haven’t properly thanked you for paying the mafia and rescuing my friend. You might want to drink coffee instead of wine when you head downstairs, because I intend to thank you repeatedly tonight.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Really? How?”
I smiled innocently before whispering in his ear. I listed all the wicked things I wanted to do once we returned to our room. I abandoned the list when he began kissing my neck.
Rafael lifted my dress as he backed me toward the bed. “We should get started then.”
I tsk’d him under my breath when I pulled away. “Not now. I want you to have something to look forward to.”
Rafael groaned. “You’ve got fifteen minutes to do your makeup and hair. If you’re still here in fifteen minutes, I’m hauling you back to bed.”
He laughed when I bolted into the bathroom.
* * * * *
I smoothed my hand down the form fitting dress. The champagne colored tulle was heavily embellished with gold, bronze, and crystal clear beads. I had paired the decadent dress with iridescent heels and the gold and diamond twist bracelet Kadyn had given me when we shared our first Christmas together. I knocked on his door.
Kadyn tugged the door open. His eyes traveled slowly down the dress. He smiled when he saw the bracelet. “You look amazing
.”
Kadyn had asked what I was planning to wear to the rehearsal dinner before we left Virginia. Now I knew why. He wanted to ensure we were wearing complementary colors. Kadyn was wearing black slacks, a chocolate brown dress shirt, and a gold, brown, and black paisley tie. I smiled. “You look very handsome, Kadyn. Are you ready to head downstairs?”
“Yes, and... thanks.” He ducked back inside the room to grab his wallet, then joined me in the hallway. “Where’s Rafael?”
“He’s going to meet Maxim, Konstantin, and Shae in the bar for drinks. Isabel invited them to join us for dinner later.” I linked my arm in Kadyn’s as we began walking down the hallway. “Did you sleep okay?”
He nodded. “Best sleep I’ve had in days.”
I laughed. “I bet. The only thing worse than sleeping on a bathroom floor while fearing someone’s about to kill you is sleeping on a cold cement floor in some abandoned warehouse while fearing someone’s about to kill you.”
Kadyn stopped and stared at me before pushing the button for the elevator. “It’s very sad that you know that.”
I studied him from under my eyelashes. Kadyn was in remarkably good spirits for someone who’d been held hostage by the drug cartel for the last three days. “Do you want to talk about it?”
All of the energy seemed to seep out of his body at once. His eyes captured and held mine as he stepped in front of me. “Can I just hold you for a minute?”
Tears pooled in my eyes. “Of course, Kadyn.” I burrowed into his chest and wrapped my arms around his back.
Kadyn held me tight. “Thank you,” he whispered hoarsely.
The elevator dinged, but Kadyn didn’t let go. I glanced over his shoulder. Isabel and Alejandro were waiting patiently inside the elevator. “We’ll be down in a minute,” I assured them.
“Take your time,” Isabel replied.
“I thought she was dating the Latino,” Alejandro remarked as the door slid closed.
“It’s complicated,” Isabel answered from the other side of the door.
Kadyn chuckled.
I buried my face in his chest. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. You were supposed to be my date.”
“I’m still your date,” Kadyn replied. He stood there and held me for a few minutes longer. Eventually, he took a deep breath, stepped back, and pressed the button for the elevator again.
“Did you really send all of the cartel’s interrogators to the hospital?” I inquired curiously.
Kadyn laughed. “The men who were tying us up didn’t know how to tie a proper knot.”
“You must have caused some serious damage. The guy who called Cenia referred to you as the diablo negro. He demanded a million dollars for Roger but two million for you.”
Kadyn laughed. “You didn’t think I’d make things easy for them?”
I followed him inside the elevator when the doors opened again. “What were they questioning you about?”
Kadyn tucked my hand back in the crook of his arm. “They were trying to obtain the name of a relative or friend so they could demand a ransom. Thankfully, they couldn’t link me to anyone outside of work. I told them to demand ransom from the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security, but my interrogators weren’t too keen on that idea.”
I tried not to laugh. I knew Kadyn was just cocky enough to make that statement. “I don’t imagine that went over very well.” I squeezed his arm. “I’m sorry for worrying your mom. Maxim warned me the cartel might try to contact her, so I wanted to prepare her for that possibility. That proved to be the most difficult phone call I’ve ever had to make.”
Kadyn patted my hand. “You did the right thing. I called my mom and sister before going to sleep, so they know I’m okay. I also called the American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City to let them know we’re back in the United States.”
The elevator dinged, signaling our arrival. Shelby and Trena were standing a few feet away when we stepped off the elevator. I glanced at Kadyn. “I want to introduce you to the other bridesmaids.” I gave Shelby and Trena a hug. “Hi, Shelby, Trena. This is Roger’s best man, Kadyn.”
Kadyn shook their hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Cenia told us what happened in Mexico,” Trena confessed. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Kadyn smiled. “Thanks. Where’s Cenia?”
“Oh! Cenia walked down to the courtyard with her parents, Roger, and his brothers. We should join them,” Shelby replied. She led us down a long hallway.
Kadyn opened the French doors at the end of the hallway, and suddenly we were standing inside a courtyard. The courtyard was brimming with lush ferns, tropical trees, hibiscus, and other fragrant flowers.
Everyone was gathered in the center of the courtyard, near a red fountain. Cenia glanced up when we walked through the door. “Hey, guys! I want you to meet Nina, our wedding coordinator. Nina, these are my bridesmaids, Kri, Shelby, and Trena and Roger’s best man, Kadyn.”
We shook Nina’s hand.
Roger introduced the remaining unfamiliar faces. “I’d like you to meet my brothers and my groomsmen, Rem and Ryan.”
I shook hands with Rem. “It’s nice to finally meet you.” Rem and I had spoken on the phone once, shortly after Cenia and Roger were engaged. I’d requested his phone number from Roger so I could recruit Rem and Ryan to help with something special for the wedding reception.
Rem gently squeezed my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kri. I’m truly grateful to you and your friends for all you’ve done over the past few days.”
My cheeks heated. “It was nothing, really.” I didn’t feel I deserved his gratitude since I was the one who’d talked Kadyn and Roger into going into Mexico in the first place.
“I would like to echo those sentiments. It’s truly an honor,” Ryan said as he shook my hand. He had the same soft Tennessee drawl and that same mischievous spark in his eyes that Roger was notorious for.
“Thank you, Ryan.” I slipped my hand in the crook of Kadyn’s arm after he shook hands with the two men.
Nina smiled politely. “The chairs will be placed on either side of the courtyard. This is where the aisle runner will be placed.” She motioned between the fountain and a beautiful wooden arch at the end of the courtyard. The arch was wrapped in little white lights, white tulle, and dark green ivy.
“My father built the wedding arch,” Cenia added. She wrapped her arms around her mom and dad. “And my mom decorated it.”
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed. Everyone agreed.
“Roger, you and your groomsmen will enter through that door over there.” Nina motioned toward a side door near the far end of the courtyard. “That will help ensure you don’t see Cenia before she walks down the aisle. Why don’t you head over there and walk to the arch so you can get a feel for things.” Nina suggested. She led the rest of us back inside the hotel so we could practice walking down the aisle.
Isabel played Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” on Cenia’s cell phone. Shelby entered the courtyard first. Nina asked Trena to wait until Shelby walked past the fountain. I began walking once Trena cleared the fountain.
I walked slowly. The violins sounded so beautiful, I wanted to cry. Roger was standing in front of the wedding arch. Kadyn, Rem, and Ryan were standing in a line to his left.
Kadyn nodded encouragingly when our eyes met.
My eyes teared even more. I couldn’t believe how close I’d come to losing him. My bottom lip quivered as I forced a smile. I joined Shelby and Trena on the other side of the arch.
Cenia and her father walked through the courtyard arm in arm while Isabel played Mendelssohn's “Wedding March.”
Nina assumed the role of the priest. She offered a brief explanation about how the wedding ceremony would progress once Alejandro and Cenia joined us. We snapped a few pictures before everyone began filing back inside the hotel.
There were hundreds of rope-like vines hanging from one of the pret
tier trees. I fingered one of the vines. “What is this?” I asked Kadyn.
He shrugged. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“That’s a sausage tree,” Cenia answered.
I sniffed at the bell shaped flower. “I didn’t realize sausages grew on trees.”
Cenia laughed. “The fruit that grows on this tree just looks like a sausage.”
I grinned. “I suspected as much. I just wanted to hear you laugh.”
Cenia gave me a hug. “Thanks.”
We followed the rest of the wedding party to the Spanish Room for the rehearsal dinner. The Spanish Room felt more like an intimate tea room than it did a restaurant. The atmosphere was very relaxing. All of the smaller tables had been pushed together to form a larger table in the center of the room.
Cenia and her parents joined Roger and his mother, who had just arrived, at the far end of the table. Maxim joined Shelby, Trena, and their husbands on the opposite end of the table. Konstantin and Shae claimed seats to Maxim’s right, on the same side of the table as Kadyn, Rafael, and me. I was tucked between Kadyn and Rafael. Rem and Ryan joined Cenia’s brother, his wife, and Cenia’s madrina and padrino on the other side of the table.
The waiters delivered six pitchers of sangria crammed with fruit and decorative swirls of orange rind. They offered every guest a cupful of chicken tortilla soup before delivering a number of appetizers. Grilled brie topped with pistachios and blueberry compote, mango infused shrimp cocktail, and an appetizer called “Train Track Ribs” were deposited on all four sides of the table by the time we poured the sangria.
Alejandro stood and raised his glass. Everyone around the table quieted and looked at him expectantly. Alejandro opened, then closed his mouth. His eyes moistened. He looked down at the table and shook his head.
Isabel stood and wrapped her arm around Alejandro’s back. She nodded encouragingly as he gazed into her eyes.
