The Tycoon's Temporary Bride: Book Four

by Ana E Ross

  The men looked sharp—both sporting goatees that matched their full heads of hair—Philippe’s a rich gold, and Henry’s black, both seasoned with silvery strands. And their wives were gorgeous. Felicia—a Diahann Carroll look-alike—in a black, off-the-shoulder sequined dress, and Lillian—dark-eyed and smiling—showing off her curves in a white satin gown. Tashi hoped she looked that good when she reached their age.

  “You ladies look amazing.” Adam voiced her thoughts as he caressed her shoulders. “These young women have nothing on you.”

  “I thought this was supposed to be your night,” Tashi said to Lillian and Henry.

  “It is, but we don’t mind sharing the spotlight,” Lillian replied.

  “We’re just happy that Adam found love, the love of his life,” Henry added.

  “So he can stop using my granddaughter as bait for chicks.” Philippe punched Adam on the arm.

  “No! He didn’t.” Tashi gave her husband a look of disapproval.

  “Think about it, cara. If it weren’t for Tiffany, you wouldn’t have trusted me, would you?” The warmth and veracity of his voice echoed in his azure eyes.

  It was Tiffany’s presence that had calmed her anxiety about him, made her trust him enough to tell him her name. Her gaze wandered across the room where the moon-faced, brown-eyed little girl in a red dress played with Anastasia—an equally beautiful hazel-eyed darling in a yellow dress. “You’re right,” she said, smiling up at Adam. “It was because of Tiffany that I trusted you.”

  “And now that I’m pledged to you, you’re the only chick I want to pick up for the rest of my life.”

  “As it should be,” Felicia said. “Enjoy the evening.”

  “You, too,” Tashi said as the older couples wandered into the middle of the room and began to sway to “That’s What Love is All About” by Michael Bolton. Their love and adoration for each other after so many years was something to strive for. Feeling inspired, Tashi wrapped her arms about her husband and gave him a lingering kiss as they too began to sway.

  “You guys need a room? There are children in our midst, you know.”

  Massimo’s voice broke them apart and Tashi turned to see him approaching them, with Aria clinging to him.

  “I’m in with the owners at this grand place called Hotel Andreas. I can get you a discount,” Massimo said.

  “Actually, they told me that you and your wife come around every once in a while to use their facility, and leave without paying. Think I can get the same deal?” Adam retorted with a grin.

  Massimo lifted an eggplant fritter from a passing tray. “Tashi, if you have any trouble with my cousin, I’m just a few acres across the mountain.” He placed the appetizer into his mouth and licked his finger.

  “And what will you do?” Adam asked.

  “We’ll set Cameron on him.” Shaina appeared and laced her arms around her husband’s waist. “He made a punching bag out of Mass’s face two seconds after meeting him.”

  “Why?” Tashi asked.

  “For having me arrested, among other things.”

  “Oh.” Tashi giggled, remembering how Shaina became Massimo’s fugitive bride.

  Mass rubbed his jaw as if it still hurt. “You don’t want to meet his fists. They’re lethal,” he said on a chuckle.

  “My poor baby was in pain for days.” Shania reached up on tiptoe to kiss her husband—a kiss that was interrupted by a screaming Aria, pulling on the bodice of her mother’s dress. “Feeding time, I guess.” Shaina took Aria and made her way to the back of the room, and into a smaller one.

  “She probably needs help.” Massimo winked and followed his wife into the room and closed the door behind him.

  “Aria isn’t the only one who will be nursing back there,” Adam said with a chuckle as he steered Tashi toward a table where Michelle and Kaya were filling plates, before taking them over to the highchairs, three of which were occupied by Anastasia, Tiffany, and Elyse—all banging on their trays with impatience.

  “Take a good look.” Bryce, still carrying Eli, fell into step beside them. “That’s your future. And don’t even try to sneak a quickie in the morning. Before you get halfway to first base, they’re bouncing on you. I suggest you enjoy each other as much as possible before that happens.”

  It may already be too late, Tashi thought, fighting the urge to hug her stomach as she watched Michelle and Kaya place the plates on the children’s trays. Their banging and whining immediately ceased as they began stuffing food into their mouths with their hands.

  “Kaya and I didn’t have the luxury with our ready-made family.”

  “Seems like you managed to get a few shots in, anyway,” Adam said, tickling Eli’s tummy and making him squeal.

  Bryce laughed. “Even though we’re now living on the estate, and our master suite is on the third floor and half a mile away from their second-floor bedrooms, they still manage to sneak into our bed at the most inappropriate times, sometimes all five at once. Locked doors mean nothing to them. They just keep banging until we open.”

  “It was a wise decision to keep his penthouse suite at your hotel, Adam,” Kaya said as she joined them. “And we’re headed there tonight after we leave here.” Her brown eyes sparkled as she gazed lovingly up at her husband who was grinning shamelessly down at her, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind what they would be doing later.

  Tashi jumped when Eli suddenly threw himself at her and, grabbing her cheeks, he dove in and glued his mouth to hers.

  “Hey, that’s my wife. Take your grubby little hands and your drooling, toothless mouth off her.” Adam tried to pry the toddler off Tashi.

  “That’s my boy. Knows a beautiful girl when he sees one, and goes right after her.” Bryce chuckled heartily as he cradled his son again who was still drooling and eyeing Tashi as if he wanted seconds.

  Tashi’s lips burned from his sharp little teeth gnawing her.

  “You okay, sweetie?” Adam wiped the last remnants of baby drool from her chin.

  “Mama,” Eli said, springing into his mother’s arms and locking his arms about her neck.

  “Now you know how she feels when the little girls give you kisses and play with your hair.” A grinning Erik, with his arms about Michelle, made his way toward them. He gave Tashi a peck on the cheek. “You’re glowing tonight, light years away from the first time I saw you.”

  “Thank you for taking care of me, Erik. You saved my life. You and Adam.”

  Michelle laid her cheek on Erik’s chest and touched his face lovingly. “It’s always good to have a doctor in the house. I love to play doctor with him.”

  “I guess we know why you’re pregnant again,” Adam remarked.

  “I—” Tashi startled when, “Uncle Robert! Uncle Robert!” rang through the air. She watched as Jason, Precious, Alyssa, and Little Erik raced toward the door and threw themselves at a tall, dark, handsome man.

  Luckily for him, a sofa broke his fall or he would have been on the floor with four rambunctious kids tackling him. He didn’t seem to mind the attention, though.

  Tashi glanced curiously at the slender, attractive young woman of average height, dressed in a colorful African outfit, complete with a matching, intricately tied head cloth looking on as if she didn’t know whether to join the frolicking group or run in the other direction.

  “That’s enough.” Michelle pulled the kids off Robert. She helped him to his feet, hugging him in the process. “Go play,” she said, chasing them off. She brought the couple over. “Tashi, this is my big brother, Robert, and my best friend, Yasmine Reynolds.” She glanced from one to the other. “Are you guys together, or not, on this trip? They have this on-again, off-again thing,” she explained to Tashi as she rolled her eyes at them in open frustration. “Yasmine, the ball’s in your court.”

  “That’s right. Just air my business, Best Friend Mitch.” Yasmine turned her back on Michelle and shook Tashi’s hand. “Nice meeting you, Tashi,” she said with a genuinely warm smile. “And
congratulations.”

  “It’s nice meeting you, too, Yasmine,” Tashi replied. “I love your outfit.”

  “You look like an African queen, Yasmine.” Adam gave her a hug.

  As Robert kissed the back of Tashi’s hand, and congratulated her and Adam, Tashi wondered what was keeping him and Yasmine from taking the love plunge. It seemed as if Michelle blamed Yasmine for whatever it was. At least they still thought of each other as best friends.

  In the midst of her musing, Galen announced that dinner was served. And as Whitney Houston sang, “I Will Always Love You”, the adults and children claimed their assigned seats at their respective tables.

  For the next two hours, the room was aglow with music, chatter, laughter, giggles, clinks of glasses and silverware, and a few outbursts of toddlers screaming, as the blended families and friends enjoyed each other’s company and the delicious meal.

  As Tashi glanced from one end of the table to the other, her heart was filled with gladness like she’d never known before, or even thought possible. This was just the beginning of many more affairs like this, Adam had told her.

  She was blessed. She was truly blessed.

  “Can we borrow your wife for a little while, Adam?” Michelle, seated to Tashi’s left, rested her hand on her wrist.

  “Of course,” Adam said, cutting short his conversation with Bryce who was seated directly in front of him on the other side of the table. “Just bring her back in one piece.”

  Michelle tossed him a pretty smile and nudged Tashi to her feet as Shaina and Kaya, seated across from them, gathered their dresses together in preparation to stand.

  The men hustled to their feet to help the ladies. In fact, all the men at the long table stood in respect as the women stepped away from their chairs.

  “What are they up to now?” Adam drawled as they disappear into the room where Shaina had nursed Aria earlier.

  Bryce shrugged. “I have no idea. But as you’ll soon find out, they are full of surprises.”

  “Nice surprises,” Massimo said, rubbing his thumb across his lips. “Cousin, you remember last year in the limousine en route to Kennedy Airport when we talked about how amorous they became after being together?”

  “Yeah.” Adam remembered it quite well. “I’m already understanding what you meant. That day they had lunch at the esplanade—”

  “That was a night to remember,” Erik said, brushing his fingers through Tiffany’s hair.

  “Oh, yes.” Adam choked back a groan as visions of Tashi’s naked body covered in whipped cream and fruit crashed over him. God, how could he be hungry for her again after making love to her all afternoon? He had never, ever craved a woman—anything—the way he craved Tashi.

  “Can I have your attention please?”

  The chatter died down eventually and everyone turned to Galen who’d returned to the stage.

  Adam’s eyes narrowed as the brides filed back into the room with Michelle taking the lead and Tashi bringing up the rear. They stood below the stage, facing the tables.

  “Would Erik, Bryce, Massimo, and Adam, please stand?” Galen asked.

  Adam glanced at his friends who looked just as puzzled as he was.

  Philippe reached across the table. “Come to Grandpa, darling,” he said, taking Tiffany from his son.

  Once the men were standing, Galen ducked down out of sight behind the ladies.

  The wives each called out their husband’s names, and with Train singing, “Marry Me” in the background, they began to read from slips of paper, indicating that they’d planned their speech.

  “We love you with everything inside of us, and we know that you love us. We mean, look at us. How could you not love us?” They shrugged their shoulders and wiggled their waists causing laughter to erupt. “However,” they continued, “none of you ever got down on your knees and asked any of us to be your wife. We think we deserve that honor.”

  “You definitely do,” Henry shouted from his seat. “Shame on them.”

  “Ahah! Same!” Elyse agreed from her grandfather’s lap, which made everyone chuckle.

  “And so—” They held up their left hands and displayed their bare ring fingers. “We would be honored if you’d get on your knees and propose to us in front of our families and dearest, closest friends.”

  Rendered totally speechless, the men began to walk briskly toward their wives.

  “Wait.” Michelle raised a hand to stop them.

  “Mommy, I gotta go potty.” Little Erik ran toward Michelle.

  “Me, too, Mommy,” Alyssa said, racing for Kaya.

  “A mother’s job is never done,” Michelle said, as she and Kaya shook their heads in resignation.

  Two staff members led the children away, and soon the amusement died down.

  The ladies continued. “Furthermore. None of us got married at church.”

  “One of them got married in jail.” Adam just couldn’t resist.

  “I’m really going to sic Cameron on you,” Massimo retorted.

  “In the short time we’ve known each other, we’ve grown to love, respect, and trust each other, just as you, our husbands have since high school, and some of you, even since birth. To strengthen our bonds with each other and with you, we have decided to renew our vows standing side by side. And so, we have asked Pastor Kelly if he would officiate our wedding at Granite Falls Community Church where we’ll all say, “I do”, together.”

  They held out their palms, and the room was ablaze as four enormous diamond rings and wedding bands studded with smaller gems coruscated in the chandelier lights.

  As the four men knelt in front of their wives and asked for their hands in marriage while slipping their rings back on to their fingers, a hush fell over the room and tears were streaming down the faces of everyone who understood what was going on. When they stood up and pulled their wives into their arms, cheers and clapping erupted around them.

  “I love you, Tashi,” Adam said, his tears mingling with Tashi’s as he kissed her passionately. “I’ll get down on my knees and propose to you every single day if that is your desire. I love you with all of me.”

  “I love you with all of me, Adam.” Her arms tightened around his neck, and Adam found himself lost, lost, lost in her love, her grace.

  Galen cleared his throat—twice to get the men’s attention. They reluctantly released their wives, and as the couples stood, still embraced in each other’s arms, Galen spoke. “Ladies, your husbands also have surprises for you. They have chosen songs to which each would love to dance with his wife.”

  Adam watched as they women exchanged glances and smiles.

  “Since Adam and Tashi are newlyweds,” Galen continued, “they will have the first dance.” He handed the mike to Adam. “Gentlemen, keep it short and sweet.”

  Adam cleared his throat as he smiled at Tashi. She was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. He took her hand and gazed into her eyes. “Tashi, my love, from the second I met you, my heart was captivated by the splendor of your innocence, your purity, your grace. I knew that I would always choose you above everyone and everything in this world.” His voice shook as he watched her lips tremble and new tears pool in her eyes. “And so, I ask that you grant me the honor of dancing with you to “I Choose You” by Sarah Bareilles.” With unsteady hands, he handed the mike to Erik.

  Erik took Michelle’s hand. “Michelle, our love has been tested to the max, but if there’s one thing we know, it’s that it’s endless. Thank you for coming into my life, for forgiving my follies, and for being an exceptional mother to my daughter, to all our children. No matter what trouble comes our way, our love will remain true and strong. Dance with me to “Endless Love” by Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie, my love.” Erik passed the mike to Bryce.

  “All Of Me”, by John Legend,” Bryce said, clasping his wife’s small hand in his. “Kaya, there was a time when I kept part of my heart from you. A part that was dark and broken, but your love mended it. You healed me, an
d taught me the true meaning of happiness and the sweet rewards of loving you with all of me. I’m yours, forever and ever.”

  Massimo took the mike, and Shaina’s hand. “Shaina, I loved you before I even knew you, and I thank God for keeping you for me during the years I searched for you. Your love has changed me in ways I thought impossible. You have shown me that it’s okay to let myself be loved. Please dance with me to “The One He Kept For Me” by Maurette Brown Clark.”

  Adam looked around. More tears were streaming down the adults’ faces, and the children were looking on in awe as if they knew something significant was happening.

  Then someone shouted, “Okay. Let’s get this party going.”

  Others shouted, “Woohoo,” and some, “Come on Adam and Tashi. You’re up first.”

  Adam’s knees were weak and his heartbeat was out of control as he took his wife’s delicate hand in his and led her to the center of the room. He pulled her gently into his arms and opened his palm over the warm silky skin of her back. “We’ve danced naked before,” he whispered in her ears. “Let’s see how it feels to dance fully clothed.”

  She quivered as she curved her soft sexy body into his and rested her cheek on his chest—right where it belonged and where his heart beat only for her—and wrapped her arms about him, holding him tightly. As their bodies moved as one to the rhythm of the song he’d chosen for his bride, Adam knew that the only reason for his life was simply to lose it to Tashi, to disappear completely into the light and shadow of her beautiful soul. She was the shining star in his inner universe, forever guiding him toward the perfect beginning and perfect end of every perfect day.

  ***

  Much later that night when Tashi was asleep, Adam eased his satiated, naked body from her arms and the bed. With a smile on his lips, he kissed her cheek and pulled the covers up about her shoulders. Turning, he picked up his cell phone from the nightstand and frowned when he noticed that he’d missed a call.