"Well, when you put it like that," Derek answered, his eyes wide.
Jeff gave him a wry smile. "Exactly. Now—" he took a deep breath, "come witness my wedding, will you?"
Smiling warmly, Derek opened the door to the restroom gesturing for Jeff to go ahead. "Anything you say, General."
Jeff was still smiling when he turned the corner into Teague's office, but the smile dissolved into a dropped jaw when he saw what waited there for him. Teague stood in full justice regalia, long dark robes making him look a little like the Angel of Death. Next to him was Deanna and Derek's wife, London, chatting quietly with Lisa's friend from work, Nell. He and Lisa had agreed in the contract who would be given the true story of their marriage. Since General Armstrong had practically instructed him to get married, Jeff didn't think the details of the marriage were of great importance to his superiors, but he also didn't want the arrangement made public where the press could get ahold of it and run with the story of the Army's prejudices against single soldiers at the upper echelon.
On the approved list had been the Powerplay Club members and their spouses, as well as Nell, and Lisa's mother, who must be the woman currently fussing with his bride's short veil.
As Jeff's eyes shifted from the group of witnesses to his bride it was like all the air was sucked right out of his lungs. As if she could sense his presence in the room, Lisa looked up, their gazes meeting across the space. Everything else suddenly dropped away. The hushed voices of their friends, the critical gaze of Lisa's mother, the heavy wood furniture appointing the elegant room—it all disappeared in the blink of an eye. All that was left was the most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on.
Her dress was cream velvet, rich and dense, the bodice fitted to her full breasts and small waist. The skirt flared out, falling to just above her knees in the front and a short train in back. The sleeves were long, but tight, and the neckline scooped dangerously low. She wore cream-colored ankle boots with a spike heel, and a glittering comb like a flamenco dancer might have in her updo, a short veil attached that fell to her shoulders.
Soft curls draped around her face, tangling with the pearl drop earrings on her delicate lobes. Her gray eyes were wide and sparkling, inky lashes framing them. Jeff's breath simply halted in his chest. No air moved in or out for several seconds, until he felt Derek's hand on his shoulder.
His friend's gritty voice rumbled in his ear, "Breathe there, soldier," then a soft chuckle.
Jeff cleared his throat, and blinked once as he consciously inhaled then exhaled slowly.
"There you go," Derek coached quietly before stepping around him and turning on the charm.
"Well, I'm guessing you're the bride," he said, putting out a hand to Lisa. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm the best man, Derek Ambrose."
Lisa and her mother introduced themselves as Jeff stood and watched. She was absolutely stunning. Every last thing about her made his insides yearn. The way her lips curled as she succumbed to Derek's devilish ways. The length of her legs beneath the graceful dress. The contrast of the pale velvet and her rich, dark curls. The sweet look she gave her mother. The curve of her breasts where they peeked out of the wide neckline.
My God, she was everything he'd never known he wanted in the world in one angelic package.
"Well," Teague said in his deep baritone. "Are we all ready?"
Jeff shook off the magic spell he seemed to be under and stepped further into the room. He approached Lisa's mother. "You must be Mrs. Scotch," he said, executing a small bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
Mrs. Scotch gave him a tight smile. "It's nice to meet you, Colonel. I'll be honest and say I'm not a fan of this whole thing but when Lisa told me Justice Roberts and the First Gentleman himself were friends of yours I figured it was at least on the up and up."
"Yes, ma'am," Jeff answered, oddly disappointed to hear it was only his friends that had swayed the woman. "It's all legal and your daughter is protected in every way possible. It's not my intention to take advantage of her in any way. I want this arrangement to be as advantageous to her as it is to me."
She sniffed. "Well, I certainly never thought things like this happened anywhere but movies, but I can't believe it'll be any worse than Lisa's last marriage—"
"Mom!" Lisa chastised. She turned her sweet smile on Jeff, her cheeks faintly pink. "I'm sorry, Jeff. This is a little difficult for her to understand."
"She is standing right here," Mrs. Scotch snapped.
Jeff smiled at his almost mother-in-law. "I completely understand, and if there's anything I can do at any point to assuage your concerns, please don't hesitate to ask."
Mrs. Scotch nodded, then Teague cleared his throat. "Shall we begin?" he asked.
Jeff looked to Lisa, who smiled in return. He offered her his arm and they stepped in front of Teague as everyone else took places behind them, standing in a semi-circle to watch.
As Teague began to speak, Jeff wondered at his abundance of nerves. This wasn't a real wedding after all, no reason to be anxious, yet the entire time, all he could think was that he'd just changed his life forever, and he could only hope he was up to the task.
Chapter 7
Her heart raced as Lisa tried to listen to the somber words of Teague Roberts. Something about the sacred nature of the vows they were about to take. She wasn't particularly religious, but now, when it was too late, she wondered if God was going to strike her down for treating marriage so cavalierly.
Her hand was tucked into Jeff's arm, and she felt him give a slight squeeze with his biceps. She looked up and found him watching her.
"You okay?" he mouthed.
She smiled as best she could and nodded even while her heart pounded so hard she was surprised the whole room didn't hear it.
"Before we recite the vows, Jeff asked to say a few words," Teague announced.
Lisa's gaze swung back to Jeff. They hadn't discussed the ceremony except for when, where, and who. She had no idea he'd planned on saying anything other than the standard vows. She swallowed, her breath held as he turned to face her, taking her hand from his arm and holding it in his own.
He cleared his throat, looking adorably nervous as he began to speak in that solemn, quiet way he had.
"I know this is an unusual situation," he began, "but I wanted to make sure you understand that beyond any legal agreements, I have a pledge to make to you." He smiled softly, and Lisa swore every cell in her released a breath as if she'd just swooned tiny piece by tiny piece.
"Lisa, I promise to always respect you and listen to your wishes. I promise to stay faithful to the agreements we have written down as well as those we've spoken to one another in the last few days. I promise to do everything in my power to give you the things you need and make sure your world is better for me being in it. I'm grateful for you and hope that a year from now you'll feel the same about me."
Behind them, Lisa heard a simultaneous sigh from Deanna, London, and Nell, as well as a small exclamation from her mother. She blinked, her eyes stinging, dangerously close to tearing up.
"Thank you," she whispered, and he nodded at her, before looking back to Teague who seemed momentarily speechless. Then it was all starting back up, and they were promising to honor, protect, care—all the things that made a real marriage, the things Lisa had never expected to give or get from a man again during her lifetime.
"By the power vested in me by the United States of America, I now pronounce you husband and wife," Justice Roberts said. "You may kiss your bride."
Oh hell, Lisa thought for a split second as Jeff's hand came up to cup her jaw. Maybe they should have rehearsed this part. But then his breath was fanning across her face, his lips were angling over hers, and he was kissing her. It was warm and soft, and he made a low sound deep in his throat that sent a shockwave straight to her core.
Her breath caught, her hands fluttered to his chest, splaying across the lapels of his fancy jacket with all its medals and ribbons. His thumb brushed
across her cheekbone, delicate, like a butterfly, then he was pulling away, and she was short of breath, momentarily disoriented, her hands still clutching at his uniform and the firm, warm muscles underneath. Applause broke the spell, and everyone was congratulating them, the women were hugging her, the men slapping Jeff on the back, and through it all, he kept ahold of her hand, grounding her, letting her know he was there and he wasn't going anywhere.
It wasn't until an hour later after mimosas and cake in the Justice's chambers that Jeff helped Lisa into a waiting town car and they were finally alone.
"Well, that wasn't too terrible," Jeff said as they settled into their seats and the driver pulled out into the Saturday afternoon traffic.
"It was lovely," Lisa said, suddenly very aware she was now supposed to go home with this man. They'd discussed living arrangements extensively. In his new position, Jeff would need to entertain at his home several times over the next year and it had to be clear to everyone that Lisa lived there too, that the hostess actually was the lady of the house. Having just moved into her townhome, Lisa's things weren't even completely unpacked, so she'd agreed to move into Jeff's guest room and work to decorate his somewhat sterile Arlington home.
They drove in silence for a while, Lisa's mind spinning with everything that had happened in the last week. As they sped across the Potomac, Jeff finally turned to her where she sat twisting her skirt with nervous fingers.
"If it's too much, you don't need to stay the night. I mean, we can wait a couple of weeks. Maybe spend some time together other ways. You could come over and start the decorating but not move in. I know we talked about doing it right away, but I really understand if it's too soon. I want you to be comfortable. I realize living in my house could be—awkward—for you."
She looked at him, all hard planes and precise movements. But beneath was a kindness she was only beginning to realize. A heart that was steadfast and genuine. Inside a package that was decidedly sexy.
And when she was honest with herself, the package was as much the cause of her nerves as anything. The fact was Lisa wasn't sure how to share space with such an attractive man and keep things all business. After the wedding kiss she could tell she had a definite reaction to him, and it was anything but neutral.
"No," she said abruptly. "It's fine. I'm exhausted, but fine, really. My things have already been delivered, I'm ready to go to my new home."
"If you're sure."
"I am," she told him, her tone much more firm than she felt. "It's going to be fine."
He grinned. "Good. Then I'll help move your things where you want them and maybe we can order in, eat some dinner together?"
"I'd love that," she said, surprised at how much she meant it.
Welcome home, Mrs. Thibedeux, a voice in her head said as they arrived at the brick colonial home. Welcome home.
Disappointment had coursed through him when she'd announced she was going upstairs to change out of the wedding dress. She looked amazing, and the urge to touch her—velvet skin alongside velvet fabric—had him agitated, pacing his living room like a caged animal. He needed to get whatever it was—the yearning—under control. He'd sworn to the woman he would treat her with respect, this wasn't a marriage in any traditional sense, s.e.x. was not part of the arrangement.
Yet, here he was, fantasizing about all her soft skin, those big eyes, that thick hair. He wanted to dig his fingers into the wavy mass and cup her skull as she wrapped those ruby red lips around his aching cock.
He stopped pacing and adjusted himself quickly. Aching was right. He ached. His cock, his chest, his very bones. He didn't know why, but something about this woman made him hurt. Made him want to wrap himself around her and never let go. Ever since he'd first seen her standing in front of a bunch of tiny humans—her eyes so sad, her movements so tender—he'd only wanted to be closer to her. Any way he could. Any time he could.
And now he had her, right here in his very own house. And he couldn't risk doing anything to mess that up. No sudden movements that might scare his wild beauty away. No, he had to focus here, stick to the plan, get his promotion, take care of her, solve her problems, launch her into a new life...one where she'd no longer need him.
He stopped pacing and looked out the window at the fading light. Jeff knew he wasn't enough for a woman like Lisa Scotch. She deserved a home, children, love. He was a man married to the military, with questionable ethics, and fifteen years of no home, no relationship longer than the blink of an eye, no permanence of any kind. Hell, even the Pentagon's most notorious rank-climbing opportunist didn't evidence any desire to be near him except when he could take her to high-level events. In all honesty, he wasn't even going to miss sex with the woman it had been so tepid.
No, Jeff Thibedeux was no catch, and certainly not for the likes of a woman like Lisa. He'd keep his hands and whatever these damn feelings were to himself. It was only a year. He was a soldier for Christ's sake, he'd been through a lot tougher battles than keeping his attention off one small woman.
"Jeff?" Her voice was tentative as he turned to see her enter the room. And all his most honorable intentions flew the fuck out the window like so many scattered dandelions in a brisk wind.
She'd removed all the makeup, so she looked even younger and more innocent. Her hair was still upswept, but it was in a messy bun now, pieces falling alongside her face and over her brow. She'd put on a tight t-shirt that advertised a favorite local breakfast spot—The Sunrise Eggery—and a pair of jeans molded to her ass and thighs in a way that brought obscene pictures into his head. Images of biting his way up those plump thighs and grasping that round ass in both hands as he pumped into her warm, wet—
"Jeff?" she said again, her brow furrowing in confusion.
Shit. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, uh, can I offer you something to drink?" He began striding past her toward the kitchen, eyes down, struggling to focus on something other than her ass in those jeans.
"Maybe you can show me where you keep everything?" She followed behind him. "I'll need to learn if I'm going to be living here. I certainly don't expect you to wait on me for the next year."
He stopped as they entered the kitchen and pivoted to face her. "I wouldn't mind," he said, his voice rough.
"What?" She cocked her head inquisitively, not understanding his meaning.
"I wouldn't mind waiting on you for the next year. I told you, I'll do whatever you need, and do it gladly. I don't ever want you to think this was a mistake."
Her gaze softened, and she started to lift a hand toward him, then pulled it back to her side as if remembering some unspoken rule. "I don't. I'm not worried about it being a mistake at all, so you can stop worrying about that too. You're—" She looked down for a moment and lightly cleared her throat. "You're being wonderful about all of it, and I'm happy to help you out. I want to help you, I mean."
Relief swam through his blood, and he dropped his head, chin to chest for just a second before lifting it and smiling at her.
"Good. That's good to know."
The next few hours were spent giving Lisa a tour of the house, eating Chinese carry-out, and helping her move boxes to her room. He told her she was welcome to put any of her things anywhere in the house, and finally a little after nine pm, their long wedding day came to an end, with a polite good night in the hallway outside her room, and the beginning of a long, sleepless night for Jeff, who was discovering marriage was indeed every bit as hard as he'd been warned, but for entirely different reasons.
Chapter 8
"I want to host a Christmas party," Lisa said as Jeff walked into the room three days after their wedding.
"My promotion might not be approved before the holidays," he answered, setting down his briefcase and beginning to unbutton his jacket.
This was Lisa's favorite part of the day. As a school teacher, she got home before Jeff, and thus was privy to his after-work routine. It began with the removal of his jacket, the rolling up of his shirt sleeves, and the loo
sening of his tie. She sighed. God, when he loosened the tie.
"Lisa?" he called, snapping her out of her lust-filled daydream. She watched as he began to roll up his sleeves, baring those thick forearms, dusted with light hair over golden skin, the muscles shifting and flexing with the effort.
"Yes, but I don't think it matters," she continued. "If your promotion hasn't come through yet, the party will only help demonstrate you're what they're looking for. If the promotion has come through it will be a celebration for all you've accomplished."
His cheeks reddened just a touch and she grinned. He was so shy, this big soldier. Her big soldier. Her heart fluttered just a touch at the thought, even though she knew it was true in name only.
"Ok, I didn't want you to have to take on a big project if it's not necessary."
"It's a fun project. I told you I love Christmas, and part of it is the parties. I haven't been able to have a party the last few years because of the separation and all my financial troubles, but I used to love hosting Christmas parties. I'm excited to do one again."
He nodded. "Okay, tell me what to do and we'll take care of it."
She clapped her hands enthusiastically. Jeff's house was barren, but a beautiful place all the same. She'd already hung some pictures and put a few vases of flowers around the place, she couldn't wait to decorate for the holidays.
"The first thing we need to do is put together a guest list."
"Something my secretary can handle for us," he answered, opening a bottle of wine on the small bar cart in the living room and pouring two glasses.
"Wonderful, I'll have her help me with the invitations. But the next thing we need to do is go shopping."
"What are we shopping for?" He handed her a glass of merlot and she took a big sip, the rich liquid sending heat all the way to her toes.
"Holiday things," she answered, grinning. "All the holiday things."
The Darkhorse_A Powerplay Novella Page 5
