She traced her tongue over her lips and moaned. The sweetness of his taste lingered on her mouth. Maybe they should go home. A baker’s dozen of orgasms? Sounded ah-maze-ing.
Stop! Gotta get control of my raging hormones. Can’t lose control—of anything. “I’m, uh, not ovulating right now,” she told him. “My period just ended, so little Olivia won’t be ready for another two weeks. I think… I’d like to wait to have sex until I’m ovulating.”
I don’t want to wait. But she didn’t want him losing interest in her before she had a shot at getting pregnant either.
“But we can still mess around,” she rushed to add. “We can mess around big-time.” A conquest wasn’t a conquest until penetration, right?
His jaw dropped. “Did you just name your egg?”
Oh, crap! A blush scorched her cheeks. She’d named another egg, and this time she couldn’t blame cabernet. “I probably should have warned you about the egg naming before I let you say I do, but better late than never, right?” She coughed into her hand. “Apparently baby fever has rendered me temporarily insane.”
Brock pressed his lips together—but not before she caught a glimpse of amusement. In fact, his entire body shook as he fought to wrangle his laughter. “You are precious, Scottie. Absolutely precious.”
A laugh tried to bubble from her. Mercy! Amusement always looked good on him. Really good. Deliciously good. But today, amusement looked magnificent on him. His entire face lit up.
“So are you,” she admitted.
He blinked with surprise before placing a swift kiss on the corner of her mouth. “But,” he said. “As precious as you are, your reasoning is flawed. The ban on sex is to keep my sperm count up, I’m guessing—and I cannot believe I’m discussing this with a woman. But, if we mess around, I’ll blow, so there goes the sperm count theory.”
“Maybe I need time to work up to sex?”
“That, I understand.” He shuddered. “But how am I supposed to survive? I want in you so bad.”
On fire for him, she rocked her lower body against his. “How about I give you mouth-to-groin resuscitation?”
With his hand on her jaw, he leaned down to thrust his tongue into her mouth and steal a quick taste. As he straightened, his gaze boring in to hers, he rasped, “Yes. I will definitely need mouth-to-groin resuscitation. And so will you.”
New shivers. A new surge of heat.
The sanctuary doors suddenly burst open, and they jumped apart as if they’d done something wrong. Which they hadn’t. For goodness’ sake, they were married now.
Ryanne and Jude emerged first, followed by Dorothea and Daniel. Both of her bridesmaids held a cat.
Brock moved behind Lyndie…using her as a shield? She had to smother another laugh when the long, hard length of his erection pressed between her butt cheeks. Yes, he was totally using her as a shield.
Okay. The laugh escaped. Dang it! She’d been married to Brock for all of five minutes, and she’d already had more fun with him than she’d ever had with James.
Her new husband wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on the crown of her head. “This okay?” he asked.
“Yes.” Better than okay. Almost…necessary. Which was ridiculous! She gulped. “You’ll take Cameow and Mega home then meet us at the inn?” she asked Ryanne.
“Of course,” Ryanne replied with a nod. “Won’t we, cowboy?”
“Whatever you want, shortcake.” Jude’s answer to everything. Pleasing Ryanne had become his mission in life. Smart man.
“I swear dogs have owners,” Dorothea said, “but cats have staff.”
After Jude claimed Mega from Dorothea, Ryanne led her husband outside. Dorothea and Daniel stepped aside as other people spilled from the sanctuary and came over to shake hands, congratulate Lyndie and Brock on their nuptials, and wish them the best of luck.
When only Dorothea and Daniel remained, Brock leaned down to nibble on Lyndie’s ear and whispered, “By the way. I can’t wait to get my face between your legs.”
Boom! Her heart nearly leaped from her chest. Reeling…
“Congratulations, guys.” Daniel patted Brock on the shoulder.
Lyndie tried to pretend like her legs hadn’t turned to jelly and her body wasn’t one big ball of sexual frustration.
“What are you going to do about the paperwork?” Daniel asked.
“That’s why we’re hanging back,” Brock said.
It was? As soon as she caught her breath, she’d ask why.
“I’ve been waiting for the crowd to disperse,” her husband continued, catching her unspoken question. “We’re going to sign the marriage certificate, along with the pastor and our witnesses. Meaning you and Dorothea. Actually, we’re going to sign two certificates. I’ll keep a copy, just in case the other one gets lost. Then, on Monday, I’ll escort Pastor Smith to the county clerk and ensure everything is filed nice and tidy.”
“You don’t trust him to file on his own?” Lyndie asked, finally finding her voice.
Warm breath fanned her cheek as his biceps flexed. “I don’t trust anyone but my friends right now. I especially don’t trust my mother. She’s in town, and she’s determined to break us up to prevent me from taking over the family business.”
Wow. His mom hadn’t just said hateful things to him as a child, she now plotted against him, hoping to keep the money his father wanted him to have. Lyndie’s heart ached for the boy he’d been, and the man he’d become. When a parent loved something more than their child, well, the child suffered, no matter his or her age.
Despite Brock’s seemingly blasé tone, she would bet his mom’s continued defection stung. No wonder he was so determined to meet the requirements of his father’s will; no way, no how a man of with his sense of honor and decency would allow evil to win.
Lyndie patted his hand in a show of support. “The sanctuary is empty. Let’s go sign those papers so we can walk to the inn. We shouldn’t keep our guests waiting.”
“Only husbands,” she thought she heard Brock mumble as he followed her directions.
* * *
Brock gulped back two fingers of whiskey and watched his wife flitter around the ballroom, chatting and laughing with different groups of people. She outshone everyone and everything. Not even the chandeliers with thousands of teardrop crystals shaped and colored to resemble strawberries could compare.
She was confident and carefree. He’d rarely ever seen her like this, but hoped this side of her remained at the helm for the rest of their live—
Marriage.
He motioned to a waiter, requesting another whiskey. The new drink arrived. Down the hatch. His fourth shot of the night, yet his thoughts continued to whirl, refusing to settle.
Brock remembered the day he’d met Lyndie. He’d gone to the Scratching Post, desperate to find a woman and get out of his head. Wasn’t long before he’d met a thirty-something single determined to celebrate her divorce.
They decided to go back to her place and made their way to the exit. Then Lyndie walked in.
The summer day had been early yet. Only six p.m. The sun had only just begun to set, bright golden light haloing her. Brock had stopped in his tracks, every cell in his body waking up in a flash and sizzling. Honestly, he’d felt as though he’d been hit by lightning.
How cliché. But truth was truth. A hard punch of desire had slammed into him, making a mockery of everything he’d ever felt before.
He remembered thinking: She’s a hallucination. Has to be.
Then she’d paused and their eyes had met and time had slowed, and the rest of the world had disappeared. He’d thought: Hallucination or not, I want her.
He’d actually reached for her, intending to trace his fingers over her lips and prove she existed outside his head. The movement had ruined the moment. She’d flinched before hurrying to get away from him, leaving him reeling in more ways than one. What struck him the hardest? Besides the shock of her beauty. The fact that she’d flinched, a
s if she’d expected him to hurt her. A reaction he would rather die than see again.
The divorcée had noticed his moment with Lyndie, complained for a bit, then stomped away in a huff when she realized he wasn’t listening. He’d thought, Good riddance. He’d stuck around the Scratching Post, entranced by the redhead…who’d left about five minutes later.
During their next meeting—and the next and the next—she’d wanted nothing to do with him.
Everything changed a few months ago, however, when she’d begun attending group therapy sessions. Sessions she’d shared with their group. Brock had a front row seat to her transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, and his admiration for her had only grown.
Why couldn’t she see? She hadn’t gone through this alone. She’d needed others.
She needs me.
With him, she was happy and at ease and had a teasing glint in her amber eyes. And Brock would do whatever needed doing to ensure she remained comfortable with him. He would kill to ensure she stayed safe.
She had no idea Rick Lambert had tried to bust into the church in the middle of the ceremony. Or that he was caught hiding in the bushes outside the inn only an hour ago, taking photos through the window. Brock’s men had handled the situation without a hitch.
He knew she had a protective order against Lambert, but calling the cops would have ruined the wedding. And really, Lambert could have claimed not to know Lyndie had been inside the church. He might have been fined, but with the current judicial system, he wouldn’t spend a single night in jail. His record was too clean.
Brock had checked. Lambert worked as a self-employed accountant. His neighbors liked him. There were no complaints filed—though Brock suspected there had been multiple complaints, which was why Jim Rayburn had chosen Lambert as Lyndie’s tormentor. Only, Rayburn must have made those complaints go away.
The protective order wasn’t going to stop Lambert from trying to get to Lyndie. Why would it, when threats of bodily harm hadn’t done any good? Not that Brock had issued a threat. No, he’d issued a promise.
Lambert would have to be dealt with, and soon.
At least Miranda hadn’t tried to break up the party. Yet. Give her time.
As Jude and Daniel danced with their wives, Brock made his way to a shadowed corner in back of the room, thinking to continue watching tonight’s episode of Lyndie TV. She glanced in his direction, not meeting his gaze but staring at his…glass? A frown pulled the corners of her mouth downward, and the color in her cheeks drained.
He stopped short of his destination, remaining in the light, wanting to know if she would—
Yes. She continued to glance at the drink.
Before she’d said yes to his proposal, she’d stipulated he could never drink inside her home. At the time, he’d assumed she thought he would lose all sense, wander off, and cheat on her if ever he got wasted. But thinking back, he realized she’d always stayed off to the side, away from drinkers, whenever she’d visited Ryanne at the Scratching Post. And every time their group had met, she’d maintained distance from Brock and even Daniel while they’d nursed their beers. Jude wasn’t a drinker.
So. Alcohol was a problem for Lyndie. No, rephrase. Men drinking alcohol was a problem for her.
She must be keeping count of Brock’s drinks, expecting him to…what? Get drunk and rage?
Yeah. That.
Had James Carrington beat her after drinking? What about her father?
Brock’s grip tightened on the glass. Careful. As one of the catering staff walked past, he placed the empty container on a tray.
“Would you like another, sir?” the waiter asked.
“No, thank you.”
The color returned to Lyndie’s cheeks, and she turned to smile at her cousin Pearl.
Brock smiled. Making his Scottie happy had that effect on him.
“Never thought I’d see the day.” Jude sidled up to him with hard-won grace, considering he wore a metal prosthesis. Smirking, he bumped Brock’s shoulder. “Brock Hudson. Married. What were the odds?”
“Yes, pigs are flying and hell has frozen over,” he muttered, unsure why his chest constricted.
His friend snorted. “Dude. Up is down and down is up. You haven’t seen your face when you look at your wife. You’re like a starving man who’s finally found an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
Wife. A commitment lasting longer than a month would give Lyndie time to get to know him and grow to hate him. When the time came, Brock would let her go.
In the meantime, he wanted to learn everything about her.
Her gaze returned to him. When she noticed his hands remained empty, her posture softened. Her eyes lifted, met his. In an instant, he shot to full hardness.
Cursing, he hurriedly adjusted his suit to mask the problem.
Jude snickered. “I’m pretty sure I should rest my case—before you beat it with the hammer in your pants.”
“Where’s my unconditional support?” he asked, his gaze staying on his wife. He couldn’t bring himself to complain about Jude’s ribbing. He loved when the former curmudgeon acted like a mischievous child.
Lyndie winked at him, as if she’d guessed the topic of conversation, and his heart nearly burst past his ribs. Multiple overseas tours, hails of gunfire, bombs, and enemy ambushes hadn’t gotten the best of him, but a tiny little redhead just might.
“I will always support you,” Jude said, deadpan. “Unless I’m tired. Or hungry. Or my favorite movie is playing.”
Please. Jude would die for him, no doubt about it. Once, the guy had carried an injured Brock over his shoulder while dodging enemy fire. And, even though Jude hated alcohol because of what had happened to his wife and daughters, he’d never begrudged Brock a drink. Now he even worked at the bar with Ryanne. Showed what a big heart he had.
“If you and Ryanne have a girl,” Brock said, “you’ll need me around when she starts dating. I’m a much better shot than you.”
Jude snorted. “This is true.”
“Brock.” A former soldier who now worked for LPH Protection approached. “Your mother attempted to sneak in through the kitchen. We’re holding her in one of the rooms until we receive further instruction.”
A muscle jumped underneath his eye, anger, satisfaction, and frustration converging inside him. “Thank you. I’ll take care of her.” Though he was loath to leave Lyndie. Gaze on Jude, he said, “You’ll watch over my wife, yes?”
“As if you even need to ask. Go.”
With a final glance at Lyndie—she’d turned to watch him openly—he followed the soldier to the first hallway of rented rooms. Two other soldiers stood in front of a closed door.
“Has she—” Brock quieted as the click-clack of heels echoed behind him. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn’t have to look to know who’d followed him.
“What’s going on?” Lyndie called.
Yep. Her.
He heaved a heavy sigh as he turned. She jogged closer, holding up the hem of her dress, revealing her shoes and two lace garters threatening to fall past her knees. Someone save me. Then he realized he was missing an even better view and lifted his gaze. Her breasts bounced. Up, down. Up, down. Mesmerizing.
He had to tear his gaze away before he started drooling.
Jude stood at the end of the hallway, his arms spread, all what was I supposed to do?
Brock nodded in acknowledgment, all trust me. I know how persuasive Lyndie can be.
“What’s wrong?” she asked when she reached him. Exertion had left a fine sheen of perspiration on her brow, making her glow. “I’m kind of, like, your wife now, so you have to tell me everything always. It’s a rule.”
Concentrate. Right. How much to reveal and how much to hide?
Wait. Why not divert the conversation? “Is that how marriages work?” he asked, his tone teasing.
“That is how our marriage works.”
He arched a brow. “For the first few months of our acquaintance, you refused
to speak to me. Now you’re pursuing me into narrow hallways. I need a moment to adjust.”
She hiked her delicate shoulders in a shrug. “Marriage changes people.”
He rolled his eyes. But…hadn’t he changed as well? Ever since he’d heard the terms of his father’s will, he’d been unable to think of anyone or thing except making this woman his wife.
“I’m asking you to return to the party, Scottie. Please. For me.”
“Thank you for asking, but my answer is still no. I’m staying with you. Now, do you want to continue doing what you were doing, or continue talking?”
“Talking.” No way he wanted her to meet his mother. “Why do you not want me drinking?” Maybe, if he got personal, she’d back off.
Wrong. She said, “Because my dad and James drank. And I know, I know. You’ve never displayed a temper while drinking around me. But we’ve never been shut up inside a house after you’ve been drinking, just the two of us, either.”
Nailed it.
“So, what are we doing here?” she asked.
He sighed and motioned to the correct door with a tilt of his chin. “My mother is here.”
“Wait. She’s here here?” As Lyndie bobbed her thumb in the direction of the door, he nodded. To his astonishment, she grinned. “I want to meet her. Please, Brock. Let me. I’ve got to see the woman who squeezed you out of her va—”
Brock pressed a hand over her mouth. Her soft, lush mouth. Mirth glittered in her amber eyes as her warm breath fanned his palm. He led her over to the side, away from his men, wishing so badly he could find humor in the moment too.
“You don’t want to meet her, Scottie.” Dread crawled up his spine. “She’s an elitist snob, and she will insult me at the first opportunity. Then she’ll turn her venom on you.” Even the idea ticked him off. No telling how he’d react if—when—Miranda proved him right. “For everyone’s safety, return to the party and let me handle this. Okay?”
Refusing to back down, she cupped his jaw with her soft, soft hands, and he comprehended a very real truth: whatever she wanted, he would give her. I’m putty. “You are not the person she says you are. Understand? You are worth something. You are valued. You are…mine. For now.”
Can’t Get Enough Page 9
