by Lola Kidd
“Hey, you’re the officiant, too,” Owen said. “Chin up. Girls are going to be throwing themselves at you after this very romantic ceremony.”
“I did write some good stuff.” Ben grinned. “Maybe I’ve found a new calling. That’ll keep Mom quiet.”
“What’s going to keep me quiet?” Maude kissed Ben on the cheek and handed Clint his tux. “You need to get dressed, young man.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Shelby. You’ve done a lovely job with the flowers.”
She smiled. “Thank you. I got everything Rachel wanted and had the florists expand on it. I think a secret garden type set-up was very fitting for your romantic wedding.”
“I’m sure Rachel will love it.”
“Thank you, dear. I’m going to go and make sure everything looks perfect. I’ll see you at the ceremony.”
“How early do we need to get there?” Owen asked, checking his watch again.
“The guests are set to arrive in two hours, so I would say we should head over in fifty minutes or so,” Ben said. “Provided Clint puts on some clothes in time.”
“I’m going.”
Clint took his tux into one of the guest rooms upstairs and closed the door. It took him less than fifteen minutes to get into his tux. He had wanted to wear a day suit, but Gwen had flat-out refused the idea. As the maid of honor, she wouldn’t tell Clint what Rachel’s dress looked like, but she’d told him it was fancy. That didn’t sound like something Rachel would like, but he supposed it was her only wedding. It was the time to be fancy.
He knew she’d gotten the dress in Vegas. Amy, the least pregnant of all her good friends, had traveled with her to Sin City. They’d met Rachel’s mother and had a whole weekend at a hotel spa. Clint knew they’d gotten something nice, but he wasn’t even given a clue besides Gwen’s “fancy” comment. He was excited to see Rachel in her dress.
When he had finished dressing, he came back downstairs and did a turn at the bottom of the staircase. His groomsmen hooted and hollered.
“You clean up real nice, Clint.” Ben handed Clint a cigar. “One last thing before we head over.”
The men went out to the deck and lit up their cigars. Owen puffed on his deeply. “Not going to be doing this too much.”
“It’ll make the winter trip even better,” Ben said. “We’ll smoke and get rip-roaring drunk for a single week each year. You married stiffs will, anyway. I’ll continue my bachelor fun and have a little extra for my fallen comrades.”
“I don’t think any of us were ever at your level of ‘having fun’,” Frank said. “You’re going to have to talk with Dom if you want to have a buddy.”
“And you won’t be single for long.” Clint exhaled a stream of smoke. “You’re working with Liv too. She’s going to get you matched up sooner or later.”
“Hey, I never said I was opposed to a match,” Ben said. “I’m just going to enjoy the single life while I can.”
“We need to go.” Owen tapped his watch.
“Now or never.” Clint adjusted his jacket before putting out his cigar.
***
“Don’t break it!” Rachel cautioned Clint.
It had been a long but very wonderful day, one of the best days of her entire life. She and Clint were finally married. The ceremony and reception had been even more beautiful than she’d dreamed. Mrs. Shelby had spared no expense when it came to décor, and Two Wolves had provided enough food to feed an army. Which was a very good thing since the wedding guest list had ballooned out of control. Since they were on Ben’s giant property, it didn’t matter. The more the merrier.
Rachel had invited all her regular customers, old classmates, teachers, and anyone could bring a guest. They kept the dinner buffet style and no one left hungry. At least she assumed that no one did. She and Clint had left around three a.m. That was much too late for Clint, she could tell. When they’d gotten in the back seat of the limo he’d immediately started trying to take off her dress, but they’d made it back to his house and she was still very much clothed.
“How am I supposed to get these buttons undone?” Clint asked, frustrated.
“Just do them slowly.”
“I want to be doing you slowly.” Clint chuckled at his terrible pun.
He sighed as he started working on the buttons. Rachel knew the dress was complicated, but she hadn’t foreseen how hard it would be for Clint’s giant hands to work the tiny buttons. He was going to have to deal with it, because she was saving this darn thing. It had cost her mother a fortune and she loved it very much. She’d never felt more beautiful in any other piece of clothing. The dress hadn’t been tailored, but it fit her perfectly. The sweetheart neckline showcased her ample cleavage without being distasteful.
There was a line of pearl buttons going down the back to the top of her ass. It drew attention to her narrow waist without making her ass seem comically large. It was perfect in every way; she looked like a princess. If only her prince could get her out of the thing. She was just as eager as he was to consummate their marriage. The entire time Clint was undoing the buttons, Rachel rubbed his very hard erection through his suit pants.
She didn’t dare unzip his pants until he was nearly done getting her out of the dress. She wanted to keep him excited without making him too overheated. When she felt the last button come undone, she quickly slipped the dress off and stepped out of it. When she turned around to face Clint in her bridal lingerie, his eyes burned with lust. He was already taking off his jacket and ripping off his shirt.
“Maybe I couldn’t rip your clothes, but I don’t give a damn about this monkey suit. Come here, wife.”
Rachel crossed the small distance between them into Clint’s waiting arms. Right away, his hands and mouth were all over her. His lips left a burning trail down her chest as he unhooked her bra. While he sucked one of her nipples between his teeth, he snapped the sides of her very skimpy panties. Rachel didn’t even mind. Anything to get them skin-to-skin faster. She hadn’t realized how horny she was until her dress was safely off. It hit her full force once her panties were ripped off.
Clint didn’t even take the time to remove her thigh-highs before throwing her to the bed and pulling her legs apart.
“I love you,” he said tenderly before sliding into her in one quick motion.
Rachel gasped as she felt him enter her. She clutched at his shoulder and looked him in the eye, panting, “I love you too.”
Clint didn’t take long to finish. Once he felt her squeeze him tight, he groaned and buried himself deep inside of her. When Rachel felt him filling her, she came again.
Clint didn’t roll off of her when he was finished. “I’ve been waiting a very long time to do that.”
“Me too.” Rachel pushed her hair off her forehead. “It was worth it.”
“More than worth it… but we aren’t even close to finished.”
Eight
The room waited with bated breath for Gwen to make her announcement. Rachel was eating a piece of chocolate cake. She was one of the few in the room who wasn’t going to be surprised. Of course she’d also told Clint while they were on their honeymoon. He’d surprised her with a quick trip to Hawaii for a week, then promised that they’d have an even bigger trip around Halloween and one more after Christmas.
Gwen finally told her big secret. “We’re having twin girls!”
The room broke out into spontaneous applause and everyone rushed to hug Gwen and Dom. Rachel was glad she and Clint had made it back in time for the Cates’ baby shower. Gwen looked like she was ready to pop any day, even though she still had three months to go. Rachel expected her to be put on bed rest very soon. Technically, her doctor had already recommended that she stay off her feet as much as possible. That was how the twins’ wife had gotten a part-time job taking over for Gwen.
Everyone was mingling around and talking when Clint slipped his hands around Rachel’s waist and pulled her to rest against him. “Should we have a party when we get our son or dau
ghter? What’s the adoption party etiquette? It seems a little strange to just show up with a kid one day.”
“Good question. I’ve never thought about that. I’ll ask the adoption group what to do.” Rachel had started hanging out in forums online devoted to parents who adopted shifter children. She had been surprised to find a small but very supportive community there.
“You guys are going to adopt?” Dawn Brooks asked. She was feeding cake to her nephew at the table next to Clint and Rachel. She was Owen’s youngest sister and a very sweet girl.
“We are.” Rachel put her finger to her lips and winked. “It’s a secret, though. Don’t tell anyone. We don’t even have an attorney to help us with the process yet.”
“You guys must really like kids.” Dawn made a face as Patrick smashed cake into his face twice before finding his mouth. “I don’t know anyone who adopts while they’re pregnant. That’s just like having twins. At least you and Gwen will have something else in common.”
“We aren’t pregnant.” Rachel took the last bite of her cake. “I just look like I’m eating for two.”
“Yes, you are,” Dawn said matter-of-factly before looking up and blushing deeply. “Oh no! I did it again, didn’t I?”
Rachel dropped her plate and grabbed Clint’s hand. “Dawn, don’t you say a word to anyone. This is Gwen’s day. I don’t want to steal her thunder.”
Clint stooped to pick up Rachel’s plate. “What’s going on?”
“I don’t want you to make a big deal about this right now. Just play it cool,” Rachel instructed Clint, lowering her voice. “But I think I might be pregnant.”
Clint’s jaw twitched and he cracked a smile before returning his face to a neutral position. “Really?”
Rachel nodded, her eyes shining with tears. “I don’t want to get my hopes up, but Dawn has a legendary nose. She’s never been wrong before.”
Clint pulled Rachel in for a quick kiss. “I’m not going to make a big deal yet, I promise. Even if you aren’t pregnant, I don’t care. I still love you the same.”
Rachel couldn’t wait to leave and get to a drugstore, but she was trying not to get her hopes up either. She had a feeling that Dawn was right. She’d been starving in the last few weeks since the wedding and her already large chest seemed to be getting even bigger.
Even if she was wrong, it would be alright. She already had the most wonderful husband in the world. She didn’t need anything else to be happy. A surprise baby would only be the icing on an already delicious cake. Whatever her future held it was going to wonderful with Clint at her side.
~~~~~~~~~~*
Coming Soon
Pursuing the Panther
Billionaire shifter Ben Shelby can’t get a break. He’s wealthy, successful, and an upstanding member of his community. To his mother, that just isn’t enough. She wants her only son to find a mate. Ben’s signed up with the Lovely and Kind Bride agency but still has no matches. Ben wants to find a mate very badly but he won’t rush it. Unlike his mother, he’s patient and will wait for the right woman.
Curvy bartender Zelda Simmons is losing her best friend. Her half-sister Tessa is moving across the country to get married. While out partying on her last night in town, Tessa gets her sister to agree to sign up with a mail order bride agency. Zelda agrees but she doesn’t think the agency will be able to help her. When she see finds out that her match is an incredibly wealth shifter, she’s even more suspicious. There’s no way a billionaire would ever be her perfect match.
Find out if these two strangers can overcome their differences to find love in Mail-Order Mates book 7.
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A Note from Lola
Thank you so much for reading Surrendering to the Stag. If you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review. It really helps other readers decide to take a chance when looking for new authors to try out. I would really appreciate it if you have the time!
If you’d like to keep in touch you can always join my new release mailing list. I won’t spam you’re inbox but you’ll get an email whenever I have a new release. You can also friend me on Facebook. –Lola
Other Books by Lola Kidd
Other Mail-Order Mates Books
Loving the Lion
Curvy Erin Numm is over dating. At the tender age of twenty-eight, she’s seen it all. A string of bad dates and heartbreak has left her ready to put herself on the sideline. Her plans are changed when she meets an agent from Lovely and Kind Brides. The mysterious woman tells Erin she has the PERFECT match for her. Curious, Erin decides to give love one last try and join the mail-order bride agency.
Shifter Owen Brooks is a lion on a mission. He’s working on big plans but he’s having trouble crossing one special item off his to-do list; Find A Mate. A shifter isn’t complete until they find their mate and Owen’s had no luck in that department. After months of no matches, an LK Brides agent emails to let him know she has found his mate. The agent’s optimism is enough to give Owen hope that maybe his long search is over.
Follow two strangers as they embark on a journey to find their one true love. This is the first book in the Mail-Order Mates series. It is a standalone novella with a HEA. No cliffhanger!
Wolf Seeks Wife
Curvy Molly Pitt’s life is going nowhere. Fast. Losing a job she loves causes her to reevaluate exactly what she wants out of life. She realizes that what she really wants is to be a wife and have children. Only with no one special in her life, there’s little hope of that happening anytime soon. Seeing an ad for a mail-order bride company renews Molly’s hope for her future. Even if she doesn’t get matched right away, this could be exactly what she needs to get her back on the right path.
Kellan Lunar has gone against his instincts and signed up for Lovely and Kind Brides. Seeing a happy couple get married convinced him that he could use a little help in the romance department. He’s excited when Olivia Grey calls and tells him that she has found his perfect mate. Only there’s a slight problem that may put Kellan off. Can he overcome his own prejudices and claim the mate that fate has put in front of him? Find out in book two of Mail-Order Mates series.
The Bear’s Bride
Frank Franklin is ready to find his mate. After years of searching on his owe, the big bear is ready to give Olivia Grey and Lovely and Kind Brides a shot. He couldn’t be more thrilled when after only three days, Olivia finds his match. There’s only one little problem. The woman doesn’t want to meet him!
After three failed marriages, Amy Alma knows she has terrible taste in men and choosing who to give her heart too. When her well-meaning sister signs her up for Lovely and Kind Brides, Amy will have to make a very important decision. Will she take another chance on love or keep her heart guarded away?
Find out if Frank can convince Amy to take a chance on him in book three of the Mail-Order Mates series.
Taming the Tiger
Gwen Johnson is losing her mind. She’s watched three of her friends find love with the help of LK Brides. But her profile goes unmatched in the database. Gwen’s ready to leave Sunset Falls and find the love of her life. If only she’d be matched already!
Dominic Cates knows Gwen is the love of his life and his mate. Too bad she doesn’t believe it. They have a history and Gwen won’t give him another chance after he’s already hurt her once. Can the tiger convince the stubborn tigress that he’s changed? Find out in book four of the Mail-Order Mates series.
A Wife for the Wolves
Matt and Mark Lunar have been waiting to become alphas their entire lives. Together, they could provide the leadership that the Lunar Pack sorely needs. Their only problem? They don’t have a mate to complete their triad. There hasn’t been an alpha triad in the pack for decades and the twins are having no luck finding the special lady to complete their threesome. In a last ditch effort to find a mate, the twins sign-up with a mail-order bride company. Join the alphas-in-waiting as they
search for their perfect mate in book five of the Mail-Order Mates series.
Witch and Wolf Universe Books
The Witch and the Wolf: The Complete Collection
Aurora Silver has a werewolf problem. Cross Hemlock won’t stop begging her for a date. If only the handsome man wasn’t only a werewolf, Rory would agree to a date in a heartbeat. Too bad witches and wolves don’t mix. When Rory’s life is in danger, Cross jumps at the chance to protect the young witch.
Cross will protect Rory no matter the cost to himself. He knows the witch is the one for him. Now all he’s got to do is keep her alive and convince her to give a wolf a chance.
This book also contains the short story, A Very Witchy Wedding. This collection contains graphic sex scenes and language. It is meant for a mature audience.
Individual entries are also available as part of KindleUnlimited.
The Vampire and the Bear
Vampire Violet Moore needs help. She’s been injured in a werewolf attack and is near death. Her mother has brought her to the only safe place she could think of, Golden. The city is home to the Golden Bears, a tribe of bear-shifters. Shifters don’t usually want anything to do with vampires but they make an exception for Violet. They’ll give her place to rest while her mother deals with the events that got her hurt.
Eric Lightfoot is the son of the alpha of the Golden Bears. He takes Violet in against the wishes of his tribe. He wants to do the right thing and pay back the vampire who helped his tribe long ago. He didn’t want anything to do with the vampire but he’s finding that harder and harder. The gorgeous bloodsucker is growing on him. Could he have finally have found someone he can connect with?
The Lost Tribe: Complete Collection
Princess Lena is in for the fight of her life. Her older sister Sophia has gone on a murderous power grab and its cost the entire tribe dearly. The Northlands Fae have been banished from Earth to a realm where dragons roam free and magic isn’t practiced.
In this new land, Lena meets the dashing Prince Troy and his clan of dragon-shifters. Lena thinks she may have found a home for her orphaned tribe. Her sister has other plans and plots to bring them back to Earth and continue her power play. With the help of her new friends, Lena must stop her sister and keep her old home safe.
