Jilted Groom (Romance Novel)

by Mia Carson

  When they crested the hill, Kris pulled Babydoll to a stop and Judge did the same beside her. “Wow,” Edmund breathed. “That’s the town.”

  “Pretty cool, huh?” she said. “I love coming up here and staring down at it. Looks so small.”

  “You can see everything,” he mused.

  Kris climbed down from her saddle and draped the reins over a nearby tree branch. Edmund did the same, getting down a little less smoothly than she had, but he didn’t fall on his ass and counted that as an achievement. She sat down, facing the view of the town, and he plopped down beside her.

  “Thanks for this,” he said. “It’s pretty incredible.”

  “You’re welcome.” She leaned her head against his shoulder, resting her hand on his thigh.

  They sat like that for a long while, watching the world go by as the horses grazed behind them. The shade was cool even as the warm breeze blew past their faces, but Edmund could have sat there all day with Kris. Every now and then, they spoke about his childhood or hers, about cars and horses, but it never turned to money or his future at the companies his family owned. He relaxed, enjoying the refreshing conversation with a person who actually cared about him and what he wanted in life instead of what his parents wanted or what his money could do for him. That was all his other friends wanted to talk about, and he never realized how tired of it he was until that moment on the hill.

  “We should probably head back,” she sighed.

  “Might be a good idea,” he agreed, but neither of them moved. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and frowned. “Kris?”

  “Yes, Ed?” she asked, and he heard the smile in her voice.

  “Do you… uh, do you think maybe we could… that you might be interested…” He stumbled over his words and rolled his eyes heavenward for help. “Would you want to be in a relationship with me? More than we are now, I mean.”

  The wind picked up, blowing across the hill as he waited anxiously for her reply. His hand curled in the dirt beside his leg, wondering if he should have said anything, but she pulled away from him, grinning brightly, and kissed his lips.

  “All the time,” she replied. “But what happens when your car is fixed?”

  He’d thought of that, too, and so far, no solid solution had presented itself. “I won’t disappear on you, I know that much.” Worry filled her hazel eyes, and he wanted to chase it away. She blinked, and it was gone.

  “We’ll worry about it when it happens, I guess,” she said as she climbed to her feet.

  The ride back down to the barn was filled with laughter as he told her stories of his time in the stables before the accident. Every time she smiled, it sparked a deep sense of belonging within Edmund that he never had with Jenny and knew he could not live without. No matter what happened after his car was fixed, he would find a way to be with Kris. She was the woman he wanted by his side, and if he had to disown his family to do it, then so be it.

  “Have a good ride?” Mr. Fitz asked as they reached the barn and dismounted.

  “Perfect,” Kris told him. “Judge did really well with Edmund.”

  “Then I guess Edmund will have to visit more often,” Mr. Fitz said with a wink.

  “I guess I will,” he agreed, but he wasn’t looking at the old man. He was looking at Kris, hoping she heard the truth in his words and saw the promise in his eyes.

  Chapter 12

  An alarm went off somewhere, and Kris threw her hand out in the darkness, searching for the source of it, when her palm landed on a face instead. He grunted, and she smirked, running her hand lower across Edmund’s naked chest until she reached his quickly swelling length.

  “Oy,” he grumbled with a throaty laugh. “Too early.”

  “Never too early,” she replied but removed her hand as she climbed over his body to grab her cell and turn off the alarm. Her splaying over him gave him access to her ass, and he squeezed it before tickling her sides. She cackled, trying to get away, but he rolled her over and pinned her down, tickling her until she begged him to stop. His lips slanted over hers, and he kissed her deeply, pushing her down into the pillows as he took her cell from her and tossed it on the couch.

  “Too early,” he repeated and curled her against his chest. “Go back to sleep.”

  “I should get to the shop,” she said lamely, not wanting to move out of the warmth of his arms.

  “It’s Saturday,” he murmured and nuzzled her neck. “I think you can take a morning to sleep in.”

  He had a point, and Kris only had one delivery coming in that afternoon. The engine for his Mustang was finally arriving, which meant she no longer had an excuse not to work on his car. She drifted off to sleep for a while longer before her cell dinged again and she sighed. Edmund’s arms closed around her tighter, but when it started ringing, he cursed and released her from his hold.

  She kissed his cheek and hopped out of bed to grab her cell off the couch. “What’s up?”

  “Your delivery came early,” Charlie told her on the other end. “I just wanted to let you know.”

  “Why are you at the shop?” she asked, confused.

  “Because the guy got here, and you weren’t here yet,” he said. “It’s nearly noon.”

  “What!” Kris peeked out the curtain and cursed. “Alright, I’m on my way over. Just put it by the Mustang and lock up.”

  “Sorry to interrupt your morning,” he said through his laughter, and she hung up on him.

  “What’s wrong?” Edmund asked sleepily, sitting up in bed.

  Kris’s heart skipped a beat at the sight of all that bare skin she wanted to tackle back to the bed, but she needed to get to the shop and start working on the engine. It would take a few days to get everything put back together—if she took her time, which she planned on doing.

  “Nothing. We slept ‘til noon, and your engine just arrived.”

  “Oh,” he said quietly. “Great, that’s great.”

  “I’m going to head over and get started on the work,” she said, but he got up from the bed and caught her hand as she walked towards the bathroom. “What’s wrong?”

  Desire and worry warred in his eyes as he stared down at her. “Do you have to start working on it right away? I mean, it is the weekend, and we missed breakfast. We should get lunch first so you’re not hungry while you’re working.”

  Kris loved that he was trying to stall and gave in without hesitation. “Lunch first, then,” she agreed.

  He said he’d get the shower going, and with a bounce to his gait, he scurried into the bathroom. She heard the faucet turn on as a knock sounded at the door. Slipping on her jeans and his t-shirt, she closed the bathroom door so no one would catch a glimpse of him naked and peeked out the eye-hole.

  “Kris, I know you’re in there,” Grams said sharply. “Open this door, or I’ll open it for you.”

  “Shit,” she whispered. Her palms sweaty and feeling as if she was five years old again, Kris unlocked the door and stepped out into the hall. “Morning, Grams. I was just… uh, just paying Edmund a visit to talk about his car.”

  Grams held up her hand to stop Kris’s babbling, and to her surprise, the old woman smiled. “Don’t lie. It doesn’t suit you well at all.”

  Kris let out a breath. “So you’re not going to lecture me?”

  “Normally, I would, but I have decided that I would much rather see you happy,” she said and patted Kris’s cheek. “He makes you happy, and though I might not completely agree with whatever is happening right under my nose, you are old enough to do what you want with your life. Just be careful, that’s all I ask.”

  “I’m always careful, Grams,” she assured her, and they embraced. “Thanks.”

  “For what? It’s about time you found yourself a damn husband and settled down,” she insisted, and Kris’s head fell with an annoyed sigh on her shoulder. “Just saying. I won’t live forever. I’d like to know my family will be taken care of.”

  “She will be,” Edmund said
as he opened the door to the room. He wore his jeans and had found another shirt before he stepped out. “I promise I’ll take care of her for you.”

  Grams gripped his hand tightly. Kris was speechless as she watched the old woman’s face fill with such love and understanding. “You remind me so much of her grandpa. That old man knew how to make me laugh for hours and taught me what it meant to care for someone. He dealt with my bluntness, too,” she added and nudged Kris’s side. “Well, I’ll let you two get back to your weekend, and Kris? Stay away from the house a little longer. Your parents are cooking up another one of their get-rich schemes, and I don’t want you anywhere near it.”

  Kris shook her head. “Why don’t I just kick them out and be done with it?”

  “Because they’ll start all sorts of trouble, and it’s not worth it. They’ll leave soon enough,” she assured her. “And if not, I’ll drag the sheriff into it and kick them out myself.” With an angry huff, she turned around and walked back down the hall, muttering under her breath.

  Kris grinned at Edmund. “You didn’t have to say all that, you know.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” he asked as his hands slipped around her waist. “I meant every word.”

  “But your car. It’ll be done soon, and I can’t ask you to stay here,” she said, even though that was exactly what she wanted to do. “This town is too small for you. You’d hate it.”

  “And you haven’t thought of coming with me?” he asked with a raised brow.

  Kris’s mouth fell open and clamped shut at the idea of moving in with Edmund. “Actually, no,” she said through a laugh. “That idea never occurred to me.”

  “And why not?” he asked, resting his forehead against hers.

  “You don’t think this is too fast for you? I mean, we literally just met, and the last thing I want to do is turn out to be that clingy girlfriend you wind up resenting,” she rambled. “And your family? Or your ex? Won’t they hate me?”

  “I don’t care what they have to say about my life,” he said, his tone deepening. “Not anymore.”

  “I’m nothing like your last fiancée, and I have no idea how to act in your world,” she continued, worried about trying to fit in. But Edmund kissed her, letting his tongue trace her lower lip, and she sighed against his mouth. He stepped backwards, bringing her into the room, and she closed the door behind her. “You’re sure?” she asked quietly, wondering why she was panicked all of a sudden. So unsure of herself.

  But the loving gaze Edmund graced her with chased all her fears away. “I’ve never been more sure of something in my life. I don’t know what this is, but I’m not about to let it fall to the wayside because we grew up differently.”

  “And Grams and Dennis? They still need me.”

  “We’ll figure it out as we go,” he promised. “But whatever we decide, we’re staying together.” He swallowed hard, and his jaw tensed. “I… uh, I wanted to tell you something but wasn’t sure how you would react, but I’m just going to say it.” Kris held her breath as her heart beat loudly against her ribs. “I think I’m falling for you,” he whispered. “Falling in love with you, I mean.”

  She let out a breath and leapt into his arms, kissing him fiercely as he held her close and spun around the room. “God, I was hoping you’d say that,” she said against his lips. “I’m falling for you, too. Head over heels.”

  Their kiss grew heated until Kris’s blood burned in her veins and all she wanted was to spend every waking moment with this man in her arms. They fumbled with each other’s clothes in a mad rush to be closer, to claim the other. Stripped naked, Edmund picked her up and held her against the wall as he explored the depths of her mouth, thrusting his tongue as he pressed his hips lower, seeking entrance. Kris shifted and when he drove inside her, they groaned together. He rubbed hard on her clit with each thrust, and she dragged her nails down his back as ecstasy flooded every nerve in her body, reaching towards her very being. Edmund was hers, and she was his, only his.

  The climax was sharp and quick, tearing a cry from her throat as he growled against her neck, swelling within her folds as he spilled his love into her. His lips brushed along her collarbone as she shivered, wishing he could stay buried inside her forever, filling her, completing her.

  “Lunch?” she asked as her stomach growled from their latest exertions.

  He kissed her nose and let her slide down his body to land on her feet. “Lunch sounds great.”

  ***

  Edmund grinned again, unable to stop since he’d admitted to Kris he loved her. There was no use denying it any longer or worrying it was something else. He loved that woman, and he was not going to let her go. There would be a fight from his parents, but he vowed to do whatever necessary to ensure a future with Kris. His parents would have to accept the fact that their son had found the woman he was going to marry, not for her wealth or the status of her family, but for love. He knew the idea was radical to his parents because they had barely showed an ounce of love for each other the whole time he was growing up.

  “Damn,” Kris muttered from across the garage.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked from where he sat on the short stool by his Mustang.

  “I forgot to pick up a few things from the hardware store. Mind watching the shop for me while I go get them?”

  “I think I can handle it,” he said as she sauntered over to him and positioned herself between his thighs.

  “And don’t even think of touching your car while I’m gone,” she warned, poking him hard in the chest. “I see that gleam in your eyes. Just let me do my work, and she’ll be running in no time.”

  He kissed the back of both her hands, one after the other. “I won’t touch a thing.”

  Kris nibbled her tongue, kissed his lips briefly, and hurried for the door. “Be back in twenty!”

  He waved her away, and the door closed solidly behind her. He pushed up from his stool and paced around his car. “Don’t worry, old girl, we’ll get you fixed up and you and I are going to take a very different trip home,” he said. He pictured driving his Mustang with Kris beside him on the road, driving her finished car. “I’m even bringing home a friend for you.”

  His gaze shifted to the Judge behind him, and he wondered how many parts she needed to finish him. Her birthday was in August, a small tidbit Grams had dropped when they were leaving the inn that afternoon. Maybe he’d gift her the rest of what she needed so she could finish her dream car, but something told him Kris wouldn’t accept such a gift. He would just have to find another way to ensure she had the time and funds to work on her car whenever they figured out where they would live.

  The door to the garage opened, and he turned with a smile, ready to tell whoever it was that Kris would be back in a few, but when he saw Sharon and Leroy, his smile stiffened and he crossed his arms.

  “Ah, there he is,” Leroy announced loudly. “Just the man we were hoping to see.”

  “You aren’t looking for your daughter?” he asked crossly.

  Sharon smacked Leroy on the arm, and he glared at her. “Course we were. Leroy just wanted to talk to you both, that’s what he meant. Where is our little girl?”

  “She had to run to the hardware store,” he said. “What do you need to talk to us about? Are you leaving town already?” He smirked as their smiles disappeared, and they both leered at him. Usually, Edmund strove to be the gentleman in all situations, but when Kris was involved, that man disappeared and he turned into a protector.

  “Our daughter didn’t have to leave on account of us,” Sharon snapped. “We’re her parents. She should want to be around us, but she spends every waking minute with you. You took my daughter away.”

  “And so you want me to leave town?” he asked. “That’s not happening unless Kris herself asks me to, and between you and me, she’ll ask you two to leave before she broaches the subject with me.”

  Leroy stepped between Edmund and Sharon, glaring. “You can’t talk to my wife like that.”


  “My apologies,” he said quickly. “Happy?”

  “No, we came to talk to our daughter and you about a proposition,” Leroy said stiffly and straightened to his full height. Edmund did the same, and the man sagged beneath his shadow. “We know a guy who could make us all a lot of money.”

  “Doing what exactly?”

  “He deals with horses, breeding ‘em, selling ‘em, and the like. We know you deal with horses. The man wants to go big, and we’re ready to help him, but we need a backer.”

  “You want money,” Edmund said bluntly. “And you’re going to ask your daughter for it.”

  “We need collateral,” he argued. “She has the house and this shop. They’re not worth much, but they’ll do the trick.”

  “No,” Edmund growled. “You are not putting her life on the line for your gain.”

  Leroy grunted in annoyance, and Sharon’s mouth fell open. “You know as soon as you leave town, we’ll be back, and sooner or later, she’ll give in. We’re family, and family always helps family.”

  “And if I never leave?” Edmund asked. “What then?”

  Leroy and Sharon both took a step back, the first startled by the answer. “Why would you stay?”

  “Because I’m in love with your daughter, an emotion I don’t think the two of you have ever felt for her in your lives. You two are going to leave her alone from now on. You’re not going to stay at her house, and you’re not going to ask her for money.”

  “Pay us what we need and we’ll go away,” Leroy suggested as his voice shook. “She’ll never see us again.”

  Edmund started to reach for his wallet but stopped. “No. I know everyone in the horse business in the state. If I make inquiries into this man you want to do business with and find out the two of you are involved in any way, I’ll be sure to set the authorities on you for doing business with a man I guarantee is not licensed to do whatever it is he’s doing.”