by Amy Ruttan
“Actually, I wanted to be married on the beach, but there were a lot more unicorns involved.”
Andrew laughed. “No luau?”
She wrinkled her nose. “No, pizza dinner would’ve been nice. And root beer floats.”
“That sounds like fun,” he said.
“A lot of fun. Then honeymoon in a castle, but I suppose this resort is good enough.”
“It would be nice to have a couple of nights here,” he agreed.
Then her cheeks heated as she thought of a couple nights here alone. “You know we’re spending our wedding night here.”
A strange look passed across his face. One of restraint and fear.
Before he could respond, Sophie opened the flap to their private tent. “We’re ready to announce you two now.”
“Okay.” Andrew cleared his throat and took Lana’s hand. “You ready for this?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” She squeezed his hand as they were led into the reception area, where they were announced as Dr. and Mrs. Tremblay, which made her grit her teeth just a bit. She was a doctor too, but her dad was old-fashioned. Then the Polynesian dancers that her father hired gave them a traditional welcome.
After the dance they were led to the head table, where her father welcomed everyone. Lana just sat there like a centerpiece. She hated the attention. The reception was a blur because it felt a bit unreal and she felt guilty for tricking her loved ones.
Everyone was enjoying the food, including Andrew, but it tasted like sawdust in her mouth. She just wanted this whole farce to be over and done with. This wasn’t real and she was tired of acting. After dinner and some more entertainment, a band started playing and Andrew turned to her.
“It’s time for our dance,” Andrew stated.
“Our what?”
“As man and wife—our first dance.” Andrew stood and held out his hand. “What do you say, Mrs. Tremblay?”
“Seriously? It’s Dr. Tremblay,” she teased. At least the wedding reception would soon be over. Then they could get back to normal.
You mean being lonely normal?
Andrew chuckled and she took his hand as she stood. He led her out onto the dance floor and pulled her close as they moved across it.
“I do enjoy dancing with you, Lana.”
“We’ve been dancing a lot lately. I don’t think I’ve danced this much in my life,” she admitted.
“Are you complaining?” he asked.
“No, I’m not.” She gazed into his blue eyes because she did like dancing, especially with him. “For someone who spent a lot of time at bonfires drinking beer and seducing women you’re a very good dancer.”
“Well, the girls did like to dance around the fire as well. And I didn’t mind holding them close, but I like holding you close better.”
She blushed and then wondered how much was true. They were out in public and had to put on a show. Andrew was a known flirt.
It’s all pretend.
For once, though, she didn’t care. She craved the human touch and she just wanted to have a stolen moment with a man she found attractive. Just one moment where she wasn’t responsible, sensible, boring Iolana.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Why?”
“You seem sad all of a sudden.”
“No. I’m not sad, I’m just tired. The surgery from yesterday was so long and late into the night. I’m still not rested enough.”
“Want to slip out of here early?”
“People will know we’re missing. It’s our wedding.” Though she desperately wanted to. She was done pretending for all these friends of her father.
“Exactly, it’s our wedding. People are partying. Let’s go and we’ll get you some peace and quiet.”
Lana saw her family and friends were enjoying the party. They could escape. She already had the key card to the room. She just needed to get away from all of this.
“Let’s go,” Lana said. She wanted out of here. This was all too overwhelming.
Andrew nodded and they snuck out of the reception. She’d never snuck out of one of her father’s parties before.
It was kind of thrilling to rebel this way.
She never rebelled.
They took a back stairwell in the resort to the honeymoon suite, which was ready and waiting for them. The terrace doors had been opened and faced the ocean, where a full moon was reflected on the water. The palms were swaying and their gentle sound was mixed with the faint strains of the band from the reception.
There was champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries. The large king-sized bed was strewn with rose petals. It oozed romance.
Her pulse began to race. This room was supposed to be for two people in love.
Not for two fakers.
“Wow, your stepmother likes to go all-out.” Andrew whistled. “This is something.”
“Yeah, that’s Sophie.”
Andrew undid his bow tie and unbuttoned his shirt. Her heart hammered as she thought about him getting undressed. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with a man. Completely out of character, she was longing for his touch. Being in his arms on the dance floor had been nice. So nice. Comforting.
“You’re getting undressed?” she teased.
“The collar was too tight.” He then slipped off the jacket and rolled up the sleeves of the shirt, but still kept the vest on. She was disappointed, but it was probably for the best. He wandered out on the terrace and Lana poured champagne, kicked off her shoes and followed him outside. She handed him a flute.
“Thanks,” he said and then took a sip, leaning against the balcony.
“Sorry it’s not beer.” Then she nodded toward their reception on the green. “There’s a bonfire where they were cooking the pig down on the beach.”
“Nice.” Andrew held up his champagne flute to clink with hers. “Sorry there’re no unicorns.”
And he winked at her, his blue eyes sparkling in the dim light.
“It’s quite all right.” She drank down her champagne and then leaned over the terrace. “At least we have a nice view.” The ocean was like glass with a full moon rising over the water, the palm trees swaying and the flicker of flames against the night sky made her sigh.
“That’s not the view I’m enjoying.”
She glanced over at him and he was staring at her. It sent a delicious shiver down her spine. She wanted him. Rarely did she take what she wanted. She was too shy about men she was attracted to. And David had completely shattered her self-esteem and heart. Andrew was a playboy like David.
Yet they were married. They were adults. Why couldn’t she just indulge this one time?
She set down her flute and walked over to him. He watched her as she stood in front of him.
Lana kissed him then, swept away in the fairy tale fantasy of it all. The kiss was gentle at first, but then it deepened into something more dangerous. His mouth opening and his tongue entwining with hers. One hand went into her hair and the other around her waist as he pulled her tight against him. She knew then he was feeling what she was feeling. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him.
Why couldn’t they indulge this once? Why did she always have to play by the rules?
People had casual sex all the time. They were consenting adults and she wanted this. She didn’t have to give him her heart. Just her body and just for this night.
Heck, she’d wanted this the first day she’d met him. Even when he annoyed her. Even though she knew he was bad for her.
The kiss ended but Andrew didn’t let her go.
“Andrew, I want this.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t want...” He trailed off. “I want you too, Lana but...”
“Okay.” He sounded a bit off.
“I won’t get hurt, Andrew. Why can’t we just have this one moment together?”
“Lana, I...”
She kissed him again. “I want you, Andrew. I’m sure about this. Make love to me.”
“I can’t. I want...I can’t.” Andrew pushed past her and left the terrace.
Lana stood there, stunned, until she heard the door slam. Then she just felt stupid and tears stung her eyes. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking.
All she’d been thinking about was her need.
How lonely she was.
She shouldn’t have taken the chance.
Every time she took a chance she was burned.
CHAPTER EIGHT
LANA’S REQUEST HAD caught him off guard, but he wasn’t displeased by it. Not at all. It was just that he couldn’t. He’d just never expected it from her. She was always was so careful, guarded, but the more time he was spending with her, the more he realized a hot fiery passion burned beneath the surface.
And that was something he wanted to explore, but he had a sneaking suspicion that if he tasted this once, he was going to want more and more. So, even though it killed him, he left the room. Walked the beach, far away from the wedding, to calm his senses, but it didn’t work because all he could think about was Lana’s lips pressed against his.
The feeling of her in his arms.
And her begging him to make love to her.
You can’t.
Although he wanted to.
After what seemed like an eternity he returned to the room. Hoping that everything had blown over, that she might be already asleep even, but instead he saw her sitting on the couch, a flute of champagne in her hand. She turned to look at him when he shut the door and he could see the tearstains on her cheeks.
Pain hit him hard.
He’d hurt her.
“Oh, I didn’t expect you to come back,” she said quietly and she wiped the tears from her face.
“I just needed a moment to myself.”
“I see,” she said quietly. Then she sighed. “Well, I think I’m going to turn in.”
“Lana, I think we need to talk,” he said.
“What is there to talk about?” She frowned. “You didn’t want me and you have nothing to apologize about. I’m the one that wanted to step out of the boundaries we set. Not you.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, confused.
“I want you too, Lana. It’s not for lack of desiring you. I want you. More than anything.” And, though he knew that he shouldn’t, he closed the distance between them and kissed her, fully expecting her to pull back from him the way that he had pulled from her, but she didn’t. Instead she melted into his arms and he knew that he was a lost man.
There would be no walking away from her again tonight.
He was so weak.
Without asking any more questions, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her back into the room. He laid her down on the bed and kissed her again, pressing his weight against her, but he hated the fact there were so many layers of clothes that were separating them.
He wanted nothing between them.
All he wanted was just skin on skin. No words, just raw need driving their passion. Lana seemed to be feeling the same thing as he was because her fingers began to undo the buttons of his vest and then his shirt, but he didn’t want to be the only one completely naked—he wanted to undress her.
And he didn’t want to get her dress ruined.
“Let’s get that dress off you and then we can work on my tuxedo.”
She grinned at him and stood up. He spun her around, but let his hands linger on her bare back, just reveling in the silky softness of it. Lana sighed and where he touched there was a trail of goose pimples. He loved the way her body responded to his.
It made him want her even more.
He undid the clasp and unzipped the dress. It was similar to the dress she’d worn last night, only this one was ivory and of a heavier material.
Lana shrugged her shoulders out and the dress fell to the floor, pooling at her feet. Andrew was not prepared for the visual onslaught of her standing there in bridal lingerie. The slip, the garter belt and stockings, the bustier.
She turned around to face him, those dark eyes sparkling with that fire he knew was buried underneath. He could see the blush that he so adored creep up from her slender neck and blossom in her cheeks.
“Now it’s your turn.” And she undid the rest of the buttons on his shirt. She pulled it down off his arms and then ran her fingers over his chest. The mere light touch of her fingers on him sent a jolt of heat from where she touched straight to his groin.
He was so aroused by her.
And he couldn’t remember ever having wanted a woman so much that a groan slipped past his lips. Her hands slid in the waistband of his trousers and she undid the button and then the fly. He shimmied out of his pants and then pushed her back on the bed before removing his socks. All that was left between them now was their undergarments, but those would soon be gone.
He kissed her again. Hungrily.
“I hate to break this up, but do you have protection?” she asked.
Crap.
Usually he carried one in his wallet and he couldn’t remember if he’d put it in his pocket or not. Even though sex was the last thing he had been expecting with Lana, because he didn’t want to push something he knew could be so dangerous for both of them.
As luck would have it, he did have his wallet and there was one.
He pulled it out. “Yep.”
“Thank goodness.”
“No one is more thankful than me.” He joined her back on the bed. “Now, where were we?”
She cupped his face. “I think we were here.”
The kiss fired his blood, but he sensed that there was no nervousness that was there before. The uncertainty that seemed to sometimes plague Lana when dealing with things that were beyond the scope of medicine and only dealt with emotion.
There was no uncertainty now. She seemed to know exactly what she wanted and that made him burn for her.
This was the confident Lana that he knew in the hospital.
The one who knew exactly what she wanted. Although he liked the one that was vulnerable, he liked this version of her as well. As they were kissing she ran his hands over his back and her hands paused on the scar, touching it gently as if she was trying to figure out what it was, but she didn’t linger long.
She didn’t stop and question him. Which was a relief. He didn’t want to talk about that right now. All he wanted to do was focus on this moment. He wanted to feel with her. He wanted to forget everything.
He wanted to bury himself inside her.
Not soon enough all that remained between them was gone. And it was just the two of them, heart to heart. She was completely bared to him.
When he ran his hands over her body, she responded, arching her back. He wanted to take her now, but he wanted her to give him a sign, he wanted her to be ready. He wanted her to want him as much as burned for her.
Lana didn’t need to say a word to let him know that she was ready, with a slight arch of her hips and her legs wrapped around him. He didn’t kiss her in that moment, instead he gazed deep into her eyes, his fingers entwined with hers as he entered her.
It was almost too much for him to hold back. And he couldn’t recall any time before this moment. It had never been like this with anyone else.
It scared him, but thrilled him. He hadn’t had such a ru
sh, such a thrill since he was surfing. That had been when he was truly free.
Lana made him feel truly free.
She came around him and it wasn’t long until he was joining her. He rolled over on his back, trying to catch his breath, and she snuggled in beside him. Her hand on his chest. The way that Lana had made him feel things terrified him.
Things that he never wanted to feel with anyone.
He liked living his life alone. And he wondered why he’d even agreed to this marriage. Right now, holding her in his arms in their bridal suite, he was scared about how he was feeling. How in one moment Lana had got to him when no one else had been able to.
Except his sister, but when she’d died and his family shut him out, he’d felt that he didn’t deserve this. He felt guilty.
“Are you okay?” Lana asked, propping herself up on one elbow, her black hair cascading over her shoulders, making it impossible to shut her out.
“I’m fine.” He grinned at her.
“That was great. Thank you.”
He grinned. “I’ve never been thanked before.”
“Well, I was taught to have manners,” she teased.
Andrew laughed and then kissed her. “You’re welcome then.”
“So, the scar?”
Andrew stiffened under her. “What about it?”
“Now you’re definitely not okay,” she said.
“I don’t like to talk about it.”
“What happened?”
“An accident.”
“Is that why you won’t operate?”
Andrew sighed and pushed her away. He got up out of bed and pulled on his pants. He didn’t look back at Lana because he didn’t want to be tempted to be drawn back into bed.
She was so tempting, but she was delving into a conversation that he wasn’t comfortable having. His accident happened, it ended his surfing career and it ended his surgical career. It was done. There was no need to discuss.
He was all too aware of the consequences of accidents. And the last time he’d tried to talk about it, about his sister’s death, he’d been shot down by his parents. Not that they’d always had the best relationship, but they blamed him for her death.
