Love, Unexpectedly

by Susan Fox

  After easing the cork out of the bottle, he poured the wine and brought the glasses back to bed where she’d pushed herself up on pillows. Naked, with her chest and face flushed, her nipples and mouth rosy, her hair wild and sexy, she was lovely.

  As he stood beside the bed, another twinge of uncertainty, of guilt, hit him. “Kat, did I rush you when I proposed? The words just popped out.”

  Her hand, reaching for a glass, froze in midair. “Are you having second thoughts?”

  “Me? No way! I’ve dreamed of it. But it was an emotional moment. It’s a big step for you to go from saying you love me to getting engaged. You need to be sure.”

  She took the glass and held it, studying the bubbles. “I have a bad record for rushing things, don’t I?” Her gaze lifted to his face, and her lips twitched. “I told you about my new one-month rule, right?”

  He sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, putting down his own glass. Yes, of course this was too good to be true. “You said the next time you were attracted to a man, you wouldn’t let yourself fall in love for a month. Okay, we’ll wait a month so you can be sure.”

  She shook her head. “Actually, the rule was that I wouldn’t fall in love until I’d known the man a month. Well, I’ve known you for two years. Long enough, well enough, to know you’re a wonderful person, and to truly care for you.”

  Nav listened with relief as she went on. “Then, over the last few days, I’ve seen other sides to you. Like, how fun, exciting, sexy, passionate, unpredictable—in a good way—you can be. How great you are with kids, and everyone else you meet. Especially with me.”

  She smiled. “You can kiss me senseless, and you can make me feel…”

  “What?”

  “Cherished,” she finished softly.

  “You are. But, Kat, if you need more time, take it. I know you want to be married, and I do believe you when you say you love me, but you shouldn’t rush into anything.”

  She was quiet for a long moment. “Yes, I want to be married. And you know what? This is my first proposal. After dating for more than fifteen years. After…I hate to think how many relationships. Those relationships…”

  She shook her head. “They were never right.”

  He held his breath as she studied his face.

  “My judgment sucks when it comes to men,” she said. “That’s what everyone’s always told me. But I think it says something for my judgment that no relationship ever got to the proposal stage. Until now.”

  Unable to hold his breath any longer, he let it out. “What are you saying?”

  “This feels right. You and me. We’re already best friends and we’ve proved we’re amazing lovers. Now we know we love each other. This train trip has been”—she broke off and gave a soft chuckle—“one hell of a wild ride. It’s also been a journey of discovery, and all the discoveries are good.”

  “Oh, yes. Very good.”

  “I think that’s what it’ll be like for us. Marriage, kids, your career, my career, a house somewhere. More discoveries, more sharing, more love.”

  She met his grin with one of her own. “So, I’m staying engaged, if that’s all right with you.”

  “It’s very all right.” Joy surged through him, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

  She squeaked as wine spilled from her glass, then wrapped her free arm around his neck and kissed him deeply.

  When they eased apart, he raised his own glass and clicked it to hers. “Here’s to us and a wonderful future together.”

  “To us, and a wonderful future together,” she said firmly, and they both drank the toast.

  He gave her a quick kiss, unable to resist those lush pink lips.

  Come to think of it, all of her was irresistible. “If you have no objection, I’d like to kiss my fiancée all over, from head to toe.”

  Her brown eyes sparkled. “I think I could live with that.”

  “I warn you, I’m probably going to lick you all over, too.”

  “Hmm.” She made a mock-serious face. “If you do, be warned there’ll be consequences.”

  “Such as?”

  “I might have to do the same to you.”

  Just the thought made his body, utterly satiated only a few minutes ago, stir again. “Well, all of that kissing and licking could take a long time, so I’d better get started.” He took another sip of wine, then put his glass down.

  Then he straddled Kat and, beginning with her forehead, began to kiss, lick, and nibble her, letting each caress tell her how much he loved her.

  Just in case she wasn’t getting the message—and because he reveled in being able to say the words aloud—he whispered, “I love you.”

  The seductive scent of jasmine drifted from skin that was tantalizingly soft and warm. That sweet but spicy aroma was, to him, a perfect embodiment of Kat’s personality.

  When he was circling the tender hollow at the base of her throat with his tongue, she threaded her fingers through his curly hair.

  “You shaved, but you didn’t cut your hair.”

  He lifted his head to look at her. “Do you mind? The hair stylist trimmed it but refused to cut it.”

  “Refused?”

  He gave an embarrassed shrug. “She said I had great hair.”

  “She was right. It suits you. Either pulled back or loose like this. It’s the shave that makes the real difference. I never knew what a strong, striking face you had.” She giggled. “I thought you might be hiding a weak chin or acne. And all along, what you were really concealing was how handsome you are.”

  “Glad you think so.” He dipped his head back down and sucked his way along her collarbone.

  She toyed with his hair, running her fingers through it, twining strands around one finger as he kept worshipping her body, inch by inch.

  Through her fingers, he could monitor her arousal. When they froze or gripped his skull, or yanked the hair she was twirling, it was as clear a signal as the rise and fall of her chest, her soft, panting breaths.

  He tried to enjoy the slow burn of his own arousal rather than let his need become consuming. This was about Kat and his love for her.

  He circled her areola over and over with his tongue, then flicked her nipple back and forth, feeling her tension mount. With gentle suction, he popped her nipple into his mouth and teased it with his lips and tongue. Then he did the same to her other breast.

  Her pelvis lifted, twisted. She moaned, and then she climaxed with a low, shuddering cry.

  “I’ve never come that way before,” she murmured wonderingly.

  So much for having the patience to kiss her from head to toe. He needed her now. As he sheathed himself, he said, “There’s something to be said for the conventional way, too.” He thrust inside her in one long, slow plunge.

  “Oh, yes!” She began to rock against him, and he matched her rhythm.

  He wouldn’t last long, but he wouldn’t have to, because already her body was tensing, her focus centering. Reaching between them, he caressed her swollen bud.

  “Nav!” Her body clutched, then climaxed again, hard and long.

  Those waves gripped him, drew him under, made his own orgasm as inevitable as the tides. He exploded while she was still coming.

  Afterward, they flopped bonelessly on the bed, side by side on their backs, holding hands.

  She turned her head to look at him. “That was incredible.”

  He gazed into her lovely eyes. “You’re incredible. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, and we’re incredible together.” Then her brows drew together in a mock frown. “But what happened to kissing me from head to toe? You didn’t even get halfway.”

  “When I recover my energy, I’ll pick up where I left off.”

  “I’ll look forward to that.” Then she gave a blissful sigh. “Oh, Nav, there are so many things to look forward to.”

  “And if we ever run out, we’ll just start that Nice ’n Naughty game again.”

  “Did you really buy tha
t to play with me?”

  “Yeah. But not for this train trip. I got it about six months after I met you. When I was still optimistic I could get you to go out with me.”

  “Wow.” She shook her head wonderingly.

  He squeezed her hand, the one with his bulky ring on her finger. “I have you now, and that’s all that matters.”

  “What happens next?” she asked. “I don’t want you to go back to Montreal, but I guess you have to, to get ready for your exhibit. You’ll come back for the wedding, though?”

  He had no intention of letting her out of his sight, but all the same, he joked, “I thought I’d been uninvited.”

  She punched his shoulder gently. “Oh, you’re coming. For sure. And you know what? I’ll even let you pay for your own flight.”

  He laughed. “My male pride thanks you. All the same, I think I’ll just stay in Vancouver rather than go back to Montreal for a week. I’ll shoot more photos, work with the ones I’ve been taking on the train.” He paused, then said teasingly, “I got some pretty sexy ones.”

  She jerked up. “You wouldn’t!”

  He laughed. “No, of course not. But there are some great ones of you. Damn, woman, you’re sexy. You’ll have to see them.”

  “One day when I’m feeling brave.” She rolled onto her side, facing him. “If you stay through to the wedding, will you really have time to get ready for the exhibit? I’ll help, if there’s anything I can do.”

  “There’ll be time.” He might have to work night and day, but he’d find time.

  His reward was her happy smile. “Terrific!”

  “Should I get a hotel room, or—”

  “Oh, no. You’ll stay at the house, and in my room.” She winked. “My parents’ bedroom’s on a whole other floor.”

  “That’s a relief.”

  “I should call or e-mail them. They’re not big on surprises.”

  “What will you say?”

  “Oh, gosh.” She blew out air. “Last weekend I told my family you were coming as my wedding date, and said you’d be flying out. I didn’t tell anyone you were on the train. I guess I’ll pretend our plans changed—which they sure did!”

  She raised her hand and admired the ring. “I’m getting attached to this, you know.”

  “We could get it remade into an engagement ring.”

  “Could we?” She beamed at him. “I’d like that. It’s the ring you gave me when you proposed, and I love it. Oh, gosh, I can’t wait to tell everyone we’re engaged!”

  “Two sisters engaged at the same time.”

  “That’s right.” Then she frowned. “No wait, this is supposed to be Merilee’s special time. She’s felt like she’s been in the shadow of her big sisters for so long, she shouldn’t have to share the limelight.”

  “You don’t want to tell your family we’re engaged?”

  “I do! More than anything. But I think I’ll wait until M&M have gone on their honeymoon. Do you mind?”

  “Yes.” He touched her face, thinking how generous she was and how much he loved her. “But, no. Because you’re right. This is your sister’s time, and her fiancé’s. We’ll have our own.”

  “I’ll have to hide the ring, damn it,” she grumbled.

  “We’ll find a jeweler and get it remade, then you’ll have it to wear right after the wedding.”

  Her face brightened. “Great. And in the meantime, you know what I want?”

  “No idea.”

  “Let’s shower and go for dinner. I want to tell everyone on the train that we’re engaged.”

  Oh, yeah, he wanted to tell the whole world. Except for his parents. Yes, they wanted him to get married, but a Caucasian Canadian certainly wouldn’t be their choice. Oh, well, he wasn’t going to let the thought of their disapproval darken this wonderful day.

  “You do realize,” he told Kat, “that means telling people you’re engaged to Dhiraj?”

  “Oh, yeah.” She wrinkled her nose. “Nope. Dhiraj is a sexy guy, but it’s Nav I love. I want to call you Nav. Could it be a pet name or something?”

  “In Hindi it means new.”

  “Perfect. My new love.”

  “Dhiraj and Pritam have meanings, too.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Ah ha. You chose those names for a reason.”

  “Dhiraj means patience, because after you deserted Pritam in that Toronto hotel room, I knew I’d need it.”

  “And Pritam?”

  “Means beloved.”

  “You sneaky devil.” She beamed at him. “You got me to call you beloved?”

  “Because that’s what I wanted to be.”

  “And you are.” She stroked his face.

  Then she twined her fingers into his curls and tugged. “Come on, beloved. Shower, clothes, then I get to show off my new fiancé.”

  Chapter 20

  After two nights of very little sleep spent watching the moon from my single bunk and obsessing over what I was doing with Nav, I should have slept like a log on that third and final night on the train.

  But instead, I again lay stargazing as the train rolled smoothly through southern BC, heading from Kamloops to the coast. This time, though, I was beside my fiancé, both of us spent from lovemaking but too excited to sleep.

  I was so happy. This had all happened so quickly, at first I had trouble believing it was real. But the more we talked, the more we planned as, outside the window, moonlight bathed the ever-changing landscape, the more real and wonderful it became.

  We talked about careers, when we should start a family, how many kids we wanted, what we should name them. Dreams and practicality blended in a perfect mix, and I’d never had so much fun in my life.

  At some point we did drift off to sleep in each other’s arms, and woke to find the moon had disappeared and dawn was lighting the sky.

  We shared a tender good-morning kiss, then I sighed. We were almost to Vancouver. “I suppose we should get cleaned up and packed, and go for breakfast.”

  Nav swung out of bed—that butt only got better each time I saw it—and took something from the vanity. He came back—his front view was pretty damned fine, too—and handed me a bundle. A cloth napkin from the dining car, folded around four of the dinner rolls that had been on the table last night. Then he handed me a bottle of water.

  “Bread and water?” Giving him a mock scowl, I said, “I’ll have you know, Pritam bought me expensive champagne, and Dhiraj booked the Romance by Rail suite. You have big shoes to fill, and bread and water ain’t gonna cut it.”

  Nav gave me a wicked grin. “Ah, but if we have bread and water in the room, I’ll have time to do this.” He slid back into bed, and hastily I put down the buns and water bottle.

  He spooned me from behind, lifting the hair away from the nape of my neck and blowing gently across my skin.

  I shivered with pleasure and angled my head to give him better access. His hand snuck around to fondle my breast, and against my butt his cock grew.

  “That’s a persuasive argument,” I murmured.

  An hour later, we had both showered and packed, and we’d met up again in Nav’s compartment to watch out the window as the train neared Vancouver.

  “You told your family that I’m on the train with you?” he asked.

  “When I called home last night, Merilee answered. She said Theresa was borrowing her car to pick me up, so I told her you were with me.”

  I remembered my little sister’s reaction. “What?” Her voice had squeaked. “Your boyfriend’s on the train with you? And you didn’t think to mention that before?”

  I’d muttered an excuse, and she’d said, “Seems like my sisters are full of surprises these days.” The edge to her voice had said she wasn’t entirely thrilled.

  Thinking of her reaction, I told Nav, “I’m glad we decided to keep our engagement a secret until after the wedding.” Poor Merilee. I’d never realized how left out she’d felt when we were growing up.

  “For her sake or your own?” H
is voice was low.

  “What do you mean?” I turned from the window to stare at him.

  “Maybe you want to gauge your family’s reaction to me. If they don’t approve…” He stared back at me, eyes narrowed.

  Anxiety skittered through me. Nav was right. They’d find something wrong with him. They always found something wrong with the guys I brought home.

  But this was different. I was in love, engaged. I caught his hand. “Oh, no, they’re not going to talk me out of this. I love you, Nav.”

  His face softened, but he didn’t smile. “You thought you loved other men, but your family found something to criticize. And the relationships broke up.”

  I bit my lip. “I hate to admit this, but looking back, I really did pick some guys who weren’t a good fit. My family just pointed out things I’d have eventually figured out myself.”

  “And you’re so sure I’m a good fit?” In other circumstances, the comment might have had a sexual innuendo, but his expression was dead serious.

  “I am.”

  He squeezed my hand. “Kat, I love you. That love has been growing for two years. You only fell for me yesterday. How can you be so sure?”

  “Because it feels right.” Even as I said the words, I knew they sounded hollow. Relationships had felt right before, then turned out to be fatally flawed. “I told you last night, the way I feel for you is different. You’re…everything. I know I love you.”

  “What if your parents don’t approve?”

  “If they don’t, screw them.” I thought he was wonderful, and my opinion was the only one that counted.

  His lips twitched. “Thanks, I think. But let’s not forget, I intend to become part of this family.”

  The poor guy didn’t have a clue what he was getting into. “Lucky you.”

  He glanced past me. “We’re pulling into the station.”

  I gazed out to see a familiar sight: Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station. As I gripped Nav’s hand, excitement filled me. I going home with the man I loved, I’d started to forge a closer bond with two of my sisters, and I felt like I understood my parents a bit better. “I wonder if Theresa’s here, or waiting in the car outside?”