by Judy Angelo
Ryder, who’d propped his butt against the stool by the breakfast bar, was watching Ridge with an amused smile. “I still can’t believe this is happening. You’re such a joker, when you told me you were getting married in two weeks I thought this was one of your usual pranks and I told Mom so. Boy, you proved me wrong this time.”
“And nearly gave Mom a heart attack in the process,” Rafe said with a chuckle. “For days she was running around like a chicken without a head.”
“But I told her I was handling everything,” Ridge said. “It wasn’t like I needed her help in planning this thing. I had my team taking care of everything.”
“Yeah, but you know Mom,” Rafe said with a shrug. “Everything’s got to be just right.”
“Miss Perfectionist,” Ryder said in agreement. “But it’s a good thing, since Dad’s such a sloppy organizer.”
Ransom smiled. "Opposites attract.” He jerked his chin toward Ridge. “That the case with you and Lani?”
Ridge grimaced. “Maybe. She doesn’t seem to find my jokes all that funny.”
“Jokes,” Ryder asked, his tone skeptical, “or pranks?”
Ridge shrugged. “Whatever.” But then he thought about it. “It would be kind of great if she had more of a sense of humor.”
Instead of agreeing, Ransom shook his head. “Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.” Then he jerked his head toward the door. “Come on, guys. Time to go make a good man out of this beast.” And, not even waiting for them to make a move, Ridge’s best man strode out of the suite, leaving the rest of them to follow.
Later he made up for his nonchalant behavior, though. As Ridge stood at the front of the church waiting for his bride, sweat beading his forehead and his upper lip, it was Ransom who dabbed his face with a folded handkerchief. He even whispered a few supportive words that helped Ridge calm down a bit.
He had no idea he would have gotten so nervous just because he was attending a little old wedding. His own, but still. If he’d known it would be so nerve-wracking maybe he would have ditched the whole idea and just gone in front of a judge with a couple of witnesses. But the really weird thing was, he had no idea what he was so nervous about. After all, it was just Lani, right?
And then he saw her. She was standing there at the entrance, her hand on the arm of a stately-looking gentleman with graying hair. The look in the man’s eyes told Ridge that he was the proud ‘give-away’ father. But it wasn’t that gentleman who made Ridge’s heart jerk in his chest. When Lani looked away from her father and turned to face front Ridge’s breath caught in his throat. She was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. Even through the diaphanous veil that covered her face he could see the soft petals of her rose-red lips and the brilliant sparkle of her onyx eyes. The veil she was wearing was held in place atop her head by a circular band decorated by a garland of tiny white flowers. As tiny as she was beside her very tall papa it made her look like a bewitching little fairy, so exquisitely beautiful he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
Then, as if she hadn’t entranced him enough, she started down the aisle on her father’s arm, moving with such style and grace that he couldn’t have pulled his eyes away if his life depended on it. Since the day he met her Ridge knew Lani was beautiful but was this the same woman who seemed to wear nothing but slacks and loafers? In heels that were so high he feared for her safety Lani practically floated up the aisle, her poise making all heads turn in obvious admiration.
And then she was standing there right in front of him, so close that he was soon losing himself in the shimmering dark pools of her eyes. Like she could see the tension in him, her lips curled in a smile that had him drawing in a deep breath. God, he wanted to kiss her. So bad.
But like a good little boy he didn’t pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless like he wanted to. Instead he smiled down at her and then reached out and lifted the veil from her face, exposing her loveliness to his eager gaze. Close up she was even more beautiful. He must have been staring at her too long and too hard because Lani took his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze, bringing him back to awareness.
The officiant cleared his throat and with that the ceremony began. “Dearly beloved, we’re gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Leilani Isabella Donatelli and Coleridge Martin Kent.” The man’s voice rose, filling the room, and as he spoke the words Ridge held Lani’s hands and gazed deep into her eyes.
“Today you enter as individuals but you leave as man and wife,” he continued, “blending together, becoming as one, moving on to the greatest of all social interactions, the uniting of body, mind and spirit.”
As the words flowed from his lips the minister waxed loquacious, moving on from celebrating the union of the couple to dispensing advice on the keys to a successful marriage.
And all that time Ridge was dying for him to get to the best part.
It wasn’t going to come that fast, though. First, he had to suffer through a series of readings. “Marriage is not just the joining of hands,” the man admonished. “It is the joining of hearts. It is a union built on commitment and support.”
Even as he smiled down at his wife-to-be Ridge gritted his teeth, wanting the man to get on with it. The readings were meaningful but there were so many of them. Two he could stomach, but five? Ridge could only hope Lani wasn’t picking up on his agitation.
And then it was time for them to exchange vows. Ridge almost breathed an audible sigh of relief.
“Do you, Coleridge Kent, take Leilani Donatelli to be your partner for life, promising to care for her, honor and respect her, to console her in times of sorrow and support her in all her endeavors?”
Without hesitation Ridge gave his response. “I do.”
“And do you, Leilani Donatelli…”
As the words were repeated Lani lifted her face to Ridge, her lips curling into a soft smile. “I do,” she said, her voice bold and clarion-clear, carrying throughout the church.
“The ring, please.”
Now it was time for Ridge to put his seal on the woman who’d started by turning him down flat. Thank goodness she’d come around.
And then, finally, came the part Ridge had been waiting for the whole time.
“By the power vested in me by the State of Texas I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Smiling in satisfaction, Ridge looked down at his bride and then he reached for her, eager to taste her lips. This first kiss would be in front of an audience but he wasn’t complaining. He would take it any way he could get it. Knowing Lani, he might not get another chance for a while.
Bending low, Ridge captured her lips in a kiss meant to show her she was his, body and soul. He’d thought she would be shy, would even resist, but she surprised him by responding willingly, even eagerly. The fact that she had an audience didn’t seem to bother her, not one bit.
When he finally let her go Lani came off her tiptoes and settled back down on her heels but she did not release his gaze. She was smiling and she was staring boldly back at him, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
And, for some strange reason, at the look in her eyes a tiny tingle of worry ran up his spine.
CHAPTER FOUR
Tonight was Lani’s wedding night and she could hardly wait. But it was not for the reason most people would imagine. No, she had plans for a night that promised to be a lot of fun. Fun for her, anyway. For Ridge Kent, not so much.
Ridge had blackmailed her into marrying him and she’d ended up accepting his proposal, if you could call it that. It was like no marriage proposal she would ever have expected. In fact, she’d pretty much given up on being proposed to at all. Her work had been her life for so many years. She’d hardly had time to include a man in the middle of that. And then, before she knew it, she was pushing thirty and her mother had begun harassing her for grandkids.
Now her mother finally had her wish. Her daughter was a married woman and no amount of explaining would make her
see there was really no cause for celebration. Her heart was set on grandkids, temporary arrangement be damned.
But that wasn’t going to happen, not if Lani had anything to do with it. And she did. A lot.
She smiled as she thought back to the conversation she’d had with Ridge just days before the wedding.
“There will be no love-making,” she’d declared, laying down the rule before he got any ideas. “No sex or anything even close.”
He’d given her a sly grin. “What about something that’s just in the ball park?”
“No, nothing. Zilch.” She chopped her hand down with force, showing him just how much she meant the zilch part. “No hugging, no kissing, nada.”
“Hmm. Kinda harsh, aren’t we?” For some reason he hadn’t seemed worried. Sort of amused, really. Did he think she didn’t mean it? “So,” he continued, “for one whole year we’re going to live in the same house and not touch each other? Do you really think you can manage that?” Then his grin widened and he spread his arms wide. “How are you going to resist all this, what do you ladies call it, man candy?”
“Ha. Don’t get ahead of yourself. I’ll resist you just fine. You just give me your promise that we won’t make love.”
He’d come close, right up to her, and when he spoke his voice was deceptively cool. “Here’s what I will promise you. I will make love to you,” he said softly, “but not until you come to me, begging for it.”
"Never," she hissed, glaring up at him. "You'll never live to see me begging you for sex, ever."
Instead of backing off he only laughed. “And one more thing. You won’t get my promise that I won’t kiss you but you can rest assured that I will never make love to you unless you come to me first. And trust me, you will.”
“You arrogant ass. Do you think you’re irresistible?” She was breathing hard now, she was that angry.
“I know I am,” the conceited pig replied, so full of himself it made her want to deliver a swift kick to his shin.
“We’ll just see about that.”
And that was where their conversation ended because she turned on her heel and stalked off, the sound of his laughter ringing in her ears.
He’d laughed at her then but tonight, their wedding night, Lani was going to have the last laugh. Tonight they would see who could resist who.
After the wedding Ridge had flown them to Hawaii in his private jet. That night in the bridal suite of Grand MoloKa’i Hotel Lani made preparations to be as alluring and seductive as she possibly could. Luckily, the bridal suite had two bedrooms so, quickly claiming one of them then making sure to close the door firmly behind her, she had no problem in doing her thing in private. She’d always been the casual type, usually a make-up free, pajama-wearing kind of girl. Tonight, though, she would go all out. She would make Ridge want her so bad his teeth would hurt.
After a leisurely bath in the Jacuzzi tub Lani patted herself dry then sat on the padded bench where she spent a good six or seven minutes massaging rose-scented body oil into her skin. She finished by spritzing her favorite perfume, Estee Lauder Pleasures, behind her ears and along the column of her neck. Now it was time to dress.
Still nude, she left the bathroom and walked into the bedroom, confident that Ridge would stick to his own quarters. He might be a cad but she could tell he was not the sort to invade someone else’s privacy. At least he had that one good quality.
In the bedroom she went straight to the chest of drawers and pulled out her piece-de-resistance, a crimson G-string with black lace along the waistband, a garment so tiny she had to wonder why they charged so much for such a tiny scrap of cloth. Then she smiled to herself. It wasn’t the size, of course, but the impact and with this bit of garment she planned to have the maximum impact possible.
She stepped into the G-string and pulled it up her legs and over her buttocks, making sure the tiny bow settled right at the top of the valley between the cheeks. Turning, she glanced back into the mirror. Perfect.
Next, she went back to her stash of sexy secrets and pulled out a diaphanous red teddy that left her shoulders and arms exposed. Dressing carefully in the see-through lingerie, she made sure the neckline fell just right, leaving much of her skin bare to the gaze. Not that her neckline was what would hold Ridge’s attention. The sexy top was near-transparent, leaving hardly anything to the imagination. If Ridge was like any other red-blooded man his eyes would be glued to the curves of her breasts and the rose buds of her nipples as they winked at him from behind their gauzy veil.
Last, she slid her feet into high heeled sandals, transparent like glass to give him a nice view of her painted toenails, and with a feathery red puff on top of each, giving the footwear a naughty flair.
Ready now, she glanced in the mirror again and smiled, satisfied that she would have the effect she was aiming for. When he saw her Ridge Kent was sure to stand at attention – in more ways than one.
Biting her lips to keep from grinning, Lani opened her bathroom door and peeked out. Good. Ridge was in the suite living room, lounging on the sofa, a glass of wine in hand. There was another glass on the table in front of him, like he’d been waiting for her to emerge from her room. He was sitting there, staring off into space, and he looked lonely. Well, he wouldn’t be lonely for long. Like it or not, he was about to be entertained by Lani Donatelli.
When she stepped into the living room Ridge’s head jerked up, his eyes widening instantly as he took in her garb. She saw him suck in his breath and then he sat forward and rested his glass on the coffee table. His gaze fixed on her, Ridge’s stare was unwavering but still he said nothing. Maybe he’d been shocked into silence.
Encouraged by his reaction, Lani’s lips curved in a smile and, doing her best Marilyn Munroe impression, she pouted her lips then sauntered toward the man who sat watching her, obviously stunned.
She came to a halt just a few feet in front of him and, hand on her right hip, she struck a provocative pose. And just to make things that much sexier she glanced at the extra glass of wine and pointed with her ruby-red lips. “Is that for me?”
Ridge blinked. Then he cleared his throat. “Er, yes. It’s…for you.”
“Thank you,” she purred and then, taking her own sweet time, she sashayed her way around the table, making sure he had enough time to check her out – the way the high heels elongated her legs, the peaks of her breasts beneath the sheer fabric and the red bow adorning the top of her behind.
When Ridge slid back in his chair, eyes glued to her gossamer-covered torso, he swallowed. Hard. It was no secret she was having just the kind of effect she was hoping for.
And so she moved in for the kill. With a beguiling smile she slid onto the seat beside him and reached for the glass of wine, not shielding her barely covered body from his gaze. She’d never been a shy girl and she certainly wasn’t going to be shy now, not tonight when she wanted to torture Ridge until he begged for mercy.
So he thought she would be the one to come knocking, begging for sex? She bet, after the eyeful she’d just given him, he wasn’t quite so cocky. No, she wouldn’t be doing the begging. He was the one who would come knocking at her door and her answer would be a big, fat no. She could hardly wait to pay him back for that arrogant declaration he’d made.
Glass in hand, she settled back into the sofa and, still watching him, took a slow sip, savoring the velvety liquid on her tongue. Sitting so close she could feel the warmth of his arm that was almost touching hers, she turned so their faces were mere inches apart.
“Is there anything you would like to ask me?” she whispered, knowing that he understood exactly what she was talking about.
Instead of admitting defeat Ridge scowled back at her. “No,” he muttered. “Nothing at all.”
Lani smiled and nodded, not at all surprised. He was trying to play tough but not to worry. The night was still young and before it was gone she intended to bring him to his knees.
There was nothing left to say but, let the gam
es begin.
***
What the bloody hell kind of game was Lani playing? The woman was mad.
Sultry and sexy as a siren she'd come out of her bedroom dressed in nothing but a G-string and God knew what that thing was she’d thrown over it. She might as well have walked out stark naked. He could see everything. Her body was covered in what looked like a red haze. There was no way he could call that clothes. He was seeing right through the damn thing.
And what a view. Damn, she was gorgeous. Small, pert breasts with red rubies at the tips, a taut torso that rivaled any model’s and those legs, looking so long and lean in elegant high-heeled sandals. If she'd been trying to get him all hot and bothered she’d done a hell of a job.
And she knew exactly what she was doing, the wicked little minx. The naughty glint in her dark eyes and the impish curve of her lips told it all. She’d come out here with plans to drive him crazy with want and, by God, it was working. If the rigid rod in his pants was anything to go by he was in big trouble.
Clearing his throat again, he shifted on the sofa and made to get up. “Uhm, give me a sec, will you?”
Eyes sparkling with mischief, the devilish diva leaned in even closer. “Leaving so soon?”
He wouldn’t give her that satisfaction. “Not leaving,” he said tersely. “I just need something from the bedroom.” And before he let himself down and reached for her he got up and took the quick steps that took him far enough away where he could breathe again. Jesus, did she see the way she was making him sweat? And he didn’t mean that in a figurative sense, either.
Her soft chuckle filling his ears, Ridge escaped to the bedroom and closed the door. He needed a few seconds – no, more like a few minutes – to get over the shock of this new Lani. It was like she’d transformed from serious scientist to sensual siren, all in one day.
