Marrying His Best Friend

by Jennifer Gracen

  Her eyes snapped open and held his. She looked at him as if she was seeing him with new eyes, with wonder and astonishment… and, yes, open satisfaction. “Oh, my God,” she whispered roughly. “That was…”

  “Amazing.” He finished for her, smiling as he kissed her lips. “Damn, you’re so hot when you get carried away.”

  “I get loud,” she said with an embarrassed laugh. “Oh, God.”

  “It was bloody hot,” he asserted. He took her hand and moved it down to brush the front of his jeans. He was so hard it was almost painful. “See what you do to me?”

  “Then we should do something about that,” she murmured, slowly rubbing the hard length of his erection.

  Within sixty seconds, he had his pants off and a condom on. He’d never wanted anything so much in his life as he wanted to be inside her right then. At that moment, he was so fired up with want and need, he would have signed his soul over to the devil if he’d demanded it. But when he positioned himself over her, he paused. Good God, he’d dreamed of this for so long. He looked into her eyes.

  She smiled, leaned up to press her lips to his, and said, “Make love to me, Aidan. I’m yours.”

  He’d never heard such beautiful words in his entire life. Looking deep into her eyes, he shifted his hips and eased into her, going deep. A long, low groan shuddered out of him as he savored the feeling of finally being inside her, this woman he loved so much. Finally, they were one. It was overwhelming.

  “Stop thinking,” she whispered, lifting her legs, digging her heels into his lower back. “Start feeling. Time for you to let go.”

  “Jesus Christ.” He breathed urgently. “You’re killin’ me.”

  She rolled her hips, taking him deeper inside. “This time,” she said, “I get to watch you.”

  The feel of her was incredible, too much. His head dropped to her shoulder as he moaned. “I won’t last long this first time,” he admitted. “But I swear I’ll spend the rest of our lives making that up to you.”

  “Shut up and take me,” she said playfully.

  “God, I love you,” he said.

  He had to move, he couldn’t hold back another second. He thrust into her, hard and deep, again, and again, and again. Her hips rose to meet his, matching his rhythm. The sensations quickly overtook him, all consuming, and he groaned his release into her neck as his body shuddered, bucked, and emptied.

  They held each other close and kissed for a long time, until the urgent passion cooled to a tender sweetness, and he kissed her still. Finally, he lifted his head to gaze down at her, and she smiled.

  “Well,” she said, “glad I got that done. Now maybe I’ll be less nervous, ya know?”

  “Glad I could help.” He chuckled. I love you. I won’t keep telling you every bloody minute, but oh, my God, I love you so much. “For someone who claimed to be rusty, you surprised me. You’re a damned vixen.”

  “Oh, I am not!” Her hands drifted through his hair, over his shoulders, down his back. “I was so nervous at first. You were so good to me. Thank you for that.”

  “My infinite pleasure.” He kissed her lips with great affection. “And thank you. For suggesting we come up here. I mean… whoa.”

  “Really?” she asked. “I did all right?”

  “You’re a goddess,” he said. “How’d I do?”

  She touched his cheek and murmured with overwhelming sweetness, “You were perfect. In every way.” She swallowed and drew a breath as she added, “Lucky me.”

  Chapter Thirteen

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  The next week went by in a flurry for Maura. It was her same routine as usual—work, Chloe, etc. But everything felt like it’d been infused with energy and brightness. Becoming a true couple with Aidan had added that to her life. It both took her by surprise and felt completely natural. She hadn’t felt this alive in years, and she was heady with it.

  They talked or texted every day, as they always had. He came by to see her and Chloe on Monday night and on Thursday night, hanging out to have dinner, play games, and watch a movie, as they always had. But the way they ended their nights were very different—locked in her bedroom, indulging in passionate sex as quietly as possible with her daughter asleep down the hall and her mum downstairs.

  They couldn’t get enough of each other. It was as if a floodgate had been unlocked and thrown wide open, and they’d been washed away with the rushing tide. Maura relished it. Aidan was an incredible lover, attentive and giving. He was in turns slow and leisurely, to teasing and playful, to hungry and red hot in a blink, and she loved every aspect of this new side of him he shared with her. His talented mouth and fingers drove to her heights she’d never reached in her life. The way his sinuous body fit with hers… it was, like he’d said, they were made for each other. She didn’t mind all the dating he’d done if he’d honed his skills this well, and would be using them only on her for the rest of their lives.

  But it wasn’t just the physical thrill; they truly were deepening their already strong bond by experiencing one another this way. When Aidan touched her, Maura felt not only his desire for her, but his affection and how he cherished her. The lovemaking had opened a part of her heart she’d forgotten existed; it’d been sealed shut so tightly. When they touched each other, explored each other, it was so much more than a physical connection, and she knew they both felt that.

  When he went to leave her house late Thursday night, they stood at her door wrapped in each other’s arms, kissing tenderly. After a racy tumble in her room, her hair was a tangled mess and she wore only her pale pink robe. She knew she must look a fright, but he murmured against her mouth, “I hate to leave you when you look this beautiful.”

  She snorted out a laugh. “With this bedhead? You’re just sayin’ that because of what we just did.”

  He grinned back but shook his head. “No. I mean it. I wish we could fall asleep together, and I could hold you close all night, then wake you in the mornin’ by making love to you all over again.”

  “We will,” she whispered, utterly enchanted. “When we’re married, you’ll be stuck with me the rest of your life, remember?”

  “Can’t wait,” he said with a soft smile. He kissed her once more, then pulled back. “Can I take you and Chloe out on Saturday afternoon? I was thinkin’ the park.”

  Her brows furrowed. “But we’re spending all Sunday with ya, at the pub for the big announcement party.”

  “So what, I can’t spend some time alone first with my two best girls?”

  “I’m just surprised. Aye, of course you can. Chloe would love that.” She kissed his lips lightly, a feather’s touch. “And so would I.”

  Saturday afternoon was a beautiful early June day, the kind they didn’t often get—warm with blazing sunshine. Aidan took Maura and Chloe to Ramsey Park, the bigger one a few towns over, spread out on a few acres of open land. He pushed Chloe on the swings and climbed with her on the metal bar structures as if he were a kid himself. Maura had packed a huge picnic lunch for the three of them. They enjoyed sandwiches, cut up fruit and vegetables, and cookies while sitting on a blanket in the middle of the spread of emerald grass. When they were done eating, Maura reapplied sunscreen to her pale daughter and gifted her with a tiny surprise, a pink plastic jug of bubbles. Chloe squealed in delight and began to skip along the grass, singing to herself as she blew bubbles. Smiling as they watched her, both Maura and Aidan took pictures with their phones.

  Suddenly overwhelmed with a rush of pure joy, Maura turned to look at him. He sat beside her on the blanket, leaning back on his elbows, looking sexy as hell. His sunglasses and dark gold scruff that covered his strong jaw gave an air of devastating sex appeal as the sun shone down on him, bringing out glints of gold in his dark blond hair. Stretched out comfortably, his lean torso and long legs seemed to call to her. As he watched her daughter amuse herself and giggle, the besotted smile on his face made her heart give a warm squeeze.

  She leaned down, dropped a kiss on his cheek,
and said, “Oh, God, Aidan… I’m so happy. I don’t remember the last time I felt like this. This is a perfect day.”

  His smile was as bright as the sunshine. “I’m so glad. But… almost perfect. There’s one more thing.” He sat up, reaching over to his hoodie that he’d carefully folded and placed at the edge of the blanket. When he’d folded it instead of dropping it in a heap, she’d had a split second thought of “why’s he doing that?” Now she knew, as he reached into the deep pocket and pulled out a small, black velvet box.

  Her breath caught as she watched him take off his sunglasses, turn back to her, and gaze into her eyes with such obvious adoration it overwhelmed her. “I wanted you to have this before the party tomorrow.” Leaning in close, he opened the box, revealing the sparkling diamond ring they’d chosen together. Even though she’d helped pick it out, looking at it now caused her heart to skip a beat, then take off racing.

  “Maura Grace Callahan,” he said, low and sweet, “will you marry me?”

  “I already said I would,” she whispered huskily, her voice feeling stuck in her now thick throat.

  “I know. I wanted to ask you properly. With a ring.” The earnest look on his face almost made her sway. “I know this started as a specific means to an end, but… I do love you. I promise I’ll be good to you, and to Chloe. You’ll both be my family, and I’ll do everything I can to make sure you both always feel safe, happy, and loved.”

  “Oh, Aidan.” Tears stung her eyes. She wanted to blame that on the soft breeze blowing, but she knew better. “We’re so lucky to have you in our lives. We love you, too. I hope you know that.”

  He arched a brow playfully. “So it’s yes, then?”

  “You know it is.” She couldn’t help but laugh, then sniffled back her threatening tears and drew a deep breath to steady herself. “Yes, I’ll marry you.” She loved him, of course she did.

  But she wasn’t sure if she was truly in love with him yet, and she wouldn’t say the words until she knew she meant them one hundred percent. She wouldn’t lie to him, or say it to appease him, and she knew he wouldn’t want her to.

  So she said, “And I’ll try to be as good to you as you’re promising to be to us. We’ve always been a great team. I know we’ll be good together. We already have been for years. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had, and I cherish you more than I can say.”

  With a joyous smile, he slipped the ring onto her finger. Sunlight caught in the facets and glimmered on it, making it sparkle even more. “Hey, look at that. Fits perfectly.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it, then leaned in to kiss her mouth. Her arms slid around his neck, holding him to her to make the kisses linger.

  *

  The party at McCleary’s Pub was raucous, a loud and festive gathering. Between the many members of the McKinnon family, the few members of the Callahan family, and a handful of mutual friends, there were over fifty people to celebrate the news of Maura and Aidan’s engagement.

  Maura couldn’t believe how one after the next, the members of Aidan’s family went to her, hugged her, and told her how they’d always hoped he’d wake up and see how perfect she was for him. The fact that none of them had known he’d secretly been in love with her all along astonished and amused her. The only one who’d seemed to know was his mother.

  Mary McKinnon hugged her tightly, then pulled back to look at her, her hands gripping Maura’s shoulders as she said, “I wondered if he’d ever grow a pair and tell ya how he felt. About bloody time.”

  Music played, voices were loud and lively, food and drinks were plentiful, and Aidan and Maura basked in the glow of the love of their families and friends. When asked about the wedding, they shared that they’d be married on the thirtieth of September.

  “That doesn’t give us much time!” his sister Tara cried.

  “So much planning to do!” her sister Lisa agreed. “Why so fast?”

  “Why not?” Aidan asserted. “We know what we want, so why wait?”

  Everyone glanced furtively at Maura’s midriff, causing both her and Aidan to burst out laughing.

  “I’m not pregnant,” she announced. “You’ll all see that soon enough.”

  He slid an arm around her waist and pulled her in, kissing her for all to see. “I wouldn’t mind if she was,” he said, shocking her. “But she’s not. We just don’t want a long engagement. We know this is right, and we’re going with it. A small, simple wedding will suit us just fine.”

  Peggy Callahan pressed her lips together to hide her smile. She was the only one who knew the truth of why they were marrying, and so quickly. Keeping the secret was fine with her. Maura blew a kiss to her mum, whose smile burst through.

  Aidan’s brother, Gavin, approached them and hugged one, then the other. His fiancée, Toni, was at his side. “We’re so thrilled for you both,” he said. “What a surprise! I mean, Maura, when you brought Chloe in for a checkup a few weeks ago, I had no idea you two were…”

  “Because we weren’t,” Maura said plainly. “It just… happened. A whirlwind romance that took a decade.”

  They all laughed at that. Aidan winked at her.

  Gavin slipped his arm around Toni’s shoulders. “When I met Toni, we fell hard and fast. You know that. So we’re the last two people who’ll harp on ya for a quick engagement and wedding.”

  The pretty American brunette laughed as she added, “I knew him for a month and followed him to another country where I knew no one. You’ve known each other for ten years and are already like family to each other. Plenty of people might say that we’re the crazy ones to be getting married, not you!”

  Gavin chuckled and leaned down to drop a kiss on Toni’s temple.

  “You two have been planning your wedding for months,” Maura said. “We really didn’t want to step on your toes, ya know? But we couldn’t not tell everyone…”

  “Oh, my God, stop that!” Toni cried, grasping Maura’s hand. “This is all happy news. Happiness for everyone is all that matters.”

  “And we’re all going to be happy,” Aidan said with unshakeable confidence. “More than just ‘fine’. Happy.” His eyes went to a flurry of pink—Chloe, in one of her princess dresses, running around with some of his younger nieces and nephews. He called to her and she came. Then he crouched down and held his arms open to her, who ran into them. He lifted her and held her tight as he announced proudly to the room, “One more piece of news, everyone. My beautiful, precious goddaughter is going to become my daughter. I’m legally adopting her after Em and I are married. Doesn’t get much better than that.”

  Chloe shyly dropped her head onto his shoulder and snuggled into his chest.

  The room broke into applause and cheers. Maura felt tears of joy sting her eyes.

  “Another McKinnon, then!” His father, Seamus, proclaimed with pride. “To the happy couple, and my new granddaughter-to-be!”

  Everyone cheered again and raised their glasses. Maura’s heart swelled about ten sizes in her chest. The McKinnons had been so welcoming, so accepting of her and her daughter. They all were happy, her family was happy, and Aidan was glowing from it. Everything was going even better than she’d dared to hope.

  Maura sipped her drink and leaned in to kiss Chloe on the cheek, then Aidan.

  Her close friend, Kathleen, came up and grabbed her elbow. “I hate to do this,” she whispered in her ear, “but I need you to look… wait, don’t seem obvious. But across the room, in the corner, by the door. Is that who I think it is?” Her tone conveyed disbelief and a touch of indignant anger.

  Maura glanced over carefully… and her heart stopped for a beat. Niall was there, in the far corner, watching everything. His eyes locked with hers. Her breath stuck in her lungs and a chill skittered over her skin. Leering, he raised his glass in a toast and took a sip, never breaking eye contact.

  “Oh, my God.” Kathleen breathed deeply. “It is him, isn’t it!”

  Before Maura could say a word, or tug on Aidan’s sleeve, Niall p
ut his glass down, tossed her a wink, and left the pub. The roar of her rushing blood filled her ears.

  “Why is he here?” Kathleen hissed. “Did you know he was back? That bloody bastard. Have you talked to him?”

  Maura just nodded numbly, unable to get words out. He was still following her and Chloe. His very presence was beginning to feel like a menace. What was he up to?

  Aidan set Chloe down on the ground with a smile. In all the hubbub, he hadn’t seen any of what had passed. He turned to them, beaming at both Kathleen and Maura, but the smile fell off his face, replaced by a concerned frown. “Em? What the—you’re pale as a ghost.” His hands lifted to cradle her face as he studied her. “What is it? Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” She lied. “Think I just need some water. Cold, ice water. All these people… it’s getting warm in here.”

  His eyes narrowed, scouring her features closer. Dammit, he knew her too well. But he said, “Stay here, I’ll get ya some.” He moved away to go to the bar.

  “Why didn’t you tell him that bastard was here?” Kathleen demanded in a hot whisper. “He needs to know! He’ll beat that skeevy loser to a pulp!”

  “That’s one of the things I’m afraid of.” Maura looked at her longtime friend, fighting to keep her cool. “Please, Kath. Don’t tell Aidan you saw Niall here. Don’t tell anyone. I’ll handle it. And, yes, I’ll tell you everything, but trust me, I have to… I’ve got to handle Niall on my own. This is mine to deal with.”

  Chapter Fourteen

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  The weeks of summer passed slowly to Aidan. He wanted to just get to Gavin and Toni’s wedding, and then the trip to New York, and then have his own wedding. He couldn’t believe how much he wanted to be married, to indulge in that lifestyle… but with Maura as his partner, how could it be anything but good?

  Since they’d announced their engagement, a few people had needled him about it. About giving up his freedom, tying himself to only one woman for the rest of his life, leaving behind a fast-paced social life as an independent, single man for one of tedious routine and boredom as a husband and dad in the suburbs—all the usual shite. He’d waved them off without a second thought. He’d had all that, the single life in the city thing, and he was over it. With Maura, the love of his life, he could have a solid partner and lover to count on, a family of his own with her and Chloe, and hopefully, another child or two down the road… something to be part of that was greater and more meaningful than just himself.