by Tori Scott
“He loves you.” He dropped a gentle kiss on her lips. “Almost as much as I do.”
Gray left the room and soon returned with another bottle of champagne. “This requires another toast.” He refilled everyone’s glasses. “I can’t imagine two people more perfect for each other than Sam and Reggie--other than Cara and I, of course. May your life be perfect, full of fun and hot sex, and free of the likes of--what was her name?--Barbie. or Beebe.”
“Here, here!” Reggie said, laughing. “Definitely Beebe free.”
“And here I thought you were cheering the hot sex part,” Sam teased.
“That, my dear fiancé, is a given.”
Mitch reached over and took Angel’s hand in his, not speaking but conveying by his action that he was staking a claim. It was there in the set of his jaw, in the firmness of his grip. Somehow, Angel knew what he was thinking without hearing a word. And for the first time, she was totally okay with that.
***
Mitch followed her up the stairs to her room, but before she could put her key into the slot, he pulled her back against him and nuzzled the base of her neck. “Come to my room with me, just for a little while. We won’t do anything you don’t want to do, but I need to be alone with you.”
Angel hesitated. Was she ready for this? After so many years of celibacy, was she ready to have an affair with the one man she shouldn’t? Her head warned her of what happened the last time she let a man--a boy--get close to her, but they weren’t horny teenagers with no idea what they were getting into.
She nodded, slipped her hand in his, and followed him down the hall.
Once inside, he led her out onto the balcony instead of trying to get her into his bed like she’d expected. She let out a pent up breath. He wasn’t going to pressure her, and the sudden release of tension left her feeling drained. He was definitely full of surprises.
Outside, the night was clear and cool, but the wind was calm and the stars sparkled brilliantly. “Remember what I told you about the stars on the mountain? Look up.”
She did and it took her breath away. It was like being in a planetarium, with the stars almost close enough to touch. There were so many more than she could have imagined, even more than she’d been able to see at his home.
He stood behind her, his hands linked against her stomach. She relaxed against him and leaned her head back against his chest. They stood there, watching the sky, until she began to shiver.
Mitch wrapped his arms around her and backed up until they were inside. He closed the patio door without letting go of her, then turned her in his arms. “I’m going to kiss you, and then I’m going to hope you’re up for a little more, but I’m not taking you to my bed tonight. I just want you to know that ahead of time.”
She looked up at him. She knew he could see the question in her eyes.
“When we make love, it’s going to be because you made the first move. I’m going to let you choose the time and the place, whenever you’re ready.”
“And what if I’m ready tonight?”
He shook his head. “Tonight is for getting comfortable with each other. I want to learn more about you, I want to kiss you and touch you. But when we make love, and I have no doubt we will, it will be your idea from start to finish, okay?”
If she wasn’t already falling in love with him, she would have done so at that moment. He was giving her the control she so desperately needed.
He kissed her then, but he let her lead the way. She decided when to take it from a chaste meeting of lips to a mating of mouths and tongues. He ran his hands over her body, but kept them on top of her clothes. She did the same. His groin tightened and hardened beneath her hand and he pulled her more tightly against him, but took it no further.
She felt the heaviness between her legs, the moisture than told her how much she wanted him, but she resisted the urge to pull his hand there, under the layers of clothing. He was right. They shouldn’t rush things. She’d been there, done that, and had the scars to prove it.
But by the time he took her back to her room, she really wished she wasn’t sharing the room with her mother and hadn’t left her vibrator at home.
***
The morning before the wedding dawned with brilliant sunshine and temperatures below freezing. Perfect for skiing or ice skating. Not so perfect for taking pictures. Angel prayed that the promised clouds would roll in before tomorrow. They weren’t supposed to bring moisture, but they would make taking pictures so much easier.
Since she wouldn’t be wasting her time taking any pictures during the day, she decided to join the others on their snowmobile outing. She dressed in layers, with silk against her skin and progressing to a ski suit in hot pink trimmed in yellow. She added two pairs of wool socks and fleece-lined waterproof boots, tucked two pairs of gloves into her pockets, and tugged a fleece hat on her head.
A look in the mirror told her she looked like an overdressed snowman.
She’d never been on a snowmobile in her life, so she opted to ride with Mitch rather than trying to drive her own. With her arms wrapped tightly around his waist and his hips tucked tightly between her thighs, they took off across the meadow, following behind Cara and Gray, with Reggie, Sam, and several other couples bringing up the rear.
At first Angel tried to watch the path ahead, but the cold wind and blowing snow finally drove her to hide her face against Mitch’s back. Without the distraction of the scenery, her thoughts drifted to the man in front of her. Even through the thick clothing, she could feel the play of muscles under her cheek as he steered the machine. She could feel his taut abdomen under her hands.
Could he feel her against him, or was he too distracted by driving to notice? She rubbed her hand against his jacket and was rewarded with an instant tightening of the muscles beneath. She moved her hands to his thighs, rubbing down the length of them to his knees and back up again.
She heard a rumble under her cheek. Was he laughing? Or was that a groan? She scooted closer. He leaned back against her. She took a deep breath and slid a hand across his groin. He was hard as a rock. The same rumble ran through his chest and she smiled against his back. Definitely a groan.
She glanced around to be sure no one could see what she was doing. The closest snowmobile was a couple hundred yards behind them, Cara and Gray another couple of hundred yards ahead. With the swirling snow kicked up by the machines, they were in a world of their own.
Feeling bold and as wild as the ride they were on, she slid her hand under the front of his jacket until she found his waistband, then underneath. There were still layers of clothing between her hand and his body, but less bulk to get in her way. She ran her hand up and down, measuring the length and breadth of him. Pretty impressive. She tightened her hand around him and this time the groan reached her ears through the helmet.
“I’m not complaining, but I just wanted to warn you I haven’t had sex in months. You may find yourself with a bit of a surprise if you keep it up.” And this time he did chuckle.
“I don’t mind,” she hollered over the roar of the wind and engine.
“I do. I have better ways to expend that energy, someplace warm and private.”
He leaned his head back and she kissed his cheek. “Spoilsport.”
A few minutes later the group pulled into a clearing near the ski lifts so those who wanted to ski could go ahead and those who wanted to warm up could go inside for hot chocolate. Mitch took his time removing his helmet, waiting for the group to disperse. When he and Angel were basically alone, he cupped her face in his hands.
“I hope I didn’t upset you back there. But I’ve dreamed of making love to you for years, and I don’t want to start by running at half-power.”
She smiled up at him. “Not at all. That was pretty brazen of me. I’ve never done anything like that before. But once I started touching you, I couldn’t stop. Didn’t want to stop.”
He leaned close until their lips were nearly touching. “Once I start touching
you, I don’t plan to stop. Not unless you tell me to, and I’m praying you don’t.”
“Any chance we could skip out on this and go back to the lodge?” Angel murmured, her lips grazing his.
“I don’t know. Don’t you think they’d be suspicious?” His tongue traced her icy lips, warming them.
“I could fake a headache.”
“As long as you don’t fake one with me, that’s fine.” He kissed her, gently at first, then he gathered her in close and deepened the kiss, his tongue demanding entrance against her lips.
She opened to him, loving the feeling of being invaded, devoured, consumed. It was over way too quickly.
“Let’s tell the others we’re heading back before we put on a show for all these families out here.”
They made their excuses before racing back to the lodge. The attendant looked surprised to see them back so early but wisely didn’t comment. They made it upstairs and into Mitch’s room in record time, barely waiting until the door had shut behind them before they started peeling off layers of clothing between kisses.
When Mitch was down to boxers and she was down to her silk t-shirt and leggings, he backed her to the bed, stripped back the blankets, and lowered her to the sheets. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Absolutely. Come here.” She reached up and pulled him down on top of her. He settled between her thighs, still partially clothed, and gave her time to get used to his weight. She ran her hands across his shoulders and down his arms, loving the feel of the hair-roughened skin over tight muscles.
She continued to explore his body with her hands, running them down his back, over his hips and back up again.
He shivered. “You have beautiful hands. Soft, sexy. Strong.”
She cupped his ass and squeezed gently. “You have a beautiful butt. All tight and lean.”
“You like my ass, huh?” He laughed and kissed her nose. “Yours is pretty cute, too, now that I think about it.”
She reached up and pulled his head down until their lips touched, and all joking stopped. He took her mouth with all the rapidly escalating desire she herself felt. He rubbed his groin against her aching flesh and she wrapped her legs around his back, bringing them into the closest contact they could manage with clothing between them.
He lowered his mouth to her breast, drawing the tip into his mouth. His warm breath, the heated moisture through the silk, his tongue flicking at the tip, nearly sent her into an orgasm. She arched her back, giving him better access. He deepened the intimate kiss, then turned his attention to the other breast.
She nearly cried out when he pulled away, but it was only long enough for him to strip the shirt over her head and toss it across the room. Then he was back, devouring her. He slid one hand beneath her hips and lifted her against him. Her silk leggings were soaked with moisture and he slid easily, back and forth, against her until she shattered. He muffled her cry with his mouth as he eased back and let her come down from the peak.
With limbs as limp as overcooked spaghetti, she reached up and caressed his cheek.
He smiled down at her. “That was just the beginning.” With one hand, he pulled her leggings off her legs and tossed them toward her shirt. Her panties followed.
She felt the loss when he pushed himself off the bed to remove his boxers and put on protection. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t even thought about it. And then he was back, settling between her thighs once again. But instead of pressing into her, he waited until she tilted her hips upward, letting him know she was ready.
He slid inside slowly, giving her time to adjust to his size. But she was slick with moisture and ready for everything he had. She arched her hips upward once again and he was all the way inside, filling her, stretching her to accommodate him. And then he began to move, and she matched him stroke for stroke. Her muscles clenched around him and she felt every memory of the last time she’d done this fade away to be replaced by only him. Only Mitch.
Her only regret was that she’d pushed him away for so long.
They fell asleep afterwards, bodies entwined, still slick with perspiration. When they woke up, the sun had set. She wondered if the others had looked for them, if her mother was wondering where she was, and decided she didn’t care. They’d figure out they were both missing and know they were together.
“You okay?” Mitch asked, looking down at her with concern.
She looped her arms around his neck. “Couldn’t be better unless you kissed me.”
He did, then he scooped her up off the bed and carried her to the bathroom. “You want the first shower? Or do you want to share?”
She gave him the best wicked grin she could come up with, woefully out of practice as she was. “My mother always taught me to share.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.”
He managed to turn an ordinary shower into a totally sensuous experience. His hands didn’t miss an inch of her body as he soaped every nook and cranny. She returned the favor, and when one thing led to another they ended up having to wash all over again.
When they finally dragged themselves out of the shower and into their clothes, Angel wished she could spend the night with him. But that would mean getting those looks from her mother and questions from Cara.
When she got home, she was going to start looking for a place of her own.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Angel smiled as she framed Cara in her viewfinder. She looked heartbreakingly beautiful in her wedding gown, but it was the expression on her face that Angel wanted to capture. The excitement, anticipation, the sheer joy that lit her face from the inside out. Surrounded by her mother, Reggie, and the flower girl, Cara’s happiness let everyone know she had absolutely no doubts that marrying Gray was her destiny.
Her joy was infectious, infusing them all with the same excitement. The noise in the small dressing room was approaching deafening proportions. A few months ago it would have sent Angel running for the nearest bathroom. Now it only threatened to give her a headache.
She took as many preparation shots as she could before she had to get into her own dress. Her stomach fluttered a bit as she wondered what it would be like to be the bride instead of the bridesmaid. To know Mitch was waiting, watching for her to glide down the aisle. She’d never allowed herself to entertain those kinds of thoughts before, and she couldn’t afford to now.
Later, when it was all over, there would be time to dream.
She carefully stepped into the dress and pulled it up. Her mother zipped the back, then squeezed her shoulder as their eyes met in the mirror. “Your time will come soon, sweetheart. I’ve seen how you two look at each other.”
So much for keeping their affair a secret from her mom.
She slid her feet into the boots, pulled the gloves up past her elbows, and slipped the stole around her shoulders. Her mother put the necklace around her neck and made sure the clasp was secure.
“You look absolutely beautiful.” A tear slipped down her mother’s cheek. “Both of my girls look beautiful.”
“So do you, Mom.” Angel kissed her cheek. “You have enough tissues?”
Her mother opened her small purse. The inside was stuffed full with tissues and a single tube of lipstick.
“Yeah, that should hold you.”
The wedding coordinator opened the door. “It’s time.”
Angel took a deep breath, kissed Cara on the cheek, and ushered the flower girl out the door. Reggie was right behind them. As they lined up at the edge of the crimson runner, Angel looked up. Mitch and Sam stood beside Gray at the end of the aisle. All eyes were focused on the women and a ripple of appreciation rolled through the small crowd.
The music started and the coordinator gave last minute instructions to the two children and sent them on their way.
When it was her turn, Angel glanced at Mitch to find his gaze locked on her. She smiled and held his gaze all the way down the aisle. His eyes gave her something to focus on besides the people watching her every mov
e, besides the flash of the lights. She made it to the front without a single misstep and breathed a sigh of relief.
When Cara took her place at the end of the aisle, Angel wished desperately for her camera. The look that passed between Cara and Gray was priceless. The rent-a-‘tog had better have gotten that shot.
Then Cara and her mother started down the aisle. Cara had asked her mother to give her away since her father was long gone and there was no other close male relative. And it only seemed right since she’d been both mother and father to them since they were little.
The ceremony itself was short and sweet, with Cara and Gray reciting the vows they’d written themselves. And then it was over and Angel met Mitch in the middle, taking his arm to walk back down the aisle.
Why had she stressed so over this? It felt like the most natural thing in the world.
And maybe, just maybe, she would dance with him after all.
***
Mitch had always thought Angel was gorgeous. Even as a scared teenager in a world of trouble, she’d been the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. He’d hated his brother back then--not only because he had treated her so terribly, but because Angel had been in love with him. He’d gotten over the hatred, but their relationship would never be the same.
And if he married Angel as he intended, it would sever the last of that relationship, because he wouldn’t subject her to his parents or his brother. It was something they would have to discuss, would have to work out. But he would walk away and leave his family if it meant a life with her.
“Hey, why so serious?” Angel handed him a glass of champagne and touched her glass to his. “This is supposed to be a celebration.”
He shook off the thoughts and concentrated on her smile. “You look happy.”
“I am happy. My sister has broken the family curse, and she’s married to the man of her dreams. It gives me hope.” She sipped the champagne, then set it on a table. “Would you give me the honor of this dance?”
He laughed as she gave him a deep bow. “Isn’t that supposed to be my line?”
