Dog Days of Summer

by Fiala, PJ

  Sandi, Staci, and Erin zipped her up and started arranging the train. Sandi placed the beautiful headband on Joci’s head; it was a wide ivory band with Swarovski crystals and pearls on it.

  Her dress was simply stunning. It was a soft organza mermaid gown with hand-sewn Swarovski crystal and diamante beading encrusted on the neckline and dropped waist. The full skirt had dramatic layers of organza that flowed full to the floor. Joci had asked the seamstress to alter the dress to add sleeves to cover her scars and bruises. They were light and lacey, and even though you could see through the sleeves, the lace and beading camouflaged her scars. The add-on sleeves matched perfectly and it wouldn’t have been impossible to tell the dress hadn’t initially designed that way.

  The back of the gown was open with lace trim trailing to a V that stopped at her waist. A deep gray satin sash went around her waist and tied in a perfect bow in the back and trailed to the bottom of the dress. There was an intricate lace detail at the bottom of the dress, which was highlighted by the gray sash.

  It was absolutely stunning. And Joci looked fabulous in the dress. She turned to look at the other women in the room. They were quiet for a few beats.

  Emily sobbed and raised her hand to her mouth. Tears were forming in her eyes. “You look so beautiful, Joci. That dress is perfect, just perfect.”

  Joci smiled at her. “Thank you. It feels perfect.”

  Everyone else burst into excited compliments. Then there was a knock on the door, and Molly walked into the room.

  “Hi, can I come in and take pictures?”

  “Sure, Molly. Come on in and meet everyone,” Joci said.

  “Molly, this is Emily, Jeremiah’s mom. Staci, Angie, and Erin are Jeremiah’s sisters-in-law. You know Jackie and Sandi, of course. Everyone, this is Molly. I met Molly a while back at a class, and then again on the Veteran’s Ride. She was one of the photographers. She freelances and I am thrilled she could come today.”

  Molly grinned and said, “Hello, everyone, it’s great to meet you. Okay, let’s start getting some pictures, shall we? Then, while you’re putting on the finishing touches, I’ll go up and take pictures of the guys.”

  For the next 45 minutes, they proceeded to snap various pictures in different groupings and poses.

  Molly walked down the hall and knocked on the half-open door of guys’ dressing room. She peeked in, catching Jeremiah’s eye. He quickly waved her in, then walked over and gave her a hug. “Thank you for being our wedding photographer today, Molly. Joci’s ecstatic you were available.”

  Molly smiled. “I’m happy beyond belief to be here. I love Joci.”

  Jeremiah smiled at her. “Everyone, this is Molly Bates. Molly, let me introduce you to everyone here. Sarge is a buddy of mine from the Marines. Dayton, my brother. Dayton and Sarge are standing up for me. My brothers, Tommy and Bryce. My friends and cohorts from my time in the military—Radio, Pitbull, and Superman. My father, Thomas. Joci’s brother-in-law, David; and my sons, Gunnar, JT, and Ryder.”

  Ryder and Molly stared at each other for a few beats longer than everyone else. Jeremiah smiled. Hmmmm, well, well, well. He cleared his throat and Molly looked at him, a little embarrassed.

  “Okay. Ummm, let’s start over here.” She pointed to an area in the corner.

  * * * * *

  Emily Ann, Dayton and Staci’s daughter, knocked on the door. “Time to get married, Joci,” she smiled.

  The girls all giggled and cheered. It was time. Erin opened the boxes with the flowers in them and handed Jackie and Sandi their bouquets. “Oh, so pretty. Joci. You did an amazing job on the colors,” Sandi beamed.

  “When you said we were carrying orange flowers with accents of silvery-gray Dusty Miller in them, I thought you were crazy, but this works,” Jackie added.

  The bridesmaids were wearing gray dresses to match Joci’s sash with ivory sashes around their waists. Joci’s bouquet consisted of long-stemmed silver roses with a few orange flowers tucked here and there. The corsages were pinned on, and they started down the hall.

  Those not in the wedding party walked into the church and sat down.

  Jackie hugged Joci, “I love you, Sis. I’m thrilled for you.”

  “Thank you, Jackie. For everything you’ve done for me over the years. I love you.”

  “I love you, too, Joci. Thank you for letting me be a part of this. I couldn’t be happier for you,” Sandi said.

  Joci laughed. “I couldn’t get married without you. I love you, too. Okay, let’s go. I’m excited.”

  Gunnar came walking down the hall and stopped in front of Joci. He looked amazing. The guys were all wearing gray to match the girl’s dresses. With Gunnar’s dark hair and eyes, he looked gorgeous in the tuxedo.

  “Wow, Mom. You look amazing. Jeremiah’s going to shit when he sees you.”

  Joci laughed. “Not the reaction I’m hoping for, but I think I know what you mean. You look pretty handsome yourself, Gunnar. Wow, you clean up good.”

  Everyone chuckled, and with that, Jackie opened the door to the church. Sandi started walking down the aisle. Jackie was next. As soon as she had made it all the way down the aisle, the processional music for the bride started. Then Joci and Gunnar started walking down the aisle.

  The gasps and sighs as she walked by made her so happy. She felt like a princess. She felt beautiful. But all she could see was Jeremiah. He was stunning. He was wearing an ivory tuxedo, an ivory vest, and an ivory cravat with thin gray stripes in it. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He looked perfect.

  Jeremiah sucked in his breath at his first look at Joci. She had refused to let him see her dress or know anything about what it looked like. It had driven him crazy not knowing. Now, he was glad she made him wait—again. She was amazingly beautiful. Jesus, he was a lucky man. He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Dayton chuckled next to him and Jeremiah smirked. When they reached Jeremiah, Gunnar shook his hand and then grabbed Jeremiah in a hug. At the same time, JT and Ryder came up and hugged Joci. The boys all sat down and Jeremiah held his arm out.

  Joci held on to Jeremiah’s arm, and they walked up the three steps to the altar.

  Jeremiah looked down at Joci and smiled at her. “You look beautiful, Joci. You take my breath away.”

  Joci smiled at him, “I was thinking the same thing about you.” She winked at him and the minister started talking.

  Moments later, the minister said, “You may kiss your bride.”

  Jeremiah leaned down and pulled Joci into his arms. He turned his head so his mouth fit over hers and kissed her until her toes curled. Right in church! People started whistling and clapping. Still he kissed her. When he finally pulled away, he leaned his forehead against hers for a few seconds.

  “I’m the happiest man in the world right now, Mrs. Sheppard.”

  Joci laughed. “Good to know. I’m the happiest woman in the world right now. I love you crazy.”

  “I love you crazy.”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Sheppard.”

  The recessional started playing, and Jeremiah and Joci walked down the aisle together as husband and wife amid clapping and cheering from the congregation. They stood in the reception line, greeting everyone. Molly came up to them as the last few well-wishers hugged the bride and groom to ask for a few more pictures.

  They needed to take family pictures and more pictures of the bride and groom.

  Jeremiah leaned down and chuckled. “I think Molly and Ryder are attracted to each other. You should have seen the sparks fly when they met.”

  Joci looked up at Jeremiah. “Really? Very interesting. He’s so shy. Will he approach her?”

  Jeremiah shrugged. “Time will tell.”

  The remainder of the night was a blur. They went through all the motions and spoke to everyone who came to wish them well. They left the reception around 11 p.m., neither of them able to wait another minute to make love. They had a hotel
room close by.

  Chapter 41

  Mr. & Mrs.

  As soon as the door closed on their hotel room, Jeremiah lifted Joci and carried her to the bed. “Jesus, I can’t wait another minute to be in you.”

  “Jeremiah,” Joci whispered.

  Cupping her face in his hands, he looked deeply into her eyes, “I love you crazy, Mrs. Sheppard. Always have, always will.”

  Joci held his eyes in hers. “I love you crazy, Mr. Sheppard.”

  Jeremiah fit his lips over hers and mated his tongue with hers. Slow, sensual, loving. He reached around her and unzipped her dress. He gently pulled the dress off her shoulders and down her arms. He stepped back to help her step out of her dress. Holding her left hand, she smirked at him as she lifted her left foot slowly out of her dress.

  Jeremiah’s breath caught. “Joci…I don’t have words.” His voice cracked.

  He continued to stare at her foot while swallowing back the emotion.

  “Do you like it?” Joci’s voice was soft.

  “Jesus. Joci, it’s beautiful. I’m…stunned…honored. I’m speechless.”

  Joci had her tattoo finished by Julie, Deacon’s wife. Where once had been a bud without a flower on the top of her foot, was a beautiful, gray flower with blue detailing and edging.

  Jeremiah bent down and lifted Joci up onto the bed. He sat on the edge and pulled her foot onto his lap. He looked at the tattoo. It was still fresh, but so beautiful, the coloring perfect. His two favorite colors. He touched it and ran his finger around the little flower. He looked up at Joci and tears slid down his cheeks. Joci smiled and wiped the tears away from his face.

  “I love you crazy.”

  “God, I love you, too. Thank you so very much for trusting me. For marrying me. For having my baby.”

  Jeremiah leaned in and kissed Joci very tenderly. He framed her face with his hands and looked into her eyes. It was hard to speak with all the emotions clogging his throat. “What’s this, Joci?”

  Joci’s voice cracked. “It’s my family.”

  Jeremiah raised his eyebrows in question. Joci swallowed to try and wet her throat. “We are all bound by a tenuous little vine, which, if not nurtured, can wither and die. The vine is only as strong as the people who take care of it. The flowers are the fruit of that labor of taking care of each other. Each flower is one of the people in my family who help me nurture this vine. Each flower is the person’s favorite color.”

  Jeremiah touched the little white violet on Joci’s ankle.

  “Who is this?”

  “My mom. Her favorite color was white.”

  Jeremiah continued around her ankle.

  “And this?”

  “That’s Jackie. Her favorite color is orange.”

  “And who loves blue?” He said touching a blue flower.

  “Gunnar.”

  “And this, who loves dark blue?”

  Joci smiled.

  “Jeremy, my nephew.”

  “And how about yellow?”

  “David likes yellow.”

  “And purple?”

  “My nephew, Dean.”

  “And this light blue?”

  “My dad.”

  How about this new little orange flower?”

  “JT.”

  “And this green flower?”

  “Ryder.”

  Trailing his finger down the vine to the top of Joci’s foot to a beautiful gray flower with blue edges he said, “And this?”

  With a voice full of emotion, Joci said, “That’s the one man who loves me completely, doesn’t let me down, doesn’t betray me, keeps me safe, holds me when I’m sad, shares my happiness with me, and wants me and no other.”

  “Yes, it is,” Jeremiah said, his voice husky with emotion.

  Jeremiah leaned over and kissed her, deeply and with utmost tenderness. In unison, they worked at their clothing. Jeremiah positioned himself on top of Joci, gently sliding his forearms under her shoulders and holding her close. “This is without a doubt the best day of my life. Yeah?”

  “Yeah. Mine, too.” Never looking away, Joci slid her hand into Jeremiah’s hair at the nape and squeezed.

  “I’m coming in, baby. Open up for me.”

  Joci smiled as she wrapped her legs around Jeremiah’s. He tilted his hips and pushed himself inside, causing each of them to groan.

  Joci closed her eyes at the feeling of him sliding into her. There was no other feeling on earth like this one. “Open your eyes, Joci. Watch me make love to you.”

  Opening her eyes, she met green eyes, full of love. “Yes. What a beautiful idea.”

  Jeremiah slowly moved in and out of her. Sensual. Loving her like this was sensual. Staring into her beautiful eyes, Jeremiah continued pushing himself into her.

  “Your hot little pussy is always so wet and ready for me, Joci. Do you know what that does to me?”

  “All I know is when I see you, touch you, even hear your voice, my body responds.”

  Their breathing grew ragged. “What do you need, Joci? I need you to come.”

  “You. All of your passion. Give me that Jeremiah.”

  With a groan, Jeremiah began his sweet assault on her body. Pushing into her, his rhythm increasing, his breathing labored. His body tightening, and all of his senses in one spot. “Joci. Now.”

  Joci tilted her hips forward, feeling all of him as he plunged into her. Rocking her hips with his, the feel of him sliding into her, quickly pushing her to the edge. She whimpered as her core tightened. Jeremiah pushed into her with more force. “Jeremiah…I…”

  Joci cried out as her orgasm hit her. Jeremiah pushed into her and held as his cock throbbed and pulsed with his release. He rested his head on her shoulder, waiting for his breathing to slow. Joci began gently massaging his head, her hand still tangled in his hair.

  Joci lay within Jeremiah’s strong, warm arms. Her three boys were happy and thriving, and her baby was sleeping in her tummy. Life had a way of breaking people apart and bringing them together. It was strong, this family unit. Joci’s last thought before falling asleep was, “Thank you, God, for bringing me so much joy.”

  [Fluffer Nutter]

  Acknowledgments

  I would like to thank everyone who has read my book and loved it. Without you all, my books wouldn’t exist. Thank you.

  Thank you to my amazing husband, Gene. Babe, you are my life and you’ve made me the woman I am today. Thank you for being you and helping me become me. Thank you for not minding that the house isn’t always clean and dinner isn’t always made. Aw, who am I kidding? Never. Dinner is never made, by me anyway.

  Thank you to my children. You guys are amazing, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the people you have been come. You should all be very proud of yourselves. Know that I am proud of you.

  Thank you to my friends for always being there for me. I love you guys.

  Thank you to my beta readers—Mitzi, Maureen, Emily, Kim, DiAnn, Tina, Jodi, Jennifer, and Sue. Your suggestions and support have made this story memorable. Your willingness to read and critique are invaluable to me.

  Thank you to Jake Manning for editing Dog Days for me. I appreciate it more than you know.

  Thank you to all the veterans in this world. My grandfather, father, brother, two of my sons, and one of my daughters-in-law are veterans. Needless to say, I am proud. Proud to be an American and proud of the service my amazing family has given. Thank you all for your sacrifices. I love you.

  About PJ Fiala

  I was born in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri named Bridgeton. During my time in Missouri, I explored the Ozarks, swam in the Mississippi River, and played kickball and endless games of hide-and-seek with the neighborhood kids. The summers spent in Kentucky with my grandmother, Ruth, are the fondest childhood memories for me.

  At the age of thirteen, my family moved to Wisconsin to learn to farm. Yes, learn to farm! That was interesting. Taking city kids and throwing them on a farm with twenty-eight co
ws purchased from the Humane Society because they had been abused was interesting. I learned to milk cows, the ins and outs of breeding and feeding schedules, the never0ending haying in the summer, and trying to stay warm in the winter. Our first winter in Wisconsin, one storm brought 36 inches of snow and we were snowed in for three days! Needless to say, I wasn’t loving Wisconsin.

  I am now married with four children and three grandchildren . I have learned to love Wisconsin, though I still hate snow. Wisconsin and the United States are beautiful, and my husband and I travel around by motorcycle seeing new sites and meeting new people. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are interested in where we are going and what we have seen along the way. At every gas station, restaurant, and hotel, people come up to us and ask us about what we are doing, as well as offer advice on which roads in the area are better than others.

  I would love to hear from you. Please check out my website and blog: http://www.pjfiala.com

  Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7866768.P_J_Fiala

  Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/pjfiala1

  Check out my newsletter: https://www.rebelmouse.com/PJFiala/

  Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pfiala or @pfiala

  Pinterest Page: http://www.pinterest.com/pattifiala/dog-days-of-summer/

  Check out the playlist for Dog Days of Summer on Spotify: http:open.spotify.com/user/12123877857/playlist/4uFnMJdZEPqalRxlnlfaxy

  Copyright © 2014 by JP Fiala

  All rights reserved.

  Published by

  Rolling Thunder Publishing