Wrapped in Lace

by Lane, Prescott

  “Except that he’s gay.”

  “I didn’t know that when I saw you in his arms. I thought you wanted him. I got so jealous.”

  “Why were you jealous?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You left me.”

  “Piper?” I reached for her again, but she stepped back, and I wasn’t sure what to do at this point. I told her I loved her, and she didn’t seem thrilled. I hadn’t planned on her still being mad at me. Obviously, I’ve seen too many romantic comedies where the guy screws up, declares his love, then they fall into bed. That clearly wasn’t happening. “Why are you crying? Why are you drawing me?”

  “Because you ripped my heart out,” she screamed again. “You made me believe that you wanted a future with me and then you just walked out. Just like you did with Ellie.”

  “No, this is different.” I was so confused. She was so hurt and angry. I wasn’t sure where this was coming from.

  “You promised me, Drew,” she sobbed. “You promised me you wouldn’t just abandon me. You promised. You told me, ‘I’ve got you.’”

  I hated it when my words came back to bite me in the ass. “I know I did, but you were ending things with me, so I didn’t think it mattered to you that I left.”

  “What? When did I end things?”

  “In the workshop.”

  “Before or after I let you bend me over the workbench?” Her eyes glared at me. “Was I nothing to you then, too?”

  Whoa! Piper could fight dirty. I’d have to remember that in the future, if there was one. I decided not to get sucked into her comment. “After we made love.” She rolled her eyes. Jesus, this was worse than I ever thought.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked. “I never ended things. You left me. You said I was nothing, remember?”

  “No, you said we needed to talk. You said you didn’t want to come to Raleigh. You were breaking up with me.”

  “No, I wasn’t. I said we needed to talk, not that I was ending things.”

  “You weren’t breaking up with me?” I asked.

  “No, why would you think that? Needing to talk doesn’t equal breaking up.”

  “I guess not, but your face. You were so serious, and you were trembling.” I shook my head slightly. How did this get so screwed up? Had I really just misunderstood this whole damn thing?

  “You just left me, Drew.” She started to quietly weep.

  “Oh, sweetheart,” I reached out to her and stroked her arms, thankful she didn’t pull back this time. I could feel her softening to me, the ice thawing a little. There might still be hope to save us.

  “You said I was nothing.”

  I was permanently removing the word nothing from my vocabulary. She’d thrown it in my face too many times. She certainly had the right to, and I knew it was a sore subject for her after what her mother did. “I made a horrible mistake. I shouldn’t have let my shit get in the way. I should have fought for you. Piper, you are everything.” She looked up at me, the charcoal on her face running down. “I thought you were ending things. I would’ve never left you otherwise. Never! I wanted you to come with me. I don’t want to be without you. I love you, Piper.”

  “Really?” she asked.

  “I promise you. I’ve been a complete wreck without you. I haven’t slept in days. I can’t fucking eat anything. I’ve been convinced I’m having a heart attack daily. I feel like a heartbroken, pussy-whipped wimp.”

  “Well, wimp,” she said with a sparkle in her eye, “you’ve managed to win the heart of a bad girl.”

  I felt my chest inflate, like I was breathing for the first time in days. “Except, I’m not a wimp, and you aren’t a bad girl.” I coiled my arms around her waist, kissing her gently. “I do love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  She loved me? I couldn’t believe it. I never imagined I’d hear those words tonight. I’d hoped and prayed but didn’t think it was possible. I pulled her into my chest, and her body melted into mine, just like it was supposed to. I reached for her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head, using it to wipe her face a little. She was beautiful, even with charcoal and tear-stained cheeks. I got to my knees, unzipped her jeans, and slid them off her. Looking up at her standing there in her blue lacy bra and panties, I could only think how lucky I was, how much I’d missed her, missed this. I knew we still had things to say to each other, but right now I needed to show her—show her how much I loved her. I pulled her hips to me and rested my head on her lower stomach, my hands on her firm ass. Her fingers played with my hair, and I looked up at her. “I was prepared to beg,” I said to her.

  “Drew,” she whispered out.

  I took her panties into my mouth and let my breath tickle her. Christ, I’d missed her scent, the taste of her. I moved her panties to the side, sliding my tongue inside her. Her moan was so loud, I was sure anyone at the bar downstairs heard.

  “Drew,” she whispered again, “I need to tell you something,”

  I slid up her body, pulling her to my hips, but she turned her back to me. I wrapped my arms around her from behind. “I promise we’ll talk more, but right now, I need this. I need to be close to you.” I slid my hand under the panties, cupping her. Her perfect little ass pushed against my dick.

  “Yes,” she breathed out.

  “You need this, too?”

  “Yes,” she breathed again as I slid my finger inside of her. My palm pressed against her sweet clit. “I need. . . .”

  I trailed kisses down her neck as my finger worked her and my palm applied pressure. She was soaking wet and wide open. Fuck, I wanted to bury myself in her but knew she was close. I wasn’t going to have her lose her orgasm. I moved my finger a little faster, a little deeper inside her. Her hands reached around me, her nails digging into my hips, and her whole body started to quake. I slid my other arm around her, afraid she’d fall to her knees. She panted in my arms then turned towards me, my fingers slipping out of her. Her blue eyes locked on mine as she unhooked her bra, dropping it to the floor, then doing the same thing with her panties. She slid back onto a table, sitting on top of it. I don’t think I’d ever gotten undressed quicker in my whole life than I did in that moment.

  “Together,” she whispered. “This time we come together.”

  *

  PIPER

  He walked towards me, sliding his dick inside. “Put your legs on my shoulders,” he said. I followed his directions, and he lifted me up, holding my ass in the palms of his hands. “This will be quick.”

  “Oh, God,” I cried out, putting my hands on his shoulders for support. Thank God I was flexible, and thank God Drew was so strong. If he ever gave up building furniture, he could have a career in porn. I had no idea what position this was, but his legs were slightly bent, his hands holding my ass, and he was basically lifting me up and down on his rock hard dick. I couldn’t do a damn thing but hold on for the delicious ride.

  “I’m close,” he gasped. “Get there, Piper. Get there.”

  The man wasn’t happy unless I came multiple times. “I’m there.”

  “Let me hear you.” He pounded into me deep. “Give. Me. All. Of. It.”

  My head flew back as I screamed out his name, feeling him release inside me. He stayed deep for a moment, his eyes closed. How the man was even still standing I had no idea. He stood up straight to carry me over to the table, but keeping himself still inside me. He lowered his head to my shoulder, holding me close, and his arms wrapped around me tightly. “I love you.”

  I closed my eyes and pulled him even tighter. It felt so right to be back in his arms again. I loved him so much, but there was a lot I needed to tell him. Maybe the endorphins from the toe-curling sex would help calm his reaction. I opened my eyes and saw the pregnancy test sticking out of the top of my purse. God, I didn’t want to leave his arms, but I had to.

  I leaned back and his hand brushed my cheek. He was smiling so sweetly at me. I fall for his smile every time. I knew that damn smile would always work
on me. I just hoped I’d still see it after I told him. “I still need to talk to you.”

  His eyes didn’t look worried this time, which gave me strength. “Ok,” he said, “let’s talk.”

  I stepped down off the table, feeling a yummy sex ache. I bent down for my clothes, and Drew stopped my hand. “Don’t get dressed.”

  I couldn’t help but smile at him. He was almost pouting. “I’m not having this conversation naked.”

  In one second flat, he picked me up and dropped me down on the sofa, tickling me. “Well, I’m not letting you get dressed.”

  I just shook my head at him. He was being so cute and playful. I hated to dampen it, but my time had run out. I reached for his shirt and slipped it over my head as he frowned at me. I threw his jeans at him, and he slipped them on but left the button undone. Clearly, he wanted to be able to get naked again quickly. I reached for his hand and sat him down on the sofa, the very same sofa that caused this damn mess. I wasn’t sure how to start—where to start. I didn’t want to just blurt it out. I wanted to at least look like I had my shit together, even if I was a complete basket case on the inside. I hoped if I stayed calm, then he’d stay calm. I bit my bottom lip and took a deep breath. “I’m so happy you came here tonight. I love you so much. I don’t want anything to change what we have.”

  “Piper, I love you, and that will never change.” He ran his fingers through my hair then tucked it behind my ear. “I know you’re worried about the distance.”

  “That’s not. . . .”

  “And I’ve done a lot of thinking about that. Home for me is in your arms. It’s not a place or town. It’s where you are.”

  I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was willing to move for me. He just wanted us to be together. My mind was spinning. “Drew, I have something I need to say.”

  “Me, too,” he said. “And I know I have a ladies first policy, but I really have to get this out.” He took both my hands, glancing at my wrist. “Where’s your bracelet?”

  I bit my bottom lip. “The side of the road somewhere.”

  He chuckled. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but could you maybe keep this piece of jewelry a little longer?” He dropped to one knee and reached into the pocket of his jeans. “Like maybe the rest of your life.”

  I must have looked like a total idiot. My mouth was open, I was crying, and my face was probably covered in charcoal. He held out a wooden ring with a titanium outline—his grandmother’s wedding band. I couldn’t breathe. I was in total shock when he slipped the ring on my finger.

  “That’s just the reaction I wanted. I wanted to take your breath away because you take my breath away every time I’m near you. I can’t breathe without you. Piper, will you. . . .”

  “I might be pregnant!” I screamed out in the most ungraceful, untactful manner possible. He fell back on his heel slightly. “That’s what I needed to talk to you about.”

  I got down on the ground next to him and started talking. I told him how I was hung over and took the wrong pills, how it was a mistake. That when I realized what had happened, I got a backup method, but I still hadn’t started. I was sobbing and shaking, and he was just sitting there staring at me, listening intently to everything I was saying. I finished the long, drawn out story and released a deep breath. I watched his face as he absorbed everything. His eyes landed on my hand—my ring finger. The ring was still there. I reached for my finger to slide it off, but he intertwined our fingers.

  “That would mean you got pregnant on Christmas Day?” he asked, and I nodded my head. A slow smile came to his lips. I looked down, feeling his free hand laying gently on my belly. “That would be quite a Christmas gift.”

  This was hardly the reaction I thought I’d get. “Why aren’t you scared? Why aren’t you freaking out?”

  “Because it’s you. Because we love each other.”

  “Drew?”

  “I just spent the past few days thinking I’d never hold you again, never kiss you, or hear your laugh, or make love to you. I’ve been so scared, there were times I couldn’t breathe. But you love me and I love you, so there’s nothing else to be afraid of. The only thing that scares me any more is losing you.”

  “But we need to know if. . . .”

  “No, we don’t. Marry me?” He leaned in and nuzzled my nose. “Let’s drive to Charlotte, get on the next flight out of town, and get married tomorrow at sunset. Let’s start our New Year off as husband and wife.”

  “You’ve lost your mind.”

  “Anywhere you want to go, just say yes.”

  I looked down at the ring, then over at the pregnancy test that had been haunting me for days. “I need to know.”

  “Will it change your answer?” he asked.

  “No,” I answered him with certainty. “Granddaddy?”

  “He gave us his blessing. I spoke to him earlier.”

  “You what?”

  “I asked him for permission to propose to you. He gave us his blessing.”

  I looked down at the ring on my finger, unable to believe he’d gone and asked my grandfather for my hand while I’d been here crying all damn day, thinking I meant nothing to Drew.

  “I told him that you loved him so much and that I wouldn’t take you away from him.”

  “And he gave us his blessing to get married?” I asked.

  “He did, after he ripped me a new one for hurting you.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Marry me, Piper. We can live wherever you want. I’ll make it work.”

  “You’ll move here?”

  “Yes, if that’s what you want.” There wasn’t a bit of hesitation in his voice. “I already spoke to Matt about the Harlow place. There’s a huge workshop in the back where I can work. There’s even a guest house, if you felt like you needed your granddaddy close.”

  “You looked at houses?”

  “I looked at one. I didn’t want to get too far ahead of myself.”

  Was he serious? He didn’t want to get ahead of himself? He’d looked at a house for us! He was talking about relocating his business, his life, here—just for me. And that was all before he knew about the phantom baby. I looked down at the ring on my finger, wondering what the hell I was doing. The man had asked me a question. “Someplace warm.” His eyes darted up. “I want to get married someplace warm.”

  He picked me up and twirled me around. “That’s a yes?”

  “Yes.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  NEW YEAR’S DAY

  PIPER

  I lowered my naked body into our suite’s infinity edge pool. We’d rushed to the Charlotte airport and got on the next flight someplace tropical—St. Lucia. Drew spent our layovers arranging the hotel and wedding. I wasn’t sure how he pulled it off, but the resort was something out of fairytales. Our suite had its own pool, a king size bed, and panoramic views of the entire island out the disappearing wall. It was breathtaking, but not as breathtaking as the man naked in the next room.

  I turned around, letting the warm water lap my body, to watch my husband on the phone. We’d gotten married right before sunset on New Year’s Day, just a few hours ago. He’d arranged the cake, photographer, flowers, legal papers, minister, even a dress. I was afraid to ask what this was costing him, but you only got married once. He’d even arranged to have the whole thing Skyped to our families back home. Given the look on Drew’s face right now, that might be the only thing saving his ass. I could hear his mother yelling all the way outside. I motioned for him to come to me, and his sexy smile covered his face. He said a quick goodbye and headed my way.

  “Mrs. Landon, are you skinny dipping?” he asked and I nodded, slowly eyeing his abs. Nothing like a little ab candy to get a girl going. “Bad girl.”

  “Only for you, Mr. Landon.”

  He hopped in the pool and captured me in his arms, his hands stroking the curves of my body. “Thank you for saying yes.”

  I held up my hand, looking at the wood and titanium band. I think I was sti
ll in shock myself, but in the best way. I knew it was impulsive and the craziest thing either of us had ever done, but it was also the most certain I’d ever been.

  “When we get back, we can go buy you a diamond,” Drew said, twirling the ring on my finger.

  “No,” I said, holding up his hand and exposing his matching wedding band. “I don’t want a diamond.”

  “I want to get you a proper engagement ring. Just because we eloped doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten about that.”

  I knew I was smiling. I knew he hadn’t forgotten and that he’d get me anything I asked for. “I really don’t want one.”

  “But. . . .”

  “Maybe down the road,” I said, trying to appease him. I really just wanted to wear the band that matched his, so I decided to change the subject. He’d probably have a ring shipped to me in the morning anyway. “Your parents are pretty upset?”

  “Aren’t your mom and granddad upset?”

  “My mom was thrilled. She’s such a free spirit, so she was totally supportive. She was more concerned about how hot you were.” Drew laughed. “Granddad was cool, too. I think he was a little disappointed that he didn’t get to walk me down the aisle, but he tried not to let on.”

  “Nana was cool about it, too, but Mom and Dad are pissed,” Drew said. “So I said that. . . .”

  “You said what?”

  “I said we’d have a little something in McAdenville in a few months.”

  “A little reception? That does sound nice. I’m sure my mom would like that and. . . .”

  “No,” Drew said, wrinkling his nose. “I said we’d get married again.”

  I started laughing. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, Mom was crying, saying she missed her baby’s wedding. Dad was saying how inconsiderate this was. They both kept asking if you were pregnant.” Drew’s fingers went through his brown hair. “I panicked and said they could throw us a little wedding, so they could be there.”

  “What did you say when they asked about me being pregnant?”

  “I can’t lie to them.”

  “Drew?”

  “I said ‘not that I know of’,” he said, grinning at me.