Weddings Suck...

by Shara Azod

  “She isn’t like that.” Tanner offered what was a half-hearted protest at best. “You’d be surprised to know what she’s really like.”

  Now they were getting somewhere.

  “Oh? She’s what? A harpy behind closed doors?” And if so, why the hell did you ask her to marry you? Reese couldn’t say that last thought out loud—it would only alienate Tanner, or worse.

  “God, no. Nothing like that.” Tanner closed his eyes as if he were extremely tired. This had to be bad. Reese had known Tanner for years, before MIT even. Their parents had sent them off to the same boarding school, though neither man would ever let anyone know that. It sounded all too upper-crust douche-baggy. “She’s just not... Dude, you know how I once told you I was into some stuff that wasn’t, you know, completely normal?”

  Enlightenment dawned on Reese like the sun breaking through after a storm. No way. Not Purity Winthrop, of the Virginia Winthrops, one of the richest African American families in the U.S. Her family had roots in the Northeast pre-Civil War. They had been one of the original Republican families of note before a dramatic shift to the other side during the reign of FDR. Which reminded him—why was none of Purity’s family here for the wedding, with the exception of a few cousins?

  “Is that why her folks aren't here?” Reese pressed, all interested like a National Enquirer reporter. “What? They know you’re her...she’s your...uh...”

  “She’s my sub,” Tanner supplied. “I’m her Dom. We’ve been in a relationship for years. I just thought it was time to make it official, you know? We aren’t getting any younger and that’s what people do.”

  Well, shit. Of all the reasons for this marriage, That’s what people do had never been one of them. Never mind that Purity was into the same BDSM crap Tanner was. Reese had forgotten all about that late-night confession. Or maybe he’d just believed Tanner had gotten over it. Pieces begin to click into place, but it wasn’t putting together a very happy future.

  “So you don’t love her? And yet you’re going to marry her anyway?” Reese was no romantic, but love should be in a marriage. Both he and Tanner had seen all too vividly what happened when it wasn’t. “And what about her folks?” he asked again.

  “They don’t know. They’re not here because they forbade the marriage.”

  Wow. Now that was a one hell of a shocker. “People still do that?” No way. Not even Reese’s own antiquated, Southern-to-the-tips-of-their-toes parents would pull some crap like that. At least he hoped they wouldn’t.

  “The Winthrop family certainly does, otherwise we’d be in Virginia for a month-long series of celebration prior to the marriage. Something Purity will never have now. She’d be fucking miserable.” Tanner was too, even if he wasn’t saying it. Reese could hear it in his tone, see it in his face. “It’s not like I don’t love her. I do. She’s perfect, the perfect sub, a lady in public, all of that. It’s just, just...” Tanner shook his head, closing his eyes again with a sigh.

  This was so far out of Reese depth it just wasn’t funny. He had no words of wisdom for his friend, though he wished like hell he did. All he could rely on was simple truth. “If neither of you is happy, then why do this?”

  It was as plain as he could put it. There was no need for lectures; Tanner already knew everything he could say about this anyway. Otherwise he wouldn’t be here, confessing like this.

  “Why indeed,” Tanner agreed, not opening his eyes. “Why indeed.”

  Weddings Suck...

  Four

  “Just cancel the bachelorette party, okay?” Purity’s voice over the phone sounded so sad it broke China’s heart. Out of all the so-called friends she’d made over the years, Purity was a real one, a keeper. She had to say something.

  “Prue, if you’re not happy, why do this?” China had deliberately used the nickname she’d given to her friend back in summer camp when they were ten. Although China grew up in New York while Purity lived in between Massachusetts and Virginia, they had always kept in touch, went to the same college to be together, shared everything—up until now.

  “Tanner is...he’s not a bad man.” Purity was evading. China could tell there was so much more she wanted to say, but couldn’t for whatever reason.

  “I never said he was,” China added hastily. God, this was a mess. How could she let her best friend do something that was bound to end in heartbreak? “But that doesn’t mean he’s the man for you.”

  There was silence from the other end, then a deep sigh. Yes! That meant Purity was about to break and confess all. It was about time—China was starting to seriously consider a slap to the face. Slaps always seemed to work in the movies.

  “Tanner is my Dom,” Purity finally admitted softly. “He thought it was time to get married because we’d been together for so long. Our relationship was great when it was just about that. We’ve never really shared anything else. I guess it’s a hell of a lot different outside the bedroom.”

  There was just nothing China could say to that. Falling back on her bed, she just breathed and waited. There’d be more. Had to be. A person couldn’t just drop a bomb like that then say goodbye. Dom? For real? Oh sweet heavenly hell, what was sweet, innocent Purity into?

  “I mean, we have never really dated outside that relationship.” Thankfully Purity continued like China hadn’t just been struck dumb. “I had my life, he had his. We didn’t really talk about anything else. When he asked me to marry him it sounded so reasonable. Like it was a logical step. But I don't think I like who Tanner is. I mean who he really is. Not that he’s a bad guy, it’s just...well, he isn't who I want to raise kids with you know? We’re just so....different.”

  Well that sealed it right there, didn’t it? “You can’t marry him, Purity. Just because you’ve been with him for a while doesn’t mean you’re obligated.” Dammit to hell and back, why did Reese have to be right? They were getting married out of a sense of obligation. A weird, fucked-up sense of obligation to be sure

  “I just can’t... Look, I’ll talk to you later. Okay?”

  China couldn't let it go at that. Shit, this could get ugly real fast, but Purity deserved the truth from her. “Pru, look, if you marry him you’ll both be miserable and probably end up doing really stupid things. And it might not just affect the two of you. What if you have kids?” She couldn't make it any more real than that. While Purity’s parents were the decent sort, China’s mother and father couldn't manage to stay in the same house, much less stay out of other people’s beds. Purity had talked her through many a storm growing up. “Take it from me, an unhappy marriage makes everyone miserable. You know I know what I’m talking about.”

  More silence before another sigh. “Yeah, China, I know. Look, I’ll talk to you later?”

  Then she was gone. Shit, shit and double shit, this was so not good. No way she could tell Reese about this, who she was supposed to be meeting less than an hour. What Purity had told her wasn’t something she’d want anyone else to know, and China loved her too much to ever betray her trust. But she had to do something. Determined, she threw on a sundress and flip-flops and damn near ran to the pub near her place in New Cambridge. They had to think up something together.

  However, once she hurried inside and spotted him in a booth near the back, China almost turned around and ran back out. Lord he was gorgeous. Wearing a tight black t-shirt and black jeans, he looked like sin on a stick, sent out to tempt her toward complete debauchery. Slowing considerably, China had to gather herself before getting close. This was not about her; it wasn’t about her insane attraction to a chauvinistic ass.

  “You look amazing.”

  The compliment spoken as soon as she reached the table surprised her. So did Reese standing at her approach. It was sparks of the Reese she thought she knew in college. Before discovering him in bed with her roommates, she had thought Reese a rare breed of gentleman. In fact, she had fostered quite a crush, but never dared to act on it. Reese came from Southern old money. They did not date interrac
ially; not seriously anyway. Finding him in bed with not one, but two perfect blonde types had killed her. She supposed if she was honest she would have to say she had started hating him that night. Too bad China didn't feel like being honest.

  “Uh, hi.” Hastily taking her seat, she frowned when she saw a glass of Merlot waiting for her. He’d remembered her preferred drink. She shouldn’t have cared, but she was touched in spite of herself. “You didn’t spike this, did you?” It was meant to be flip, something that would offend him enough so she could get her metaphorical feet back under her.

  “I think you know me better than that.” Reese looked genuinely sad she’d said it, which threw her even more. Expecting verbal sparring at the very least, she wasn’t really sure how to take real hurt. It made her feel like shit, which in turn made her mad. He had no right making her feel bad. She wasn't the bad guy here.

  “Look, it was a joke, all right?” Squirming in her seat, she looked everywhere but at him.

  “Answer the question, China. We used to be friends, remember? Do you think I would spike your drink?”

  “No, I said I was kidding.” This was going downhill fast. “We’re supposed to be talking about Purity and Tanner.” Deflection was good. Better than talking about feelings.

  Reese didn’t speak right away, making her squirm even worse. Would he just cut the chase already? It was so hard to think with those emerald green eyes staring at her like he could see inside her head.

  “What?” she snapped irritably, not able to take more than a few seconds. It was unnerving. As if she had something to apologize for. HA! He was the one always saying the wrong thing, sticking his nose in everyone’s business... Okay, so maybe only Tanner and Purity’s and it wasn’t like she wasn’t doing the same thing, but at least she was doing it for a good reason. Plus she hadn’t been nearly as obsessed with stopping this marriage as he had been. Well, until now.

  Puffing out a frustrated breath, China relaxed. So, he was an idiot at times, but he really wasn't a bad guy. As long as she’d kept her distance she was able to pretend she hated him, but she didn’t. She never had. Once upon a time she’d carried a torch for the man, but the attraction hadn’t been mutual. Only a crazy person would go through life blaming a person for not being attracted to them. It just wasn’t meant to be, that was all.

  “That night, at your apartment, I had gone there to see you.” China was not expecting that. Reese was still staring at her, but his expression had changed as he spoke. The hurt was being replaced with something...maybe something like wonder? “What’s her name—I don’t even remember her name—said you weren’t there and she didn’t think you’d be back that night. Said you had a date with that Steven guy.” China attempted not to feel inordinately pleased he remembered Steven’s name. He had always hated Steven, but for no other reason he could find other than Steven was always asking her out. The guy was so not her type, but she had never told Reese that. She’d hoped it meant he liked her maybe just a little.

  And hey! Catherine, one of her roommates at the time, had lied through her teeth. China left to pick up Chinese food (oh the irony) for an all-night study session they were supposed to be having. That rotten bitch! Catherine knew damned well China had lusted after Reese for years. There was no other reason for the lie, and maybe even part of the come-on other than to rub China’s face in the fact she’d finally gotten Reese into bed herself. That didn't in any way excuse him, but things were making a horrible kind of sense.

  “I—I was angry.” That caused China’s heart to leap. Angry about...? “Angry you were out with him, that you had never given me a chance when I’d been chasing after you forever.”

  “You most certainly had not!” She’d almost jumped to her feet at the ridiculousness of his statement. Chase after her? No way she would’ve have missed that after pining away for him for years. “When did you ever show any interest in me as anything other than a friend? A buddy, someone to hang with. You never saw me as a potential...uh...” Girlfriend, lover, more. She couldn’t bring herself to say it. Even now she just wasn’t willing to face his rejection.

  “Did you ever see me flirting with any other girl back then?” Reese demanded, seeming very determined to get her to admit what he’d said was true. As much as she wished she could, China just couldn’t do that; it left her too vulnerable. But he just didn’t let it go—he kept talking. “For that matter, did you ever see me with any other female? Ever? I went home alone for a year half hoping and praying to be good enough, to be noticed as a possibility beyond the friend box you placed me in. I was an idiot for not leaving that night, but trust me I have regretted that with every fiber of my being. I’ve never found another woman who makes me feel like I feel when I’m with you. I don’t want to be your friend, I never did. I want to be with you, China. Give a good ole boy have a chance, I swear to you, sugar, I won’t let you down.”

  There was no saying no to that, not when she had wanted him as much as he claimed to have wanted her, to still want her. All her defenses fell. Taking a deep breath, she took the plunge. “Let’s go.”

  Weddings Suck...

  Five

  This was happening. This was really happening. The fact awed Reese; it made his cock throb painfully against the zipper of his jeans. In the back of his mind he was vaguely aware there was something else he was supposed to be talking to China about, but following her out of the pub and down the street to her place, all he could find himself thinking about was the sway of her hips, the promise of what would come. Finally—finally!!! As soon as they were through the front door, Reese pushed her against the closed door, managing to lock it while fusing their mouths together.

  It wasn’t often a man knew he was addicted at first taste. And China didn’t just demurely accept his somewhat ravenous attentions; oh no, she gave back as good as she got, threading her hands through his hair and tugging as much as he pulled on hers. Her legs wrapped around his waist as soon as he lifted her off her feet. Thank the heavens and every love deity that ever existed she was wearing a dress. The jeans he wore in between their grinding hips were bad enough, plus the dress allowed him to cup her most wonderfully bountiful backside to draw her even closer to him.

  “Bedroom?” he broke the kiss long enough to ask, but his lips traveled to her neck, tasting as much of her as he could.

  “Upstairs, last door down the hall.” God her voice was sexy as hell, all breathless with passion. It was certainly a goal to hear that once a day for the rest of his life.

  He wasted no time placing her on the bed, stripping them both out of their clothes. The need to have her nude, to be nude with her was just too much. Then there was tasting her; really tasting her. It took less than a minute or two to have her gloriously bare, legs resting on his shoulders as he dove in for the treat he’d waited a lifetime for.

  Reese groaned with pleasure at her ambrosial taste, causing mini-vibrations against her sensitized clit. Her breathing became labored and hitched at his onslaught. She tasted so sweet, he didn’t want to ever stop.

  “Oh, God, Reese!” China cried out, yanking at his head to bring him closer.

  He didn’t stop. His tongue invaded her over and over again. He used his fingers to lightly pinch her clit, to roll it between his fingers, then switched places with his own mouth and used them to plunge inside her until she was screaming his name. Yeah, he liked that even better than the breathless voice—barely.

  Placing a lingering kiss on her pussy, Reese moved up her body slowly, taking her legs and wrapping them back around his hips.

  “Mmm, that’s what I call a meal.” He winked at her.

  China couldn’t respond; she felt the bulbous head of what had to be the most beautiful cock she had ever seen rubbing against her outer lips, running up to torture her clit and back down again. She writhed under him, desperate to have him inside her, but Reese wouldn’t budge.

  “Please, Reese, I’ve been needing you so bad,” she gasped, looking like a mythical siren
all spread out on the bed, need burning bright in her gaze.

  He had intended to torment her a little longer, to make her feel half of the burning need that had raged within him for years, but he found with her words he could hold back no longer. Entering her was heaven and hell all wrapped up together. She was unbelievably tight. He had to work his throbbing length in a little at a time, advancing and withdrawing until he could work himself inside.

  He heard China exhale a harsh breath as soon as he was finally fully seated. Reese had to grit his teeth and stay completely still for fear of losing control completely and hurting her. Lord knows that was the last thing he wanted to do.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, praying that she was. He didn’t think he could stop now to save his life.

  “Yes,” China whispered. “But please, Reese.”

  She shifted, heaving her hips upward, sending a bolt of pleasure straight through him.

  “Shit!” Reese growled, his hips moving of their own accord.

  There was no way he could stop now. He moved deeply, encouraged by every gasp, every moan. There was nothing tentative or hesitant about the way she responded, bucking wildly up against him, grabbing his thighs trying to force him to move harder, or perhaps faster; he wasn’t sure which. Reese guided her with his hands, lifting her up to meet every downward stroke. They needed to slow this down or it would be over all too soon. Soon, China was moving her own body in perfect time with his own, receiving all he had to give without reservation.

  “Mine, mine, mine,” he growled, his eyes holding her captive. “No one will ever touch this body but me. Do you understand me, China?” So long, too long—khe’d needed this, wanted it. Somehow he had known back at the tender age of twenty-three this was it for him, all the woman he needed. There was no going back now; he could never go back to being friends. He could never settle for not being hers and having her as his own. It would kill him to walk away.