Our First Kiss

by Judy Lynn Hubbard

  “They won’t call you again someday out of the blue?” She voiced her worst fear.

  “No, I’ve more than done my time protecting my country. Now it’s time to concentrate on building a life—with you. I won’t ever leave you again, Marcy,” he promised, taking her hands in his.

  “Nathan, I was so sad when you left.” She allowed all the pain she had so carefully kept at bay to break free. “You broke my heart.”

  “I know, baby, and I’m so sorry.” He pulled her into his arms. “I won’t ever do it again. I promise.”

  “Promise?” she whispered against his shoulder.

  “Yes, on my life,” he vowed, kissing her hair.

  “Then, I’ll follow you anywhere as long as we can be together,” she vowed, pulling back to stare at him.

  “You’d leave New York for me?”

  “Just give me time to pack,” she laughingly amended. “In fact, forget packing.”

  “I love you, Marcy.” He kissed her lingeringly.

  “I love you, too,” she whispered, arms circling his neck.

  “I would never ask you to leave your home, your family or your career,” he firmly stated.

  “I don’t mind.” He had made a great sacrifice for her; she wanted him to know she would make one for him.

  “I know, but I do.” His lips nipped at hers. “I’m leaving Washington and coming back to New York.”

  “Are you sure?” She couldn’t believe how wonderfully everything was working itself out.

  “Yes, very.” He nodded. “Washington was never a home, only a place I worked and slept. My home is with you, Marcy.”

  He released her to bend down and pick up his jacket from the floor. Taking a black velvet box out of the pocket, he opened it revealing a gorgeous pear-shaped diamond surrounded by emeralds.

  “Nathan...” She placed a hand to her mouth in shock.

  “Marcy—” he took her hand in his “—I love you so much. Be my wife. Be the mother of my children. You’re already my life.”

  “You take initiative very well once you get warmed up.” She spoke through tears, eyes lifting from the ring to lock on his.

  “Is that a yes?”

  He took the ring from its bed. She fought back a sob of happiness as he placed it on her finger. It fit perfectly—just like them.

  “That’s an unequivocal yes.” She pressed her lips to his. “I can’t wait to tell everybody.”

  “Want to tell them now?” His eyebrow lifted as his hands ran down her bare shoulders and back.

  “Later,” she whispered against his mouth and then pulled back and chuckled. “I’d better tell Dami over the phone. He’ll probably strangle you first and ask questions later if we just show up.”

  “You sound like you’d rather enjoy seeing that,” he accused around a smile.

  “How can you accuse me of such a thing?” She chuckled, pressing closer. “Although I did devise some ingenious ways to torture you myself.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Mmm-hmm.” She ran her hands down his powerful arms. “You have a lot of making up to do, mister.”

  “Gladly.” He kissed her hard. “We’ll call everyone much later,” he whispered against her neck as his hands deftly pulled the sheet from her to pool at her feet, hands running over her.

  “Later like tomorrow,” she agreed, sighing as his mouth slid from one shoulder, across her collarbone to the other.

  “Late tomorrow—or the next day,” he groaned and she laughed, sliding her fingers across his shoulders down his back.

  “Mmm, that sounds like a plan,” she agreed. “I—”

  Her words were effectively and pleasantly silenced by his hot, hungry mouth and then further words were forgotten.

  * * *

  Two days later, Nathan and Marcy saw their families and told them they were engaged. To be expected, no one understood the need for Nathan’s hasty departure, though everyone knew why he had come back. They were simply glad that he and Marcy were together again for good this time—everyone except Damien.

  “You promised you wouldn’t hurt her?” Damien tightly reminded once he and Nathan were alone.

  “I know.” Nathan nodded. “It was unavoidable.”

  “What about the next time?” Damien’s eyes held a warning.

  “There won’t be a next time, not like this,” Nathan promised.

  “Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”

  “Damien, I understand your anger toward me, and it’s justified. I wish I could explain why I did what I did to everyone’s satisfaction, but I can’t.” He paused. “I’ve explained my actions to the one person who really matters— Marcy. She understands and has forgiven me and agreed to be my wife. That should be all that matters,” Nathan ended.

  They stared at each other in challenge—neither saying anything for several minutes. Damien folded his arms over his chest and then smiled—ever so slightly.

  “You’re right.” Damien slowly extended his hand toward the other man.

  He still wanted to beat him to a pulp for hurting his sister, but for Marcy’s sake, he resisted. He had watched them all evening, and they were obviously very happy and very much in love. Whatever Nathan’s reasons for leaving, Marcy understood and had decided to forgive him. She wanted to spend her life with him. As much as he loved and wanted to protect her, it wasn’t his place to question or try to ruin her happiness but rather to understand and trust that she knew what she was doing.

  “I’ll make her happy,” Nathan promised as he shook Damien’s hand.

  “You already do.” Damien’s smile broadened as he glanced at his sister who stood across the room between his wife and her sister staring anxiously at them.

  “Whew!” Marcy let out her breath loudly. “I thought they were going to come to blows.”

  “So did I.” Natasha similarly released her breath.

  “They seem to have settled things,” Nicole observed as the men in question who were now somewhat relaxed with each other instead of on edge as they had been a few seconds earlier.

  “Thank goodness!” Marcy beamed, hugging both women. “I’m so happy!”

  “You deserve to be,” Nicole replied and Natasha seconded.

  “Nicole, you’re not jeopardizing your job by staying a week late for the wedding, are you?” Marcy voiced concern.

  “No. Everything will be fine,” Nicole assured.

  She silently prayed she was speaking the truth. Alexander James had not seemed at all happy when she had phoned him about the delay. In fact, she had half expected him to tell her not to bother coming to Paris at all. Well, she wouldn’t worry about that now. The most important thing was to be home for Marcy and her brother’s wedding, and if Alexander James didn’t like it, tough!

  “Do you have enough time to make the gowns?” Natasha interrupted her thoughts.

  “I’ll work night and day if necessary,” Nicole promised.

  “I love you both, my two sisters.” Marcy had joy overflowing from her heart. It should be illegal to be so happy.

  “We love you, too,” Natasha and Nicole echoed as they both kissed each of her cheeks.

  “Well, Linda, despite a few tense moments, we made a good match, didn’t we?” Margaret smiled as they watched Marcy float over to Nathan, who smiled lovingly at her as she snuggled into his arms.

  “Perfect,” Linda agreed. “Luckily, Nathan didn’t spoil things with his peculiar disappearing act.” She sighed heavily as she remembered the weeks of agony that had caused everyone concerned.

  “That’s all over with now. All that matters is that he and Marcy are together and happy and they’re going to stay that way,” Margaret firmly predicted.

  “I wish he would tell us why he left.” Michael frowned
.

  “It doesn’t matter.” Margaret smiled at him, and he nodded in agreement following her eyes as they rested on their daughter’s deliriously happy face—nothing mattered except the joy their baby exuded because of the man in whose arms she now resided.

  “You’re right,” Lincoln agreed. “True love triumphs all.”

  “Well said,” Michael replied, and their wives smiled in agreement.

  “It’s too bad you don’t have another son for Nicole.” Linda’s brow furrowed in contemplation. “I think it’s time she thought about settling down.”

  “Well, I’m sure if we put our heads together, we can find a suitable young man for her.” Margaret was thrilled about the new challenge.

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Linda smiled in agreement. “What about, what was his name? Henry?”

  “Hmm.” Margaret’s brow furrowed contemplatively. “Henry? Yes. Could be,” Margaret agreed as they walked off arm in arm.

  “What are we going to do with them?” Michael asked Lincoln, who shrugged and shook his head.

  “In thirty-nine years, I haven’t been able to find a solution to Linda’s meddling. If you come up with a plan, let me know.” Lincoln slapped his friend on the back as they walked over to the bar to get another drink.

  “Women and matchmaking go together like franks and beans.” Michael sighed as he picked up a glass of whiskey and raised it in a toast.

  “I’ll drink to that.” Lincoln clinked his glass with his own, and they downed the contents before laughing loudly.

  * * *

  “Well,” Nathan said as his arms encircled Marcy’s waist, “all things considered, I think this impromptu family meeting is going quite well.”

  “I wouldn’t stand for anything less.” Marcy laughed, but sobered quickly and asked, “Are you and Damien okay?”

  “We’re fine.”

  “Good,” she approved. “I’m so happy, Nathan.”

  “And I plan to keep you that way.”

  “Just love me, never leave me again and you will.”

  “That, I can easily do.” He kissed her lingeringly. “I love our family, but I can’t wait to get you alone.”

  “Mmm.” Marcy pressed closer. “What do you have in mind?”

  “I’ll show you when we get home,” he promised with a wolfish grin.

  “Give me a little preview,” she softly ordered.

  “Gladly,” he agreed, capturing her lips again in a thorough, spine-tingling kiss.

  Epilogue

  Marcy and Nathan were married a week later in as private a ceremony as their mothers would allow. Marcy was a beautiful bride dressed in a figure-hugging satin gown of pristine white. The sweetheart neckline and bodice were covered in lace as were her quarter sleeves and slight train billowing behind her as she had walked down the aisle toward the man of her dreams. Her hair had been pulled back from her face, cascading down her back in layered curls. Nicole had been her maid of honor, and Natasha had been one of her bridesmaids.

  Marcy flowed into Nathan’s arms as they slowly moved around the empty dance floor while their loved ones and friends looked on.

  “Happy?” Nathan asked as they barely moved.

  “Deliriously.”

  “You’re so beautiful.” His eyes exuded love.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “And you’re very handsome—and sweet.” She couldn’t resist adding the latter.

  “Marcy, I’ve told you I am not sweet,” he responded in exasperation as she knew he would.

  “Oh, yes, you are,” she argued, fingers playing with his chin. “And I’m going to keep reminded you of that fact,” she promised and laughed as he pretended to be annoyed.

  “I don’t know why I love you so,” he lightly remarked.

  “Because I’m irresistible,” she quickly shot back.

  “Very sure of yourself, aren’t you?” The hand on her waist pulled her closer.

  “As certain as I always was that we would end up right here,” she confidently informed him, outlining his lower lip with her fingernail causing his eyes to darken noticeably.

  “You were right.” His arm tightened around her.

  “I usually am,” she said and chuckled. “You should remember that.”

  “Yes, Mrs. Carter,” he said and returned her smile.

  “I love the sound of that.”

  “So do I. We belong together.”

  “We do, and you’ve known that all along.” She smiled. “But being a man, you had to try and fight the inevitable.”

  “Being a woman, you wouldn’t allow me to succeed,” he teased.

  “Sometimes it does pay to be relentless.” She laughed as they suddenly came to a halt in the middle of the dance floor.

  “In dividends,” he agreed, lowering his mouth to hers.

  “I love you, Nathan,” she whispered as her arms encircled his neck.

  “I love you back—always,” he echoed. “I can’t wait to start our honeymoon.”

  “Why wait?” Marcy impishly smiled. “Let’s start right now.”

  Nathan groaned. “I love the way you think.”

  Regardless of their audience, their lips drifted together in a heated kiss echoing a promise of undying love.

  * * * * *

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  OUR FIRST KISS

  ISBN: 9781460316955

  Copyright © 2013 by Judy Lynn Hubbard

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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