“This is what I want, Alex.” He bent down to one knee.
Alex frowned in confusion as she looked down at him.
“Alex,” he said, pulling a small box out of his trouser pocket. “I want you. That is all I want. You. Will you marry me?”
Alex gasped. Her heart was pumping so hard she thought it’d burst out of her chest any second now. Her whole body was shaking in reaction as she stared at the princess-cut diamond set in platinum sitting in the pale-blue Tiffany & Co. box. The same one she had tried on back in New York.
“What do you say, Alex? Will you be my wife?”
Alex couldn’t breathe. She nodded her head, crying hard. “Yes. Yes, oh yes, Jayden,” she sobbed.
Jayden jumped up, grabbed her face in his hands, and kissed her—tears and all.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’ve missed you so much,” he said, dropping little kisses on her face.
“Me, too,” she sobbed.
Jayden slipped the ring onto her left finger and gave her little kisses again. Alex felt like she was alive again and in heaven. Suddenly, she heard loud clapping. She moved back and looked over behind Jayden. She gasped when she saw Jayden’s family there, including Sam and Stephanie. Peter was there as well, and so was her family. She ran to her mother and hugged the woman. Everyone started laughing.
Oh God, Alex thought. This was too much for her. She simply couldn’t believe it.
Later that day, they had a barbeque at her house, everyone mingling, getting to know each other, and having a good time. She and Jayden went for a walk along St. Clair Beach. The sunset was beautiful in the distance, the air warm, and the gentle breeze delightful.
Jayden pulled her into his arms. “I thought I lost you back in New York.”
“You did?”
“What you saw, Alex,” he said, cupping her face in his hands. “What you saw back in New York that night was planned. It wasn’t real. I lost my feelings for Sarah a long time ago. I don’t know when, but I do know I did. Since the first day I met you, I’ve had feelings for only you. Only I didn’t know it back then because, you know, I’m a guy and that kind of thing is really slow for us to register.”
“So when did you think you started to have feelings for me?” she asked curiously.
Jayden cocked his head to one side. “I think it was when I saw you in the bathroom at Peter’s house that night. You were topless.” He chuckled. “All I wanted to do then was kiss you and touch you and look at your breasts.”
“Jayden!” she shrieked. “You really did?”
“Heck yes, sweetheart,” he said, laughing.
“But you were supposed to be gay,” she muttered.
“Yes, I was, and a bloody hard thing to do, too, especially where you’re concerned. You’re such a temptress,” he said, kissing her nose.
“No, I’m not.”
“Oh, yes, you are.” He chuckled.
Alex bit her lip, staring into his eyes. “So, um, are you going to kiss me now?”
He laughed, loud and clear. “Heck yes, sweetheart.” He lowered his head and claimed her sweet, soft lips.
Alex wrapped her arms around his neck, and they kissed deeply and passionately.
A dog ran up to them, yapping excitedly, and then hopped around their feet as they kissed. An elderly couple, the owners of the dog, walked by, saw them, and smiled knowingly. The woman shouted, “Stanley, come on!”
The dog barked and rushed up to her as they walked farther away.
Jayden and Alex were oblivious to this. Finally, Jayden released his lips from hers. They laughed, and Jayden lifted her above him, causing Alex to shriek happily in the air, her feet kicking. He let her down, cupped her face, and kissed her again. Their future was now certain, and Jayden thought, God, she was his best hired girlfriend ever.
* * * * *
Chapter 31
One Month Later
NEW YORK CITY, USA
“Oh my gosh!” Emma shrieked as she ran from the luxurious sitting room into the large Ambassador Suite bedroom. “I can’t believe I’m actually in New York City! I’m actually in a hotel!” she shouted, racing about Gracie, who simply laughed and shook her head. Emma jumped onto the king-size four-poster bed and collapsed in a fit of giggling.
“Emma, darling, please calm down,” Mali chuckled. The two ladies met eyes and laughed.
“I can’t wait to go sightseeing. Did I tell you you’re the best sister, Alex? And that you are extraordinarily beautiful today?”
Alex laughed. “Yeah. You keep saying that, missy.” Then she turned to look at herself in the full-length mirror. She still couldn’t believe it. She had to say she looked stunning in this A-line princess dress. It was made out of white silk taffeta with a one-shoulder neckline combined with pleats and roses to the side, and it fit her perfectly. Her hair was in soft curls and a loose bun, with a white lily down on the side of her left ear. Her fair skin was smooth and soft, her eyes bright, and her lips red.
“Something blue,” Kelly said, showing her the blue garter. “Now pull your skirt up so I can put this around your thigh.”
Alex bit her lip and did as she was told. With the garter in place, Beth came up to her and said, “Something borrowed.” She held a lovely ruby necklace in front of Alex.
Alex stared at the masterpiece. “Oh my, that looks really expensive. It’s an antique? Don’t you think it’s, err—”
Beth waved Alex’s hesitation aside. “Yes, it is antique. Over one hundred years old. But it is now yours.”
“What?” Alex gasped.
“It’s my present to you as my granddaughter-in-law.”
Ruby, Nikita, and Isabella all stared at the necklace in awe.
“You lucky girl,” Ruby said, laughing.
“Oh. Thank you, Beth,” Alex managed to say, and her heart constricted with gratitude.
Beth smiled and put the necklace around Alex’s neck. Then she kissed Alex on the cheek.
“Would you look at that,” Kelly remarked, shaking her head as she watched the large LCD television across the room. Everyone turned to look at the TV. On the screen was a mug shot of Kyle Shore and Michael Marcelo. Then it cut to a pretty journalist with a microphone. She was in front of the courthouse.
“It is confirmed that Mr. Marcelo, one of the most powerful and respected businessmen in New York, is sentenced to a ten-year imprisonment for fraud and an attempted murder and Kyle Shore to five years’ imprisonment as an accomplice. Mr. Marcelo stole over five billion dollars from the government over the past ten years …”
“Can’t believe he could do that,” Beth murmured. “I thought I knew him.” She shook her head sadly.
Alex touched Beth’s arm.
“Is everyone ready?” Jacob popped his head in through the door.
Alex suddenly felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach. She was going to marry her knight in shining armor, Jayden McCartney, the man who had hired her to be his girlfriend, the man who had convinced her he was gay. She wanted to giggle.
She took a deep breath and said, “Yes. I’m ready.”
Jacob came to stand beside her and put his arm out. Alex took it, and they walked out the door.
In the great hall of the McCartney’s hotel, a thousand or so guests and journalists and paparazzi were waiting expectantly. It was one of the biggest and hottest weddings of the century in New York City. Anyone worth knowing was invited. In the center stood the handsome groom, Jayden McCartney, and beside him were Peter and Timothy.
Jayden was nervous. Damn it, but he had never been this nervous before. He hadn’t seen Alex all day, and it was killing him.
Then he saw Beth, Gracie, and Mali rush into the room and take their seats in the front pew. A moment later, the orchestra seated behind the stage chorused “Here Comes the Bride.”
Jayden turned toward the towering double door and saw Emma slowly walking toward them. She was followed by three of Alex’s friends, all dressed in designer gowns of ruby color. They all loo
ked stunning. Behind them was his bride herself with Jacob, who was giving her away.
The moment he saw her, his heart leaped in his chest. He took in a deep breath to steady his nerves. His heart was thumping faster now. Calm down, hot shot! Calm down, he told himself.
He was proud of his bride that she was able to stand all this—walking in front of thousands of guests gawking at her. Then she was beside him. Jacob nodded at him and took his seat beside his wife. Jay took Alex’s hands in his, grinning. Alex smiled back behind her veil.
The celebrant cleared his throat and began. “We are here today to celebrate the love these two young people have for each other…”
This is it, Alex thought. I am finally with the man I love forever.
“Will you,”—the celebrant turned to Jayden—“Jayden Matthew McCartney, have Alexandra Stewart to be your wife? Will you love her, comfort and keep her, and, forsaking all others, remain true to her as long as you both shall live?”
Jay grinned as he nodded his head. “I will.”
The celebrant turned to Alex, whose throat suddenly felt tight, and she wondered if she was able to speak. Her heart was pumping faster and louder, and there were butterflies in the pit of her stomach.
“Will you, Alexandra Stewart, have Jayden McCartney to be your husband? Will you love him, comfort and keep him, and, forsaking all others, remain true to him as long as you both shall live?”
Alex bit her bottom lip as she watched Jay staring intensely at her. He looked as though he were holding his breath, waiting for her answer. She grinned and said, “I will.”
The celebrant turned his attention to Jay. “Will you please repeat after me…”
Once they had both repeated after the celebrant, Jayden put the ring on Alex’s finger, and Alex did the same to him. Jay said loudly so that everyone in the hall could hear, “With this ring, I thee wed, and all my worldly goods I thee endow. In sickness and in health, in poverty or in wealth, ‘til death do us part.”
Gracie and Mali sniffed at the same time. Beth dabbed a tissue just beneath her eyes.
The celebrant said, “You are now husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”
Jayden pulled the thin net of the veil from her face. As he gazed at her, he simply couldn’t believe how radiant and beautiful she looked. His eyes said it all, the love and the adoration he had for her.
Then he moved his head toward her, his hands cupping her face.
Alex said, “Your eyes are dilated, Jay. Do you like what you see?”
Jay laughed, loud and clear, so everyone in the hall wondered what Alex said to him.
“Heck yes!” he replied and touched his lips against hers, and his fingers dug deep into her hair.
Her lips were soft and warm against his. She parted her mouth, and he plunged in his tongue, kissing her deeply and passionately. Alex wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. A loud applause erupted then, along with rapid snaps of cameras’ light. Peter whistled loudly while Timothy hooted.
“Yeah!” Emma yelled at the top of her lungs.
Jay finally pulled back, grinning. “Come on, Mrs. McCartney. Time to go greet our guests and get our photos taken.”
“Will it appear in high fashion magazines?” Alex asked.
“Yes. Are you going to run and hide?”
“Nope,” she replied, grinning. “Not at all.”
* * * * *
Epilogue
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND
The moment Jayden opened his eyes, he smiled with content. He never thought he could be this happy. He knew he’d be back in Queenstown. After all, it was the perfect holiday spot. And yes, it was also the perfect honeymoon spot. Only he hadn’t been enjoying much of the scenery or the sports he had planned to do yet. He was too busy enjoying his beautiful bride.
He turned to watch her, lying there beside him, still asleep and looking so young and beautiful. Involuntarily, he stroked her smooth cheek with the back of his fingers. She groaned.
“Wake up, sleepy head.”
She responded by rolling over and giving her bare back to him. He moved over and kissed her bare shoulder. She giggled. He knew she was awake. He snuggled his nose against the nape of her slender neck as he moved his hand to touch her bare breast.
“Jayden!” she grumbled and turned to glare at him.
“Good morning, sweetheart.” He grinned, his eyes twinkling.
“Good morning, Mr. Hot-Choc,” Alex greeted.
“Ah, craving for your hot chocolate so early again, eh?”
“Yes,” she replied, moving his hand away from her breast.
“So what do you want to do today?” he asked, pulling her to him.
“Dunno.” She pouted her lips. “We could go explore Arrow Town. There’s also Coronet Peak. We could go there to do some skiing. Well, you’d be doing the skiing. I’d be watching.”
“How about some exercise?”
“Okay. Why not? We could go for a long walk along the lake,” she suggested. “The fresh air would do us good, or we could go to the vineyard.”
Jayden wasn’t thinking about the long walk along the lake across their thirty-odd hectares or so of land or their newly acquired vineyard in Central Otago. He was thinking of an exercise that didn’t require them to leave their large, luxurious bedroom in their three-story house.
“I was thinking of an exercise right here in bed,” he said cheekily.
“Huh?” She raised her eyes to look at him. Then she caught the drift of his meaning and laughed. “You cheeky bugger!”
“Yes. Say yes?” he begged, giving her the puppy dog look.
“All right.” She chuckled.
Before she had the chance to change her mind, he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately. Alex wrapped her arms around his shoulders and she surrendered to his kisses and lovemaking once again.
* * * * *
Highland Kiss
A Kiwi Bride Novel
Alexia Praks
Prologue
Border of Thailand and Cambodia
REFUGEE CAMP
Young Alec felt the wind getting knocked out of his lungs as the small arms tightened around his middle, refusing to let go. Her familiar, earthy scent filled his nostrils, causing his insides to burn with sorrow. Gingerly, he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. This half-Cambodian girl with large brown eyes and black hair was his only friend in this isolated, poverty-stricken place; a place he at first loathed, but now knew he would sorely miss.
She tilted her head and gazed up at him. He noted that her eyes were misting with fresh tears. Oh God! She knew he was leaving. But how did she find out when he never told her? Perhaps she knew all along this wasn’t his home, and soon he would have to leave, and return to his real home, to the familiarity of Hasting Manor in Scotland. It was a complete contrast to the refugee camp with its over-crowded, under-sanitized, and disease-infested straw-thatched houses that were not fit to be called “home.”
Tears rolled down her dirty cheeks.
“Don’t cry,” he said in a soothing tone of voice.
“Alee, don’t go,” she hiccupped in her strong Cambodian accent.
Alec wanted to laugh because he was immensely proud of her. In barely six months, she learned what little English he taught her very well.
“Alee, come back?”
“Of course, I will come back,” he lied, feeling a pang of guilt. How could he tell her he would never come back? That these past six months living here with his mother was only temporary? His mother, Anna Hasting, Countess of Hayward, came to the camp to see for herself that her money, which amounted to billions, was not squandered by those who were managing it. And also to ensure that the money she donated went to the right people, especially those who needed it most, like this little girl, for example.
“I have something for you.” He reached into the pocket of his jeans and taking out a necklace with a silver elephant pendant. He bought it a week ago from a Thai jewelry
trader, and fell in love with it instantly. He wanted to give it to her as a parting gift.
He watched her stare at it with unmasked delight.
“It’s a gift. You keep it safe, okay?” He placed the necklace, which was much too large for her, around her tiny neck.
“Thank you, Alee,” she sobbed, hugging him tightly. “Please come back soon.”
“I will,” he muttered awkwardly, and, before he realized what he was doing, kissed her forehead.
The little girl grinned from ear to ear, pleased with his show of affection.
“I have to go now,” he said, turning on his heels and heading out the gate of the primary school that didn’t look much like a school.
She watched him go, her tiny hands clutching the elephant pendant closely to her chest. “Please don’t forget me, Alee,” she said under her breath in Khmer.
* * * * *
Chapter 1
Present Day
DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND
A sudden lurch of thrill rose from the pit of her stomach, and Ruby Williams-Chan wondered if she was crazy. No, not crazy. Mad! Was she mad for planning to go on such a big overseas trip all by herself when she had so much to take care of? There was the family real estate business, which was growing steadily, to look after; and the end of the financial year was just around the corner. That meant she had to get all the papers sorted out before filing the business tax return. Not to mention, they just bought a house in need of serious renovation, and pronto, before they could re-let it to new tenants. That would take at least a couple of months of hard labor.
Without her doing all the dirty work, such as fixing the toilets and door handles, cleaning the dirty kitchen and bathroom, and of course, painting the exterior and interior of the house, how could they get it finished on time? How could they manage to make some money and pay the mortgage? Her younger sisters, however, insisted everything would be fine and promised to take care of it. Perhaps they were right. Perhaps she worried too much. Perhaps she was due for some “me time” and simply should have felt free to enjoy what she always wanted most—a decent holiday in Europe.
Kiwi Bride: Volume 1 (Kiwi Bride Series Book 3) Page 24
