“How about you, Sunshine? Are you ready to be the bride?”
“Yes, I am, but I don’t want a big wedding like Gen’s. I’d rather go up to my parent’s place and get married on their balcony. Out in the wilderness, surrounded by the smell of pine needles and fresh air. Just me, you, Genna, Luke. My parents and yours.”
“I’d like to invite Sam and Isabelle. They’re important to me, but other than that, I’m good with your guest list. I’d prefer not to make any announcements about the engagement until after we’re married. I’ve done well to keep you away from the media, I’d like to keep it that way until it’s official.”
“How have you managed that?” she asked. She sat up again, twisting her body away from mine. “Maybe it’s because I’m not a celebrity superstar with a nose job or a reality TV star that’s famous for nothing.”
“Are you crazy? Who cares that you’re not famous? I don’t. You’re better than any A-lister I could ever think of?” I touched her hand and squeezed it gently.
“People care. They read about it.” She glanced my way again, her eyes widened. “I read about it. Tell me, Evan. Who was better? The Playboy centerfold or last year’s Breakout Star?”
How did this conversation go south? One minute we’re talking about our wedding and the next she’s giving a list of my past...friends. “You want to go there, Maddy?” I tugged on her arm, bringing her to my side again and gathering her into my embrace. “If you get to ask about my past, then I get to ask you about yours. You really want to fill me in on the gory details? Because I’d like to pretend they don’t exist.” I kissed her temple, barely brushing my lips against her skin. “I’d rather move forward than backward.”
She sighed and snuggled closer to me, burrowing her ass against my nuts. “Onward,” she said. “So back to my previous question...how have you stayed out of the media this long?”
It had been a long time since my face was on a cover of a magazine. “I haven’t recorded anything new or made any big deals. I’ve also been off tour for months. I haven’t been partying all over Hollywood or any other big city, so there haven’t been any stories to tell. Plus, there are plenty of teenage heartthrobs or reality TV stars getting pregnant to keep the photographers off my back.”
She sighed audibly. “Thank God.”
“Don’t get too comfortable. Once the news hits that I got married, you’ll get your fair share of frustration. Who knows? After today, the paparazzi are probably tracking you down as we speak.”
This time, she sat up completely, pulling the covers up to her chin. “Is that why you insisted we come here? Because you think my students will tell people we know each other?”
I shrugged. “It’s a possibility. The last time, I only saw a few tweets from one student about my visit. But today, I met over a hundred kids. Sam told me he’s been getting calls to confirm stories that I visited my teacher girlfriend at a junior high in the valley.”
“Oh crap, Evan. I’m sorry.”
Instantly, I sat up and grasped her sweet face in my hands. “Don’t apologize. The kids were just excited and they did what any kid would do, they talked about it on social media. I wouldn’t have gone last time or this time if I were worried about it. I should be the one apologizing. I’m used to this stuff. You’re not.”
Closing her eyes first, she pressed her lips to mine. “We’ll be fine. As long as we’re together, I don’t care what the press says.” She kissed me again. “I just hope I can get a carton of milk without having to see some sleazy underwear model draped across you like a scarf anymore.”
“You don’t have to worry about that, I promise.” I kissed her. “There is one thing though. We need to live here, Maddy. I know you love your parents’ house. I do too. It’s just not very secure.”
“Could we make it more secure?” she asked. “More private?”
“Not really. Anyone off the street could just walk right up to the windows, camp out on your front lawn. Even if we fenced it in, I don’t think we could really keep the media or crazy fans away. We need to have a twenty-four-hour security team. Here, we have that. Would you be willing to move here? Before and after our wedding?”
I knew it didn’t take her long to make up her mind but she hesitated, drawing out the suspense. She scrunched up her nose, and it was cute as hell. “Well, you did get a dining room table, so I guess that’s a yes.”
Grinding my hips against her ass, I groaned into her ear. “What else are you willing to do for me, Maddy?”
She reached around and cupped my ass in her small hand and said, “Oh, honey, you just wait and see.” Turning her head to the side, she nuzzled her face toward mine, peppering my chin with kisses. Her teeth dragged along my jaw making my dick twitch against her backside. Her hand slid slowly down my ass to my thigh where she squeezed firmly. Within seconds, I was completely hard and ready to make sweet slow love to my fiancée.
My fiancée.
I loved saying it. I loved hearing it.
With Maddy’s body still spooned with mine, I took advantage of the position to feast on the length of her neck. My hand traced a path up and down her side, while my mouth devoured her silky soft skin from her collarbone to that sensitive spot behind her earlobe. Soft moans and murmurs escaped from her as my fingertips caressed a path down her belly and into her panties. Removing her palm from my thigh, she reached back and held the back of my head as I continued to nibble on her lobe and my middle finger brushed gently back and forth along the seam of her folds. She was hot. She was wet, and no matter how much I wanted to take this slow, I couldn’t hold back. I slid one finger into her slick passage, feeling her tremble against my hand. She sucked in a breath as she thrust and swiveled her hips, riding my finger as it worked in and out of her. Her head fell back and to the side and I caught her mouth with mine. Maddy’s hand curved behind my neck and she yanked me down closer, plunging her tongue into my mouth and sucking on my tongue. I knew she was close so I didn’t let up. I pounded two fingers inside her as she rocked hard into the palm of my hand. Seconds later, I felt her tighten around me and let go with a loud whimper into my mouth. It was beautiful.
Softly, I kissed her lips, her temple. I tongued down her neck and to her shoulders as she shuddered against me still breathless from her orgasm. “I thought I was supposed to show you,” she said, barely in a whisper.
I nibbled on her shoulder. “Oh you did.”
She shivered once more and then turned around to face me. “I love you,” she said, before pressing her swollen lips against mine. Pushing me onto my back, her body followed mine until she laid on top me, her legs straddling my hips. My erection throbbed against her center, pulsing into her moist panties. Her hands slid down my torso while she dropped kisses on my neck and down my chest, dragging her tongue along the way. My body reacted to her sizzling touch as she rocked her hips against me, making me harder than I thought was possible. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I tried to gather the strength to hold on as she worked her way down my body, lapping at my damp skin until she reached the waistband of my boxer briefs.
“We don’t need these,” she said. She sat back, tucked her fingers into the band and yanked them down. I lifted my hips as she pulled them off, past my thighs until I could kick them off with my feet. Then, she started back at my chest, teasing me with wet kisses around my nipples. Licking me down the center of my abdomen and following the path from the V of my hips down to my dick. When her tongue swept along my length, I sucked in a breath praying that I could hold on longer, but dammit, this woman was killing me with every swipe of her tongue. With every nibble of her teeth. Her delicate soft hands lazily explored my body. It was exquisite.
I watched as Maddy took me into her mouth and then slowly slid her lips down my shaft. I couldn’t think. All I could do was feel the pleasure that she was unleashing on me as she stroked me up and down, following with her tongue and lips. Reaching down, I tugged at the band holding her hair loosely at the nape of
her neck and set her wavy locks free. I threaded my fingers through her hair as she worked me harder and faster. My hands gripped her hair tighter. My mind was in a cloudy daze of passion as I felt her wet mouth on me. I had to stop her. If she continued, I was done.
“That’s it, baby, you gotta stop. That feels too good,” I told her. She sat back on her heels licking her lips as she pulled off her dainty tank freeing her naked breasts. Holy mother of God. She was trying to kill me. Then, she pawed her way up my body until her face was lined up with mine. She kissed me as I reached down, sliding my hands down the back of her panties and palming her sweet ass. I pulled them down as she shimmied out of them. Quickly, I swept her body underneath mine and lay on top of her with my thighs in between hers and her face framed by my forearms. She was absolutely beautiful with her blushing pink cheeks, swollen lips, and desire in her sexy bedroom eyes.
“I love you, Sunshine.”
She gave me a hint of a smile as I eased me way into her. Our eyes stayed focused on one another’s as I slowly slid in and out until we found our rhythm, grinding our hips into each other tenderly and fervently. And then Maddy lifted her head to kiss me. Her lips found mine. I held her and she held me. We continued to make love until we were breathless and we both came, whimpering into each other’s mouths sweet moans of pleasure.
Chapter 11
MADISON
When Genna and Luke got engaged over a year ago, I thought this day would never come. The last four weeks had flown by and my previous reservations about spending thirty days with Evan made me laugh. If only I had let the fear go from the beginning, I wouldn’t have wasted a minute worrying about what the future held.
But of course, he was worth the wait. I know I was wise to work out my fears, allowing him the time to show me he was sincere in his intentions. Giving me the opportunity to trust that he was truly going to stick around. He had left me torn and broken-hearted before. I had to know that he wasn’t the egocentric jerk he had been when he signed that contract years ago.
Now, I was so in love with Evan, I didn’t think I could wait another minute to marry the man. If you had asked a year ago where I’d be today, my answer would have been so different. At that time, I had planned to marry Michael and the thought of a long engagement was such a relief. That had all changed. Michael was long gone and I would always be grateful to him for giving me the chance to explore what was happening between Evan and me. It couldn’t have been easy, but like everyone else that heard Evan’s song that night, he knew it meant something.
Before Evan and I nodded off to sleep the night before, we agreed that our engagement would be a short one. Neither of us had any intention of dragging it out. With a small intimate ceremony, it wouldn’t take long to plan at all. I didn’t care if I wore a tutu, I just wanted to marry the man I had loved all my life. Having spent more time than I cared to apart, I was ready to start our life together as soon as possible. For Evan, that meant me packing my belongings and moving into his house. Or, our house as he called it. I couldn’t help but agree. My parents’ house did not provide the security that someone of Evan’s celebrity granted. If I planned on being a permanent part of his life, I needed to get used everything that entailed. Including gated communities, reporters, and photographers.
He was worth it. All of it.
I could see that maybe I wasn’t as ready for what being married to someone of Evan’s stature would entail, three years before. Though, I would probably never admit it, maybe the time spent apart was actually a good thing for us. We had both changed. We both appreciated each other more after experiencing the loss and grief of separation. I was ready. Completely ready for our new future to begin.
At the hotel suite, Genna stepped out of her bedroom wearing her gown. Her sisters gasped and I was speechless. She was absolutely beautiful, like the cover of a bridal magazine. Flawless and glowing, she was the portrait of a blushing bride.
“You look amazing,” I said, finally breaking the silence.
Her mother looked on, her hands clasped under her chin.
“Thanks, Mads,” she said. “Are you ladies ready to do this shit or what?” She pumped her bouquet in the air like a rock star holding a microphone. “Let’s go. I wouldn’t want Luke to think I got cold feet. Can’t keep the man waiting.”
She was right. It had taken longer than anticipated for the stylists to complete our makeup and hair. I would have preferred to do it myself, but Genna thought it would be fun to get pampered. Unfortunately, it put us thirty minutes behind schedule.
When we arrived at the church, Genna and I stayed in the bridal room waiting for her dad to let us know when they were ready for us. Her sisters were already lined up in the hallway with their husbands, with their four kids just behind them as the flower girls and ring bearers.
“I’m so excited, Maddy.” She squeezed my arms in her clammy hands. “Thank you for being my maid-of-honor. You’ve been my best friend forever and I can’t imagine it being anyone else.” She hugged me tight before pulling away just as quickly. “I can’t wait for you and Evan to get hitched. He better hurry up and pop the question.”
My heart stopped and my face must have told all.
“He asked, didn’t he?” She squealed with delight. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“We didn’t want to mention anything until after the wedding. This is your big day. Not ours.”
Genna hugged me again, this time a sniffle filled the room. “Oh my God. This news made my day even better. I won’t tell a soul. I’m so happy for you both.”
“Well, thank you, Gen. For everything. Without your little plan, we might not have had the opportunity to get as close as we have.”
She rolled her eyes, waving me off with a smirk spreading across her face. Just as her dad walked in, she told me, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
EVAN
I had to remind myself to breathe as my sunshine walked up the aisle of the church. All eyes were turned toward her and whispers could be heard. Surely, people were saying she looked absolutely gorgeous in her deep purple dress. It almost looked black, it was so elegant. By the time she reached the steps leading up to the alter, I swear I was five steps away from needing CPR.
Thoughts of the night before had me thinking about our own wedding. Luke leaned closer to me and elbowed my arm. “Soon enough,” he said with a smile. I didn’t plan on telling him. Maddy and I had decided to keep it to ourselves, but somehow he knew. I wasn’t going to lie to the guy.
Seconds later, the music changed and the guests stood. It had always been my favorite part of a wedding, seeing the bride walk down the aisle on the arm of her father. It must have been thrilling and heartbreaking at the same time to give your baby away. But Genna’s dad had nothing to worry about. Even though she dated Luke for years, she would always be a daddy’s girl. Had been since we met in high school.
Glancing at my friend, I could see the tears well in his eyes and I wondered if I would cry on my wedding day, too. Probably so. Hell, just watching Maddy earlier had me choked up.
The ceremony continued like any traditional wedding. The couple said their vows, they exchanged rings, and then they were pronounced husband and wife. As guests cheered, whistled, and clapped, Luke kissed his bride for the first time.
With prompting from the minister, the guests stood again as the newlyweds made their way down the aisle. It was perfect.
Offering my hand to Maddy, I said, “Shall we?”
* * * * *
After an endless amount of photos, we finally made our way out of the church.
“Wow, that sucked. My cheeks hurt,” Maddy said, sliding her hand into mine. “I can’t imagine dealing with getting my picture taken all the time. I don’t know how you do it.”
It’s not something I’d ever get used to, but it came with the territory. I just hoped it would become less of a problem with my new venture. “I don’t always smile.”
She chuckled at my response. �
��Oh yeah, the sexy dreamy eyes. Those come so naturally to you I bet you don’t even know you’re doing it.”
It was my turn to laugh now. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know. And it makes it even sexier.” She pulled on my tie, yanking me down for a kiss.
Sexy, dreamy eyes? Yeah, she had those too.
On the way to the reception, Maddy sat with her hand tucked in mine. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. When I finally looked away, I noticed Luke was having the same problem with his new wife. Seeing the two of them so happy made me grateful to be part of it, even if they did trick me into being the best man.
“Hey, Evan,” Matthew called out to me from the other side of the limo. “How in the hell did you manage to get the media to stay away? I thought the wedding would be crawling with photographers.”
While they seemed to be less interested in me recently, I knew it was a possibility so I had Sam working on a decoy. “My manager leaked a few pictures of me getting off a plane in London.” Matthew and everyone else looked confused. “The power of Photoshop. It’s a picture from a few years ago. All they did was change the time stamp and the color of my clothes. Right now, I’d guess someone spotted me visiting Hyde Park.”
“That’s genius,” Matthew replied. The others nodded in agreement.
“Well, I didn’t want to take any chances.”
Chapter 12
MADISON
The ride to the hotel was full of laughter, impromptu toasts, and smiles. We were all on cloud nine and the day was just getting started. The reception would continue with dinner, the traditional wedding routines, and lots of dancing. It was essentially an adult prom, nothing different than we what did in high school. The only difference was that we didn’t have to sneak off at the end of the night and try to find a place to make out. Evan and I had a home of our own to enjoy, no sneaking needed.
As we slid out of the limousine, Evan bent down and whispered in my ear, “I’ll see you in a minute.”
Without You Page 12
