by Velvet Reed
With several Cosmos under their belts, the girls are all out on the dance floor. It’s great to see Gracie out there laughing and having fun, her recovery is pretty much complete. With Cooper and Ruby being cared for by Julie, the nurse from the NICU, she’s free to enjoy the night. But it’s not Gracie that has me captivated. It’s the gorgeous blonde beside her, in a tight blue dress and killer heels that accentuate her legs, who has me enthralled.
“You’ve got it bad,” Cole mocks beside me.
I take another gulp of my beer and ignore his comment. “You finally extracted yourself from the masses, I see.” He’s been corralled this way and that all night by John and Olivia’s friends and hospital people.
“For the moment at least.” He laughs. “I wouldn’t mind getting a few minutes with my future wife, but she seems to be having too much fun to interrupt her.” I glance at him on the bar stool beside me, with his sights firmly set on Gracie. I guess that’s what love looks like. “In less than two months we’re going to be sitting on a beautiful Hawaiian beach, drinking, relaxing and that woman is going to have my name.” He turns and looks straight at me. “Knowing that’s one of the best feelings in the whole damn world.”
“She’s one in a million, that’s for sure. You’re a lucky man, Cole.”
He eyes me for a moment and pulls me in for a hug. Looks like Cole’s feeling a little emotional.
“So are you, Sam,” he says, pulling back. “So are you. I just hope you realize that.” He stands, grabs one of the fresh beers off the bar that Tone just served us, pats me on the shoulder and walks away.
I ponder his comment for a few minutes as I watch Ashley, but try not to let my thoughts wander into the uncomfortable, confusing zone. Deciding I need a distraction, I follow Cole’s lead and head off to mingle with the crowd.
It’s later in the evening when way too much alcohol has been consumed that I’m surrounded by Cole, Charlie, Tanner and Brad from the garage and a few other guys. Charlie and Tanner, who I’m undecided if I like or not after he danced with Ash a few months ago, are sharing stories about Gracie and Ash as young girls and the things they got up to are ridiculous in their hilarity. We’re laughing hard about a particular learning to drive incident when there’s a commotion at the door of the club.
All eyes are on the two police officers looming large at the entrance, their eyes probing the room as if searching for someone. “What the hell?” Cole and Charlie say at the same time, but it’s Cole who makes a move towards the officers.
John and Bryan get to them first. “Is there a problem, officers?” John asks in his commanding voice, which can be heard through the entire bar now that the music has been cut and everyone is silent.
“Yes, sir. It seems we have a major problem,” one cop says, but doesn’t elaborate further. Thinking back over everything that has happened over the last five months, unease settles within me. Could this have something to do with Troy? I thought everything had been dealt with in regards to that. Charlie and I both move closer, as Cole reaches the group.
“Well, can you tell us what it is? This is a private celebration and we’d like to get back to it,” Cole snaps impatiently. I can see his tolerance of the police has worn thin after all their dealings with them and now that they’ve shown up here tonight, he’s had enough.
John puts a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Just stay calm, Cole. I’m sure whatever it is can be sorted out quickly so we can get back to the party.” He turns back to the two officers and repeats his question. “How can we help you?”
With another look through the crowd the tallest cop says. “We’re looking for a Miss Grace Rivers.”
A few gasps resonate through the room but it's Cole’s booming voice that echoes off the walls. “What the hell for?” he bellows. Damn! This isn’t good.
Gracie makes her way through the throng of people with Ashley by her side. Together with their Bride to Be and Maid of Honor sashes draped across their bodies, as well as Gracie’s party veil, they make one hell of a sight.
“I’m Grace Rivers,” she announces tentatively, while Ashley stands beside her with a look in her eye that tells me she’ll lose her shit if things take a turn for the worse.
The officers move in unison and are in front of the girls in seconds. “Miss. Rivers. I’m afraid you’ll have to come with us. You’re under arrest.” One officer takes her by the arm and Ashley lunges for him and is spewing venom. The second officer then takes hold of Ash and says, “You‘re coming too, Miss.”
Cole’s running for them and the moment I see the cop’s filthy hands on Ashley, I’m charging across the room, too. I see Charlie and Bryan in my peripheral vision, but then April’s in Cole’s path, blocking him. “Move, April!” he screams at her, but she’s got both hands on his chest pushing him back and telling him to stop.
The cops are moving the girls further into the room. They sit them down on two chairs in the middle of the dance floor. I stop in my tracks the moment music starts to play and the cops start clapping their hands above their heads. Cole gazes past April in confusion, his eyes locked on Gracie, while everyone else is once again stunned into silence.
Gracie and Ashley are staring up at the cops in bewilderment as they stand facing them, still clapping, and then they start jerking their hips to the side. A few distinctly feminine squeals ring out and then realization dawns when the lyrics of ‘Hot Stuff’ fill the room. I look to April and she’s laughing her head off, while Cole silently fumes beside her. The little brat organized two damn strippers for Gracie. Cole’s going to kill her… If I don’t get to her first, that is.
Within seconds it seems like every single female in the room, whether in their twenties or their fifties, has made their way to the dance floor and formed a circle around the spectacle taking place. Unbelievably, Olivia is front and center with April and Allison by her side, shrieking and hollering at the strippers who are now shirtless to “Take it off.”
I look to John, knowing that he’ll put a stop to this shit, only to find him laughing and shaking his head at the display. Bryan, too, seems unaffected by the situation, but then again why would he be? He doesn’t have a woman out there making a fool of herself. I give myself a mental slap for that thought because it was heartless, but when I see the cop shaking his junk in Ashley’s face, I see red.
The song changes to ‘Single Ladies’ and the assholes seem to step up their game. Gracie’s blushing furiously, while Ashley’s laughing her head off. Is she seriously enjoying this shit? A few dance moves away from the girls and their pants get ripped off leaving them in black leather thongs, and the women scream. They’re gay! They have to be. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but what guy wears shit like that?
As the minutes go by, the more I watch the crazier I feel, and the more my blood boils. Most of what they’re doing seems choreographed, but every so often they each do their own thing. Maybe it’s because Gracie is the bride and the guy knows her fiancée is here, but her guy seems a lot tamer then the one dancing for Ashley. He moves in close again, his junk in her face once more, then he reaches down and grabs her hands. Before I can even blink, he guides them around and places them on his ass. I’m going to lose it.
Taking a step forward, I’m pulled back by Charlie. “They’re just having fun, Sam.” Fun? He thinks this shit is fun? That’s not his woman out there feeling up some asshat stripper.
“We didn’t organize a stripper for Cole out of respect for Gracie. This is completely inappropriate,” I seethe through clench teeth.
Charlie shakes his head at me. “It’s innocent, man. It’s not like Ash’s going to go home with one of them. You need to relax.”
That’s true enough I guess. They’re a couple of dumb strippers. Hardly what you would call boyfriend material. The song changes again and ‘You Shook Me All Night Long’ begins to play. I take a deep breath to compose myself and it works for a second until a few women move and I have a clear view of Ashley. She’s lying on t
he floor with the asshole hovering above her.
I take another deep breath, but when he lowers himself and their bodies come in contact, I’m done. Fun or not, he’s gone too far. Charlie calls my name, but my strides eat up the distance between me and my woman.
The asshole is doing pushups over her, and when he lowers again I grab his arm and yank it up. “Hey!” he hisses and gets to his feet.
Holding out my hand towards a stunned Ashley, she takes it and stands beside me. “Touch her again and you’ll be sorry,” I threaten the guy and he actually has the balls to hold up his hands in surrender and smirk at me.
“Sam, it was harmless,” Ash says, squeezing my hand.
Consumed with jealousy, an extremely rare emotion for me, I feel a desperate and intense need to lay claim to her. In front of everyone and while the two guys finish their routine solely focused on Gracie, I step to Ashley, take each side of her face in my hands and kiss the hell out of her.
Completely lacking finesse, I devour her lips. A startled moan gets lost in my mouth as my tongue probes hers with determination. Maybe I’m being too forceful. Maybe I’m being too rough. But she’s mine, goddamn it, and I want every single guy here to know that. Including the ‘Magic Mike’ wannabes.
The sweetness of her mouth, combined with the lingering flavors of the Cosmos she’s been drinking all night, have me frenzied. I can’t get enough of her. With her hands applying pressure at my nape, pulling me closer and demanding more, I give it. I think I would give her everything.
Cheering and clapping break through, but I don’t pull away immediately. I slow the kiss right down, taking soft drugging samples of Ashley’s lips until I stop with one final touch. She’s looking up at me, flushed and bemused. “Wow,” she murmurs, and before I can say anything Olivia’s at our side.
“I think everyone got the message,” she chortles. Ashley and I wait for her to continue. “You stole the show with that steamy little embrace and left no doubt in anyone’s mind that you two are together.” Mission accomplished then.
“I’m actually surprised that Cole didn’t stop those fine young men, but then again, Gracie’s officer wasn’t nearly as hands on as your guy, Ashley.” I growl and Olivia just winks at me. “Oh relax, Sam, honey. She’s all yours.” And with that she turns and heads in John’s direction.
“I think it’s about time I get you home, Ms. Brookes, before you get me into any trouble,” I say, my voice low and my eyes narrow slightly in mock annoyance as I stare down at her.
Placing her hand on her chest, she flutters those eyelashes. “Me?” she mocks belligerently. “I wasn’t the one who had an attack of the green eyed monster, Dr. Evans.”
The corner of my mouth lifts into a small smirk because I know it’s true. I was insanely jealous. “Yeah, well. I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t like to share and I don’t like people putting their hands on what belongs to me.”
“Well, that makes two of us then. I have no plans of sharing what’s mine, either, and you, Dr. Sam Evans, are mine,” she declares fiercely.
My heart does a flip and my chest tightens. I just smile down at her and kiss her forehead. “Let’s get one more drink and get out of here. After thinking the police were really here to arrest Gracie, and then watching that all unfold, I think I’ve had enough excitement for one night.”
It takes a second for her to respond because there’s a look on her face that she quickly masks. “Oh God, I know. I’m pretty sure April organized the strippers. She deserves a kick up the ass for getting police officers after everything Gracie’s been through. I mean, there were so many other choices. Construction workers, military men... So many possibilities.”
I’m sure she’s just said that to push my buttons, so I can’t help being a smartass back. “I think you may have liked that guy rubbing up on you more than you’re letting on, Beautiful. If you hurry, you might be able to catch him before he leaves.”
She slaps my arm playfully. “The only guy I want rubbing on me is you, Sam. And I expect a little of that action when we get back to your place.”
Oh yeah! I’m up for that. Her desire shines brightly in her eyes, but I take a chance to tease her more. “Just a little action?” I raise my eyebrows in question.
Ashley snorts. “Definitely more than a little, and now that I think about it, a striptease by a doctor has major possibilities. I think that’s something we should explore.”
I wrap my hand around her waist and drag her towards the bar. The quicker we get this drink, the quicker we can leave. Taking off my clothes for this woman is something I don’t have a problem with at all.
The Sunday morning after the bachelor and bachelorette night, Olivia, April, Allison and I are sitting in an exclusive bridal boutique sipping mimosas and waiting for Gracie to showcase dress number three. While the first two are lovely, they just aren’t Gracie.
The date has been set for the end of July. The resort, flights and chapel are booked and every other little detail is being handled. Since we’re already halfway through June and the wedding is only six weeks away, Gracie’s dress has become the number one priority.
“I still can’t believe you organized police officers as strippers, April. After everything Gracie and Cole have been through, I thought he was going to rip them apart when they said she was under arrest,” Allison says.
“Yeah, you could have at least warned us about your plans. Sam had told me the night before that he and Charlie didn’t organize one for Cole because they thought it was inappropriate and then those two guys show up,” I add.
“Pfft.” April rolls her eyes and takes another sip. “Where’s the fun in that? The guys were harmless.”
I shake my head while Allison giggles. “Sam certainly didn’t think they were harmless,” Olivia comments. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that boy as riled up as he was when he pulled that yummy young man off you.” She looks pointedly at me. “Even Cole took it better than he did.”
That’s definitely true. I loved Sam’s possessive little display. It made me wonder if maybe, just maybe, his feelings for me are a lot deeper than he lets on or is willing to admit. He certainly put considerable effort into possessing every single inch of my body over and over again when we got back to his apartment. No one was more stunned than me when we finally got out of bed after midday yesterday, only to return again for a repeat performance last night. To say I’m relieved he had to work today might be an understatement.
“I’m in complete agreement with Mom on this one. The guy has it bad and he doesn’t even realize it. Personally, I never thought I’d see the day when Sam was utterly smitten with one woman,” April interjects and I flush with pleasure. If the two most prominent women in Sam’s life share that opinion, then maybe they’re right.
I don’t get a chance to find out what else they think because Gracie comes walking out from the changing room and, oh my God, my best friend takes my breath away. She has the biggest and brightest smile on her face and stands tall, confident and downright stunning in this dress.
“Oh Grace!” Olivia exclaims and covers her mouth with one hand, as her eyes brim with tears. “It’s exquisite. You look…” she shakes her head in wonder. “You’re a vision.”
V-necked and showing a respectable amount of cleavage, the sleeveless champagne vintage style suits her perfectly. The whole dress is lace with gorgeous rose patterns all over it and within each rose there’s sparkling crystals that catch the light and give the impression that the dress is twinkling. It’s fitted to the waist where a simple silk ribbon is tied, its tails sitting neatly on the full skirt. It’s the epitome of feminine beauty. It’s Gracie.
The others gush over Gracie and the dress while I stand here speechless. My best friend, my sister, is really getting married and finally getting the happily-ever-after she so greatly deserves. I can’t help but wish that her mom, Maggie, was here to see what a beautiful and amazing woman Gracie’s become, and I gather from things Gracie has
said that she’s really feeling her absence at the moment as the wedding is getting closer.
“Well?” Gracie questions. She’s looking at me expectantly and with trepidation in her eyes. When I don’t answer, her smile falters ever so slightly. “You don’t like it,” she murmurs softly, and that has me rushing to her.
“No. No it’s not that!” I exclaim, taking her hands in mine. “It’s perfect. It’s beyond perfect.” Tears escape from my eyes, and I have to suck in a breath. Gracie and I have been through everything together. We’ve been at each other’s side since kindergarten. She’s the one person I really can’t live without.
“Ash, what?” She’s crying now, too, and I feel like an idiot for making that happen.
“It’s really happening, you know,” I blubber. “Your prince came and he’s going to carry you off into the sunset, just like we used to tell your momma when we were little girls. She’d be so proud of you, Gracie… So proud and so happy.” I’m a complete mess.
Small cries and sniffles can be heard throughout the room and then Gracie’s pulling me into a tight hug. “I wish she was here,” she cries softly.
“Me too, Gracie. Me too. She’s watching over you, though, and I know without a doubt she would think this is the dress her princess should start her new life in.”
Gracie nods her head against my shoulder and lets out a half sob, half laugh. “It’s pretty spectacular, isn’t it? I don’t think I could have imagined a dress this amazing if I’d tried.”
We let each other go and wipe the tears from our faces. Glancing around, I find the other girls, including the two sales assistants, clutching tissues and wiping their eyes. “Look what I did.” I giggle and everyone follows suit. With the mood now lightened and the dress that Gracie will wear when she becomes Mrs. Cole Tierney chosen, fresh rounds of mimosas are handed out.
“To my new daughter, Gracie, and her breathtaking dress,” Olivia declares as she raises her champagne flute in toast.
