by Milly Taiden
He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll have it repaired later. Right now, we’ve got your appointment to make.”
“You still want to go?” she asked in shock.
“Yes. Nothing is going to mess up your day. I won’t let it.”
Inside the venue, he watched her stare at multiple table setups with the same colors: burgundy and gold. He’d heard about the Valentine’s Day Ball that had pushed Nina and Max together, and it made sense they’d use the same colors in their wedding decorations.
The tables were covered in a burgundy cloth with a gold lace overlay. Multiple shades of red roses filled a tall, thin crystal vase. Red votive candles surrounded the silver vase. Small crystal strings fell from the upper edge of the vase in loops, and tiny photo frames hung from the crystal strings, displaying casual photos of Nina and Max.
He had to admit: he was impressed. There were no rose petals on the tables, just burgundy china and silverware that he could see his reflection on. On each plate was a gold-trimmed burgundy napkin, folded in a way that showed off the burgundy-edged gold menu for the event.
“This is great.” Lucky grinned. Her consultant at the venue had left them alone so she could take notes and decide if anything needed changing. “What do you think?”
He glanced up and found her watching him expectantly. “Do you really want to know, or are you just asking to be polite?”
She snorted. “I’m a professional event planner. I don’t ask to be polite. I either want your opinion or I don’t. If I don’t, I won’t ask. So what do you think?”
It was stupid how happy her words made him. No woman had ever truly asked his opinion before. Usually they were too busy giving him theirs. This was good. His future wife and mother of his children was already showing that they could work together. “I think this looks fantastic. Who picked this style setup?”
Her smile was filled with delight. “I did. Nina pretty much just said she wanted those colors and roses, but she left the entire setup to me.”
Nodding as he walked around table, he stopped beside her. “You did a great job. The whole thing looks amazing. Choosing multiple shades of red for the flowers makes them stand out more than using just one particular color…and”—he pulled the red silk panties she’d left behind on the yacht out of his pocket—“I’m particularly fond of this shade.”
Her gaze drifted to the lace in his hands. “Are you out of your mind?” She glanced at the entrance. “Put that away!”
He chuckled and shoved them back in his pocket.
She frowned. “I will ignore your showing of my panties. But as far as the colors for this wedding go, I think I may have to revise the opinion of you not being Martha Stewart.”
He loved the way she scrunched her nose whenever she didn’t understand something, or when he didn’t seem to fit whatever category she had put him into. “I still have to prove I can cook.”
“That’s true, you do.” She had that same sparkle in her eyes, and he couldn’t stop himself from closing the distance between them. “What are you doing?”
Her voice sounded breathless and excited when he grabbed her waist over the pretty blue sundress and pulled her flush against his body, lining up his erection with her belly. He filled his hands with her curves and kissed her before she could utter another word.
The notepad and pen she had in her hands slapped his back the moment she curled her arms around his neck. She moaned. It was a soft little sound that tortured his already throbbing cock. Fuck. Would he ever grow tired of this? No. Never. The answer came so fast he knew it to be sure and true. His need for her grew with every second. With every breath. How could he ever grow tired? The very idea sounded stupid. Besides, once he got her pregnant, they’d the family he’d never realized he’d wanted until her. He couldn’t wait to see when they got there. He wanted Lucky having his babies, of that he was absolutely sure.
“Have you—oops!”
Lucky tore away from Jared and glanced at the woman who’d shown up to assist them. “I can come back,” the woman said with an understanding smile. “Couples always get kind of frisky when they realize it’s so close to their big day.”
Lucky’s face turned beet red. “We’re not—this isn’t—”
Feeling bad that she was so embarrassed, he decided to help her out. “What she means to say is that we’re always frisky. It’s not just because of the wedding.”
The woman’s smile widened and she chuckled.
Lucky turned to him with a look of pure disbelief. He grinned and blew her a kiss. Hanging out with her was turning out to be a lot more fun than he’d expected.
“Everything is perfect as it is set up.” She cleared her throat and made notes on her pad.
They left the venue and Lucky still appeared embarrassed to have been caught making out with him. Granted, he was doing a major amount of groping her ass, but still, he didn’t see what the big deal was. She was hot, and he’d wanted to touch her.
“Are you hungry?”
She glanced down at her schedule. “We do have an hour before my next appointment.”
“Perfect. Let’s go to this awesome restaurant I know.”
“Okay, but we can’t have dessert.”
“Why not?”
“We’re tasting cake next.”
“Will there be ice cream?”
She laughed. “I’m not sure. I don’t think Nina requested ice cream as part of her wedding cake design.” Her laughter bounced inside the car, filling his chest with joy. “But don’t worry, if they don’t have any, we’ll get some.”
“You have a deal.”
They went to a nice little Italian restaurant in the downtown area of Little Italy. She sipped red wine while looking over the menu.
“What are you having?” he asked after a few minutes.
“Honestly? I want a little bit of everything.” She groaned. “It all looks so delicious.”
The face she made, almost as if it were a crime to want to eat, made him laugh. “Have whatever you want. I will, too.”
They placed their orders, and she smiled at him.
“Yeah, you can order whatever you want. I’m the one who has to fit into a gold dress that’s already a little too tight.”
He slid his gaze down to her chest, where her breasts were peeking from the neckline of her dress. “Stop that. You’re beautiful just the way you are.”
“Um, okay.” She shrugged.
“You don’t think so?”
“I didn’t say that.” She laughed. “I’ve never felt ugly or shy about my curves. I fully believe I look great, even with the extra padding I have, but I’m no supermodel.”
He frowned. “Who wants a supermodel?” His ex-fiancée had been a model. A bitchy, whiny model who only wanted to eat lettuce, talk bad about her supposed friends, and who ended up being a criminal. Not to mention she’d never turned him on the way Lucky did.
She rolled her eyes and snorted. “Most men.”
“That’s not true. I only want one woman.”
He watched her lick her lips. Her hand shook slightly when she picked up her wine glass and took a gulp of her wine. “You’re good, Jared.”
“I’m not trying to be good. Fuck, if it were up to me I’d be real fucking bad right now. You on this table, spread open for me to eat sounds like a dream. I’m just being honest.”
Before she got a chance to say anything, the waiter showed up with a warm bread basket and a shallow dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix. “What was my guest talking about when he mentioned the McKinley-James wedding?”
Panic flared in her eyes. “I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
She was lying. He could tell by the tremble in her voice and the way she glanced away from him. The question was, why was she lying? They were too far into things for that. She needed to be real with him. There was no room for lies between them. Not when he wanted forever with her.
“Tell me. Were you taking care of that event
?” Draining her glass of her wine, she nodded and turned green. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just really would prefer not to talk about it.”
“It’s not healthy to hold things in.”
Her gaze jerked up to meet his. “Oh? Since you feel that way, I heard you had been engaged before.”
Surprise knocked his breath out. He didn’t want to rehash his past with his ex. Her telling him about her problems was different. His experience had been life-altering.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” He winced at how harsh the words came out, but he really didn’t want to mess up the mood by remembering the way his last relationship had ended.
“Hey, I understand. I’m not gonna force you.” She nodded when the waiter offered to fill her wine glass and then lifted it in his direction. “Let’s drink to the here and now?”
Although he would drink to anything she wanted, he really wanted it to be to something special between them. Not to ignore their past.
He raised his wine glass in a toast and studied her beautiful eyes. “To you.”
“Me?”
“So far, what you considered a torturous day has been nothing more than some pleasant time getting to know you better.”
She dropped her gaze and sipped from the glass, her throat working as she swallowed, beckoning him to touch.
“You’re a dangerous man.” A small, humorless smile flirted over her lips.
“Why do you say that?” He didn’t think he was. He just knew what he wanted and that was easy. He wanted her. Only her.
Their meal was brought out, and she waited for the waiter to depart before replying. “Because you’re saying things that sound charming so effortlessly. It must be second nature, huh?”
He frowned and watched her cut a piece of fish, her facial lines drawn tightly. Did she think he was humoring her? Her disbelief came as a surprise. He’d never been questioned on his honesty. It was strange. He didn’t like the feeling swimming around inside him, pushing him to ensure she believed him. He didn’t need to lie. Not in his past and most definitely not now to the one woman he was interested in being honest with.
Soft, warm skin caressed his palm when he placed his hand over hers. She placed the knife down and met his gaze.
“I’m not a liar. I don’t say things just to say them. I mean every word that comes out of my mouth.” He contemplated her eyes. There was insecurity and what appeared to be distress filling their depths. His instinct told him to reassure her, to make her see him, but another part rebelled.
If she didn’t believe what he said now, she never would. Instinct won over pride. “You’re much more than interesting. Yes, you’re hot, but your beauty or sexiness isn’t what’s making me seek more time with you—it’s the woman I see beneath. You’re strong, persistent, independent, and a fighter. Those make you beyond sexy in my book. They make you special.”
8
Lucky struggled to swallow the mouthful of fish. She was too worked up to pay much attention to the delightful flavors of the seasonings used to create the palate-loving masterpiece. At any other time she’d be moaning in pleasure over the meal, but right now she was awestruck over Jared’s words. After taking a sip of wine, she decided to move the conversation to a lighter topic.
“So you have two sisters?”
His swift grin left her breathless. It brought an instant change to his features. He went from looking dark and brooding and sexy as hell to flirtatious-playboy gorgeous. “I do. They’re older and think they can solve all the problems in my life.”
“Ah. Well, you can’t blame them for trying.” She knew she’d done it enough times with poor Kay. “Older sisters care and don’t like seeing the younger sibling make mistakes.”
He chuckled. “I’m guessing you’re the older one?”
She flushed and grinned. “I am. But it’s true, you know. I love Kay and would hate to see her make the same mistakes I’ve made. Even though she’s a grown woman and makes her own decisions in life, it’s tough to sit around and watch someone hurt a family member you love.”
His smile slid off his lips. “Yes, that’s what my sisters have said to me before.”
She frowned at the sad look on his face, wondering what her words had reminded him of. “What about your parents? What do they do?”
Almost as if he’d been pulled back to the present by her question, he started cutting up his food and taking bites. “My mother is, as she has termed herself, a ‘trophy wife.’”
Choking over her food, she drank water and stared at him. “A trophy wife? How old is she?”
He laughed. “About fifteen years younger than my father, but she refuses to age, and so she has told everyone she’s his trophy wife because, according to her, she is too good-looking and young to be anything else.”
She grinned. “What about your father?”
“He was my partner at the security company for a long time, but he retired last year to take his trophy wife traveling the world while she’s still young enough to be considered one.”
Giggling over his words, she finished her meal. “So wait, you have a security company? I thought you were a professional poker player.”
She waited for him to answer while the waiter cleared the table.
“I started playing back in college, just for fun. Everyone told me I would never get the game because I was always trying to figure out the other person’s angle.”
She lifted her brows. “Card counting?”
He grinned. “I didn’t mean to. It was just natural to me. I have an eidetic memory, and I’m good with detail. So the more I played the game, the better I got.”
“Wow.” Stunned, she could do nothing but gape.
“It’s not that big of a deal. People do it all the time.”
“Smart people do.”
He shrugged. The waiter brought them dessert menus. She glanced down and smiled at the first item she saw.
“We’ll have the tartuffo.”
When her gaze met his, his eyes were twinkling with delight. “Ice cream?”
She chuckled, handed the menu back to the waiter, and grinned. “I did promise you ice cream and cake. I didn’t say you’d get them at the same time, though.”
* * *
“Where to next?”
The sexy rasp in his voice pulled her out of her daydreams and made her glance at his profile while he stared at the road. He was sexy all right. But now that they’d talked and she’d seen him joke and laugh, he was even sexier to her.
There was still that hardness about him, which made her wonder what had happened to him. Or, maybe more to the point, who had happened to him. Experience had made her wary, and it probably brought out the hard side she saw at times in Jared. When he wasn’t being careful, she saw the real man having fun, relaxing. She liked him way more than she should.
“The cake tasting is next.”
Once she’d given him directions, she alternated between watching where they were going and peeking at his profile. He ran a hand through his short blond locks and managed to give himself an even sexier rolled-out-of-bed look. Her heart did somersaults.
Zooming in on his mouth, she was once again lost in sensual fantasies, remembering all the things he did to her. Her pussy throbbed; she wanted to tell him to stop the car and have his way with her. She’d lick her way all over his tattoo and dig her nails into his ass, pulling him deeper with each of his thrusts while they fucked. Her breathing quickened.
“Lucky?”
She snapped her head sideways, almost getting whiplash in the process, and glanced at him. They’d stopped, and he was watching her with an inordinate amount of fiery passion in his gaze.
“We’re here.”
Unsnapping her seatbelt, she was ready to bolt out the door when he stopped her.
“Wait, I’ll get you.”
He’d been such a gentleman, opening and shutting doors for her all day, holding her hand and even going as far as he had now,
telling her to wait so he could help her out of the low-sitting car. They were parked in the back lot of the bakery.
The door released quietly. He held her hand and anchored her so she could get out of the vehicle. Oppressive heat stroked her skin the moment she stepped out. A well-known cake designer met them at the entrance to her shop.
They were led into a private room with a table for two. Forest-green linens covered the table, and a centerpiece of mixed flowers sat in the center.
“If you’d like to have a seat, I’ll bring out the samples shortly.”
Their host left them alone in the room. Lucky dropped her notepad on the table and made notes on the cake shop. After a moment of silence, she peeked up when warmth made her skin heat. Jared was watching her intently.
“I’m sorry. This must be so boring for you.”
He shook his head, curled his hand over hers across the table, and squeezed. “I’ve had a nice time.”
She gulped. His dark gaze had dropped down to her mouth. In an involuntary move, she licked her lips. Flutters swarmed in her stomach the moment he groaned.
“Baby, you’re making it damn hard to be a gentleman.”
Her mind went completely blank. She shouldn’t speak. They were in a private place running wedding plan errands. But all she could think of was seeing the flare of lust in his eyes grow brighter.
“Maybe I don’t want you to be a gentleman right now.”
It took all of a blink, and he was leaning over the table cupping her face and kissing her. His chair fell back, hitting the carpeted floor with a soft thud. She raked her nails through his short hair, gripping the strands and meshing her face with his, their lips locked tightly, fusing their mouths together in a wild display of carnal passion.
Electricity shot through her veins to her pussy and up to her nipples. She moaned with each stroke of his tongue over hers. He cupped her jaw, ran circles over her chin with his thumb, and sucked on her bottom lip, nipping her lightly. Her pussy ached, begging to be filled.
“Ahem…” A throat was cleared.
She jerked her lids open and shuddered when he gave her a full-on possessive “I’m going to take you home and place my stamp all over your body” look from his dark eyes.
