by Kelly Moore
Turning off the shower, I dry off, throw the towel on the floor, and crawl in naked next to Clem. I kiss her shoulder slowly, moving down her body. She stirs and rolls to her back.
“Boone,” she whispers.
“Shhh. Let me take care of you,” I say, moving between her legs. I lick and suck her into my mouth, and she groans. I press firmer into her, tasting what’s mine. The thought of ever losing her kills me. I continue to lap her up until she makes that little noise I love right before she lets go. Her fingers tug at my hair as she pulses around my tongue.
“Boone,” she cries. “I need you.” She raises her head to look at me.
My cock is harder than it’s ever been. Moving up her body, I let her get a taste of her sweetness when I consume her mouth. Her hands are wrapped around my dick, guiding me inside her.
The movement is too smooth; I want more. I pull out, then slam inside her. Her head falls back, and she gasps. I do it again, and she braces one hand on the headboard.
“Is it too much?” I ask, hoping like hell she says no.
“Do it again,” she says, smiling.
I thrust and thrust again as hard as I can. I’m overcome with a need so deep for her. I don’t know whether it’s the fear of losing her or the fear of losing myself. Either way, I don’t stop until we’re screaming each other’s names together.
I roll off her with my chest heaving. Hers is doing the same. Once she calms down, she rolls to her side, placing her head in the middle of my chest, and dropping a leg over both of mine.
“You okay?” she asks, with her fingers drawing a pattern over my abs.
“I am now,” I say when I finally answer her.
“Did something happen?”
“Nothing for you to worry about. I just needed to feel you against me.”
She lifts her head, placing her chin on my chest. “Did Daddy want you to kill Watkins?”
“Yes.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him I wouldn’t do it.”
“Was he angry?”
“At first, then he calmed down.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For keeping your promise.” She climbs on top of me. “And for the amazing sex.”
“What, no dirty talk from you?”
“Not tonight.” She strokes me, making me hard again. She guides me in again and rides me until she’s had her fill.
Chapter Twenty Two
Ellie
Fourth of July
* * *
“Damn, Ellie. you look beautiful.”
“Bear, what are you doing in here? You’re not supposed to see the bride before the wedding.” I glare at him in the oval standing mirror.
“It’s the groom that’s not supposed to see you, not your brother,” Clem snorts as she fluffs out the lace around my thigh-length gown.
“What are you doing in here? Aren’t you supposed to be helping Ian?” I glance over my shoulder.
“Missy made you a necklace. She wants you to wear it, but she didn’t think it was purdy enough.” He holds it up.
It’s got tiny blue beads weaved on a brown frayed cord. “She made this?” I take it out of his hand.
“Yes.”
“Something blue. Will you put it on me?” I give it back to him and lift my auburn curls out of the way. “You tell her I love it.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m such a terrible sister. I forgot all about something borrowed, new, and blue.” Clem’s in a tailspin.
I grab her wrist. “Ian bought me this beautiful bracelet, so I have something new.” The silver bracelet as two hearts dangling from it. “See, one has his initial on it, the other is mine.” Clem inspects them closely.
“He’s so darn sweet.”
“I have something you can borrow,” Jane says shyly.
She looks stunning in her off-the-shoulder light pearly pink dress and cowgirl boots. She digs in her purse and pulls out something. “This has always brought me good luck.” She takes my hand and places a teal-colored rabbit’s foot in it.
I take it, clipping it on the silk fabric of the belt on my dress. “Another day, I want to hear the story behind it.” I carefully hug her so as not to wrinkle either of our dresses. “Thank you. And, thank you for being a part of our family.”
“Wow, the Calhoun woman sure clean up nice.” Ethan walks into the room.
“How’s Ian?” I laugh. “I heard you boys really tied one on last night.”
“Let’s just say, the hair of the dog worked nicely this morning.” He chuckles.
“I’m going to see if Nita needs a hand with Missy.” Bear scoots out.
“Do you ladies need anything?” Ethan asks.
I march over, placing a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for being such a good friend. I know you wanted more.”
He lifts my chin, so I have to look in his eyes. “You’re with the man you should be. I wanted to hate him, but he’s a good guy. Don’t you worry about me. When the time is right, I’ll find the woman of my dreams.”
“Do you think you could escort me down to the river?” Jane stands beside me, gazing at Ethan.
He holds out his arm. “It would be my pleasure,” he says. She places her hand at his elbow, and they walk out together.
“Did you see that?” I turn in Clem’s direction.
“See what?”
“I think Jane was eye-fucking Ethan,” I whisper.”
“No. Really?”
“I’m betting she has a crush on him.” I move back in front of the mirror to hike the girls a little higher.
“Much more of that, and your titties are gonna pop right out.” Clem stares at my chest.
“Ian would love that.” I giggle.
“You haven’t told me where he’s taking you on your honeymoon.” She places baby’s breath in my hair.
“Key West. He built a hotel down there and wants me to see it. Then he’s taking me sailing. Can you imagine? Me on a sailboat?”
“You’re gonna love it. Besides, that man of yours will be bare-chested and in swim trunks. What’s not to love?” She grins.
“You do have a point.” My mouth waters at the thought.
“I see that gleam in your eye. That poor man ain’t gonna be able to move for days.” She giggles.
“Well, ain’t that the purpose of a honeymoon?” I apply a pink shade of lipstick.
“Just don’t kill the man. You have the rest of your lives together.”
I turn to face her. “Do you think it will always be like this between us?”
“You mean sex?”
I nod.
“I’d like to think so. Boone and I still go at it like dawgs in heat.”
“Ummm…I do like it best when Ian’s all riled up.” I lick my lipstick off.
“Keep that up, and your panties are going to be drenched,” she snorts.
“What panties?” I lift the hem of my dress, flashing her.
“Ellie! You can’t be going down the aisle with no underwear.”
“Why not? It will save time for Ian when he wants to fuck me.”
“You are awful.” She laughs.
“It’s time.” Boone sticks his head inside the room.
I gulp hard seeing him in a suit. I lean over to whisper in Ellie’s ear. “Maybe you have the right idea, not wearing any panties.”
“Oh no, you don’t! If there’s going to be any shenanigans going on at my wedding, it’ll be Ian and me. You two need to learn to control yourselves.” I point between the two of them.
Boone’s face turns bright red. “I don’t even want to know what you ladies, and I use that term loosely, have been chatting about.”
“Come on. Let’s get you down to the river,” Clem says.
We walk outside together. Bear, Nita, and Missy are headed out on an ATV. Noah has one waiting for me. Boone and Clem climb on another one.
“You are beautiful, Sis.” Noah holds out his hand, helping me gra
cefully get on the four-wheeler.
“Thank you. You clean up nice for a Texas cowboy.” I playfully swat his cheek.
We all drive down to the river where rows of chairs have been set up. Guests are already waiting. I have to smile to myself. It’s the same spot where Ian set up the hot tub. The place he proposed to me. I climb off the back, fixing my dress.
Jett, Bear’s friend from the garage, is just arriving. “Congratulations, Ellie.” He’s handsome when he’s not covered in grease.
Boone steps up next to him with a stiff upper lip. “Aren’t you the guy that had your tongue lodged down my wife’s throat on the dance floor?”
Clem pushes in between them. “I wasn’t your wife at the time.”
“Still.” Boone crosses his arms, appearing quite menacing.
“Oh, leave him alone. Besides, he wasn’t into me. He liked Ellie.”
Boone takes a step closer to Jett, who towers Boone by almost a half foot. “Look, man. That was a long time ago. We’re all friends now.”
Ellie steps between them. “I love you for being all protective and such, but it’s okay. This is my day, and there will be no fighting. So you put that puffed-out chest away.” She presses a finger into Boone’s pecs.
“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Boone eases back.
“I don’t know. I kinda like you all jealous.” Clem has a lustful gleam in her eye.
“You remember what I told you. I better not find you in one of the stables at the reception.”
“I’ll behave.” Clem crosses her fingers.
The music starts playing. Daddy appears beside me. “Are you ready to be walked down the aisle?” He holds out his arm.
Everyone takes their positions.
“You make one mighty fine bride,” Daddy says.
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“You’re marrying a good man.”
“Yes, he is. Sometimes I don’t think I deserve him.”
“Of course you do. You’re a fine woman.”
“That’s a lot coming from you.” I kiss his cheek.
Missy tromps through the grass in her pink boots, tossing petals on the ground. Bear escorts Nita behind her. They take a seat on the front row.
Ethan has Jane on his arm. She stops at the makeshift podium, then takes a seat.
Boone, who’s also the best man, marches Clem down the aisle, and they take their places.
It’s the first real good look I get at my husband-to-be. He’s in a gray tux with a matching sporty cowboy hat and shiny-tipped boots. Damn, he’s hot. Clem was right; panties might’ve been a good idea.
The music changes, and Daddy and I start our descent down to the man I’ll spend the rest of my life loving. Missy’s eyes light up when she sees I’m wearing the necklace she made me. I mouth the words I love it to her.
We stop a few feet from Ian. Wyatt stands behind him, leaning on his cane. He’d been in such a nasty mood since he’d been back, I was completely surprised when he agreed to marry us. I’m worried about him, and I’ve asked Margret to keep a close eye on him. She eagerly agreed, but Wyatt’s been keeping his distance from her.
Wyatt asks, “Who gives this woman to this man?”
All my brothers, including Noah, rise. “We all do,” they say, bringing tears to my eyes.
“I love you, Ellie,” Daddy says before releasing me to Ian. It makes my tears fall harder.
Ian takes out a handkerchief, drying my eyes. “You look too pretty to cry.”
I sniff and smile at him. “You look sexy, cowboy.”
He takes both my hands in his as Wyatt starts the ceremony. He says a few words then asks for our vows.
Ian takes a piece of paper out of his pocket. “I thought I might be too nervous and forget the words.”
The guests laugh.
He clears his throat. “Ellie Calhoun, I’ve never met a woman like you. You’re downright gorgeous, smart, sassy, and one of the toughest women I know. I wouldn’t change a thing about you. Well…except maybe your stubbornness.”
“Is this a roasting or a profession of your love,” I tease.
He crumples the paper up, stuffing it in his pocket. “I love you. Always have. Always will.”
“I don’t need any more than that.” I caress his face.
“It’s your turn, Ellie,” Wyatt says.
“The first time I laid eyes on you, I recall telling Momma that I was going to marry you one day. For a time, I didn’t think that day would ever come. Because of that stubbornness you spoke so eloquently about.” Laughter breaks out again. “But here I am.” I hold my arms out. “I don’t know what you see in me, but I’m so happy you came back. I promise every day to give you what you need. I. Love. You. Ian Daughtry. I’ll scream it from the mountaintops if that’s what you want. I don’t ever want those three words to come between us again.”
He scoops me in his arms, kissing me hard.
“You’re supposed to exchange rings before you kiss the bride,” Wyatt says dryly.
He places me back on my feet. Holding out my hand, he puts my momma’s wedding ring on my ring finger. His hand shakes as he holds out his for me to slide the thick silver band on.
“Now you can kiss the bride.” Wyatt chuckles.
The kiss is sweet this time. His hand slides to my backside, he squeezes, and the guests hoot and holler.
“You don’t have panties on, Mrs. Daughtry.” Ian’s voice is raspy next to my ear. “I like it.”
He lets go, and we face our friends and family together.
“It’s about damn time!” Bear yells.
We walk down the aisle as husband and wife, headed back to the four-wheeler to the reception at the barn. We make it there before anyone else does. Ian parks behind the house instead of the barn. As I’m climbing off, he jerks me onto his lap, so I’m straddling him.
“I can’t wait one minute longer,” he says, unzipping his slacks. “You teasing me with no panties on, I’ve been so damn hard ever since.” I raise up, and he slides into me. “Thank fuck, you’re wet,” he groans. “This is going to be quick.” He’s already straining, trying to hold back, and I slowly rock my hips. His lips graze my neck as his hands hold firmly on my ass. The motion, and knowing he’s my husband has me tipping quickly with him.
“I’m sorry, baby. I promise to make love to you for hours later.”
“I love quickies with you.” I look over his shoulder. “Good thing too. Our family is arriving.” I climb off and run into the main house to clean myself up.
When I join our friends and family at the reception, they’re already on the dance floor. Ian hired a DJ and designed a wooden floor in front of the stables.
Clem grabs me in for a hug when she sees me. “I’m so happy for you and Ian.”
“Thanks, Sis.”
She holds me at arm’s length. “You smell like sex. Ian already dipped his stinger in your honey.”
I nearly choke on my own laughter. “Boone’s correct. You ain’t right.”
“Now that you two have done it, I’m going to find my hot husband.”
“Hey, wife of mine. How about a dance with your sexy cowboy?” Ian holds out his hand.
I join him in a two-step that leads to a slow song. I wrap my arms around his neck, and we sway to the music, completely lost in each other. “I love you, Ian.”
He kisses me. “I love you too.”
“This has been the most perfect day.”
“You don’t regret not having a church wedding?” He looks down at me.
“Not at all. This suits us. There’s only one thing I do regret.”
“What’s that?”
“My momma wasn’t here to see it happen.” A tear rolls down my cheek.
“I have a surprise for you.” He lifts my chin.
“What is it?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise now would it?”
“Stop teasing me and tell me.”
He takes my hand, leads me off the danc
e floor, and back to the four-wheeler. When he heads out, I know exactly where he’s going. He stops when we get to Momma’s graveside on the back of the property. It was her favorite spot on the ranch, so Daddy had her buried here.
There are tons of different shades of pink flowers surrounding her headstone. Ian helps me off, and we stand directly in front of her grave. He holds me close as he starts to talk. “I came here the same day I asked your daddy for your hand in marriage. I knew how much your momma meant to you. She was always so kind to me. One day, not long after you and I met, your momma told me what you said about making me your husband.”
“Really? She never mentioned it.”
“She grilled me for hours. Once she was convinced I was a good man for you, she welcomed me to the family. She was sure to tell me that if I ever broke your heart, she’d hang my balls from a tree.”
I giggle. “That sounds like Momma.”
“The day before I skipped town, I stopped at the house to see her. Chet was out working the cattle, so I knew she’d be home alone.”
I turn toward him, so I can look into his eyes.
“I blubbered like a baby in her arms.”
“She knew you were leaving me?” I gasp.
“I told her how much I loved you, but I couldn’t stay because you’d broken my heart.”
“Did she try and convince you not to leave.”
“No. She told me not to stay gone too long, that you’d need me to straighten you out. That I was the only man that would ever be able to handle you. She said you’d find the words one day.”
I snuggle close to him. “She was a smart woman.”
He lets loose of me and squats with his hand on her headstone.
“You were right. I stayed away too long, but your words were always in my head. The only part you were missing was how much I needed her to straighten me out. Thank you for loving both of us. You’d be so proud of your daughter. I made her my wife today, and I promise to always love and protect her.”
I join him on my knees. “He’s right, Momma. And so were you. He’s the best thing that could’ve ever happened to me. I promise to love him as much as you loved Daddy.” I tilt my head up and kiss my husband. “Thank you for making her part of this day.”
