by West, Everly
A few beats later, her parents followed, although Jane was sure they’d all been in the corridor together. She could barely see beyond the tears of happiness.
The family as a group moved to the parlor so everyone could sit as Franklin poured glasses of brandy to celebrate. Jane dragged her eyes from Michael’s face to accept her glass. The entire time, heat surfaced over and over again each time she exchanged glances with him.
“I can’t believe it,” her mother exclaimed with shiny eyes. “My first daughter to get married. We’re going to plan a grand engagement party.”
Sybil and Beth both clapped with delight. “It will be the social event of the year.”
“No, please,” Jane exclaimed. “I wish this to be our celebration. Just the people I love the most. Our wedding will be enough of a larger event.”
Michael lowered his shoulders and gifted her with a relieved smile. “I agree with Jane. And I may be presumptuous, but I wish for a short engagement.”
Her mother’s eyes widened. “We need at least three months to plan...”
“Three months?” Jane frowned. “Mother you have two months or we’ll elope.”
Everyone burst out laughing when Jane pretended to tug Michael from the room.
“Three months,” Earlene insisted. “Surely you can survive.”
Michael nodded and Jane finally sagged. “Fine.”
Her sisters came to her and, once again, hugged her. “We’re going to help make a wonderful celebratory dessert.”
“Go to the sitting room and spend time together. I’m sure you have much to discuss.” Her mother waved them away as she headed out of the room toward the kitchen.
Unlike the women, her father sat by the fireplace looking as if he had no intention of going anywhere. With a book in his lap, it was apparent he’d not listened to the conversation, nor was particularly interested in any planning.
Jane led Michael to the sitting room, which afforded a bit more privacy while remaining within her father’s earshot.
Smiling up at Michael, she slid her gaze to his lips and was immediately rewarded with a lingering kiss.
Taking his hands, she led him back to a settee. “We have so much to decide. Our wedding date, where we will live and...”
He stopped her words with another kiss. “I’ll leave the wedding date to you. We will live in town.”
“In your house?” Jane pressed her lips together as she envisioned his small home. “We can build a new one or add to it, I’m not sure it’s large enough for children.”
Michael chuckled. “Yes, Ma’am.”
Laughing, she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “I am so happy and eager to be your bride.”
Clearing his throat, he removed her arms from around his neck and pushed Jane back just a bit. Leaning into her ear, he whispered so no one could overhear, “If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to wait to start on that family.” He finished by pressing a several kisses from her ear to just below her jaw, making her entire body melt.
Her head back and her eyes closed, Jane struggled to regain composure. It was a Herculean task to drag her eyes open and then away from his lips. “I don’t think that was a good idea either,” Jane replied with breathless words.
Chapter 14
“Today, you start your new life. I have to let you go,” her mother exclaimed between sniffs. Jane tried not to smile at noticing Sybil and Beth exchange looks of annoyance.
Their mother had repeated different variations of the same sentence throughout the wedding reception and, now, as she followed Jane to her bedroom to change out of the heavy dress.
“She’s staying in town, only an hour away,” Beth said, rubbing Earlene’s arm. “We will see her weekly.”
Jane hurriedly removed the last of the pins in her hair and Sybil helped her with a dress for travel. Most of her belongings were already at Michael’s house. The only items left were some clothing and other more personal items, which were already loaded onto the waiting carriage.
“I really must go,” Jane said, hugging her mother. “I will see you next Wednesday when you go to town for the Ladies Club meeting.”
Her mother gasped. “Goodness, no. You should enjoy your honeymoon, become familiar with your husband. I won’t expect to see you for at least two weeks.”
It was best not to try to figure out her mother’s emotions at this time. First, her mother had complained about not seeing her and now it seemed the woman would be shocked to see her so soon. Jane kissed Earlene’s cheek. “I love you.”
She hurried from the room with the trio close behind.
Thankfully, most of the guests had departed earlier. The only remaining people were Ian and her cousins who were to remain overnight.
Not wishing to be stopped any longer, Jane made a beeline for the door. It had already taken over an hour to say goodbyes, which would normally not bother her. However, her stomach was in knots at what would happen between her and Michael that night. Thoughts tumbled one over another as Jane tried to figure out which way she should act. And how, exactly, did one allow nature to “take its course”?
Michael took her elbow and guided her to the waiting carriage, which was being driven by a man from town who worked at the stables.
With one last wave, she fell back against the seat and blew out a long breath. “I will never forget this day. I hope I can remember every single detail.” Jane smiled at Michael. “How about you? Are you as overwhelmed as I am?”
Her new husband looked much less out of sorts. He gave her a reassuring grin. “A bit. But I knew it would be a good day.”
“Good?” Jane teased and snuggled into his arms. “Just good?”
When he nuzzled her hair, it had an easing effect. “Unforgettable. Especially when you walked down the aisle to me. You looked so beautiful.”
It was his reassuring, unwavering gaze that had given her the strength to continue forward. Each step closer to him was like jumping off a precipice into a vast unknown. However, in her heart, she knew that if she faltered, Michael would catch her.
It seemed only moments before they arrived at Michael’s home, now her home, Jane had to remind herself. The quaint, one-story structure, although much smaller than her family home, was well constructed and spacious in its own way.
The driver hurried to unload her trunk, while Michael went to the doorway. Jane sat in the carriage as he’d instructed.
When Michael returned to the carriage, he lifted Jane into his arms and carried her into the house, kicking the door closed behind. “Welcome home, Mrs. O’Leary.”
Instead of placing her down as she’d expected, he walked directly to the bedroom.
“You have no idea how many times I’ve thought about our first night,” Michael said, looking to the bed. “And now, you’ll finally be mine.”
The dreadful butterflies fluttered in circles, seeming to gain momentum until she thought it would cause her to get sick. But as the lifting and falling of her lungs continued along with the fluttering, it was apparent this was a different sort of feeling.
The sensations were brought about by overwhelmingly beautiful excitement.
Michael lowered her to stand next to the bed and then took her by the shoulders, his mouth closing over hers. Clutching the front of his shirt, Jane gave in to the kiss. It was so much more passionate than anything she’d ever experience before between them. This time, it was as if Michael gave himself to her.
Breathing became hard to keep steady when he slowly began unbuttoning the front of her dress, his gaze glued to each inch of exposed skin.
This was not how it was supposed to be. That thought entered through the haze of want. Her mother had explained she’d be given privacy to undress and her husband would join her once she was ready.
When her dress fell from her shoulders and Michael’s lips traveled across her overly sensitive skin, Jane’s head fell back.
Perhaps it wasn’t how her mother had explained it, but s
he wasn’t about to stop Michael’s exquisite assault.
“You are so beautiful.” Michael had already rendered her to the point of utter want and now he undressed quickly to join her in the bed. She couldn’t keep from staring, nervous, but she was excited to see her husband without clothes.
When the last piece of clothing was done away with, she lost her ability to breathe and, once again, nerves began to take hold. “I’m nervous,” she admitted.
“Me, too.”
The mattress lowered when he slid in between the blankets, his leg brushing hers. Jane’s first reaction was to pull away, but she wasn’t about to cower at a time like this. Instead, she reached forward and touched his chest. Her hand flat against the hardness of his body, she marveled at how different it felt.
His chest expanded with each breath, memorizing her with each movement. “You’re mine,” she whispered. “Mine.”
If Jane were to be asked what the sensation of Michael’s body against hers felt like, she’d never be able to fully explain. All she knew what that it was just right. The way they fit against each other, how each movement became more intimate took her breath away. By the time he took her fully, Jane was overwrought with need and pleading for him to quell the thirst. Never did she expect that it would build and grow so much stronger until they finally fell into an abyss beyond description.
* * *
“I am not sure what to do about purchasing needed sundries,” Jane told Michael over breakfast two days later. “Mother seems to think we shouldn’t leave the house for weeks.”
His lips curved. “I like how your mother thinks.”
Jane couldn’t help but chuckle. “Seriously, Michael. We will be requiring basics. You don’t have a well-stocked kitchen and with all the wedding preparations, I didn’t think about it.”
“You can make a list. I’ll drop it off at the general store and pick it up later.”
“Nonsense. We’ll go together,” Jane insisted, excited at the prospect of walking through town with her arm threaded through his. “I want to show you off.”
A frown marred his handsome face. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
“Of course not. The women will be leaving the Ladies Club meeting this afternoon. It will be a perfect time to go see about sundries and, perhaps, have tea at the hotel.”
“Tea?” This time his gaze was teasing. “I think I prefer your mother’s plan. We can do all that next week.”
Jane shook her head. “Michael, we can’t possibly remain indoors for so many days.”
Her eyes rounded when he got up, sending the chair backward. “I’m sure we can figure out something to keep us occupied.”
In two steps, he stood over her. Jane twisted to look up at him. “What are you doing?”
“Taking you back to bed.”
“I just made the bed.” Her lips curved and she leaped from the chair and raced to the front room. “I will not allow you to crumple my work of art.”
Michael gave chase. By his bright smile, he was enjoying the game. “There is no better piece of art than my wife lying upon it.”
“So you say.” Jane barely escaped his reach and ran toward the bedroom.
When he caught her, they fell to the bed, laughing. They fell silent a few moments later, unable to keep from kissing.
Jane didn’t go to the general store until days later. Her mother was so very smart.
* * *
Coming Next from Everly West
The Bashful Bride - The Ladies Club of Laramie Book 6:
Charlotte Bennett has always been different. A birth defect has given her a lifetime of misery and as an adult, the ridicule hasn’t stopped. When preparations for a spring festival begin, the sudden attention from Elijah Collins, the middle son of the local mercantile owner, make her dream of a future she never thought she’d have. But rumors of his impending marriage make her question his motives. Why is he still pursuing her if he plans to be married? And how will she protect her heart if the rumors turn out to be true?
Click Here to Learn More
From The Author
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read the latest book in my Ladies Club of Laramie series. It’s been so exciting to write about this group of meddling mommas and the havoc they wreak for the people they love.
I hope you’ll continue on to read Charlotte and Elija’s story. I think you’ll like it!
As a new author I would really appreciate your support by leaving a review, following me on BookBub, sign up for my newsletter and check out my Facebook page and website.
Until next time,
Everly West
Also by Everly West
The Angel Creek Christmas Brides
Anna
The Ladies Club of Laramie
The Rebellious Bride — 2-1-2019
The Obstinate Bride — 2-15-2019
The Wagered Bride— 3-1-2019
The Deceptive Bride — 3-22-2019
The Eager Bride — 4-12-2019
The Bashful Bride — 5-2-2019