Beautiful Illusions Duet Bundle: Eighty-One Nights and Beautiful Ever After

by Georgia Cates

  “It’s just as beautiful as I remember,” Rachel says.

  “Indeed, it is,” Clarissa says.

  It is the most beautiful wedding dress I’ve ever seen. The perfect shade of ivory baroque lace over creamy vanilla charmeuse—something I never imagined myself choosing. I always thought lace was old-fashioned, but this is classic and timeless. I think Hutch is going to love it.

  I step into my gown and Rachel helps me pull it up. “I’ve been dreading these buttons since the day you bought this dress.”

  “I know. Me too.” It’s the only flaw of the dress.

  “I’m going to do them up for you, lass, but it’ll be Max’s job to unfasten them tonight.”

  “He’s going to be sooo happy about that.” I can just see him growing impatient and threatening to rip the bodice open.

  It takes a long time for Rachel to button my dress. Much longer than the consultant at the bridal shop. But in Rachel’s defense, I’m sure that’s something the attendant is good at because she does it on a daily basis.

  “Damn, that was a lot of buttons but I’m finally done.”

  I walk over to the mirror and study myself. “What do you think? Anything out of place?”

  “Not a single hair that I can see,” Clarissa says.

  Rachel assesses me. “That dress. The tiara. This castle. You look like a princess who is about to marry her prince.”

  My prince. My fairy tale. I’m finally getting my beautiful ever after.

  It’s been a long time coming. Twenty-three years in the making.

  Clarissa stands behind me and my eyes meet hers in the mirror. “I get to be your mum from this day forward, and my first duty is to give you this.”

  I turn, looking at the coin in her hand. “Something old. Something new. Something borrowed. Something blue. And in Scotland, a sixpence in her shoe.”

  I forgot about that tradition. “I’ve been so busy planning the wedding that I didn’t remember to get a sixpence.”

  “I’ll do the honors.”

  I lift my dress and Clarissa lowers herself, removing my shoe and placing the coin inside. “The sixpence represents good fortune and prosperity.”

  “This is so thoughtful. Thank you.”

  I don’t say so because I don’t want to cast a shadow on my happy day, but Hutch and I are going to need good fortune and prosperity in our marriage with what we have ahead of us.

  I wish they weren’t, but Blair and the Lochridges are on my mind today. What if they’ve found out about the wedding? What if she shows up and tries to wreck our special day? She would have the gall to do something like that.

  I’m ready to walk down that aisle. I’m ready to say I do. I’m ready to have that wedding ring on my finger. After those things are done, we’ll be husband and wife, and no one can stop our marriage from happening.

  I’m so close to having it all. Fate, please don’t ruin it for me.

  54

  Maxwell Hutcheson

  With the minister on one side and Brady on the other, I wait for my bride at the front of the chapel. It’s a tiny, intimate room in the castle, barely large enough to accommodate our small wedding party.

  And it’s absolutely perfect.

  I feel great. And happy. So fucking happy.

  Lou’s clever song choice, “The Secret Wedding” from Braveheart, begins playing, and my heart pounds because I know my bride, my secret bride, will be entering the chapel soon.

  Rachel enters and walks the aisle, taking her place opposite Brady on the other side of the minister. And I’m only a heartbeat or so away from seeing Lou. And then she enters the chapel and I get my first look at my bride.

  I had no idea what her dress looked like or how she would wear her hair, but everything about her is perfect. Her beauty steals the breath from my lungs, and my heart calls out to hers with an increased rhythm. My chest aches from the want, the need, the yearning to make her mine.

  Our friends and family stand when they see Lou appear in the entrance of the chapel. She walks down the aisle alone, her slow steps mimicking the tempo of her favorite instrumental song, and it’s the last time that she’ll ever walk without me by her side.

  The song fades, and the minister says a few opening words. When he finishes, Lou passes her bouquet to Rachel, and I take her hands in mine. I slowly rub my thumbs back and forth over the top of her hands as the minister begins the ceremony that will officially make this woman mine forever.

  I bring her hands to my mouth, kissing both. I look at her eyes, which are more green than brown today, and I begin my vows. “Today I lay at your feet the man I have been so that I may become the man you need. I promise to be a faithful husband, a caring lover, a considerate best friend, and a loving father to our wee ones. I will always cherish and respect you, care for and protect you, comfort and encourage you, and stay with you for all eternity. I surrender my all to you today and every day hereafter.”

  Tears pool in her lower lids, and I catch each of them with my thumbs before they stream down her cheeks.

  “Today you become my husband but also my best friend and lover. I will trust and respect you, laugh and cry with you, love you faithfully through good times and bad, no matter the size of the obstacles we face. I promise to cherish our union and every day love you more than I did the day before. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love from this day forward, for as long as we both shall live.”

  We exchange rings and the minister finally gets to the part I’ve been waiting for.

  “You may kiss your bride.”

  I reach out, cradling Lou’s face, and I kiss my wife for the first time. And it’s our best kiss yet.

  “I now present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Paden Hutcheson.”

  We share a meal and cake with our friends and family. After they leave, we have the entire castle to ourselves. We may consummate our marriage in every room just for the fun of it. But we’ll begin in the laird’s room.

  “It was thoughtful of your dad to come up and start a fire for us while we were having dinner.”

  My dad’s great but he’s not thoughtful. “I’m sure he was only doing what Mum told him to do.”

  “Either way, it’s nice to have that done for us already.”

  “Aye.”

  The temperature dropped and it snowed today. The snow-covered ground made a beautiful backdrop for our wedding photos, especially the ones with the highlands in the distance.

  Lou pulls her hair over her shoulder, exposing the back of her dress. “Will you unbutton me, husband?”

  “I will happily unbutton you, wife.”

  Lou’s dress is exquisite but not at all cooperative. “These buttons are very small for a man with big hands. The maker of this dress didn’t have the groom or his eagerness to bed his bride in mind when he or she designed the back of this dress.”

  “Nor the eagerness of the bride.”

  That’s something I love about Lou. She’s always keen for sex.

  My fingers brush against the bare skin on her back, and I kiss the curvature between her shoulder and neck. “Just a wee taste to hold me over.”

  “I wish I could help you.”

  “Not too much longer. I’m over halfway finished now.”

  I unfasten the final button, pushing the dress down her hips, and it becomes a circle of fabric that partially stands on its own. “All done with that.”

  Lou holds my arms, stepping out of the dress, and I suck in a breath when I see the white corset, garters, and knickers she’s wearing. “I’ve been wondering all evening what was beneath that dress.”

  “And now you know.”

  “My wife, Mrs. Hutcheson.” I’ve said those words before but they take on an entirely new meaning for me now. “I know you’re strong and you’ve always taken care of yourself, but you aren’t alone anymore. I’m going to take care of you, and protect you, and make sure you never want for anything in your life.”

  “I know you will always keep me safe. A
nd I also know that while you talk of protecting me, you’re also planning in your head how you’re going to ravish me tonight.”

  Her comment makes me chuckle, mostly because it’s true. “My wife knows me well.”

  I circle her, inspecting her from every angle. I wrap my arms around her from behind and my mouth hovers over her ear. “I love the way you look in this lingerie, but I want you to take it off. And I want to watch while you do it.”

  “Whatever you want.”

  I step away and watch Lou remove her corset, garters, and knickers while I shed all the layers of my formal kilt outfit.

  “I’m sad to see the kilt go. I love the way it looks on you.”

  “Maybe I’ll put it on later.”

  “I’d like that.”

  There’s still a slight chill in the room so I go to the bed and remove all of the linens. I carry them to the thick plush rug in front of the fireplace and spread them out, making a place for us to lie down in front of the fire. “Is this okay with you? I thought it would be nice to take advantage of the fireplace since we don’t have one in our bedroom.”

  “It’s very okay with me.”

  We lower ourselves to the floor and I kneel at Lou’s feet after she lies on her back. She’s staring up at me, and damn, I’ve never seen her look more beautiful.

  “I am a lucky man. If I ever forget to say it, don’t think for a single second that I’m not aware.”

  “I’m the lucky one.”

  I lower myself and lie on top of Lou, pressing my forehead against hers. I close my eyes for a moment and savor the memories of this special day. Lou in her wedding gown. The vows she swore to me. The tears in her eyes and sincerity in her voice. I want to always remember the way I felt today.

  “This castle has been here for more than 450 years. How many marriages do you suppose have been consummated in this room? Maybe even on another rug in front of this fireplace?”

  “I don’t know but one more is about to be added to the list.”

  I lower my lips to hers, and a soft moan finds its way from her chest to her mouth. Without breaking our kiss, I adjust my position so my lower arms on each side of her head take the brunt of my weight, and her legs move apart, allowing me to press deeper against her.

  Instinct urges me to move faster. I yearn to slam my throbbing cock inside of Lou, but I make myself go slowly. Tonight is about being unhurried and making love to my wife for the first time.

  I still and look at Lou’s face illuminated by the flames of the fire. Warm, golden light dances upon our naked bodies as the fire crackles, and I can’t think of a more perfect way to consummate our marriage.

  Lowering my head, I press soft kisses against the upper swell of her breasts, first one and then the other. They’re just kisses at first, until my tongue begins to lave her skin and nipples.

  I’ve made love to Lou. I’ve fucked her. I’ve even been inside her bum. But we’ve never experienced this kind of intimacy. Tonight is going to mark us forever. Not only to be etched in our minds but way down into the center of our hearts where we connect—our souls. Because we belong to one another.

  This woman makes me forget all of the terrible things that came before her. Only with Lou have I ever known this kind of love. And I’ll never tire of the feeling.

  Because this is home.

  I move up again and kiss her mouth slowly. I grip her bottom lip between my teeth and tug gently. When I do, her back arches off the floor and she presses her breasts against my chest.

  Her hands move from my neck to my shoulders and down my back. Her fingers grip my arse. Our kiss deepens, and she tightens her legs around my waist.

  I don’t want this woman in this moment only because of how hard she makes me. I want her because of the way she softens my heart. I want her because of the way she has taught me to love.

  Positioning the swollen head of my cock against her core, I enter her slowly. Husband and wife become one.

  “I love you,” I whisper.

  “I love you too.”

  I move slowly, my cock sliding back and forth through her soft, slick flesh at a slow, steady pace. And I don’t just feel her body squeezing mine. We connect upon a primal level, just man and woman. It’s wonderful, but I know Lou’s body as well as I know my own. She needs something more to bring her to orgasm. And I can’t get off until she does as well.

  All of my weight moves to one of my arms and I push my hand between our bodies, searching for that sensitive nub at the top of her slit. Using the pads of my fingers I pull up a little, exposing the hooded nub from its hiding place. A gasp catches in her throat and her mouth forms a perfect O, and no words are needed. I’m right where I need to be.

  My cock moves in and out of her while my fingertips rub her clit and she rocks her hips in perfect synchronization. In no time at all, her eyes close, her mouth widens, and her breathing picks up. And then I feel those magical rhythmic contractions pulsating around my cock.

  I try to hold back but my dick can’t take another stroke without exploding. The climax initiates in my abdomen and pulsates into my bollocks. I’m unable to contain the groan in my chest because the pleasure of coming inside of Lou is too great.

  Lou is the only woman in the world who can make me feel this way. The only one who holds my heart in her hand. The only one who wears my ring. The only one who bears my name.

  My wife.

  55

  Caitriona Hutcheson

  This is an unusual morning. Unusual for two reasons—first, I’m wearing a wedding ring on my left hand and second, I’m awake before Hutch.

  I study the sleeping figure of my husband—oh damn, it’s a fine one—and I can’t believe it. I married the man who booked my inamorata services for the entire summer. The man who paid me to fuck him. I was his eighty-one-day whore. I can confess that sin and give it the label that it truly deserves. And I can also admit that it was the best decision of my life. Hutch is my husband—forever mine—and I couldn’t be happier.

  We began as strangers—as most couples do—but our beginning was very different from most. The majority would consider our introduction a perverted one. Even I did in the beginning, but then Hutch and I became so much more than either of us intended. We’re Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Hutcheson and this is the beginning of the rest of our lives. We’re venturing into the world to write our own fairy-tale love story.

  I look at my husband’s face and see his eyes fluttering beneath his lids. Oh, he’s dreaming.

  I wonder what a man like Hutch dreams about. Whatever it is, I don’t want to wake him, so I slide to the edge of the bed in slow motion and place my feet on the cold floor. I look over my shoulder to make sure I haven’t disturbed his sleep. He’s unmoving, and I continue to ease out of the bed.

  I descend the narrow, winding staircase to the kitchen on the first floor and find the breakfast pastries and fruit left for us by the staff. We opted to leave off the catering services because we wanted to be alone in the castle for the entire weekend. Hutch has to return to the firm on Monday morning and we wanted no interruptions. This is the only honeymoon we’ll get for a while.

  Ascending the narrow, winding staircase carrying a tray of breakfast is a little harder than it sounds. I’m winded and my muscles are burning by the time I reach the third floor where the laird’s room is.

  I place the tray on the table and take my time sliding back into bed. I’m so pleased with myself because I’ve managed to slip into bed next to Hutch without waking him. And then he suddenly rises, pinning me beneath him, a huge grin wide across his face.

  “Mornin’, wife.” He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me as his grin grows larger, a sweet kiss just on the surface of my lips.

  “Mornin’, husband.”

  He places his forehead against mine. “Wife. Husband. I think I like the sound of that.”

  “You better love the sound of it.”

  “Hmm. Maybe it’ll grow on me with a wee bit of time.”


  I push against Hutch’s chest and we roll so I’m on top, straddling him. I lower my mouth to his as close as possible without our lips touching. “Maybe you’ll grow on me.”

  Slowly I grind against him and his hands creep up my thighs until they’re on my waist. “Something is growing.”

  “That mouth of yours, Mr. Hutcheson.”

  “You love this mouth of mine, Mrs. Hutcheson, along with everything it does to you.”

  “I guess it’s okay.”

  He grins and quickly flips us over so I’m on my back again. His mouth begins a journey at my neck and leaves a trail of wet kisses on its way down until reaching my belly button. “And this tongue of mine? Don’t forget how much you love what it does to you as well.”

  He laves his tongue over my pubic bone and I lace my fingers through his hair before dragging my nails across his scalp. “I could never forget how talented your mouth and tongue are. Or how good they made me feel last night.”

  He places a kiss against my skin and looks up at me. “Our wedding night was everything you wanted it to be?”

  I can’t believe he thinks he has to ask. “It was perfect—everything I wanted plus a whole lot more I couldn’t have possibly imagined. I didn’t know I could be so happy. And I didn’t know it would feel so different as husband and wife.”

  I beckon for him to come closer, and I cradle his cheeks when we’re eye to eye. “It was a level of intimacy that we’ve never shared, and I couldn’t have felt more connected to you last night. Or now.”

  He tucks each side of my hair behind my ears before pressing his forehead to mine. “You are my world, and I’ll do anything to make you happy.”

  “You. That’s all it takes to make me happy.”

  He nuzzles against my neck, and I feel the rough scruff on his chin. “This got rougher overnight.”

  He reaches up and strokes his chin with his hand. “Too rough for you?”

  “No. I love it. It’s sexy. I wouldn’t mind if you grew it out a little.”