by Ali Parker
“Did you bring your suit?” he said with a grin.
I slowly shook my head. “I didn’t.”
“Hmm, I guess that means you’ll have to wear your birthday suit.”
“Or not get in,” I said with a grin.
He raised one eyebrow. “I want to soak. I want you to soak with me.”
The way he said it was more of a command than a question. It was his way. Always. I was used to it.
I stood up from the table and began to unbutton my blouse, my eyes on his as I slowly stripped. I dropped my skirt, kicking off my heels before shedding my bra, then my thong. I turned and walked toward the hot tub, naked as the day I was born and knowing he was watching my every move. I climbed into the hot water and dropped onto the bench seat.
“Are you going to join me?” I asked with a coy grin.
“I feel like I’m overdressed,” he said, standing up from the table.
“You are. I showed you mine, now you show me yours.” I cajoled.
He nodded, then grabbed the wine bottle and both glasses, bringing them to the edge of the hot tub. I watched as he took off his clothes, biting my bottom lip as his heavy cock hung between his legs. He stepped into the tub, sitting directly across from me.
“Better?”
I nodded. “Much.”
I stared at his strong features in the soft light from the candles flickering on the patio table and the lights attached to the railing around the patio. His dark hair made him appear dangerous in the dim light. I was always in awe of how handsome he was.
“How was work?” he asked.
I had to laugh at how ridiculously boring his question was. It was so easy to be with him. I hoped things never changed.
“It was good. You?”
He nodded. “Nothing too exciting. It was the average Monday playing catch-up from the weekend.”
“I like Mondays.”
“Me too. Hannah, I think we should have the wedding sooner instead of waiting,” he announced.
“What?” I asked, my mouth going dry.
“I’m ready to get this marriage thing done. I mean is there really any reason to wait?”
I opened my mouth and shut it again. “Uh … well. I mean … I guess not,” I stammered, not sure how to answer the question.
He chuckled, reaching behind him to hand me the glass of wine. “Here. It looks like you could use a drink.”
I took it and drank heartily. “Thank you.”
“Well? What do you think?”
“Getting married?” I asked knowing damn well what he was asking.
“Yes, getting married. There’s no reason we shouldn’t do it now. Things are good between us, are they not?”
“They are,” I agreed.
“Then, what’s the point of waiting?”
I shrugged a bare shoulder. “No point at all I guess.”
“Do you still want to marry me?”
I hesitated for a second, thinking over the question. “Yes. Yes, I want to marry you.”
He smiled. “Good to know.”
His smile was devastating. I doubted I could ever deny the man when he smiled like that. It was completely disarming. It was like a secret weapon. I needed to remember that for the future.
“When you say soon, do you mean like really soon or do we have some time?” I asked, getting a case of cold feet.
He shrugged a shoulder. “I guess we have some details to work out.”
I laughed. “Do you think sitting naked in a hot tub is a good time to work out those details?”
He grinned. “As good a time as any.”
I burst into laughter at the absurdity of the situation. Every time I was with him, I did things I never imagined myself ever doing, like planning a fake wedding while completely nude in a hot tub.
Chapter 38
Grayson
I could see the tops of her breasts through the water. It was a fight not to go over there and take them in my hands. I couldn’t. Not yet. I needed to get the details of the wedding ironed out.
“What kind of wedding do you want?” I asked her.
“What do you mean what kind?” she asked.
“I mean, do you want big with the dress and the wedding party and the whole nine yards? A destination wedding? You tell me what you want. I know this isn’t exactly your dream wedding, but I want to make it as special as I can. Money is no object. If you want it in a castle in Ireland, I’ll make it happen.”
Her eyes widened. “A castle? The thought had never crossed my mind.”
“What has crossed your mind? You’ve had to have thought about the wedding of your dreams. I want to make that come true for you.”
She looked contemplative for a moment, sipping from her wineglass. I needed the wedding and most importantly, I needed the heir. I had to get her to marry me as soon as possible. I had no idea what Jack was up to, but I couldn’t let him beat me to the finish line. He could be working out his own trade situation with a woman. I knew I wasn’t the only one thinking about my future.
“I haven’t really thought about it. I was so focused on building my empire, I never really gave myself time to think about stuff like that. I don’t know if I ever really thought about marriage and what that would be like. I knew I wanted to be the CEO of my own company and that’s where I put the bulk of my energy. I didn’t date much or let myself get distracted by men in general,” she said, and I could tell she was being perfectly honest.
“I like that about you. You’re not one of those women who sits about dreaming about what they want. You’re the kind of woman who takes action and makes it happen.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
I liked that she was humble and driven. She was a self-made woman. Her determination to succeed was something I hoped would pass down to our son. I wanted him to be a fighter, just like his mother. I was more of a taker than a fighter. With our combined strong wills, I had a feeling the kid would be a tough one to rein in, but with her by my side, we could do it. We could give our son everything, including the discipline he needed to learn to be successful.
“I’ll hire a wedding planner. Then, all you’ll need to do is tell her what it is you like and don’t like, and she can take care of the rest,” I said matter-of-factly my mind made up.
“Isn’t that a little cold? I mean, shouldn’t we have a say in our own wedding?” she asked, her cute little nose all wrinkled up.
I laughed. “If you want to have a direct role in it, by all means, go ahead. I think I will leave it to the experts. I have no business trying to tell you or anyone else what the best type of flower is or any of that,” I said, then smiled.
She nodded. “I don’t mind doing the planning. I will definitely want to work with a planner to handle the calls and all that, but if this is going to be my wedding, I would like to have a say in it. I’m not about to go flouncing down an aisle in some big, poufy princess dress.”
The image that popped in my head nearly sent me into a belly laugh. “That’s probably not going to be a good idea. I can’t picture you in a dress that poufs. I see you in something sleek, maybe a little formfitting. I like those dresses that are tight just below the ass. I want to see your ass in one of those,” I said, not ashamed to admit I loved her shapely, pert butt.
She giggled. “I’ll be walking toward you. You won’t be able to see my ass.”
I shook my head. “But I will eventually, and you better believe I’m going to be looking.”
“Where do you want the wedding? Is your family religious at all?” she asked.
“No. Not religious. Do you want it in a church?”
She shrugged a dainty shoulder, water sluicing off it as she did. “It doesn’t matter to me.”
I cleared my throat. “This wedding has to be perfect. I know in both our social circles it is going to be a huge event. We’re going to have a lot of people there, and I don’t want it to seem like we didn’t care enough about the wedding to not worry about the det
ails. I want the finest champagne, the best catering, and a monster wedding cake that will have people talking about it for months.”
She raised an eyebrow. “A monster wedding cake? That sounds intimidating.”
“I want the best. Everything has to be the best. I want everyone to know my bride is deserving of only the very best.”
She sighed. “I’ve never planned a wedding, but I’ve seen it on TV. It looks overwhelming. There are colors to pick, dress codes, cake flavors, and the list goes on.”
“Which is why you’ll have help. I’ll do what I can as well. I don’t mind eating cake,” I said with a wink.
She sipped her wine. “When? I mean, what kind of timeline are we talking?”
“A month?” I offered.
Her eyes bulged. “Are you crazy? We can’t possibly get a grand wedding planned in a month!”
“I’m sure we can if we pay enough people,” I said nonchalantly.
“That is your answer to everything. Pay people.”
I nodded. “Money has always been a very effective motivator in my experience.”
“A month,” she repeated.
“Or two tops. There’s no reason to wait.”
“You were serious about the sooner part,” she said with surprise.
“I was. I am. Do you want a honeymoon?” I asked her, thinking I should probably take charge of that if she was going to be doing all the wedding planning.
“I guess it isn’t technically necessary.”
I shook my head. “I didn’t ask if it was necessary. I asked if you would like to honeymoon with me.”
I could see her hesitating, like she was afraid to say she wanted to. “It’s okay. We really don’t need to. This isn’t a real wedding after all.”
“You’re right, it isn’t, but I’ll schedule a honeymoon to make sure this looks as real as possible,” I said with finality.
She was silent for a moment. “Will your brothers be in your wedding?”
“No.”
“Are we good with just the one member of the bridal party on each side? I mean, I know it’s supposed to be a big wedding, but I really don’t have that many people in my life I can ask.”
I sighed. “I’m sure there is a way around the big wedding party. That is the least of our worries.”
She laughed. “The least of your worries. Your guys will wear black tuxes. I have to pick the right bridesmaid’s dress for my bridal party and that is seriously the stuff of nightmares.”
I couldn’t imagine it would be hard to pick a dress, but what did I know. “I’m making an executive decision. You’ll have Amber and I’ll have Justin. End of story. I don’t care what anyone thinks about our lack of wedding party. We’re the stars of the show,” I said with a grin.
Her face lit up. “Yes, we are, and we are going to look amazing.”
“Damn straight. Are you going to wear a veil?”
“I suppose I will. Isn’t that tradition?”
“Probably, but it’s your wedding. Do as you will and don’t worry about traditions if they aren’t your thing. I really want this day to be special to you,” I said, looking her straight in the eye.
“It will be. I’m sure of that.”
I nodded. “So, can we say four to eight weeks?”
“Yes, I guess I can call around and see if there are any venues available. I don’t think we have the luxury of being picky at this point,” she murmured, and I could practically see her brain working as she began to prioritize what needed to happen.
Once again, I found myself admiring her for her ability to get things done. I knew she would rise to the challenge I had set before her. It fascinated me and intrigued me at the same time. I had never met a woman quite like her. I could feel myself being pulled toward her and had to take a mental step back. I couldn’t fall for her. I couldn’t let my heart get involved. I would allow myself a friendship with her with sex on the side, but nothing more. I couldn’t break my own rule. I was still smarting after the incident with her and Jack. No matter what my mother had said and what Hannah herself had told me, I had to keep my guard up. Letting it drop and trusting easily would come back to bite me in the ass.
I leaned over and grabbed the bottle of wine. “Refill?” I asked her.
She nodded. “I’m going to need a lot of wine to process all this.”
I poured her glass before setting the nearly empty bottle back on the ledge. “I know you are going to do fine with all this.”
She grinned. “Want to know a secret?” she said, her eyes twinkling in the low lighting.
“I love secrets.”
“I know I’m going to kick ass at this wedding planning thing.”
I burst into laughter. I loved her confidence. When she saw a problem, she went in headfirst. She wasn’t the kind to tiptoe around it and worry about it. My girl was an action taker. The thought crossed my mind before I could think about what it meant. I quickly banished the idea of her being mine and held up my glass instead.
“Let’s toast to our wedding and here’s hoping it is the wedding of the year.”
She clinked her glass against mine. “You aim too low. My wedding is going to be the best of the decade.”
She took a long drink from her glass. I watched her throat work and couldn’t resist the temptation any longer. I slid across the hot tub, moving to sit beside her on the bench.
“I don’t like you being so far away from me,” I whispered close to her ear.
“You’re the one acting shy.”
I leaned down and nibbled her earlobe before moving down her neck. Her skin tasted like the chemicals in the hot tub. My mouth moved to hers as I took her glass from her hand. Finally, I got to cup her breast, loving the feel of the weight in my hand. Her hands moved to my hair, pulling my face closer against hers as she rubbed herself against me.
I wanted my heir. I wanted to start trying in that moment. Once again, the thought of her being mine floated through my mind as I stood up, dragging her out of the hot tub and through the apartment to my bedroom. She was mine. I was going to claim her. She’d know for damn sure who she belonged to once I was through with her.
Chapter 39
Hannah
Grayson was serious about the wedding happening fast. He had booked a venue and hired a wedding planner already. I guessed I thought he was only half serious about making things happen in a hurry. Boy, had I been wrong. I checked my watch and saw it was almost ten. I felt a little guilty for skipping work and taking my right-hand woman with me, but it had to be done. I had scheduled an appointment at a dress shop, after practically having to pull teeth to get the thing and there was no way I was going to risk being late.
“I’m on my way,” I answered when Amber called.
“I’m here already and there are paparazzi all over.”
“What? How? Why?” I asked dumbfounded by the news.
“I have no idea. The dress shop is thrilled. They are quite literally rolling out the red carpet for you. I’m drinking a mimosa,” she hissed into the phone.
I laughed. “Great, they’re going to try and get me drunk so I’ll spend a ton of money.”
“Your fiancé can afford it. Now, hurry up!”
I hung up the phone and hailed a cab. Hating that I was going to show up to a bunch of photographers. I had a feeling it was Grayson’s work. He wanted to make sure our wedding was getting the proper attention. He had taken out a rather elaborate ad in several papers announcing our wedding date. The ink had barely dried on our engagement announcement before the wedding announcement came out.
I arrived at the boutique and, just as Amber said, there were about ten photographers milling about out front. I took a deep breath and opened the cab door, doing my best to appear regal and happy as I strolled inside.
“Good morning!” one of the sales ladies greeted me.
“Hi, I hope I’m not late,” I mumbled, glancing around the empty shop filled with only a handful of salespeople.
“Not at all. We drew the blinds to keep the photographers from getting a sneak peek of the dress you choose.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate you clearing your schedule for me.”
“It was no problem at all,” the woman said, clearly very happy to be a part of the Bancroft wedding planning.
Amber came out of a room and squealed when she saw me, her champagne glass in her hand. “You have to see what they pulled for you!”
I grinned. I could admit I was a little excited to be picking a wedding dress. It wasn’t something I ever really thought a lot about, but now that I was in the store, surrounded by white gowns in plastic covers, it was all very real.
“Let’s do this,” I said, clapping my hands together, anxious to see what we could put together with no time to spare.
“I was informed you preferred a mermaid style,” the saleswoman, who identified herself as Donna, announced.
I wrinkled my nose. “My fiancé likes the mermaid style. I’m thinking more Pippa Middleton style.”
Amber was nodding. “That would be perfect on you.”
Donna seemed irritated. “I guess we’ll need to pull some new dresses.”
“Please,” I replied, not willing to give in to pressure.
“Mermaid?” Amber repeated.
I rolled my eyes. “Grayson. He wants my ass on display.”
Amber burst into laughter. “I understand. I like the mermaid, but I think the slimline is perfect for you.”
Donna returned with a few dresses draped over her arm. “Okay, let’s start with these. Go ahead to the changing room and strip down to your underwear.”
I raised an eyebrow at Amber before disappearing into the room. A few minutes later, I was being stuffed into a dress with the help of a very willing assistant. I walked out to the area where Amber was sitting and enjoying her mimosa.
She shook her head. “I don’t think it’s the right one,” she said without even giving it a chance.
I looked in the mirror, she was right. “Next,” I muttered, heading back into the dressing room.