by Natalie Ann
It was a simple wedding.
It was rushed.
But it was her first and it was damn well going to be lovely whether it was a pretend marriage or not.
What wasn’t pretend was the night they were going to have though.
The cake had been cut and eaten, champagne had been consumed. Even Michael had given them a toast before he’d taken his meal back to his little cottage to give them some privacy. She’d told him he didn’t have to leave, but he insisted he did.
She excused herself and went to the bedroom to finish lighting the candles and dimming the lights. The sheets were turned down, the rose petals were spread out on the floor and a few on the bed. Champagne was chilling in a bucket and the music that was softly piping through the house was now turned on in the bedroom.
She’d set it all up earlier before dinner so the photographer could get that taken care of, then he’d left after he’d had a piece of cake himself.
Once the room was perfect, she’d gone into the bathroom and put on a sheer white teddy and slipped a silk robe on over it, leaving it open for Gabe’s viewing pleasure.
She’d barely had time to sit in the chair next to the champagne bucket when there was a knock at the door and Gabe let himself in. He was still in his suit pants and shirt, though it was unbuttoned at the collar, his shoes were off, his feet bare. Something about his look made her mouth water.
She stood up and walked over to him with a glass of champagne in each hand, letting him grab one. They lifted the glasses and clinked the rims. “To us,” she said. “For making everyone believe.”
He put the glass to his lips, grinned at her over the rim, and took a sip, then said, “Oh, I think we sold it well so far. The true test is to come and I believe we’ll both pass with flying colors.”
She drained her glass and set it aside, then took his from his hand. “All my work is done now. It’s your turn.”
“Hell yeah,” he said. The minute the glasses were on the end table she was swung up into his arms. “You went to an extreme amount of effort for this day and I appreciate it. I loved that I didn’t have to do anything other than show up, but now I’m going to take charge.”
“That’s the way I wanted it. If you wanted to give me any input on the wedding, I believe you would have. So I appreciate you letting me set it up myself.”
“It’s time to show both of our strengths now.”
“I’m counting on it.”
His lips went to hers, her arms wrapped around his neck and she felt as if she were floating while he walked to the bed and laid her down, coming over her.
When he leaned back and his fingers traced the side of her cheek, she wondered where their game started, ended, or if it even mattered.
They were just two people who were married, who were friends, and now were going to become lovers.
“You just take my breath away,” he said. “I’ll never forget this night as long as I live.”
“That was the point,” she whispered back.
He edged off the bed and unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it out of his pants and letting her see that he had every reason to brag over those abs of his. For a guy who sat behind a desk for a living, he looked more like a pro athlete. Like a swimmer. All lean and toned.
She took that moment to remove her robe, as it wasn’t doing much in the way of covering anything up, nor did she want it to.
“How fond are you of the little teddy you’ve got on?” he asked, his eyes moving all over her and what was being exposed through the material, her hardened nipples leading the way.
“I bought it for you, so you can do what you want with it.”
“What I’d like to do is rip it right off you,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire.
“It has breakaway straps and buttons, so it won’t tear, but it was made for just what you have in mind.”
“You thought of it all,” he said, dropping his pants, leaving him standing there in boxer briefs hugging and molding what she’d been dreaming of for days.
She scooted up the bed a bit more, her arms going wide, welcoming him back to the bed. He didn’t hesitate to climb over her and place his lips to hers, their kiss not gentle in the least.
They’d waited too long. They’d spent a lot of time locking lips and doing nothing more.
The build-up was leading to this. To a great explosion.
Hands were flying everywhere. Her hands on his back, her nails grazing up and down all the grooves, dips and valleys.
His hips pushed into hers, letting her feel the steel length of him. She knew beyond a doubt she was dripping wet and hoped to hell he didn’t drag this out before she started to grind against him like a teen wanting some action but afraid to lose her virginity. An orgasm was an orgasm at this point in her mind.
He pushed himself back, put his hands to the straps and let them go, everything pulling and falling away, leaving her more exposed than ever before.
His eyes were boring into her, her body was heating up, and his wet lips went to a nipple to try to cool her off. It didn’t happen. It only turned her on more.
“Gabe. We’ve got all night to play with each other and I fully expect that to happen, but I’d love to find some relief here.”
“You want relief?” he said, moving down her waist and putting his mouth to her heated core. His tongue moved up and down, lapping her up and pulling in her swollen bud. Seconds later she was screaming out his name and gripping his head to keep him in place.
“That works,” she said, expelling some breath.
She felt the bed move as he reached for a condom he’d tossed on the table when he was undressing. Like a pro, he was covered, back on the bed and slipping inside of her. “Holy shit, you’re tight,” he said.
“It’s been a while. But you feel so good.”
“Same goes,” he said, his hands threading through her fingers and their hips moving up and down in a rhythm they’d found so easily together.
While the music continued to pump about the room in soft romantic tones, Gabe’s body found a beat to counter it. To send her into more of a cardio workout that she was determined to match.
There was a pressure building in her once again that she was dying to let go. Dying to bring him there with her. “Gabe. I hope you’re close.”
His lips moved to her ear, his teeth nibbling before he said, “You said you were going to be noisy so I want you to be loud.”
Shivers passed through her when his hands released hers and slid under her body, gripping her rear and holding her in place, then slamming into her hard and fast. Furious almost, and her body went tumbling over an edge she hadn’t even known she was standing on while she shouted his name.
In the faint distance, she heard an echo, or maybe it was Gabe finding that edge and diving off with her.
Awkward Visit
“How are things going?”
Gabe turned to look at his father as he walked through the open door of his office, then shut it behind him. Great, looked like a lecture was on the horizon.
“Good. I’m making progress with the airlines. At least one of them. I think if one signs the other will follow close behind.”
“That’s good,” his father said, “but that isn’t what I meant. How are things with Leah?”
“They’re great. Why do you ask?”
Gabe had expected more questions than he got when he returned three weeks ago from Lake Placid and went straight to his parents’ house to announce his nuptials. After that awkward visit, they’d gone to her parents’ house and done the same.
Leah’s parents recovered faster than his and accepted him into their life—which of course made the guilt creep in—but they still gave Leah a hard time about eloping. Thankfully she was able to pacify them with a ton of wedding pictures.
“We’re still shocked that you married, and married so quickly. None of us saw that coming. Leah and you had only been dating for a few weeks.”
“A month,” he cor
rected his father.
“Same thing in the scheme of it, Gabe,” his father said, sitting across from him at the desk.
“I thought you guys liked Leah.” They seemed it. They’d talked so fondly of her after the first time they’d met at dinner.
“We do. But we don’t know much about her. How is it possible that you know enough about her? Maybe she just wants your name and money,” his father said.
He completely expected reactions like this. “We have a prenup, Dad.”
“Then you’re being smart. That makes me feel better. Leah had no problem signing it?”
“Not at all.” His father didn’t need to know what the legal document said and he’d never tell him either. The truth was, if this weren’t a short-term arranged marriage, then Gabe would have created a prenup anyway. He’d never get taken for anything.
“She seems like a smart young lady.”
“She is,” Gabe said, ready to defend Leah again. It seemed like that was all he was doing lately, defending his wife and their sudden marriage. He’d expected people to be shocked, he didn’t expect such pettiness over it.
“The biggest issue your mother has currently is that she didn’t get to see her son get married. She’d like to have another reception for you. Would you be willing to exchange vows again?”
“I think that’s a little redundant. But I’ll talk to Leah tonight about a small reception if it will make Mom happy. I think Leah’s family would enjoy that too.”
“It could be a good compromise. The wedding photos were beautiful. The framed ones you gave your mother the other day went a long way toward softening her displeasure over the way you went about things.”
Thank God Leah thought to do that. When he and Leah gave both sets of parents the wedding photos, there were some tears on both mothers’ parts. It would have never occurred to him.
“I can compromise if I need to,” Gabe said, crossing his arms.
“Only when you want something out of it. What is it you want, Gabe?”
“I’m thinking maybe if Mom threw some type of a small reception that it would go a long way toward people getting off my back about the sudden marriage and me having to defend my actions.”
His father laughed. “There is no reason to defend your actions to anyone.”
“Want to tell the board that?” He lost track of the number of calls he’d gotten from board members not happy with his marriage out of the blue. As if they had any say in who he gave his name to. He wasn’t handing over his business and made it very clear there was a prenup. Those documents Leah and he signed clearly stated neither could make any claim on the other’s business at the end of their agreement.
“They can all go piss off,” his father said, crossing his arms this time. “Some of those old coots were on the board long before I was the CEO. I had to deal with the same thing and I’ve been married for forty years now. Never made your mom sign a prenup, but back then it wasn’t as common.”
“Then if any of them call you up and bitch about my words or tone of voice you won’t be shocked over it,” Gabe said, cracking a smile.
“Not at all. You are my son after all.” His father stood up. “If the truth is known, you seem happier now. Not wound up as tight and you’ve managed to smile at least once since I’ve been here. Your mother says you don’t even avoid her calls as often now.”
He wanted to but figured he shouldn’t press his luck. “I am happy. Leah has managed to rub off on me. Isn’t that what Mom wanted all along?”
“She did. If I were you, I wouldn’t admit that though. But maybe now your stress will drop down to manageable levels with a wife for you to go home to.”
***
“Are you excited about the gala tomorrow night?” Tami, her new assistant, asked her.
Tami had been a godsend in the past two weeks. When she and Gabe returned home from Lake Placid, they’d both been prepared for their family’s disapproval. They got it, but not nearly as bad as she’d thought everyone would be.
The wedding photos helped with her mother and father and though they were sad that Leah and Gabe eloped, they let it go.
Especially since Gabe told her a few days ago his mother wanted to throw them a reception. It was going to be very hard for Leah to not have any input, but she promised Gabe she’d be hands off.
But that weekend away put her behind on work and her first day back she’d interviewed Tami. She came with a lot of party experience and though she had no formal wedding planning experience, she’d been a forever bridesmaid it seemed. She had great ideas and she’d been invaluable since.
Gabe’s advance for the position allowed her to hire Tami on the spot and pay her more than she had originally planned. So far it was working out wonderfully.
“I am. I’m a little bit nervous as this will be our first outing as a married couple.”
“It will be fine. You can conduct yourself in any situation,” Tami said.
“I’ve had a lot of practice. And thank you again for dress shopping with me.”
The black dress that Tami urged her to try on was stunning. Strapless and fitted on the top, straight down to the floor with a long slit up the right leg. It was simple and wouldn’t draw a lot of attention to her, but the fit made her feel like a queen.
“My pleasure. Any time you need an opinion on dress shopping, I’m your girl. We do get to do that with the brides from time to time, right?” Tami asked, her eyes lighting up.
Tami had expensive taste too. That dress cost almost as much as the rent on Leah’s apartment, but Gabe insisted she pay for it with her new credit card, and since she didn’t have one in her married name yet, she had no choice.
“There are times we are asked to go along to help pick out the wedding gowns or the bridal gowns. Though I do try to keep my opinion to myself as often as possible. Or most times.”
Tami waved her hand. “You’re paid to give your opinion.”
Leah laughed. “And I do, as tactfully as I can. You’ll get the hang of it when it comes to that. But until then, let’s go over everything we need to for that wedding tomorrow. We just need to get in and out.”
“I can stay longer if you’d like to make sure everything is on track. I know you’ve got a hair appointment tomorrow.” Tami looked down at Leah’s nails. “I hope you’re getting a mani and pedi too. Those shoes are damn sexy.”
Leah rolled her eyes. “I am.”
“Don’t go French. That’s old school. A nice soft nude or pastel color. Like royalty in England.”
“Well now, I don’t fall into the royalty class, but that had been my plan.”
“You’re married to Gabe Richards. That is about as much royalty as you can get in this area.”
Leah forced the smile on her face. It’d been a few weeks of hearing comments like that. Some were sweet congratulations and others were snide remarks. She was pushing as much of it away from her mind as she could.
She’d expected some of that to happen and planned for it.
What she hadn’t planned on was how well she and Gabe got along. How close they’d gotten. How sweet he was. Or how much she looked forward to spending time with him.
Magic Touch
“You look stunning.”
Leah turned and looked at her husband. He was adjusting his black tie. He hated these events but was looking forward to this one with Leah on his arm, he’d told her.
She hadn’t told him anything about her dress other than it was black and simple.
“Thank you very much,” she said, doing a little spin for him in their bedroom. She’d come to his room that first night they’d returned from Lake Placid and had been here ever since. Unless he planned on kicking her out, she was staying.
It wasn’t as if they had a lot of sex because he really did work a ton of hours. More than her half the time. Though a lot of hers were on the weekend, his during the week. Sometimes she’d go to bed and wake up next to him, but not see much of him in between.
> He still did text or call her almost every day and she thought that was pretty damn sweet of him to do. It’s not like he had to. It wasn’t in the contract. Probably just wanted to keep up his image more than anything.
“I’ve got something for you,” he said.
“I see something I want.” She walked over and took the tie out of his hand and started to expertly tie it for him, then got up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss.
“I hope you still want it after tonight. It could be a rough one.” He ran his finger down her nose lightly. He was far from the stoic person she met that first day. Or even the second day.
When they were in public he was always touching her, holding her hand, kissing her. It could be considered acting, yet he did it in private too.
“I’m sure it’s going to be fine. But what was it you said you had for me?” She walked over to put her heels on.
“This,” he said, handing over a slim blue velvet box.
She frowned. “Why?”
“Because your neck looks pretty bare and no wife of mine should be seen in public like that.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “No one is going to notice or care.”
Or so she thought until she opened the box and was staring at a diamond necklace. Not one big solitaire that would knock an eye out. Not even one that was dripping with diamonds throughout.
No, this was a simple chain that she was guessing was platinum with four diamonds almost curving on the bottom. They were shaped close to the size of her ring, making her wonder if it was a matching set. “Gabe,” she said. “Way too much.”
“Says no woman ever when given diamonds.”
“That is probably true, but I feel like I’m getting a lot more out of this marriage than you are.” It was weighing on her heavily that things were so lopsided.
“You’re not. And tonight will give you a prime example of it. Maybe I needed to soften you up before we get there.”
“It can’t be nearly as bad as you’re making it out to be,” she said, then turned her back while he slipped the stunning glittery piece of jewelry around her neck. She definitely felt like a queen now.