Effortless: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance

by Lynn Montagano

  Darren motioned for someone and then I saw Stephanie. My best friend smiled, put her hand on her heart and then blew me a kiss. This was absolutely, undeniably the most astonishing moment of my life. I squeezed my dad’s arm just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

  He patted my hand and smiled. “Surprised?”

  I think I nodded. Out the corner of my eye I saw Paxton standing near Alastair. He winked at me and grinned.

  “Everyone’s here,” I whispered.

  “There she is,” an unfamiliar voice announced. “Shall we?”

  Next thing I knew, my dad walked me toward a justice of the peace.

  At exactly midnight, surrounded by all the people who meant the most to me, I married Alastair Reid Holden under a sky full of stars. Even the Milky Way joined us, spreading from one corner of the glossy black horizon to the other and putting on one hell of a celestial show. The serenity and happiness I felt as we exchanged simple vows overwhelmed me. When Stephanie walked over and handed me a stunning platinum band to slide onto Alastair’s finger I couldn’t stop smiling. The guy who once claimed he didn’t ‘do’ relationships had thought of everything. I didn’t think it was possible to love him even more than I already did.

  When the justice said those magic words about pronouncing us husband and wife, everyone clapped.

  “I told you we were going to see the stars,” Alastair said before locking me in a kiss far too passionate for anyone else to witness. I heard Darren and Andrew both whistle and cheer.

  Breaking the kiss, he lifted me and hugged me soundly. I couldn’t believe this actually happened.

  “You’re married,” Stephanie yelled, throwing her arms around me when Alastair let me go. “I hope you realize you are the only person I’d stand outside for in the freezing cold at midnight.”

  “The sacrifices you Floridians make,” I laughed, hugging her for an eternity before my mother’s pleas forced us apart. In true Lillian Meyers fashion, she nearly suffocated me with excitement. Her make-up was immaculate except for the black smudges under her eyes where the tears landed.

  “Two weddings in one year,” she said. “I can’t believe it.”

  “You’re going to squash her, mom. I want in on that,” Dayna said sandwiching me in a hug with our mother. A flash went off next to us, blinding me.

  “Sorry,” I heard Andrew say. “It’s not every day all the Meyers women are in one place.”

  I laughed, finally free from their embrace. “If there’s no photo, it didn’t happen, right?”

  Darren was next for the parade of hugging. He lifted me up and spun me around, making me squeal with delight. “You’re a gorgeous bride, lass.”

  My family and friends continued to chitchat next to me as my attention turned to my new husband, who was surrounded by his own family. His aunt had him in a secure embrace. His back was to me so I couldn’t see what, if any, expression was present. Much to my surprise, he held her just as tight. Samuel patted him on the back and then pulled him in for a quick hug. Now I could see his face. He caught my eye and grinned.

  When Jason went over to him, I stilled. His body seemed to stiffen as Jason offered his hand to shake. I wanted so much for them to have this moment without any tension. After a few seconds, Alastair shook his uncle’s hand and nodded. Their interaction wasn’t overflowing with warmth but it was a start.

  Tilting his head, he waved me over so I could be embraced by the Holden family. Katherine beamed as she engulfed me in her arms. “I am so happy for you.” She pulled back and held my jaw. “Thank you.”

  I knew what she meant. Looking into all of their eyes, I also knew that she spoke for the entire family. I smiled and gave a little shrug. Alastair was hovering close by and slid an arm around my waist. He wouldn’t let me go as our families mingled, talking and laughing like they’d known each other for years. I overheard Katherine inviting my parents to the house while they were here. Where is here, by the way?

  Grabbing Alastair’s hand, I led him over to where Steph, Darren, Andrew and Dayna were chatting.

  “Lia,” Stephanie squealed. “Isn’t this amazing? Were you surprised?”

  Her eyes widened as I let the question sink in.

  “You knew?” I asked.

  “Yep. We all knew. Do you know how hard it was to keep your mother quiet about this whole thing?”

  I looked up at my new husband who, on cue, employed an impassive expression. “Sneaky,” I said, shoving his shoulder. “How long have you had this planned?”

  “I’ll never tell.” His little smart ass grin made me laugh.

  “Unreal.”

  “Paxton,” Stephanie called. “Can you come here for a second?”

  He appeared in front of us, ready for whatever Stephanie wanted.

  “Would you mind taking a picture of us all?”

  “No problem.”

  Andrew handed him the camera and we all stood in a group, with me and Alastair in the middle. He held me so tight it made me a little nervous but one look at his content face quieted my worries.

  “I love you guys to death but I’m an ice cube,” Stephanie said through chattering teeth. “We’re all meeting for brunch in the morning at the hotel. Inside. Where it’s warm.”

  “Toughen up, lass,” Darren teased. “Winter isn’t here yet. This is nothing.”

  One by one, we said goodnight to our wedding guests and escorted them to the front of the house where three horse drawn carriages waited. I still couldn’t get over the fact that this was how people got around here. Here…?

  I hugged Paxton as well before he left.

  “You’ve made him very happy, Miss Meyers,” he said, pausing. “My apologies. I mean, Mrs. Holden. Congratulations and enjoy your weekend.”

  Paxton was a man of few words so for him to say that to me meant the world.

  “Mrs. Holden?” Alastair’s low tone sent shivers down my spine. “Have I exceeded your expectations?”

  I drank in every inch of him as we stood beneath the expansive beauty of the universe and reached for his hands.

  “You amaze me,” I whispered, resting my forehead to his. “I love you so much.”

  The most joyful, dazzling smile curved his mouth. “So this wasn’t cheesy?”

  “No. This was perfect.”

  We remained enclosed in our private bubble, gently touching one another and reveling in the stillness of the night. My stunning diamond ring twinkled in unison with the stars when I ran my hand through his hair. As far as I was concerned, anything that wasn’t in my immediate surroundings didn’t exist.

  “Do you own this house?”

  “No. But I’ll buy it if you want it.”

  The shy laugh that escaped my lips sounded foreign to me. He’d cast such a spell on me tonight.

  “Where are we? Because right now all I can think is that we’re in paradise.”

  “This is the Isle of Sark,” he answered. “Although anywhere with you is paradise.”

  “Are we still in the United Kingdom?”

  “We’re very close to France in the southern English Channel.”

  I looked up, dazzled once more by the glowing Milky Way. “How did you ever find this place? I’ve never seen the sky so—”

  Alastair cut me off with a gentle kiss, which made my knees buckle. “Dance with me?” he asked.

  “There’s no music.” I smiled.

  He led me to the backyard and we danced to the intense quiet of the night under a gorgeous sky I could only have imagined in my dreams. I heard Alastair’s breathing grow labored, as though he was struggling for air. I held him tighter, aware that this was his way of telling me how he felt.

  Pulling back, he kissed me again before focusing a powerful, heated gaze on me. I lost myself in his emerald eyes as they glittered in the moonlight.

  “You make me feel alive,” he said, his voice strong and filled with passion.

  I grabbed his hand and placed it over my heart. A tremor shook his body for the brie
fest of moments.

  “Ditto, love,” I whispered.

  Tracing his thumb over my lips, he leaned in. “I love you, Amelia Grace.”

  He wrapped me in his arms again and we kept dancing under the glorious canopy of stars long into the night. If I had my way, this would never end. Looking up, I touched his cheek and smiled when his hand covered mine.

  “We have a decision to make,” he said.

  “Oh? And what’s that?”

  “I know how much you love to look at the stars, so I was thinking we could grab a blanket and lay out here for awhile. Or,” he paused, adopting a more sultry tone, “we could enjoy one another in a long, hot bubble bath.”

  “Can we do both?” I blurted.

  His throaty laugh echoed on the breeze. “As you wish, m’lady.”

  The bubble bath won out as the place to start. I went upstairs and filled the tub, which by the way was the size of a jacuzzi, while Alastair poured the champagne. I caught him staring at me from the mirror and grinned.

  “Like what you see, chief?”

  “I will once you get out of that dress.”

  Turning around to face him, I placed my hands on my hips. “You’re awfully frisky.”

  “You don’t say?” He slipped off the suit jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. I got that awesome weak in the knees feeling watching him undress. Moving in slow, calculated strides he crossed the bathroom, stalking me like a lion. Every muscle in his toned, athletic torso moved with fluid beauty. My mouth watered. Staring into his hooded eyes wiped my mind clean of any thoughts, even the great ones about how freaking hot he was.

  Reaching around me, he shut off the water. Jesus, he smells good.

  “Do you want to finish undressing me?” How he managed to make that question sound illegal in a hundred countries I’ll never know. Not having to be asked twice, I ran my hands down his bare chest and traced along the edge of his waistband. My plan to seduce him with slow and deliberate actions flew out the window the second he wet his lips and moaned softly. I may or may not have torn the button off his pants when I wrenched them open.

  Amused by my lack of control, he shook his head and backed away. “There’s no rush.” He removed the rest of his clothes and fixed a dark stare on me that ignited a fire in the pit of my stomach. Skimming his fingers over the swell of my breasts and down to my hips, he kissed me and gradually unzipped the dress. Goosebumps scattered along my skin as the soft silk material glided down my body. It hit the floor with a sigh, pooling at my feet.

  “Leave the shoes on,” he said, unhooking my bra and removing it with ease. Taking a step back, he devoured me with dark, molten eyes. “You are exquisite.” Mischief lit up his face. “You’re coming with me.”

  In one fluid motion, he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. I squealed, not knowing what was happening. I heard my shoes fall to the floor with a thud. Next thing I knew, he was walking at a fast clip down the stairs and out the back door.

  “Alastair,” I yelped. “I’m naked and it’s freezing. What are you doing? We can’t be outside like this.”

  My feet hit the cool grass and I nearly bolted back to the house.

  “Not so fast,” he said, draping a robe over my shoulders. “Feel better?”

  I hugged the plush robe around me and gave him a dirty look. He just grinned and proceeded to spread a blanket out on the ground, all the while still remaining stark naked. I looked around and realized that we were, for all intents and purposes, alone. I couldn’t see another house or even any street lights.

  “Are you going to keep me warm or stare into the unknown all night?”

  Smiling up at me, he’d already put on his own robe and made himself comfortable on the blanket. I knelt down next to him and sat back on my heels. He mimicked my stance and pushed the robe off my shoulders. I shivered, both from the cold and from nerves.

  “Nobody is here, Lia. This house is secluded.”

  “What abo—”

  He cut me off with a searing kiss, letting his hands roam freely over my body. Every caress warmed and calmed me. Pulling me down next to him, we curled up together, snuggled under the warmth of our robes. I felt so small staring up at the sky. The stars and Milky Way seemed to stretch for an eternity, their distant beauty so vivid I wanted to reach up and touch them.

  Alastair leaned his head so it rested on mine as I splayed my hand on his stomach. If anyone had told me a year ago that I’d be lying on a blanket —naked— outside in the middle of the night on an island I had no idea existed, I would have laughed in their face.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  I lifted my head and gazed down at my gorgeous husband. “You.”

  He smiled, brushing my hair back over my shoulder. Bowing his head, he swallowed hard. “Tell me what you want.”

  I tilted his chin up so I could look into his eyes. “I already have it.”

  * * *

  Alastair and I strolled lazily along a dusty path that wound its way up a cliff overlooking the English Channel. A cottony layer of clouds blended into the cobalt sky while a soft breeze tickled my shoulders. I couldn’t help but notice how the rocky coastline seemed to frill the island like a cupcake wrapper. Waves pounded against the cliffs as seagulls circled overhead. Smiling, I still felt like this was paradise.

  Draping his arm over my shoulder, Alastair stood quietly with me as we gazed out toward the horizon. It stretched endlessly, beckoning us with the promise of a clear, bright future. I knew the journey would be far from perfect but it was our journey and we’d already survived so much.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “A little.”

  We’d spent the majority of the morning lounging in bed before finally taking that warm bubble bath we’d abandoned last night. Needless to say, we also missed brunch with my family.

  “We can go into town and grab some lunch if you’d like.”

  “Maybe later.”

  He glanced at me out the corner of his eye. “You’re turning down food? Stop the presses.”

  “Hey.” I punched him lightly in the arm. “I’m not turning it down, you muppet. I just said ‘later.’”

  The sound of his throaty laugh drifted on the chilly breeze. I stood in front of him so I could hook my arms around his waist. The early afternoon sunlight reflected off his rich, dark red hair accentuating the chocolate flecks. Stunning as always, Holden, I thought with a smile.

  The corners of his eyes crinkled as he returned my smile. “What’s got you so happy?”

  “Some guy.”

  “‘Some guy,’ huh?” He smirked and I knew that meant I was in trouble. Fast as lightning, he grabbed my waist and tickled me hard. My shrieks and peals of laughter bounced through the quiet air as loud as cymbals. I managed to break away from him and ran several yards down the gravel path, still laughing. He caught me in no time and held me close.

  “Amelia Grace Holden.” The way my name rolled of his tongue with such ease thrilled me. “No matter where you run, I will always catch you.”

  “Lucky for you, then. I want to be caught.”

  EPILOGUE

  I felt her before I saw her.

  “Everyone’s waiting for you, birthday boy.”

  Lia grinned and leaned against the wall in the penthouse office. Her chestnut hair hung in tousled waves at her shoulders. A short burgundy sundress hugged her hourglass figure, accentuating her curves. The sight of her did what it always does to me. One year later and I still had zero control over how she made me feel.

  “Are those legal documents really that exciting?” she teased.

  Her light, melodic voice slinked its way through my bloodstream. It had a slight raspy edge to it, which became more prominent when she was moaning my name. I leaned back in my chair, letting my legs fall open.

  “No rest for the wicked, love.”

  “Whatever, Holden.” She pushed herself away from the wall and walked towards me. The tantalizing sway of her hips came
as naturally to her as breathing. It was one of my favorite things about her. She had no idea how mesmerizing her walk could be and that made it even more desirable. I’d seen it turn more than a few heads when we were out. People have been staring and leering at me my whole life but it was different when they did it to my wife.

  Hitching up her dress, she straddled me. I swallowed down a moan, feeling the pressure tighten in my throat and in my pants.

  “You’re not allowed to work at all today, chief. That includes during your own party,” she said, slinging her arms over my shoulders. I grasped her hips as a way to center myself. Her scent and body were overwhelming my senses.

  “I’m not working. I just needed to make sure these were in order for tomorrow.”

  “Look at them in the car on your ride to the office.”

  Fiery amber eyes locked onto me with determination, boring into my soul. No other person could see me so clearly or so completely. From the first moment she looked at me through the car window I knew she was different and I knew I was in trouble. If I’d had half a brain I would have gone ahead with my original plan and told Paxton to get me the hell out of there. That benefit hadn’t been one of my mandatory social engagements last spring but I’d been advised by my grandfather to show my face.

  And then Lia happened. Catching her when she tripped wasn’t part of the plan either. Holding her in my arms and allowing those bright eyes to peer into my soul a second time had caught me off guard.

  I had to have her.

  I should have walked away.

  “You’re distracting me, kitten.”

  “Am I?” She leaned close. Too close. I fisted my hand in her hair and pulled. A small intake of breath lifted her chest, making her breasts swell. Her skin flushed and her lips parted. This look would drive me bloody insane for the rest of my life.

  “I’m not used to celebrating my birthday. You know that.”