A Very Special Marriage

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘That is my heart you’re crossing, not yours!’

  ‘I know.’ His lips searched for hers again then settled on the tiny mole at the corner of her mouth when they failed to make satisfactory contact. He kissed it gently then kissed it a second time because it was such fun to feel her trembling like that.

  A feeling of complete and utter amazement suddenly swept over him because he had never imagined he’d use the word ‘fun’ again to describe his relationship with Sophie. It just seemed to prove how far they had come in the past two weeks and the thought spurred him on.

  ‘I know I was wrong, Sophie, but my intentions were good. I didn’t want to get in your way if you were attracted to Yuri.’

  ‘Who says I’m not attracted to him?’ she shot back, then trembled when he drew a lazy pattern around her eager nipple with the very tips of his fingers.

  ‘Me. I do. You wouldn’t be lying here like this if you felt anything for him,’ he stated firmly. Maybe he should be taking things a step at a time, but he couldn’t help feeling impatient to get the preliminaries out of the way so they could get down to what really mattered—putting their lives back together.

  ‘So now you’re an expert on relationships, are you? My, my, Liam, what a marvel you are. Not only a hotshot surgeon but an agony uncle to boot!’

  ‘No, I’m not an expert. If I had been then the past couple of years wouldn’t have been so horrendous for both of us.’

  He kissed her tenderly then drew back and looked at her because he needed her to understand that he was being absolutely serious now. Fun and laughter were all part of the joy of being in love but sometimes one had to state the facts so there could be no mistake about what was meant. He didn’t want there to be any mistake about what he was saying now.

  ‘I can’t ever give you back the two years we’ve lost but I can spend the next fifty-odd trying to make up for them if you’ll let me. Will you? Do you think that you could ever find it in your heart to love me again just a little bit?’

  Sophie bit her lip when she heard the pleading note in Liam’s voice. She was so overwhelmed by joy that she couldn’t speak. It felt as though all her birthdays and Christmases had come at once, as though every wish she’d ever had was about to be granted…

  She jumped when Liam suddenly stood up, feeling the cold finger of fear sliding down her spine when she saw the set expression on his face. ‘What’s wrong?’ she demanded, but he shook his head.

  ‘Nothing’s wrong. Please, don’t feel bad, Sophie. I should never have asked you that. I shouldn’t have tried to make you say something you don’t—’

  ‘For heaven’s sake, Liam, shut up!’

  She scrambled to her feet, ignoring his gasp at the way she’d spoken to him. She had no idea where her shoes had gone, which was a shame because she could have done with them when he was towering over her like the Grim Reaper. She quickly climbed onto the chair, sighing as she wondered how two supposedly intelligent human beings could make such a mess of things.

  ‘Let’s get this straight, Liam. Nobody can make me say something I don’t mean, not even you.’

  ‘I wasn’t implying—’ he began stiffly, but she put her fingers against his lips.

  ‘Shh. Let me finish, darling. I promise you can talk all you like after I’ve had my say.’ She smiled into his startled grey eyes. ‘If you will really want to waste time talking, of course.’

  She heard the click his throat made as he swallowed but he didn’t utter a word, obviously deciding that it would be wiser to follow her instructions to the letter. Sophie hid her smile because it wasn’t like Liam to be so passive. She may as well make the most of it while it lasted.

  ‘I love you, Liam. I always have loved you and I always shall love you. I made a terrible mistake by not trusting you two years ago but I hope and pray that we have sorted it all out now.’

  She took her hand away from his mouth, tipping her head to the side as she looked at him enquiringly. ‘That’s all I wanted to say so the rest is up to you. I’m all ears.’

  ‘I…You…We…Come here!’

  He swept her into his arms, lifting her bodily off the chair and swinging her round until she was dizzy and clinging to him. Sophie laughed with sheer delight at his exuberance then sighed when he suddenly bent and kissed her, a kiss of such tenderness that her heart overflowed with happiness.

  He gently set her back on her feet and looked into her eyes. ‘I love you, Sophie Patterson. You are everything I have ever wanted. Maybe you should have trusted me but I should have tried harder to explain what had happened that night I stayed at Amanda’s flat.’

  ‘We were both too upset about Zoë to think clearly at the time,’ she said softly, her eyes filling with tears at the memory of their precious child.

  ‘We were,’ he said with a catch in his voice. ‘It was such an awful thing to happen, sweetheart, but we can try again if it’s what you want.’

  ‘You mean we can have another baby?’ she said slowly, testing out the idea because she had never even considered it before.

  ‘Yes, but only if it’s what you want.’ He framed her face between his hands and looked at her with his heart in his eyes. ‘I just want you to be happy, Sophie. That’s all.’

  ‘I never thought I could feel this happy again,’ she admitted. ‘I thought I’d lost any chance of finding happiness when I lost you.’

  She reached up and kissed him on the mouth. ‘I love you, Liam, and maybe one day we can think about having another child, not to replace Zoë because it isn’t possible to replace her. But it would be wonderful to have someone else who could share our love, wouldn’t it?’

  ‘Then that’s what we’ll do when the time feels right.’ He kissed her back, letting the kiss set the seal on their promise.

  Sophie shuddered as passion rose swiftly inside her when she felt his tongue teasing her lips to part for him. She moaned softly as she opened her mouth and felt his tongue dart inside. It was unbearably moving to have him kiss her like this after the long abstinence they’d endured, and she clung to him when he tried to draw back.

  Liam obviously understood her frustration because he rained a shower of kisses over her face and neck. ‘I desperately want to make love to you, Sophie, but I can’t.’

  ‘What do you mean, “can’t”?’ she said uncertainly, staring at him in surprise.

  ‘That there’s Julia to consider.’ He rested his forehead against hers and she felt the tremor that ran through him. It was some small consolation because the mention of the other woman’s name had filled her with dread but Liam swiftly allayed her fears.

  ‘I can’t make love to you until I’ve told Julia that I can’t marry her. I expect it sounds ridiculously old-fashioned, but it just wouldn’t feel right. You do understand, don’t you, darling?’

  ‘Of course I understand!’ She smiled radiantly at him, loving him even more for sticking to his principles. ‘And I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all but just typical of the person you are, Liam.’ She sighed sadly. ‘I only hope Julia won’t be too upset when you break the news to her.’

  ‘I don’t think it will come as too big a shock to her.’ He grimaced when Sophie looked at him in surprise. ‘I think Julia sensed that I had doubts, which was why she didn’t object when I told her that I intended to see you again. I just wish I’d been able to reach her earlier then I could have got everything sorted out by now.’

  ‘So you’ve known for some time that you loved me?’ she asked softly.

  ‘Yes. That’s why I tried to phone Julia when we anchored at Naples.’

  ‘But that was ages ago!’ she exclaimed in surprise. ‘Why didn’t you say something sooner?’

  ‘Why didn’t you?’ he countered, grinning as he dropped a kiss on her nose.

  ‘Because I thought you didn’t love me and I didn’t want to ruin all your future plans.’

  ‘Ditto!’ He put his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, letting her feel his need for her
in every tense muscle of his body. ‘We’re a fine pair of idiots, aren’t we? We should have been brave enough to admit how we felt and saved ourselves a great deal of heartache!’

  ‘Mmm, it’s easy to be wise after the event.’ She looped her arms around his neck and leant against him, smiling when she heard him groan. ‘Now, now, Dr Kennedy. Remember all those high-minded principles of yours…’

  She didn’t get a chance to finish as his mouth swooped down and claimed hers. The kiss lasted quite some time so that she’d forgotten what she’d been saying when Liam raised his head, a fact he wasn’t slow to remark on.

  ‘What were you saying, Miss Patterson?’ he teased, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

  ‘I’ve no idea,’ she admitted. ‘I tend to get sidetracked when I’m kissed like that.’

  ‘Really? I must make a note of that for future reference.’ He dropped another deliciously sexy kiss on her mouth then reluctantly let her go. ‘Anyhow, bearing in mind all those principles of mine, I suppose I shall have to behave with a bit more propriety from now on. That means we can rule out spending the night in your cabin or mine, so how about we spend it here instead?’

  He swept a hand around the moonlit deck. ‘How do you fancy spending the first night of the rest of our lives under the stars?’

  ‘I can’t think of anything I’d like more,’ she said softly with a lump in her throat. When he opened his arms, she stepped into them and looked up at him with all the love she felt clear to see on her face.

  ‘I love you so much, Liam. I know I’ve told you that already but I want to tell you again and again so you don’t have any doubts that I mean it.’

  ‘And I love you, too, Sophie.’ He tilted her face up to his and tears filled her eyes when she saw that he was also crying. ‘I promise that I won’t let a day pass when I don’t tell you that. I just feel so lucky to have got you back. There’s just one thing that will make me even happier, if you’ll agree to it.’

  ‘Anything!’ she declared recklessly.

  ‘Promise that you will marry me just as soon as we can make the arrangements.’ He sank down onto the chair and drew her down beside him. ‘I don’t want to waste any more time before I make you mine again!’

  Sophie laughed as she dashed away her tears. ‘I’ll marry you tomorrow if you can sort it all out, Liam.’

  ‘I’ll keep you to that,’ he growled, and kissed her.

  ‘With the power vested in me I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride!’

  Sophie laughed as a great cheer erupted when Liam swept her into his arms. She kissed him back, wondering if she would wake up soon and find that she’d been dreaming because it was difficult to believe what had happened in the past few hours.

  She and Liam had spent the night on the deck, talking a little, kissing a lot. Then, as soon as the sun had come up, Liam had insisted that she should go to her cabin and try to get some sleep. She hadn’t thought she would be able to sleep after everything that had happened but she’d dropped off as soon as her head had touched the pillow.

  She had been woken several hours later when Charlie had knocked on her door with a tray bearing a glass of champagne and a single, red rose. That had been just the first of a series of wonderful surprises, she had discovered, when Liam had arrived a few minutes later and calmly informed her that they would be married that very morning on the ship. The captain had agreed to preside over the ceremony, although there would also be an official from Palma present to make sure the ceremony was legal.

  Sophie hadn’t known what to say because she’d been so stunned by the speed of events. But when Liam had sat down on the bed and quietly explained that he had spoken to Julia and that she had given them her blessing, it had removed the final obstacle. Her heart had started racing when she’d realised that in less than an hour’s time she would be Mrs Liam Kennedy again. The only problem had been what to wear but Liam had solved that by asking her to wear the grey dress that she’d worn the night before. She’d understood perfectly when he’d explained that he couldn’t think of anything better for her to wear than the dress she’d had on when they had finally declared their love for each other…

  ‘Happy?’ Liam drew back and looked at her and she laughed when she saw the love in his eyes.

  ‘Very happy.’

  She stood on tiptoe and kissed him then grinned when another cheer rang around the deck. The passengers had soon got wind of what was happening and had thrown themselves into the proceedings with great enthusiasm. Gloria and Randolph Walters had even cancelled their flight so they could be at the wedding. Sophie smiled when she looked round and saw Gloria waving to her. She waved back then slid her arm through Liam’s as the captain offered his congratulations.

  Everyone started to disperse soon after that. The guests had to hurry to their cabins to finish packing and the crew had to prepare for the new intake of guests who would arrive that afternoon. Sophie sighed as they made their way below because she would have to leave the ship very shortly. She hated the thought of leaving Liam but there was nothing she could do about it. Her replacement would be on her way and her cabin would be needed for the newcomer.

  ‘Not having regrets about marrying me already, I hope?’ Liam demanded, pulling her into his arms as soon as they were safely inside his cabin. He kissed her long and lingeringly then grinned at her. ‘I might be able to find a way to convince you that you’ve done the right thing if I really put my mind to it.’

  ‘Sounds tempting,’ she murmured, reaching up to nibble the edge of his jaw. ‘The problem is that I don’t have any doubts at all. Sorry!’

  ‘Don’t be sorry. It was a good answer and you deserve a reward for it.’ He kissed her again, even more thoroughly, and groaned. ‘What you do to my libido, Mrs Kennedy, is simply amazing!’

  ‘I’m pleased to be of service,’ she replied pertly, then gasped when he swept her up in his arms and deposited her on the narrow bunk bed.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she demanded, laughing up at him. ‘There isn’t time for that now. I’m supposed to be leaving the ship!’

  ‘You really think I’m going to let you leave when we’ve just got married?’ Liam shook his head as he went to the door and turned the key. ‘No way! I am not letting you out of my sight.’

  ‘Well, obviously, I don’t want to leave but how on earth can I stay when the agency is sending out a replacement for me?’ she protested, her stomach churning with excitement when he came back and sat on the edge of the bed. It was an effort to carry on when she saw the way he was looking at her. ‘The new nurse will need my cabin, Liam, and I know for a fact that the ship is fully booked because Charlie told me—’

  ‘Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much, Sophie Kennedy?’ He dropped a kiss on her mouth then smiled at her in such a way that she couldn’t possibly have objected to the accusation. ‘Everything is sorted out, sweetheart. I had a word with the captain and he has very kindly agreed to let us share this cabin.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Really.’ He laughed when she gasped. ‘I don’t expect you ever imagined you’d be spending your honeymoon night squeezed into a single bunk bed, but do you think you could put up with it for my sake? I don’t fancy being clapped in irons for jumping ship, but as there is no way that I intend to sail off into the sunset tonight without you, I’m prepared to take that risk.’

  ‘Don’t you dare! I don’t care how cramped it is just so long as we can be together.’ She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down beside her. ‘So now all that is sorted out, and you aren’t going to be spending time in the brig, what happens next? Do you have any more plans?’

  ‘Oh, yes. Loads of them. I’m planning on finding us that cottage in the country you always dreamed of, although I’ll need to find a job first to pay for it…’

  ‘It all sounds wonderful, darling, but what I really meant was do you have any plans for the rest of the day?’

  ‘I was just coming to
that. And, yes, I do have plans for today. In fact, they all centre on just one subject—you!’

  Liam’s mouth was urgent when it closed over hers but hers was just as hungry. They kissed for a long time until kissing wasn’t enough. Sophie felt desire flow through her when Liam quickly stripped off his clothes then knelt beside the bunk and tenderly undressed her. With every touch of his hands he was telling her that he loved her, with each caress he was promising that he would always love her.

  She knew how much this meant to him because it meant as much to her. At one time she had believed it would never happen yet when he held her against his heart as their bodies joined, she suddenly knew that their coming together again had been pre-ordained. She and Liam had been meant to be together for all eternity.

  ‘I love you, Sophie,’ he whispered just a moment before the world exploded in a shower of stars.

  ‘And I love you, too,’ she whispered. ‘So much…’

  EPILOGUE

  Two years later…

  ‘STOP him, Liam! Don’t let him get out into the garden or he’ll be covered in mud again!’

  ‘Oh, no, you don’t, young man!’ Liam laughed when his small son gurgled with delight as he swept him up into the air. He carried the child back inside the house, pausing to drop a kiss on Sophie’s lips and another on the blonde curls of the baby girl clinging to her legs.

  The twins had become a real handful since they had started walking and he didn’t know how Sophie coped with them while he was at work. He had to admit that they wore him out but he wouldn’t have swapped them for the world.

  Jack and Martha were living, breathing proof of the love he and Sophie felt for one another, and he’d been ecstatic when they’d found out she’d been expecting twins. They had found the cottage they had always dreamed about and had settled in Dalverston after he’d been offered a job at the hospital there. Sophie had finished her midwife’s training and now worked two days a week in the antenatal unit. There was a crèche at the hospital for the twins so everything had worked out really well. Not for the first time, Liam thought how lucky he was. Few people got a second chance at happiness and he didn’t know why he’d been so blessed.