by Laina Kenney
“Yes, Jack, I’ll marry you.”
His arms locked tight around her, and his mouth came down over hers in a tender kiss.
“And if you start ignoring me in favor of your business, I’ll hide your new cell phone at the bottom of the swimming pool.” The threat quavered in the air. Corinne was astounded at her own bravery, but Jack just laughed.
“Just tell me if you’re unhappy, honey, and I’ll throw the damned thing against the wall again. Or maybe we could have another night where we turn it off and switch roles.”
Corinne smiled in delight.
“I thought you wanted a submissive woman.”
“I want you any way I can get you. I want to tie your hands and worship your body for hours. I want you to walk into my office, order me to lie down and then ride me until I can’t breathe without groaning. I want everything I’ve never had with any woman, because if I don’t get it with you, I won’t ever get it at all. You’re it for me.”
Corinne listened in wonder. It was her fantasy come to life and she didn’t quite know how to respond.
“Say yes, Corinne.” He gave her a quick hard kiss. “Say yes to a lifetime of putting up with me.”
“I already said yes.”
“Say the other,” he challenged, and she knew what he meant.
“I love you, Jack,” she said and the words were effortless. For the first time, she felt comfortable saying them, because she knew the feeling was returned.
The hard planes of his face softened and his dark eyes lit up.
“I don’t want to plan a big wedding,” she said, and he frowned.
“You deserve a big wedding. We can have it here on the grounds. I’ll call my little brother Zenn and ask him to be my best man. I was best man at his wedding a year or so ago.”
“Does it have to be big?”
He pinned her with a hard look. “I don’t care how many people are invited, but it had better be soon. I want a ring on your finger ASAP. I’d tattoo my name on your butt if I thought you’d let me get away with it.”
Corinne laughed and nuzzled his throat. She thought for a moment. She had the usual little girl fantasies of the perfect wedding dress and the handsome groom. Well, now she had the perfect groom for her. What did she really want her wedding to be like?
“I’d like it if we got married here in the butterfly garden with just a few friends and family members, but let’s not have twenty reporters roaming the house and grounds.”
Jack grimaced.
“No way are we having reporters in the house. I see your point. How can we sneak away from the reception to be alone if there are nosy reporters around?”
“Are you afraid someone will see you tying me up?” she teased.
His slow smile sent a thrill through her. He nudged into her where their bodies were still joined. He was still semi-hard and growing harder by the second. She sighed as her body rippled around his invasion.
“I’m more afraid of what the papers would say if they saw you tying me up.”
He winked and she giggled. It could happen.
Epilogue
Corinne went back to the mirror and fussed with her hair again. The hairdresser had been and gone, but Corinne wasn’t sure it would hold. She twisted around, trying to see the back of the sweeping updo, then fingered the curls framing her face. She was still debating whether she dared use any more of the super finishing spray when Jack spoke.
“Leave it alone. It’s perfect. You’re so beautiful, baby. I can hardly breathe when I look at you.”
She whirled to face Jack.
“It will have to be perfect, because there are cameras out there,” she protested, turning around to search for her hairbrush.
He laughed.
“Just one photographer and we hired her. This is supposed to be your day, Corinne, and you’re looking a little anxious. Is marrying me really such a frightening idea?”
Corinne stopped fussing and looked over at Jack. His tone was light, but his eyes were serious. She put down the brush and walked over to take his hands.
She didn’t want him to think she was having second thoughts about this marriage. She was as certain as she had ever been in her life. They were a couple no matter what, and the marriage ceremony was going to put a legal seal on what their hearts had already decided. But she still wanted it to be perfect.
“I’m worried about the cameras, the flowers, your brother seducing half the women here before dinner since he’s divorced now, and Shelly being late, but not about getting married. I want to marry you very much.”
He leaned down to kiss her just as Angela bustled in with her arms full of flowers.
“None of that, none of that now,” Angela said with a mock frown. “There really isn’t time.”
She handed one white rose to Corinne and turned smartly on her heel.
“Where is that Shelly? I told her to be here early,” she muttered on her way back out the door. “Oh, and Jack, you need to be outside in the gazebo in three minutes,” she said over her shoulder.
Jack nodded, but she was already gone.
Shelly came rushing in, blue taffeta skirt flying just as they were about to kiss again. Corinne jumped back, and Jack just looked resigned.
“I’m not late, I’m not late,” Shelly said. She halted and looked Corinne up and down in her sleek white gown.
Corinne had gone the traditional route and chosen a glowing white mermaid gown with one white rose in her dark hair. Choosing a gown had been difficult at first. She had asked Jack’s opinion early on in the process, but he had only said that his favorite gown was the sheer black-and-silver creation in which she had dominated him for one night.
She rolled her eyes. Men.
She ended up taking Shelly shopping in New York, where they found the simple design she was wearing. The lines of the dress followed her body without being too snug, and it fit very well from the first moment, requiring only one fitting.
“Wow. You make such a gorgeous bride. I’m so happy for you. And dead jealous,” she said with a wink at Jack. “But mostly just happy for you.”
“Thanks, Shelly. And thanks for being my bridesmaid.”
Shelly turned back and forth so her skirt swirled around her feet in a froth of blue fabric.
“I must say, of all the dresses I’ve been forced to wear in friends’ weddings, this one is definitely the best. It’s actually pretty,” she said happily, admiring herself in the mirror.
Corinne smiled at her friend. Shelly brought her own style to everything she did.
She glanced up to find Jack grinning.
He leaned in and kissed her. His mouth lingered, rubbing and tasting until Corinne was clinging to him and half thinking the wedding guests could wait another hour.
Angela stuck her head back in the door.
“Jack, hurry up, the minister is waiting for you.”
Jack raised his head and looked down into Corinne’s eyes. The look of love on his face mesmerized her.
“Come on, sweet girl,” he said. “It’s time to get married.” He swatted her backside gently and took her hand in his, his left to her right. Corinne touched the rose to her lips for luck while Shelly bound their clasped hands together with a wide, white ribbon. When they had exchanged their vows and their rings, only then would the ribbon be cut by Jack’s brother.
Shelly peered into Corinne’s eyes.
“Yup, you’re in love,” she said. “It looks good on you.”
She picked up Corinne’s train.
Corinne followed Jack out into the bright sunlit garden where they would dedicate their lives to each other in front of their family and friends. She would follow him anywhere.
THE END
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Laina Kenney is a classically trained singer/instructor with a regular job and a deep love of the written word. Her family is supportive of (or perhaps just resigned to) a house full of books in every g
enre, with ancient history and romance taking up the majority of the space. She cheerfully admits to having a bizarre sense of humor and enough shiny accessories for any ten women. One of the greatest joys in her life is exploring the wonder of testosterone, both in prose and in person.
For all titles by Laina Kenney, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/laina-kenney
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
About the Author