by Violet Howe
“Will we be okay in here?”
He looked back down at me and nodded. “Yeah. We’ll be fine.”
“I normally love watching a storm roll in from my patio, but there, I can always get up and go inside the house if it gets too bad.”
He cupped my cheek in his hand, and I turned to kiss his palm.
“I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Maggie.” His voice was barely above a whisper, and it held a husky quality that intensified my desire.
“As romantic as that sounds, I don’t think you can save me from Mother Nature.”
“I’ll die trying,” he said, his mouth already on mine as the words left his lips. He trailed his hands down my back and then spanned them over my ribs, his thumbs grazing over my nipples, stiff from wet cold and begging for his touch.
He unfastened my pants, and we both laughed as he struggled to push the wet material down with it plastered to my skin.
I wrestled them off and knelt on the floor of the tent as I waited for him to remove his jeans. He stood before me, and I took him in my hands and in my mouth, my own body’s erotic response rising as he moaned and buried his hands in my hair. I grabbed the backs of his sculpted thighs and pulled him deeper, turned on by the power of being able to make him react the way he was.
He moved his hands to my shoulders and pulled me up to standing, scooping me up to wrap my legs around his hips and parting my thighs to ease me over the length of him.
I threw my arms around his neck and clung to him as he moved my body up and down in rhythm with his thrusts, my own pleasure building as his groans rose in intensity to match that of the storm outside. With one swift motion, he bent to lay me on the floor of the tent, plunging into me as the thunder shook the ground and the tent swayed with the pounding of the wind.
He cried out my name, and I joined him in climax as a huge bolt of lightning lit up the night sky.
“Wow,” I whispered as he lay on top of me, his breathing heavy and his body trembling. “I’ve read about people seeing stars when they orgasm, but I just saw lightning. We must have some pretty intense lovemaking skills.”
He chuckled, and I smoothed his hair away from his face as he nestled his head on my breasts.
“I think I felt the earth move,” he said.
“Me, too.”
A big gust of wind slammed into the tent, and I flinched beneath Dax’s weight.
“I hope the wind doesn’t pick this tent up and deposit us in the middle of the spring.”
He lifted his head and looked around, and then laid it back on my chest. “It’s tied down pretty well. I think it will hold.”
His arms were snuggled along my sides, and he squeezed me as he shifted to take most of his weight to the floor, leaving his head on the pillow my body provided and his thigh tossed across mine.
He kissed the rise of my breast beneath his face, and hugged me tighter.
The air felt ripe for an exchange of love, and I braced, wanting him to say it, but willing him not to. Not yet.
The wind died down and the moment passed, but I’d already said it in my heart.
50 A ROCK & A HARD PLACE
“Did my mom tell you she went camping last weekend? In a tent?” Cabe asked as he finished drying the dishes after dinner. “She must really like this guy.”
“Mmm-huh,” Tyler mumbled.
“What’s up with you?” Cabe asked as he watched Tyler cross the living room floor for the fourth time.
“What do you mean?”
He smiled. “Well, I just mentioned my mom’s love life, which is one of your favorite topics lately, and you barely gave me a response. You’re pacing. You’ve cracked your knuckles twice even though you know it drives me insane, and you barely touched your dinner. Considering that chicken piccata is one of my best meals, that’s odd in and of itself. What’s going on?”
She flopped down in the large chair in the corner and laid her head back, closing her eyes and releasing a huge sigh.
“That bad, huh?” Cabe said. “Should I be worried?”
Deacon stood and left his chew toy to run his head underneath Tyler’s hand, nudging her softly at first, and then more forcefully when she didn’t respond.
“Even the dog’s worried, Buttercup. ‘Fess up and tell us how bad it is.”
Tyler scratched behind Deacon’s ears as she opened her eyes and turned her head to face Cabe.
“I don’t know what to do,” she said, her voice quiet.
“About what? What’s wrong, babe?”
Cabe folded the dish towel and laid it on the cabinet before walking over to sit on the couch, taking Tyler’s hand in his. Deacon nudged at both their hands and whined when neither responded with more petting.
“I’m having an issue with a bride,” she said.
Cabe exhaled loudly. “Whew! A bride we can handle. I thought you were giving me some kind of bad news, and I wasn’t sure what it was gonna be. I thought maybe your mother was coming to visit or something.”
Tyler shuddered and rolled her eyes. “Oh, Lord, please. Don’t even say that. That’s the last thing I need right now.”
“So what wedding crisis has befallen this bride? What’s got you so worked up?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but then met his eyes and stopped as her own filled with tears.
“Babe, are you crying? What the hell? Come over here.” Cabe sat back against the couch, pulling her up out of the chair and onto his lap. “You know you can’t let these bridezillas get to you. How many times have we been through this? If the bride is a miserable person, nothing you can do will make her happy, and that’s not on you. You just do the best job you can and keep telling yourself she’s just another bride. There’ll be a different one next week.”
Tyler’s voice cracked a bit when she spoke. “But this isn’t just another bride. It’s your sister.”
Cabe stiffened and stopped stroking Tyler’s hair. He moved her to sit up so he could face her.
“What did she do? What did she say? If she upset you—”
Tyler shook her head. “It’s not that.”
“She’s lucky you agreed to do this wedding after what she did to us.”
“Cabe, your sister was looking out for you. She thought I wasn’t the right person to make you happy. We’ve moved past that, remember?”
He slid Tyler from his lap and stood, taking his own turn at pacing the living room.
“I knew this was a bad idea. I knew you shouldn’t have agreed to do this.”
“Would you stop? She didn’t do or say anything to me. She’s been really nice, actually.”
He stopped pacing and turned to face Tyler. “Galen? Nice? That’s unlikely.”
Tyler sighed and rubbed her eyes. “No, she has been. Really. I think she genuinely appreciates my help with everything. She’s just put me in an awkward position, and I don’t know what to do.”
“What do you mean? Awkward, how?”
She ran her hand along Deacon’s back and sank her fingers into his fur. “Normally, I’m the bride’s advocate. I’m the person who makes sure the wedding turns out the way she wants it to. Sometimes that means I’m running interference between her and the family, or between her and the groom, and or sometimes between her and the vendors. But I’m the neutral party who gets to step in and say that what the bride wants is what we’re doing.”
“Okay. So what does Galen want to do that’s causing you so much stress?”
Tyler leaned forward and cupped Deacon’s face in her hands, ignoring the tear that rolled down her cheek. Deacon leapt toward her, putting his front paws in her lap and licking the tear from her face.
“It’s okay, buddy,” she cooed to the dog. “I’m fine.” She wiped away his slobber and the remnants of her tear with the back of her hand and looked up at her husband, whose wary expression barely concealed the anger she knew was simmering beneath the surface any time his sister was involved.
“Before I tell you,” she
stood and went to Cabe, placing her hands on his chest, “you have to promise me you’re not going to get upset.”
“I can’t do that. You know I can’t do that.”
“It’s her wedding, babe. It’s her special day, and you have to allow her to have her own feelings about how it happens.”
His eyes narrowed, and he took a step back. “Tell me this has nothing to do with Gerry Tucker.”
Tyler’s eyes glassed over and another tear escaped. “Cabe, it’s her wedding and—”
“Absolutely not. No way in hell, Ty. She’s got Jeffrey and Julie coming, and that’s hard enough for my mom. No way is that man coming anywhere near this wedding.”
Tyler reached for Cabe, and he took another step back. “I understand, Cabe, I really do. But I’m torn as to what’s the right thing.”
“I’m not. Gerry Tucker has not done one damned thing to be her father other than providing his DNA and sending some gifts. He doesn’t get to be part of this.”
“But it’s not your decision, babe. It’s hers.”
Cabe shook his head.
“Listen, Cabe, I understand why you don’t want him there. Why Maggie wouldn’t want him there. But this is Galen’s big day. It has to matter that she wants him there.”
“Why? Why on earth would she want him there? This is ridiculous.”
He picked up his phone from the table.
“Stop, Cabe.” Tyler grabbed his arm as she pleaded. “Don’t call her. Please. Technically, she’s my client, and I shouldn’t have even discussed this with you, but—”
“Oh, there’s no way I’m not calling her. What? Were you going to wait until the day of and spring this on my mother?”
“No, I told her she needs to tell Maggie, but she hasn’t yet, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Well, I’m telling you what we’re doing. I’m calling her and putting a stop to this.”
“No. Cabe, I’m begging you not to do that.”
His finger hovered above the screen, and he glared at Tyler, his jaw clenched tight.
“Please? Cabe? I had to tell you because we need to discuss this. But I didn’t tell you so that you’ll call my bride and destroy her faith in me.”
“Her faith in you?” he scoffed, the phone still in his hand though he hadn’t yet dialed his sister. “What about my mom’s faith in you? She’s already agreed to have his other children in the wedding because it was important to my sister. Do you have any idea how difficult that must be for her? It may be Galen’s wedding, but it’s important to my mom, too. And let’s not forget she’s paying for the whole damned thing.”
Tyler exhaled and scrunched her nose against further tears. “I know. Believe me, I know. I’ve tried to talk your sister out of this. But Gerry is her father. It’s not unusual for a bride to want her father to walk her down the aisle.”
“To what?” Cabe took another step back and immediately dialed his sister’s phone. “She’s out of her mind.”
Tyler held her breath as she heard the phone ringing even though Cabe had it held to his ear. She prayed Galen wouldn’t answer, and whether it was an answer to prayer or a lucky coincidence, she was relieved to hear the voice mail recording on the other end of the line.
“Call me. Now,” Cabe growled into the phone before ending the call. He sat on the couch and tossed the phone on the table. “Unbelievable.”
“Please just try to see it from her point of view,” Tyler said, sitting cross-legged on the couch beside him and closing her hand over his. “You yourself said she’s always wanted to be ‘Daddy’s little girl’. This is important to her, Cabe. She’s not trying to hurt Maggie or you or anyone. She’s just a bride who wants her dad to walk her down the aisle. Can’t you see that?”
Cabe raised his eyes to meet Tyler’s, and her heart flinched at the pain she saw in the clear blue depths.
“This will ruin the whole event for my mom. There’s no way she will be comfortable with him there. No way she can enjoy herself. My grandparents will freak the hell out.” He exhaled and pulled his hand from Tyler’s to run it through his hair. “Leave it to Galen to cause everyone drama, and at the same time, make it feel like we’re all doing the wrong thing if it’s not about her.”
“Maybe Maggie will understand. I mean, she seemed okay with Jeffrey and Julie.”
Cabe laid his head back against the couch. “Mom is always going to do what she thinks is the right thing for us. No matter how much it hurts her.”
“But what if this is the right thing for Galen? What if having her dad there is what she needs?”
He closed his eyes and rubbed them with his thumbs. “Having her dad years ago was what she needed. But he wasn’t there. He shouldn’t get to show up and parade down the aisle like a damned peacock.”
“Maybe he won’t even come. It’s gotta be uncomfortable for him, too, right? He knows how your mom feels about him. He’s got to know your grandparents hate him. He’s very well aware you don’t want anything to do with him. Maybe he’ll do the right thing and not come.” She paused for a moment. “Of course, if he does that, then he breaks Galen’s heart all over again and lets her down.”
Cabe picked up Tyler’s hand and stroked the back of it with his thumb. “He’s going to let her down. Whether it’s the wedding day or some day after, there’s no doubt he’ll let her down. That may be what it takes for her to see him for who he is. And who he’s not.”
He pulled Tyler into his arms as she uncrossed her legs to snuggle up to his chest.
“I’m sorry I got upset, Buttercup.” He kissed the top of her head and squeezed her against him. “I know you’re trying to keep the peace with everyone, and I really appreciate all you’re doing. To help Mom. To help Galen. I love you.”
She tilted her head back to look up at him, closing her eyes as his lips touched hers.
“I love you, too. But I still don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll talk to Galen. Calmly,” he said as Tyler opened her mouth to protest. “I want to make sure she’s thought this through before Mom gets wind of it. She hasn’t told her yet, has she?”
Tyler shook her head.
“Okay, good. When she calls me back, I’ll talk to her. I’ll take care of it.”
The beat of his heart thumped against Tyler’s ear as she laid her head back on his chest, both of them silent as they tried to think of a solution that would keep the people they loved from getting hurt.
51 AND THE AWARD GOES TO…
Betty threw a party at the community center to celebrate the end of our weekly dance lessons, and I was torn between sadness that they were over and relief at no longer having a weekly commitment.
I loved the time spent with Dax on the dance floor, and I truly enjoyed Betty’s instruction and learning new dance techniques. But with our busy schedules, the Thursday night lesson was often the only time we saw each other during the week, and I looked forward to being able to do other things with him during that time.
She presented awards to each couple, and as we applauded the recipients of Most Improved, Best Enthusiasm, and Most Likely to Come Back for More, I wondered what title Dax and I would be given.
She called us up to the microphone and handed Dax the certificate as she proclaimed us the Most Inspiring Couple for our excellence in technique and our obvious affection for one another. We smiled and thanked her, and judging by Dax’s excitement level, you would have thought she’d given us a Tony award.
“You know, Maggie, I’ve told you before, but you have such a skill for picking up steps,” Betty said as she joined me near the punch bowl after handing out all her awards. “Have you ever considered teaching?”
“She used to be a dance teacher,” Dax said before I could answer. “She taught ballet. In fact, she was an amazing dancer in her own right. She danced with the Miami Ballet.”
I stared at him, uncomfortable with having my past revealed and put on display.
“I thought you had the lines for ball
et,” Betty said. “That’s wonderful. This must be child’s play for you, then. Ballet is much more strenuous than ballroom.”
“Well, I, uh, I haven’t danced in a while, so this was plenty strenuous enough,” I said, my face warm and my pulse pounding.
“How long ago were you with Miami Ballet?” Betty asked.
“A lifetime. I was much younger then.”
The room had grown hot, and I tried to think of a way to change the subject without seeming rude. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been questioned about my previous career. It wasn’t something I ever discussed with anyone.
Betty smiled, and her eyes grew bright as she held up her finger. “I have several classes I run all over Central Florida, and I have quite a few teachers underneath my umbrella. I’d love to talk to you about teaching for me if you’d be interested.”
I downed the remainder of my punch and forced a smile. “I don’t know. My job keeps me very busy, and I don’t know how I’d feel about teaching again.”
“Well, let me know if you change your mind,” Betty said, patting my arm.
Dax seemed oblivious to my discomfort as he turned to talk to another dancer who had called to him. He laughed and interacted with the others throughout the celebration, but despite my efforts to enjoy the party, I couldn’t shake my feeling of irritation.
“Maggie? Dax?” Betty called out as everyone was headed to their cars at the end of the party. “Can I have a moment?”
I stifled a sigh, hoping she wasn’t going to pry further into my past and ask questions I had no desire to answer.
“I’ve been so impressed with the two of you, as you know, and that was even before I knew you had a professional background.” She smiled, and I tried to return the gesture. “I host a recital in November for various students of mine. I would love to have the two of you be part of it.”
“Oh, wow,” Dax said. “A recital? How cool is that? Like, to dance in front of people?”
Betty grinned at him. “Well, yes. Recitals usually have an audience. You’d need costumes, of course, but I could help with that. And we’d need to choose music and do some choreography, which I would help with as well. Although, I’d love your input, Maggie, as a professional.”