Risking the Crown

by Violet Paige

  We had happier things to focus on, but I think knowing baby number two was on the way made him want the Dunes even more.

  Today was a good day though. Cole was on his way to see the orthopedic specialist to get the ok to have his brace removed. My fingers had been crossed since I woke up this morning. No brace meant he was going to have full mobility.

  I had three final bridesmaid responsibilities: tonight’s bachelorette party, the rehearsal dinner, and the wedding. Tomorrow night was Sasha and Cal’s rehearsal dinner. Afterward, her parents were throwing a party at their beach house. The wedding was at five Saturday night. We’d have all day to get ready and help Sasha with her nerves.

  It seemed, as long as she was around Cal, she was completely fine. Remove him from the equation and she became an instant wreck. I was certain after the wedding she would be fine. They needed the honeymoon they had planned.

  October on the island was still warm, but not sweltering like the summer. Even if it was rushed, Sasha had chosen the perfect time of year to get married.

  The bachelorette party was going to be small: Mindy, Tara, the bride, and me. There was no way we’d let the wedding overwhelm Sasha tonight. She needed a night of fun before the real insanity started.

  I closed the office and made my way to the beach cottage. I had thirty minutes to get ready before I met the girls for drinks. Drinks that I had to pretend to make my tipsy.

  My phone rang.

  “Hey!”

  “Guess who is one brace-less man?” Cole sounded happy.

  “That is the best news! Congratulations. Now I have a dance partner for the wedding.” I laughed.

  “That’s right. Walking, dancing…anything you want, baby. So, what do you say we try your naked movie idea tonight after we get Grayson to bed?”

  My heart sank. “Aww, I can’t. Remember, tonight’s Sasha’s bachelorette party. I’m on my way to get dressed now. How far away are you?” I was not above being a few minutes late.

  “At least forty minutes.”

  My lips pouted. “Rain check?” This was the last thing I wanted to take a rain check on.

  “Do you think a bachelorette party is the best idea?” He sounded serious.

  “It’s not going to be margaritas for me. Water only.”

  “I just don’t want you to be too tired. Or what if you get dizzy?”

  I chewed on my lip. Was there anything sexier than a man worried about his baby?

  “I’ll call you. If I start to feel bad at all. I promise.”

  “You don’t have to go. You’ve done everything for Sasha.”

  I’d rather stay home with my two boys, but this was the homestretch of the wedding events. And I was a bridesmaid.

  “I won’t stay out late. And I’ll stick to gingerale and water. No strippers,” I teased.

  “Fine. But I’m there the instant you need me.”

  I wish he knew how happy it made me that he worried. That he cared. That he would walk through a hurricane if it meant protecting me and the baby.

  “Got it. I have to go. I can’t wait to see you without that brace later.”

  “We’ll celebrate my freedom when you get home.”

  I laughed. “Deal.”

  “I still can’t believe you are getting married, Sasha. You’re going to be a married cougar.” Tara laughed at her friend.

  “I’m not that much older than him.” Sasha giggled, already drunk. She was happy and relaxed tonight. It was good to see her having fun.

  As far as bachelorette parties go, this one was tame. Mindy had brought a veil for Sasha to wear, and Tara made us wear tags shaped like penises that said bridesmaid. Overall, I thought they did a good job of keeping the embarrassing bride harassment down.

  We were at our third bar when I got a text from Cole. I read the text out loud.

  Going out with Lance and Cal. Guys night for the groom. Grayson is at Lisa’s. Call you later.

  “Oh good,” Sasha gushed. I was worried Cal wasn’t going to have any way to celebrate. Lance didn’t really step up on this one.”

  “Those boys are so sweet.” Tara might have had a few glasses of champagne. I couldn’t keep track of those two. My eyes were on Sasha for the night. I didn’t want her getting sick before her rehearsal dinner.

  I texted a quick response.

  Hope you’re still up when I get home.

  Sasha laughed. “What’s that look all about? Your cheeks turned red, Kaitlyn. Are you sexting?”

  I almost spit out my gingerale. I used the designated driver excuse for the night.

  “You cannot ask me that.” Although, I think I just answered her question.

  Mindy, who was always the quietest one in the group, piped in. “I’m so glad you and Cole ended up together. He was no good with Amber.”

  “Thanks.” I didn’t know how to respond to that. And I didn’t feel like getting into my history with Cole. I knew him long before Amber.

  “Yeah, Amber was so involved in her own stuff. She never had time for Cole. It was never going to work between them.” Tara threw in her two cents.

  “Ok, good to know.” I was desperately trying to think how we could turn the conversation to the wedding and away from Grayson’s mother.

  We’d had a few video calls with her, and one package for Grayson, but not much. She was focused on her poetry writing.

  “So, there’s a guest I have to tell you about,” Sasha announced.

  Mindy and Tara looked confused.

  “Ok…who?” I asked.

  Sasha sucked in a big breath, and took a sip of champagne before spilling the secret. “My mom invited Aiden and he’s bringing a date.”

  “You’re kidding.” I stared at a spot on her veil. It kept my eyes from bulging out of my head.

  “No, I’m not. He’s doing some kind of deal with my dad, and she said she had to invite him. They are some kind of business partners now. I’m sorry. Again.”

  The vision of dancing in Cole’s arms under a moonlit Texas night at the reception fizzled. All the romance would be washed away the instant he set eyes on Aiden. So much for that.

  “Sasha, don’t worry about it. All I care about is you and Cal. Let’s have a toast.” I raised my glass. This was supposed to be a bachelorette party. Not my pity-party.

  Tara and Mindy picked up their glasses from the bar. “To the bride.”

  “Yes, to the bride.” I took a sip of the gingerale, glad it was cold, and smiled brightly. I was starting to feel queasy. The last thing I wanted to do was call Cole if he was out with the guys.

  Sasha beamed and finished the rest of her bubbly. “Ok, next bar!”

  I didn’t know how many places she planned to go to tonight, but I didn’t complain. I was along for the ride no matter when it stopped.

  23

  Cole

  Tonight, was the rehearsal dinner. But I had a surprise for Kaitlyn before we left. I was supposed to meet her at the house.

  I heard her jog up the stairs and I met her at the front door.

  Her mouth opened when she walked inside.

  “You like it?” I asked.

  “How did you know this was the one?” She walked toward the couch I had delivered.

  “Because you tagged the page and circled it five times in that catalog,” I answered.

  She looked at me. “I can’t believe you got it. It was more of a wish list couch. I never thought we could actually buy it.” She ran her fingers over the armrests. “It’s beautiful. It’s perfect. It’s in our living room.”

  I nodded. “So I did ok? We don’t have to return it?” One of my eyebrows cocked higher than the other.

  She shook her head. “There is no way we’re returning this.”

  It might have taken almost two months, but we had living room furniture. She deserved it. I couldn’t have my pregnant girlfriend sitting on crates, the floor, or lawn furniture while I couldn’t make a decision about decorating.

  “How did you get it deliver
ed without me noticing it?” she asked.

  I chuckled. “Remember when I called and asked you to see what tools I had in the storage closet for inventory?”

  She laughed. “Yes, that did seem weird and it took me forever to log all of them.”

  I winked. “That’s when the truck arrived, unloaded the couch, and took off.”

  I stepped closer and brushed the hair away from her neck.

  “I think we need to try it out.” My lips trailed below her ear to her collarbone.

  “Rehearsal dinner,” she managed to whisper. I was slowly unbuttoning her shirt. My eyes locked on hers like a hungry tiger.

  “We can be late.” I shoved the shirt off her arms, and she gasped.

  “But-but I’m a bridesmaid.” Her eyes closed as I removed her bra.

  “We’re done talking,” I growled. “Christen this damn couch, baby.”

  She nodded. “Christening.”

  Kaitlyn stripped the T-shirt over my head, and rushed to find th belt buckle and the zipper on my jeans. I kicked them to the center of the floor. We were getting ready to fuck all over this gorgeous new couch.

  My hands slid along the curves of her hips. My fingers digging into the flesh on the tops of her thighs. I spun her so her back was to the couch. She laid down, keeping her eyes on me.

  My cock instantly ached to be inside her. Was it possible I wanted her more now that she was pregnant? Her body called to me. I needed to feel the softness of her thighs and the mounds of her tits.

  I crawled on top of her, raking her in.

  “Are you ok?” She looked worried.

  “What?”

  “Your leg,” she whispered.

  I laughed. “Baby, there’s nothing more ok than this,” I growled in her ear, nipping along her jawline.

  Her back arched off the couch as I strummed between her legs, circled her stomach and back to the sweet spot again. I pushed a finger inside her, groaning at the wetness in her pussy. So tight. So perfect. So fucking mine.

  My tongue lashed against her nipples until they formed hard points inside my mouth.

  “You are sexy and beautiful.” I pushed another finger inside her and she sighed. “So gorgeous with my baby inside you.”

  “Cole, I-I…”

  I positioned myself between her legs and slowly rocked my hips until our rhythms matched and I pushed deep inside her pussy, burying my cock. Kaitlyn grabbed my neck, kissing me with tiny whimpers. With each kiss, our tongues blazed with fire and our hips quickened until it felt like I completely possessed her and she completely possessed me.

  “Fuck, you feel so good. So tight.” I moved inside her. “I love fucking you,” I growled.

  “Don’t stop,” she pleaded. “I’m going to come.”

  I grinned. I liked how her body responded pregnant. She was always like a live wire, ready to snap or come all over my cock.

  “You like being fucked dirtier than this, though, don’t you?”

  Her eyes lit. “Yes,” she whispered.

  I put one foot on the floor and she sat forward. “We’ve got to do a better job with this couch.”

  I planted one of her palms at the back of the couch and then the other. Her ass jutted into the air. I wanted to take it so badly, but I didn’t know about the rules of anal and pregnancy. Her pussy was tight and hot right now.

  I pressed my thick head to her center as she scooted back on my cock and I sank inside her. She cried out as I slammed into her.

  “Too much?” I groaned. It felt fucking amazing, but I wanted everything about sex to feel good.

  “No, do it again.”

  I bit my lip. She was unbelievable. Hungry for more. Needy for my cock.

  I slammed into her again. Her tits hit the back of the couch. Perfection. Fucking perfection.

  I reached forward, tugging her clit between my fingers.

  “Oh my God. That. Do that again,” she begged.

  “Like that?” I smiled wickedly, but fuck I was struggling to steady my own breath.

  She had my cock strangled and clutched. I rocked into her, but the tingling in my balls started and I was going to come.

  “Fuck,” I groaned. My hips jerking faster and harder.

  Kaitlyn panted and bounced until we were both lost. Our bodies colliding, lingering long enough to catch a breath, and then twisting together with primal hunger. Skin sliding against skin, hands roaming and caressing, craving each other like we were desperate for air. The moans in the back of her throat grew louder until she was screaming my name.

  Every muscle in my body tensed as I emptied myself inside her. Every. Fucking. Last. Drop.

  “Oh shit.” I panted and kissed the small of her back.

  I tucked her to my chest and lowered her to the couch.

  “Is your knee ok?” she asked.

  I laughed. “After that, you’re worried about my knee?” My hand lingered on the small swell of her belly. My baby was in there.

  “I am. I don’t want you to get hurt again. You only got that brace off yesterday.”

  “I thought you’d be more worried about the couch.” I leaned forward to kiss her.

  “I do love the couch, by the way.”

  I grinned. “Good. I think I kind of love it too.”

  “Oh shit. Shit. Shit. Shit.” She squirmed under me. “What’s wrong?”

  “Rehearsal dinner! We are supposed to be there now.” She scooted out from underneath me.

  “I told you we could be a little late.”

  “But I need to take a shower. And look at my hair. I need to iron my dress. And—”

  I eyed her. “Take a breath.”

  She nodded. “Right. We’ve got this, don’t we?”

  I smiled. “We do.”

  24

  Kaitlyn

  I tucked a flyway strand of hair behind my ear and patted the bun I had hastily pinned in place as Cole and I dashed through the doors of the Oceanside Restaurant. I couldn’t believe we were thirty minutes late. This was bad bridesmaid behavior. The restaurant lobby was packed.

  But the couch was christened. Properly.

  Cole and I exchanged smiles. It looked like cocktail hour was in full swing. No one had even noticed we weren’t in the room. Every two seconds, I would glance at his leg to see if he was uncomfortable without the brace, but if he was in pain, he was hiding it from me. In a strange way, I had gotten used to him having crutches. It felt like we were missing something

  He ordered two drinks for us at the bar, one non-alcoholic, and we planted ourselves against a wall. I was afraid to jump into the beehive of aunts again, and Cole wasn’t really mister social at these events.

  “So, what do you think about all this?” Cole motioned to the crowd in front of us.

  I wasn’t sure I followed the question. “What do you mean ‘all this’?”

  “You know, big wedding, big party, a hundred people at the rehearsal dinner. Is that your thing? Is that something you want?”

  My heart started beating faster than usual, and my palms got clammy. “I uh—I haven’t really thought about it I guess.” I gulped half of the gingerale. “What do you think about it?”

  “I don’t think I want all the fuss.” He took a sip of his drink. I still couldn’t believe we were talking about this. “Something small and simple would be good. Not too many people.”

  I nodded. “Yes. Small and simple.”

  “But a white dress. I think that’s important.”

  I stared at him. Was he picturing me in a white dress? Imagining what I would look like next to him exchanging vows? I started to get woozy. This was a lot to take in. Breathe, Kaitlyn, breathe.

  An image of Cole standing on the beach in a button-down white shirt, standing near a minister popped in my head. I couldn’t shake it. The image started getting cloudy as if I was backing away from the scene.

  A new wave of guilt hit me. Was he saying this because of the baby? I tried to study him.

  Sasha’s father cla
nked his glass a few times and announced dinner was being served. I jumped slightly forward on my toes.

  Cole gripped my free hand and led me to the dining room. I needed him to steady me now more than ever.

  Sasha and Cal rushed to greet us. “There you are! I was worried you weren’t here.”

  I squeezed her tightly. “Of course we’re here.”

  I tried to read the state of her nerves tonight, but it looked like she had a glass of wine and Cal was by her side. He was taking care of her.

  The guys shook hands. “Thanks for taking me out last night, man.” Cal slapped Cole on the back. “I appreciated you and Lance throwing that together.”

  “Every man needs a bachelor party.” Cole smiled.

  “Wait a minute, were there strippers?” Sasha teased.

  “Friends don’t divulge what happens at bachelor parties.” Cole looked completely serious. I knew there weren’t any strippers. They spent most of the night at Peabody’s drinking beer and playing pool. Cal might have sung a little karaoke on stage, but Cole assured me that’s as wild as they got.

  Sasha poked Cole in the ribs. “At least I know Cal has good friends.” She reached for her fiancé’s hand. “Come on, babe. They’re waiting on us to sit down. I’ll talk to you after dinner, Kaitlyn.”

  I watched as they crossed the room and sat at the head table with their parents. They looked happy. They looked calm. They looked like they were in love.

  I threw a handful of paper towels in the trash and straightened my dress in the mirror. I had excused myself from dinner to visit the ladies room, but Cole was probably wondering where I was by now. I couldn’t stay holed up in here all night while I debated our earlier conversation.

  I looked at my hair, the sun on my nose, the curves of my hips. I picked a spot of fuzz from my dress and adjusted the strap on my heel. Twenty-three-year-olds do not talk marriage. Do they? I tried to focus on my appearance and not the feelings and thoughts trapped in my head. Cole was probably just observing the situation, getting my feedback on things. He wasn’t asking what kind of wedding I thought we should have. Was he? I washed my hands again with cool water, hoping the clamminess would stop.