Heather stood in the doorway in her slip, yet to slide into her own dress.
“I’m positive I want to do this.” Carly paused before adding, “I love him, Heather.”
A huge smile spread across Heather’s face. “I knew it! I told Joel when we shared dinner with the two of you last night that you had fallen in love with him. I could see it all over your face.”
Carly slid into her shoes...also from Spain. “What did I do to give myself away?”
“Nothing. I just know you. I could feel the vibes. There is a strong chemistry between the two of you. But I also felt love whenever you looked at him. It’s obvious to me in a way that it never was when you were with Nathaniel. I take it Lee doesn’t know how you feel.”
“Of course he doesn’t,” Carly said, smoothing down her dress again. “And I don’t want him to know because our marriage is not supposed to be based on love but on passion and convenience.”
Nothing could have made that more clear than the documents he’d presented to her the other day. It hadn’t been a prenuptial agreement as she’d assumed, but they had been papers proving he had purchased the property she had dreamed of owning the first day she’d arrived in Vegas. Not only had he bought that small piece of land for her, he had also purchased the land surrounding it for future expansion. It was more than she had envisioned ever owning. And, true to his word, the documents also specified he would provide all the money for the expenses of building her restaurant from start to finish.
And all she had to do was to marry him.
The ceremony would take place soon. He was sending a car for her, Heather and Joel. She still didn’t know where the wedding would take place.
“I hope you ladies are ready because the car Lee sent has arrived,” Joel called out from the living room.
Carly checked her watch. “He’s early.”
Heather chuckled. “Lee is anxious. I think he’s really looking forward to this wedding.”
Carly smiled. She hoped so.
* * *
“Keep it up and you’re going to wear out the floor, Lee,” Angelo said, leaning back against a wall as he watched Lee pace. “I’m already beginning to question things.”
Lee stopped his pacing. “Question things like what?”
“Why you’re getting married.”
Lee rolled his eyes. “You know why I’m marrying. You’re the only one besides Peyton who knows...since I’m sure you told her. Where is she, by the way?”
“Out by the pool talking to your wedding planner. Peyton found out the woman used to live on Chicago’s South Side, and they happen to know some of the same people. Small world, huh?”
“Whatever.” Lee began pacing again. All morning he’d kept asking himself if he was doing the right thing. Then all he had to do was close his eyes and see Carly’s face and he knew he was. He wanted her. Damn, he wanted her.
“You know what I think, Lee?”
“No, what?” Lee asked.
“That you’ve fallen in love with Carly.”
Not only did Lee miss a step, he almost tripped over himself. He glared at Angelo. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Angelo smiled. “I’m talking about the way you’re acting. I remember another man acting just the way you are on his wedding day.”
“Who?”
“Me.” Angelo smiled. “You do know that when I was first attracted to Peyton it was only a sexual thing.”
Lee waved off his words. “I know. You told me. You wanted her bad.”
“Yeah, I did. Just the way you want Carly.”
Lee stopped walking and turned to Angelo. “And how do you know how much I want Carly?”
“You told me. And when you did it made me remember that I wanted Peyton the same way.”
Lee doubted it. Carly had done more than just get under his skin. She was so embedded inside of him that it wasn’t funny. Before he could reply to Angelo, he heard a car pull up outside. Then an excited Peyton stuck her head in the room’s door. “She’s here!”
Lee’s stomach tightened and he drew in a deep breath. Anticipation consumed him.
“Last chance to make a clean break if that’s what you want to do.”
Lee shook his head with a smile. “It’s not what I want to do.”
Angelo pushed away from the wall. “Then I guess it’s time to go claim your future wife.”
* * *
Joel helped Carly out of the stretch limo. The limo had driven through a security gate before stopping at a clubhouse with a pool. She saw a huge mansion on the hill and didn’t know what to think. Then Lee walked out of the clubhouse. She smiled when she saw him.
Lee shook hands with Heather and Joel and then turned his full attention to Carly.
He leaned over and kissed her lips. “You look sensational.”
She returned his smile. “So do you.” The house was humongous, stately looking, with an immaculate lawn and beautiful flowering trees. “Where are we?” she asked.
“This place is owned by a family friend, Sterling Hamilton, and he gave me the—”
“Sterling Hamilton?” Carly asked, knowing Heather was staring hard at Lee as well. “The Sterling Hamilton? The movie star turned director and producer?”
Lee’s smile widened. “Yes. One and the same.”
“And he’s a friend of your family?” Heather asked in shock.
“Yes.”
“And he loaned you the pool area for us to marry?” Carly inquired, making sure she understood clearly.
Lee shook his head. “No, Sterling gave me the use of this entire estate, but I decided this particular area was best for our small group. I decided against a chapel on the Strip because I didn’t want us to be married by some Elvis impersonator.”
He took her hand. “Come on. Angelo and Peyton are waiting for us inside, as well as the lady I hired to plan all this.”
Moments later, when Carly stepped into the clubhouse, she let out a surprised gasp at the same time Heather did. The place was immaculate. It was beautifully decorated with her favorite flowers—birds of paradise. There was an inside fountain that spouted water beneath an enchantingly decorated arch.
“Although we’ll have another wedding in Houston at Christmas, I wanted this one to be special.”
She drew in a deep breath, so full of love for Lee that she felt she would burst. “Thank you.”
His hands tightened around hers. “The Di Meglios met you that night you came out of the kitchen as a chef, but I want to reintroduce you to them as the woman I’m marrying. And I want to introduce Heather and Joel to them as well. The minister who will be officiating the ceremony and the wedding planner are also here.”
Introductions were made. Carly liked Angelo and Peyton immediately. If they knew the true nature of her and Lee’s marriage, they didn’t let on.
“We’re ready to get things started, Mr. Madaris,” Joan Crowley, the wedding planner, said, smiling.
Carly figured that Lee had arranged for a meal to be served directly after the ceremony when she saw a caterer set up a beautifully decorated food table in an adjoining room. He led her over to the beautiful arch. She stood beside him, with Heather and Angelo to either side of them. Joel and Peyton watched.
“You two can join hands,” the minister said, grinning. It was meant to be a joke since it wasn’t lost on the minister, or anyone else, that Lee hadn’t let go of Carly’s hand since she had arrived.
Lee tightened his grip on Carly’s hand, seemingly not bothered by the jest.
“Now,” the minister said. “We can begin.”
* * *
A little while into the ceremony, when Lee slid the wedding ring—a huge five-carat diamond with an overlapping wedding band—onto her finger, Carly heard Heather gasp. The ring was jaw-droppingly gorgeous and Carly could only stare down at it in amazement. When the minister got her attention back on the ceremony and not on her rings, she placed the wedding band she had purchased a few days ago onto
Lee’s finger.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride, Mr. Madaris.”
The moment Carly looked into Lee’s eyes she was carried back in time, to the night when she had met him. Her world hadn’t been the same since. He cupped her face in the palms of his hands and kissed her.
Immediately, her knees weakened, and just as she felt as if she would swoon, he released her mouth and smiled down at her.
“I present to all of you Lee and Carly Madaris,” the minister said.
And it was then, at that very moment, that it hit Carly that she was truly married to Lee. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her lips. Clapping brought her back around as everyone gave her words of congratulations.
“A special meal has been prepared,” Lee whispered to her when a teary and happy Heather hugged her tight and wouldn’t let go.
Moments later, with her hand still tucked in his, Lee led her to the adjoining room, where a table had been set for them and their friends.
Yes, they might have another wedding when they went to his home in December, but this particular ceremony that he had planned would always hold a special place in her heart.
* * *
“I just got word from Kevin that the jet is ready,” Lee whispered to her after the table had been cleared. The meal had been as delicious as it had looked.
“All right.” Her bags were packed for their flight to Dubai, and she was excited about visiting a place she’d never been to before.
“I’d like to make a toast.” Angelo stood with his champagne glass raised. “To Lee and Carly. I wish the two of you the best. May you have a long and happy future together.”
That sentiment began a series of toasts and Carly was glad no one mentioned the word love when it came to their marriage. When it was time to leave, and she and Lee slid into the back of the limo that would carry them to the airport, he pulled her close to his side and placed his arm across the back of the seat.
“I meant what I said earlier. You look sensational,” Lee said.
“Thanks. And you look rather great yourself.” He did, in his black tux.
“So you think the wedding went well?” he asked her.
“I think it was a beautiful ceremony, Lee. Thanks for putting it together.”
“Joan Crowley did all the work. You know we’ll be doing this again in a few months, and knowing my family it will probably be on a bigger scale.”
She nodded. “You’re certain your great-grandmother will want another wedding?”
“Positive. My cousin Christy had to marry Alex when her life was in danger in some forsaken country. Alex was injured during their trip back, and their wedding was legit, but that didn’t stop Mama Laverne from letting them know that as soon as Alex got back on his feet, she wanted a Madaris wedding.”
“I take it she got the wedding she wanted.”
Lee chuckled. “Yes, she did. It seems to always work out that way. She’ll get her wedding, but I got to pick my bride.”
Carly didn’t say anything. Whether he had intended to or not, Lee had just reminded her why they had married. Not because he loved her, but because he hadn’t wanted his great-grandmother running his life.
* * *
Bracey looked at Weber. “Everything’s set for the discovery of Harrison’s body?”
“Yes, I’ve arranged for some construction workers to come across it in a couple of weeks.”
A smile touched Bracey’s face. “Good. It will show the big man just how incompetent Nash is when carrying out an important task.”
Weber returned the smile. “And that’s what you want, right?”
“Yes, that’s what I want.”
Chapter 18
“How long will it take for us to get to Dubai?” Carly asked as she and Lee buckled their seat belts.
“Flight time is eighteen hours. Most of it is over the Atlantic Ocean.”
“Nonstop?”
“Kevin will need to make a brief stop in Algeria to refuel.”
“The farthest I’ve flown out of the States was to Paris, and that was only seven hours. I can’t imagine being in the air for eighteen hours.”
Lee smiled over at her. “I promise you won’t be bored.”
Carly swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared at Lee. He sat across from her, strikingly handsome, with dark eyes so sexy the tips of her breasts ached.
She had no doubt the next eighteen hours would be anything but boring. She had been initiated into the Mile High Club the last time she’d been on his jet. Memories of that time still made her blush. For this flight, he had instructed his pilot that they were not to be disturbed unless there was an extreme emergency. A smiling Kevin had simply nodded.
“I hope you’re not upset that your sister wasn’t invited to the wedding.”
She waved off his words. “I’m not upset. We both agreed to keep our marriage a secret until we go to your home in December. Besides, Shundra has her hands full with meeting Shelton’s family this weekend. She was excited about that.”
“I hope you have that same excitement when you meet my family.”
“I will.” She paused. “Do you regret marrying me? It’s been four hours already.”
“It could be forty hours or four hundred. I doubt marrying you is something I will ever regret,” Lee said softly.
Carly wished she could believe that. She loved him so much and hoped that even if he didn’t love her that he would always want her. To have another person, especially Lee, not want her would be devastating.
“The plane has leveled off now,” Lee said, interrupting her thoughts.
He had already unbuckled his seat belt and was standing in front of her. Like her, he was still wearing the clothes they’d gotten married in.
Wordlessly, he leaned down to unbuckle her seat belt and his scent sent anticipation stirring in her stomach. Once her seat belt was free, she reached out and grabbed his tie to pull his lips down to hers.
He returned her kiss with a passion they were familiar with, but this time there was more. More heat. A deeper craving. More than an extreme case of lust. She felt all three emotions and she was determined to make sure he felt them as well.
So when he slid his tongue between her lips, she captured it, mating with it greedily. There was nothing elegant about her response. Every part of her body trembled with a need only he could satisfy. A need that pushed her to act in ways she’d never acted before.
“Carly.”
He pulled back from the kiss to whisper her name on a breathless sigh. Then he swept her out of the seat and into his arms.
“You can’t carry me up the staircase.”
“I know.”
Instead of attempting the narrow staircase, he moved toward the counter that served as a bar for the kitchenette. Lee pressed a button. The counter retracted and a padded bench extended. He began removing his jacket.
She began removing her clothes as well, first kicking off her shoes, then sliding out of her dress. She was down to her bra and panties when a totally naked Lee said, “Let me finish.”
Her agreement was absorbed by the urgency of his mouth taking hers. The invasion of his tongue shook her to the core, sending sensations roaring within her as his tongue made circular motions and caused her to moan. The featherlike licks inside her mouth were driving her mad with desire.
As if he knew she was hot and ready, he eased down on the bench and pulled her into his lap. He nudged her thighs apart so she could straddle him.
She felt it, his hard erection pulsing at the entrance to her womanly core, causing her inner muscles to tighten in anticipation. Her nipples ached with an urgency she felt throughout her entire body.
“Tell me what you want,” he whispered, using the tip of his tongue to swipe across her lips. “Tell me, Carly. I’ll give you anything you want.”
She wanted to scream that the one thing she wanted was something she c
ould never have. His love.
But instead she said, “You. I want you, Lee.”
And he gave himself to her. She sucked in a deep breath at the feel of his hard thrust going all the way to the hilt. He held tight to her hips as he established the rhythm, grinding against her each time she brought her body down to him. They stared into each other’s eyes, and Carly felt intense love for Lee—the man who was looking at her as if she was all he wanted.
The strength of his thrusts left no doubt about his desire for her. In response, she took each and every sensual onslaught as elation soared through her. If he was hungry for her, then she was starving for him. She let him know it each and every time she came down on his erection.
Suddenly he grabbed her buttocks, locking them to him, as he threw his head back and growled like one hell of a satisfied man. The sound stirred something within her, causing her body to detonate right along with his.
Caught in the throes of what seemed like an endless orgasm, she screamed his name as his release jetted full force inside of her. Aftershocks of pleasure ripped through her until she finally collapsed against him and he gripped her tight, holding her right there.
She felt him throbbing inside of her and knew he would be ready for another round in a little while. So would she. If passion was what would hold their marriage together, then let it rip. They would share enough passion to last a lifetime.
Fighting for strength, she lifted her face from his shoulder to look at him. The dark eyes staring back at her started a stirring in her belly. And then he kissed her again, hungrily.
At some point they would make it to the bedroom; she was sure of it. But for now, this place was perfect.
* * *
“I need you to go to Vegas with me, Nash,” Driskell said, leaning back in his chair.
“You anticipate trouble with this Madaris guy?”
“Not sure, so bring your men in case. He put me off, claiming he had a business trip out of the country. It checked out. However, I need to make sure he understands that turning me down isn’t an option. Our investors want his casinos, and what they want, they get. They’ve already established their people on the inside of the hotel and are depending on us to make sure they stay put.”
A Madaris Bride for Christmas Page 20