Decker pointed the gun at the fallen man, who blinked up at him, dazed.
Kendall dropped the rock and rushed to him. He put his arm around her.
He heard sirens. Finally it was over.
Moments later, Daria arrived with several other officers and then Trey showed up shortly after. He must have made an emergency call.
Daria took the dark-haired man away in handcuffs as Trey jogged over to them.
“Are you both all right?”
“Yes. We’re okay,” Kendall said.
Decker was immensely relieved to hear her say that, but asked anyway, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Good. The timing for this is impeccable. I just got off the phone with an officer in the county where Emilio’s casino is. They made an arrest. Just this afternoon, a witness came forward and identified him as the man who paid to have someone kidnapped and then he saw him kill the victim.”
“Who came forward?”
“One of his henchmen. Apparently he learned of the attempt to kidnap Kendall and that police have identified the would-be kidnapper. He was afraid to go forward before, but not anymore.”
Kendall sagged against Decker with a sigh.
“Oh, that’s great news,” she said.
“The witness will get some time for his crimes but it won’t be nearly as stiff and what Emilio is facing,” Trey said. “He’s going to be in jail for a long time.”
Now they wouldn’t have to look over their shoulders, always wondering if Emilio would decide to take revenge.
Decker felt like celebrating. He glanced over at his prized sports car.
“Looks like you’ll have to get another car,” Kendall said.
“I’ll have someone call for a tow,” Trey told them. “Were you insured?”
Decker grunted a laugh. “It wouldn’t pay to insure a car like this.”
“Come on, I’ll give you a lift back to The Lodge,” he said.
Decker was all for that, although his earlier anticipation of being alone with Kendall had changed from wanting a romantic night to just having a peaceful one.
Chapter 18
The next morning, Kendall woke to the sound of wind rumbling against the lodge walls. She opened her eyes to Decker’s head resting inches from hers. She took in his handsome, sleeping face for a while and then got up to look out the window. The sun had risen long ago but she could only see about twenty feet from the lodge. Then it was a complete whiteout.
She lay back down. Decker’s eyes fluttered open and he met hers.
A slow, lazy smile crept up. “Good morning, beautiful.”
The sound of his gruff voice still heavy with sleep and yet full of tenderness gave her now-familiar tingles.
“Good morning.”
“Looks like it’s going to be a stay-in-bed day,” he said.
“Mmm. That would be delightful. Find us a movie.”
“Do you want breakfast or lunch to start with?” He propped pillows up and lifted the phone next to the bed.
“Brunch.” They hadn’t eaten much for dinner. She was hungry. “Fruit.”
“Prime rib?” He handed her the remote control for the television.
She took it and pressed the power button. “And eggs.”
“Henry’s makes a great avocado egg toast.” He pressed for room service. “This is Decker. I’d like to order brunch.” He rattled off a list of items that made her mouth water.
When he finished, he leaned back against the headboard while she searched out a movie, settling on a romantic comedy. Propping her pillows, she reclined next to him. About thirty minutes into the movie, someone knocked on the door.
Decker got up, slipped on a pair of jeans and went to let room service in. A young man in a white shirt with a black vest and pants pushed a table inside. Decker directed him into the bedroom and the man set up the table, complete with a white linen tablecloth and a vase of carnations. In her nightgown, she had covers up to her chest, feeling just a little awkward with the stranger in the room. She was sure he’d seen a lot delivering room service, though.
Decker tipped him and the man left.
After taking off his jeans, Decker removed the plate covers and climbed back onto the bed. While they watched the movie, he fed her breakfast, starting with strawberries and sips of champagne with orange juice.
He seemed very involved in the task, letting his fingers touch her lips as he fed her strawberries, and looking deeply into her eyes. The avocado-and-egg toast was delicious.
As he reached for another bite, she stopped him. “Wait. It’s your turn.” Pushing covers aside, she straddled him and picked up his toast, first taking a bite and then putting it to his mouth. He took a bite and egg yolk oozed out the corner of his mouth.
Unable to resist, she leaned over and kissed him, removing the yolk. As passion intensified, he sank his fingers into her hair and kissed her harder.
Kendall drew back, absorbing his smoldering face. She picked up a glass of champagne and orange juice and took a sip, feeling sultry. Then she gave him a sip.
Setting that aside, no longer hungry for food, she caressed his face. She ran her thumbs over lips she so loved kissing, over his cheekbones and then trailed her forefinger over his brow. Holding his face between her hands, she kissed him reverently, wishing for him to feel the strength of her love.
He tugged at her nightgown and she rose up to allow him to lift it over her head. Now only in underwear, she moved herself against his hardness. Flattening her hands on his chest, she leaned over to kiss him again, gliding over his lips and feeling him move with her.
His hands ran down her back, giving her a shiver. He cupped his hands on her rear and pressed her against him, grinding slowly.
Kendall let out a held breath with the incredible sensation that caused. She kissed him again and again, not getting enough of him.
“You make me feel so good,” he murmured.
“You make me feel like I’m going out of my mind.” She kissed him. “If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”
The last came out almost of its own accord. She hadn’t meant to say that aloud. But now that she had, she felt him stiffen.
He looked up at her with a hint of confusion, not fully able to hide it from her, as she was sure he tried to do. To distract him, she came down for more soft, heartfelt kisses. After a few more of those, she traced her tongue along his lips, top then bottom, and then found her way inside when he parted them, responding to her passion with his own.
She hooked her fingers on the hem of his underwear and pulled down. He lifted his hips and she shoved them all the way down, using her toes. Then she rose up onto her knees, moving them close together and looking at Decker as she slid her panties down.
He watched.
On her hands and knees, she kicked her underwear off and then straddled him again. Sitting on him, she ran her hands up his chest and back down, loving the feel of his hard muscles and his ridged abdomen. Keeping her hands there, she rubbed herself on his length.
His gruff breaths came with his hands on her hips. He lifted her and she guided his member to her opening.
Kendall moaned as she lowered onto him. She tingled everywhere. A shudder rippled through her. She had to go still or she’d detonate.
Decker had other ideas. He began to raise and lower his hips. She rocked on him. His thrusts grew harder and faster.
Kendall couldn’t control the escalating sensations. She tipped her head back and came hard, unable to stop the guttural, “Ah,” from erupting.
He made a sound too. As the firestorm calmed, she kept moving on him. She could have another orgasm. She rocked and ground herself, coherent enough to look into his eyes as another climax rose. The sensation rolled through her, gripped her and then released her from heavenly tortuous bliss
.
Collapsing on him, she eased to his side with little aftershocks racking her. This was the most intense it had been between them. Was it possible to die of extreme pleasure?
Decker stroked her hair and she rested her hand on his chest. She needed some time to float back down to earth.
After a few minutes, she moved so she could see him. He met her eyes, looking sated and relaxed.
“How was it for you?” she asked.
He grinned. “You have to ask?”
“It was life-altering for me.”
He didn’t say anything and she left him to his thoughts. Getting more comfortable beside him, she watched the movie for a while.
“Have you ever had sex like that with anyone else?” he asked.
“No.” She looked at him. “Not even close.”
He seemed disturbed over something. Kendall didn’t have to guess what that was.
“Have you ever felt this way for anyone else?” he asked.
He obviously needed to know in order to understand his own feelings. “No.” Not by a long shot. There was absolutely no comparison. “Have you?”
After a lengthy pause, he said in a quiet tone, “No.”
Kendall didn’t push him or say what came to mind just then. Then this had to be love. True love.
* * *
Kendall fell asleep beside him as they watched the movie. He was too plagued by the earth-shattering sex he’d just experienced. It had been the same for her. Neither of them had ever felt like this with anyone else. That had to mean something.
If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is.
Kendall’s words haunted him—or more like taunted him. For so long he’d been convinced love was a rarity that would never happen to him. He even doubted whether anyone really felt that kind of pure love. Life wasn’t all roses and cheer. Life was difficult. Life had to be survived. And humans weren’t even-tempered creatures. Moods and personalities complicated relationships. Wouldn’t fairy-tale kind of love be void of that? He had thought the only way for that kind of love to be real was if two people got along so well that they never fought and always agreed on everything.
The fact was, Decker was the kind of man who had to have proof that something was real or believable. He had no proof that what he and Kendall had was true love. He would never have proof.
Turning his head, he watched her sleep, her blond hair a mess and face soft and quiet, the bandage still covering her right eye. Her left hand rested on his chest, the diamond ring he’d given her sparkling.
How could he know what he felt for her? What kind of test could he put on himself?
Could he live without her?
As his thoughts wandered over the last nearly four weeks, he had his answer. He would be unhappy without her. She enriched his life. He felt joy when he was with her.
He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and not because he thought she’d make him a good wife and a good mother to his children. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
Kendall’s eyes opened just then. She saw him watching her and a soft smile emerged.
“I love you,” he murmured. As he said the words, he believed them.
Her smile remained and she didn’t appear surprised. “I know. I’m glad you finally admitted it.”
He leaned down and kissed her. He wouldn’t have believed he could feel any stronger for her, but he did. Kissing her held so much more meaning now.
He kissed her until they were both feverish for each other, then he rolled on top of her. She parted her legs and he moved between them, not stopping his kisses as he sank into her.
“Decker. Oh,” she uttered breathlessly.
“I know,” he answered her. “I feel it too.” He thrust into her.
She put her hands up against the headboard and cried, “Yes! Harder, Decker.”
The heat of their joining spiraled out of control. He slammed into her, needed to satisfy this intense love. If that was even possible.
She came and so did he. It was over in a matter of minutes.
Lowering down onto her, he caught his breath with her, loving the warmth and the sound. Most of all he loved being this close to this beautiful, enchanting woman, feeling as though they were one.
Chapter 19
Kendall stood before the full-length mirror in the church room they’d given her to prepare for the wedding. The dress was every bit as beautiful as the day she’d first seen it.
Silver-white reflective beads of varying sizes and shapes and round white pearls decorated the bodice, which dipped low enough to provide some cleavage. The pearls ran down each rib of the corset and the beads thinned over the see-through lace stomach. More beadwork at the waist dipped to a V at the lower abdomen. She turned to admire the back; the Cinderella-style skirt had no train, just a puff of tulle.
Her mother came to stand beside her. “You look beautiful.”
Kendall smiled.
“But you’re missing one thing.”
Kendall eyed her mother and then watched her lift a strand of pearls. “These belonged to your great-great grandmother.” She hung the necklace around Kendall’s neck. “She gave it to her daughter on her wedding day, your great-grandmother. And then your great grandmother gave it to my mother, who gave it to me on my wedding day.”
Fingering the old pearls, Kendall gaped at her mother. “You never told me about that.”
“It never came up. I always knew I’d give them to you on your wedding day. I’ve kept them stored away all these years. They’re probably worth around ten thousand by now. Your great-great grandmother received them from her husband on their first wedding anniversary in eighteen seventy-four.”
“Wow. They’re lovely.” Kendall looked in the mirror and saw the elaborate platinum clasp with sapphires and diamonds.
“I was reminded of them when you bought this dress and I could barely keep them a secret from you. I knew they’d be perfect.”
Kendall turned and hugged her mother. “Thank you, Mom.”
Her mom hugged her back. “I love you, honey. I hope you’re happy from this day on to your last with that incredible man who’s waiting out there for you. I’ve been happy with your father for the most part—up until he started losing his mind in business deals.”
Kendall laughed, hearing her mother’s dry sense of humor.
“It’s time.” Kendall turned with her mother to see her father in the doorway.
“I’ll go take my seat.” Marion kissed Kendall’s cheek and left the room.
Going out into the hall with her dad, she hooked her arm with his.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.” Kendall truly did feel ready for this—marrying Decker.
She walked with her dad to the auditorium. The church dated back to the 1850s and was originally a wood structure. It was renovated in the late 1800s and built of stone. The original terrazzo floor, gold leaf and stained glass windows had been meticulously restored.
Her breath caught as she continued to bask in all the surrounding splendor. The round stone-framed windows were high up and predominantly blue, with orange, red, green and yellow mixed in the pattern. She recalled Skye telling her that the sanctuary had Breccia Violetta marble columns that had been brought in from Italy. Her gaze then drifted to the pews which had cream-colored flowers at the ends and more large bouquets decorated the altar.
The little church was full of people, some she recognized, others she didn’t. They all stood and someone began playing a traditional wedding march tune on a piano.
Kendall walked with her father down the aisle. Decker stood with the pastor at the altar, hands folded in front of him, looking tall and big and handsome in his black tuxedo. Everything else fell away except for him. This felt so right.
“Who gives this woman to wed this man?�
�� the pastor asked.
“I do,” Bernard answered.
Her father handed her over to Decker. She placed her hand in his and stepped up onto the altar beside him.
The piano music stopped and the pastor began the ceremony, welcoming the guests to their nuptials.
“We are gathered here today to unite Decker and Kendall in a pledge of love and best wishes for a lifetime of happiness together,” the pastor said. “This joining of two families will be marked on this very special day as we witness their commitment, a commitment that would not have taken place had these two souls not crossed paths on their journey through life up to this point in time.
“Many of you may have been surprised to hear of this wedding announcement. Decker and Kendall have not been together long, only a month. But Decker asked me to point out that these two have known each other most of their lives. They went to the same school, and although they didn’t spend any time getting to know each other better, they were each aware of the other’s existence.” The pastor addressed her and Decker. “It turns out the two of you are perfect together.”
Kendall smiled at Decker, who smiled back along with a few admiring murmurs from the crowd.
“And so it is, Decker and Kendall join together today, surrounded by the people closest to them,” the pastor continued. “If there be anyone who has cause why this couple should not be united in marriage, they must speak now or forever hold their peace.”
The pastor paused.
“I do.”
Kendall turned with Decker to see Russ grinning.
“I’m kidding.”
A few people chuckled. Kendall shared a mockingly skeptical glance with Decker before facing the pastor again.
“We can’t claim that divine influence brought these two souls together. This began as an arranged marriage, but something happened in just one month’s time. Kendall’s memory of Decker from high school brought her to their first dinner. In kind, Decker’s memory of Kendall made him indulge his father’s wishes and he too agreed to that first dinner.”
“Love doesn’t come easy to most of us,” the pastor said. “We love our family. We love our friends. But love between a man and a woman is something no one can predict. It begins with emotional love and grows into special companionship. Trust is the most important ingredient to love. Without trust, you have no respect. Without trust, you have no freedom to offer your whole heart to another person.”
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