by Rie Warren
I raised my glass. “To my best friend, to the best woman, and to their family.”
The bubbly liquid slid down my throat. Cat put her hand over mine and squeezed.
When I sat down, Josh turned to me. “Dude, what did you say to me earlier about getting the weepies?”
I shrugged and patted his damp cheek, stubble and all.
Brian Childes and Gigi were up next. I took the time to watch Cat from the corner of my eyes, enamored by the smiling tilt of her lips. When Josh scraped his chair back, I moved my seat around to see him.
“I know grooms aren’t supposed to give speeches, but I wanted to say a few words today. I ain’t a writer—”
“You’re a lover!” Fawn’s shout made him grin.
Leelee looked up at him. Dewy green eyes took in his big build in the perfectly tailored tux. Even though he smiled for the crowd, his gaze never left hers. “I’m not a writer. When I can’t get out the right words I tend to cuss, but I’ll try to keep it clean for the young’uns, especially since the kid has his listening ears on.” He pointed a finger at JJ. “As most of y’all know, my dad died nine years ago this month. My best man Nicky had his own loss in November a long time ago. People leave our lives, but it’s never the end. Leelee taught me that.”
He grazed her cheek with his knuckles.
“I love you,” she murmured.
“We decided to do this at Thanksgiving because we wanted to give thanks to everyone with us, and for everyone departed. Not just my dad, for everyone missing, we wanted to show love and a celebration of life.
“Anyway, I don’t wanna get all maudlin and shit—pardon my French. This is definitely a day to celebrate.” He bent down and plucked Leelee’s lips with his. “Most importantly, can you frigging believe this? Leelee married me. I love you, babe.” He lifted her to her feet. “To my wife, Leelee Stone.”
Jesus Christ. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
Everyone drank while he kissed her slow and sure and for so long, we’d all mopped our faces dry and started to dig into the food. Eventually Josh and Leelee parted.
He sat beside me breathless. “’S’it time for the honeymoon yet, dude?”
“Cake eating, couples dancing, garter grapple, bouquet toss, rice throwing.” I ticked off the to-do list Marjorie had emailed me.
He rubbed his jaw. “Shee-it.”
I glimpsed Leelee’s hand coax up the inside of his trouser seam. “Got a problem there, baby?”
“Yeah. A real big problem.”
“Don’t you worry, Mr. Stone. It will be my pleasure to take good care of your problem later.” When she squeezed, he growled, and it was time to leave them to under-the-tablecloth groping.
Untraditional as ever, Josh and L didn’t do the triple-tier wedding cake monstrosity but a revolving stand of cupcakes in seasonal flavors such as Pumpkin Spice and Cranberry Crush. My two women met at the cupcake carousel, as was appropriate given their sweet tooths.
“Mimi.” I gave her a light hug. The feel of her hard bones, where strong sinew had always been, ate at my heart.
“Oh, boy! Let me look atcha. I got me a little tear in my eye when you gave that there speech. So good, son, so good.” Her cane rested against the dessert table. “Now who’s this with ya?”
“Mimi, I’d like you to meet the other woman in my life.”
“I thought that was Viper.” Cat joked, goddamn adorable.
“Oh, this girl knows you, Nicky. Mm hmm.”
“Catarina Steele.” I treated her to a mock glare and a light kiss on her mouth. “Cat, my mimi, Miss Myra Loveland.”
“Well, look at you. C’mere and give me some sugar.”
Cat slid into her embrace like a body seeking warmth from an old quilt. One of Mimi’s knobby hands patted Cat’s fancy hairdo. “Ain’t you a sweet thing? Hmm, lemme tell ya somethin’. Nicky knows how ta hook ’em like fish to a fry basket, but he ain’t so good at keepin’ ’em, and Lawd knows his taste’s been questionable.”
Cat laughed. “I’ve heard about his reputation.”
“Did ya now? Well, that’s good ’cause he needs a woman who ain’t gonna take any of his guff, sho nuff.”
Pulling back, Cat smiled at my grandmother, a little wickedness in her gaze. “Trust me, Miss Myra, I don’t put up with no guff.”
Mimi hooted with laughter until she got short of breath. While I helped her to a seat, Cat brought over the dessert plates. Mimi batted my interferin’ hands away. “Ain’t nuthin’. You worry too much.”
“Did you get here all right?”
“Yes, sonny. Before you ask, I got me a nice made-up bedroom upstairs at Miss Gigi’s, and she’s runnin’ me home tomorrow, so don’ you spend another thought on me. You kids go show me what a good time feels like.”
“Mimi . . .”
“I said shoo now! I wanna see you cut a rug like we used to in that old kitchen back home, Nicky. Be a good boy.”
“She’s so beautiful.” Cat looked back at my grandmother with her cane and her wrinkles. With her life worn all over her face and her smile still in place.
It reminded me of that thought I’d had of Cat feeling everything to the depths of her soul. “She likes you.”
“You know when people say I wish I’d met you when you were younger? I’d rather know her now.”
“You will.” Damn. If my heart got any bigger it was going to burst.
We wound through the tent, hand-in-hand. Janice and Javier held a tweet-off, their fingers pecking away at their phone screens. Jules, redone with sun-streaked hair and a smile instead of her usual mile-wide bite, flirted with Mick. Gerald got his hefty haunches inspected by Missy Peachtree. He turned this way and that like he was auditioning to be trussed up and bullwhipped for one of the scenes she used for sinspiration in her dark BDSM novels. Jackée and Tate sat close together, engaged in a tête-à-tête about ass-secks. For research.
Everything was out of order and upside-down and totally perfect about the whole wedding, start-to-finish.
Next came the bouquet toss. It wasn’t pretty. The women jostled like field hockey players, all elbows, kicks, and jabs. The roses sailed through the air just above their heads. It kept spinning and spinning with no one able to reach it until it took a sudden nosedive in front of me. The freakin’ bouquet landed in my hands.
Great.
The boys had a goddamn field day with that.
Second came the garter. Josh tried not to hump Leelee’s leg as he went at it. Laughing lowly, she raised it higher and higher up her thigh.
“Woman.” He growled a barbarian-style warning.
Face-diving under her flouncy skirts, he reappeared after an indecently long time, dragging the fine, lacy garter down Leelee’s leg with his teeth. He flashed a triumphant grin. She flushed bright pink before leaning to draw his mouth to hers.
Finally it was time for the first dance. It was all about Josh and Leelee as Chet Baker’s “Alone Together” softly streamed from the band. The newly wedded pair moved around the small square dance floor, candle flames glowing off their features. Not once did they look away from the other’s gaze. Josh’s arms encircled Leelee tighter and tighter. Her hand rested on his jaw then moved to clasp his neck. Their slow smiles and quiet murmurs struck a chord in me as Cat swayed in front of me, leaning against my chest.
When the musical notes drifted away there were so many “le sighs” and “les plus grand le sighs” and “hell to the fuck yeahs”, I started chuckling.
JJ snagged Leelee for a fast dance before he was cuddled between her and Josh’s arms. His mouth popped open in a humongous yawn. Handed over to Gigi to be put to bed with lots of hugs and kisses, JJ wiggled his fingers at me. His head plopped down on Jamma’s shoulder, and I bet he was asleep before they even hit the house.
Meanwhile, I did my Best Man gig, swinging Vivian around the dance floor. Then Janice snatched me up. She narrowly missed groping my backside. Her eyes twinkled merrily from behind tart-yellow Lennon
glasses and from a few too many trips to the champagne table. By the time the rest of the Hens had worked through me, Cat was cutting a rug with Fred, one of the romance writer’s Widows. He could hustle, despite the fact I thought he wore the same stifling corduroy coat from the Con.
I ambled out of the tent to visit the john. Princess-worthy port-a-potties were set far away from the reception area, but of course most of the guys from Stone’s lined up to water the bushes side-by-side because . . . pure class.
When I returned, Cat was waltzing with Frankie. Her legs looked a mile long in the high heels. She met each of Frankie’s elegant moves with ease, so free, so untamed. That was how she should always look. I didn’t mind watching her for a while, listening to the throaty purr of her laughter to whatever he wisecracked.
Eventually, I strolled over to the pair. “Mind if I cut in?”
“Are you his dame?” Frankie kept one protective arm around Cat’s waist. I was oddly touched by the fact he looked out for her.
Reaching out to grab my tie, Cat grinned. “Yeah, I’m his dame.”
“You got good taste, Nicky. A’course that goes widdout sayin’ since you’re wearin’ one of my suits. M’I right?” He swaggered off with a bowlegged gait.
I swirled Cat into my arms. “Thanks for earlier.”
“Are you kiddin’ me?” She pulled off Frankie’s accent to a T. “No one messes with my man. Besides, Frankie gave me some new pointers on cutting a bitch down to size.”
I wrapped one arm around her back. My fingertips slid down the bare skin of her spine. Fitting our bodies together in the effortless, exciting way we had, I twirled her to the slow rhythm of a new song.
“Did I tell you how gorgeous you look tonight?”
“Perhaps.”
A low growl ripped from my throat. “You are stunning, Wildcat. I particularly like this.” I swooped down to kiss the few whirls of colorful ink on her shoulders where the wide V of her dress gave way to bare skin. “But this is the best part.” I gently pressed my hand over the top slope of her breast. Her heartbeat sped in time with my racing pulse. I leaned in to brush her lips. “Your heart.”
Her breathless sigh slid across my cheek. “And you look very suave tonight, Mr. Love.”
“I seem to recall you like me in a suit.”
“You remember that, do you?” She slid her hands under the dove gray tails and over my butt. “But this isn’t a suit. It’s pure male beast merely dressed in a three-piece tux, waiting to devour me.”
I almost started salivating at her words. “Wanna get out of here?”
“Ready when you are. I want to be alone with you.”
“I’ve just got to square a few things away for Josh, and then we oughtta do the goodbyes.”
In a hurry, I made sure the presents were packed, various people were paid, and everyone was slappy-happy with the open bar. I kissed and hugged and congratulated L once again and passed her off to Cat.
My fingers jittered in my pocket when I stood beside Josh on one of the shoal pathways outside. “So we’re good?”
“Yeah.”
“Solid?”
He bumped my shoulder. “Always.”
I nodded. “Because I’m over the moon for you, you know? And I love you. I love Leelee.”
Loud throat clearing ensued while we watched the stars above. Then we clashed together in a hard crush of a hug and broke apart with manly back slaps.
Solid.
“Text me from your honeymoon!” I flung back.
He flipped me the bird.
****
Since the OutFAGEous Fans of Nicky Love were presumably camped out somewhere in Mt. Pleasant, possibly even staking out my house, we decided we’d stay at Cat’s. Viper could do without me for one night. I’d taken her out for a long time and filled up her kibble and water before I left. There was a doggie door to a small run outside. She just didn’t like to use it when I was home.
I wasn’t going to suffer from puppy dog guilt, especially since this would be my first time inside Cat’s house.
When we pulled into the garage and the door silently rolled down behind us, Cat had other ideas. She didn’t wait for me to get out and open her door, but said, “Stay.”
Watching her walk around the hood of her Rallye with a sultry look in her eyes, I gripped my knees. Rapidly filling to full stiffness, my cock formed a big bulge in my pants. She opened my door, and gave me her hand.
Next to the car, her chrome Harley with the angel wing emblems sat like a sleek stallion just waiting to roar to life. She led me to the bike and pushed me to straddle it backward. My cock made an obscene and obvious tent in my pants. I groaned when the backs of her fingers skimmed the jutting rod.
My breath chugged faster. With her head bent, she opened my belt. She flicked the button open and lowered the zipper. Cat caught her lower lip between her teeth as she lifted out my shaft. I leaned back, my arms hooked around the handlebars.
“Do you do this a lot?” Hunger throbbed in my throat. My cock stretched to my stomach and rasped against my white shirt.
“Never. I’ve been dying to get my hands on you all night.” She unpinned her hair until it ran down her back. “Been dying to taste you.”
My pelvis thrust when Cat leaned over and curled her tongue around the tip of my cock. She skimmed the fat head like her tongue was a spoon, taking each drop of precome into her mouth with a moan.
She reached up and opened my shirt with one hand. She slid it across my shoulders, nudging the tie and jacket aside. Cat scratched her nails down my chest and onto my abs. Her mouth pursed, deep red and already swollen. Keeping the oval tight, she ringed my cock, hollowed her cheeks, and sucked me in. The warmth from her hands all over me, her mouth pouty and sluicing along me, made me sweat.
Saliva ran from her lips. She flipped her eyes up—clouded with need. With my dick trapped in her fist, she jerked me soft and slow, then hard and fast. She laughed when my hips punched up. Her hands pressed me back down to the leather saddle where sweat and wet and pre-ejaculate pooled beneath my balls.
She pulled the trousers marginally lower. I spread wider. I didn’t pump my hips, straining to stay still. She gobbled my balls, mouthing them, licking them, juggling them in her palms.
My biceps clenched. I was close to breaking off the side mirrors on her bike. The veins of my cock bulged. The tip turned a deep dark purple as she used first her tongue then her entire mouth to suck me up and down.
My thighs quivering, my muscles quaking, I grunted when Cat pulled back. A long strand strung between my cock and her mouth finally broke apart, landing between her tits. She pushed up on her extreme heels and peeled off sheer black panties from beneath her dress. I snapped on a condom, letting her roll it down to the base. She held me there and slid her legs over mine. Rising up, she hovered just above my cock for so long I shouted a frustrated growl.
The first kiss of her cunt made me curl up and cry out.
Cat rode me on her Harley. There was something poetic about that, especially when she started moving, slow, long, and deep. Raising her dress from her thighs to her waist, I held onto her hips, watching her through slits for eyes. So wet. Incredibly tight, like a pulsing fist over my throbbing cock. Every single time she lifted all the way off me then corkscrewed back down, she screwed my nut loose.
Fucking me into another dimension.
The screaming burning pressure built until neither of us was in control. I grabbed her hair, her ass. She pulled my arms around her, linking her legs behind me. Unforgiving kisses crashed our lips together.
“I want you to come on me, Cat.”
The bike rocked beneath us, its leather saturated in the musk of sex.
Drilling up into her, I felt her clamp down the moment I smoothed her thighs open and tugged her clit between two fingers. I swore to fuck if that motorcycle just stayed upright until I made her come I’d pay for the cost of repairs if it got mangled beneath our bodies.
Rippling wa
ves squeezed around my cock. Cat jerked and moaned. Her pussy slammed down a final time, and she grinded between my hilt and my fingertips.
“Can’t wait anymore,” I gritted out between bared teeth.
I drove the hard spike of my dick through her cunt. Through every merciless thrust, Cat held onto me. Our tongues met. My balls retracted. My cock swelled so much it hurt during that last impossible moment. A climax lanced through me, setting free my shout and white-hot streaks of come I wanted slathering her insides.
I could hardly breathe when I stopped coming. Cat’s pussy continued to butterfly around me, pulling me deeper than I thought possible.
Swiping her damp hair aside, I kissed her neck. “Did you feel that?”
“I felt you, Nick.”
After trying to wiggle my toes and remember how to breathe, after making sure the bike we’d porned-up was still in one piece, I slipped a hand down Cat’s back as she lay against me. “Is this your way of keeping me out of your house?”
“I’m a very private person. You know that.” Her clear crystal gaze flicked up.
Framing her face, I kissed her softly. “I think we’re past that now.”
“Do you?”
“Yeah. So can you invite me in? Not that you have to. I’m not a vampire or anything.” I winked.
“Not like those insane women you’ve got trailing you, huh?”
“Har har.” I resituated myself inside my pants, pocketed her panties, and swooped her into my arms.
I carried her up two tiers of steps. She unlocked the door. I crossed the threshold. And I was in. Cat slithered from my arms and stood back. The room opened into a large, airy kitchen-to-living room combo. Both areas were spacious, and clean as a newly detailed auto. I tried not to act like I was casing the joint for clues about her, but I was. Everything was chrome and steel. Nothing like my big rustic house at all. A tiny prick of worry about our compatibility pushed against my mind.