by Melissa Blue
Her words also had nothing to do with the same sense of loyalty that had made her come home. Her mother was changed, and Megan liked this woman. She wanted to see this woman get married to a man who loved her. The shock Megan felt at the revelation resembled the look on Nicole’s face.
"Really? You really want to stay for the wedding?" Nicole’s eyes glistened, and a smile spread across her face.
"Mom." She tried to calm the panic of seeing her mother tear up. "Don’t ruin your makeup."
Nicole fanned her face. "Okay, I won’t. It took me thirty minutes to get it just right." Her mother took in another breath. "I’ll be downstairs waiting."
Megan heard the door close, but she was busy holding the paper to her chest. Her home, her father’s home, was now hers. Her mother had kept her word—that was mind-boggling in itself. She grinned at the pink, pink and more pink walls. Hers. The smile dimmed. Aiden.
It was suddenly hard for her to breathe. I’m not making a mistake. It’s the right thing to do. Aiden. I have a life outside these city limits. None of those platitudes made breathing any easier. Aiden. "Oh, Daddy what am I supposed to do?"
No answer came.
*****
Jocelyn leaned over and whispered to Aiden, "Nicole wants to know if you can take Megan home. She and Shep are going down to Tessa’s for one last hurrah." She twirled the scarf between her fingers.
"Aren’t you supposed to do that with the person you aren’t about to marry?"
"My brother never had good sense for tradition."
Aiden chuckled. "Have you stopped giving Megan the silent treatment?"
"Nope, and don’t plan to."
"She’s not so bad."
"She hurt my baby. By rights, I should beat her up." Jocelyn frowned at Megan, who was trying to play referee between Bob and Butch. A pointless venture, but he didn’t have the heart to tell her. "I think she could take me, though. Her arms look a little beefy."
"Catty," Aiden pointed out, and he looked back at his mother.
"Just being a mother." Jocelyn took in his face and sighed. "Try not to keep her up too late. She has to be at the wedding on time."
He choked on his drink. "What?"
"Your dad used to have the same look. I know it and miss it." She sighed again, weary this time. "I’ll save her from Butch and take him to my house. He’ll behave." She stood. "I hope."
His mother separated her brothers smoothly. She said something to Megan with a gesture toward Aiden, and Megan walked over to him.
"I’ll just grab my purse and I’ll be ready." Her face revealed nothing of the night before. He wouldn’t call himself a gentleman for not mentioning her crying on his shoulder; he still hadn’t gotten his head around the possible reasons why she’d been crying.
"I’ll be waiting at the truck." He went out to the half-empty parking lot, and a few minutes later she came out the side door of the church. Her hair brushed her cheekbones as she searched for his vehicle. His mother was right. There was no way in hell he was going to let her leave without making love to her.
There were no guarantees she’d want to see him when she came back to visit, or even if she’d ring him when she did come back. He’d be an idiot to let this moment pass without taking advantage of it. He opened the door for her, then rounded the truck and got in. "Megan, I was thinking..."
She reached across and pulled him to her, then jumped him. Her mouth was hot and ready on his. She crawled across the seat into Aiden’s lap, making him forget he was supposed to be doing the jumping, but this was just fine.
She came up for air. "I hope you don’t mind."
Aiden gripped the hips he’d been dreaming about. "Not at all."
She kissed his neck. "I love this truck. It has great leg room."
He cupped her bottom and squeezed. "Sooner or later we’re going to have to leave the parking lot."
"Sure." She found a spot on his neck that made his eyes close in pleasure. "Yeah."
He fumbled for the key and started the car, repositioning her so he could see. "Don’t move." She ground against him. "Don’t do that again until I stop the truck. Concentrate on the neck."
"Okay." She trailed kisses up to his earlobe.
Aiden shifted into reverse with his foot on the brake, hoping he wouldn’t kill anyone. He calculated the distance in his head and blanked when she used teeth.
"You’re supposed to be driving."
"Right. I hope no one is behind me."
She stopped and looked. "You’re good. Go."
He heard the urgency in her voice and peeled out of the parking lot.
She went back to doing what she was doing.
Aiden prayed, a blasphemous prayer, that no one decided to have a nice walk and get in his way. Her hands were under his shirt now, her fingers light and hot, caressing his skin. He turned in the general direction of his driveway and felt his front right tire go over the curb. He turned off the ignition and pulled up the emergency brake, just in case. Megan threw her head back and laughed.
"You cannot park like this."
He opened the door. "Watch me."
Megan’s eyes widened. "Everyone is going to know."
He turned with her still in his lap. "Everyone already thinks we’re having sex on an hourly basis." He grabbed hold of her and slid out of the truck without putting her down.
"Oh. Aren’t you being manly?"
"Just wait." He turned her around with her back against the truck and kissed her. Her legs tightened around his waist, but she pulled back.
"We’re outside. Isn’t this how we got caught last time?"
Aiden sighed. "People can come out and watch with popcorn for all I care." He kissed her again and again until her legs went slack around his waist. "Need me to carry you inside?"
Her lids were low and heavy when she smiled up at him. "Might need to." She cradled his face in his hands and kissed him. Time seemed to evaporate as the urgency melted away to something else, something more, loosening his limbs and clouding his senses with her. She pulled back, letting her feet touch the ground.
"It’s time we go inside," she said.
He took her hand and led her into the house and into his bedroom. She moved to turn off his light. He put a hand over hers. "Leave it on. I want to see you."
"Well." She brushed her bangs from her face. "Is it me, or does this feel like our first time?"
He chuckled at her nervous reply. "I think we know what to do with our equipment now."
She rolled her eyes. "One would hope."
He reached out to her and she took his outstretched hand. He closed his eyes and took in her scent. Her hair smelled of strawberries. Remnants of shea butter lotion clung to her and the scent filled him. He reached behind her and unzipped her dress. The thin cotton material was warm from her body. He opened his eyes to see her irises darken as he pulled the dress down off her shoulders. His rough palms grazed her skin, and she shivered.
He dipped his head to the rise of her breasts and kissed just above her bra line, smelling the perfume she must have dabbed in the cleft of her breasts. The scent was thick and seductive. He let the dress fall to her feet and used his tongue where his hands ached to touch, but he kept them on her arms. He flicked his tongue under the lacy material and smiled at her catch of breath. She arched her back, soundlessly telling him, More.
"Take off your bra." He watched her, self-conscious and lips parted, doing as he asked. When her breasts were free, he sighed. He put his hands back on her arms and feasted. Her breasts were fuller, but she tasted the same and he was drunk from it. He moved one hand from her arm and cupped her mound. He wanted all of her imprinted on his brain. Every taste, every curve, just her.
"Take them off."
He couldn’t put it into words, seeing her fully naked in the light. The last time it’d been too dark. Now he wanted to worship her, wanted her begging, and wanted the torture of it to be for more than this one night. And because it was all those things and more
, he knelt in front her, taking in the heat, the wetness, and the taste of her here. He made sure his tongue reached, caressed, explored all of her womanhood.
When he was sure he’d committed every tender spot to his memory, he brought her to the edge, and because he was a glutton when it came to her moans, he slid his fingers inside to feel her tighten around him. He felt the tremble in her knees as her body gave way to the pleasure his mouth was giving her.
He felt possessed when she moaned his name. He knew this wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his memory of her. On the nights that would stretch out before him, long and endless, this one climax wouldn’t keep him warm. This one action wouldn’t bring back the memory of her as if she were lying beside him. And because it wouldn’t, he kissed his way back up her neck to her ear and whispered, "More?"
"Yes." He backed her up until they fell together on the bed. "Shirt. Off."
He chuckled and did as she said. Her hands were already busy undoing his pants. He bit her neck and reached between them, letting his finger glide over her. "Unfair," she murmured.
"All’s fair." He was sure his eyes rolled to the back of his head when she took him in her hands.
"In love and war," she finished for him and started her own exploration.
He stopped her and reached for a condom. "Can’t touch a man like that."
"Why?" she asked, her voice husky.
He finally entered her and felt her tighten around him. She rewarded him with one of her half moans, half sighs. "That’s why."
He placed his hands over hers and clasped their fingers together. He made love to her the way he’d wanted to since they’d kissed under the oak tree. He kissed her now like a man too drugged from passion to think straight.
He thrust into her slowly, pulling out even more slowly, never wanting to leave her, trying to convince her with every stroke to stay. He could never put into words how he needed her to stay with him, how he needed to hear her laugh, and how the need to make her smile was like a drug habit. God, how his heart broke and mended at the thought of her.
So, yes, with every stroke he was silently saying stay, stay, stay. Because he knew she wouldn’t, because she was leaving in less than twenty-four hours, because he knew he could never ask her to stay, Aiden made love to her like it was his dying wish.
Chapter 19
Megan was fixing the strap on her ankle when someone knocked on her door. She looked up, and her mouth fell open. Lynne posed. The cream satin dress fit perfectly. The red sash under her breasts elongated her waist and made her petite frame look sexy. Her hair held no highlights. It might have been the color God had given Lynne, but Megan couldn’t be sure since she’d never seen it a natural color. It was coiffed and curled, not spiked. "Well, I’ll be."
"I have a workaholic boss who makes me work all the time. I figured this would be the one time I could dress up. From your expression, I’m guessing I look damn good."
Megan smiled. "I can’t wait for you to meet Uncle Butch. The old man is going to try to take you home."
"Isn’t that Aiden’s sex-crazed uncle?"
"You were listening." Her smiled widened when Lynne rolled her eyes.
"I listen to everything you say and don’t say. Oh, and Jane said for you to get your butt downstairs. I think I like her."
"Wait until you eat her peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. You’ll be her slave."
"Now I know I like her." Lynne pursed her lips. "So, can I get the details?"
"Of?"
Lynne placed both hands on her hips.
"Oh. Incredible." And bittersweet and gentle. No man had ever made love to her like Aiden had. No man had ever made her feel like she was the end-all and be-all, like all he ever wanted in this world was to bring her pleasure. Right now wasn’t the time to contemplate how she feared no man ever again would make love to her like that.
"I’m ready. If we drag butt any longer, Jane will knock our heads together."
"I just met her."
"You don’t know Jane."
"Since she does look like she can take me, I say let’s go." Lynne paused, then said, "Is your mother already at the church?"
Megan led the way. "Yes, my aunts are helping her get ready. I’m supposed to be there in ten minutes to get my makeup done, and then they’ll start the wedding." Megan opened the door. "We can take my car."
Lynne stayed quiet until Megan started the car. "And after the wedding?"
Megan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. "I’ll leave."
"That’s it?"
"Mom gave me the deed yesterday." Dead silence. Megan glanced toward the passenger side of her car, from where she could feel a hole being bored into the side of her face. "What?"
"If you can’t speak it, then I’m not going to bring it up."
"Good, because I don’t want to talk about it." Megan stayed tense for the two-minute drive to the church. She was really going to miss these short rides to everywhere and anywhere in town. "You know what? I just heard what I said. I’m sorry."
"I just wish you’d grab this by the horns and not let go."
She heard the longing in Lynne’s voice. It was so unlike her, or at least unlike the woman Megan had gotten to know over the past six years.
Megan bit back a curse when she saw the parking lot was already full. She parked across the street. Thinking about what Lynne wasn’t saying, Megan said, "It’s not so simple, Lynne."I wish it was simple.
Neither woman spoke as they went into the church. Megan had been happy to see her friend, and now things felt strained. Finally Lynne spoke, "I’ll see you at the reception."
"I’m here to the bitter end."
Lynne smiled. "It’ll be bitter, all right. I’ll be by the wet bar if you need me."
Since there was no comeback, Megan went in search of her mother.
*****
Megan’s spine tingled as she stood on the church steps. She turned to see Aiden, in a gray tuxedo, looking smooth and shaved. He was absolutely heart-stopping. She gripped the bouquet in her sweaty palms. She hadn’t prepared herself for seeing him again. He’d still been asleep when she left.
Okay, she was a coward. She preferred walking home to facing him after their lovemaking. She couldn’t put herself through it, knowing it would be the last time they’d make love. She had to cut him out of her life a.s.a.p., or she’d fancy the idea of staying just a little longer, and who knows how long that would last. It was easier, less painful, to sever the connection now rather than hold her breath waiting for when the break would happen later.
His eyes should have been angry when they focused on her, but they weren’t. She knew him too well to be fooled by his I’m-fine-with-this-really face.
She held her breath to stop the phantom pain radiating in her chest. It wasn’t real. She wasn’t having a heart attack, and she wasn’t about to name it, because once you named something you gave it power. Instead, all she said was, "Two minutes until the service starts."
He pulled his lips into a smile. "You look beautiful."
She hoped her eyes didn’t say, "Don’t do this to me." She had to keep on her game face, the one that said leaving was the best idea she’d thought of since...okay, maybe not the best idea, but nothing else came to mind. "You look handsome. I’m surprised they got you into a suit."
"Shep threatened me."
"Makes sense."
"Your mother?"
"In the hallway, hiding behind the doors. She’s been beaming all morning. It was starting to get on my nerves." They fell into silence, and she was never more relieved in her life when Chandi gave her signal. "Ready?" Megan asked and he offered his arm. The memory of how smooth his arm was when bare hit her, and she hesitated.
"I’m not going to bite."
She felt her face flush. "At least you won’t at church." Finally the smile reached his eyes.
"Would y’all come on?" Chandi said.
*****
Hours later Megan poked her head into the k
itchen and let out the breath she’d been holding. Jane stood at the island, stacking food into a small lunch pail. "Hardest working woman I know." Megan tried to keep the tremor out of her voice. "Don’t you ever take a break?"
"After today I’m taking a lot of breaks." With a glance in Megan’s direction, Jane gestured her head toward the front of the house. "Saw your bags lined up by the door."
"I have a lot to catch up on when I get home." Megan took a tentative step toward Jane. "So, what are your plans? I can’t believe you’re not going to be working here full time anymore."
"I can. I knew sooner or later your mother wasn’t going to need me anymore." Jane put the bottled water beside the sandwiches. "Dan’s girls have grown up."
My first goodbye and I’m close to blubbering. Megan bit her trembling lip and breathed through her nose a moment. "True, but when I come back I’m going to need some company."
"I do have a phone number."
"Right." Megan moved to the island and leaned against it. "You still haven’t answered my question. What are you going to do? I don’t want you to…" She shrugged, knowing the housekeeper was being left in a barely part-time position. "I’m sure Dad had enough saved up that I can give you some money, if you need it."
"Oh, no." A hand waved in the air. "Keep your money. I’ll do just fine on my own. I planned far ahead for the future and my nest egg would impress even you. Now what am I going to do? What I should have done years ago, and that’s teach Nicole how to cook."
"So, that means you’re never going into retirement."
Jane zipped up the pail. "Maybe, but it’ll make us both happy." She folded her hands over the blue material when the beat of silence continued. "I’m not going to ask. You can relax."
"I don’t mind you asking." Because I know you love me. Megan let out a breath and spoke her fears. "I’m still unsure. What if I’m doing the wrong thing? I love…this house."
"The house?" Jane cocked her head to the side and made a noncommittal noise, then continued, "What does your heart tell you to do?"
"Why don’t people ever say ‘what does your head tell you to do?’ It makes more sense to make decisions logically."