by Iris Abbott
Her brows puckered as she gave him a questioning look. “What did he say?” She didn’t doubt her feelings for Carson, but things were moving super-fast. It was enough to make her head spin.
“He said there were no problems legally, as long as we were married, and you, as Carson’s legal guardian, signed off on the documents.”
Daisy let out a startled exclamation of surprise when Carson suddenly grabbed both of her hands with his own and squeezed tight. “Carson! What are you doing?” Her eyes widened from the shock of the sudden movement and the fierce emotion shining in his eyes.
“Standing by my promise to use actions instead of words to prove how much you mean to me. There is something very special happening between us. We’d be foolish to let it fade away or, worse yet, ignore it and carry on with life the way it was before we fell in love.”
Daisy looked into his brown eyes. She felt the impact of his stare all the way down to her soul. The slight catch in her breathing was the only sound in the otherwise silent car. She held onto his hands like they were a lifeline. Finally she found her voice.
At the risk of scaring him away, Daisy felt like she had to be completely honest with Carson. She used her fingers to lightly trace his jawbone. Stubble from the overnight growth he hadn’t bothered shaving that morning was raspy against the delicate skin of her fingers.
“You’re right. These past few days with you have been the best of my life. I would have never survived Lucas’s abduction without you holding me, loving me.”
She hesitated and Carson knew there was more she wanted to say. “But…”
Her fingers stilled, and then her hand lightly dropped to the side. “The real world is going to intrude. It always does. Change is inevitable, Carson.” And did she ever know that change was not always for the best.
“Not if we don’t let it,” he insisted. “Our world is what we make it! And my world doesn’t exist without you and Lucas.”
Carson brought one of her hands to his lips and kissed the palm. “Daisy Carter, will you marry me?” He pointed across the street at one of the buildings. “I am pretty sure there is no waiting period in Clark County when applying for a marriage license. All we have to do is go inside the Marriage License Bureau, fill out a few papers, and then find someone to marry us. This is Las Vegas. The last part shouldn’t be too hard.”
Daisy was speechless. A thousand thoughts were running through her mind. She was trying very hard to process what Carson was saying. At least she knew why Carson had rushed them off to Vegas without giving her a chance to ask questions.
Carson was a wonderful man, of that there was no doubt. And she’d been falling in love with him more and more over the past few days. But marriage? It was a big step to take. And she was cautious. Anyone with her baggage would be wary of making another long-lasting commitment.
“I know my feelings are not one-sided.”
“No, they aren’t.” Daisy didn’t hesitate. “Never doubt my love for you, Carson.”
Cupping her face with both hands, Carson lowered his lips to hers. The kiss started out as a gentle exploration. Then it grew until his tongue was thrusting in and out of her mouth, and both of them were gasping for air.
Daisy’s eyes popped open and her hand drifted to her swollen mouth after Carson pulled away. Hadn’t she decided before the chaos of Lucas’s abduction to throw caution to the winds and actually live? Nothing made her feel more alive than Carson and his touch. She looked into the loving eyes that warmed her insides and made her believe anything was possible.
“Are you absolutely sure, Carson?” After what her ex-husband had put her through, she couldn’t enter another marriage without being absolutely certain of her fiancé’s commitment. And she needed to hear the words, because she didn’t just have herself to think about anymore. Lucas’s happiness was at stake too.
“Surer than I’ve ever been about anything in my life,” he promised.
His conviction was overwhelming. The strength of passion in his voice didn’t waver, not in the slightest. Love, hope, desire, and several other emotions swelled inside her. Any lingering doubt she might have had was blown away like smoke on the wind.
She unfastened the seat belt that was holding her in place. Wrapping her arms around Carson, she held him tight. “I never thought I’d get married again. Even catching the wedding bouquet at Kyle and Sara Beth’s wedding wasn’t enough to put the thought into my head. And eloping in Vegas? That has never crossed my mind before.” But she was thinking about it now! “What a surprise this is going to be for everyone back home.”
Carson swallowed hard. “I love you, Daisy. I know it’s sudden, but we make each other happy. And I know we can build a great life together.” He grabbed her hand and placed it over his heart. “I can feel you in here. We owe it to each other and we owe it to ourselves not to throw something this wonderful away.”
Daisy gently caressed his chest with her fingers. She felt the strong, sturdy beat of his heart beneath the palm of her hand. It gave her hope. She found herself wanting to grab hold of that hope, grab hold of Carson and never let go. “I love you too.”
Yes, she loved him, and she didn’t think that would be changing anytime soon. “I guess we’re really going to do this,” she said, taking a deep breath. She giggled. “You do realize that the people in Rancher’s Bend are probably going to call us the surprise bride and groom, don’t you?”
Carson threw back his head and laughed long and deep. “I’m the president of the bank. I’ve probably been called worse. I can definitely live with the moniker of surprise bride and groom.”
“Me too,” Daisy said. A dreamy expression softened her face and she gave Carson an encouraging smile.
“If we’re going to do this, we have to take care of the paperwork first,” he reminded her. “I knew you wouldn’t feel comfortable leaving Lucas with a babysitter at the hotel, so I didn’t even suggest it.”
Daisy shuddered at the thought. “No!” she quickly retorted. “Not after all the chaos and turmoil caused by the abduction. I can’t stand to let him too far out of my sight.”
Carson hugged her tight. “I knew you’d feel that way. It’s part of what makes me love you so much.”
Daisy’s only response was to lovingly brush her lips across his.
“Let’s wake Lucas and give him the good news,” Carson suggested. “We can’t leave him out here by himself and both of us have to be present to fill out the paperwork.”
A carefree laugh slipped past Daisy’s lips. “You might change your mind when you meet Lucas’s grumpy side. He has been through a lot the past few days,” she gently reminded him.
“Never,” Carson insisted. “I’m in this relationship for the long haul, Daisy. I love both of you, and I always will.”
****
Daisy stopped at the edge of the room and took a deep breath. She’d stayed with her nephew until he’d fallen asleep. The trauma of the abduction, and wandering around lost in a large city like Dallas was still fresh on his mind. So Daisy sat with him and softly talked until he fell asleep in the strange hotel room.
They talked about the wedding ceremony that was held at a historic chapel on the edge of the Strip. Lucas told her several times how beautiful she looked in the long, white, lacey dress she’d been lucky enough to find at a local boutique. He also talked about how happy he was not to have to wear a suit like Carson had worn.
When the wedding talk slowed, Lucas talked about Rosie. He was so excited to be moving in with Carson and the dog, and he told Daisy that every five minutes. Finally, after what seemed like forever, his energy abruptly gave out and the little boy went out like a light.
As soon as he was asleep, Daisy quietly snuck out of the second bedroom. The small bedside lamp was on, along with a nightlight in the bedroom. If Lucas awoke in the middle of the night, he wouldn’t be in the dark. Hopefully that meant he wouldn’t be scared either. Daisy and Carson were just a couple of rooms and a call away, if
Lucas had a nightmare and needed them.
She stopped at the open door of the master bedroom and sucked in a deep breath. Carson was sprawled out on the large king-sized bed, naked and waiting for her. The opulence of the room was lost on Daisy. She only had eyes for her husband. The word husband reverberated through her mind. Just a year ago the word would have caused a stab of pain. It would have reminded her of shattered dreams, lost hope, and immense heartache.
Carson had changed all that. Thanks to him, Daisy believed in true love once again. Heartache was a thing of the past. She had plenty of hope and dreams for the future. And the majority of them revolved around her family, Carson, and Lucas.
She closed the door and locked it so that Lucas couldn’t wander in while Carson and she were making love. It was their honeymoon, after all! She softly walked over to the edge of the bed. Her eyes ate him up with every step she took.
“Lucas finally fell asleep,” Daisy whispered to Carson as she joined him by the bed of the master bedroom. “Now I’m all yours, Mr. Miller.”
Carson rose to his knees and held out his arms. “And I can’t wait to ravish you, Mrs. Miller!”
Daisy happily moved into the circle of his welcome embrace. “I need you!” Her hands went to the hem of her T-shirt. She lifted it above her head and let the shirt drop to the floor. Before she could move her hands further down her body, Carson was there.
She felt his fingers tugging on the snap of her shorts. She heard the rasp of the zipper whisper through the silent room. Daisy helped him push the pants past her hips and down her thighs. They quickly joined her shirt on the floor.
Carson reached behind Daisy and unfastened her bra as fast as he could. Her pert breasts jutted toward him and the nipples pebbled in anticipation of his touch. He lowered his head and sucked a taut bud into his mouth.
Daisy let out an involuntary hiss when his hot mouth connected with her needy body. She’d missed his touch the past few days. She instinctively moved her body closer to his until she was straddling his hips.
She could feel his growing arousal for her. His erection grew hard and pressed into her lower body. Daisy guided him to her opening and slowly raised and lowered her hips until they were connected, joined together as one.
They slowly moved together in a sweet communion of need, desire, and love.
EPILOGUE
Four couples sat around the large formal dining room table in the James’ home. Laughter and jokes filled the air. It was the first unofficial meeting of the Rancher’s Bend Bride and Groom club. Two open bottles of chilled champagne were flanked by sunflowers and roses. Landon James held up a flute of the fizzy golden liquid and called for everyone’s attention.
“Emma and I were the first in the group to find love together. And I want to welcome what looks to be the last couple to join, Carson and Daisy Miller.” Landon raised his glass and then made eye contact with the other seven people. “Finding true love with Emma was no accident, and I’m glad we found our way into each other’s arms.”
Emma smiled. The other people in the room laughed at the reminder of the couple’s nickname. “Our actual wedding plans may have been accidental, but nothing about our love is,” she firmly stated.
“I have to admit,” he continued. “I didn’t buy into the hype of the flowers right away. I mean, everyone in Rancher’s Bend knew how Mandy felt about Jackson. And I figured it was only a matter of time before he came to his senses. I thought it was just a coincidence when she caught the bouquet and walked down the aisle a few months later.”
Everyone laughed. Landon paused to laugh too before finishing. “Then Kyle and Sara Beth were next. That was enough to give a man cause to wonder. Now, thanks to Carson and Daisy, I’m a true believer in the power of those flowers! Here’s to four lucky couples, and our happily-ever-after ending thanks to sunflowers and roses!”
The sound of lightly clanking glass rang out as flute after flute touched each other to mark the end of the toast.
Sara Beth, who held a sleeping baby boy in her arms, dared to only take a couple of sips of the alcohol before switching to water. Being unable to guzzle champagne like her friends didn’t dampen her good spirits one bit. She was thankful for the love she and Kyle had found with each other and the wonderful life they’d created together. She didn’t plan on regretting one single moment of motherhood.
Emma quickly stood next to her husband and clasped his hand in hers. “Landon and I have an announcement to make while everyone is gathered together in one place.” She laid her free hand on top of her flat belly. “We are happy to share some exciting news with all of you.” Emma was so excited she was practically glowing. “We’re fourteen weeks pregnant!” She beamed at everyone sitting around the dining room table.
Mandy, Sara Beth, and Daisy all jumped up and rushed to Emma’s side. The three women embraced Emma one by one offering her heartfelt congratulations. Then all four of them participated in a group hug with enough smiles and laughter to fill the large room.
The men were much more sedate. But they all rose to their feet to offer Landon a handshake. Once congratulations and good wishes had been passed around among the eight friends, everyone returned to their seat.
“This is a great group of friends,” Daisy remarked. “I almost feel bad about eloping in Vegas and breaking the lucky bouquet’s winning streak.” She gave her husband an adoring look. “Almost, but not quite,” she said with a giggle. “Actually, I wouldn’t change a thing. Every second of that time was special, thanks to Carson.”
She grabbed his hand under the table and squeezed it. “Besides, I kind of like being known as the surprise bride and groom,” she admitted to everyone. “What with our marriage being a good but unexpected shock to everyone.”
Shrugging, Carson leaned over and brushed a light kiss across his wife’s lips. “I wasn’t really aware of the growing legend of the sunflowers. The only thing I knew for sure was that I didn’t want to wait to make Daisy mine. Marriage and instant fatherhood are challenging endeavors. But I’ll never regret taking them on with Daisy at my side.”
“Well, eight is a great number. I’m kind of glad our group isn’t going to get any larger. If it got too big it would lose the wonderful ambiance. And I would hate that,” Sara Beth confided to her friends. “Besides, all of us are already really good friends. And that just adds to the easy going and comfortable atmosphere when we get together.”
“I totally agree,” Mandy spoke up for the first time. “A person couldn’t ask for a better group of friends and neighbors. Things were rough for me after my daddy died.” Pausing, she made eye contact with everyone. “But they could have been so much worse if it wasn’t for all of you. I’m so thankful I returned to Rancher’s Bend, and that Jackson and I were given a second chance at love.” Everyone giggled at the reminder of the couple’s nickname, second chance bride and groom.
“Not nearly as thankful as me,” Jackson chimed in. “You are everything that is wonderful and right in my life. And I don’t know how I lived without you for so long, Mandy.”
The women seated at the dining table all let out a collective sigh of awe.
Mandy lightly rubbed the velvety petals of a nearby sunflower. “I can’t believe how well everything turned out for all of us. Three bouquet tosses and three weddings. What are the odds of that happening?”
Carson laughed. “I’d have taken odds like that in Vegas any day.” Everyone laughed at the joke. “I might have lost a few hundred bucks here and there at the tables,” he shrugged. “But you know what they say: Unlucky in cards, lucky in love, and vice versa.” He squeezed Daisy’s hand. “I’m living proof of that old adage.”
“Well then, I think all of us should stay away from the tables in Vegas,” Jackson remarked.
“I’ll second that,” Kyle agreed. He rose to his feet. “I have another bit of good news,” he added. Flashing Daisy and Carson a brilliant smile, Kyle continued. “I got the phone call right after five o’clock. All
the paperwork has been filed and the adoption is legal. Lucas is officially a Miller now. Both Carson and Daisy are now his official parents. And it’s all wrapped up nice and tight with a legal bow.”
Tears of joy streamed down Daisy’s face. She’d been waiting on pins and needles for this wonderful piece of news. “He may be too young to understand, but when he gets older it will mean so much to Lucas that Carson chose to be his dad. And we couldn’t have done it without your help, Kyle.”
“The three of you are a fantastic family. I’m just glad my legal expertise was able to make things quick and easy.”
“You’re definitely the best lawyer in Rancher’s Bend. And I couldn’t imagine a better friend to have fighting in our corner. Thank you for working so hard to make sure Lucas is always protected, now and in the future.”
Carson shook hands with Kyle, offering his thanks as well. Then he enveloped his wife in his arms and held her close. They no longer had to worry about Lucas’s mother either. The Dallas Police Department along with the Rancher’s Bend Police Department had put out an APB on the woman. She’d been found, arrested, and would eventually stand trial for kidnapping, and endangering the life of a minor. It was the end of a long nightmare. Tonight when they got home he and Daisy would celebrate together, heart to heart and body to body.
They would wait to tell Lucas about the adoption in the morning, after they picked him up from Carson’s parents’ house. The young boy adored his new set of grandparents. And the feeling was mutual. Carson and Daisy were going to have their hands full making sure his parents didn’t spoil Lucas rotten.
Another round of hugs and offered congratulations preceded a comfortable silence that fell over the room. Words weren’t needed. Each one of the four couples lovingly gazed into each other’s eyes. And all eight people relaxed, content to be in the company of soul mates and wonderful people who were the best of friends.
Thank you, and I hope you had as much fun reading SURPRISE BRIDE AND GROOM as I had writing it! I’m off on my next adventure writing the second romance in the Island Heat series and the first romance in the Rancher’s Bend Hometown Heroes series. Please visit my website irisabbott.com or my Facebook page Iris Abbott (author) for more information on upcoming releases! I enjoy feedback from my readers, and appreciate reviews at amazon.com and goodreads.com. Let me know what you’re thinking. I can be reached at [email protected]. Happy reading!