They were both wearing the traditional leis that Nana had hand-made for them. His, the Maile lei, was constructed of twisted strands of green leaves that were intertwined with small white jasmine flowers that gave off the light scent of vanilla. Leila's Haku lei was a crown of white roses and orchids that encircled her head, which matched the lei draped around her neck.
His gaze shifted to Nyla, who sat in the front row and was watching her daughter walk down the aisle between the two sections of chairs and guests attending the ceremony. Then, she glanced up at him, her eyes misty, and gave him a tentative, wavering smile before she returned her attention back to Leila.
It wasn't much, but it was definitely a start, Jason thought gratefully. He'd had no idea how things would end today after his conversation with Leila's parents, but it seemed that her mother was at least trying to make the effort to treat him fairly and decently. He didn't expect their relationship to evolve drastically overnight, but he was satisfied with gradual, positive changes that reflected their willingness to accept him as Leila's husband, and a part of their family.
He thought about what the night still held for him and Leila—mainly, his gift to her that would show how much he cared for her. He'd debated telling her parents this morning about the house he'd planned to buy that was located on the other side of the island, but he didn't want his decision to move to Maui to sway her parents in any way when it came to their feelings toward him. The move was ultimately for Leila, and she deserved to find out about the change in their future plans before anyone else.
Leila and her father stopped at the bottom of the stairs leading up into the gazebo, and Keneke gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek before he gave her away to her groom.
Keneke looked up at Jason, his expression a bit nostalgic, and rift with emotions. "Take good care of our little girl."
Jason could only imagine how difficult this moment was for Keneke—for any father, really. "I will, sir," he promised, then watched as Leila made her way up the stairs toward him, to finally become his wife.
It had been a long, difficult journey to this point in their lives, but as he stared into Leila's brown eyes, everything meshed together seamlessly. He felt whole and settled, in a way that had been missing for so many years, and he knew, without a doubt, that she was the one he'd been waiting for to make his life come full circle.
The ceremony was short and sweet, and when the minister finally announced them as husband and wife, the guests clapped and cheered—including her mother and father. Then Jason kissed his bride, sealing their vows with a warm, tender embrace that simmered with a deeper longing and desire he fully planned to consummate that evening.
They celebrated their nuptials at an outdoor luau reception, complete with roasted Kalua pig, poi, fresh pineapple, sweet potatoes, and other authentic Hawaiian fare. Her brothers, Mani and Paulo, played in the band, and everyone danced and had a great time. The female guests were amused over the mix-up of wedding favors and actually enjoyed the candied almonds, while the men puffed on the cigars as they congratulated Jason on becoming a married man.
Late into the reception, as the sun was setting over the horizon, Keneke stood up at the microphone and asked for everyone's attention, including the bride and groom's.
"I'd like to propose a toast, to my daughter, Leila, and her husband, Jason." He raised his glass of champagne to the couple, as did all the guests. "Getting used to this marriage hasn't been easy for us for many reasons, but we can clearly see how happy the two of you are, and that you truly belong together. Leila's happiness is all that matters to us, and she's found that with you."
Keneke's gaze sought out his wife's, who gave him a subtle, encouraging nod to continue. "Jason, Nyla and I embrace you with the respect you deserve. We want you to know that from this day forward we consider you one of us. Welcome to the family, keikikane!"
While everyone clicked their glasses and drank to the sentiment, Jason cast Leila a curious look that asked her to translate that last word, because he had no idea what it meant and could only imagine what Keneke had just called him.
Leila glanced up at him with tears in her eyes and an amazingly happy smile on her lips. "Keikikane means 'son'," she said, stunning him with that admission.
"By the way," Keneke went on, this time with humor in his tone. "Your best man, Nick, told me that it's an Italian wedding custom that however many candied almonds are in the gold box is how many children the married couple will have. We may not be Italian, but I'm a firm believer in customs and traditions and we're not about to dismiss this one. I counted five almonds."
"So did I," someone else yelled from the crowd, and everyone laughed.
"Well, we want all those grandbabies," Keneke said meaningfully.
Jason chuckled. "I have absolutely no problem with that request," he replied as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and drew her close to his side.
Leila just groaned and rolled her eyes.
Keneke grew serious once more. He raised his glass for another toast and gave them a small, but very significant blessing. "Hoomau Maua Kealoha. May your love last forever."
"Here, here!" the guests cheered.
In that one perfect moment. Jason knew that everything was going to be just fine.
"We're finally married." Leila exhaled a long sigh of contentment as she and Jason drove away from the reception in his rented sports car, and toward the hotel they were spending the night at before taking off for their honeymoon to the Bahamas the following morning. "After everything we've been through, I can hardly believe it really happened."
"Oh, you'd better believe it happened," he said with a playfully wicked growl. "And tonight I'm going to show you just how married we are."
"Mmm." She reached across the console and gave his thigh a seductive squeeze. "I can't wait." It had been too long since they'd made love, and while Jason had been generous with pleasuring her this week, she ached for that intimate, full-body contact with him.
She rested her head against the back of her seat and glanced at her husband's handsome profile, seeing the smile that seemed to be permanently attached to Jason's face. It no doubt mirrored her own happiness.
The tension and stress of the past week had finally eased for the two of them, and she knew it was a direct result of her father's heartfelt toast this evening at the reception. She was grateful for his peace offering, and it was a wonderful, uplifting feeling to know that they were starting their marriage without any more opposition from her parents.
"It seems my parents are making a valiant effort to make things work for all of us," she said softly. "And I think your talk with them this afternoon made a big difference."
"I know there's still going to be issues, but we'll work through them as they come," he said, and placed his hand over the one still resting on his thigh. "But I do have to say that I no longer feel like an outsider in your family."
Her heart swelled in her chest, because she knew how much her parents' acceptance meant to him. "You're absolutely one of our own now."
He grinned at her. "And it feels damned good."
She laughed, and ten minutes later they pulled up to a house she didn't recognize. Confusion settled over her, especially since she was expecting to arrive at their hotel. Frowning, she asked, "Where are we?"
"I'll tell you in a minute," he promised.
Shutting off the engine, he slipped out of the car and came around to her side. Opening her door, he helped her out of the vehicle so her wedding dress didn't get caught around her legs, then walked with her up to the front porch of the house.
"Oh, I almost forgot. I have a wedding gift for you." Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a small jeweler's box and placed it in her hand.
More bewildered than ever, she opened the lid and found a key inside. She glanced up at him curiously.
"I bet it opens the door," he said lightly, though she could tell he was anxious for some reason, too. "Give it a try."
"All
right." She inserted the key into the lock, turned the knob, and the door swung open. Still standing on the porch, she glanced inside and saw the romantic glow of candles flickering in tall glass votives. They were placed in various places on the bare wood floor, and she inhaled the warm scent of vanilla.
Again, she sought his gaze, searching for some kind of explanation that made sense to this mysterious change of plans. "Jason, what's going on?"
Taking her by surprise, he swept her up into his strong arms, and she gasped and wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on.
A roguish grin appeared, and his dark blue eyes gleamed with heat, sensuality, and something far more sentimental. "I believe it's a custom that the groom is supposed to carry the bride over the threshold of their home."
And then he did just that.
His last word registered in her mind, and her eyes widened in startled astonishment. "Home?"
"Yeah, home," he said, his voice dropping to a low, husky pitch.
He put her down, letting her body slide against his until her feet touched the floor. Then he released her, watching her expectantly as she looked around at the immediate rooms—which included a living and dining area and what appeared to be an adjoining kitchen in the flickering shadows. The walls were bare and there wasn't any furniture in the spacious house.
Still shocked, she turned back around to stare at him, and shook her head. "I don't understand. We're moving to California. My things are packed and ready to go—"
He pressed his warm fingers against her lips, quieting her. "And your things will go right here, in this house. I made an offer on it, which the buyer, who'd already moved out, accepted immediately. I was able to rent the place for the night to make it special for you, but it'll soon be ours." The emotions in his gaze shifted. "This past week made me realize that we need to be close to your family. Our babies need grandparents, and I want to be here, too."
"Oh, Jason," she whispered, unable to believe everything he was giving up for her—and wondered if that included his share of his company, as well. "What about Website Imaging?"
"I already talked to Nick, and we're going to work it out so that I have an office here in Maui." He reached for her hands, his expression reflecting his own excitement. "I can still keep my same accounts, and hopefully pick up some new ones here on the island."
"That's … amazing, and so is this place."
"I'm glad you think so." He looked incredibly pleased with her response. "You can get a better look at the house in the morning, but for tonight, only one room matters."
She followed him to the back part of the house. There were more votives along the way, which enabled her to get a glimpse of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and then they reached the end of the hallway and entered the final master bedroom. The room was all aglow with candlelight, with a trail of beautiful red hibiscus flowers leading to the large four-poster mahogany-framed bed in the middle of the room.
"It took some doing, but I was able to get a bed delivered today," he said, brushing a wisp of hair off her cheek. "I figured you'd like to decorate the rest of the house yourself once its officially ours."
"Jason … I don't know what to say." Overwhelmed by everything, her emotions surfaced in the form of tears that spilled onto her cheeks. "I never expected you to do all this for me."
"I did it for you, and for us." He swept away the moisture on her cheeks with his thumbs, his smile both sexy and tender at the same time. "And because you didn't expect me to buy this place or move to Maui, it makes doing it for you now all the sweeter."
"Do my parents know?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. I wanted this to be a surprise for you, but we can tell them in the morning before we leave for our honeymoon, if you'd like."
She nodded, still a bit stunned. "Who did all this? The candles, the hibiscus…"
"I asked the Realtor to do it." He'd taken off his suit jacket and bow tie at the reception, and now he unbuttoned the front of his shirt. "We had it all planned and I called her right before we left."
Her mouth went dry as he shrugged out of his shirt and the candlelight bathed his skin and the smooth muscles along his chest in a golden glow. "It's very romantic and sweet."
He removed his shoes and socks, and slowly circled around her, building the anticipation of his touch. He slowly, leisurely unzipped the back of her wedding gown, all the way down to the base of her spine as he nuzzled and kissed her neck. "Trust me, there's nothing sweet about what I plan to do to you in this bed tonight."
She closed her eyes as a delicious shiver coursed through her, tightening the tips of her breasts and tickling her belly with heat and awareness. "Yeah?"
"Oh, yeah," he murmured into her ear, and pushed the dress down her arms until it fell into a puddle of satin at her feet. He unclasped her bra, and let that drop to the floor, too, leaving her clad in just a wispy pair of white panties.
Still standing behind her, he reached up and removed the floral wedding lei encircling her head, then released her hair from confinement. The long, silky strands rippled down her back and around her shoulders, and he buried his face in the thick, fragrant mass and inhaled deeply.
He moved away for a moment, and she heard him unzip his pants, heard them drop to the floor to join her dress. Then he sat down on the edge of the mattress and gently turned her around so that she was finally facing him. He gazed at her reverently, and since he'd stripped off all his clothes, his desire for her was unmistakable.
"God, you are so beautiful," he whispered in a rough and aroused tone as his gaze took in the bounty of her breasts, the dip and swell of her hips, and the white panties she wanted gone so she could be as naked as he was.
But he seemed to have other ideas in mind.
Settling his hands on her waist, he spread his legs and drew her forward, so that she was standing between his thighs and she could feel the heat of his breath against the plump curve of her breast. She was dying for him to take her nipple into his mouth, but instead he filled his palms with the mounds of flesh and used his thumbs to scrape across the sensitive tips.
She bit her lower lip, but couldn't contain the moan that managed to escape—a sound of wanting and desire.
He caressed her breasts, kneaded them in his hands, and because she needed more, she threaded her fingers through his hair and guided his mouth to her nipple, brushing the aching crest against his damp lips.
"Take me in your mouth," she begged.
He did, making her knees buckle and her breath hitch in her throat as he suckled her breast and used his tongue to tease and flick across the puckered tip. He gave her other breast equal treatment before finally pulling away.
He stroked his palms over her belly, and she quivered from his touch and the adoring look in his eyes.
"I already love this baby of ours," he murmured before he leaned forward and placed a warm, damp kiss on her bare stomach.
Closing her eyes, she reveled in the poignant moment, so amazed at this man's tenderness and ability to melt her heart, and fill her soul with such pleasure and joy.
Before long his hands began to wander, sliding around to her backside and beneath the elastic waistband of her panties. Tugging the scrap of fabric over her bottom, he pushed them down the length of her legs. He stroked her bare thighs and dipped his tongue into her navel the same time his fingers dipped between her legs and caressed her intimately.
Knowing she was close to collapsing into a boneless heap, and unable to stand much more of Jason's slow seduction, she pushed him back on the bed. With an obliging grin, he moved up onto the mattress and she crawled up over him until she was straddling his waist.
"Mmm, taking matters into your own hands, I see," he teased, but he didn't seem at all upset by the switch in roles.
"Well, you're taking your sweet time about making love to me," she complained with a feigned pout and leaned forward so that her mouth was only inches from his and her breasts were crushed against his chest. "We can do slow late
r, for the next fifty years if you'd like. But right now, this first time with you as my husband, I just want to lose myself in you, in us, and intense, no-holds-barred passion."
She closed the distance between their lips and kissed him, her need obvious. He sank his fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck and returned the kiss just as hungrily.
Scooting her bottom downward, she groaned into his mouth as the tip of his penis pressed against her slick, feminine flesh. Beneath her, she felt him go wild, felt his control begin to unravel, which was exactly what she wanted. With their lips still joined, he grasped her hips and pulled her down as he thrust upward, plunging into her in one long, smooth motion.
She inhaled sharply and sat up, shuddering as every last inch of him filled her up. Before she could catch her breath, he rocked her along the length of his shaft, and that delicious friction against her sex was all it took for her body to come alive and a mindless orgasm to roll through her in waves.
Giving in to the exquisite sensation, she closed her eyes and tossed her head back, gyrating her hips in a steady, rhythmic motion to prolong the pleasure. When it was over, she stilled on top of Jason and looked down at him where he lay on the bed beneath her.
His eyes glittered with a fierce shade of blue, his jaw was clenched tight in restraint, and his chest rose and fell in labored breaths. Deep inside her, she could feel the pulse of his erection and knew he hadn't come yet.
"Come here," he whispered roughly.
She lay her upper body along his, and he wrapped his strong arms around her back. Before she realized his intent, he rolled them over, until he was the one on top and they were face to face, heartbeat to heartbeat.
Amazingly, they were still joined. Heat against heat. Skin against skin. With a slow, sexy grin he smoothed his hand down the back of her thigh, hooked her leg over his hip, and shoved deeper inside her. They both groaned, and he placed a soft, damp kiss on her lips before meeting her gaze once again.
THAT'S AMORE Page 7