by Wendy Smith
“They can’t hurt you,” I say nodding at the huge fence.
“I know I’m safe with you.” Her voice is soft. Something bad’s going on behind that fence, and she got sucked into it, but no one will ever get the chance to get near her again.
“Always.”
She leans over and pecks my cheek.
“Let’s go and have our wedding night, Mrs Campbell.”
I indicate and pull into Corey’s driveway. His house is tucked in off the street, and unless anyone comes looking for us, they’ll never know we’re here. It’s perfect.
When I stop the car, Hayley grabs my hand. “What if I don’t want to change my name?”
“You can do whatever you want. I just like the sound of Mrs Campbell.”
She leans over, licking her lips. “Just as well I do, too.”
I press my lips to hers.
“Come on,” I say when we come up for air.
She grins as I open the car door, and she does the same with hers. As she walks up to the front door, I grab our suitcase from the boot of the car. We didn’t pack much. Most of our things are still at home waiting for our ten-day trip to Fiji. Just Hayley and me, the sun and sand, and a teeny tiny bikini I managed to convince her to pack. My wife is hot.
My wife.
Locking the car, I follow her, placing the case beside the door as I slide the key Corey gave me into the lock and push open the door.
She shrieks as I scoop her into my arms. Thankfully, she didn’t wear a big fussy wedding dress or it’d be a nightmare carrying her through the door. It’s fitting and slinky, and I can’t wait to peel it off her.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you supposed to carry me over the threshold of our house?”
“I’ll do that tomorrow. Today, I just want to do everything by the book.”
As we step straight into Corey’s living room, I pause and close my eyes. It’s hard to concentrate when my wife is nuzzling my neck.
I place her on the floor, and she smiles. “So, what’s the plan, Doctor Campbell?”
“Why don’t we do it in Corey’s bed?” The plan was for us to spend the night in his spare room, but a chance to torment my brother is too much to pass up.
Her mouth drops open. “We can’t do that.”
“Of course we can. It’s a bigger bed than that one in the spare room. I bet anything it’s more comfortable. Come on.”
I fling open the door, and behind me, Hayley gasps.
Corey knew I’d do this.
His room’s lit with small LED candles. They’re sitting on the furniture, the floor, the window sills. I grin at the sight of a note on the bed.
Knew you’d end up in here. The bed’s better. Enjoy, little brother. I put clean sheets on, and they’d better be in the washing machine tomorrow.
I laugh, and hold up the note for Hayley to read. She grasps my arm and leans her head on my shoulder. “This is amazing.”
“Even the big, tough loner can be a romantic.”
She looks at me with those blue eyes full of love. “I love you.”
I drop the note on the floor. “Come on, Mrs Campbell. Let me show you how much I love you.”
Her lips are sweet from the wine we’ve just been drinking. I nursed a glass for most of the afternoon knowing I was driving up here.
I pull back and cast my gaze over my bride.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous in that dress.”
“Better get me out of it.” She’s breathless, and I reach for her back zip, slowly sliding it down.
As it drops to the floor, I take a step back.
Underneath the dress, she’s wearing a corset with thigh-high stockings. Even in my wildest dreams, I never thought about what I’d find under the white material, and Hayley is perfection.
“Holy shit, princess.”
“You like?” She flashes me a shy smile.
“I love. But I’ll love it more when you’re out of that.”
Hayley rolls her eyes. “My husband’s only after one thing.”
“It’s our wedding day. You know that’s true.”
She laughs as I scoop her up into my arms and deposit her on the bed.
“How the hell do I get you out of this thing?”
Her fingers pinch the ribbon bowed at the top. “Well, you start here …”
“Do I need scissors?”
“Drew.” She laughs.
“Fine, but don’t be surprised if I resort to using my teeth.”
Hayley screeches with laughter as I bury my face in her cleavage, peppering her breasts with kisses. She reaches for the buttons on my shirt as I tug at the end of the ribbon.
“What do we have here?”
Her lips twitch. “I don’t know.”
It takes a few moments, but when the bow at the bottom falls apart, I push back the corset, revealing my half-naked wife. She’s more beautiful than ever.
“Nearly there,” I say.
She smiles, and I pull her to me, claiming her mouth with mine. God, I love this woman. I love her more than I ever thought possible. The best day of my life was the day I met her.
Hayley falls backward on the bed, laughing as she pulls me with her.
I reach for her white lacy panties, pulling them down her legs.
“What about the stockings?”
“They can stay.” I grin.
Discarding my pants, I climb onto the bed between my wife’s spread legs. The silk of her stockings is soft against my skin as I lie on my stomach and bury my face between her legs. Teasing her clit with my tongue, I stroke her thighs. She bucks under me, moaning and tugging on my hair as she scrapes my scalp with her fingers. I’ve always loved going down on her, but tonight it’s something special. Hayley’s no longer just my girlfriend or partner—she’s my wife.
I love that.
“Drew,” she cries. Every time she calls my name it takes me back to our first time. I longed to hear her cry my name then, and it undoes me even now.
I sit, pulling her into my lap and impaling her on my cock. Hayley gasps, and grips my shoulders. “I love you,” I whisper. “So much, princess.”
“I love you too.” Her eyes fill with emotion, and I don’t have to ask to know she’s feeling the same way I am. “Husband.”
There’s nothing that can take the smile off my face in this moment, knowing she’s mine and always will be. Hayley came into my life when I needed her, and nothing will ever keep us apart.
Moving slowly, I savour each second. This is the start of our married life, and the continuation of the best relationship I’ve ever had. Hayley and I are perfect together.
I kiss her, cupping her head in my hands, and giving everything to her. Our kiss continues as I thrust harder, her hips rocking against mine, our tongues duelling.
Hayley’s heart was joined with mine a long time ago, but this day is special.
This day we’re one.
I drop my head to her neck, nipping at her skin. She gasps, pushing down harder on me until the pressure builds and we’re both overcome.
She is me, as I am her.
“Drew,” she says softly.
I’m so deep inside her, and I gaze into her eyes as we sit with our legs locked. I don’t want to move. I press my forehead to hers. My whole life I’ve been a romantic, hoping to find the one person I’m meant to live my life with.
Today, I married her.
These past six months we’ve lived together, but today we can’t get enough of each other. I guess it makes sense. Even though we’ve known for all that time we were it for each other, making the commitment makes things different between us again.
I don’t even know what the time is, but it’s really late, and we’re both in need of sleep.
“Drew.” She strokes my face with her palm, and lets go of a contented sigh.
“Princess,” I murmur.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
I frown at her serious tone. “What is it?”
She licks her lips slowly, and it makes my cock twitch in response. “I screwed up.”
Smiling, I kiss her hand. “Whatever it is can’t be that bad.”
“You know how insane this wedding preparation has been. Mum’s been driving me crazy.”
I nod. “I noticed her talking about how proud she was of her doctor son-in-law. That’s a change of tune since we first met.”
Hayley laughs. “I heard that, too.”
“So what’s wrong?”
“I think I screwed up taking my pill. And, well, you did say you wanted to have babies as soon as possible.”
My eyes widen. “You’re …”
“I’m pregnant, Drew. You’re going to be a father.”
I grin, claiming her mouth with mine and giving her gentle kisses to convey how happy I am.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?”
My grin grows bigger. “Do bears shit in the woods?”
She laughs, slapping my bicep. “I’m happy, too. I had planned to tell you I wanted to go off the pill for a wedding present, but my addled brain had other ideas.”
I press a kiss to her temple. “I love your addled brain.” Placing one hand on her stomach, I let out a big breath. “You and me. I think we found another puzzle piece.”
Tears roll down her cheeks out of nowhere, and I kiss her softly. “I love you, Drew.”
“I love you, too. More than anything. I can’t wait to tell everyone.”
She bites down on her bottom lip. “About that.”
“You want to wait?”
“At best, I’m six weeks. I think we should make sure everything’s okay first. I know we’ve both seen things go bad.”
She’s right, and even though I want to tell the world, I need to keep this to myself for a while.
“Anything you want, princess.” I frown. “Hang on. We were drinking champagne at the wedding reception.”
Hayley shakes her head. “You were. I had mine swapped out for sparkling grape juice.”
My mouth falls open. “You’re so sneaky.”
“Maybe, but no one worked it out. I just told the caterer wine goes to my head too fast and I wanted a clear mind for my wedding night. She understood.”
I grin.
Hayley makes my heart full, but if it were possible, this news makes it swell even further. I’ve found everything I ever needed in her, and each day gets better and better.
Everything is perfect.
3
Owen
There’s nothing left of the car.
I don’t recognise it at first. All I hear is the wailing coming from the back seat. Someone’s alive.
Simon Peters pries the back door open, and I peek in to see a young girl in the back seat. It’s dark, and I can’t see her well, but I manage to get the harness of her car seat open and free her. As we move back into the area illuminated by the rescue vehicles, I hold my breath. She wails in my ear.
I know this child.
She’s been in my bakery so many times in the past three years. Her mother came in at least three times a week for bread, and her daughter was always with her. Cara.
I look back at the car. The front of it has completely collapsed, and there’s no way anyone survived in the front.
“Two bodies.”
Instinctively, my hand goes up to shield the child from seeing anything.
“Owen. Take her over there.” I have to be guided away, the urge to see Cara overwhelming. Maybe a miracle’s happened and she’s survived. My stomach churns, knowing that’s not the case.
Ava’s all tears and snot as she keeps crying, wriggling in my arms. I know she wants down, but I can’t let her get back to that car. Not when it’s her mother and father still in it.
“Hey, sweet pea. I’ve got you.”
“Mummy.” She lets out a heart-breaking wail, and I rock her in my arms. I don’t know a lot about kids, but this one needs comforting.
I’m glad I’m holding her and not at the car. Cara and I had a fling nearly five years ago, and she was one of very few women I became attached to. We might have only seen each other in passing since, but the thought that she’s gone rips my heart apart.
The town doctor, Joseph Paton, pulls up at the scene.
He comes straight to me.
“Hey, Ava. Let me just have a quick check.”
Patting her on the back, he feels up her spine, and I nod. “I think she’s okay. Upset, but okay.” I nod toward the car. “I think you need to get over there.”
He nods. “It might pay to get her out of here. Take her to the fire station and find her something to eat. The last thing she needs to see are her parents being taken out of the car.”
“Of course.”
It’s the last thing I want to see, too.
He heads toward the car, and I give Ava a little smile. “Hey, sweetheart. How about I take you to the fire station and make you a hot chocolate?”
She sniffs. “I want my mummy.”
“I know you do, honey, but it’s just you and me right now.” I wink. “Tell you what, the bakery’s between here and the fire station. How about we stop and get a gingerbread man? I’m sure there are some left.”
Her eyes widen, and she nods.
“Come on, then.”
I don’t have a car seat, but there’s a picnic blanket in the back, and I fold it so she can sit on it. It’s not like I’ll be pulled over. The police are distracted.
In the glovebox is a travel pack of tissues, and I pluck one out and hand it to her. “Here you go. Wipe your eyes.”
When she’s settled, I drive straight to the bakery. There are a few leftover cookies, and I grab the container they’re in and offer it to Ava.
She picks out two, and I take her back to the car, driving the short distance to the station. Maybe here we’ll find a distraction to keep her busy until someone comes up with what to do with her.
It worries me. She’s a little girl who just lost both her parents, and I’m feeding her up on sugar. But what the hell else am I supposed to do?
At least she’s not crying right now.
An hour later, I sit at the station, the little girl still clinging onto me. Her small arms are around my neck, and I think she’s finally fallen asleep.
She’s cried twice, called for her mother, and won’t let go of me. I can’t blame her. That it’s Cara who died makes me want to hold onto her tighter. She’s all of her family that’s left.
“We managed to get a social worker over from Carlstown. She’s here to take the girl.”
I look up to see Graham Taylor walking toward me. He’s the senior sergeant at the Copper Creek police station, and he’s being followed by a tall, blonde woman. She smiles at the sight of the girl in my arms.
“Where’s she taking her?”
Graham sits on the bench beside me. “You knew Cara pretty well. Do you know of any family?”
I shake my head. “I know she didn’t have any. Her parents both died of cancer. Not sure about Ryan.”
“We haven’t found anyone yet. No one who will take Ava.”
“So what happens to her?”
The blonde woman looks at me. “She’ll go to a family for care. Until we can work out a permanent solution.”
“What family? Will it be in Copper Creek?”
She shakes her head. “I’ve got a family lined up in Carlstown. It’s the closest we can—”
“The only home this kid has known is Copper Creek. Her parents are gone. You seriously have to take her to another town with no idea what to do with her?”
Graham puts his hand on my shoulder. “Owen, she’ll be okay.”
“Cara’s gone. Everything Ava’s known is gone. You want to take even more away from her?”
“What do you suggest we do?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I can call Adam and Lily. They’ve got kids.”
“They do, but they have to be approved carers. Approved by the state.”
I roll my eyes. It’s so hard thinking of just handing her over. This is the last piece of Cara left in this world, and I’m reluctant to let her go.
The blonde woman reaches for Ava, and despite my feelings, I hand her over. Ava rubs her eyes. “Owen?”
“Hey, little lady.” I reach for her hand, and plant a kiss on it. “You gotta go with this lady now, and she’s going to take you somewhere you can get some real sleep. And she’s gonna take really good care of you, or I’ll kick her arse.”
Ava smiles, and Graham rolls his eyes. “She’ll be fine, Owen.”
“She’d better be.”
My heart feels empty as they walk away. What that kid will go through is incomprehensible to me. Ava’s an only child. Even when my parents pissed me off, I still had my four brothers.
She’s alone.
It’s a little after nine by the time I’m finished, and I head back to the wedding reception just in case there are people around and the alcohol’s still flowing.
Part of me wants to drink myself into oblivion after tonight. There’ll be somewhere I can crash at the cove, or I could even get Dad back out to get me.
Drew and Hayley are long gone, and I spot Corey in the corner of the marquee with the blonde still hanging off his every word. Mum and Dad aren’t here either, and I assume James is with them.
To my surprise, Adam, Lily, and the kids are still here, but Lily’s picking up rubbish and chatting with Ginny while Adam’s sitting at a table with Rose and Max.
“I thought you’d be long gone,” I say to Lily, smiling at both her and Ginny.
“The caterers left, and the marquee’s not being taken down until the morning, so I thought I’d clear some of the paper napkins and cups. They’ll end up all over the cove otherwise.”
I nod. “Good thinking.”
Ginny touches my arm. “The accident. Was it bad?”
I let out a loud breath. “Yeah.”
“Who was it?” asks Lily. “Anyone we know?”
I look around. Chances are the news will be around the town by morning. “Cara and Ryan Mitchell.”
Lily’s mouth falls open. “Both of them?”
I nod. “Their little girl was the only survivor.”
The bag in her hand drops to the ground, and she slides her arms around my neck. “Oh, Owen, I’m so sorry,” she whispers.