THE BENNETTS' WEDDING (The Bennett Family and the Masters Family Book 5)

by Brenda Jackson

  “I’ll be there.”

  The music came to an end, but he had no intention of letting her leave his side. He took her hand in his. “Come on. Let’s grab some food. I haven’t eaten since leaving California, and I’m starving.”

  VICTORIA GLANCED AT HER watch. It was close to one in the morning. Grey’s birthday party had ended at midnight. While her older relatives had called it a night and gone up to their room, the younger crowd, which included her cousins and Cortez’s brothers, had left the hotel to hit a night club that was still open. She doubted any of them were surprised when she and Cortez declined their invitation to join them.

  Before leaving the party, Cortez had leaned in and whispered, “I’ll be waiting, sweetheart.”

  She had gone up to her hotel room to freshen up, and now she was headed toward the rooms in the tower. Cortez hadn’t left her side after their dance, and if anyone wondered about those turn of events, she didn’t care.

  They had grabbed a plate of food and then joined Kennedy and her fiancé, Haddison. Also seated at the table were Sonya and Mike Green, Jesse and Carla Devereau, and Amber and Cord Jeffries. All three couples were close friends of Brandy and Grey. Cortez and Victoria danced together again before everyone was called together to sing happy birthday to Grey.

  As she walked along the corridor, Victoria glanced around, noticing as she always did just how beautiful the hotel was. Brandy and Grey had other hotels in Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Boston. This one was her favorite because it had been the one that she and her cousins had spent a lot of time in when they were younger.

  A short while later, she stepped off the elevator and tried to ignore the rapid beating of her heart. No matter what her mind was trying to convey, she refused to think she was wrong for allowing Cortez to assume this was nothing more than sex. If he wanted to think that, she was willing to let him, as long as she could lie in his arms again and have him make love to her. She would consider the consequences of her actions later, but not tonight.

  When she reached his hotel room, she paused a moment, drawing in a deep breath. Raising her hand to knock, she jumped when the door was suddenly snatched open by a shirtless Cortez. She swallowed as their gazes locked. “I’m here.”

  Stepping back, he said, “Come in, sweetheart.”

  Sweetheart… She loved hearing him call her that, the way he’d done in Paris. The moment she walked over the threshold, he reached out and pushed the door shut behind her, and then as natural as anything she’d ever encountered, they moved into each other’s arms.

  His lips lowered to hers and he hungrily took her mouth, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She arched her back and clung to him, kissing him as greedily as he was kissing her, ready for any barriers separating them to be dispensed of.

  Evidently, he felt the same way. Without even breaking their kiss, she felt her jacket being pushed off her shoulders, followed by the opening of her dress. Then Cortez stepped back and let his impatient fingers divest her of her clothing, then quickly removed his.

  Shivers ran up her spine when his gaze roamed over her. Then he swept her off her feet and into his arms. Although she wished there was more between them than sex, for now she would take what she could get…because she desperately needed it. He placed her on the bed, and she waited for him to join her, automatically opening her legs just seconds before his body slid into hers. She moaned at how good he felt, and when his thighs tightened around her, she lifted her hips off the bed to deepen the connection.

  “Cortez.” She whispered his name when he began moving in and out of her, slow at first, as if to make sure she felt every mind-blowing stroke. Then he increased the pace, making her moans turn to groans, and when the thrusts became faster and went deeper, she cried out his name.

  How could any man make a woman feel this way, make her totally lose herself in his body, the way he was doing. She clung to his shoulders as if they were a lifeline. And in a way, they were. After years of refusing to risk her heart, she had fallen in love…with him. And not because he could make love so darn good, but because in Paris she’d discovered there was a lot about Cortez that was worth loving.

  His thrusts grew harder and she drew in a deep breath, inhaling the scent of them making love. She knew she wouldn’t be able to last much longer, and she closed her eyes when he leaned in and captured her mouth. At that moment, she surrendered to everything — to the air shimmering in sexual need around them, to the intensity of his lovemaking, and to the tripping of her pulse that signaled she was beyond gone. He was so deep inside of her, every part of her body rejoiced.

  Then it happened…desire collided with fulfillment and she screamed his name when a multitude of sensations burst through her. He pumped and thrust that much faster and harder as she rocked her hips against him, needing to feel as one with him.

  “Love me,” she whispered just moments before her body burst into a series of intense, pleasurable spasms

  “Open your eyes and look at me, Victoria.” When she did, he whispered, “I do love you.”

  Cortez eased off Victoria and then shifted their bodies so he could wrap her securely in his arms. He wondered if she’d realized what he’d said. He knew she hadn’t truly asked him to love her, but had merely asked for him not to stop making love to her. However, he’d seized on the opportunity to tell her exactly how he felt about her. He figured she would think she had either misheard him or misinterpreted what he said. Then, of course, there was a chance she might not even remember.

  So, he waited. And waited.

  As seconds ticked into minutes, he figured she had dismissed his words, and was about to close his eyes when suddenly, she turned in his arms and looked at him. “Did you mean what you said?”

  A lump formed in his throat. “Yes, I meant every word.”

  He watched her…and again waited. He released a breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding when a smile curved her lips. “Since when?” she asked.

  He returned her smile, and he reached out to stroke her cheek. “I want to believe it was the first time I made love to you and discovered you were a virgin. I was arrogant enough to believe you’d saved yourself for me. That’s why I was obsessed with finding you after I woke up that morning and found you gone.” Cortez paused for a moment, then asked, mainly because she hadn’t said yet, “And how do you feel about me, Victoria?”

  She leaned up and pressed a kiss against his lips. “I love you, Cortez. I should have realized it sooner, but I never wanted to fall in love. I saw how love left my mother vulnerable.”

  “I would never hurt you, Victoria. Please believe that.”

  “I do.” She paused a moment. “I wasn’t sure at first, so I felt it was best to keep my distance. But when you asked for those two days in Paris, I decided to go because I truly wanted to be with you. Alexia and Quinn and Brandy and Grey think the world of you, and I wanted to trust their judgment. And I did. In Paris, I discovered you were someone I wanted to know a lot better.”

  He nodded. “And when did you decide you wanted more?”

  “Tonight. I’ve been thinking about you a lot since Paris, and the moment I saw you tonight, I knew why. I had fallen in love with you.”

  He tightened his arms around her and snuggled them closer together. “So…where do you suggest we go from here, Victoria? Because I want forever with you.”

  Her eyes lifted. “What do you mean?”

  If he had to spell it out for her, then he would. “I’m not the kind of guy who falls in and out of love. In my lifetime, I’ve only loved you, and that’s the way I intend for it to be. So, what I mean is that I want to marry you. I want us to grow old together, share babies, grandbabies, great-grandbabies. I want to show you that I know how a man is supposed to treat a woman.” He saw the tears that shone in her eyes. “So, will you marry me?”

  Instead of answering, she did something he didn’t expect…she buried her face in his chest and cried. Her tears soaked his naked ch
est. He tensed a little and asked, “Why are you crying, sweetheart?” He reached up and wiped the tears from beneath her eyes with the pad of his thumb.

  “Because you’ve made me happy.”

  Cortez untensed. “Does that mean you will marry me?”

  “Yes, but first, we should probably go out on an official date. And just so you know, our times in Paris don’t count. I’m talking about dating in the open. So I guess we’re looking at a long engagement.”

  “I don’t want a long engagement, Victoria. And as far as dating goes, we can date while you plan the wedding.”

  She chuckled. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, so how soon can we get married?”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure. Kennedy hasn’t set a definite date for her wedding yet. I figure it will be in June, since she’s always wanted to be a June bride.”

  “June is five months away. But I guess you don’t want to tie the knot before she does, right?”

  She smiled. “Right.”

  He drew in a deep breath. “Does that mean you are going to make me wait beyond June?”

  “Afraid so.”

  He smiled. “Since I have no choice but to wait that long, I guess that means we’ll start dating regularly. And I mean regularly.”

  Victoria smiled broadly. “And how will you manage that when you live in L.A. and I live in St. Paul?”

  He chuckled. “Trust me. I intend to make it work, even if I have to fly to St. Paul every chance I get, baby.” And he meant it. He’d never considered a long-distance romance with any woman, but he would do so with her — the woman he intended to marry. “So, what do you think?” he asked her, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

  “I think it’s the beginning of something wonderful.”

  He did, too.

  “THERE’S A DELIVERY FOR you, Ms. Bennett.”

  Victoria smiled. It had been three weeks since the night of Grey’s birthday party, when she and Cortez proclaimed their love for each other, and she’d agreed to marry him. He’d kept his word about making a long-distance romance between them work by visiting her every weekend. This would be the first weekend that he wouldn’t be coming because he had a court case on Monday that he had to prepare for. Of course, she understood, but she’d miss him.

  Standing, she moved around her desk, then opened the door and walked into the reception area. Her smile widened when she saw the beautiful vase of fresh-cut flowers. “They’re beautiful.”

  “Yes, they are,” her administrative assistant agreed. “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thanks, Charlotte.”

  She’d called her mother the day after Grey’s party to tell her the good news, and then she’d told her cousins at lunch the next day when she’d met them around the hotel’s pool. Everyone was happy for her. Kennedy had even suggested they have a double wedding. It would be the first one ever in the Bennett family, and she really liked the idea. In fact, it made a lot of sense, considering the same people would participate in both weddings. Cortez was thrilled with the decision since it meant they could marry sooner than they’d planned.

  Victoria carried the flowers into her office and placed them on her desk. Then she picked up the card.

  Miss you. Want you. Love you,

  Cortez

  She smiled before walking back over to the window. She would miss Cortez this weekend, but she’d see him soon enough. They’d already decided that once they were married, she would relocate the main office of the Bennett Nursery and Landscaping Company to Los Angeles. The St. Paul office would be run by Shelia McQuade, the woman who was now her assistant.

  A few hours later, when Victoria was about to leave the office, she got a call from her cousin Sebrina. “Yes, Bree?”

  “I need a favor.”

  Victoria nodded. “What kind of favor?”

  “I’m at a hotel…with someone.”

  Victoria lifted a brow. Because the four cousins had a house rule that no guys could sleep over, Victoria figured Bree was hooking up with someone. But who? She hadn’t said anything about being involved with someone. But then again, Bree could definitely take care of herself. “And?”

  “And I have a feeling we’re going to run out of condoms.”

  Victoria blinked. That’s not what she expected to hear. “You’re going to run out of condoms?”

  “Yes.”

  Victoria’s lips quirked in a smile. “He must be some guy.”

  “He is. That’s why I need you to bring another pack. I want to be on the safe side. We’ll need at least a dozen more.”

  Victoria sat back down at her desk. “A dozen more?”

  “Yes, at least. He offered to get dressed and go out to buy some more, but I’d rather he didn’t. Since the hotel is not far from your office, I’m hoping you wouldn’t mind dropping some off at our hotel room.” Bree paused and then said, “I tried calling Kennedy, but I can’t reach her, and I prefer not to ask Monica.”

  “Hey, no problem. Where’s the hotel?” When Bree gave her the name of one of the most luxurious hotels in St. Paul, Victoria breathed out an impressed breath. “Wow! And what’s the room number?”

  “Twelfth floor, room 1210. Don’t take too long.”

  Victoria chuckled, not able to recall the last time she’d heard such anxiousness in Bree’s voice. “Okay, I’m on my way.”

  Less than half an hour later, Victoria had arrived at the Saxon Hotel. Stepping off the elevator on the twelfth floor, she made her way to Bree’s room. Her cousin had a lot to tell her later. If Bree thought she was going to keep this quiet, then Victoria had news for her.

  This was some hotel. From the moment she’d walked through the door, the hotel had screamed elegance. Whenever Cortez came to town, they would spend the night at the LaMora Hotel, which was also very elegant. But there was something about a Saxon Hotel that spelled CLASSY in capital letters. It had a certain style all its own. She’d even heard a number of well-known individuals like Oprah, the Obamas, and even the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had leased their own floors at the one located in Los Angeles.

  When Victoria reached Bree’s hotel room door, she knocked. The door eased open a little, and then it swung wide, but Victoria couldn’t see who’d opened it. Thinking it probably wasn’t the best idea to barge in, she cleared her throat. “Bree, here’s the package you asked for.”

  Suddenly, a masculine hand snaked out from behind the door and pulled her into the room, then shut the door behind her. Before she could catch her breath at the surprised move, a deep voice said, “I’m glad you came.”

  Victoria immediately recognized the voice, but before she could say anything, a mouth took possession of hers. She knew the mouth as well and returned the kiss with fiery passion.

  When the kiss finally broke, she stared into the face of the man she loved. “Cortez? What are you doing here? I thought you had to prepare for a court case on Monday.”

  He smiled down at her. “We were able to settle out of court late last night, so I packed and flew here to be with you.”

  She was glad of that. “But why did you have Bree call me and pretend she needed condoms?”

  “Because I wanted to surprise you. This is going to be a special weekend for us, Victoria.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes, starting with dinner.”

  “Dinner?” She glanced around the room and saw the beautiful table set for two with lit candles and a bottle of champagne on ice. The huge suite looked so romantic.

  “Yes.” He then pulled her closer. “Three weeks ago, I asked you to marry me. You said yes, but I didn’t give you a ring. I wanted to design a special one, just for you.”

  Cortez then stepped back and lowered himself on one knee. He pulled a small black box out of his jacket, opened it up, and asked, “Victoria Bennett, will you marry me?”

  She had cried that night, and now he was going to make her cry all over again. The ring was gorgeous,
a yellow-gold, oval cut, three-carat diamond ring. “Yes!”

  “I love you, sweetheart,” he said, while sliding the engagement ring on her finger.

  “I love you, too.”

  Cortez stood and pulled her back into his arms, capturing her mouth again.

  June 10th - Kennedy

  KENNEDY LOOKED UP INTO her father’s face. If a man could glow with overwhelming pride, then today would be Michael Bennett’s day. She knew he was truly happy for her and she appreciated that. Most of all, she appreciated him.

  A lot had happened since that day so many years ago when he’d sat her down to break the news to her that the mother she’d adored was gone and would never come back. She’d been seven at the time. He’d been the best dad in the world, even during those times when she hadn’t made things easy on him. Because of her, he’d left their home in St. Paul to move to Atlanta to be closer to family. However, she would say that had been a good move for him, too, because it had brought Taye into their lives. Her father marrying Taye and becoming a blended family with Monica and Bree had literally saved them all.

  “You’re as beautiful as your mother was on our wedding day, Kennedy. Lynda would be so proud of you.”

  Kennedy fought back tears, refusing to mess up the makeup Taye, Alexia, Rae’jean, and Brandy had all taken turns fixing. She’d been thinking of her mother a lot lately and was thankful for all the photographs they’d put around of her, making it seem as if she were here.

  “Thanks, Dad…for everything. Especially for not giving up on me when you could have.”

  A smile crinkled his handsome face. “I could never give up on you, Kennedy. You’re mine and Lynda’s. You were our blessing and I know Haddison will continue to handle business when it comes to you. I’ve gotten to know him and believe he’s a good man.”