by Sandra Owens
“Court?”
He peeked around the bear’s head. “Who did you think it was?”
“A talking bear.”
“Oo-kay. I think you’re still a little loopy, G.G.”
“You weren’t shot?” She reached for his hand, ending up with a bear paw instead. “Why are you carrying around a teddy bear?”
“No, I wasn’t shot.” He held the bear away, studying it. “He’s a handsome devil. I got him for you.”
“Why?” Hurt flashed in his eyes before he blinked them, and she regretted her question. It was still a puzzle why he’d bought her a giant bear.
“Because he bears an important message.”
Her eyes settled on the heart-shaped patch, and then she looked up at him. “Is the message from the bear or you?”
“It’s from me.” He set the bear back on the chair, then eased onto the edge of the bed, being careful not to bump her leg as he took her hand. “I love you, Gorgeous Girl. I have from the day I watched you plant your face in the sand and come up laughing.”
“You just liked my sexy green bikini.”
“That, too.” He glanced down at their joined hands. “I don’t want to leave the FBI, but I will if that’s what it takes. What if I asked for a transfer instead? I’d make a good analyst. That will probably mean a relocation, so will you come with me? If that’s not good enough, I’ll resign.”
Two days ago, she would have jumped at his offer, although she would hate leaving her family and the bookstore. Even now, she was tempted because if he were sitting behind a desk, he would be safe. He would hate sitting behind a desk, though, and he’d be miserable if he left the FBI. She couldn’t do that to him.
“When Stephan pointed a gun at me and I knew he intended to kill me, it solidified something I’d been thinking about.” She turned her palm up, linking their fingers. “I worried about losing you when you could have just as easily lost me.”
He scrunched his eyebrows together. “What are you saying?”
“That I love you. No conditions. The FBI is in your blood, and I don’t want to take that away from you. It would change who you are. I love you, Special Agent Court Gentry.”
Hope flared in his eyes. “Are you sure? I swear, Lauren, don’t pull my chain on this. I mean it when I say I’ll quit or take an analyst position if that’s what it takes to make you happy.”
“You make me happy, just you.” She glanced away from his penetrating eyes. “If you still love me, that is.”
He put his finger under her chin, lifting her face. “Look at me, G.G. I told you six years ago that I loved you. I told you two minutes ago that I still love you. I don’t say things I don’t mean. Not then. Not now.” He leaned forward and kissed her.
Lauren closed her eyes with a sigh. She inhaled his familiar scent, soaked up the heat radiating from his body, and shivered as his lips fluttered across hers like butterfly wings. It was the sweetest kiss a man had ever given her.
“Stop molesting the patient.”
“Go away, bro,” Court said, his mouth curving into a smile against her lips.
She pushed away from Court, her cheeks heating as Alex walked to her bed, Nate stepping up behind him. Both Court’s brothers smiled at her, and it was the first time she really felt that Nate accepted her.
“We thought you’d like to know that Peter is spilling his guts, hoping for leniency,” Nate said. “Stephan will go away for a very long time, considering the charges against him. Kidnapping, attempted murder, assaulting a federal agent for a start. Also, according to Peter, both he and Stephan were involved in extortion and racketeering before Stephan went to prison.”
“Thank you. That’s the best news you could have given me. Will Peter go to prison, too?” He deserved to.
Alex shrugged. “Don’t know. His lawyer’s angling for deportation back to Russia in exchange for information. Supposedly he has a lot of dirt on some bad guys on the FBI’s radar. Guess we’ll have to wait and see how it all goes down. He’ll either go to prison or be deported with no chance of ever returning to the good old USA.”
“Either way, they’ll never be a threat to you again.” Court squeezed her hand. “You’ll probably have to testify at some point.”
“Bring them on.” She looked forward to facing Stephan in a courtroom. She’d done it once, and she’d enjoy it even more this time.
Court grinned. “That’s my girl.”
“Any other questions?” Nate asked.
“Yeah, when can I get out of here?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Eight months later . . .
They’d met at the beach and would get married at the beach. Court glanced at his watch again. In four hours, he and Lauren would exchange vows. About damn time. It had taken seven years for them to get to this day, and he wanted to get the wedding over so they could start on their honeymoon.
“I think the battery in my watch is slowing down.”
Alex snorted. “Your battery is fine. You’re just anxious to put a ring on her finger.”
“Truth.” Court lifted his bottle of beer, taking a swallow. It was Sunday, the day they always closed Aces & Eights. Madison, her mother, and Julie had kicked him out of his condo this morning. Apparently, it took all day to get a bride ready for her wedding. Who knew? He’d talked his brothers into hanging out with him for a few hours, and after lunch, with nowhere else to go, they’d ended up at Aces & Eights.
“Nah,” Nate said. “He’s anxious to get the wedding over so he can get to the honeymoon.”
Court clicked his bottle against Nate’s. “An even bigger truth.”
“Your turn’s next, big brother,” Alex said.
Nate choked on the beer he’d just swallowed. “No. It isn’t.”
“Come on.” Alex waggled his eyebrows. “You and Taylor?”
“There is no me and Taylor. I don’t know why you keep implying there is. She’s a friend. Nothing more.”
“Right.”
Court could tell by Alex’s sarcastic retort that he still believed there was something going on between Nate and Taylor. Court hadn’t made up his mind. He didn’t care. He just wanted to get married. If their mother were still alive and knew his wedding was today, would she have wanted to come?
“Where do you think our mother is right now?”
“I wish I knew,” Alex said.
When Nate didn’t comment, Court glanced at him. His big brother was an expert at blanking his face. Ever since he’d come to the conclusion that he’d been wrong about their mother, Court had wanted to tell his brothers the secret he’d kept all these years. It was time to do that.
How would they react? He took a deep breath. “There’s something I want to tell you that happened the day she left us.”
Alex set his beer down, his eyes searching Court’s. “Why do I think you’re about to turn my world on its head?”
“Because I am.” He met Nate’s gaze. “You’ve always refused to talk about her, and I think you’re keeping your own secrets. Maybe it’s time we get everything in the open.”
Nate’s lips thinned. “I’m not harboring any secrets, nor do I want to hear yours.”
When he stood, Alex hooked his leg under Nate’s, pulling his feet out from under him. “Sit down, bro. I don’t know what the fuck your problem is, but you’re going to listen to what he has to say even if I have to tie you to your chair. We had a mother who loved us. That much I know. Yeah, she walked out on us, but if he knows a reason good enough that I can forgive her for leaving us in that bastard’s hands, I want to hear it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Tough shit. Listen anyway.” Alex nodded at Court. “Go ahead.”
What the hell was Nate’s problem? Court took another deep breath. This wasn’t going to be easy to get through. “That morning, before she left, I ripped my pants and was hiding behind the couch from the old man.” He relayed the story he’d kept to himself all these years.
“When
I realized that I had everything wrong about why Lauren cut me out of her life six years ago, I started thinking about that day and the possibility that I’d also been wrong about our mother. She was no more a whore than I’m the Easter Bunny. Unless she lost the baby, we have a sister or brother out there somewhere.”
When he finished, he searched his brothers’ faces. Alex seemed stunned. And Nate? Court couldn’t tell what was going through his mind. “Say something, one of you.”
“We have to find out,” Alex finally said.
“I plan to.” He met Nate’s gaze. “Don’t you want to know?”
“Raising you two clowns was more than enough for me. Do what you have to do, but leave me out of it.” He stood, then scowled at Alex. “Knock my legs out from under me one more time, and I’ll take you down.”
“Damn,” Alex muttered after Nate walked out. “What’s his problem?”
Court didn’t know, but something was eating at his big brother. “Wonder if he’ll show up for my wedding?”
“Are you nervous? I’m nervous. I’ve never officiated a daughter’s wedding before.”
Lauren smiled at her dad. “I’ve waited too many years for this day. No, I’m not nervous because Court and I were meant to be.”
He took her hand, then reached for Julie’s, bringing the three of them together in a circle. “I wish your mother were here to see her beautiful daughter on her wedding day.”
“Me, too,” she whispered.
“No, don’t cry,” he said at seeing the tears pooling in her eyes. He smiled at Julie, her eyes also teary. “Either of you. I know she’s watching right now with that beautiful smile of hers on her face.”
“She would have loved Court.” Lauren knew that in her heart.
“Yes, she would have.” He hugged her, then said, “I need to get out there. I love you, daughter. You couldn’t have chosen a better man to love, and this time I’m saying that knowing in my heart it’s true.”
Lauren held her father close for a moment. “It is. I love you, too. See you in a few minutes.”
Court and her father—although as different as night and day—had spent time together the past few months and had formed a bond that had surprised her. Her guess was that for Court, her dad—who continued to call him son—filled a role he’d longed for since he was a boy. Sometimes she had to brush tears away when watching them together, talking and laughing, Court doing his best not to let a curse word slip and occasionally failing.
After her father left, she walked to the mirror that had been set up in the cabana. “Where’s my lipstick?”
Julie handed her the tube. “I hope I look as beautiful as you on my wedding day. If Daddy marries me and my future husband . . .” She sighed. “I wish I knew who he was. Anyway, if he does, will you give me away?”
“I would be honored to.” When she’d married Stephan, she’d wanted her father to give her away, so a minister friend of his had performed the ceremony. Considering how that marriage had turned out, she’d wanted her dad to marry her and Court. In her mind, his pronouncing them husband and wife seemed the right thing to do. Like a blessing—she was getting it right this time.
Since her father was officiating, she’d decided the best person to give her away was her sister. Unusual, but so was getting married barefoot. The beach was special to her and Court, since that was where they’d first fallen in love.
A section behind the hotel where the reception would be held had been roped off for the wedding party. All the guests were barefoot, their shoes left on the deck already set up for dinner and dancing.
Lauren took one last glance in the mirror. She’d fallen in love with the ankle-length white slip gown the minute she saw it. It was slit up to her knee, showing a little leg when she walked. Her only jewelry was her mother’s diamond stud earrings and the diamond tennis bracelet Court had given her for her birthday. She’d intended to do away with the pink tips in her hair, but Court had begged her not to.
“I’ll think I’m marrying the wrong woman without them,” he’d said.
Madison came into the cabana, and handed her an oblong velvet box. “A wedding gift from the groom.”
Inside was a sterling silver bracelet with a tiny heart dangling from the chain, a purple stone in the middle of the heart. It was pretty, but she’d prefer to wear only the tennis bracelet. It was a gift from the man she loved, though. She took it out of the box, then held out her arm. “Would you put it on me?”
Madison rolled her eyes. “It’s an anklet, silly.”
“Oh. That’s so cool. Did you help him pick it out?”
“Nope. I suggested an anklet because you’d be barefoot, but he picked it out all by himself.” Madison knelt and hooked it around her ankle on the side with the split in the gown. “And, it’s platinum, not silver, so don’t lose the damn thing.”
Lauren held out her foot, admiring the anklet. It was the perfect wedding gift. She smiled, thinking how she’d thank Court appropriately later tonight. “I’m ready to go get married.”
She followed Madison and Julie out of the cabana. Along with giving her away, Julie would serve as her maid of honor, and Madison was her bridesmaid. Both wore pale purple gowns and carried bouquets of lavender. Lauren had chosen a bouquet of white orchids with purplish-pink-tipped petals for herself. Nate and Alex would stand with Court, all three barefoot in their tuxes. There was something crazy sexy about that.
November was the perfect time for a South Florida beach wedding. She slipped her arm through her sister’s as they walked past the guests seated in white folding chairs. The weather was beautiful, and a flutist sat off to the side, her music hauntingly beautiful. A crowd had gathered outside the roped-off area, many taking pictures on their phones.
When Lauren caught her first glimpse of Court, she wondered if it were possible for her heart to burst from happiness. His lips curved into a beautiful smile, and then his gaze traveled over her. When she reached him, she flashed her leg, showing him she wore the anklet. His smile turned wicked, the heat in his eyes sending a delicious shiver down her spine.
“Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” her father asked.
“I and my father do,” Julie said, smiling at their dad, who beamed with pleasure at being unexpectedly included.
Lauren squeezed Julie’s arm in approval. Julie put Lauren’s hand on Court’s, and then stepped to the side. Court brought her hand to his lips, and placed a kiss on her fingers while holding her gaze. That hadn’t been in the rehearsal either, but the gesture made her knees weak. He never let go of her hand after that.
Later that night, she danced under the moon with her husband, at times wanting to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. On the day she’d given him up to protect him, she’d thought he would never be hers again. Had believed she’d never again know his touches, his kisses, never see the heat in his eyes when he looked at her.
“What are you thinking, my wife?” he whispered into her ear, pulling her closer. “I like saying that by the way. Wife. I’m going to keep you up all night just so I can say, Come for me, wife. So what are you thinking?”
“I don’t remember.” How was she supposed to think when he said things like that? “You did that on purpose.” But there was something she was thinking. Stephan had called her wife as a way to remind her that he owned her. It was funny—although nothing related to Stephan was funny—how Court calling her wife made her feel special and loved, knowing her new husband would never think he owned her.
He chuckled, his breath tickling her neck. “Yeah, I like messing with your mind.”
“Maybe I’ll just go to sleep, husband. It’s been a long day,” she teased, smiling up at him. She liked calling him husband, a word she’d never used with affection where Stephan was concerned.
“Like hell you will.”
“Then you’ll just have to find ways to keep me awake.” She licked his neck, smiling against his skin when he growled.
; “Trust me, Mrs. Gentry, I’m very talented at ways,” he said, his mouth so close to her ear that his warm breath sent her mind to all kinds of naughty thoughts of the wedding night awaiting them.
Over Court’s shoulder, she noticed Alex walk onto the dance floor with Madison. The two of them stared into each other’s eyes as they swayed to the music. The brothers had grown up being abused mentally and physically. Their mother had left them in the hands of an abuser, but somehow, they’d risen above their environment and could be proud of the men they’d become.
Court and Alex had found love and happiness. She hoped Nate’s turn would come soon. Her money was on Taylor. She’d seen the longing in both their eyes when they looked at each other whenever they thought no one was watching. She scanned the guests, most of them FBI agents, searching for Nate and Taylor. There was Taylor sitting at a table with her fellow agent Rand Stevens.
“Where’s Nate?” she asked. As Court’s best man, Nate had stood next to his brother during the marriage ceremony, but she hadn’t seen him since the photographer had finished taking the post-wedding photos.
“He left.”
Lauren leaned away, peering up at him. “Really?”
Her husband’s eyes turned troubled. “Yeah. Said he needed to get away for a few days. I don’t know what’s going on with him to answer the question you’re about to ask.”
She glanced back at Taylor, noticing that she seemed sad. Before she worried more about her new brother-in-law or the beautiful FBI agent, Court danced her to the railing of the deck.
“We’ll worry about him tomorrow,” Court said, as if reading her mind. “Tonight is ours.” He gave her a wicked grin. “I have an irresistible urge to start making good on my promise to keep you up all night.” He pressed his hips against her, letting her feel his arousal. “Yeah, really irresistible. Let’s blow this joint.”
Although they should say good-bye to their families and guests, she grabbed his hand, pulling him with her as she skipped down the steps of the deck so they could sneak away.
The band started playing “Just the Way You Are.”