He sank beside her and drew her close. “What happened?”
“What didn’t?” She explained about the Drescher baby. “Brad was in rare form, too, which didn’t help.”
“Oh?” He tensed.
“He didn’t do anything wrong that I’m aware of,” she hastened to say. “He was just being obnoxious. No big deal.”
“You don’t like him very much, do you?”
“It’s not a question of like or dislike. There’s something about him that raises my hackles, although I can’t put my finger on it.”
“If he bothers you again, let me know.” Mac grinned. “There are perks associated with marrying the boss.”
“And what would those be?” she teased.
“For starters, dinner out. We have a lot to celebrate.”
Mac lowered his mouth close to hers. A tingle started down her spine as she anticipated his next move, a move she wholeheartedly wanted. Liquid heat seemed to flow through her and she felt as if they were surrounded by an indescribable form of energy.
Ronnie’s voice effectively doused the sizzle and the moment passed, as it undoubtably often would with two children in the house.
Lori attempted to break away, but Mac held her firmly in his embrace as if he were establishing his territory. Ronnie would have to get used to seeing her mother as Mac’s wife. “What did you need, Ronnie?” he asked.
“Can we have pink flowers at the wedding?”
“I don’t know,” Lori said. “We’ll have to see what the florist can arrange.”
“If Corey carries the rings, what will I get to carry?”
“We’ll figure out something,” Mac assured her.
“Melanie wore a white dress at her mother’s wedding. Can I wear a white dress, too?”
“We’ll look for one tomorrow.”
“What are you going to wear, Mac?” Ronnie wanted to know.
“A tuxedo, I suppose. Why?”
“Just wondering.” She paused as she studied the two of them seated on the sofa. “Should I start a list of what we need to do?”
“Good idea,” Mac said. “Be sure and put your dress at the top.”
Ronnie’s dark eyes flashed with excitement. “OK. I’ll get a piece of paper.” She hurried down the hall, presumably in search of writing equipment.
“She’ll be back in a minute. You do realize how difficult it will be to get all of us to agree on any given subject.”
“We’ll negotiate. They might as well learn now that in any family there’s give and take.”
Ronnie and Corey returned and their quiet, intimate moment passed. For the next hour Lori watched the dynamics of their small group, pleased to hear Mac patiently spell each word for her daughter to painstakingly record on her list. He was so different from Glenn, so much more interested in Ronnie as a person. She would thrive under Mac’s attention.
As for Lori, perhaps it wouldn’t take him long to realize that he had more room in his heart for her than he’d thought.
CHAPTER TEN
“YOU look really pretty, Mommy,” Ronnie said as she stood beside Lori in the chapel’s vestibule.
Lori smiled down at her daughter. “You do, too, sweetie.”
“It’s nice that we match,” Ronnie told her. “Right down to our flowers.” She sniffed the red roses in her miniature version of Lori’s bouquet.
“Yes, it is,” Lori agreed. That alone had been a minor miracle. The first bridal shop she’d entered had the cocktail-length ivory satin dress on display and she’d fallen in love with it. So had Ronnie and fortunately the manager had been able to overnight express a child’s size dress from another store.
All in all, everything had gone smoothly, in spite of Corey’s refusal to wear pink rosebuds in his lapel because “pink was for girls”. Mac had convinced Ronnie that pink flowers, pink candles in the chapel and pink cake was too much pink, so she chose one item in her favorite color—one layer of the wedding cake would be strawberry. Lori decided to carry red roses and fill the chapel with white candles and tulle.
Talia gave the baby’s breath in Lori’s chignon a final pat. “You look gorgeous. Are you ready?”
“Yes, but if I don’t have a chance to tell you, thanks for everything. I couldn’t have pulled this off without you and Gail.”
“We’d never forgiven you if you had,” Talia said with a smile before she peeked into the chapel. “Now, I see Mac and Corey at the front, so it’s time.” She kissed her cheek. “Be happy.”
Ronnie headed down the aisle, past the pews filled with family and a few close friends, as the string quartet played a wedding song. Lori fell into step behind her daughter, her gaze drawn to the man who waited at the end of the short walkway.
Mac stood tall and straight, looking quite handsome in his black tux. In a few short minutes he would be her husband.
A husband. Was she doing the right thing or making a mistake? Had she rushed into this arrangement too quickly?
Her first step faltered as she tried to read Mac’s inscrutable expression from this distance.
Slowing her pace, she studied his face. This past week, his features had become almost as familiar as her own, and right now she saw what few others probably noticed. His smile seemed forced and a question appeared in his eyes.
Was he having second thoughts as well?
Ronnie stumbled over the floor runner and Mac’s attention swung onto her. His smile of encouragement was the same sincere smile she’d seen all week, the same smile when he’d patiently spelled words for Ronnie’s list and had settled arguments between tired children. Yes, she was doing the right thing.
She hardly heard the music or saw the guests as she glided toward the trio awaiting her. For a moment she wondered what life would hold for them, but she knew one thing as well as she knew her name would be Lori Ames Grant—the future would be what she made of it and she intended it to be glorious.
She reached the front and placed her hand in Mac’s. He threaded her arm through his as he bent his head to speak in her ear. “Is everything OK?”
Seeing his tension and worry, Lori smiled at him. “More than OK. It’s perfect.”
This time his grin was as bright as the twinkle in his eyes.
The minister cleared his throat. “My dear friends, we’re gathered here tonight to celebrate a most joyful occasion…”
“I must say, Mac,” Liz told him during a rare moment alone during the wedding reception, “Lori is a treasure.”
Mac’s attention strayed from his dark-haired sister to his wife of thirty minutes as she mingled among their guests. She’d never appeared more radiant as she greeted each one. Occasionally he’d hear her laughter and feel a tremendous thrill spread throughout him. She was his.
“I agree.”
“I realize this was a rushed affair after Corey’s escapade,” she continued, “but I hope you two got married for the right reasons.”
As far as he was concerned, they had. If he didn’t feel the same hot passion that he’d done as a youth, then it was no one’s business but his own. He was content and as far as he knew, Lori was, too.
“If you’re trying to be nosy, Liz, don’t bother because I’m not going to discuss my marriage with you or anyone else. The kids are happy, we’re both satisfied—let’s leave it at that.”
“She loves you, you know.”
Her comment brought him up short. “What?”
“Lori loves you. I can see it in her eyes.”
The subject made him uncomfortable. “Her eyes always sparkle like that.”
“Think what you will, but when she sees you, there’s a different kind of sparkle.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“Not at all. Does it bother you to know how she feels about you?”
He fought the urge to run his hand through his hair. Hell, yes, it did. He hated to think of how marriage to him might have short-changed her. At times he couldn’t believe that she’d accepted his proposal, but
he wasn’t one to question good luck. After all, he’d been honest from the beginning. Her decision had brought them to this point.
He answered nonchalantly. “Why? Should it?”
“You tell me. For the record, the idea of a whirlwind romance might fool everyone else, but not me. I’ve been pushing you to get married for years and until a few weeks ago you were dead set against it.”
“Women aren’t the only ones who have the prerogative to change their minds.”
“If you don’t want to admit the truth to me, I understand, but, whatever your reasons, I’m glad you married her.”
“And I’m glad you approve.” He grinned.
“Just remember—don’t make comparisons. Lori and Elsa are two different people.”
Mac groaned. “Give me a break, sis. I don’t need a counseling session today.”
“I’m just giving you something to think about,” she said innocently before she straightened his bow-tie. “Now, don’t forget. We’ll bring Veronica and Corey to the house on Sunday morning. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have the hotel room instead of us? We’ll stay at your place with the kids.”
“Lori wants to handle it this way.” The rules of a traditional honeymoon didn’t apply to their marriage, but he didn’t want to broadcast that information. His colleagues—and hers—assumed he had swept Lori off her feet and, whether it was due to male ego or consideration for Lori’s pride, he refused to correct their misconception. If they wanted to believe that he intended to make love in every room of his house instead of limiting himself to a hotel suite, they could. No one needed to know they would probably spend their hours unpacking and reorganizing his household.
“Suit yourself. But let me tell you, once the kids are around, your time alone is virtually non-existent.”
He’d already noticed.
Liz glanced across the room. “I’d better check on the munchkins since I don’t see yours or mine. I promised Lori I’d keep them out of trouble.” Before he could reply, she left.
Mac remained in his place where he could watch Lori interact with their guests. She was beautiful, inside and out, and he couldn’t deny his attraction to her. While he enjoyed being with her both at home and at work, he was convinced that his physical need for her was just plain lust, fueled by years of celibacy. Love had nothing to do with how easily his body responded to her smile and gentle touch.
He expected Ronnie and Corey to act as buffers in the days and weeks ahead, just as they had for the last seven days. The nights, however, would be the worst. He’d wanted to exchange his queen-sized bed for a king-sized, but his frugal wife had refused. He was certain he’d spend many sleepless hours lying beside her, inhaling her light floral scent and stopping himself from reaching for her.
And, oh, how he wanted to reach for her. He wanted it so badly that at times he ached. He hadn’t realized when he’d agreed to her terms that his marriage of convenience had become so utterly inconvenient. For the sake of his sanity and his water bill, he intended to revisit those conditions before too many weeks passed.
Lori had made the right choice in suggesting they spend their so-called honeymoon at home. For appearances’ sake, they wouldn’t leave the house, but at least he wouldn’t be confined to one small room.
He watched her approach, her eyes shining as brightly as the expression on her face.
She’s in love with you.
Liz’s comment echoed in his head and his emotions alternated between pride and guilt. Their marriage seemed full of risks and potential difficulties, almost like a heart attack waiting to strike, but it only took the brilliance of Lori’s smile for his concerns to fade until he could hardly remember what they were.
Their marriage might be unorthodox but, one way or another, he intended to make it work.
Lori’s steps faltered as she gazed at her husband’s suddenly fierce expression. “Is everything all right?” she asked.
“Everything’s fine.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s getting late. Shall we say goodnight to the kids?”
“Good idea,” she said calmly, although inside she was a mass of nerves. She didn’t know what was harder to deal with—leaving Ronnie in the care of Mac’s sister or knowing that in a short time she’d be alone, really alone, with Mac for the first time since she’d known him. Her plan to make him see her and not his first wife had seemed so simple when she’d thought of it, but now that the moment was almost at hand, her courage was faltering.
Yet if she wanted the future she’d always dreamed of, she couldn’t not proceed.
It was eleven o’clock before Lori walked through the door of her new home. “The wedding was lovely,” she told Mac as they placed the leftover cake on the kitchen counter. “The cafeteria staff did a wonderful job. When Chaplain Hardy suggested I call them, I had no idea they could pull off something that impressive.”
He grinned. “Then you didn’t expect a traditional tiered cake, fancy table decorations, the ice sculpture or the punch fountain?”
“Not at all. If St Anne’s staff realizes how capable the food service can be, they’ll boycott the stuff they usually serve.” She reached up and began removing the pins holding her chignon in place.
“Let me,” he said.
She stood still, conscious of his nearness as he plucked the baby’s breath and bobby pins out of her hair. As it tumbled down her shoulders, he asked, “Better?”
“Much.”
“Do you want to use the shower first?”
“OK. I’ll need you to unzip me. I can’t reach.” She presented her back to him, hoping that he wouldn’t wonder how she’d managed the task all these years.
His hands lingered on the satiny fabric of her gown and his fingers fumbled with the hook and eye at her neckline. She smiled when he inhaled sharply as he lowered the zipper.
“Thank you,” she said again, before she strolled toward the bedroom they would share. He may have agreed to her terms about postponing the physical side of their relationship, but she didn’t intend those conditions to hold for ever. If all went according to plan, it wouldn’t take him long to realize that the person lying beside him wasn’t a memory but a flesh-and-blood woman who loved him.
From the way his eyes drank in her appearance as she sat in bed thirty minutes later, wearing the peignoir she’d purchased on her wedding dress shopping expedition, her initial attempts to gain his attention had succeeded.
“If you’d rather I slept in Corey’s room,” he said slowly, “I will.”
She hadn’t thought of that possibility or else she wouldn’t have given Corey and Ronnie permission to spend the night with Mac’s sister. “It’s up to you, of course,” she said, crossing her fingers that he wouldn’t choose that option, “but we may as well begin as we mean to go on.”
“You’re right. I just didn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
If he only knew. “I can handle it, if you can.”
When Mac simply nodded, Lori relaxed. The excitement of the day caught up with her and her eyelids grew heavy as she listened to the water running in the master bathroom. The moment he returned, clad only in a pair of boxer shorts, his dark hair lying in damp disarray against his head, her lethargy vanished.
Her mouth went dry at the sight of her husband’s bare chest at the same time an insane desire to run her hands over his pectorals and through the dusting of hair on his skin struck her.
Her scheme had backfired.
It was quite possible that she’d find her plan more difficult to follow than Mac would.
He crawled in beside her and she struggled to keep from rolling toward him as the mattress dipped in his direction.
“Tired?” he asked.
“Not really.” Actually, she was wide awake.
“We could watch television.”
“Good idea.” Maybe a movie would take her mind off the man who lay close enough that she could feel the heat emanating from his body.
He clicked the remote contro
l to the small television set on the dresser facing them. “I don’t normally watch TV, so I’m not even sure if this works any more.”
It did and he advanced through the channels until he found a classic Second-World-War era comedy featuring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. “How’s this?”
“It’s fine.” Lori snuggled under the covers and fought the urge to move in close to Mac as he folded one arm under his head. Gradually, she relaxed, partly due to the humorous program, the comfort of the bed and her own exhaustion. Dimly aware of Mac clicking off the television at the end of the movie, she snuggled deeper in the warm cocoon she’d made for herself.
“Lori?”
The calming thump in her ear shifted tempo. “Hmm?”
“Careful with the knee.”
Knee? She roused herself enough to take stock of her surroundings. An instant later, she came fully awake. Mac’s heartbeat had been the thump lulling her to sleep, and she was delightfully toasty because she’d draped herself over him.
To add to her horror, her leg rested on his groin and her knee covered a strategic spot. It also was embarrassingly obvious that at least this portion of his anatomy wasn’t ready to sleep.
“You’re wide awake, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Some parts more so than others,” he said wryly.
She raised her head to meet his gaze and he immediately kissed her. The temperature between the sheets rose and she opened her mouth to allow him entrance. Before she realized what was happening, she found herself flat on her back with Mac’s hand cupping her breast. She thought of protesting, but the protest died unspoken. This was what she wanted.
Suddenly, he stopped. Her sanity returned. Remembering her condition to their marriage, embarrassment filled her at how Mac had shown more restraint than she had.
“I really didn’t mean to wind up all over you,” she said. “I was cold and you were so warm…”
He captured her chin so that she couldn’t avoid his gaze. “You don’t have to apologize, Lori Ames Grant. We are married.”
The significance of Mac using her name didn’t escape her. He knew exactly who she was, and who she wasn’t. The question was, was she truly convinced?
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