“How you feelin’?”
He’s come to Boca since the day he rescued Hannah from my hotel room, had dinner with us, and we’ve come to Atlanta a couple times, but her dad and I have never really come to a relaxed place.
He inhales and says, “Probably never easy for fathers to give away their daughters.”
“I bet you’re right.”
“Especially to a beast of a guy like you.” His eyes flicker with amusement.
I chuckle, glancing to the ground and sliding my hands in my tuxedo pockets. “I bet that’s not easy.”
“None of parenting a daughter is easy,” he mutters like he’s warning me, or confiding in me. Probably both.
I’m not going to call him Justin. Maybe someday, but not yet. He’s earned my respect and I want him to know that.
Looking him dead in the eye I tell him, “I’m going to protect her, Mr. Cocker. I’ll never let anyone hurt her.”
His eyes sharpen, and he nods once. “Then I guess my job is done.”
“Pretty sure she’d argue with you on that.”
He chuckles. “No, she’d agree with me. She wants it to be you now.”
I see his Adam’s apple swallow hard.
Fuck, didn’t realize until now how much he misses her.
His wife opens her arms to hug me.
“Tobias,” she says in my ear, “Don’t let her disappear okay? Please buy a place in Atlanta.” She pulls back, holding my arms as she waits for my response.
Okay, fuckin’ hell. This family keeps punching me in the heart.
Without hesitation I tell Jaimie, “I promise. We’ll start lookin’ right away.” Meeting Justin’s eyes once more, he and I both give each other a masculine nod and I head away to find out what Ethan wanted.
As I stroll up, he and Ben have the look in their eyes like they know something tense just went down. Ethan asks, “He ask to fight you?”
Laughing under my breath I mutter, “Nah, he was passing the torch.”
Ben whistles under his breath, “You don’t know how hard that was for him to do.”
“I’ve got an idea. Saw it in his eyes.”
They nod.
We men get what it’s like to be men.
There are some things we take very seriously.
What just happened between me and Hannah’s father was probably the most profound thing I’ve ever experienced because it goes back through generations of fathers and daughters, and the aspect of evolution that we never quite grow out of. Cavemen protecting the pack.
“Our Grams is calling you over,” Ben says, jogging his chin to his great grandmother.
I look over and see May Cocker crooking her finger at me. She’s sitting in the front row, ready for the wedding on two cushions, green oxygen tank blending with the grass by her right side.
Strolling over to her, I glance around the crowd, my heart beginning to pump violently in my chest. Everyone’s taking their seats, the ceremony due to begin any minute.
“May, how’d you get to be so beautiful?”
She smiles like I’m a devilish liar and says in a sweet Southern drawl, “You remind me of my Jerald. He was big like you.”
“As big?”
She shrugs one slender shoulder, her floral dress bunching up a little. “He fought in World War II you know. So he was a brute.”
Chuckling I squat down and ask, “He must have been if he scored you.” Her eyes are shimmering with memories. My smile fades and I ask her, “How’d you lose him, May?”
Her wrinkles smooth out a little as her face stills. “Heart attack. He was only fifty-three.”
“That’s a lot of years without him.”
She nods, eyes distant. “I miss him every day.” She comes back to me, smile returning as her fragile hand floats around in the air. “But I have my family. I can’t complain.”
No, a Southern woman never would.
“It’s time, Tobias,” Andy says, walking up. I rise and touch May’s hand before taking my place by the minister. The Cockers were raised Catholic but most don’t practice it and with all the different religions, or lack of religions they’ve married into, Hannah told me they just use ministers now.
Andy takes the place by my side.
Under his breath he says, “Wanna make a break for it?”
I laugh and throw him a look. “You’re such an idiot.”
Mom, You Watching? - Hannah
Sofia is sitting cross-legged in a dress not meant for that, on Grandma Nance’s bed. Emma’s tying the string of flowers in my hair, whispering, “Almost done. Hold still.”
Jaimie hurries in, looking gorgeous with her black hair twisted in a French knot. Every time she’s run up here she can’t stop smiling and holding her chest. “I can’t stand it. You’re so beautiful, honey!”
“Thanks, Mom,” I smile. “But look at this.” Holding out my hand I tell her, “I’m trembling. Were you like this?”
She nods, “I was so scared your dad would change his mind,” then glances to Emma’s handiwork. “Very nice. Did Lexi make this?”
“I did,” my redheaded cousin announces, returning from the en suite bathroom, sound of a flushing toilet behind her. “You like it, Aunt Jaimie?”
“I love it. So delicate!”
“I used moth silk to hold it together.” We all look over at her, and she winks. “Kidding. It’s a fishing line.”
“Okay, all you girls head out. I need to talk to my daughter a minute.”
Emma adjusts one last flower and scoots away. Sofia and I lock eyes in the mirror. She salutes me and throws her arm around Samantha, Lexi’s younger sister, murmuring something I don’t even want to know about.
Zoe puts her book down and trails behind them, daydreaming.
Lexi is the last to close the door, admiring her flowers one last time. “See you out there, Hannah. Love you!”
“Love you too, Lex!”
Suddenly the room is very quiet and I meet Jaimie’s eyes in the mirror’s reflection. She lays her hands on my shoulders and I can tell it’s about to get weepy in here. Turning to her I bite my lip, waiting.
“Hannah, I know you wish your Mom was here.”
“Oh God,” I croak. “I’ve been thinking that all day.”
“And I know I’m not her.”
“Stop it! You are my Mom, too.”
“You know it’s not the same,” she quietly says. “And I know it’s not the same. But Hannah, please know it has been a joy watching you grow up. I feel very lucky to have been privy to all your milestones, and I know that it’s not fair. Because your Mom should be here to see how beautiful her baby has become. She should be with us.”
Tears hover in my eyes. “Jaimie!”
She hugs me. “Especially because I know she would have loved Tobias, because I think he’s perfect for you. So she definitely would have thought so, too.”
Nodding I sniffle as Jaimie pulls away and wipes her eyes. She hands me my bouquet and a tissue. I laugh under my breath and dab the tears away so my makeup stays in place.
In the distance I hear the music change to announce my arrival. My eyes go wide because we’re upstairs.
“Oops,” I laugh as we hurry out, Jaimie grabbing my train and holding it up so I don’t trip down the stairs.
“Careful! They’ll wait for you!”
“Yeah, but I don’t wanna wait!”
As I pass the framed photographs of my dad and uncles growing up, I see Emma standing at the bottom of the stairs, chestnut eyes brightening at the sight of me.
“Oh my God, this is really happening,” she breathes. “You’re a bride! Although I think wearing white is stretching it a bit.”
“Oh shut up,” I laugh.
She’s my maid of honor. Tobias and I decided to go with just one person each at our sides. He chose his best friend, Andy. But Gabriel gave him shit for that. So ridiculous.
Jaimie quickly hugs me before she heads into grandma and grandpa’s backyard to take
her seat. Emma and I wait just a moment longer and Andy appears.
“Can’t leave you all alone,” he smiles to her.
She takes his arm and they disappear.
Did she just blush?
My heart is pounding so hard. I can’t believe a year to the day after I told him I never wanted to see him again, that I’m marrying Tobias Kyrkos, still reigning Heavyweight Champion, in front of my father and all the people I love most.
The sunlight hits my face so brightly I go blind for a second, squinting under it. Then my eyes adjust as I keep walking across the porch I used to run down when I was a little girl. So many family BBQs took place where now rows of chairs are lined up with flower petals in the aisle, everyone turned and watching me.
They stand up as I make my way down the steps. I’m almost scared to look at my future husband because I’m afraid I might completely lose it, blubbering like an idiot.
But like two magnets our eyes lock and my breath hitches. He looks so handsome in that tux, his hair controlled except for a few stray, black locks that couldn’t be managed. And it’s the first time I’ve seen him in a tie.
The rest of my journey to him is dreamlike, the familiar faces a blur to my left and to my right.
Tobias is frowning at me and I know why. He’s trying to hold back his own emotions in front of this audience. But then his tense lips spread in a smile as I get closer, and his hand reaches for mine. I slide my fingers across his palm and squeeze it.
Years later when I look back I’ll barely remember anything except for the way my heart felt like it was too big for my chest. I won’t remember when the rings slid on our fingers. Or how the vows we’d memorized were delivered without a pause. I’ll only remember his eyes, and how I knew I’d found my soulmate. And how most of it didn’t feel real.
Oh, and the kiss. I’ll remember the kiss. Because when the minister said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” all my cousins, including those from Savannah, started shouting for us to go for it. And he and I laughed so hard the kiss took a moment to get to. Andy pushed him into me and Emma cried out, “What are you waiting for!?”
And that’s when Tobias Kyrkos, my husband until the day I die, lifted me up and kissed me like we were alone.
And the crowd went nuts.
Why I blushed - Emma
Three days after jet skiing, and one day after Ethan, Ben and Gabriel went back to Georgia.
I seriously needed a nap after lying on the beach all day. There’s something about salty air and sunbeams that makes me really sleepy.
Sofia didn’t object when I said I needed to go back to the hotel for a bit, but she didn’t join me. So when I wake up to find her in the room I rub my eyes and mumble, “Hey, when did you get here?”
“Just now. You woke when I walked in.”
“I did? Don’t remember hearing the door open.” Glancing to the window I blink a few times. “Is it dark out?”
“Yep. You slept a long time. I called you.”
“Didn’t hear that either.”
Holding up my phone she wiggles it. “It’s on silent, Emm. I called you four times.”
“Four?” Stretching on a yawn I ask, “What’s up?”
“I’ve got a present for you.”
Suspiciously I eye her up and down. Something about her expression is warning me to be wary. “Why am I scared?”
A mischievous grin pulls at her full lips as she shrugs one pretty shoulder. “Because you know me.”
Throwing off the blankets I follow her into the bathroom where she points to the sink and hands me one of my sundresses. I’m in my panties and loose-fitting t-shirt. “Wash up. I know you’re a clean freak.”
While running the hot water tap to get the temp right, I hold her gaze in the mirror. “What have you been doing, Sofia?”
“Making your vacation what it was meant to be.”
“Okayyyyy,” I mutter, becoming even more concerned.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she handed me a ski mask and told me we were going to take down an illegal dogfighting ring or something equally dangerous.
Heart pumping faster, I brush my teeth quickly and run a comb through my hair. I inform her as I toss my shirt onto the floor and slide the dress over my head, “I don’t want to get thrown in jail again.”
She waits for me to slide the spaghetti straps over my shoulders before she chuckles, “Party pooper,” and crooks her finger over her shoulder as she saunters out. “Come with me.”
“Wait, I need to get my key.”
“Grabbed it already. Oh, you won’t need your shoes, either.”
“What? Why don’t I need shoes?”
Of course she doesn’t answer.
We’re on the seventh floor at the Wyndham. Hannah is at Tobias’s hotel. My brother Ethan and our cousins are no longer in Florida, so their hotel room was vacated as of yesterday. I stayed an extra day or two or three – who knows how long I’ll linger – for some much needed freedom from Ethan’s overly protective eye.
So what’s just down the hall, other than the hum of the ice machine?
Sofia produces another plastic room-key from the uber-tight pocket of her jeans. She unlocks the room that my brother had. We’re standing in the quiet hallway and she’s holding the doorknob, grey eyes locked on me.
“Are we raiding the mini-bar on Ethan’s tab or something?”
“Yes.” She lets us in.
I follow her, and my footsteps slow as we walk into the main bedroom. Andy is tied to the queen size bed, a white sheet draped across his waist and hips, the rest of him naked and beautiful. Oh, and the sheet is tented because he’s clearly hard.
My jaw drops, frowning immediately as I dart shocked glances between him and my crazy cousin. You know what she does?! She musses my hair and leaves the hotel room, winking at me as she clicks the door shut.
What. The. Fuck.
I mutter, stunned and shaking a little, “Um…”
Andy’s wrists are tied up to the bedposts and his legs are tied TOGETHER. Because there are no posts at the foot of the damn bed! He gives me a lopsided smile.
“Hey Emma.”
“Andy,” I slowly reply. “How are you?”
“Good. Good. Yourself?”
I glance away and run a hand through my hair, staring at the wall as my body rages with bewilderment. I’m torn. My pussy is waking up but my feet want to sprint out of here. This is very hot, of course, but is that wrong?
Should I untie him?
I mean, he hasn’t asked me to.
“Uh…had a nap. Was a little tired from the beach. You know, but I’m good.”
We stare at each other.
Still he doesn’t ask to be released.
Like most physical trainers, Andy is extremely well-built, handsome to a fault, and charming. His smile has taken me off guard several times since he and Tobias burst into the VIP balcony at Playtime. I’ve caught him looking at me many times. But I thought nothing of it because I knew for a fact that he and Sofia had fucked. They made no secret of it and even fought like married people.
Or like brother and sister.
Wait, did she just give him to me?
His eyebrows rise up as he sees the question spring to my mind. “What’s up, Emma?”
Oh, I don’t know… your erection?
“I was just wondering…”
“Yes?”
“Why Sofia isn’t here.”
“She just left.”
“Oh my God,” I mutter, frustrated as I turn away. “You’re almost naked, Andy.”
“Yes.”
“And tied up.”
“Yeah, sorry about that. Pretty awkward huh?”
“Little bit.”
Spinning around I lock eyes with him. “Did you just have sex with my cousin tonight?”
He blinks, “No, she said I was for you.”
My lips part. “She invited you here just for me.”
“Yes.”
“
And you knew that.”
“Sure did.”
Pointing to the tent I whisper, “You’re excited because you thought I might want to fuck you when you’re tied up.”
He smirks, “Yeah, this is all for you if you want it.”
We hold on each other. I bite my lip, feeling warmth pool from my core. The jovial attempt to act cordial vanishes from his eyes and suddenly I’m not looking at the nice guy I’ve been hanging out with in the group. The friendly vibe is gone. His vibe shifted to darker.
Even his voice has a nastiness to it as he says, “Why don’t you come over here and climb on top of my cock?”
My breath hitches. I back up, and run into the dresser. “Ouch.” Recovering quickly I peek at Andy and see the lust in his deep set eyes has only gotten hotter.
My nervousness has turned him on.
“Come on, Emma. I can’t object. I can’t fight you. I can’t get free.” His hands clench as he strains at the ties, stretching his chest wider. “Why not take all you want from me?”
I breathe heavily, staring at him as the tent moves a little, his erection pushing against it. Before I know what I’m doing I’m walking toward the bed, my hands pulling down the straps of my sundress. His hooded gaze drops to my chest as the dress falls away. He licks his lips, which is such a turn on. I know I’m not as big breasted as Sofia. That’s the first thing I’m worried about since I know they were together, but the way he’s looking at me…it makes me feel desirable.
He strains at the ties, and bends his knees slightly before stretching his bound legs to their furthest length. “Take it all the way off.”
The dress drops lower. I’m standing here at the end of the queen size in my panties, pulsing like I’ve never throbbed before.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I whisper.
“Take your panties off,” he rasps, eyes locked on the silk covering me.
“Who are you to tell me what to do?” Taking my time I slowly walk around the bed, nipples hard as I eye my unexpected slave. “I’m the one in control.”
He starts to speak, but clamps his mouth shut as I hold my index finger to my lips. A light sparks behind his eyes and he smiles a little.
Cocky Senator's Daughter: Hannah Cocker (Cocker Brothers of Atlanta Book 8) Page 19