“All of you spoil her so much she’s going to rot from the inside out.” Melanie laughed. “She’s already threatening to leave home and move in with you and Vivian.”
“That’s fine, dear.” Vivian patted Abigail on the head. “You know you have a room at our house. Just say the word, and I’ll move your things in with me.”
Abigail gave Melanie a superior, smug look. “I told you Mamaw Vivian would let me.”
“Yeah, but bunny stays with me.”
Abigail’s eyes widened. “My bunny?”
“Look, kiddo, I had that bunny before you were born. You’ve been borrowing it since you were little. Just remember that before you go traipsing off with Mamaw Vivian.”
The little girl looked pleadingly at Vivian and Laura had to smother a smile. If she were ever blessed with a child, Laura hoped she would be exactly like Abigail.
“Don’t look at me, sweetie. I’ll get you a new bunny, but I can’t make your mother give up her bunny.”
Abigail huffed prettily. “Never mind, then.”
Everyone chuckled. The merriment and excitement surrounding them seemed contagious. Laura was happier in that moment than at any other point in her life. The added connection to Rick following their intimacy and commitment to each other only added to her happiness and excitement. For the first time since Carl’s betrayal, Laura felt certain of her future.
“Rick?” The feminine voice came from in front of them. The crowd was so thick Laura almost missed the pretty blonde headed their way. Unfortunately, there was no mistaking her cry of “Rick!” as the willowy woman flung herself into Rick’s arms, kissing him full on the lips.
Laura sucked in a breath, her stomach rebelling at the sight. For so long, she’d thought Carl’s betrayal had hurt worse than anything she could imagine other than losing her parents. The moment she saw Rick in the arms of another woman, she knew she was wrong.
Pain sliced through Laura the likes of which she’d never known. This made Carl’s betrayal feel like a minor inconvenience. Clenching her teeth, Laura stood her ground. Last time, she’d ultimately run away. This time, she was fighting for what she wanted with all her heart. Rick’s reaction would tell her all she needed to know about him and the situation.
“I’ve missed you so much, Rick!” The blonde now rained kisses over Rick’s face. The sight made Laura’s fists clench in fury.
“Excuse me,” she said, tapping the woman’s arm so hard the busty blonde flinched, turning her attention to Laura. Her pretty face was scrunched with the slight pain. “I don’t think we’ve met.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Laura Meadows. Rick’s girlfriend. And you are?”
“I’m Rick’s fiancée.” She turned back to Rick. “Please tell me you didn’t lead this poor girl on. You know I’ve been making plans for a summer wedding.”
The only thing that kept Laura from turning on her heel and leaving was the thunderstruck look on Rick’s face. He obviously knew the woman, but her outburst was completely unexpected to him.
“Angela, I don’t know what you’re playing at—” Angela cut him off with another hard kiss on his mouth. Rick’s hands had automatically gone to her waist when she’d launched herself at him, but now he gripped her arms as he tried to extract himself from her grip around his neck.
How far should Laura push? This was her man, dammit! She’d be damned if she’d lose him to another woman without a fight, but she didn’t want a man who didn’t want her back.
When Rick continued to struggle to get free of the blonde octopus, Laura had had enough. With a little huff and a muttered, “Painted hussy,” Laura pulled Angela off Rick, giving her a little shove for good measure.
“Look. I can appreciate how you’d want Rick. I have the same notion. Considering I’m more a 'country' Kentucky girl than the 'city' Kentucky girl you obviously are, I’m pretty sure I can take you.”
“What do you mean, ‘take me?’ You mean, like, fight me?”
“Hell, yeah, I mean fight! You don’t think you’re getting rid of me easily, do you?” Heedless of the growing crowd around them, Laura pressed on. She’d gone this far—she might as well finish it. Besides, she’d never had the urge to fight for Carl. Now, it was as if some force inside her wouldn’t let her walk away until either she got her ass kicked, or Rick told her to back off.
Angela looked around them, wild eyed. Laura was certain she was looking for someone specific. “Look, I don’t want trouble.”
“Oh, looks like you definitely got trouble,” Rick said, his arms crossed over his massive chest. “And it’s in the form of a five-foot-nothing bundle of a spunky chocolate goddess.”
Laura blinked, then took her eyes off Angela to find Rick. He stood there, head high, grinning down at her. The smile on his face was so wide, Laura was certain his cheeks hurt.
When she swung her gaze back to Angela, she noticed Carl standing beside the restrooms, a deepening scowl on his face. Immediately, their conversation that day at the office replayed in her mind. That bastard had been planning something like this for weeks!
“Rick, was Angela your fiancée?”
“Yeah, but we broke up nearly six months ago. I haven’t seen her since until a few minutes ago.” Rick was still grinning.
“Are you two going to fight?” Steve leaned forward, looking over Rick’s shoulder. “Because I can probably round up a plastic pool full of pudding if you give me a few minutes.”
Laura didn’t bat an eyelash. “I’m game if you are, sweet cheeks.” She raised an eyebrow at Angela. “But be warned. If I get pudding in my hair, I’m going to be royally pissed.”
Angela, who stood a good half a foot taller than Laura raised her hands, backing away. “No one said anything about fighting.” She looked over her shoulder and spotted Carl. “You didn’t say she’d make it physical, Carl. I’m not fighting anyone.”
“Then go get your own damned man,” Angela hissed. “This one’s taken.”
When Angela nodded before turning and fleeing, Steve muttered, “Damn. That would have been good.” Rick punched his arm and Steve winced, rubbing his shoulder. “It would’ve been! Tell me it wouldn’t have been and mean it. Then you can hit me.”
“You could have tried harder to get that hussy off you.” Laura glared at Rick. She wasn’t mad, but best they establish their relationship regarding these matters right off.
“I would have, but I was afraid I’d hurt her. Besides, she took me completely by surprise.”
“And that gives you the okay to kiss her?”
“She kissed me! I swear I didn’t kiss her back!”
Rick actually looked alarmed where before he’d only looked amused. Good.
“Go wipe the lipstick off your face. It’s not your color,” Laura said, sticking her nose in the air. “When you’re presentable again, you can meet us at our seats. If you apologize nicely, I might let you sit by me. Otherwise, Steve is going to be the lucky man enjoying my company the rest of the evening.”
Leland grunted, nodding his head approvingly. Vivian glared at Rick. Abigail tugged on Laura’s shirt, “Aunt Laura, what’s a hussy?”
Chapter Eleven
The game was an emotional roller coaster with Kentucky pulling it out at the very end to advance to the finals. Abigail had jumped and hollered louder than anyone in their section all the way through the game, heckling the other team mercilessly. Too bad they were too far away to have done any good. Laura couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm. When it was over, Steve immediately left to procure tickets for the finals stating that, if Rick could treat them to a game, so could he.
It hadn’t escaped Laura that Abigail had called her “Aunt Laura.” Steve had hidden his smile behind his hand, but Rick had seemed to stand even taller as if proud of the little girl’s slip. Laura wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about it, but decided it didn’t feel like a bad thing. She just hoped she wasn’t reading too much into it. She and Rick had only known each other a few weeks. Where their r
elationship was going was anyone’s guess at this point.
“Why did Abigail call me Aunt Laura?”
“What? Oh. That.” He cleared his throat, trying to look nonchalant. “I might have mentioned you were thinking about marrying me and then you’d be her aunt.”
“Rick Carver!” Vivian burst out, slapping his head. Rick winced, ducking a little at the chastisement. “That is no way to ask a lady to marry you. You will do it right, with a ring, and with the utmost respect. Do you hear me, young man?”
“Not cool, bro. Not cool,” Mike said, shaking his head.
“Look, I wasn’t taking any chances,” Rick said defensively. He fished into his jeans pocket, pulling out a little white box before dropping to one knee, offering the tiny cube to Laura. “I’ll do anything I have to. Lie. Steal. Cheat. Or get a little girl to call her ‘Aunt Laura’ if it will get her to be mine forever.” He waited until she opened the box with trembling fingers before continuing. “Will you marry me, Laura?”
In her hand, a sparkling sapphire and diamond ring glittered under the lights of the stadium. The ring was beautiful. So was the man.
Tears pooling in her eyes, Laura didn’t trust herself to speak. Instead, she nodded, throwing herself at Rick. He’d barely gotten to his feet in time to catch her, but those impossibly strong arms encircled her so tightly, so possessively, she knew she’d forever crave to be inside them.
Around them, a smattering of applause sounded as those around them bore witness to the emotional proposal. Abigail let out a whoop and announced loudly, “That’s my Aunt Laura!” Vivian dabbed at her eyes, while Leland circled her shoulder with a loving arm. Steve and Mike both slapped Rick on the back while Chase gave him a thumbs up from where he stood, his arm draped around Melanie’s waist.
“I’m holding you to this,” Rick said. “And I’m marrying you soon.”
“A summer wedding then,” Laura said, raising an eyebrow.
Rick laughed, pulling her close once again. “Don’t think I can wait ’til summer.”
“We should probably wait a few months,” Laura said, growing serious. “People are liable to think it’s a shotgun wedding. They’ll think there must be a reason for it.”
Again, that wicked grin of his split Rick’s face. He bent close to her, careful to make his next words for her ears only. “Who’s to say there won’t be?”
* * *
As they made it back to their hotel after the late game, Laura thought back on the events of the day. The flair of jealousy she’d felt when Angela had flung herself into Rick’s arms, kissing him like she owned him, had startled her. Mainly because she realized she’d never felt that particular emotion when she’d discovered Carl’s betrayal. In fact, she’d been more hurt by her friend, Linda’s, involvement. It had hurt worse that her best friend in the world, the one person who’d been with her through thick and thin for more years than she’d even known Carl had crossed that particular line. Sure, it had hurt to realize her husband had cheated on her, but there hadn’t been the same bite of pain. With Rick, the emotions had been sharp, nearly unbearable for a few moments until the rational part of her brain had kicked in and analyzed the situation.
Now, walking hand in hand with him down the hallway of their hotel, she was struck by how right it felt. Her man by her side. Him looking at her as if she were the only woman in the world. Laura knew he was certainly the only man in the world for her.
“I wondered when you two would get here,” Carl’s voice greeted them just before he stepped out from a small alcove. Rick merely grinned, though he did let go of Laura’s hand, stepping slightly in front of her protectively.
“Was a long game. We got here as soon as we could. Have a little bit of celebrating of our own to do tonight.”
Carl looked from Rick to Laura. “It’s time for this to end, Laura. I’ve come to take you home.”
“She is home,” Rick said, anger tingeing his voice for the first time .
“She’s in a damned hotel in Arlington, Texas! How is that in any way home?”
“My home is wherever Rick is,” Laura said softly. “If that means this hotel, then I’m happy.”
“It was one little indiscretion! How can you throw away five years of marriage over that?”
“The very fact that you see a betrayal of our marriage vows in that light is reason enough. Besides, after tonight’s little display, I realized that your betrayal was bad, but it wasn’t devastating. If you’d been the love of my life, shouldn’t I have been devastated? I was angry, sure. Hurt? Absolutely. But it only felt like a weight being lifted from me once I got past the hurt.” She shook her head. “We should never have been together. I’m just glad something like this happened now before I had twenty years of my life vested in our relationship.”
“How can you say that, Laura? I love you!”
“Love doesn’t have phone sex with your wife’s best friend,” Laura countered. “Love doesn’t text that same woman on your honeymoon, or for the next five straight years, telling her how much you want to fuck her every single day of those five years. That’s not my idea of love, Carl.”
“Please, Laura. I want you back.” The beseeching look on his face would have moved her once. Now, Laura saw it for what it was. Yet another tool to manipulate her with. This time, however, it didn’t work.
“We’re divorced, Carl. I have the paperwork safely tucked away in my safe deposit box where I’ll always have proof our marriage ended.”
“And that’s enough,” Rick interrupted. “We’re going to our room.”
“Wait!” Carl lunged for Laura. “I just need to talk with you alone—” Carl’s protest was cut off when Rick’s fist connected solidly with his jaw. Carl dropped like a stone.
Pulling out his phone, Rick dialed 911, telling the dispatcher what had happened and that Carl might need medical assistance.
“You know, he’ll just press charges. Try to make it out to be your fault.”
“This is Texas, honey. Unless he happens to have a room in this hotel on the same floor, it’s not going to look like anything other than what it was. An unwanted guest followed us here and tried to attack you. And no way I’m letting another man put his hands on you unless you want them there.”
Just as Rick said, there was no problems after they gave their statements to the police. Carl went to the hospital without a word of protest. He might make trouble for them later, but Laura suspected he’d finally gotten it through his thick skull she had no interest in renewing their relationship.
It was nearly four in the morning by the time they were finally in their room. Exhausted, all Laura wanted to do was curl up in Rick’s arms and sleep for a good twelve hours or better.
Rick helped her undress, which was ridiculous, but he seemed to enjoy uncovering every inch of her skin so Laura said nothing. He kissed his way down her thigh as he peeled her jeans from her legs. Laura giggled when he nipped the inside of her knee lightly. He only grinned up at her before continuing.
Once he had her in only her underwear, he took his time running his hands over her skin, coaxing throaty moans from her throat and turning her bones to the consistency of a puddle.
Slipping the front clasp of her bra free, Rick found the swell of her breast with his lips, licking and kissing his way around the generous globe until his lips finally closed over the peak. Laura cried out, threading her fingers through his hair, holding him to her as he suckled. Pleasure surged through her, despite her fatigue, stirring a need in her only Rick could quell.
“Feel good, baby?”
“Definitely,” she sighed.
Urging her back onto the bed, Rick slid her panties from her hips then over her legs. He tossed them to the floor before gently urging her knees apart. The look he gave her as he gazed at her damp sex made her shiver. That one look was full of more possession and desire than she’d ever seen from any man in her life. And it was directed at her. Rick Carver wanted her. The man could have had any woman he
wanted, even perfect Angela. And he’d chosen…her.
The anticipation was too much. Laura arched her back, thrusting her hips at him. She needed him inside her, to be joined with him so deeply they could never part. When he bent his head, swiping his tongue through her damp folds, Laura closed her eyes and cried his name. He could do that to her so easily. Make her want him so much she was mindless with the need. And, by God, it was a great feeling.
He tongued her clit for several minutes, taking her to the very edge of orgasm only to let her fall back down before cresting the wave. Pleasure flooded her from head to toe, filling her with excitement and longing for those moments when her body spasmed out of control, gripping him, milking him for everything he had to give her.
“I need you, Rick,” she panted. “Please!”
With one last swipe of her clit, Rick crawled over her, laying that magnificent body over hers, his cock nudging her entrance hotly. When he reached for a condom on the nightstand, Laura stayed his hand, shaking her head.
“You, Rick,” she breathed. “Only you.”
With a groan, he slid inside her unfettered. The hotness of his bare skin, the way he pulsed inside her as she enveloped him triggered Laura’s orgasm almost instantly.
“Rick! Oh, God!”
“That’s it, love. Give it to me. Come just for me.”
He held still until the waves died down, easing his way as her muscles allowed him ease of entry. The tendons in his neck strained as he struggled to hang on, the muscles in his jaws working as he gritted his teeth. Still, he moved slowly when he obviously wanted to set a more frenzied pace.
The burn was delicious. Rick filled her as no man ever had. His cock was thick and long, fitting inside her with the perfect amount of stretching so that she knew she’d always crave him inside her just like this. Laura gripped his ass as he slid into her, holding him to her, urging him to move faster when he would have given her more time to adjust.
“I’m fine, Rick. Please! I need you!”
He groaned as he quickened his pace, settling himself over her. Once again, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if he couldn’t get close enough to her. Laura loved that about him. She loved those muscled arms holding her tightly while he made love to her. It made her feel safe. Protected… Loved.
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