by Lynn Stark
Everyone laughed at that. It was a good way to wake up. After pushing Lovey out of the room Mick returned to the bed to “punish” their impish little princess.
* * * *
As Collin helped load the SUV and one of the pickups with everything they needed to take into town, he thought about how lucky he and his brothers were. The events of the previous night had shown all of them just how blessed they truly were.
Though they had spent hours making love, there had come a moment when they had all faced the fear they had felt when Sheila fired into the house. Any one of them could have been killed. They had come so close.
It had hit Gracie the hardest. She had sobbed out her fears until she was pink nosed and had a bad case of the hiccups. They had taken turns holding her, rubbing her back, offering water and soothing words until she had quieted and fallen asleep.
Now she was in the house, being a little general as she organized what they needed to take to the church and directed them as to how it was to be packed.
Collin was amazed by her organizational skills. Who knew there was a proper way to load stuff?
As he thought of their little general a fantasy flashed through his brain, overheating it. What if she was naked and wearing black stilettos and wearing a military-style hat? Better yet, thigh-high black boots and holding a riding crop…she could use it on his naked ass if he didn’t get something right. Oh, yeah, he had plans for their woman.
* * * *
Jake fussed with his tuxedo, which made Mick slap at his hands and growl at him. “Leave it the fuck alone. You’re going to look like you slept in it if you pull one more thing out of place.”
“But the thing is fucking uncomfortable.”
“You have to wear it for a couple hours. Shut up and quit your whining.”
He was nervous as hell. After waiting so long for Cherry to come back to them, then finding Gracie, he hoped he was going to make a good husband. Oh, he could get the sex right. Making love to their women wasn’t a hardship by any stretch of the imagination. But was he going to be a good husband? What if he fucked something up?
“It’ll all be good,” Mick told him, as if he read his mind. Then Mick laughed. “No, I can’t read your mind, you goof. You’re talking out loud.”
Collin slapped him reassuringly on the back while Cody just stood there laughing at him. He loved them, but they were all jerks.
“Yeah, we love you, too. Now quit fucking with your tie.”
* * * *
Cody might be laughing at Jake, but he was just as nervous as they were. Though they were acting all cool and collected, he knew they were ready to get this wedding going. How long did women need to get ready?
They were at the altar now. Damn, he was going to have a heart attack. Sweat beaded on his brow as he tugged around his collar. Then he caught his mothers scowling at him and he quickly dropped his hand to his side. They smiled and nodded, which he returned with a weak smile of his own. Seated beside his Mommy Lois was his great-grandmother Nora. The woman gave him a thumbs-up sign and a wink, making him want to laugh out loud.
Then the music started as the two most beautiful women in the world were coming down the aisle. He took a deep breath and felt himself relax. Everything was perfect.
* * * *
Cherry stared at her reflection. Her mother and sisters were fussing over her, making certain everything was just right. Both her dress and Gracie’s were white, sleeveless, with modest V necklines, and the hem of the flirty skirts ending just above the knee. Since Gracie wanted some bling, the dressmaker had added tiny jewels along the neckline. They also had jewels in their hair in lieu of veils.
At some point they heard the music begin to play. Cherry and Gracie stared at one another for a moment. She saw the joy in the other woman’s green eyes and knew it was a reflection of her own.
When they didn’t move fast enough to suit her mother they were gently guided toward the door. Olivia wished them luck and disappeared. Marge and Jean, Gracie’s mothers, followed quickly after her.
John Malloy, looking handsome in his tux, waited for her. She placed her hand in his and went up on tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek, smiling as she saw his dazed expression. Another one of his daughters was marrying more than one man and a woman. Though he was getting more accustomed to it, there were still moments when he appeared overwhelmed. But he loved her and knew she would do what was right for her. And the Preston brothers and Gracie was what was right for her. They waited for Gracie as her fathers joined them at the doors. They walked down the aisle together, flanked by the men, walking toward their men and their future.
Less than an hour later they were husbands and wives, married and committed to one another in a ceremony so lovely both she and Gracie were reduced to tears as they stared at the plain gold bands now on their fingers.
Lovey and Max had also attended the ceremony. They barked excitedly as everyone gathered out on the steps of the church and tossed handfuls of birdseed at the newlyweds as they came through the wide front doors. They hurried through, laughing as they ran to the waiting white luxury SUV, loaned for the occasion by Colt Redford.
Three hours later they were ready to make their escape. Once again in the SUV they drove toward Colt’s private hideaway in the mountains. They would spend several days there, alone, playing and loving.
By the time they arrived Gracie was already missing her puppy.
Collin pulled their wife close. “Come on, princess. You’re going to be getting that special gift you’ve been wanting.”
That was a reminder which made the petite woman forget all about missing Lovey. They had all discussed it, agreeing that if she wanted to, then Gracie could start trying to get pregnant. If she was ready, then so were they. The ob-gyn had given the okay. She was healthy and there was no reason she shouldn’t get pregnant. But the men hadn’t gone without protection yet and Cherry knew Gracie was wondering about that.
“A wedding gift, princess,” Collin told her, grinning. “I heard somewhere that you’re wanting a baby.”
They crowded around their sweet little princess, soothing her as she burst into tears and threw herself into Collin’s strong arms. Another thing they had discussed was that Cherry would wait at least a year before she tried to get pregnant. It was something which still truly terrified her. Why, she had no idea since she had been given reassurances that nothing had been damaged. Even her new doctor had agreed that everything looked good.
Still, Cherry would wait. She was beginning a new career as a deputy sheriff in Silver. Gray Evans was pleased with her decision to apply. Once she had some time in she would revisit the possibility of getting pregnant. Until then she was more than happy to support Gracie. The woman was going to make a fantastic mother and Cherry knew she had no plans to stop at one or two children. The way Gracie had it figured out, she would have four or five babies and Cherry would have three.
When Jake had heard the numbers he had muttered, “We’re going to need a bigger house.”
Though she claimed she needed to work to have her own pin money, Cherry knew Gracie would be more than happy to stay home and have one baby after another. For herself, she needed to at least go back to work for a few years. It was like finishing the chapter of a book so she could move on to the next. Maybe she would work until she was old and gray. Maybe she would retire after baby number three and just concentrate on her family. She would make that decision, with the help of her wife and husbands, when the time came.
Whatever Cherry chose to do, she knew she had the full support of her family. They loved her as much as she loved them. Together they had formed the foundation for what would be a very long and happy life together in Silver.
THE END
WWW.LYNNSTARKROMANCES.WEEBLY.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I’m a lifelong resident of Ohio, which is located in the Midwestern section of the United States. I occasionally take brief excursions to other places. I love travel and I
love people.
I’m married and have two children. I also have dogs, ferrets, a cat, and a dozen hilarious chickens.
When I’m not writing, I’m working part time in retail. I wish I could say I’m taking long walks on exotic beaches or hiking through the mountains, but reality expects a little thing called a paycheck.
Reality is what makes fantasy so great. When you’re having a bad day, think of a tall, dark-haired cowboy with a wicked, promising gleam in his eyes. It can make all the difference to a lady’s day.
It does for mine!
For all titles by Lynn Stark, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/lynn-stark
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
About the Author