Beatrice was clearly not expecting a warm reception and it was clear she was taken aback by Kendra’s warmth. “I... I’m with my family. I saw you both when you entered the restaurant and I just thought I’d drop by and check on little Sophie here.” Her sharp eyes were busy assessing Sophie, no doubt trying to see if the little girl was being treated properly.
The entire time, Tyler sat quietly and observed the exchange with tightly leashed anger. It was clear that he despised Beatrice and made no effort to hide it.
“Oh, Sophie has grown bigger and naughtier, I must say.” Kendra tried to muster more enthusiasm despite Melissa’s aunt’s thinly veiled taunt.
“I don’t want my niece to grow up with different women playing mommy.” Beatrice openly glared down at Tyler, making her hawk-like nose more pronounced. Her remark was clearly uncalled for and immediately got his hackles up.
“Well, apparently your niece thought I am good enough to be Sophie’s guardian, right? Their will plainly stated me as the sole guardian,” Tyler grated.
“Now, now... we all share a common goal here. We all want the best for Sophie, which is well and good for everyone concerned, right? Which is why Tyler and I have decided to finally tie the knot!” Kendra blurted out. The words simply spilled out of her mouth, seemingly of their own accord.
“What?” Beatrice leaned forward and looked at her shrewdly, trying to determine if she was merely joking. Despite the heavy pounding of her heart, Kendra put up a bright, teary-eyed smile, looking every bit of a happy bride-to-be. Beatrice turned to Tyler as if to confirm the news.
Tyler looked a bit stunned himself but slowly recovered from the news. “Aw, sweetheart, I thought we are keeping it hush-hush...” He reached out and softly rubbed her upper arm.
“Oh, it’s okay. Beatrice is practically family now.” Kendra said in a high pitched voice. “We’ve been putting off the wedding for months now, until little Sophie here made us realize we are ready for a family. You should see Tyler with the baby. He’s absolutely wonderful with Sophie,” Kendra said as she patted Tyler’s cheek affectionately. She was well aware she was babbling, but could not seem to stop herself. She was prone to doing so when she was nervous.
“Oh, that’s some news. When’s the wedding?” Beatrice quirked one eyebrow.
“Ahhh.. this Saturday actually. We decided to forego the frivolities and have a civil wedding.” Tyler answered casually as he pulled Kendra closer. He could feel she was startled at the news they would be married so soon. Tyler could not help but chuckle silently. He hadn’t been expecting this sudden turn of events, but it was certainly working in his favor.
“Oh...” Beatrice seemed dazed at the news. “I guess congratulations are in order... I never believed Tyler was the marrying kind,” she said slyly.
“Well, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather be with. She’s more than everything I could ever hope for in a wife. I’m not sure I deserve her but hey, she’s mine and I have no plans to let her go.” For several seconds, Kendra truly believed Tyler meant every single word. His eyes darkened as he leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips.
That instant, Kendra’s world began to spin uncontrollably. Everyone else faded to the background and hope blossomed in her heart. Could it be? Maybe, just maybe he loved her too. It felt so real.
For the second time that night, Beatrice intruded on them by clearing her throat. “I... I’ll just go join my family. I’ll try to drop by your house to visit Sophie one of these days,” she announced before she finally walked away.
“And to spy on us, no doubt,” Tyler muttered as he pulled back.
Slightly dazed herself, she could not believe what just happened. “Oh, boy...what have I gotten us into...” she cringed.
“Seems like we’re tying the knot come Saturday,” Tyler chuckled. Kendra’s expression was priceless. Without thinking, he swooped down to give her a kiss on the lips. “Smile sweetheart, the Cavendish family and a few other people are watching. You look like you’re about to be sick. Being married to me can’t be that bad, can it?” Tyler smiled and looked deep into her eyes.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see a number of people watching them openly including the Cavendish family. Kendra forced herself to smile and reached out to erase a smudge of lipstick from his lips. As if on cue, Sophie clapped while she looked on with twinkling eyes. They were the very picture of a lovely family.
“I could not stand listening to her openly berate you. The look of surprise on her face, did you see that? Her lips formed a small “o” like a drowning guppy,” Kendra said passionately.
Tyler threw his head and laughed out loud. “Ah, I don’t know about the drowning fish but I know what you mean.”
“She just gets on my nerves, you know. It took all my willpower not to retaliate,” Kendra fumed through the smile plastered on her face.
“Ahhh... sweetheart. You’re priceless, you know that? I have never been rescued by a female before. It’s refreshing!” Tyler said as he pinched her cheek fondly. “How about we get out of here? I’d love to start practicing my marital rights, if you don’t mind.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Kendra punched him lightly on the chest. She still hadn’t gotten used to his teasing and thinly veiled innuendos. The thought of going to bed with him sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. “I’m finished,” she said shyly as she gestured towards her plate.
Tyler groaned softly. He had only eaten half of the steak but his mind is definitely elsewhere. He pushed his plate and signaled for the bill. “Let’s get out of here,” Tyler’s breath against her ear sent her heart pumping. She knew exactly why he is in such a hurry.
Without a sound, they walked out of the restaurant and headed home. Sophie was already asleep in her car seat by the time they reached home. With hurried steps, Tyler ushered them inside the house and volunteered to change Sophie’s clothing and put her to bed.
Kendra headed straight to the bathroom to freshen up. She stared at her reflection in the mirror for several seconds. Her eyes looked dazed and she looked very much like a love-struck teenager. A nervous giggle bubbled as she remembered Beatrice’s expression but she immediately sobered up when she remembered what brought it on.
She had walked straight into the marriage trap and dragged Tyler along with her. While this may have worked in his favor with the custody case, she still felt bad about the whole thing. Deep inside, she questioned her own motives. She knew she was falling in love with Tyler and she had unconsciously jumped at the opportunity to be with him indefinitely, if not forever.
She glared at her own reflection in the mirror. She was turning out to be everything she had despised in women, particularly Tyler’s women. “Well, you love him, don’t you?” her inner voice taunted. “Make him love you.”
Could she do it? Can she really make a self-confessed playboy love her? Their friendship had provided them a solid foundation but she knew it wasn’t enough. She inhaled deeply and put on a smile. Despite her jumbled emotions, she knew she wanted this badly. She wanted him like she never wanted anyone in her life. And she realized she was willing to make a gamble. Giving herself a small smile, she stripped down to her lacy chemise and stepped out of the bathroom.
Chapter Fourteen
She expected to see Tyler in the room waiting for her. Instead, she was greeted by the soft tinkling sound of Sophie’s crib mobile. The baby was already sound asleep but Tyler is nowhere in sight.
Not quite sure what to expect, she stepped out and walked towards the living room and found Tyler pouring wine in two glasses. Upon hearing her soft footsteps, he invited her to join him. The soft, intimate glow of the living room lights and the soft music playing in the background heightened her senses.
Without a word, she walked towards him and accepted the glass of red wine he proffered. On the center table, there was a bowl of chilled grapes waiting. At the sight, Kendra quirked one eyebrow at Tyler and simply smiled.
&nb
sp; “I aim to please,” he said huskily as he stood behind her and his hands found their place on her hips and pulled her close. She felt his erection at the small of her back. “Just being near you, smelling your unique scent makes me hard.”
She turned her head sideways and gave him a seductive half smile before she flipped her hair on one side to expose her long, swan-like neck. Taking her invitation, he lowered his head to rain soft butterfly kisses along its length. He felt her shiver in response.
When he finally reached the base of her neck, he nipped the skin softly before soothing the skin with his tongue. The slight pain then pleasure made her moan. She snaked one arm around his neck and pulled him towards her for a torrid kiss.
With a new sense of purpose and certainty of her feelings for him, she poured all her emotions to the kiss. She tried to communicate all her longing, confusion and desire with every flick of her tongue and touch of her lips. Tyler matched her fervor. He must have felt something different in the way she kissed because he pulled back and cupped her face with both hands and simply stared at her for several seconds as if trying to read her eyes. He then proceeded to kiss her hungrily, almost bruising her lips.
Kendra held nothing back. She nipped, sucked, stroked and laved his mouth in wanton abandon and before long the pace became frantic. Eager to feel his body, she hurriedly undid the buttons of his shirt with unsteady fingers. When she couldn’t seem to get the last two buttons, she made an impatient sound and ripped them open, sending the buttons flying to the floor. Tyler chuckled at her impatience.
“Keep up, Chadwick,” she smirked as she proceeded to open the button of his trousers.
“Hmmm....” he smiled as he squeezed her bottom and pulled her upwards to rub his erection against her. His hands inched their way inside the chemise and stopped in surprise when he found she was not wearing any underwear.
With a groan, he pulled her up and instructed her to wrap her legs around his hips as he continued to devour her lips like a man driven by unquenchable passion. He leaned her against the living room wall and stripped her body with just a single flick of his hand. Her chemise lay discarded along with his shirt.
Her breasts looked pert and full under the soft lights. He proceeded to lavish the two mounds with equal attention. Sucking and licking hungrily. She held on to him as he continued to pleasure her body with his tongue and lips.
“Uhhhm... Take me now. I can’t wait,” she moaned out loud.
“Tell me how much you want me!” he demanded as he inserted one finger inside her wetness, igniting the fire within her.
“I... I want you so bad...” Kendra rasped, her voice sounded desperate even to her ears.
In response, Tyler quickened the pace of his finger inside her, driving her crazy with longing. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore, he entered her with one clean stroke, making her moan out loud.
He held her hips steady as he moved in and out of her with wild abandon. The solid wall felt hard against her body but she was past caring—she wanted more. She had never been this uninhibited with anyone. She could feel her blood pumping through her veins as he pleasured her with every stroke.
She could feel the tension start to build inside her. Her nails dug deep into his skin as she held on for dear life. With a low, guttural moan, she felt her body wracked by a powerful climax. Soon after, Tyler followed and spilled his seed inside her.
Their lovemaking was wild and untamed but its profundity brought tears to her eyes. It was beautiful. Tyler was wonderful. She’d never felt so attuned or connected to a man in her life. At that very instant, she felt as if her heart would burst out its seams from the tightly bottled emotions inside. She had to bite back her lip to prevent herself from telling him how much she loves him.
Tyler saw a tear slide down the side of her cheek. “Ken? I’m sorry, did I hurt you?” His voice was thick with concern.
“Uhhm... you can go rough on me anytime, Chadwick,” Kendra said gamely. The look of tenderness and love in her eyes was gone.
Tyler chuckled as he gently carried her to the couch. “I’ve never lost control like that, you know. You’re something else, Simmons. Do you know that?” he teased. He was perfectly comfortable talking to her naked, like any man confident with his body.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” Kendra retorted cheekily. It warmed her heart to know Tyler also found their lovemaking special.
“As much as I would like to challenge you to another round of hot, delirious sex, I think we have to call it a night. We have a wedding to plan, remember?” Tyler said offhandedly as if it wasn’t such a big deal.
“Oh God! I totally forgot about it!” Kendra gasped out loud, her thoughts raced back to what happened earlier that night.
“Uhhhm.. I’m not quite sure if I should take that as an insult or compliment.” Tyler cocked his head to one side and pretended to look offended.
“I’m sure your ego will survive,” Kendra said dryly.
“Okay then, soon-to-be Mrs. Chadwick, off to bed with you.” He pulled her up and guided her towards her bedroom.
“That’s not funny! This is a crazy idea and we’re both insane to even consider doing this. Melissa and Tim are probably rolling in their graves laughing at us right now,” Kendra sounded exasperated.
“I bet they would,” Tyler agreed. “It’s crazy all right, but you’re not backing out, are you? I never did take you to be the type to chicken out,” he taunted softly.
And just as he thought, Kendra’s hackles were raised. “Who said anything about chickening out? I guess it’s best we sign some sort of an agreement, right?”
“If you feel more comfortable with a prenup agreement, then we’ll do it. Listen Ken, I know you just want to help and I’ll be forever grateful for it,” Tyler said earnestly. They were already in bed talking in hushed tones.
“You deserve to have Sophie and she needs you. I’ll never be able to forgive myself if that hag gets the custody,” Kendra muttered under her breath.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. So what are your stipulations for this marriage thing? By the way, I’ll take care of the preparations. You just shop for something nice to wear and look pretty.” Tyler was playing with the soft tendrils that escaped from her ponytail.
“Gee thanks, Mr. Chadwick. We barely have a week, you know. As much as possible, I want to keep it hush-hush. It’s not as if it’s the real thing or anything,” Kendra shrugged.
“It can be the real thing Ken, if we want it to be. I mean, do you want this to have an expiration date or something? I’m willing to be in for the long haul, you know.” His penetrating eyes searched hers.
“Well, you can never tell. What if you’ll find someone special or me for that matter? I wouldn’t want to stand in the way.” Kendra reasoned, she kept her voice low and even.
“I highly doubt that. But if just in case it happens, then you can expect me to be honest with you about it,” he said.
“And I’d want it on paper that if in any case you’ll have an affair outside of this marriage, you need to be discreet about it. I don’t want to be humiliated in public. The same goes for me of course,” Kendra said. Her practical side asserted itself. She was never the type to jump into something with her eyes closed, at least not when it came to marriage.
“Now, that sounds romantic,” Tyler chided. He knew this was probably brought on by the string of affairs he have had in the past, most of them were introduced to her in their regular get-togethers. She seems to have a chip on her shoulder regarding his past. While he was not exactly proud of how most people seemed to think he chased everything in a skirt, he was far from ashamed of his reputation. He refused to be defined by it.
Despite what most people think, he parted as friends with most of the women he had been with. He had never been the type to lead them on to anything other than what he offered and they were happy with it at some point.
Kendra was not like any woman he had dated in the past. In fact, loo
king back, he had consciously steered clear of her type—the one who didn’t play around or engage in casual sex. She was either in it fully committed or not. But the way she is going through this, it seemed as if she was bracing herself for the worst and yet she was willing to take the plunge head on like a brave trooper.
He vowed to do everything in his power to take care of her and Sophie and that meant committing to this marriage thing. If only he could convince her this was not like any affair he’d had in the past. Kendra is different. He didn’t want to label his feelings, but he felt some tenderness and affection for her.
If it is the start of love, then so be it, he mused. He’d never thought he would be entertaining such thoughts but it also surprised him that he didn’t even balk at the thought. He had seen their mother flit from one man to another after their father’s death and with each one she had claimed she was in love.
After watching her go through four marriages, he had developed an aversion for something as fleeting and unstable as love. He preferred to see things as they were, no more, no less. He liked to lay his cards on the table. If there was one thing all those women would give him credit for, it would be the fact that he’d never made any false promises just to get them to jump into bed with him.
But Kendra, he seemed to be at a loss how to handle her. He could see his past was eating her up and the uncertainty that came with being with him. He longed to assure her what they have was something special, but he has never believed in giving false hopes of happy endings—he was never even sure he believed in such. He had always been the type to live in the moment and take each day as it comes.
“What are you doing?!” her inner voice chastised. “You’re driving him away with your insecurities, I hope you know that. If that is what you have always wanted, then you are doing a really great job with it.”
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