Adored: Book 1 (The Beloved Series)

by MJ Masucci

  “I’m putting my foot down. I don’t want a big wedding.”

  Julian chuckled and handed her a glass of wine. He took her hand and began to twist her engagement ring.

  “Nina, if you don’t like this ring we can get something different.”

  “Whatever gave you that idea?”

  “Your mother said you don’t like showy stuff. She said you might not like this ring even though it’s beautiful. We can get you something you do like.”

  “I love this ring and I’ll cherish it forever. It’s a symbol of our love.”

  “I just want to make sure you’re happy with it.”

  “I would be happy with a ring from a cigar wrapper as long as it came from you.”

  Julian laughed, but he knew she was right. Their love could be held together by a cheap plastic ring because it was true and deep. He brought a couple of glasses and the bottle of wine to the table, pouring her then himself a glass. He shut out the light and she snuggled against him.

  He tenderly kissed her head then put his glass down to take her face in his two hands so he could look at her. They stared at each other, their eyes shining with love. The intensity caused Nina to become shy and she broke the stare and buried her head in his chest.

  “Sweet pea, would you like to have something to eat? It’s getting late?”

  “I’m too excited to eat, but I have energy for something else.”

  Julian felt himself twitch because he knew exactly what that something else was. He stood up and scooped her in his arms. The movement caused Bear to stir and the puppy immediately jumped up and nipped at Julian’s heels.

  “No Bear, no,” he yelled.

  The dog latched onto his pant leg and pulled, knocking him off balance so that he had to put Nina down before they both fell. She knelt down and Bear went to her, trying to lick her face.

  “Wow, I have competition and I think he might win.”

  Nina laughed as she petted Bear and the dog knocked her back and climbed on her.

  “He just wants some love.”

  Julian scowled, “What about me? I need some love, too.”

  “And you’ll get it. Just let me settle him down. Go into the bedroom and wait for me.”

  “You’re so demanding. Is this what I have to look forward to when we’re married?”

  “Give me a few minutes and you’ll see just how demanding I can be.”

  Hours later, Julian emerged from the bedroom. Nina was definitely demanding and he was exhausted. Her sexual appetite had grown in the weeks since they first had sex. She was curious and adventurous, wanting him to show her new things and letting her do what she wanted. He fully trusted her and she, him.

  Chapter 15

  Four days before Thanksgiving, they found themselves at his cottage on the Chesapeake in Maryland with an idea. Julian had just completed a large graphic design project and he decided to give himself a break before taking on any more. They had spent a glorious long weekend shutting out the world.

  The waves of the bay could be heard from the cottage high on a bluff. They had gone down to the beach the first day they arrived, but the weather drove them indoors and kept them there. Nina’s only regret was that she wished they could have taken Bear. Instead, they left him with the Tallmans until their return.

  She cooked for Julian, showing him that he would not only be getting a wife quite adept with a paint brush, but also one that was creative in the kitchen. He raved about her shrimp scampi and said that he would no longer be cooking once they were married; he hoped she didn’t mind if he gained a few pounds. Nina kissed him and told him that his body in any shape or form would appeal to her as long as his personality remained the same.

  On Sunday, after a particularly intense lovemaking session in the shower, they lounged in thick terry cloth robes. They would be leaving on Wednesday to join the Caros, Frankie and Lou for Thanksgiving that next day.

  A knock on the door startled them as they dozed on the oversized sofa in the living room. Julian got up to answer it and Nina could hear talking. He entered the living room with a man who had a shaved head and large round eyeglasses that reminded Nina of a hoot owl.

  “Nina, I want you to meet Lucas Brennan, my next door neighbor. He stopped by to say hello before going inland to celebrate the holiday with his family. Lucas, this is my fiancée.”

  Nina got up to shake his hand and her face turned red with embarrassment at her state of undress. She excused herself to go to the bedroom. She overheard the conversation and heard Lucas mention that he was now an ordained minister. Before she dressed, she rushed out to the living room.

  “Lucas, you’re an ordained minister?”

  “That I am. I became one so I could perform my brother’s wedding ceremony this past summer.”

  “Do you do it often?”

  From the corner of her eye, she could see the puzzled look on Julian’s face.

  “I’ve done it twice more for friends. Why?”

  “Would you be up for marrying us?”

  “Excuse me?” both Lucas and Julian said at the same time.

  “Come on, Julian. We’ve talked about this. We’re not having a big ceremony anyway so why not do it on our terms?”

  “I’m not quite sure your father would appreciate us doing this behind his back.”

  “I already told him no big wedding. So what does it matter?”

  “You really want to do this?”

  “Yes. What do we need to get married?”

  “A marriage license. I can perform the ceremony as long as you have one.”

  “Can you do it on the beach?”

  “Baby, it’s going to be chilly with the wind off the water.”

  “I want to do it at midnight tomorrow night.”

  “So which day would we be married? Monday or Tuesday?”

  “More than likely Tuesday by the time I pronounce you husband and wife.”

  “Nina, are you good with that being our wedding anniversary?”

  “As long as we’re married, I don’t care what day it will be.”

  They discussed plans with Lucas before he left and he made sure to remind them to get the marriage license or he couldn’t perform the ceremony. The ceremony would take place down at the small beach below them. Lucas’ wife, Melonie and his daughter Fiona would be witnesses.

  “I can’t believe you want to get married without your family.”

  “Julian, you don’t understand. I’ve spent so much of my life being smothered by them for every event in my life. I want this to be solely mine.”

  He thought about it for a minute. What she had and hated was what he wanted. He wanted to be smothered by family since he had none. She was right, he couldn’t understand her predicament and felt she was selfish for her thinking. But it was her wish and he wasn’t going to trample on it.

  “I don’t understand because I don’t have that but this is our memory and we can choose how we would like it to be.”

  That night, Julian insisted on sleeping on the couch in the living room. The next time he would share a bed with her was when they were married. Nina protested, but he said it was one of his conditions. Nina grumbled as she shut the door to the bedroom and settled under the cool sheets without him.

  In the morning, he awoke with a start, forgetting where he was. As he became oriented, he listened to the pounding of the waves down below. Upon opening the back door, the weather had turned warmer as if anticipating their nuptials that night. The bright sunshine filtered onto his face, heating him.

  He went to the bedroom to wake Nina. They had a lot to do today and first thing was getting a marriage license. She was bundled up under the covers with her head wrapped in the sheet. He kissed her cheek and her eyes fluttered open.

  “Time to get up, sweet pea. Lots to do today.”

  She yawned loudly, “What do we need to do besides get the marriage license?”

  “Don’t you want to get a dress?”

  “Hmm, I hadn�
�t thought of that.”

  “I don’t want to get married in my jeans. I’ll probably find a nice pair of slacks and a sweater.”

  “Julian, are we really doing this?”

  He knelt by the bed, “We don’t have to if you don’t want to. We can wait.”

  “I want to. It was my idea.”

  “It was but that doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind.”

  “Do you feel I’m pushing you into this?”

  “Why would you think that? I’m open to getting married right now. I’m just concerned about the backlash from your family. Your father always seems to think I push you into things.”

  “I’ll handle him. Can we not discuss this anymore? I know what I want.”

  “Ok then. Let’s get moving.”

  They silently dressed and went into town. The line at the courthouse was non-existent since it was a holiday week. Within ten minutes, they had their license and were off to the strip mall to hunt down a proper dress for Nina and an outfit for Julian. They stopped at a florist to get a small bouquet of roses. Unfortunately, they had no dahlias since it was late in the season.

  On the way out of the florist, they walked by a jewelry store. Nina was chattering on so much that she didn’t realize that Julian was no longer beside her. She turned around and he was peering through the display window staring at rings.

  “We need wedding rings.”

  “I forgot that. I can always wear my engagement ring.”

  “No, that’s your engagement ring not a wedding ring. We need rings.”

  He took her by the hand and led her into the store where they put the manager through his paces until they found the perfect rings. Julian picked a thick gold band with three evenly spaced diamonds on the front. Nina picked a simple gold band with small circular diamonds around it.

  “I guess I won’t be wearing my engagement ring after today.”

  Julian looked down at her face and noticed sadness.

  “Nina, this is only a placeholder ring. We can get a set fashioned so you can wear your engagement ring all the time.”

  Her face brightened, and she smiled at him, “You mean it?”

  “Of course. Lots of women wear their engagement rings after they get married.”

  “How do you always know the right thing to say?”

  “Not always and you’ll find that out, but I’ll always try.”

  She pulled him towards a liquor store at the end of the row of shops. Inside she looked at the multitude of champagnes. Behind her, Julian stood with his arms folded, a smirk on his face. Nina turned and scowled at him.

  “Are you laughing at me?”

  “Not at all,” he smiled widely.

  “Then why are you smiling?”

  “You’re cute. I like when you’re confused.”

  “Who said I’m confused?”

  “Then choose a bottle.”

  “There are so many; I’m not sure what to pick.”

  “Do you want help? I do have some experience.”

  Nina raised an eyebrow at him, but gestured for him to pick as she moved aside. Julian selected a bottle of Dom Perignon Brut Cuvee.

  She sucked in her breath at the cost of the bottle, “That’s very expensive.”

  “And well worth it for my bride. Please let me indulge you with this.”

  “How do you know about champagne?”

  “Let’s just say I got an early education from my father. He was a collector of rare wines and champagne. He had a cellar in our basement before he died.”

  “What did you do with all the bottles? Do you still have them somewhere?”

  Julian’s face darkened and he absentmindedly scratched at the stubble on his chin but didn’t answer her.

  “Julian?” she asked puzzled.

  “What I didn’t drink, I destroyed,” he said quietly.

  He walked away to pay for the champagne, leaving her to wonder what he was hiding. Why would he destroy wine? She waited until they were in his truck before questioning him further.

  “Do you want to discuss it?”

  “What’s to discuss? My family died and I went a little nuts. I spent a few nights drinking myself into a stupor. Wine that my father would never open sat like trophies gathering dust. I took box after box up to the cabin and flung them as far as I could. You have to understand how angry and confused I was. I was alone.”

  Nina put her hand on his arm, “But you’re not now. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

  “It was a long time until that anger died down. Maureen helped me and I had school to keep me occupied. I did things that didn’t make me proud. I used women I knew wanted nothing but a good hard fuck from me.”

  “But if they wanted nothing from you but sex, you didn’t use them.”

  “That doesn’t make it right. I’ve tried to distance myself from that Julian for a long time. I thought dating Carly would help, but I couldn’t give her what she wanted.”

  “You never told me about her.”

  “I met her in Manhattan at a gallery opening for one of my old classmates. I accidentally bumped into her. She was beautiful, blonde and nicely dressed. She had classy written all over her. We ended up having dinner that night and that’s where it started. But I soon realized she wasn’t for me. She was impatient and overly critical of everything in my life. My cabin was too rustic and to appease her I got an apartment in town. Even that wasn’t enough.”

  “How long were you with her?”

  “Too long. It was months and I should’ve ended it quickly. By the time I woke up, she was in love with me and I couldn’t return her feelings. I wouldn’t open up to her and would often go to my loft to paint, ignoring her needs except in bed. That was one place we were good together, in sync.”

  At that statement, Julian watched as Nina hung her head. He had said too much but not everything. There was darkness to his and Carly’s relationship he wasn’t sure he would ever reveal to her.

  “Sweet pea, don’t get bent on the women I’ve slept with. You erase all that from my mind. You’re the only one I want. I’ve never opened up to someone other than Maureen, but to you, I do.”

  “Julian, why do you want me? I’m not sophisticated or worldly. I haven’t been places or experienced anything.”

  “I shouldn’t have to explain it to you but if you want me to, I will. You’re beautiful inside and out. You’re sweet, kind, caring, loving. You’ve saved me from myself.”

  “But how long until you tire of me?”

  “Nina, are you trying to talk me out of marrying you? I’m stuck on you. You’re my missing puzzle piece; you make me whole. I love you more than anyone else, ever. If that doesn’t tell you that I will never tire of you, I don’t know what will.”

  He reached over and tipped her chin up before he tenderly kissed her. If they’d been paying attention, they would’ve noticed two men in a large white SUV watching them. As Julian backed out of the space, they followed him at a safe distance so they wouldn’t be spotted.

  Julian and Nina were both balls of nervous energy as midnight approached. Even with a breeze blowing off the Chesapeake, the night was warmer than a typical November evening. Julian escorted Nina down the path and stairs to the sand where Lucas and his family waited.

  “Are you two ready to become man and wife?”

  Julian spoke in the affirmative while Nina just nodded. She was afraid to speak as tears welled in her eyes. Her light blue, knee length dress gently flapped in the breeze as they prepared to be married.

  She looked her soon to be husband over as she held his hands. Julian looked handsome in his black slacks and light blue sweater, the same shade as her dress. His thick black hair was neatly combed to the side and he had shaved the stubble from his face.

  Before Lucas began the ceremony, Julian leaned in to kiss Nina’s cheek and whisper his love for her. The ceremony was quick and just before the stroke of midnight, they were pronounced husband and wife. As they kissed, Lucas n
oticed two uninvited guests on the top of the bluff looking down at them. He averted his attention to shake their hands and when he looked up again, they were gone.

  Back in the cottage, Julian lifted Nina into his arms and carried her over the threshold. She clung to his neck and buried her head in his shoulder.

  “You’re now Mrs. Julian Gennaro. How does it feel?”

  “It hasn’t sunk in yet,” she said as she played with his wedding ring.

  “You’re mine and I’m not letting you go. You’re stuck with me.”

  “I have no intention of going anywhere.”

  He carried her into the bedroom, putting her down in front of the bed. Her eyes glazed with need and he was sure that his mirrored hers. He wanted her more than he ever had. Julian wanted to make love to his wife. His eyes never left hers as he unzipped the back of her dress. With a push off her shoulders, it fluttered to her feet.

  He stepped back to appraise her shapely figure. Though he had seen it many times naked over the past few weeks, this was different. She was now his. Nina tugged at Julian’s sweater and he assisted her, pulling it over his head and throwing it onto the floor. She worked at his belt, running her hand over the growing bulge in his pants.

  Julian inhaled deeply at her touch. She stroked the smooth, sculpted muscles of his chest and abdomen, sending chills up his spine. He had to chant in his head, control, control, control when all he wanted to do was ravage her.

  Interestingly, Nina had chosen to wear a simple white bra and panty set. He reached back to unfasten her bra, groaning as her breasts spilled against his chest. He cupped them and teased the tight rosy bud of her nipple between his fingers. She gasped and closed her eyes as he played with them.

  He took her dark pink areola into his mouth and sucked hard. Nina moaned, digging her fingers into her husband’s thick hair and gently tugging. He groaned in response to her arousal, releasing her so he could divest the rest of his clothing. Julian kneeled in front of her and pulled down her panties. She stepped out of them as he stood up and crushed her against his body in a great hug.