Wanted: One Groom

by Pat Ballard

  Hanna glanced at Matt, who sat listening, intrigued.

  “Well, there’s nothing like hearing about a person’s entire life in a matter of hours, huh,” she said, wondering what he thought about all this. He probably wished he had run far, far away that first night he and Will met.

  Shrugging his shoulders, Matt chuckled and said, “At least it isn’t boring.”

  “What are you going to do with the information about Will?” Houston asked Hanna.

  “Nothing, at this point,” she said. “I just wonder what Mother and Henri have in mind. If they really do love each other, I can’t believe they plan to live the rest of their lives apart like they’re living now.”

  “Are they really living apart?” Houston asked. “When was the last time you went to your mother’s room in the middle of the night?”

  “No! You can’t be serious!” Hanna’s eyes were huge with disbelief.

  “Yes, I’m serious. According to your grandfather, this has been going on for years. Every night after the lights go out, Henri goes to her room and spends the night.

  “But that’s enough for now. You kids are going to miss your flight if we keep sitting here talking. I haven’t even given you your itinerary.”

  “Houston, is there any way we can get out of going on a honeymoon?” Hanna asked.

  “Yes,” Houston said. “Again, I didn’t want to say too much until we were alone, but your grandfather stated that if you preferred not to go on a honeymoon at the time of your wedding, the allotted monies would be included in the final settlement. But your mother said your bags were packed, so we assumed you planned to go on one.” The lawyer looked puzzled.

  “My bags were packed,” Hanna said, glancing wryly at Matt, “because I was going to run away to Grandfather’s hunting lodge in East Tennessee, as soon as the wedding was over. I was going to hide, contact you to proceed with the finalizing of the will, and then as soon as it was all done, I was going to start divorce proceedings. But,” she said, taking a deep breath, “it seems all of that has been changed, so there’s no reason for me to run away.”

  Chapter 3

  Hanna stood and watched the guests gathering in the large living room at Rockwell Place. After finding out that Hanna and Matt weren’t going on a honeymoon, her mother had instantly started to plan a wedding reception. Even through it was the day after the wedding, Hanna was amazed at how many people responded to Mary Rockwell’s bidding.

  Hanna wore a light blue chiffon dress that flowed with each step she took, yet managed to enhance her voluptuous curves. Occasionally she could feel Matt’s eyes on her, and she would turn to find him watching her. His smile or wink would send tiny tremors up her spine and she could feel the color stealing into her face. Was this something that just came naturally to him? Did he just have a way of making a woman feel beautiful, or did he really find her attractive?

  She could still feel the kiss they had shared in the limo. She was still shaken at how she had responded to the kiss. But, after all, this was Matt Corbett. How could she not have responded to him?

  She casually sipped a cup of punch as she watched Matt’s warm response to the people her mother had invited to the wedding reception.

  Almost everyone knew who Matt Corbett was, and continually congratulated her mother on her new son-in-law. Mary Rockwell was at the height of happiness, surrounded by all the high society people she had invited.

  Hanna was having a hard time absorbing all that Houston Couch had told her. Especially the part about Will not being a Rockwell. Her eyes found Will across the room and watched him flirt with the group of women surrounding him. What would he do if he found out he wasn’t a Rockwell? That he was just an impostor in all of this and his real father was the chauffeur? The thought caused a small smile to play around the corners of her mouth.

  “Can a smile like that mean anything but trouble?” The softly spoken words at her shoulder startled Hanna.

  She looked up into the eyes of her new husband. Just being this close to him was causing new and strange sensations to flood her body. The scent of his aftershave titillated her senses, sending images of lovemaking through her head.

  “I think they’re all waiting for us to lead them in the first dance,” he said. “Shall we start the festivities?”

  Setting her cup on the table she was standing beside, Hanna placed her hand into his and let him lead her to the designated dance area. As if on cue, the band started playing a waltz.

  Matt slid his arms around Hanna’s waist and pulled her close. They started to sway to the music.

  She laid her head on his shoulder and for a moment allowed herself to live a fantasy that had been hers for years—to dance with Matt Corbett. To feel her body pressed close to his. To feel his cheek as it rested against her hair. To feel the heat emanating from his body, warming her to a feverish pitch. To feel the pulse in his neck, pounding rapidly with the pent up passion he felt for her—

  Slowly, Hanna opened her eyes enough to watch the pulse at the side of Matt’s neck. This wasn’t a fantasy. But his pulse was pounding, just like it had in her dreams. Could Matt actually be excited about having her in his arms?

  No, she convinced herself, just as the music stopped.

  Matt tried to read the morning paper, but his mind kept drifting. Little had he known, three months ago when he moved to Nashville, Tennessee to try to revive his music career, that he would wind up losing almost everything he had, personally, but would end up married to a beautiful, wealthy woman and living in a mansion like the one surrounding him now.

  He glanced appreciatively around the huge, formal dining room. He assumed the portraits of the couple hanging on the wall were Hanna’s grandparents. Hanna was a walking likeness of the woman in the portrait.

  Upon arriving at Rockwell Place after the wedding, he’d been assigned to a guest room and told to make himself at home. He’d seen little of Hanna until the reception yesterday, much to his disappointment. That had answered the question of whether this was a marriage in name only.

  The reception. A soft smile bracketed the corners of his mouth. He had never held a woman in his arms who felt as sexy as Hanna had when they’d danced yesterday. He could feel himself becoming aroused, just feeling her soft, womanly curves pressed against him. If the music hadn’t stopped when it did, he would have had an embarrassing moment or two. And he could still feel her soft, full lips yielding to his when he had kissed her after the wedding.

  Matt Corbett knew he had found the woman of his dreams. It was just too bad he had to find her under these circumstances. But he would get back on his feet. He would revive his music career. He would find a way to reclaim his lost success. And he would claim Hanna Rockwell as his wife.

  The latter of his plans would probably be the hardest to accomplish.

  Hanna glanced one last time in the mirror before heading downstairs. She knew her mother and Will would notice the extra attention she’d paid to herself this morning, but she didn’t care. She was pleased with her efforts.

  As soon as she came through the dining room door, she spotted Matt at the table reading the paper. A partial cup of coffee sat close to him. A smile played around his beautiful mouth.

  Remembering what he had said to her the day before at the reception, Hanna repeated, “Can a smile like that mean anything but trouble?”

  Matt lowered the paper to look at Hanna.

  She wore a loose-fitting silk pantsuit in a deep shade of purple. Her hair was twisted into a knot on top of her head, escaping tendrils framing her face. The white open-toed sandals exposed beautifully polished toenails. Again, he felt the stirring in his lower abdomen.

  “If you could read my mind right now, you might be afraid of the answer to that question.” Matt stood and laid his paper down, and pulled out a chair close to him. “Here, sit down, and let me get you some coffee.”

  Too surprised to argue, Hanna lowered herself slowly into the chair.

  Just as Matt sat the
coffee down in front of her, Will and Mary came into the room.

  “Oh, look, Mother, she already has him waiting on her,” Will said in his usual morning bad mood. “I guess you’ll just get bigger than ever, if you don’t even have to wait on yourself.” He looked at Hanna in disgust.

  Suddenly Matt was around the table, in front of Will. “If you ever say anything like that to Hanna again, I’ll beat the hell out of you, Will. I mean it. Your sister has sacrificed her happiness for you and your mother, and by damn, it’s time you paid her a little respect. And as long as I’m here, you’re going to do just that! Do you understand me?” he ground out.

  “Look, you deadbeat—” Will started.

  “Will Rockwell, sit down and shut up!”

  Everyone looked at Mary at the same time.

  “Will, please, just let it go,” she said in a calmer voice.

  Will turned and stomped from the room, leaving a hushed silence behind.

  “Will doesn’t mean anything bad when he talks like that.” Her mother made a weak effort to defend her spoiled son. “We’re just concerned about Hanna’s health,” she ended, lamely.

  “Like hell, he doesn’t mean anything,” Matt snapped. Hanna was still reeling from Matt’s first outburst, and couldn’t believe her ears when he now turned on her mother. “Hanna looks very healthy to me. The only thing wrong with Hanna is she lets the two of you talk to her like you do. She needs to stand up for herself more.” He gave Hanna a pointed look as he finished.

  “You’re right, of course,” Mary said, dropping her head as if ashamed. “But please, let’s don’t argue. Let’s have breakfast and talk about pleasant things. Tell us about your music days, Matt.”

  Hanna watched Matt deliberately calm himself down as her mother played the perfect hostess. Her mother could relax now. Her daughter was married to a handsome, well known man. Her future was secure, and she had the bragging rights of being Matt Corbett’s mother-in-law.

  Hanna tried to imagine her mother with Henri. Henri Dupri was a nice-looking man, about her mother’s age. His slight French accent gave him a mysterious air, and Hanna could see how he could be intriguing to her mother. Had their affair started before her parents were married, or after? How long had her mother known Henri?

  Suddenly Hanna realized just how much of a stranger her mother was to her. She had spent very little time with her as a child.

  “Hanna,” her mother’s voice interrupted her thoughts, “why don’t you show Matt the grounds? He might enjoy the gardens. It really is beautiful out there this time of the morning.”

  “That sounds like a great idea!” Matt’s voice was so eager, Hanna almost broke into laughter. He was ready to escape her mother.

  Hanna and Matt strolled through the lush gardens that had been her grandfather’s pride and joy. They passed several people busy pruning, weeding, and doing general maintenance. Finally they came to one of Hanna’s favorites, the rose garden. There were hundreds of different varieties, and the scent that greeted them was heavenly.

  Hanna leaned over to sniff a beautiful yellow rose. When she lifted her eyes she caught Matt’s gaze, and heat rose in her cheeks.

  “Where’s your favorite spot in the garden?” he asked, holding her gaze.

  Hanna hesitated. Should she show him her favorite place in the whole world? It was her getaway. Her place of solitude. She doubted Will or her mother even remembered it was there. Only Grandfather knew how much the place meant to her.

  “Promise you won’t be a pest and try to claim it for your own?” she asked, teasingly.

  “Boy Scout’s honor,” Matt promised, saluting with the wrong fingers and making Hanna giggle.

  Wondering if she was making the right decision, she led him through the garden down a secluded stone pathway. After a few twists and turns, they came to an opening. Up a slight incline stood a little white gazebo, butted close to a rock wall.

  “This is where I solve all the world’s mysteries,” Hanna said, and led the way up to the gazebo.

  The gazebo snuggled so closely to the rock wall that it almost touched it. Within an arm’s reach, a small gurgling stream of water bubbled from the rock, landing in a small smooth bowl-like cutout in the stone, then trickling down the wall to form a tiny stream running past the gazebo.

  “Grandfather showed me this when I was a very small child. He said he thought Indians might have carved out the bowl to catch water. I loved the place so much and asked him to bring me here so often, he built this gazebo for us to sit in when we came. I’ve always loved it here. Since Grandfather died, I come here when I get lonely to be with him. He always seems nearer when I’m here.” Her eyes sparkled as she reminisced.

  “You really loved your grandfather, didn’t you?” Matt watched the emotions play on Hanna’s face as she remembered her beloved grandfather.

  “Yes,” Hanna answered, quietly. “He was all I had. Mother was busy spoiling Will, and now I understand why. She must have felt awfully sorry for him, knowing he would never really stand to inherit any of the properties that Grandfather would someday pass on. She must have resented me a lot, knowing in her own mind that I would get it all.”

  “But why? You’re her child, too. What difference does it make to her who gets it, as long as she gets what she wants? She seems like the kind of woman who cares only about herself.” Matt’s disapproval sounded in his voice.

  “I don’t know. Mother and I just never have been close. As far back as I can remember, she was always trying to come up with weight loss tactics for me. If it wasn’t a diet, it was some kind of exercise program. I always felt like she was ashamed of me. When I’d be successful and lose a few pounds, she’d have me come to the parlor and parade around her friends and show off. But when the weight came back on, she’d tell me to stay in my room if we had guests. Finally Grandfather found out what she was doing, and he forbade her to ever put me on another diet, or make me do exercises that I didn’t want to do. After that, she paid little attention at all to me, so I spent my time alone, or with Grandfather.”

  “Hanna, you’re a beautiful woman. Don’t let Will and your mother continue to bring down your self-esteem.”

  “Really, Matt, you married me to save my inheritance. Your responsibilities don’t include pumping up my self-esteem. But thanks, anyway.”

  Hanna saw anger flash in Matt’s eyes.

  “Is that what you think I’m doing, Hanna? I wouldn’t lie to you just to make you feel better. I’m not that kind of man. I meant it when I said you’re beautiful.” He had moved so close, Hanna could feel the heat emanating off his skin.

  Was she dreaming, or was her teenage idol, Matt Corbett, standing here, almost touching her, telling her she was beautiful? She had to be dreaming.

  Her eyes left his and took in his olive complexion, the dark hair with just the faint beginning of gray in the temples, and came back to rest on his lips in time to watch them lower to cover hers.

  Heat spread through Hanna’s body as Matt’s lips claimed hers in a tender, exploring kiss. Her knees suddenly turned to mush, but Matt’s arms came around her and pulled her close, giving her support.

  She felt her arms slide around his neck, and as if of their own accord her hands buried deeply into his dark hair, pulling him closer to her. His lips had turned from exploring to demanding, and Hanna parted her own to allow him to ease his tongue inside her mouth, exploring, exciting her as she had never been before.

  She felt his hand work its way up her ribcage to capture a breast. Gasping with pleasure, Hanna twisted her body to allow him easier access to what he was seeking. He gently stroked her nipple with his thumb, and Hanna heard a moan escape her throat.

  Slowly becoming aware of Matt’s arousal pressing against her, Hanna fought her way through the fog of passion and tried to pull away.

  “Matt, stop! We have to stop!” Was that squeaky voice hers?

  “Why?” Matt’s voice was husky. “Why do I have to stop something so wonderf
ul?”

  “Because I’m acting like a sex-starved maniac!” Hanna declared, straightening her clothes.

  “I rather like how you were acting,” Matt said, grinning. “I want to explore those cravings of yours.” He reached for her again.

  “No! Look what you’ve done! You’ve made me desecrate Grandfather’s special place! Now I can’t come here anymore without thinking about what I’ve done! I knew I shouldn’t bring you up here.” She sank down on a bench and buried her face in her hands.

  “Hanna, what the hell are you talking about? All we did was kiss.” Matt’s reasoning voice came through to her.

  “Maybe it was only a kiss to you, but I acted terrible! I was practically throwing myself all over you.” Now her voice was stronger as she added, “I hope you don’t get the wrong idea about this, Matt. This doesn’t mean that we can be a real husband and wife. And it doesn’t mean that I’m desperate for someone to paw over me.”

  “Hanna, get a grip. It was just—a—kiss. Nothing more. I’m not going to sneak into your room at night and try to claim my dues as a husband.” Matt’s voice held a tinge of impatience at Hanna’s overreacting.

  Slowly, Hanna raised her head. What a fool she was making of herself. Of course it was just a kiss. Matt was just trying to make her feel better about herself, and she had thrown herself all over him. But it meant nothing to him. As he said, it was just a kiss.

  “You’re right. I’m acting like a silly schoolgirl with a crush. I’m sorry. But we’d better go back to the house.” She stood and led the way quickly back through the garden.

  Just before they reached the house, Matt stopped her with a hand on her arm.

  “Hanna, I won’t go back to the gazebo unless you invite me. I won’t intrude on your special spot. But I don’t apologize for kissing you. In fact,” he added, with a teasing smile, “I plan to make a habit of kissing you.”