by Maggie Way
“Harder, not easier… I’ll bet. For the record, right after you just told me I was drugged and nearly abducted is not that perfect moment.” Her shaking hands dug though her suitcase and pulled out yoga pants and a strappy athletic top.
I jumped out of bed, crossed the room, and reached for her hands. I needed the connection between us, the reassurance that we were strong enough to weather this.
She pulled them away and focused on dressing with the minimum number of required actions.
“Please, Vivi, can’t we talk about this?”
“You’re damn right we’ll be talking about this, because I’m not about to marry a man I don’t even know. But right now I’m going for a walk.”
No way. This couldn’t be happening. I loved her. She loved me.
Yet, we just went from the most intense love making we’d ever had to me wondering if I could lose her for good. I was in one hell of a death spiral.
I grabbed the tac-pants I’d worn to get coffee, pulling them on again. Jerking the t-shirt over my head, I grabbed my boots. “I’ll come with you.”
“No.”
The finality in her tone stilled me. “Baby, I don’t think you should walk around The Quarter alone.”
“Well I’m not going with you.”
“Okay, okay. Then just hold on. Let’s call Gil or Marianna or someone to go with you.”
“Oh for God’s sake. You need to get over yourself this morning.” She flung her arm towards the wide sunlit windows. “It’s broad daylight out there. If you can’t respect my ability to take care of myself on a gorgeous sunny day, we have a problem. And, if you also can’t trust me with your history or your secrets, there’s no way we should be getting married.”
Con
I found Gil in Spiriteaux, one of the bars at his family’s hotel, The Belle Alexandrine. He was enjoying a tall Bloody Mary and a stack of French toast six pieces high, but managed to greet me with a chin tip between bites.
“You want some?” He pointed to the syrupy stack on his plate. “Delphine had a fit when I cancelled the special family breakfast she had planned for us all. The chance of me introducing my SEAL team to my crazy family all in one morning meal? Slim to none.” He stood from his barstool and reached over the top of the bar to snag a menu and hand it my way, while already reaching for another bite of his breakfast.
I took the menu, but tossed it on the bar unopened. “Don’t think I could eat right now.”
He stopped his fork mid-stroke and stared at me. “Not eat? Spill.”
“I may have lost her.”
The clang of his fork hitting his plate as he scrutinized my face drew gazes. Not that I cared. The only people important to me were my team and Vivi. Oh, God, I can’t lose her.
Misery stared back at me from the mirror behind the bar. “She’s mad, man. Like ‘there’s no way we should be getting married’ mad.”
“Holy hell. How’d you get to that?”
“I screwed up. I should’a told her about Cindy before now. One minute we were enjoying the morning in bed, the next we were talking about my dead fiancée.”
“Ouch.”
“Yeah, I kept putting it off. I screwed up. Oh, and on top of that I also managed to stomp on her independence somehow. Hell, I know she can take care of herself.”
“Not last night, she couldn’t.”
“That’s not fair. That was some jerk with a plan. Any woman could trip up on that, which is exactly why people like that are so dangerous.”
“I guess. I’m just saying, given recent history, maybe she could cut you some slack on that one.”
“And you know all about marriage?”
“Good point.”
I leaned down and pounded my thick skull on the bar. “I’ve got to make this right. Somehow.”
“You better do it quick. We only have a couple of days to get you guys hitched and honeymooned.”
“Fuuuuck.” Several skull taps later I realized they weren’t helping.
He laughed at me. Seriously laughed right in my face. “You two are going to be fine. You’ll work it out.”
I nodded. “We have to. I love her.”
Gil turned to face me, suddenly serious to the bone.
“You’re sure, aren’t you? About marriage?”
“Absolutely. Truth is, I need her in my life. She takes the edge off.”
Gil raised one eyebrow suggestively, earning a sharp punch in the arm.
“I don’t mean sexually. It’s more. Like some part of her helps me center and relax and concentrate on what’s important.”
I scratched my jaw, then caught myself massaging it to release tension.
“I love her strength and her gutsy perseverance in the face of adversity,” I said. “She took a miserable home life with an alcoholic-wreck of a mom and a trouble-magnet twin and turned them into tiny speed bumps on her own road to success.”
Gil nodded, as if hearing this for the first time. The bastard. We both knew there’d been plenty of nights I’d spent going on and on about how great she is.
“Plus, I love other things about her too; the way she finds the goodness in people and helps them shine, her love of children and puppies, hell, even the way she makes canvas Keds and Levis look like a million bucks. She’s the one.”
“I know, I was just making sure you still knew that,” said Gil. “We all know – me, the team, the commander. Why do you think we’re sacrificing perfectly good leave time to help you pull off this insane surprise wedding?”
“I’ll owe you big after this one, but I’m good for it.”
“You bet you will.” He picked up his fork and dove in again. “Now order up, because we’ve got work to do.”
“Work now, then I’ve got to get back to my bride.”
“Damn straight.”
Gil pulled out the typed list his uber-organized sister, Delphine, had pulled together overnight. Fifty-seven things we had to do to pull this wedding off on Sunday. I’d given the second page to Hop and Lucky. With other guys I’d doubt their commitment, their veracity, or their ability to complete every line item, but these were SEALs. They’d come through.
And the Commander, he was running point on the Honeymoon. He was the only man who’d actually had one of his own, so that assignment was all on him.
“Pretty sure Vivi and I could have, uh, handled the specifics of that part. But, hey, if it keeps him from thinking up new tortures for the team, I’m on board. No doubt he’s in his ‘The More You Sweat In Training, The Less You Bleed’ mode after last week. Distraction may save us. So where do things stand?”
I waved him on with one hand and grabbed the menu with the other. I actually could use some rations to keep up my stamina for the challenge ahead.
“There were only two questionables on the list and one real obstacle,” said Gil.
“Questionables first.”
“Vivi’s mom is in rehab and won’t be out for the wedding.”
“No problem there, we already discussed the possibility that her mom’s addiction might trip up our wedding plans for August. She’ll be fine with it now too.”
With a flourish, Gil struck that one from the list. “And Lexi. Have you thought about how to include her without hanging up the works?”
“That one’s harder, Viv really wants her sister in the wedding; not just at the wedding, but as a bridesmaid. My thought is to assign someone to sit on her starting today. If one of us is stuck to her, she’ll make it to the ceremony one way or another.”
“Okay, I’ll get Boomer on her today.”
“Fine, but tell him not to get ‘on her.’ She’s off limits, but she’s wily. She might pull some shit to break him down. Tell him not to succumb. She’s going to be my sister.”
“Will do. That brings us to the obstacle — Vivi’s veil.”
“Marianna says it’s some kind of family heirloom.”
“It is. Apparently, that veil was worn by every successful Chapman bride since 1910. O
nly Vivi’s mother didn’t wear it. In Viv’s mind, somehow her mom not wearing it is tied in with why her quitter of a father abandoned the three of them when the twins were only two months old.”
“Yeah, she’s superstitious about that thing. She actually picked her wedding gown to match it, saying the only must-have for our wedding was that headband or hat or whatever the hell.”
“Okay, so, the only easy day was yesterday.”
Hearing the SEAL lingo for ‘it’s all shit from here,’ I looked up from the menu and met his frown head on. “Spill.”
“The other night at the bar, she was wearing the veil, and then, well, she wasn’t.”
“It’s gone?”
“Yup.”
“We have to find it.”
“Hop and I checked at the bar, in lost and found, with the manager — everything. We even convinced the security guy to run his tapes for us. The thing is there on her head, then she falls off her barstool, and it’s gone.”
“Not acceptable.”
“Marianna’s called some people to see if they can recreate it from the video images.”
“No way. If we can find bin-fucking-Laden, we can find a lost wedding garment. We will find that veil, the real God damned one. Believe it and achieve it. No excuses allowed.”
Chapter Five
Con
Gil and I went back to the point of assault, where the veil was lost. After hours of scouring dumpsters and interrogating bartenders and waitresses, my head was ready to detonate. Our target still eluded us, but tomorrow was another chance for success. There were three more employees to interview, and one of them might have the veil or some intel leading to it.
Marianna had called to invite Gil and me to join the ladies for dinner out at NOLA, a French Quarter industrial fusion restaurant. She’d dodged my question when I asked if Vivi had invited us, so yeah, my fiancée was still pissed. She wouldn’t fight me with our friends around, though, so this was the perfect opportunity to ease my way back in. Gil and I arrived at the three story restaurant right on time, but Vivi and Marianna were already there. And Diaz, Marianna’s brother, the ATF agent, he was there too. Crap.
“Another fine Navy day,” I muttered under my breath to Gil.
“He’s not a bad guy.”
“Not a good one either.”
“Well, for the sake of your future marriage, you better act like the agent is a four-star Admiral.”
I did. Anything to keep a smile on my girl’s face. I took her hand under the table at one point, and she didn’t pull away. Vivi hated disagreements, thank the Maker, and she soothed me, so I made nice with the others until we eased back into the familiar rhythm of our love. A few glasses of wine, and childhood stories were revealed.
“Marianna was screeching like a banshee, I was hopping on one foot, and Vivi just stepped between us and that nine inch river rat, leaned in and asked him to leave. I don’t know who was more surprised when he did, us or him.”
Figures. She had a tender heart and wouldn’t have wanted any of them to suffer.
“Well, someone had to stop Gabe from running for his grandpa’s shotgun. He might have accidentally killed one of us with that thing.”
“I’ll have you know, I can shoot a gun just fine, and I haven’t killed anyone yet.” He shot me a glance, one I doubled down on over the top of Vivi’s head.
Her friend was baiting me. I bit my tongue and didn’t engage. The man wanted to start something with me, but then I’d have to shut him down. SEALs didn’t compete. They finished things. Any sane man would respect that.
I wasn’t about to upset Vivi by setting the guy straight.
I slipped away for a quick trip to the head, returning to find Gabe holding her hand on the table. I ground my teeth, but swallowed my anger before she could see it.
“Really, I’m fine. Just a little of center and feeling really dumb. I should have seen him do it. It was my drink. I got distracted with trying to drive him away, and in the meantime he moved in for the kill. Next time I’ll know better.”
“There damn sure better not be a next time,” I said, sliding into my seat. “Next time I’ll take the guy out to sea and only one of us will return.” Gabe and I agreed on at least one thing. He nodded at me across the table.
“The worst part is I lost Grandma’s veil. It’s irreplaceable.” She turned to me, tears shimmering in her eyes, but she fought them back. “I know you’ve all tried to find it. Gil told me, and Marianna too. The loss of it hurts, but I’ll have to accept it and find a different head piece for our wedding in August.”
She picked up her wine glass and swallowed the last gulp down. “At least I have time — time to accept the loss, and time to select something else of Grandma or Great Grandma’s to wear. Maybe any heirloom of my matriarchal lineage will work as well. I’ve got months to figure it out.”
The collar of my dress shirt wanted to squeeze the life from me, and I resisted the overwhelming urge to undo the top button.
I slid closer, wrapping my hand around her back to rest on her shoulder. I leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Don’t give up yet, baby. I’ve still got a few threads to pull. We might find it yet.”
Her smile trembled, and she leaned in to press a soft kiss to my lips. “I love you for trying.”
Con
Vivi snuggled against me tracing her fingers over my chest as we rode up in the elevator of the elegant, old world hotel.
“Was there something zinging between Gil and Marianna, or am I off target?” she asked.
“Nothing I know of. They just met.” The doors opened and we moved down the hall with me dropping back slightly to enjoy the view of her backside. Beautiful, perfect and soon to be mine. Forever.
“Didn’t you see the way they looked at each other? They’re both from New Orleans, maybe they knew each other before.”
“Like in secret? You’ve been reading too much fiction, baby.”
“Maybe.” She sat on the edge of the bed and slipped her shoes off, rolling her ankles before swinging her legs around onto the bed.
I knelt beside her on the floor and let my eyes drift. Her filmy white blouse was tucked neatly into a tailored, wine-red skirt, which revealed more leg than ever as she relaxed back on the bed.
I reached over and traced my fingers from ankle to inner thigh, loving the way her breath caught when my hand crossed over the knee and closer to the Promised Land. “It’s sweet of you to want the whole world to be happy and in love.”
Her breathing was erratic, but she grinned. “Darn straight. Love is beautiful, and the world would be better if everyone had it.”
I shrugged. “True. But then I’d be out of a job.”
“I suppose, but I’d rather have you home with me anyway.” She slid to the other side of the mattress and reached for me. “Come to bed, Con. Please. Make love with me.”
Relief washed over me, stripping away one layer of regret and fear. She wasn’t going to bear a grudge.
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be, baby. Nowhere.”
I stood, already untucking and unbuttoning my shirt. She watched with banked embers in her eyes as I stepped out of my pants and boxer briefs. She’d made no attempt to undress herself, so I pulled her up by her hands, pulled the comforter off of the bed, and peeled back the fuzzy blanket and the cool cotton sheet. I settled myself on the edge of the bed and pulled her between my knees.
“Come ’ere, you.” One by one I slipped the buttons of her blouse open, uncovering her smooth, silky skin. I slipped the fabric from her shoulders. The deep purple and blue bruises now in stark relief shook me, and I lost focus. “Tomorrow I’m going to check on the guy they arrested. He better hope he’s still locked up.”
“Con, stop.” She bent at the waist, giving me a fantastic cleavage shot before making me lose myself in the slide of her lips across mine.
“We may be the same age, but you’re coming off very naughty Mrs. Robinson at the moment, baby. And it’s incredibly h
ot.”
I slid my hands up with my thumbs bumping along her ribs until they rested just beneath the underwire of her see-through mesh bra. Seriously, what’s the point of that thing? Oh yeah, to strike men like me dumb so they can be managed as easily as a lump of C-4. I know demolitions, and no lie, her in that bra turned me as malleable as explosive clay in her hands. Warning though, one touch of her heat and bu-bam.
I slid my thumbs up over her berry colored nipples and scraped my thumbnails over each nub. Her back arched and her breasts jut forward even more, begging me to lower my mouth for a taste. I couldn’t resist the siren song of her body calling to something deep in my core. I sucked her through the fabric, making her head drop back with a soft moan.
I undressed her slowly, and we slid under the covers together. In minutes I was buried inside her, and we rocked together languorously, loving one another as if we had all the time in the world. We climaxed together, and I rolled to her side so we could lay face to face, catching our breath, as the warm afterglow rippled through our limbs.
“You know we still need to talk, right?” Her soft question focused my thoughts.
I stroked my hand down her arm and shifted her closer. “I’m right here listening.”
“I know I was stupid the other night and I’m sorry for my part in it.” She puffed out a soft breath, like I’d seen her do so many times when she was exasperated. I first noticed the habit on the jetty at Surfside when her crab traps kept coming up empty.
Her words dropped to a whisper. “It scares me, what could've happened.”
My gut twisted tighter than a field tourniquet.
Me too. More than I’d ever tell her.
“It didn't happen and it'll never happen because you're smart.” Her head bobbed in agreement but she didn’t quite meet my eyes. I tipped her chin up and waited for her vulnerable stare. “If anyone tries something like that again, they’ll have to come through both you and me.”
She nodded and reached over to thread her fingers though one of my hands.