Save Me
Page 16
He'd been to a bunch of weddings, and they were lots of fun. This one was different, though. It was the first one he'd attended with Livvy, and he wanted to share the magic with her. Celebrate their families together. Dream about their own wedding. Figure out how soon they could make it happen.
* * *
Later that evening, as the DJ spun records and people crowded onto the dance floor in the Show House, Ryan tugged Livvy toward the back of the room, where a group of large tropical philodendrons created a green wall of privacy. "What are you doing?" she said, resisting the tug of his hand. "Don't you want to dance?"
"Want to spend a little time with my fiancée," he murmured, curling his arm around her waist. "Now that you're finished with your official duties."
"Not quite finished," she said, sliding her arm around his waist. "Cilla and Brendan are leaving soon."
"Then we'll have to be quick," he said, letting his hand slip down and caress her hip.
Her eyes went dark. Her chest flushed. "What did you have in mind?" she murmured as he drew her behind the philodendrons.
"Hmm. Let me think about that." He backed her into the wall and covered her mouth with his. Desire, hot and urgent, pounded through him. He slid his fingers beneath the silky black material covering her breast. "Great choice in a dress," he murmured, loving the weight of her soft breast in his hand. "I like it a lot."
Livvy sucked in a breath as he trailed one finger over her nipple. "Ry," she moaned, her body liquid and soft against his. Suddenly, as if she'd just realized where they were, she tensed and pushed him away. "What are you doing?"
"If I have to tell you, Liv, I'm doing it wrong. Let me see if I can do better."
Her nipple pebbled beneath his hand, and she surged against him. "We're in public," she said, breathing heavily. "Anyone could see us." She didn't pull away, though.
"They'll see me kissing my fiancée." He tunneled beneath the dress again and circled her nipple. She pressed into his thigh. Her breath caught, making him flex his leg. She gasped again.
"There's a koi pond a couple rooms over," he murmured. "No one in there. You want to go look at the fish?"
"You want the fish to watch us?" she asked, sliding her hands over his ass.
"They might enjoy it. I sure will." He pressed his hard penis against her. "Wouldn't take long." He sucked her lower lip into his mouth. Let it go with a tiny, wet pop. "If you're as turned on as I am."
He pressed into her again, and she moaned into his mouth. "Which I think you are."
The sound of someone clearing his throat behind them made Ryan freeze. Step away from Livvy and turn around, shielding her from whoever stood on the other side of the green barrier.
"Ah, Liv, Cilla's looking for you." Livvy's brother Sam. "She and Brendan are getting ready to leave."
Ryan felt her take a deep, trembling breath behind him, then she stepped out of the shadows. "Thanks, Sammy. Tell her I'll be right there."
"Don't call me Sammy," he brother said with a scowl.
"Sorry. I forgot you're all grown up. Almost." As she stepped past Ryan, she whispered, "We'll go fishing later. I promise."
They both stepped away from the plants, then Ryan and Sam watched Livvy hurry toward her sister.
"How's it going, Sam?" Ryan asked with a sigh. He liked the kid. He did. He'd met Sam a couple of times, when he and Livvy, along with Brendan and Cilla, had driven to Iowa to watch Sam play for the minor league Cubs. Right now, though, he wished the kid was back in Iowa.
"Good," Sam replied, taking a swig of Goose 312 beer as he watched Livvy and Cilla talking. He glanced at Ryan out of the corner of his eye. "You doing right by Livvy? I don't want to have to kick your ass."
"No reason to do that," Ryan answered. He swallowed a laugh as he admired the sway of Livvy's hips in those killer heels. The kid had bravado, Ryan would give him that, but Sam was a guppie in a shark tank. "Livvy's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I make sure she knows that every single day."
Sam smirked over the neck of his beer bottle. "Judging by the way you two were so…busy behind those plants, I'm guessing she's happy."
Ryan closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. When he was sure he could walk without embarrassing himself, he headed toward Livvy and Cilla and Brendan. "I'm going to say goodbye to the happy couple," he said.
Sam walked beside him, then suddenly tossed his empty bottle on one of the trays set up in the room. "Talk to you later, Ward. Someone looks like she needs to dance."
Ryan watched as Sam headed toward Julia Carleton like a heat-seeking missile. "Good luck with that, kid," he said, but Sam was long gone. Julia, a detective, kept her personal life very private. Sam might be a hotshot baseball player, but being related to a fellow cop? He didn't stand a chance with Carleton.
To Ryan's surprise, Julia smiled at Sam and headed onto the dance floor with him.
As Ryan stared at the two of them, an arm snaked around his waist. "Livvy," he smiled, turning to kiss his fiancee. "Time to say goodbye to Bren and Cilla?"
"Yeah," she said, leaning up to drag her mouth over his. "Then we have a date to go fishing."
Her eyes were still dark and dilated, and her cheeks were flushed. Seeing how aroused Livvy still was, he stirred again. "Or maybe we should just go home," he murmured.
"Yeah," she said, leaning closer. "Good idea. More…options."
"I like options," he said, his voice low and dark. They stared at each other, exchanging silent promises, until the deejay interrupted.
"Brendan and Cilla are heading out. Let's all say goodbye to them." His amplified voice bounced off the walls, and Livvy took Ryan's hand to lead him toward the crowd.
Ten minutes later, Brendan and Cilla were gone. Still holding hands, Ryan gripped Livvy's hand as they turned at the same time and headed for the exit.
"Great minds," Livvy said with a grin.
Ryan wrapped his arm around Livvy's shoulder, letting his fingers trail over the soft skin of her upper arm. "Faster," he murmured, nipping at her ear. "Before someone else wants to talk."
Five minutes later, they were in Ryan's car, pulling out of the parking lot. "You feel bad about ducking out on everyone?" he asked as he pressed the accelerator.
"Maybe a little," Livvy said, turning in her seat to grin at him. "Not enough to go back, though."
She put her hand on his thigh, drawing tiny circles on his suit pants. Her fingers crept higher and higher, until he grabbed her hand. Removed it from his leg.
"Spoilsport."
"Hey, I want to get home in one piece." He slid his hand through her hair, then drew away reluctantly. "I have lots of options I want to explore."
A half-hour later, he slotted his car into a spot along the curb, then helped Livvy out of the car. His fingers curled around her waist, pulling her against him. The fall air was cool, and her dress left her back and arms exposed.
It only took a couple of minutes to get up the stairs and into their apartment. Pushing the door closed, Ryan engaged the deadbolt, then drew Livvy into his arms.
"Let's get married soon," he whispered, nipping at her neck. "It can be whatever you want, as long as it's soon. No taking a year to plan it, like Cilla did."
"Hmm," she hummed, burrowing beneath his suit jacket. She pulled his shirt out of his pants, then ran her hands up his back. He shivered as she scratched him lightly.
"I think we could do that. But no wedding talk tonight. I have other plans for you." She pressed her mouth to his, and by the time they ran out of air, both of them were trembling.
Livvy cupped his face in both hands. "I love you, Ryan Ward. I can't wait to be married to you." She kissed him again and murmured against his lips, "But right now, take me to bed. Let's go explore our options. All night long."
*****
Thank You
Thank you for reading Save Me. I'm honored you chose one of my books, and hope you enjoyed it!
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Me, Watch Me, Find Me, Trust Me , Cover Me, Protect Me .
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My Books
(by series)
The Donovan Family
Love Me
Watch Me
Find Me
Trust Me
Cover Me
Protect Me
Save Me
The Devereux Family
A Safe Place
The Woman He Knows
Bending the Rules
Welcome to Otter Tail
An Unlikely Setup
Can't Stand the Heat?
Life Rewritten
For Baby and Me
The McInnes Triplets
A Place Called Home
No Place Like Home
Home at Last
Door County
Small-Town Secrets
Small-Town Family
Stranger in a Small Town
Partners in Crime
In Her Defense
Family First
Cameron, Utah
Rodeo Man
For the Children
Cowboy With a Badge
The Fugitive Bride
The Marriage Protection Program
Stand-alone titles
Hometown Girl
Two on the Run
Family on the Run
To Love and Protect Her
A Thanksgiving to Remember
Someone to Watch Over Her
To Save His Child
The Dark Side of the Moon
An Honorable Man
An Innocent Man
Personal Best
About the Author
Two-time Rita finalist Margaret Watson has sold millions of copies of her thirty seven books. After writing spicy Harlequin romances, Margaret dials it up a notch with her latest, the Donovan Family series. Once you start reading these sexy romantic suspense stories about a family of Chicago cops, you won't be able to stop.
When not writing, Margaret practices veterinary medicine. She lives near Chicago with her husband, three daughters and a menagerie of pets.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips, NYT bestselling author, says, "Margaret Watson, a star in the world of contemporary romance, grabs you on the opening page and keeps you reading to the happily ever after."
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Table of Contents
Copyright
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Thank You
My Books
About the Author
Table of Contents