She turned in a circle. “What have I done to deserve all this?”
He stood beside the table, giving a small shake to his head. “Don’t you know? You loved me, Soph.” Wade placed a light kiss against her lips before taking her hand. He reached into his pocket and brought out a ring box. “Hold this a second. Don’t open it.” Their gaze connected. Taking her hand, he removed the moonstone ring from her finger and placed it on her other hand.
He cupped his hand around hers holding the box. “I told you I’d get you a ring.” Yeah, he’d gone all out on the three-carat center diamond. He knew it was the right one the moment he’d seen it, no matter the price. The sweeping lines on the side cradled the center and side stones, reminding him of how she had cradled in her arms, her son, Noah, and him. She’d brought magic into his life, and that had never happened before. She’d chosen him. She loved him, and his son.
“You didn’t have—”
He touched her lips with an index finger. “Shh… I did, honey.” He flipped open the box. Again, Sophie gasped.
Again, he smiled.
Sophie brought her closed, shaking hands to her face. She slowly shook her head back and forth, back and forth then lifted her misty eyes to his. “It’s exquisite.”
Wade blinked to prevent the mist behind his own eyes from turning into anything more. Emotions like this took him by surprise. Why’d he have such a hard time giving this woman a ring? He removed it from the box and slipped it over her finger, both of their hands shaking. “Perfect. It’s you, honey.”
“I’m yours, Wade. In every way possible, I’m yours.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and they gave each other a long slow kiss, mixed with a lot of promised tongue action.
Wade licked his lips after the kiss. “I’m happy to hear that, and I don’t have to tell you I’m yours, and your boy’s…. Oh, and your body’s.” Wade winked then poured Prosecco into their glasses and handed one to her. “To the four of us, darlin’. I can’t wait to marry you.”
“Soon, but um, change that to the fi—”
“Come on.” He escorted her into the sitting area where hummus and pita chips waited on the table.
“It smells delicious in here. Did you cook?” she asked upon sitting. She dipped a chip into the hummus. “Mmm, tasty.”
He sampled it. “I’ll finish dinner soon. All I have to do is put it in a baking dish. Roast salmon, mushrooms with truffle oil, and asparagus.”
Sophie leaned back on the couch, crossing her leg over the other toward him. She laid her head on his shoulder. “I can’t believe you did all this. Dinner sounds fabulous.”
“If you’d like to share this evening, we can have the boys home for dessert.”
“What is dessert?”
“Cupcakes.”
Sophie raised her head from his shoulder and clasped his hand. “Would you like them here?”
Wade thought it over for a moment—only a moment. They were all four a part of this… But it was magnificent to be alone for a change. With both boys here since Sophie had moved in, they hadn’t had much together time, but he wasn’t complaining at all. He enjoyed this new combined family. Emmett had taken to them sharing a bedroom like it was supposed to be that way.
He and Noah had slept upstairs in the beginning. Emmett in the sleeping bag. Noah on the sleeper. It took a few days for Emmett to come around to Noah, but his little boy didn’t give up. Nope. He’d insisted on sitting on Emmett’s lap the minute Emmett hit the floor to play games or lie down. One day, Emmett didn’t remove him from his lap and continued to play, even explaining the game to Noah.
This week, Emmett had decided he’d move into his new bedroom downstairs. Noah continued to stay upstairs, but he spent more time playing in his new room on the first floor. It wouldn’t be long before he’d sleep there.
Cynthia had skyped with all of them last night, saying her deployment could end early, but she reenlisted. Wade told her point-blank, she wasn’t taking their son all over the world while she made a career of the military. He’d file for sole custody, and shockingly, she had approved. They’d work out visitation rights later. Of course, she’d missed Noah, but Noah was used to her being gone now and didn’t cry when they’d disconnect. He’d grown close to Sophie in a short time. A military career had always been in her future—having a son or not.
Sophie took the glass from Wade’s hand. “Honey?”
He pulled her onto his lap then hiked her dress up to her thighs. Sophie removed his tie and unbuttoned his shirt. “You looked spectacular when I opened the door at work. I thought I had stepped into a romance novel.”
Wade leaned his head back to peer into her pretty eyes. “Maybe you did.” He pulled the zipper down on the back of her dress, lifted it over her head, then moved her off his lap. She sat in a black bra and matching lace panties while he ogled her. “You just happened to wear all black, sexy-to-die-for lingerie today?”
“Because I come home to you every night.”
Right answer. He stood to remove the rest of his clothes. Encouraged by her sweet smile, he shed each piece slowly while swaying his hips back and forth to country music in the background. “Is this what you like, honey? Want a strip tease act? You gonna make me work for it, huh?”
Sophie nodded with a gleam in her eyes.
He gave her what she wanted while gradually leaning forward to kiss her lips. “This was not part of my agenda for this early tonight, but… Strip.”
Sophie reached around to unhook her bra but took her sweet time lowering the straps, finally taking it off and exposing her beauty to him.
He licked his lips. His eyes became aglow, and he didn’t need a mirror to tell him. “Thanks.” She lifted her hips to ditch the panties. Wade set and brought her back to his lap. He dragged a knuckle over her cheek, lower over one breast and next to the other. Then down and past her abdomen, smiling at the quirk of her lips.
Lower.
He nearly got off himself when she squirmed at the first touch of his finger against her heat. She breathed through her nose with her eyes closed. “Ah, come on, honey. You know what I like.”
Sophie eased down on him, their gaze staying connected as they both moved, the pleasure quickly building in him. “No condoms,” he said low and raspy. “Maybe we’ll make a baby tonight. I can’t think of a better night for it to work.” He drew her to his chest, moving with her in passion and desire. “Sophie, I love you so much.”
Sophie sucked in her breath and muttered his name. The look on her face reminded him of the first night she’d begged for a moment’s pleasure. If he had a do-over, he would’ve. But his brain lapsed into a fog, and he dropped his head back, enjoying the touch of her lips against his flesh. Yeah… This is what love is. He popped his eyes open when her mouth sucked near his beating pulse, and he wriggled his head away, but she’d had good suction. Payback. He chuckled. “I understand what you just did.”
Sophie drew back from kissing his neck and stared into his eyes. “Told you I’d get you back.”
Wade did a quick maneuver. Before she knew what happened, he had her pinned beneath him. He kissed her breasts, her midriff, back to her mouth, and nibbled his way lower to the softest of soft skin of her abdomen, sucking and drawing more skin into his mouth. He popped his lips off her belly when finished, eyeing his masterpiece. “There.”
Sophie giggled. “No one will see it but you.”
“You wanna go down and suck on me now?” Shit. That was not what he’d meant, this time. He gave a hearty laugh. “Sorry.”
“You’re not sorry.” She messed up his hair and grinned. “Life with you is beautiful. I’m hungry.”
“Sex makes me hungry, too, and tired.” He pulled the throw over them. “Come closer, roomie, I mean, my soon-to-be bride. I love your skin against mine every night. Hold me for a little longer.”
Ten minutes later, Wade sat up and pulled on his pants. “I better turn on the oven.” He padded to the kitchen but whipped around and
came back. His gaze cruised over her lying there. Wade couldn’t hold in a grin. He lifted her hand and kissed her ring finger while their gaze remained connected. “Thank you.”
Sophie cupped the right side of his face. “You’re welcome. I wish you hadn’t gone to such an expense to buy this ring. Can you aff—”
Wade waggled his finger in front of her. “Don’t you dare ask if I can afford it because you don’t know yet, that yeah, babe, I can. In fact, pick out the wedding dress that makes you happy if you don’t have one by now.”
“I do. You’ll love it, but my dad insisted on paying. I wanted a short one but bought a long one so wind on the beach doesn’t whip it up over my head to give everybody a free show.”
“Buy the short one, too, but please, don’t tell me anymore. I wanna be surprised.”
“I’d love to wear the short one to the reception or dinner, wherever it may be.”
On the way back to the kitchen, Wade removed his checkbook from a desk drawer and tossed it onto her lap. “Check this out. You’re welcome.” He glanced over his shoulder as Sophie opened it. Yeah, her jaw dropping at the size of his bank balance was the expression he’d expected. “Hey, we have a wedding to talk about later. Go big or go home is what I say. The ocean awaits us…”
“Honey?”
Wade glanced over his shoulder as he arranged food in the dish.
“We’re having a destination wedding. I’m going to marry you on the beach, but in a simple ceremony, okay? A romantic wedding, but not extravagant.”
“Our wedding can be however you want it. I mean in the short time we’ve had to plan.” Wade wiped his hands on a towel and ventured back into the living room. “Can I ask a favor? Can we make it a little before sundown?”
“You mean, may we?” Sophie snorted a laugh. “Ha-ha, another payback.”
Wade grinned. “Aren’t you feeling smug tonight?”
“Oh, yeah. About your question. I don’t care what time of day it is. I want you and the ocean.” Sophie stood wrapped in a throw. “Let’s make some phone calls tonight to get a headcount. I know Brenna, my dad, Clay, and Emmett will be there.”
“If you want to eat tonight, darlin’, you best get dressed so I can continue with dinner. Otherwise, I can’t concentrate with you naked under that throw.”
Sophie donned Wade’s white shirt.
He came toward her. “That didn’t help!”
She shooed him to the kitchen while tailing behind. “Once we get a headcount we can book a hotel.”
Wade stuck the prepared baking dish into the oven then washed his hands. “We have one and the hotel has been booked. I had to make a quick decision and haven’t had time to talk to you about it yet. I didn’t want to take the chance of not getting a reservation. It is a holiday and a hot-shot hotel—the same one we stayed at. Tristan Carlson knew a guy. That guy made reservations for dinner after the ceremony too. Are you ready for this?”
Sophie laid her palms against her chest. “Tell me.”
“Judy Carlson is also coming. I believe the matriarch of the Double Dutch has taken over the role of my mother and Noah’s grandmother.” Wade leaned against the counter and folded his arms. “If you haven’t made arrangements already, the hotel will give us permission to have the ceremony on their beach property, but I have to let them know.”
“Omigod! Of course.” Sophie clasped her hands together. The excitement in her eyes and voice…and wearing his shirt with nothing else, ignited a fire within him. Again.
She leaned her elbows on the island. “Can we bring a cake to the restaurant?”
Wade shrugged. He’d learned one thing. If you flash enough money, you get what you want. “You want cake at the restaurant, we’ll have cake.”
“Yay! What can I do here to help with what’s next?”
Wade smirked. He had the answer. “Touch me. My life is complete when you touch me.”
“That’s so erotic.” She came around the island to embrace him, the shirt raising in the back, but his hands hadn’t let that be ignored. Sophie peered up at him. “My life as well.”
Wade pulled her shirt-clad body closer to him. He closed his eyes and held her. Is this only a dream? Sophie ran her hands down his back and tucked her fingers into his rear pockets. Nah, this isn’t a dream. “I’ll meet you on the beach in a few more weeks, darlin’.”
Sophie held him tighter. “I’ll be there with shells and starfish in my hair.”
Chapter 22
Sophie had help from Gracelyn, Brenna, and Judy the day of the wedding. Gracelyn did a fantastic job of creating a fishtail braid to be worn over the shoulder, and she slipped little shell and starfish pins along the braid. “Thank you so much, Gracelyn. You’ll have to show me how to do this kind of braid.”
“Sure. I can do it for others easier than for my own hair. You’ll knock Wade’s socks off when he sees you walking down that white walkway the guys finagled from the concierge. You haven’t seen Wade, the Carlsons, and the whole bunch all together in one place yet.” Gracelyn chuckled. “They’re bad enough to be dangerous but charming enough to get their way.”
Judy howled. “Ain’t that the truth. Yep, that’s my boys. I call all of them my boys. It’s a shame Tristan and Jase missed out on this, but I appreciate Tristan and Nora taking over Thanksgiving, and Jase staying with the kids so Brenna could come. I’ve seen a new side to that man you’re marrying, Sophie. All good.”
Sophie smiled because if she tried to speak, emotion would take over, and she’d cry. All good was right but as kind as Wade’s heart was, he still had enough sauciness to be bad now and then. Regardless of how she tried, her eyes misted. It hadn’t helped when her dad came into their hotel room wearing a gray suit. Sophie fanned her eyes. “Are we ready?”
Emmett popped into the room dressed in gray dress pants, a vest, and a white shirt. That did her in. “Come here, son. You’re growing up so fast. Look how handsome you are.” She wrapped him in her arms. “You both look magnificent.”
“Sophie, we better go. We have to be off the beach and have it cleaned up in an hour. While you and Wade go off…” Gracelyn paused. “Well, we’ll clean up.”
“I know it’s time.” She held Emmett out at an arm’s length. “Thank you for escorting me down the aisle with Grandpa, honey.”
“I’m honored, Mom.”
“Thank you.” Sophie pressed at the corner of her eyes to prevent tears.
“We’ll go take a seat. Yep, the guys wrangled up some chairs.” Judy laughed. She and Gracelyn gave her a hug then left the room.
Sophie smiled at Brenna in a long, deep purple dress which went well with her blonde hair and eyes. Neither carried flowers today.
Sophie peered at her handsome boy and distinguished father. Then Clay walked in wearing gray pants and a white shirt, as well. “Clay. You look so good.” She hugged him. Really hugged him.
“I stopped in to say…to say you look beautiful, sis. I’m happy for you. You’re a fighter, girl.”
He was the fighter and still fought one day at a time to overcome his addictions. She had confidence that if he slipped, he’d come back and win. Winona, a retired alcohol and drug addiction counselor, who happened to come across him in the desert after the accident, had saved his life. The gentle stranger truly helped him regain his own self-confidence.
Winona was nothing more than that to him. “Thank you, Clay.” Sophie peered into the mirror. She wore a simple ivory, slim chiffon dress with long lacy sleeves due to the chilled temperatures on the beach this time of year. Yet, it was romantic, classy, and off the shoulder with a closed lace back. She wore ivory and gold French lace barefoot sandals. A woman at work showed them to her online, and she had to have them. Their sexiness looked like something her husband would like to remove.
“Ready, darlin’?” her dad asked. “We have to go.”
Emmett took hold of his mom’s arm. “We like it when you smile. You look pretty, Mom.”
“Thanks, sweet
heart.” Sophie situated the braid over her shoulder and peered at her reflection. The next time she looked into a mirror, she’d be a married woman again. She glanced upward for one quick moment. I miss you, Mom. Wish you were here. She nodded to her dad and took his arm. Brenna strolled out ahead of them as pretty as a beauty queen herself.
“Your mama would be proud of you, Soph.”
“She’d be proud of you too, Dad.”
***
Outside, the decorated beach surprised her. She expected to see the walkway through the sand but not the balloon arch and white chairs. She especially hadn’t expected to lay her eyes on the biggest sand castle she’d ever seen.
“I tried to be quiet about the castle, Ma. It has a heart with all four of our names.”
Sophie came to a halt. She released her father’s arm and fanned her eyes again. “Who built it?” Her voice came out in a high pitch.
“Wade hired somebody…a castle man or something. Too bad we didn’t know about him when we were here the first time, huh, Mom?”
“Yeah, honey. Too bad. How is Wade keeping Noah out of it?”
“He didn’t! You’ll see.”
Sophie laughed, took her dad’s arm again, and peered down the walkway to an extremely handsome man wearing darker gray dress pants, and a matching vest over a white shirt untucked—the top two buttons undone—cuffs rolled up enough to show off his muscular forearms. Omigod. This is a dream. The sun behind him had been low but not yet set.
She was about to marry that man. She pictured the glow on his face at sundown that first evening. How it had brightened his skin enough for her to see the sadness in his solemn gaze. Today, his eyes gleamed with delight. The smile on his face invited her to his arms. She mouthed the words, “I love you” as she made her way to him. The setting looked perfect with Dane standing with Wade, holding Noah’s hand, and Brenna who would be at her side.
Hooked By Sundown (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love Book 3) Page 30