“Anything for you, ” he says as he picks me up and twirls me in the sand. “I’m hungry, and there better be heart-shaped sandwiches under that tent.” I giggle as he takes off running through the sand with me in his arms.
We walk back, and I’m both amazed and giddy with all the sweetness under the white tent. Piled high on pretty white plates are heart-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and the prettiest heart-shaped cake. I smash a little on Jace’s face, and he lovingly licks it off mine. He pulls me into him and clutches my hips while “Moon and Stars” comes over the speakers for our first dance.
“You do remember the one time we danced, what we did right after I led you off the floor, don’t you?” he asks.
“Yes, I remember,” I answer him. He grins and pulls me closer.
“Just like then, I can’t wait anymore. I need to be inside you,” he whispers into my ear. I giggle and look over his strong shoulder.
“Let me dance with my dad. You go swoop Grace up in your arms and dance with her.”
He says genuinely as he pulls back to look at my face, “I’ve never danced with my mom.”
“I know you haven’t, and she has probably never slow danced before since she had you so young.”
“Okay, baby,” he says, spinning me one more time and handing me to my dad. I look over, and he takes Grace by the hand and joins us on the dance floor.
“So, is it everything you dreamed it would be?” my dad asks me.
“It’s everything I knew Jace would give me. It’s so perfectly perfect.” He laughs and holds me close. “Dad?”
“Yeah, Shay?”
“They say when a girl has a father that is perfect she won’t settle for anything else. Thank you for being the perfect man in my life. Thank you for showing me that love and commitment to the ones you love are the most important accomplishment you can achieve. Because of you, I want to achieve so much.”
“You’re going to make your old man cry,” he says as a tear rolls down his cheek.
“You showed me how to love by the way you love Mom and us kids, and I found that in Jace. I know my life will be full of happiness because of how he loves me, and you showed me how to recognize that kind of love. I did the moment I looked at him. I just knew he was my soul mate.”
Dad kisses my forehead, and our eyes find Jace who is so sweetly holding on to Grace as she cries in his arms.
“I knew it the moment I met him, too,” he says, smiling at Jace and Grace. “The way his eyes held on to yours, like they’re doing right now, I knew he would be your forever.”
I’m still smiling as our song ends.
As a last-minute request from Jace, he wanted our first song to be our song. I thought it was weird to hear my voice, but he wanted it, and what my boy wants he will always get.
Jace hands his mom back to his dad and swoops me up into his arms. “Seriously, you look so pretty I can’t stop staring at you. I’m ready to crash into my wife.”
“Okay, impatient boy.”
RIPPED JEANS AND COCONUT CHAPSTICK
WHITE LACE AND THE moon and stars surround me, and the only thing on my mind is making love to my wife. With only a few flickering candles and moonlight, I take in all her beauty.
“What are you thinking?” she asks, running her hands through my hair, as we stand barefoot with sand-filled feet.
“I’m thinking about ripped jeans and coconut chapstick.” I cup her cheeks and stare at her. “You seriously took the breath from my lungs with how pretty you were the day we met.”
“You kinda took the breath from my lungs, too. You had on a tight T-shirt and shorts, and I remember thinking you looked like you should be on a billboard.”
“A billboard?” I ask her, lightly rubbing her cheeks.
“You lifted your shirt when you walked toward me, and I saw you had abs. You looked like an underwear model even at thirteen.”
“You were way too young to be picturing me as an underwear model, pretty girl.”
“I know, but I couldn’t help it. You were just so cute.”
“So, could I be one of those underwear boys on a billboard today?” I pull her into me for a kiss.
“Well, yeah, but I wouldn’t want all those crazy women gawking over my husband,” she says against my mouth as I press only hers against her lips.
“You don’t ever have to worry about your husband on a billboard.” I slip my tongue into her mouth, and we both moan.
Then with a quiet beach and no one in sight, I run the zipper down her pretty dress. White lace gathers around her cute feet, and as her fingers unbutton my white dress shirt, I unzip my pants. “Just like the first time all over again,” I remind her.
“Just like the first time, only this time I’m your wife.”
I close my eyes when she says that because I just can’t believe we finally made it to this dream.
“I love you, Jace,” she says as I open my eyes, tears streaming down her beautiful face.
“Why are you crying?”
“I’m just so happy that we found each other, that I went with my mom that day to the community center. I just can’t ever imagine not looking into your eyes.”
“I’m going to make love to my wife now,” I whisper, picking her up and laying her on the very blanket we first made love.
Slowly, I pull down her pale pink panties and soft whimpers leave her lips, as the boy she gave the other half of her heart to slides himself into his forever. I look down at her, and her soft smile and warm eyes reach my soul.
“I love you, Shay.” I cradle her face, and she holds me close as our hips meet each other with gentle thrusts. My hair tickles her face as the salty breeze blows over our joined bodies. With every first time moment washing over my mind as I make sweet love to my girl, I find a rhythm so damn good Shay moans my name over and over. With love flowing between us, I lift my face from her neck. “I’m about to crash so hard into you, baby… Give me your lips.”
She lifts her head to meet my mouth, and as soon as our lips touch, I do what I’ve always done. I slow down and love her nice and slow. A cry escapes her lips as she tightens around me, and I know my girl is about to come undone in my arms.
“Do you feel how much I love you?” I ask her as she smiles up at me.
“I always feel how much you love me,” she replies.
“I know you do. I always want you to know how I…” I trail off, breathless, and can’t speak as I come hard, then collapse on top of her.
“Oh, I just felt how much you feel,” she says, giggling.
“I know, right?” I say, taking my face off her neck. “If this is our happily ever after moment, it would be the best ever. Damn, that was amazing.”
“It was. Like the best of the best, but you have so much more to give me.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot,” I say, winking. “First comes love, then comes marriage…”
FOUR MONTHS AFTER OUR CALENDER-WORTHY WEDDING
“DO YOU KNOW HOW hard it was to find this teeny tiny heart, Jules?” I ask her as she grabs the metal heart in my hand and stares at it. “I wonder if your Mini is that small?”
“I know, right? Probably bigger than that.”
“I have no clue,” she says, shaking her head.
“What?”
“I’m just too young to be called Auntie.”
“Aw, Jules. Are you going to get choked up?”
“Yes, I am. Just the thought that Beau and I are going to be called Auntie Jules and Uncle Beau freaks me out. It’s like we’re connected.”
I spread a tiny teaspoonful of peanut butter and jelly onto the bread. I don’t even try to make it pretty, or I know it will tear it, so I just gently place the top of the heart over the bottom.
“I think you want to be connected to him,” I say, placing my homemade heart-shaped love in the middle of the pink heart glass plate Jules got us as a wedding gift. It’s so pretty and perfectly pink. I always serve Jace’s favorite on there when I make them fo
r him.
“Never!” she says dramatically, making me laugh.
“Well, you don’t have to worry. I think Beau found the one.”
With peanut butter lodged in her throat, she starts gagging. “Oh my God, Shay, I’m choking!”
I hurry and pour her some water and hand it to her. “Why the sudden gag?” I ask, admiring Jace’s sweet Valentine’s Day surprise.
“It just went down wrong, that’s all.” I roll my eyes. “Okay,” she huffs. “Just tell me it’s not Mila Reynolds. I seriously will have to pass on Sunday dinners with the Starks.”
“I’m just kidding. I have no idea if he’s dating anyone,” I say, licking my fingers.
“Why did you do that to me, Starkie?”
“Why do you care?”
“I don’t.”
“Yes, you do, Jules.”
“Whatever. Where’s your sexy husband?”
“I’m not sure. He took off on his bike and said he would be back in a little bit.”
“He never leaves you.”
“Yes, he does.”
“Shay, he’s totally alpha. Don’t you remember during school when I told you he was going to be an alpha like the book boys?” Just as she says that, Jace walks through the door, all black leather jacket and messy black hair. He is so…super sexy…my husband. God, I love saying that. Jules looks at him, then back at me with a little fish pout face that says I told you so.
“Why is the door unlocked, baby?”
“Whoops, I forgot to lock it after Jules came in.”
He throws his hair back and smiles at Jules as he strides over and kisses me on the mouth. “Always lock the door when I’m not home, okay? You know I want you locked in tight when I’m not with you.”
“No one is going to steal us, protective boy,” I tease. He starts laughing and slides his eyes to Jules playfully.
“I don’t care if they steal you, Jules, but I don’t want anyone stealing my girl.”
Jules clears her throat. “See, totally like I told you back then, Shay.”
“Told her what?” Jace asks, pressing his lips to mine again. He sucks my bottom lip into his mouth. “You taste like my favorite.”
“Oh, nothing,” Jules says, laughing. “Bye, Jace. I hope you have a calendar-worthy Valentine’s Day.”
“I will. I’m with my wife,” he says over his shoulder as Jules walks out the door.
“God, I love saying that.”
“I know. Me, too.”
“Where were you?”
“Oh, you know, shopping for my Valentine.” He takes off his jacket and sets it on the table. Tight white T-shirt and the sexiest arms I’ve ever seen wrap around me.
“I don’t see any bags or no—”
He picks me up, and I straddle him. “Or what, pouty girl?”
“I don’t see a homemade Valentine’s card.”
“You just haven’t seen it yet,” he whispers, placing a kiss on my neck.
“I have something special for you for Valentine’s Day,” I say, smiling into his eyes.
“You do?”
“Yeah, I have a teeny tiny surprise.”
BABY, SAY IT…
“TEENY TINY SURPRISE?” I set her onto the counter next to heart-shaped love on her favorite wedding present Jules gave us. I stand between her legs that are dangling and can’t resist looking down at her pretty pink toes.
“Jace,” she says softly. I look up, and she tilts her head to look down at her favorite part of my body.
“Do I need to go on a diet?” I ask her with a twist of my lip.
“Why do you ask that, sexy boy?” I smile and slowly lift my T-shirt over my head. She giggles and runs her hands up my arms she loves, over my shoulders, down my chest, and slowly down my abs to the waist of my jeans. “You don’t need to diet, silly.”
“Then why is my peanut butter and jelly cut into such a small heart?”
“I just thought you’d want a mini sandwich.”
“A mini? I could eat like ten of these.” I laugh, pulling her into me. She drops her head, and I rain little kisses on her soft neck.
“Pick up your sandwich, so you can read your card.”
“Okay, baby.” I pick it up and put the whole thing into my mouth and kiss her full of peanut butter.
She kisses me and whispers against my mouth, “Look at your heart on the plate.” I wipe my mouth and smile at her, then I look down at the plate with a cut-out pink heart with the words in big, bold, black letters, Happy Valentine’s Day, Daddy.
Swallowing slowly, I pick it up and stare at it.
“Say something, please.”
I hold the heart in my hand, stunned.
“Are we…are you…Shay?” I whisper. Her eyes fill with tears, and I hold her face in my hands. “Baby, say it.”
“I’m pregnant, Jace.”
I let out a shaky breath, and I can’t help but cry. She pulls me by the neck to her face, and we kiss and kiss and kiss. Between each touch of our lips, I ask her again to tell me she’s having our baby.
“Tell me again, pretty girl.”
“I’m pregnant,” she whispers again and again, and I think my heart could literally burst out of my chest. I pick her up, take her to the bedroom, and lay her on the bed.
“I need you right now, Shay.”
She takes off her little bootie shorts and tank top while I get out of my boots and jeans quickly. Gently, I find my happy place, and while Shay runs her fingers through my hair, I lay my head on her stomach.
“I can’t believe we did it. Months ago, I was locked away from you, and now we’re married and starting our family.”
“Don’t say—”
“It’s the truth. Look at our love and what we’ve gone through, how far we’ve come,” I tell her. She runs her fingers over my scar and then through my hair. I wrap my arms around her, press my face on her stomach, and kiss the place where our baby grows.
“We’re going to be parents, Jace.”
“Yeah, baby, the best parents ever.” I lift my head off her stomach and smile. “I can’t wait to hold our baby.”
ELEVEN MONTHS INTO OUR PERFECTLY
PERFECT FAIRY-TALE LOVE
“ARE THESE HEELS TOO high?” I ask Jace as he looks down at my feet.
“Are they comfortable?”
“They feel a little tight.”
“Don’t wear them if they make your pretty little feet hurt.”
“They go with my dress.” I let out a frustrated sigh.
“So what? Put your Converse on,” he says, buttoning up his dress shirt.
“I can’t wear my Converse with a designer dress.”
“Yeah, you can. You’ll look so cute.” He smiles as I roll my eyes.
“My feet feel swollen.”
He looks back down at my scrunched-up toes and says, “They look fine to me.”
“I just don’t know,” I huff loudly, playing with my hair. Jace walks over to me, dressed like a GQ model with messy wet hair, and pulls me close. Well, as close as he can. I’m as big as a house.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. I’m just flustered,” I mope.
“I’m flustered, too,” he says with a sexy grin.
“Why are you flustered?”
“I have to leave the house and share you, and I don’t like sharing you. In fact, I hate sharing you,” he replies. A giggle escapes, and then I sigh.
“Too high?” I bring him back to my original question, gripping his shoulder while lifting one very expensive stiletto.
“No, you’re closer to my mouth.”
“You’re silly.” I kiss his lips. “You’re right. I am closer to your luscious mouth.”
“See,” he says, placing all that sweetness to my lips.
“I’m sweaty.”
“No, you’re not. You’re glowing.”
“I’m tired. I don’t want to go to the premiere.”
“We won’t stay long, but we kind of wrote
half of the soundtrack, and I kind of need to pay our bills. We’ll go and make an appearance. Everyone will understand, and then we’ll come straight home and spoon all night long.”
“Okay. I’m sorry. I’m just being sassy.”
“No, you aren’t. You’re just ready to bring our babies into our world.”
“Yeah, it feels like I’m going to pop.”
“Maybe you will tonight,” he says, raising his eyebrows playfully.
“God, I hope not. My luck it will happen on the red carpet.”
“You are so pretty, Shay.”
“Jace, I’m serious.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
Jace is right. We wrote half of the movie’s soundtrack. As soon as we were married, Mr. Standsen started sending us scenes that they wanted songs built around, and it didn’t take us long to find a groove with our creativity. We’ve had so much fun writing together, and it’s perfect for us. Working together has us rooted to each other just the way Jace likes it.
Jace has really gone from my sweet boy to my sexy man who takes care of everything, making sure I’m doing what I’ve always wanted to do—take care of him, and I do with all my heart.
He takes care of the business end of things with the help of Landon who’s finishing his degree in business. I guess you could call Landon our manger, but Jace and I do everything through Stark Records, so we are always in control of what we do and when we will do it. Jace doesn’t like me doing much because of my pregnancy. He has only gotten more protective over the months. Instead, I write at home at the condo or on the beach, and really only go into the studio when I’m recording or scheduling any guitar lessons I have during that time.
MY SEXY HUSBAND HELPS me gently get out of the limo, and we start our walk down the red carpet. Ignoring the red carpet chaos, my boy entwines our fingers, only focusing on me. I gaze out into the crowd of people and smile. I guess you could say I’m the more social one at these events. Jace is all business. Seriously, my boy is a total alpha, and I wouldn’t change how he is ever. We see Hunter, and he heads toward us.
Questionable Love (A Love Beyond Labels #2) Page 49