“That would be so helpful, thank you,” I gushed. “But I’d also like to ask you if you would be willing to testify in person on our court date.”
I held my breath as Penny’s face scrunched in indecision and nervousness. “You want me to testify against Shawn?” She began shaking her head. “I don’t know if I can do that. He might come after me if I do.”
The poor woman was scared of him, as I’d been afraid of. “Trust me, I don’t blame you for being scared.”
I glanced at Harley, who looked at me, concerned. “Do you think the notarized statement would be enough from Penny?”
“Maybe.” He looked at Penny. “What if the judge calls you during the trial to question you? I’ve heard of judges doing that for witnesses who couldn’t be there in person.”
“How would I remain a confidential witness?” Penny asked. “Wouldn’t Shawn’s attorney find out I’m a witness?”
“Probably so,” I sighed.
“What if you’re subpoenaed and forced to show up? You would have to swear to tell the truth,” Harley told her. “Surely, Shawn can’t blame you then? And you would only say what you do on the job, you know, what you see. Just answer the questions presented to you?”
Penny shook her head. “I need to think about this. I don’t trust Shawn. He could ruin me. He knows everyone in the city.” She looked like she might cry. “I’ll be graduating, and he could prevent me from finding a job.”
“I know,” I agreed. I knew what Shawn was capable of. “Okay, let’s just get your statement notarized for now and go from there. Let us talk to our attorney. Would it be okay if he calls you? His name is Cooper Stone. Maybe he can figure this out for us?”
“Okay, I’ll talk to him. And we can get my statement notarized. But, please, don’t count on me testifying in court,” Penny whispered with fear in her eyes.
“Penny, the last thing that I want is for anything to happen to you. You’ve been very good to Chloe. We have Mike’s testimony, so hopefully that’ll be enough in court,” I said, sympathetic to her situation.
“By the way, do you know anyone else who might have witnessed Shawn’s behavior that we can talk to? Anything would help,” Harley asked Penny.
“Margo, the housekeeper. She sees everything, but she’s probably too afraid to lose her job. I know she needs it,” Penny said, shaking her head. “I can’t think of anyone else who’s around enough.”
“Okay, well, if you do think of anything, call me. I’ll leave you my number,” I told her.
“Sure. When do you want to meet at the notary?” Penny asked.
“Would sometime tomorrow be okay?” I asked her. “We’re flying back to Colorado on Saturday morning.”
“Sure, will you meet me at the notary at my school? That would be easy for me. I have study group at ten, so let’s say, nine?” Penny suggested.
“That’s perfect,” Harley answered.
Penny gave us the address for the notary near the university, and we told her we’d see her at nine. “Thank you so much, Penny,” I thanked her again. “You have no idea how much I appreciate this.”
“I have to do it for Chloe. That child deserves to be with a loving parent, not with a crappy father like Shawn.” She sighed. “I wish that I could do more, but you know...”
I did know. That was the problem. And I could never live with myself if something happened to Penny because of this.
We thanked her and her mother for their hospitality. Harley and I decided to go to dinner when we got back to the bed and breakfast. The woman who owned the place suggested a restaurant that was walking distance, which turned out to be a cozy café by the lake that had outdoor, candle-lit seating.
We ordered freshly caught fish entrées and enjoyed a few beers during the warm nighttime breeze coming off the lake. After dinner, we walked hand in hand, leisurely back to our room.
Even though I was stressed out, spending time with Harley relaxed me. He held on to my hand tightly as we strolled by the lake, which was so romantic. So right. I felt lucky to be marrying such a great guy, and I had a feeling everything would work out the way it was supposed to.
“I think we have enough with just a notarized statement from Penny,” Harley commented after a long silence.
“Yeah, Mike’s testimony will be pretty convincing, especially with his medical reports and the photos of his injuries. He was really messed up, and he’s been waiting for payback. I’m glad he’s getting his chance.”
Harley nodded. “Maybe Penny will have a change of heart about testifying. She seems to really care about Chloe’s wellbeing. Give her some time to think about it. The hearing probably won’t be for a couple weeks anyway.”
“Maybe,” I mused. “Even if the judge doesn’t approve of me moving to Colorado, Shawn won’t win full custody. So that alone makes me feel a little bit better,” I commented. “But I think we have a good chance of taking this the whole way,” I added, feeling optimistic.
“Me, too,” Harley smiled. “Me too.” He reached over and kissed me.
Back in our room, we had another beer, and I called Kellan’s phone to say good night to Chloe.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Kellan,” I greeted. “How’s it going?”
“We had a great day today,” he said but didn’t elaborate because he was laughing. Chloe was in the background making all sorts of racket. “Chloe is freaking out because she knows it’s you.”
I laughed and said, “Well, put her on!”
“Mommy!” she screeched, causing me to jerk my ear away from the phone. Harley chuckled as he chugged his beer.
Chloe spewed rapid-fire sentences, telling me all about her day with Uncle Kellan and her two new friends and the pretty dog and the cool playhouse. I could barely keep up, and I certainly couldn’t get a word in. After a few minutes, she wound down and I was able to tell her good night and that I loved her.
“Love you too, Mommy, and tell Harley I love him,” she announced.
“I certainly will,” I told her, though he’d heard her and had put his hand over his heart. “He loves you too.”
Kellan took the phone from her, laughing. “And she’s gone. Getting her to bed is going to be fun.”
“You offered,” I reminded him. We chatted for several more minutes. He wanted details about our day, which I told him. His positivity was contagious, and I was grateful for him. I told him good night as well and promised we’d see him on Saturday.
Feeling better after the call, I relaxed against Harley’s chest on the bed, allowing myself to feel the closeness of his body against mine. He flipped to the news, and we watched for a bit before I decided to go to the restroom to put on my nightclothes.
“I’m going to go change,” I told Harley, getting up.
He nodded and pushed his fingers through his already ruffled hair. His eyes were on the TV, which was emitting the nightly news. I stopped at the restroom door to glance at him. He was lounging on the bed, the pillows propping him up. He’d unbuttoned his dress shirt, exposing his well-built chest. A wave of desire rose inside me at the sight of his sun-kissed body.
I couldn’t get enough of his half-naked, toned body. My eyes wandered to his faded jeans that seemed to cling perfectly to the length of his legs, outlining the powerful muscles of his thighs and calves. I tore myself away from the godly sight and went into the bathroom to change and get ready for bed. I’d only brought shorts and a tank top to sleep in, but I wished I’d brought something sexier.
I came out of the bathroom and found Harley standing by his travel bag. He had pulled out a pair of shorts. I walked up to him from behind and put my arms around his thick torso. The scent of his body, warm and musky, and so male, was powerfully arousing. I inhaled deeply, breathing him in like an aphrodisiac. My hands explored the powerful muscles of his torso and shoulders. I kissed his back softly, and he trembled at my touch. A deep-rooted, aching physical reaction at the feel of his chiseled abs caused me to slide my hands agai
nst his taut flesh to find the waistband of his jeans. I unfastened them.
Beneath the thin cotton of my tank top, my nipples hardened against his back. They ached for Harley’s touch. I pressed my body close to his back so that my swollen breasts pushed against his hard body.
“Emily…” Harley moaned as I massaged his chest, my arms wrapped tightly around him. “I want you so damn bad.”
“Then take me,” I whispered in his ear.
Harley abruptly turned and drew me toward him, his hands stroking the tops of my shoulders. He moved his hand up to slide into my hair, tilting my head so he could kiss me. His mouth moved against mine in an explorative, open kiss. My heart leaped in heady response to the tension between us, and my body rejoiced in the sheer pleasure of having his lips pressed to mine.
Harley’s hands shaped the back of my head, then slid slowly down my back to my waist until they cupped my ass and pulled me against his stiff manhood. I felt the rapid thud of his heart against my chest, and my stomach clenched at the sensation of my breasts pushing against his rock-hard pecs. I ached for more intimate contact.
His kiss moved from my mouth to my throat to my ear. With his mouth against my ear, he groaned, sending fierce shivers of pleasure over my skin. His hands moved to my tank top and slowly slid it over my head, exposing my plump breasts.
Harley’s big hand moved to the roundness of my tits. His mouth wandered from my ear to my collarbone to my breasts. I sighed with pleasure as his mouth sucked eagerly on my erect nipple.
I clung to him. There was no one in the whole world but him, nothing in the universe but the intimacy we were sharing. My hands caressed the flat plane of his belly, and Harley moaned.
He slid down my shorts and panties, and I willingly stepped out of them. His hand found the soft spot between my legs, and my body opened to him. I was so aroused as his fingers pushed into my pussy. I closed my eyes, mindless with delight as he finger-fucked me.
My hands dropped to Harley’s jeans and pulled them down his legs. He moved back to step out of them before he picked me up and carried me to the bed. He laid me on the silky sheets and climbed on top of me.
The pressure of his lips on mine hardened, quickening my pulse. His tongue plunged fiercely into the sweetness of my mouth as he ground his naked body over mine. The movements of his body relentlessly drove me to a pitch of such intense desire that I cried out in tormented frustration as I waited for the first thrust of his hard cock.
Finally, Harley aligned his member with my center, and he thrust into me with such primal need that he cried out as well. He thrust his thick dick into my pussy over and over and abandoned himself to me, taking us both to paradise.
I marveled yet again at how we seemed to be made for one another. Everything about being with Harley felt right and natural. Even our bodies seemed to be made for one another’s pleasure. I moved my body to meet his thrusts and allowed the sensation in my center to build. I came hard as Harley made love to me.
He waited until my body relaxed, and then with one final push, I felt his muscles tense. His body quaked and then relaxed. Breathing hard, he kissed my lips.
He slipped out of me and gathered me against him until we slept peacefully in each other’s arms.
Harley
I needed to tell my family about Emily’s and my plans to get married. We got back into Blue Haven early on Saturday morning. The Justice of the Peace was open until six in a nearby town, so we would have to move fast or wait until our next visit.
I decided the fastest way to do it was to call an emergency family meeting. Brad agreed to hold it at eleven o’clock. Emily, Kellan, Chloe, and I walked into the meeting, and everyone was mingling around the lounge. When we entered, Brad turned and loudly cleared his throat.
“Everyone, Harley has something he wants to talk to us about.” All eyes turned to me, looking at me expectantly.
“Thanks for coming on such short notice,” I started.
Why was I so nervous? This was my family. I took a deep breath and just blurted it out. “Emily and I are getting married. Today.”
Silence for what felt like an eternity as everyone stared at either me or Emily.
“What?” Brad asked. “Did you say married? And today?”
Emily and I nodded. “It’s a long story, and I promise to fill you all in, but now isn’t the time. We’ve decided that it’s best for us to get married. We’re planning to go to the Justice of the Peace this afternoon if anyone wants to join us.”
More silence.
“Anyone?” I asked.
“Harley, have you gone mad?” Cole asked. Then he looked at Emily. “I don’t mean any offense toward you. It’s just that this is so not like Harley.”
“No, I haven’t gone mad, Cole. I really care for Emily and Chloe, and I want us to be a family. But we have to do it quickly. I said that I’ll explain better later, and I will.”
Brad opened his mouth to say something, but Dax cut him off. “I think it’s a great idea.” Brad and Cole looked at him like he was insane.
I looked to my mom, who was gazing at me thoughtfully. Her blue eyes moved to Emily and back to me. “I have noticed a big difference in Harley since he went to that business conference in Las Vegas. He’s happy. And I know it’s because of Emily.” She smiled brightly “Let’s have a wedding, shall we?” Mom turned to Brad.
“Um. Okay. If that’s what Harley and Emily want, who am I to stop them?”
My mom nodded. “And we don’t have an event today. So we can have the wedding here, at the resort.” She turned to Oakley. “Start planning.
Oakley grinned from ear to ear. “I’d love to.” She clapped her hands together in excitement.
I opened my mouth to protest, but once my family got an idea in their heads, there was no stopping them.
Oakley was already barking out orders. “Brad, call the minister and see if he can come on short notice.”
“Got it,” Brad answered.
“Lindsay and Angela, can you help get the girls dressed in flower girl dresses? All three of them,” she said, glancing at Chloe. “And Dax, get your son in a tuxedo. He can be the ring bearer.” They all nodded.
“Come with us girls,” Lindsay and Angela called. Emily nodded for Chloe to go with them.
My mom grabbed Emily’s hand. “I have something for you up at the house. You come with me, dear,” she said. “Get in your tux, Harley, and meet us at the ski lodge in two hours.”
“Okay,” I said, looking at Emily. She smiled and nodded. If she was okay with it, I was too.
“Reid and Bryce, can you start decorating the lodge?” Oakley asked the twins. They nodded. “Okay, I’ll meet you up there. I need to talk to Michael about dinner and a cake. Then I’m going to gather some wildflowers from the meadow on my way up.”
“Okay,” the twins agreed on their way out the door.
And just like that, another Hunter was getting married.
* * *
In exactly two hours, I was standing at a makeshift altar under a white arch of wildflowers. Dax was my best man. The music started, and three small flower girls wearing flowing dresses walked down the aisle, each beautiful in her own way. Each had a basket of wildflower petals, which they tossed into the aisle.
Lindsay and Angela, the bridesmaids, were next. They helped Dax Jr. walk down the aisle between them. He was carrying a pillow with a shiny ring on it.
Then, I saw her—my bride. I gasped.
Emily was so beautiful, wearing my mother’s wedding dress from when she had married my dad. Kellan walked Emily down the aisle, having borrowed one of Dax’s suits. They looked magnificent, walking arm and arm.
Emily stood before me, and Oakley stepped out to hand us each a small slip of paper which contained our vows. We recited them, and the minister told me to give Emily the ring. I was shocked that it was also one of my mom’s old rings. Perfect, I thought.
“Now, you may kiss the bride.”
When I heard
those words, my heart melted, and a tear fell down Emily’s cheek. I bent to kiss her sweet lips.
We were married.
Husband and wife.
It all was so perfect.
And with Oakley working her magic and getting a license from the Justice of the Peace just an hour before, it was legal.
* * *
Later that night, after the celebration dinner and reception had ended, I took Emily up to my cabin for some alone time. Kellan had taken Chloe back to their cabin to put her to bed.
“Finally, we’re alone,” I kissed Emily warmly. “Are you okay?”
“I’m more than okay. Your family made the day so special. I’m so, so happy,” she replied, smiling.
“Good,” I grinned. “Because I have a wedding gift for you.”
“No, Harley. I didn’t get you anything. That’s not fair,” she replied, pouting beautifully.
“No big deal. I had Dax do it for me while we were away.”
“Do what?” Emily asked, curious now. I handed her a long white envelope. “Oh, no.”
“No, this is a good envelope. I promise.” I chuckled. “Go ahead, open it.”
“Okay, I’ll have to take your word for it,” she joked and pulled the papers from the envelope.
I watched her face as she read the document in her hands. When Emily realized what she was looking at, her face lit up like an angel.
“Is this a business license?” she asked me.
“Yes, in both our names. You just need to sign it as Mrs. Emily Hunter.”
Emily grinned as tears welled in her eyes. I handed her a pen, and she signed her new married name for the first time.
“Now you’re a proud owner of a spa, Mrs. Hunter,” I said, grinning wide.
Emily threw her arms around my neck, and I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom for our makeshift honeymoon.
Take a Mountain Man Home for Christmas: A Mountain Man Romance Christmas Collection Page 77