He ran up the stairs, two at a time, and immediately noticed another hub of activity. Models in bridal gowns seemed to be everywhere with veils flowing and trains trailing and a scent of flowers strong from all the bouquets. He caught sight of Brenna on her knees, needle and thread in hand, doing something to one of the model’s trains. Her peach-colored pantsuit brought out the creaminess of her skin, the expressiveness of her eyes, the glossiness of her blond hair that she’d wound up in a tight mound at the back of her head. A few tendrils danced around her face and he wanted to twirl them in his fingers and take down her hair. As he studied her, his fantasies began to play because he knew about the peach undergarments she wore beneath that pantsuit. He’d told her he’d drop Derek off at his sister’s and then he’d try to catch the show.
So here he was, and here she was, and when their gazes met all he wanted to do was grin. She held up her hand to him as if to say, Just a minute. Then she trimmed a thread, told the model she was good to go and rose to her feet.
When she approached him, her cheeks were flushed and she looked a bit harried. “We’re about ready to start. The makeup consultant is finishing a few of the girls in the back.”
“Can I steal you for a minute? I promise, only a minute.”
She glanced around and seemed to be satisfied with what she saw. She motioned for him to follow her and they stepped behind one of the huge placards announcing the extravaganza. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine. Derek’s with Shannon and Jakie’s treating him like he’s a crown prince.”
She laughed. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
He got to the point. “I got a phone call this morning from the doctor’s office. The DNA results came in. You already know what the probability of me being Derek’s dad is.”
“Yes, I do,” she said somberly.
“I’m sorry I pushed for the test.”
Her eyes widened. “You wanted to be sure.”
“I should have been sure without the test. I just wanted you to know that.”
Her expression became so beautiful he wanted to carry her away. “Thank you for saying it.”
He took a step closer to her, couldn’t help but taking her chin in his palm and kissing her.
Suddenly there was a loud clearing of the throat.
Riley ended the kiss and stepped back. When he peered around the sign he saw Angus McDougall, who didn’t look any too happy. “So this has been going on the whole time you two have been under the same roof?”
“Daddy,” Brenna started, “this isn’t the place to talk about—”
“No, I agree. It isn’t. Maurice says he needs you in the back.”
Brenna looked from Riley to her father, obviously not wanting to leave them alone together.
But Riley just said, “It’s okay. Go on. I’ll be downstairs watching with everyone else in a few minutes.”
After a last worried look at the two of them, Brenna went to find Maurice.
Riley said, “I’d better get downstairs. I don’t want to miss any of this.”
But Angus wasn’t going to let him walk away that easily. “What are you planning to do after Brenna leaves?”
“Do about what?” Riley asked.
“I assume you’ll want to spend time with your son.”
“Yes, I will.”
“You realize a child needs his mother.”
“A child needs both of his parents.”
“Brenna intends to stay in New York.”
“I know that. But there are cross-country flights and I intend to make use of them.”
“You and Brenna are in agreement about how you’re going to handle this?” Angus’s question was as clipped as the rest of the conversation.
Riley wasn’t about to tell Brenna’s dad that they didn’t have an agreement about anything yet, so he simply said, “We’ll do what’s best for Derek.”
Angus studied him as if analyzing the truth of the words. “I hope so. My wife called your father yesterday. We’ll be attending the party at the Shamrock tomorrow evening.”
Riley felt relieved. “Good. I’m glad you and your wife can make it. That’s important to Brenna.”
“Yes, I know. And we would do anything for Brenna.” Riley realized if he stood here with Angus McDougall much longer they just might get into an argument. He said again, “I’d better get downstairs.”
This time Angus didn’t argue with him.
* * *
Brenna knew she was smiling wider than she ever had. She felt like singing. She felt like shouting from Moonshadow Mountain that Riley trusted her. She’d seen it in his eyes. She really had. She hadn’t rushed to Maurice right away. Instead she’d watched her father and Riley while they were talking. They hadn’t been smiling. But they hadn’t looked as if they were at each other’s throats, either. Just maybe...
Just maybe what? She and Riley would end up together? When he didn’t believe in marriage? Did getting married really matter? To her it did. She realized that as she watched the models in their wedding gowns one by one, descend the stairs. Today she understood that vows for a lifetime meant so much more than having sex, having an affair, living together.
Was she as traditional as her parents? Maybe she was. After all, how could she design bridal gowns without believing in what they symbolized?
As the last model made her way down the grand staircase, Brenna followed, ready to talk to her father’s customers, to explain the design process, to speak about what that special day would mean. Simply put, this whole bridal extravaganza was about starting a life together, having friends and family contribute to a couple’s wish list. That wish list wasn’t just about things. It was about having a life together and believing in tomorrow.
Midway down the stairs she spotted Riley, who was gazing up at her. She’d returned to Miners Bluff hoping Riley would want to be a dad, hoping somehow they could parent together. But now she wanted so much more.
When she reached the first floor, Riley crossed to her and then gestured to all of the models who were circulating and the customers buzzing around them. “You’ve created a real event for your dad.”
“Maybe more than he bargained for,” she admitted with a smile.
“You mean when he asked you to help he didn’t realize you were a force to be reckoned with?”
“Something like that.”
A woman near the jewelry counter waved to Brenna and Brenna held up a finger to tell her she’d just be a minute. She wanted to stand here with Riley, hear everything he had to say and just be with him. But doggone it, she still didn’t want to let her father down. She wanted this day to be a huge success.
“I know you have to go,” he said, understanding. “But when I dropped Derek off at Shannon’s, I asked her if she’d mind watching him through this evening, too. What time do you think you’ll be done here?”
“The store closes at 6:00. I should be home by 7:00, 7:30.” Home. She was beginning to think of his place that way.
“How about if I pick up something for dinner and we eat out on the patio? It’s going to be a beautiful night. I thought we’d have some...alone time that way.”
She could see in his eyes exactly what that alone time would consist of, and she liked the idea. She liked it a whole lot. “That sounds great. Do you want me to call you when I’m on the way?”
“That would be good. I’m going to be at Clay’s this afternoon going over schedules and gear, seeing who’s going to take what tours next week. If you need me, just call my cell.”
He reached out, took her hand and gave it a squeeze. She squeezed his back. She would call if she needed him. She’d started to depend on him. That meant she trusted him, too. Tonight maybe they’d talk about where they went from here.
*
* *
Four hours later Riley dumped the ribs into the slow cooker as his father had suggested, adding extra sauce. After he took his shower, he’d slide the pan of potatoes au gratin into the oven. He’d already divided the Caesar salad from the Shamrock into two dishes and covered them with plastic wrap. He’d wrapped the cornbread muffins with aluminum foil and he’d pop them in the oven as soon as Brenna called. All of the glitter at the bridal sale had sparked another idea, too, and he’d even stopped at one of the touristy gift shops to buy candles. He’d have time to ready the patio after his shower.
Suddenly there was a loud knock on his door. He was puzzled as to who his visitor might be until the door opened and Patrick walked in.
“Hey, Bro,” Patrick said.
“Patrick. What are you doing here?”
“You don’t want to see me?”
“Sure, I do. But you said you wouldn’t come over as long as Brenna was here.”
“She’s not here,” Patrick responded with a grin. “I stopped at Shannon’s. She said Brenna would be tied up at her daddy’s store all day.”
“So you met Derek?” Riley asked, trying to keep the conversation casual and away from a hot topic.
“Fine son you’ve got there. Are you sure yet that he’s yours?”
When Patrick learned his wife had been unfaithful, he’d been hurt so deeply he couldn’t seem to recover. What had happened still clouded his judgment. “We got the DNA results back. I’m definitely Derek’s father.”
“Then what are you going to do about it?”
Riley could tell from Patrick’s tone that his brother was ready for an argument. He wasn’t. He’d learned a lot of things in the marines, and how to diffuse a potential blowup was one of them. “Would you like a beer?”
“Sure. I’ve got time.”
“You’re not seeing the kids this weekend?” Timmy was four and Brad was six, and Patrick saw them as much as his ex-wife would let him.
“Nope. Next weekend is my weekend. And that’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
Uh-oh. Riley had stepped into that one. He went to the refrigerator and took out two beers. After he popped the caps, he handed one to his brother. “So this isn’t just a visit? You had a reason for stopping by?”
“This was a rare chance I had to talk to you without Brenna being around.” He took a card from his pocket and laid it on the counter. “That’s the name of a lawyer who handles custody agreements. He’s good. I used him.”
Riley shook his head. “Brenna and I are going to work this out.”
“Oh, really? After she’s back in New York, how easy will it be to reach her? You need to settle this before she leaves. You need your rights in writing.”
Did he? Or could he trust that Brenna would do the right thing and let him see Derek as often as they both thought was necessary? He remembered what Angus had said about a child needing its mother. He remembered when his mother had left and the gaping hole in his life. He wasn’t sure that having rights on paper would do anything more than divide him and Brenna.
Yet knowing Patrick was like a dog with a bone when he got something into his head, Riley said, “I’ll think about it.”
As if Patrick guessed that was all he was going to get for now, he nodded, took a swig of his beer and then asked, “So who do you think is going to win the game tonight?”
* * *
Brenna walked in the door of Riley’s house and all was quiet. She laid her briefcase and purse on the sofa, then went to find him, excitement making her pulse race a little faster. He was on the patio and she stopped in her tracks when she saw him.
The cedar table had two place settings with napkins folded beside the silverware. A water glass and a wine glass sat at the tip of each knife. There was a bouquet of white daisies in the center of the table and a candle in a hurricane globe lit beside it. Flameless candles decorated a side table, and two were perched on the brick wall. Riley had laid kindling in the outdoor fireplace and she expected he’d light it as night moved in.
With one glance she could tell he’d gone to a lot of trouble.
“What’s all this?” She approached him slowly, not knowing exactly how to act. She’d spent time in his bed, on and off, since they’d made love last weekend. But this?
This was special.
“This,” he said with a slow smile, “is an official date. This...is just for us without any distractions.” He picked up a gift bag on one of the chairs. “I thought you might like to change into something comfortable.”
Really excited and unable to contain her joy, she pulled a multicolored satiny tunic from the bag. It had elbow-length bell sleeves and a deep V neckline. Riley had changed from his jeans and snap button shirt to a loose-fitting shirt and chinos. His feet were bare and he looked good enough to...undress. The way he was looking at her, he was thinking the same thing about her.
Her throat tightened as dreams about what they might have...might share...wisped around her like the fluffy white clouds in the sky. Giving him a smile that she hoped didn’t give away how vulnerable she was feeling, she managed to say, “I’ll get changed.”
“I’ll pour the wine.”
She didn’t need wine tonight to make her giddy. Just gazing into Riley’s eyes made that happen. In her bedroom she quickly pulled out the pins from her chignon and brushed out her hair. After freshening up, dabbing a bit of perfume here and there, she slipped into Riley’s gift. She’d seen the tunic at McDougalls and admired it. Riley seemed to know her taste.
When she emerged onto the patio ten minutes later, Riley gave a slow, loud whistle. She felt self conscious again, like a girl on her first date. She’d worn nothing underneath the garment and she knew he could tell.
“And I’m supposed to keep my mind on dinner?” he asked with the lift of a brow.
“That’s up to you, I guess.” She motioned to their plates. “It looks wonderful.”
“Dad’s ribs always are. Come on, let’s dig in. There’s strawberry shortcake for dessert.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“I certainly hope so.”
Picking up her glass, she sipped the wine. “It’s good.”
He clinked his glass against hers. “To a successful bridal extravaganza. I could tell McDougalls was selling everything like hotcakes, from perfume to pots and pans. I had to stand in line ten deep to get that.” He waved at her, but his eyes lingered on the V delving between her breasts, on the silky material sliding over her hips, on her legs, to her bare feet.
They clinked glasses, and miraculously didn’t talk about their families. They talked about everything else, from her new clients to the tours he had lined up, to plans for Riley to put a swing set in his backyard. Of course that brought to mind the idea that nothing was going to change, that she’d be going back to New York and he’d be staying here. But for tonight she just let the thought slide through her mind.
When Riley stood after they finished, so did she. He said, “Cuddle up in the lounge chair. I’ll light the fire and join you.”
What could she say to that? What could she do? Except settle on the chaise and wait for him.
She watched him use a long match to light the kindling. He poked the log on top until it settled into place and caught. Then he closed the screen, leaned the poker against the brick wall and came over to the chair, towering over her.
She slid over and he settled in beside her, wrapping his arm around her. “Are you getting chilly? I can get a cover.”
“I don’t need a cover with you here.”
Those words seemed to be all the incentive he needed. He kissed her until breath was a faraway need, until desire was all that mattered between them, until the thought of tomorrow was pushed far away. Kissing Riley made her happy and excited, and aroused. Touching
him did a whole lot more of the same.
He broke their kiss to nuzzle her neck and push the tunic high up her thigh. “You don’t have anything on under there,” he growled.
“Would you rather I put on more clothes?”
“I’d just have to take them off,” he decided, letting his hand wander up even farther. This time when he kissed her, his hunger was inescapable. His tongue did things that caused her fantasies to take flight. This night in itself was a fantasy with the fire going, the darkening sky up above with its half-moon, the twinkling stars that were only this numerous in Miners Bluff. The evergreens around the property, the sage along the wall wafted scents across the patio that made her fantasy real.
Riley made her fantasy real.
“I love it out here with you,” she murmured, not saying what she really wanted to say, I love you. She didn’t know if she was ready to say it out loud. She definitely didn’t know if he was ready to hear it—because if sex complicated their parenting, love would do the same. And if it was only one-sided—
Why was trusting so hard for her? Why was believing that she and Riley wanted the same life such a stretch? Because she was there and he was here. Because their son would have divided loyalties if this didn’t work out. Because loving had brought her pain to this point, not fulfillment. Tonight, escaping into Riley seemed to be the only way to prolong happiness. Tonight she could only tell him with her body what she wished she could say with her lips.
His hands grew as possessive as his mouth. Soon she was naked on the chaise, working on the buttons of his shirt, then unfastening his chinos. What they were doing almost seemed forbidden, reckless and impulsive. Yet it also seemed so right. In the confines of the lounge chair, with the scent of pine all around them, Brenna felt transported to that over-the-rainbow place where vows meant something and happily-ever-after was possible.
From somewhere Riley produced a condom and she felt a sudden splash of reality. But then he was gazing into her eyes, asking, “Are you ready?” and she was reaching out to him again. He scooped her leg over his hip and they were as close as two people could be as he slid inside her and held her tight. Their climaxes were a sudden burst of fireworks, lasting longer than any fireworks would. The tremor shook her for a long time, and she could feel Riley shuddering with her. She wanted this union to last forever, and tonight she had hopes that it could.
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