A Trick of Frost

by Riley, Drea;Blue, RaeLynn

  “So he’s angry, because his parents gave him the shaft.”

  “Yes.”

  “Don’t worry. You won’t lose everything.”

  She turned to face him, sloshing water around the tub. “How do you know I won’t lose it all?”

  “Well nothing’s changed since I was between those luscious thighs baby. The moment we stepped over that threshold you and I became man and wife. All we have to do is make it legal.”

  J.C pretended to wipe stray soap suds from her shoulders then let his fingers drift down to her breasts where he tweaked her budding nipples and tested their weight in his palms.

  “Jeth...”

  J.C. arched his eyebrow at her when he heard his given name begin to fall from her tongue.

  “J.C. we just met...”

  He cut her off again.

  “I know we just met and I know you don’t know a whole lot about me, but you’ve got to feel the connection between us. If you don’t believe in that, you can’t argue with what’s happened tonight. We’re destined, baby. Our names, the fact that I feel like I belong here in your life. These arms were built for you—no one else. Only you.”

  “That’s all very romantic, but I don’t even know if Jethro is your real name.”

  “All paperwork. If you push the paperwork aside, the stuff I can prove, what does your heart tell you?”

  “My heart?” she scoffed.

  “Yes, because that’s where the truth resides. In there.” He tapped the spot over her heart. “If I prove that I’m real, my name, my job, and intention to marry you, you still may not love me enough to marry me.”

  “Love you? I just met you!”

  He nodded. “Yes, but you’ve already let me taste your food, come to your house, and kiss you in places a strange man has no business...”

  “You ass!”

  “...because even though your logical mind knew that none of it made any sense, your heart did. Marrying me is right, and your heart knows that too.”

  She’d become so quiet, he thought he’d pushed too far.

  “Hey, look at me. This isn’t just about some pity pledge. If you want to give Rick the money, fine. That’s not what this is about. I know you’re the one for me. We can get married next week or tomorrow. We can get married in two years or we can live in sin ‘til our mothers hog tie us and drag us into my step-father’s court room with shotguns and force our I dos from our bandanna-gagged mouths.”

  “How can you know that? That I’m the one? It doesn’t make any logical sense.”

  He took both her hands in his and squeezed gently. “Jaycee, some people go their entire lives and never, ever feel what I’ve felt with you tonight. Not the sex, but back at O’Malley’s, when I asked you to share my table.”

  She met his eyes with shiny, unshed tears in those big round eyes of hers. What pinched his heart was the fear in them. Scared. He never wanted to see her look that way again.

  “You all but threatened my life and all I could think was, I want that. I want that spunk, that life, that energy around me. I know you felt it too. Don’t try to deny it. Don’t let Rick, your fear, and your logic get in our way. Because we’re great together and destined. Fated. Meant.”

  He climbed out of the tub, and toweled off. Afterward, so he wouldn’t drop water all over her, he folded it and threw it across the floor. He offered his hand to her, and in that gesture, offered his life, his heart, and his love. If only she’d stop fighting him, stop battling herself, and take it.

  “Come on, baby.”

  She took in a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. Then she took his hand, allowing him to steer her out of the tub. Using quick brushes, he toweled off her fantastic, warm and soft body. Again, he swept her up, cradling her close to him, like the precious person she’d come to mean to him.

  He lay her on the bed, and covered her nakedness with the thick blankets piled on the bed. Spooning against her warmth, J.C. held her, not wanting to let her go—ever.

  Kissing the back of her head, J.C. sighed.

  “Yes,” Jaycee sighed.

  “Yes?

  “Yes, I want what you want. I want to get married to you, so yes, I’ll marry you.”

  “Yes?

  “Yes.” She nodded. “I really do. I feel this...pull...this connection. I can’t explain it. But I feel just how you said earlier. Like it’s right. So, yes.”

  “Yes!” he said, raining kisses over her hair and face, before pulling her close and taking her lips with his.

  “What the hell are you doing?” she asked, on a giggle as he nuzzled her neck.

  J.C. just kept licking and kissing.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re tapping your finger on my inner thigh. What the hell do you have? Some sort of nervous tick?”

  “Naw, just clicking your mouse.”

  Chapter Seven

  Christmas Day

  The piano chords drifted up the spiral staircase. Ivory roses decorated the deep mahogany banister, circling upward to the bride. Jaycee trembled. She’d never been a bride before. When she’d married Rick they had gone down to the courthouse in their jeans and university sweaters on her lunch break.

  Now, she took in a deep breath. She stared at herself in the large mirror. Her new mother-in-law had wrangled her curls into a massive pile of perfect ringlets decorated with seed pearls and baby’s breath combs that also held her veil in place. At her ears and throat were large pearls that had belonged to her mother.

  “You look beautiful and happy. A perfect gift for my son,” her mother-in-law said.

  “I got a look at that boy of yours in his suit, and I have to say, he’s not a bad Christmas gift for my daughter,” countered her mother.

  The two distinguished-looking men that came up the stairs said something along the lines of maybe getting some grandsons to take fishing soon. Her father-in-law led the two mothers downstairs to be seated and signaled the pianist to start the wedding march.

  Jaycee caught her reflection as she stood up. “Here goes everything.”

  She scooped up her bouquet and took in a deep breath of courage. This marriage wouldn’t be like the last. J.C. loved her, and despite the unconventional approach to marrying her, she knew it. With Rick, there had always been doubt.

  Not today. Not about J.C. Not about her husband.

  She stood at the top of the stairs and stared down at the immaculately dressed guests gathered in the foyer of one of the cities most extravagant hotels. All gathered to help her and J.C. celebrate not only their nuptials, but the winter holidays. Though she and J.C. were going on an extended honeymoon, it wouldn’t be until after the New Year. So there was plenty of time to spend with their close family and friends.

  Taking another deep steadying breath, she glanced down at the snow white boots peeking from under her tea length dress and grinned. She kissed her father on the cheek and looped her arm through his. Together they made their way down the stairs to the strains of Ava Maria. They walked slowly by the guests and to the makeshift altar flanked by fat blue pine Christmas trees.

  J.C. stood beside his stepfather, the Honorable Walker James Turner. She couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on her face as she got closer. J.C. grinned too, and a feeling of complete joy seeped through her, turning her legs to jelly and causing her heart to glow.

  A hush fell over the room as the end of the march quieted. She met the judge’s very cheerful face and then glanced back at her father. Now, it would end. Rick didn’t have a hold on her or them any more. He actually never had a hold to begin with. There had been more to the “loop” hole than he’d actually read. He couldn’t contest the will unless he and his “trophy” wife had offspring, which hadn’t happened.

  Enough about Rick on this wedding day.

  This Christmas Day belonged to J.C. and Jaycee.

  “Thank you, friends, family, and fellow holiday lovers. Thank you for coming to joining of Jethro and Jaycee in holy matrimony.”


  Jaycee giggled at the frown marring J.C.’s face at the use of his name.

  “I’m very honored to preside over this ceremony. As you all know my son, Jethro Cornelius, is the love of both mine and my wife’s life. And that this beautiful, young lady is going to be a part of our family. Well, I can’t seem to stop puffing my chest out with pride.”

  The room laughed and Jaycee glanced about at each of the friendly faces in the audience.

  “Jaycee and Je…er…J.C.” the judge corrected himself at the sharp clearing of J.C.’s throat, “have a lot in common. Their unique names, good hearts and devout natures are not the least of these.”

  “Amen!” someone shouted out. Laughter swept through the group, and the judge beamed.

  When it had died down, he said, “Now, do you, Jethro Cornelius Frost, don’t look at me like that son, I have to use your whole name,” said Judge Turner.

  Jaycee wanted to giggle, but she knew her name was coming next.

  “...take Jaycee Thomasina Frost to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold...”

  “Thomasina! You’re a J.T. not a J.C.” J.C. whispered loudly.

  “Shut up and say I do!” His mother leaned forward and threatened.

  “Young man do as your mother says,” Jaycee’s mother seconded.

  Jaycee struggled not to laugh outright when J.C. answered with a “Yes ma’am.”

  Their mothers winked at them.

  “May I finish what I was saying?” the judge asked.

  “I wish you would,” her father muttered.

  The crowd again laughed.

  The judge closed his Bible and took a deep breath.

  “Do you take her to be your wife?”

  “Yes, sir, I do,” J.C. answered, a seriousness in his voice and face. This wasn’t a joke, his posture seemed to say. This, these words he took seriously.

  Too soon, the judge’s eyes were on her.

  “Do you take him—the knucklehead—to be your husband?”

  “Oh, yes sir! I do!”

  “Good. You are now J.C. and Jaycee Frost with out the e. Kiss so I can go spin my wife on the dance floor and plan how to spoil our grand babies.”

  “You’ll wait your turn to get your paws on my grandkids!” her father rebutted.

  Jaycee and J.C. laughed, but it was short-lived as their lips met.

  * * * *

  The drinking had waned, and so had the ridiculous amounts of baby pictures of both herself and J.C. that circled the small, but intimate group of friends and family. Jaycee sat back in her chair, relaxing into the hard-backed wood and soft pad. The damn thing hadn’t been crafted for its comfort but for appearances only. Not that she felt it. For the first time in a long time, relief washed over her. In the place of stress and worry, a bubbling joy rushed in and filled the vast emptiness she’d experienced before.

  “Mrs. Frost, you look antsy,” said her husband, leaning over to kiss her behind her ear. “Are you getting tired of this party? You want to, uh, go retire to our suite upstairs?”

  He wagged his eyebrows and she couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Yes, I wouldn’t mind that at all,” she quipped. “I have a very sexy surprise underneath all this dress material.”

  J.C.’s face broke into a wide grin and he adjusted his tie. “I’m ready to explore those options.”

  Jaycee couldn’t wait to get on with her life, her life with him. She looked around at the roaring partying going on around her. Ivory flowers decorated the tables and short, fat pine scented candles flickered in the heat blown air. Verdant green lined tablecloths covered the tables, and pieces of wedding cake, vanilla cake with deep green roping, had been cut into thick slices.

  Her parents could party for hours, from now into the end of next damn week, but she, well, all she wanted was to spend the rest of her Christmas Day with her husband. Not much day now, but evening. He grabbed her hand, held it and stood up, bringing her to her feet with him. Lifting his butter knife, he gently tapped the crystal champagne glasses.

  “Jaycee and I want to thank you for coming out on short notice. We’ve been blessed with you and I know I feel very grateful for your support.”

  Jaycee watched her mother’s face. The woman pursed her lips, and gave J.C. a knowing wink. “Uh-huh. I know what y’all wanna go do.”

  “Shush up momma,” Jaycee said, heat on her cheeks.

  “Now, you hush. I know what y’all trying to sneak off and do. Go on ahead.”

  J.C. beamed. “Jaycee and I are going to head on up to our suite. We’re going to get a head start on those grandkids.”

  Oh dear Lord! How was she going to live with her mother and her husband constantly airing their business? She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

  With that, J.C. led her out of the reception hall, past the families and friends who had made today special, memorable, and worth it. She kissed her mother’s cheek, hugged her father tight and when her husband tugged at her arm impatiently, she came to him.

  “Come on, baby,” he insisted, voice lined with lust. “You wanted to go.”

  She laughed.

  Once they had been showered with rice and flowers, she turned to him and said, “Oh, like you didn’t.”

  J.C. smiled. “I did. I want to see that new bridal lingerie.”

  She still held his hand. Her two carat, princess cut in platinum engagement ring slipping a bit on her ring finger.

  “Hey, J.C.!” yelled his stepfather. “You forgot the veil!”

  J.C. stopped, and then said to her. “Be back in a minute. Don’t go up without me. I’ll be right back.”

  A swift kiss and he was gone, jogging back the short distance to the reception to reclaim her veil.

  Maybe the smell reached her first, or perhaps his whining voice, but she whirled around before Rick the dick touched her.

  That greasy finger glided across her shoulder. She whirled with her fists closed over her bouquet.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded.

  “It’s true?” Rick’s beady eyes peered out from underneath a scowl. “Some dumb ass married you?”

  Before Jaycee could open her mouth, a furious J.C. said, “I’m not the one who divorced this awesome woman, so who’s the real dumbass, dumbass?”

  Rick flinched, and took a few steps back. He ran his hands into his pockets. Spineless bastard.

  “Oh really? She only married you to keep my parents’ money!” Rick leered. “You think she’s oh so innocent and good now. Damn, she’s got you fooled. When I had her sweet ass in my bed, she turned out to be a real...”

  Wham!

  Jaycee couldn’t believe it. J.C. had knocked the hell out of Rick. Her ex-husband slid a few feet from the impact.

  “Offend my wife again, and there’ll be a lot more than this,” J.C. threatened. “Come near my wife again, call her, email, fucking breathe on my wife, and I’ll have you arrested so fast...”

  “No, he isn’t worth it,” Jaycee said, wrapping her arms through J.C.’s, rigid with rage, arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  Rick, rubbing his chin, he got to his feet. Glaring, he looked from her to J.C. and back again.

  “You’ll hear from my lawyer!” he shouted.

  J.C. grinned, but it lacked warmth. “You do that. Tell him you’re going to be arrested for harassing my wife, stalking her, and her parents.”

  “I have every voice mail you’ve sent to both my parents and to me about how you’re only suing to get back at me,” Jaycee added.

  “That can have your lawyer disbarred,” J.C. finished. “So run to him. I’ll be looking forward to that call.”

  Rick’s wide eyes showed his fear. Stalking back down the corridor, he disappeared around the corner.

  J.C. took Jaycee’s hand and said, “No one’s going to hurt you.”

  He kissed the knuckles of her hand.

  “I love you,” Jaycee said, meeting his eyes.

  “I love you too,” J.C. said an
d kissed her hand again.

  She giggled and leaned into his embrace. Their kiss quickly turned heated.

  "I thought the trick was to kiss under the mistletoe not fu—” Jaycee heard her mother-in-law’s voice filter into their little bubble.

  "Who cares where they do it as long as we get some cute grandbabies?" her mother cut in.

  “Well, if that’s the case then ladies, look up we're under the mistletoe too.” The honorable judge mentioned.

  "Yeah what the judge said.”

  Mr. and Mrs. Frost continued to embrace...

  "We should go work on those grand children before we end up with siblings!”

  “Ewww!” Jaycee said, and then with a wink. “Race you to the elevator.”

  About the Authors

  RaeLynn Blue is the author of numerous tales of erotic romance and speculative romance. With an imagination that's varied and diverse, her tales explores love in all its many shades, situations and scenarios. She fell into romance stories at the ripe age of eleven and has been writing stories ever since. A humble scribbler of tales, RaeLynn is actively writing another story of lust, love, and romance.

  For other RaeLynn Blue titles visit http://www.raelynnblue.com

  Dréa Riley is a spicy Texan Diva who when writing delivers stories about love, romance & chaos with an often comedic twist. For more of Dréa’s unique works, visit http://www.badazzauthors.com

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