by Sable Hunter
“I know it.” Jacob followed Noah to the door. “I just love weddings.”
“You’re such a big girl.” Noah shook his head, handing his big brother the keys. “You drive the SUV and I’ll ride the horse down and tie him behind the pavilion.”
“Thanks.” Lance acknowledged all his friends. “I don’t know if Tricia will enjoy riding off into the sunset with me, but she told Avery…” His voice trailed off.
“Are you kidding?” Denver exclaimed. “Women eat stuff like this up. She’ll love it! I called into the radio and had a song dedicated to Bryn and I thought she’d never stop crying.”
“Bad song, huh?” Noah quipped.
“No, it was a good song. She loved it. I’ve heard her playing the same song over and over again.”
“What was the name of the song?” Jacob asked.
“Broken Halos.”
Lance almost choked. “Uh, Denver, you do know that Bryn used to be a nun, don’t you?”
Denver froze. “A nun? Like a Nun nun? No!”
Jacob and Noah started laughing. “I think we may need to take him to confession.”
“Well, he can start with Pastor Sinclair.” Lance glanced at his watch. “Let’s go. I don’t want to keep Tricia waiting.”
…As the music swelled, Isaac held out his arm. “Ready, pretty lady?”
Tricia shivered. “I’m past ready.” She gave him a faint grimace of nerves. “If I start seizing going down the aisle, pick me up and exit stage left.”
Isaac laughed. “You’re going to be fine. Besides, if I tried to cart you off, Lance would be after me in a shot.”
“Not to mention Avery.” Tricia laughed with him. “Well, okay. Here we go.”
As they stepped out from behind a screen, the congregation stood and began to clap. The unexpected reaction brought tears to Tricia’s eyes. As they moved slowly down the aisle, her gaze fell on so many precious people. Pawnee. Jaya and Nolan. Presley and Zane. Kane and Lilibet. Tanner and Desiree. Cassie and Bowie Travis. Micah and Madison. Libby and Aron. Canyon Brady. Rogue and Kit Walker. Beau and Harley LeBlanc. Savannah and Patrick O’Rourke. Lucas and Dandi Wagner. Bryn Harmon. Heath and Cato McCoy. Christian and Olivia McCoy. Her grandmother.
Faces began to blur until she found the only face that truly mattered.
Lance.
He looked like every wish and dream she’d ever had all rolled into one. Dashing. Handsome. Sexy. Happy. His smile made her feel warm and welcomed. His smile made her feel loved.
“Hey, slow down, Tricia.” Isaac held on to her arm. “Are you trying to be a runaway bride?”
“No. I’m trying to run to him.”
Lance heard her, opened his arms and Tricia broke away from a laughing Isaac to launch herself in his arms. Bro. Sinclair appeared to be a bit alarmed. “Here, here, let’s get on with it. Shall we?”
“Sorry,” Tricia whispered, blushing at her own impatience.
“Your excitement bodes well for the honeymoon, love.” Lance counted his blessings as he beheld his bride.
“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered together in the presence of God and these witnesses to unite Patricia Abigail Yeager and Lance Easton Rogers in holy matrimony.”
“Abigail?” Lance whispered.
“Easton?” Tricia whispered.
“I guess we still have a lot to learn about each other,” Lance said as he took her hand as instructed by the Pastor.
As Desiree sang her song, Tricia drowned in his eyes and let her spirit soar, imagining the joys that awaited them. Tonight, they would sleep in one another’s arms. Their days would be filled with laughter and love. Once more, Lance would walk on Shenandoah, on land he could call his own. And if life gave them Serenity, they would love her with all their hearts.
Lance was equally lost in dreams. Gone were the days when he’d go home to an empty house. Gone were the nights when his bed would be empty. His future lay in front of him and for the first time in years, he had hope. Wrongs were being righted. Darkness was becoming light. And he owed it all to the treasure in his arms. “I, Lance, take you, Tricia, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To honor. To cherish. To have and to hold. In sickness and in health. For richer, for poorer. I will walk by your side. I will hold you close and love you, all the days of my life.”
“I, Tricia, take you, Lance, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To honor. To cherish. To have and to hold. In sickness and in health. For richer, for poorer. I will cling to you. I will lift you up. I will put you first in my life and love you, all my days.”
“You may kiss your bride.”
Lance didn’t rush, he memorized the moment, committing each beautiful feature to memory. The brush of her breath on his face. The shimmer of happy tears in her eyes. The way the light played on her golden hair. Slowly, he lowered his face until their lips just touched. “I’ve never in my life loved anyone so much.”
Tricia went on tiptoe to layer her lips to his and he kissed her as if he’d die trying to get enough. Time slowed to a standstill until they became aware of more applause. Of music playing. Of the preacher pronouncing them man and wife. “It is with pleasure that I introduce you to Lance and Tricia Rogers.”
From that moment on, the evening moved at a different pace. They danced. They shared cake. They received congratulations and well wishes. Tricia accepted hugs and Lance shook hands, their friends rallying around them to help celebrate the best moment of their lives.
The only dark cloud on the horizon for Tricia was when she saw her new husband and her grandmother exchanging words. She’d been surrounded by girlfriends while throwing her bouquet. After Bryn caught the roses, then threw them back in the air trying to escape the flying flowers, everyone scrambled to catch the bouquet again and corral Bryn before she ran off. Tricia was laughing, enjoying herself, until her eyes fell on Lance and Marcelle. They both looked so intense, angry even. When she asked them about it later, separately of course, they denied their discussion was of any import.
Choosing to not let the incident color her happy day, Tricia put it out of her mind. By the time the evening was over, she’d all but forgotten about it.
“Ready, Mrs. Rogers?” Lance held her hand as they made a run for the horse in a shower of birdseed.
“Oh, yes, I’m ready to begin my future with you.” He mounted the horse, then brought her up to him and together they rode toward the setting sun. “This is so romantic.” Tricia melted into his arms. “How did you know I’ve always dreamed of doing this?”
“You’ve mentioned two or three things to Avery over the years.”
“Oh, no.” She laughed. “Don’t listen to everything she says. You’ll be wearing a Zorro cape to bed.”
“Zorro? I could handle that, I think.” When they rode as far as the stable, he helped her down. “We’ll have to go the rest of the way in my truck.”
“That’s okay, Lance. As long as I’m with you, I’m happy.”
They sat close in Lance’s old truck, equipped with a full bench seat. “You know, I never appreciated this old truck until I realized you and I could sit side by side,” he told her as they pulled out beneath the Tebow sign and headed north to Lake Travis. “You’re going to love this houseboat. We can go for a swim by diving off our bedroom balcony.”
“Sounds wonderful,” Tricia admitted. “Although, I’m more interested in things we might do in the bedroom.”
“Damn.” Lance pressed his foot down harder on the gas. “I would pick a place to go that would take an hour or more to get to. I should have rented a room at the Holiday Inn down the road.”
Tricia laughed, rubbing her hand down his thigh. “We’ll make it. I’ll just pass the time looking at you. You’re beautiful, you know.”
“You say that to me pretty often,” Lance mumbled. “But I sure don’t see it.”
“I wish you could see yourself through my eyes.” It was true, he was tall and good-looking, but it wasn’t just his face and body that attracted her. It was his attitud
e, his mannerisms. He was all man, a man of the cowboy persuasion. He moved with sureness and determination, as if he was master of all he surveyed. “I’m not just attracted to you, I’m aroused by you.” She could feel that excitement pool right between her thighs.
One tire of Lance’s truck ran off the pavement. “Dammit, you’re going to make me wreck.”
Tricia laughed. “I’ll be good. I just want you to know that I’m happy and being here with you like this is the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me.”
“Just hold my hand.” He laced his fingers with hers. “I’ll get us to our perfect honeymoon as fast as I can.”
…“Son-of-a-fucking-bitch,” he breathed the words reverently as he saw his bride in her sexy wedding night lingerie. “Now, this is what a honeymoon is supposed to be like.”
The houseboat rocked softly, moored next to a tall limestone cliff. The blue waters of Lake Travis lapped at the sides of the wooden vessel.
Lance surveyed the beautiful woman in front of him, her perfect body playing a seductive game of peek-a-boo behind a filmy, blue lace gown. His swollen, engorged hard-on was demanding that he get this show on the road, but he was still in charge. Barely.
“It’s been hard to wait,” she said softly. “I’ve missed being with you.”
“Tonight, we break our fast.” He heard her breath catch in her throat, little pants that caused her breasts to move up and down. “Tonight, we feast.” Lance smiled to see the color of her cheeks rise, from magnolia cream to rosy pink. Her lips parted as she took in air, her small pink tongue darting out to wet her lips. “Goddamn, baby,” he growled as he processed the perfect truth that she was as hot for him as he was for her. “I love the way you respond to me. You can’t even hide it. Can you? I can see the flutter of your heart beating from here.”
“Should I try to hide it?” Tricia asked, needing reassurance. “Don’t you want me?”
“Do you doubt it?” He reached out with one hand, grabbing her arm and tugging her to him. “You arouse me by simply walking into the room. I don’t even have to touch you to grow hard and heavy with need.”
In the next heartbeat, Lance crushed his mouth down on hers, roughly, without an ounce of control. This was no time for seduction. This was the time to give them both what they craved. Tricia opened her lips and he thrust his tongue hungrily into her mouth, kissing her feverishly.
With her body pressed to his, he swung her around until her back was against the wall. She lifted one leg to hook behind his calf and he caressed the long graceful line from knee to thigh. Lance’s whole body throbbed with excitement, every molecule of his skin was wide awake and begging for contact with hers.
Tricia thought his heat would incinerate her. She wanted him so much, she couldn’t contain the need. Her body began to move helplessly against his as she accommodated his every demand, opening to him, kissing him back with complete abandon.
Lance reveled in the way she devoured his mouth, as if she couldn’t live another moment without his hands on her body. His flexed his hips and slammed against her, grinding her into the wall. She flamed in his arms, making the sexiest noises he could imagine.
Keeping her pinned in place, he brought a hand up to cup one of her breasts through the sheer lace. “This is pretty, but it’s got to go.” He dropped his hand to lift the gown, his fingers trailing up skin so silky smooth, he could feel his cum rising in his balls. “Pull it off,” he directed and she did so, flinging the garment over her head.
“Praise be.” He bit out the words as her breasts were revealed, round and high and firm. Pretty breasts so soft and warm, he couldn’t keep from touching. “I love your tits.”
A soft giggle escaped from Tricia’s lips. “I love the dirty talk.”
Tweaking her nipples, he groaned when they pebbled. “I live to please, doll,” Lance murmured as he claimed her mouth. His hand cupped her breast, kneading the softness, adoring her exquisite femininity. “You are so fucking fine.”
Tricia strained, arching up to revel in his touch. She burned for him. She ached for his body. When he lowered his head to brush his lips over the tip of her breast, she whimpered, her bones turning to jelly. And when he opened his mouth and covered the nipple completely, she moaned at the lush feel of him sucking and licking. She arched even closer as his mouth fed on her softness, biting at the tender flesh, tasting her on his tongue.
“Undress for me, please.” She began tugging the material of his shirt from his pants, tearing open the buttons. “Sorry,” she whispered when he laughed at her impatience. “I want to feel your chest against my breasts when you hold me tight.”
“Done.” He stripped off his shirt and picked her up, moving her body from side to side as he walked to the stateroom on the main deck. Every step allowed her nipples to graze his skin. “I’m on fire for you, Tricia.”
Lying her on the bed, he stood back and ripped off his clothes. He didn’t care if they stayed in one piece or not. “You are so sweet to look at.” Lance climbed on the bed and mounted her, coaxing her legs wide, settling himself between them. She was small, delicate, and golden – and all his. Tricia was everything he’d ever dreamed of in a woman.
She lifted her hips in supplication. “Take me, please.”
“Soon.” Lance moved down her body, on a quest to make her scream. Sliding his arms under her legs, he spread her open and bent his head. Tricia went wild, bucking her hips as he swiped her with his tongue. Holding her down, he ate at her, licking and kissing, teasing her clit and pushing a finger up inside of her.
“Lance!” she keened, her fingernails grasping at his hair, her body writhing beneath his attention. “Now! Please!”
“Yes, ma’am.” He rose and covered her, pushing her thighs apart to make room for his big body. His erection sought its proper place like a heat-seeking missile. “Ready?”
“Frantic. Desperate. Edging toward violent.”
Lance chuckled, positioning the head of his cock at the soft opening of her body. “Patience, sweet cheeks.”
“Yes!” Tricia welcomed the pressure as he began pushing into her. He was big. She was small. He was hard. She was soft. He was male. She was female. Long live the difference.
“Christ!” he bellowed as he sank deep. His breath was coming in fierce pants and Tricia relished his excitement as much as her own. “Gotta move.”
Bracing himself, Lance moved in and out of her with steady strong thrusts. Tricia basked in the ecstasy. She was so full, so possessed, so joined with him, that she couldn’t contain a moan of pure joy.
His reaction to her cry was a nip on the neck. Tricia shivered as he pummeled her. Long luscious strokes that stole her sanity. A shower of stars cascaded behind her eyes as he pounded and pounded, his sac slapping against her bottom. She held onto him, lifting her hips to meet his, her heart stalling with every surge of his body.
He continued to take her – pushing in – pulling out – to and fro – again and again, every stroke sending her closer and closer to heaven. She couldn’t stop. She couldn’t hold back. “Lance, come with me,” she pleaded.
Her wish. His command. Lance thrust hard one last time and tensed, his teeth clenched, the cords in his neck standing out prominently. Together they crested the wave and she clung to him like she’d never let him go.
“I love you, Lance. I love you so much.”
He rolled to his back, bringing her with him. “I put the honey in honeymoon, didn’t I?”
“Stop.” She slapped him playfully on the chest. “This is a sacred moment.”
“Maybe. It’s also a fun moment.” He rose from the bed, taking her with him.
“Where are you going?”
“Swimming.” He threw open the French doors and led her out on the deck.
“I don’t have a suit!”
“You don’t need one. Let’s swim naked.”
The moon was high in the sky and she could see him well enough to lust after his fine form as he dove ove
r the side. “All right. All right.” She climbed up on the side and made ready to jump. “Catch me!” she cried.
“Every single time,” he promised as he waited with open arms.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
“I wish we didn’t have to go back. A week has never flown by so fast.”
Lance gazed at his wife indulgently. “Just because we’re going home, doesn’t mean the honeymoon is over.”
“True.” Tricia sipped a bottle of water as she swallowed her daily meds. “Can we stop by Shenandoah on the way home? Would that be too far out of the way?”
Lance glanced at his new bride. She was so beautiful and he was so damn lucky. “It’s about an hour drive north of here, I guess. We can go up there if you want to.”
“I do. I’d love to see your home, especially since we might live there someday.”
“All right, sweetheart.” He’d humor her, even though he already knew they wouldn’t be moving to Shenandoah.
As they drove, she kept up a steady stream of happy chatting.
“You know, I was thinking that we could convert the guestroom into a nursery instead of adding on another room.”
“I don’t think Aron minds adding on to the cabin, Tricia.”
“Oh, okay. Either way will be fine with me.” She grinned happily. “You know, if that article on the stigma of epilepsy is well received, I might see about starting up a support group in Kerrville. What do you think about that?”
Lance nodded. “I like the idea. You might get some guidance from the hospital, I bet they would be thrilled with the idea.”
“Yea, I bet there are some more people in town like me.”
“Nope, no one like you.” Tricia turned to stare at him and saw him grinning. “There’s no one as cute and sweet as you.”
“Stop it,” she chided him. “We got some pretty gifts at the wedding, I’ll have to send thank you notes when we get home.”
“I received a gift I haven’t told you about.”
“What?”