Riled Up (With A Kiss #2)

by Anie Michaels

  “Good, because there’s not going to be much of a wait. Think we can fit a wedding in this summer? I don’t want to give too much away, but the dress is not made for a winter wedding.”

  “I think we can get married whenever you want.”

  “Okay,” she whispered. “I can’t wait.” She was smiling. I could hear it. And it made me smile too.

  We talked for another thirty minutes about everything that had happened that day and I listened as she paced around her hotel room, methodically going through her nightly routine. I could tell when she was washing her face, brushing her teeth, then washing her face again with a different product—I swear the girl washed her face with a million different things. I knew that, since I wasn’t there, she was putting on her oldest pair of sleep shorts and a T-shirt—probably mine. I took great comfort in the idea that I could imagine everything she was doing, that she was familiar enough to me that I could anticipate her actions.

  I also felt extremely lucky to know her in that way. No one else would ever know what her decade-old pajamas looked like.

  “Will you be there to pick me up tomorrow? You might want to take my car. I don’t think my dress will fit in the trunk of the Batmobile.”

  “I can do that.”

  “You sound tired.”

  “Hmmm.” She was right, I was tired. But I would have stayed on the phone and listened to her chatter to herself all night, which was basically what I’d been doing for half an hour.

  “Go to bed.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, but only to make her happy. I knew I wouldn’t be going to sleep for a while. There was too much to do. “I’ll see you tomorrow, babe.”

  “Love you,” she said, a smile still in her voice.

  “Love you too.” She disconnected and I let out a breath. That woman was going to be the end of me. As well as the beginning. And everything in between.

  I sat up, took a pull from my Guinness, and nearly gagged. Nothing was worse than warm beer. I turned the music back to full blast, walked downstairs to grab a fresh beer, and then got back to work on the surprise for my future wife.

  The next day I was exhausted. Not only had I gotten up late for work but I’d hardly gotten any sleep at all. All night I was lying in bed, alone, missing Riley and thinking about what she’d said about wanting to get married as soon as possible. The fact of the matter was planning a wedding didn’t all of a sudden become less work. Riley was still taking on a lot, and even though she’d suddenly become excited about it, it didn’t mean it wasn’t going to put a strain on her or cause her stress.

  I’d been brainstorming ideas into the early morning. At some point I even took out my cell phone and did some research, all the while fighting the temptation to call Riley and get her input. But I didn’t want her to be exhausted while she traveled.

  I was on my second espresso when her text came through.

  **Kinda wishing this banana wasn’t so much a banana.**

  Of course the text was accompanied by a photo of my sexy fiancée with a familiar yellow fruit shoved halfway in her mouth. A sly grin and a wink as well. Her teeth just gently breaching the outside of the fruit.

  I had to laugh as I pictured her in the middle of the airport taking a selfie with a banana in her mouth. There weren’t many innocent reasons to do that. Fuck, I loved her.

  **Flight boards in ten minutes. I can’t wait to see you. Or your banana.**

  I laughed again. Couldn’t help it. She was so fucking cute.

  **I can’t wait to see you either. Fly safe. Love you.**

  **Love you too.**

  I managed to finish my day at work and not fuck up any contracts, but my head definitely wasn’t in the game. I rushed back to the house to put the finishing touches on Riley’s surprise and then made one stop before heading to the airport.

  When I finally spotted her coming from the secure terminal, I couldn’t help the huge smile that crept across my face. She looked beautiful walking toward me with a white garment bag, smile plastered across her face as she picked up her pace, closing the distance between us quicker.

  When she was finally within arm’s reach, my free hand wound around her waist and hers went to my nape and our mouths met in a kiss probably not entirely chaste, but more than likely seen at an airport a time or two before. Lovers reuniting usually didn’t care too much if they were being slightly inappropriate. In fact, I couldn’t help it much if my hand slipped off her waist and over the roundness of her ass, pulling her into me further.

  “Jesus, I missed you,” I rumbled against her lips, loving the way I could feel her smiling against me.

  “Take me home,” she whispered.

  “Fuck, yes.”

  She smiled and kissed me again, then pulled away, making me growl.

  “These are for you,” I said, holding out the bundle of peonies I’d picked up on the way.

  Her mouth opened in a little O that made my dick jump in my pants, and then her eyes met mine as she wrapped her hand around the stems.

  “Camden, that’s so sweet. You know I love peonies.”

  “I do,” I said triumphantly. Every other fiancé in the Portland Metro area could kiss my ass. No one’s girl was as happy as mine was right then. I had a few tricks still up my sleeve.

  “Thank you,” she said with a blush that crept down her throat. That also made my dick hard.

  “Let’s go,” I said, taking the garment bag from her and then threading our fingers together.

  “Careful with my dress,” she said, still smiling and happy.

  “Is this the dress?” I asked, even though I knew the answer.

  “Yes, and if you peek at it I’m going to be so mad.”

  “I’m not going to peek.”

  “No? You’re not curious?”

  “I mean, I’m curious, but I’ve been looking forward to that stereotypical moment where I see you in the dress for the first time and it’s a big deal. I want that moment. I don’t want to sneak into the closet to look at the dress behind your back. That wouldn’t be very groomy of me.”

  “Aw, you’re the best groom ever.” She tilted her head up and gave me that dazzling smile of hers. “I can’t wait for that moment, babe.” She squeezed my hand and I could have sworn I felt it on my heart.

  This woman.

  She had me.

  And I wanted to make it official just as soon as she did.

  “Oh,” she said, pulling on my hand. “I almost forgot! I had to check my bag since I carried my dress onto the plane. We have to go to baggage claim.”

  “Okay. Lead the way.”

  We walked through the airport at a leisurely pace and followed all the signs to the baggage carousel. The belt was already running and people were plucking their suitcases off left and right.

  “Oh, that one’s mine,” she said, pointing. “The one with the flannel scarf tied to the handle.”

  “Got it,” I said and moved to the belt, reaching it just in time to grab the bag and move out of everyone else’s way. “This everything?” I asked when I made it back to her.

  “Yeah,” she said, scrunching her nose in the ridiculously sexy and cute way she did that made me think it wasn’t everything at all.

  “What is it?” I said with a laugh. “Just tell me.”

  “I was in a window seat on the plane and didn’t want to bother anyone, so I kind of have to find a ladies’ room.”

  I lifted my arms at my sides, complete with dress in one hand and suitcase in the other. “I’ll be here.”

  “Thanks,” she said as she rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a kiss against my cheek. She turned and walked away from me, leaving me thinking I’d stand there forever holding anything for her. It was with that thought that I put her suitcase down and pulled out my phone, finally making the decision I’d been mulling over all night and all day.

  I pushed Call on a contact and then put the phone to my ear.

  “Hey, it’s me,” I said quietly when they answered. I kn
ew logically Riley would be a few more minutes, but I wanted to get this conversation over with quickly. “I need your help with something.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Riley

  Camden held my hand all the way to the new house, and I was glad for it because I wanted as much contact as possible. We’d only been apart for two days, but they were significant days and things had happened that made me want him close in every way. It was weird seeing him drive my car, but we needed the back seat for my dress.

  I’d never felt maternal toward anyone in my whole life, but I was having some serious mother-hen feelings about my dress. I worried throughout the entire flight that something terrible would happen to it and I wouldn’t know until I opened the overhead compartment to pull it out. I’d boarded the plane close to last with a plan. I’d found an overhead bin that was pretty full but had enough space above the bags to lay my dress flat across them. The entire flight I worried that someone had smuggled on a bottle of red wine and that it would explode all over my dress from a change in cabin pressure or some other ridiculous nonsense.

  Even during the car ride home I must have turned around to check on the dress at least a dozen times. And I might have scolded Camden in my mind for braking too quickly and almost causing my dress to ruffle.

  But one gentle squeeze from Camden and I was pulled back into the crazy lust that had been building since I got off that plane and saw him waiting with peonies.

  He looked damn good waiting for me too. He was wearing my favorite pair of jeans that hugged his thighs just right and a green polo shirt that showed off his biceps. He was entirely lickable, which was probably why I jumped him as soon as I saw him.

  My eyes darted down to his thighs as he drove. It was so stupid how my body reacted to just looking at his.

  He pulled into the driveway of the new house and I took a moment to inwardly gasp at its beauty, still trying to grasp the fact that the house belonged to Camden and me.

  He kissed the back of my hand and then released it, climbing out of the car to get my suitcase from the trunk. I stepped out of the car and absently thought about how much cooler it was in Portland than Paradise Valley when Camden came up behind me and handed me my dress.

  “Thanks,” I said in almost a whisper.

  “Come on,” he urged, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and leading me inside.

  The house looked much the same as it did when I left. There were big pieces of furniture in the space, but boxes were still pushed up against walls and there was nothing out that made it feel like a home yet. We needed to unpack all our things, put our art on the walls, and make it our own for that to happen, and I was kind of glad he hadn’t accomplished too much of that while I was away. I wanted to help turn it from a house to a home.

  “Where do you want to hang up your dress?” he asked softly.

  “Well, honestly, I think I’ll worry too much if it’s not in our bedroom, but I just need you to promise me you won’t look again.”

  He drew a giant X over his chest above his heart, saying, “Cross my heart and hope to die. Stick a needle in my eye.”

  I laughed. “Ew.”

  “Come on.”

  He led me up the stairs and into our bedroom, which looked pretty much the same as before, though some of Camden’s clothes were on the floor. I was happy he hadn’t unpacked the downstairs, but I was even more ecstatic he hadn’t tackled the bedroom without me.

  I headed to the closet and made sure there was enough room for the dress and that nothing was within a two-foot radius of the garment bag. Before I could close the door, I felt Camden behind me and his hands came to rest on my hips.

  “God, I missed you,” he whispered right against my ear just before he pressed his mouth to my neck, kissing me there and making every single hair on my body stand on end.

  I leaned back against him, letting him take my weight, my hands searching for his. The kiss on my neck turned deep, his mouth hungrily searching for something there, and every press of his lips against my thundering pulse sent another wave of lust straight between my legs.

  Suddenly, he turned me around, his eyes looking deep into mine.

  “You were so stressed before you left and I was trying so hard to think of anything I could do to help you, to make you understand that you could lean on me.”

  “I know,” I said, my voice soft and gentle, emotion taking over. I moved my hands to his face, my belly fluttering when he flipped one of my hands over and kissed the palm. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

  “The smile on your face as you got off that plane, Riley… I want to see you smile like that all the time.”

  “You make me so happy. I just had to realize that it wasn’t the wedding I needed to worry about, it was the marriage. And I don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to being married to you. Our marriage will be the best, easiest, hardest, and most important thing I ever do.” His eyes were still searching mine, still looking so deep into mine, but finally he kissed me again.

  “I want you happy,” he said against my lips. “I’ll spend my whole life just making sure you’re happy.”

  “I want that for you too.”

  He walked me backward until we both fell to the bed, which was just a box spring and mattress on the floor. As soon as we were both horizontal, his hands were all over me and my clothes were disappearing rapidly.

  There were no words and no pretenses. I needed him in that moment as much as he needed me. My hands pressed between us, searching for the closure on his jeans, pulling them open and then sliding them down his legs. He pulled back and ripped his shirt over his head, baring his beautiful chest to me, and I made a note somewhere in the back of my mind to admire it better later.

  My shirt was soon gone, as were my pants, and everything else along with it. It was just him and me, our naked bodies pulsing with need and lust and love. I craved the warmth his body gave mine as he splayed over me, his hips fitting between my legs and his mouth coming over mine.

  He kissed me roughly, groaning as our lips met. I arched into him as his hand snaked down my body and his fingers slid between the folds at my core. He’d find me wet and waiting.

  “I promise I’ll give you more attention next time,” he said, pulling just far enough away from my mouth to utter the words. “But I can’t wait.”

  I knew what he meant. This wasn’t about chasing orgasms, although I knew I would find one regardless; it was never a question of ‘if’ with Camden. But our haste to unite wasn’t about pleasure, it was simply about feeling each other, letting each other come home after being apart.

  I didn’t have words for him, so instead I brought his mouth back to mine and tilted my hips up to meet his length. He slid in, filling me perfectly, and we both gasped at the sensation. He pulled out slowly, then sank back in and stilled, his mouth hovering over mine, both of us breathing each other in.

  I was signing up for a lifetime of a lot of things with Camden. Ups and downs. Good times and bad. Births and deaths. Sadness, happiness, stress, joy, disappointment, anger, but most of all I signed up for a lifetime of love. I fucking loved him so much, and there were few times when I realized how much I loved him more than when we were together that way—naked and crazed for each other. Our relationship wasn’t all about sex, but that’s one way I knew he was the one, because sex with anyone else never made me feel so alive as it did with him. I’d never wanted a lifetime with anyone before, but the way Camden touched me and cherished me in all ways, especially physically, made me realize being with anyone else would be a terrible mistake.

  He was mine.

  And I was his.

  “Riley,” he rasped, his forehead dropped to mine, his breaths just grunts and growls. “I can’t get deep enough. I can’t get close enough.”

  “You’re everywhere,” I promised.

  “Fuck,” he whispered as he pressed his face to my neck, his hands reaching down and pulling my ass up toward him, pl
unging deeper into me still.

  “Yes,” I cried, wanting everything he had to give me. I wrapped my legs around his waist, hooking my ankles behind his back, and let him take me wherever he needed.

  He was rutting against me and I could’ve sworn he was trying to crawl inside of me, to eliminate the boundaries where I ended and he began, to meld us into one. With each stroke I was pushed higher, closer to that euphoric cloud of bliss. The white-hot pleasure sparked in my core and grew wildly until the waves of heat were pulsing down my legs and causing my belly to flip and contract, my entire body shuddering under his, shaking with uncontrolled abandon.

  “I love watching you come.” His voice was a harsh growl, low and gravelly, and it sent me over the edge.

  I came hard, my entire body contracting, mouth gaping, cries echoing in the emptiness of the house. I thought perhaps I’d think about it later and be mortified, but in that moment, there was nothing in my mind except Camden and the way he was making me feel. The security he offered, the insatiable depth to which he hungered for me, and the blatant need he had for me. For some strange reason—which I was only starting to somewhat understand—the way he needed me made me feel safe.

  I wanted so badly to give that same sense of security back to him too.

  “Tell me what you need,” I whispered after I’d come down from my mega-orgasm, flutters of electricity still igniting from the rhythmic thrust he was consistently delivering.

  “Just tell me you’re mine.” His words sent me down two paths simultaneously. My heart ached, hating that he needed the reassurance, but it also soared knowing he wanted me forever.

  “Always,” I breathed against his neck. “I’ll always be yours.”

  My words seemed to be his undoing as his thrusts quickened and his hands became rougher, grabbing me and putting me wherever he wanted, wherever felt best. I would let him use my body until the end of time if he’d let me.

  I knew he was close when each time his hips plunged forward his grunts grew louder and longer, until eventually he stilled, seated fully inside me, straining with the exertion of pleasure. He collapsed but rolled to the side so as not to crush me, keeping his arms around me and pulling me toward him. We were both breathing heavily, a sheen of sweat coating our bodies, but I was content to let him hold me. Forever, even, if he’d have me.