by James, Sandy
The three women on the bar had their backs to the crowd, right hands perched on the brim of their cowboy hats, left resting against a hip, as they tapped time with the song’s intro with feet clad in some of the snazziest boots he’d ever seen.
Maybe I’ll just stay for a bit.
“All right, gentlemen. Gather ‘round!” Seth yelled above the din. “Time for some entertainment. Work it, ladies! Work it!”
“Where’s Chris?” Brian shouted as his gaze wandered the room. When he locked eyes with Lucas, Brian yelled and pointed at one of the women. Her long, honey blond hair reminded Lucas of Samantha. “Oh, man,” Brian shouted at his brother. “Look at the butt on the blonde.”
With a loud stomp, the women began to dance to the country beat. The men in the crowd pushed Chris to the front of the group. Lucas watched as Chris swayed precariously in time with his favorite style of music. Wondering how long the groom-to-be would remain standing, Lucas turned his attention back to the three women dancing on the bar.
Their outfits were enticing. Leather pants, tight jeans, bare arms, slim waists. The cowboy hats added a nice touch of mystery to the show as the wide brims hid most of the dancers’ faces. They kept their backs to the crowd. The heels of their boots punctuated the song’s beat, the noise loud enough to make the glasses hanging above the bar rattle.
They weren’t the greatest dancers. He could hear them giggle when they missed a step, which was often. And all three appeared to be mighty short for professional hoofers, but it wasn’t like this was New York City. Lucas figured finding dancers willing to work a bachelor party had to have been a chore, but it appeared as if Seth had succeeded.
The men at the bar had eased back some to watch the women dance. Lucas shook his head at the leering looks, cat-calls, and loud whistles that were being thrown at the dancers. He had all but dismissed them when the shortest one suddenly caught his eye.
She had incredibly long, dark hair that swung down her bare back and bounced with each movement like some damn shampoo commercial. It was nothing short of hypnotic. Her jeans were tight and revealed the dimples at the swell of her sexy backside while amazingly hiding the cleft between those pretty cheeks. Tied red ribbons across the middle of her back seemed to be all that held her shirt on, and he figured she would flashing some breast when she finally turned to face the crowd. She wiggled through a deep crouch and back up again. He couldn’t take his eyes off her, and Lucas was disgusted at himself for letting her get to him.
Must be the beer.
You only had one, his traitorous mind replied.
Chastising himself for staring at another woman, Lucas was about to get up and leave when the dancer who excited him so much suddenly whirled around. Red sequins caught the light as she ran her hand across her flat stomach. A gold belly-button ring drew his eyes. Just like Joy. Fighting his lecherous thoughts, Lucas couldn’t stop staring at the incredible creature dancing on the bar, hiding her face behind that damned hat.
With a sweeping gesture of her hand, the sable-haired dancer yanked the cowboy hat from her head and threw it at the men like a Frisbee. He blinked. Twice. The image didn’t change. “Jozsa? Jozsa? What the hell?”
She smiled at him from across the room, swinging her hips and stomping her feet. When her tongue darted out to lick her lips, he instantly hardened at the sight. Then he noticed the other men staring at her. Jealousy washed over him in crashing waves.
“Damn it, Joy! Stop that!” He stomped toward the bar. Lucas had no idea where she’d gotten the outrageous jeans or the indecent sparkling top, but he damn well didn’t like the ogles all the men were throwing her way. “Get down from there!”
As he drew near, the other two dancers turned to face the crowd and sent their cowboy hats flying across the room. Lucas didn’t even have to look at them to know who the other two dancers were. He’d been so fixed on Joy’s hypnotic gyrations that he’d barely realized there were other women standing next to her, but he had absolutely no doubt who Joy’s co-conspirators were.
Striding to the bar, he shouted up at his wayward gypsy. “I mean it! Get down from there!” She gave him a saucy smile, swiveled her hips as she turned a complete circle, and just kept dancing.
Brian stormed to the bar followed closely by Seth. Their faces had mottled red and both men were shouting at their wives. Lucas looked up at the women. Katie put her hands on her hips and gave them a roll that would make the Pussycat Dolls proud. Samantha smiled and copied the motion. Lucas had to stifle a laugh, hoping Seth and Brian realized how lucky they were to be married to women who were not only beautiful but intelligent enough to know exactly what had been planned as the evening’s entertainment. A grin began to spread across his face—at least it did until he saw Joy duplicate the hip roll and feared the rest of that pretty backside of hers was going to pop right out of those embroidered jeans. “Get down here! Now!”
Lucas pulled out a barstool and flung it behind him. Wrapping his arms around Joy’s hips, he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of grain. A loud, “Oof,” sounded behind him. The men in the audience began to shout their protests.
Lucas turned to Seth and Brian. “Well? Are you just going to leave them up there and let all these apes stare at them?” Satisfied when the men began to haul Katie and Samantha from their perch, Lucas marched out of the bar with Joy.
* * * *
Lucas didn’t talk to her all the way home. Joy watched him from across the truck, amazed steam wasn’t literally pouring from his ears. Every now and then, he’d turn and fix a hard glare at her. All she did was smile sweetly in return, knowing he wasn’t really angry, just surprised at her temerity.
She’d never felt sexier in her whole life. The smoldering leer Lucas had directed at her as she danced atop that bar had set something inside her thrumming. He threw another chastising frown across the bench seat, and Joy had to bite back the laugh that threatened to erupt, knowing he was sure to view her giggle as disrespect rather than happiness.
Samantha and Katie had been right. She’d made an impression. A big impression. His eyes had clearly shown his appreciation of her looks, and knowing he was so jealous made her dismiss any fear she’d ever harbored that Lucas might still be attracted to Lisa Clark.
Lucas slammed the brakes as the pickup came to a skidding halt next to the barn. He threw the gearshift into park and jerked the keys out of the ignition. “So you wanna tell me what in the hell you were doing?”
“Dancing.”
“Dancing? That’s it? That’s all you’ve got to say for yourself? Running around with your...your... You were hanging out everywhere. What were you thinking?”
“I didn’t have anything hanging out, Lucas,” she replied with a giggle that earned her a scowl. “Besides, you were all there to watch dancing. Why should it matter who’s dancing?”
“It does.”
“Why?”
“It just does. My friends were...were staring at your...” His gaze swept her head to toe; her blood fired in response. “How could you parade around in...in...that?” He shoved the door open and got out of the truck.
Joy slid out of her side of the pickup and hurried to follow him when he stomped into the barn. As he checked the water buckets, she leaned seductively against the wall. At least she hoped she looked seductive. She was still kind of new to this. Lucas glanced up and paused, mouth agape. Joy took that as confirmation she was getting to him.
“Aren’t you going to go put some clothes on?” His scolding words were betrayed by the blazing look in his eyes, that same look he always had before he pounced on her. He quickly returned to his task.
Joy reveled in the flutters racing through her. She felt drunk with want, with need, and with power. Knowing she got to him, that he thought she was enticing, gave her strength and a touch of bravado. “Oh, Lucas,” she sang. His head snapped up. “Actually, I was thinking about taking some clothes off.”
Snaking an arm behind her back, she sw
ayed her hips as she gently pulled on the red ribbons tied under her shoulder blades.
Lucas took a step toward her. She held up her hand to halt him before she put that hand to her chest to hold the top to her breasts as she reached behind her neck and tugged the second bow free. The top of the red triangle fell forward. With as much swivel as she could manage, she wiggled down in a crouch and back up, hoping she looked as sexy as she felt.
Lucas expelled one sharp breath. Grabbing a clean horse blanket from the wall hook, he threw it over the pile of hay before he covered the distance between them in three long strides. She knew he wanted take charge, but she wasn’t going to allow it. Not this time. Joy held out an arm to stop him again.
Lucas appeared confused, and she used that to her advantage. With a smile, she traced the fingers of the hand she’d pressed against his chest down his flat stomach to the waistband of his jeans.
This being sexy stuff isn’t easy. She tried unsuccessfully to unbutton his fly with one hand and keeping her top from falling with the other. His hand came up to assist, but this was her show, her chance to be assertive. The sequined garment hit the floor, accompanied by a sharp intake of breath from Lucas. A naughty smile crossed her lips.
She tugged his shirt over his head and threw it aside. With swinging hips, she slowly crouched in front of him and put a hand to one of his boots. “Kick them off, Szivem.” He seemed more than happy to oblige, and she rolled off his socks. Pulling each button of his fly, she was finally able to open his cumbersome jeans. Trying to seductively work her way back to her feet, she edged her thumbs into the waistband of the pants and boxers. Then she dragged them down his body.
Lucas felt his erection spring out of the material, wondering just how long he was going to be able let her play. He wanted her, had ached for her since the moment he saw her gorgeous little behind wiggling as she danced on that bar. His anger had been borne of nothing but naked jealousy, and desire now easily swept it aside. His mind swam in how desperately he needed to be inside her. But, damn, how he loved her being so attentive, so assertive. Lucas kicked his garments aside and reached for her.
Joy held up her index finger, and he groaned. “Patience,” she cooed.
But he didn’t have any of that to offer her. She kicked off her boots and socks, stripped off those skin-tight jeans and panties, and stood before him gloriously naked, looking entirely unashamed of the fact.
“I need you,” he begged in a husky voice. “Now.”
“Patience,” Joy replied with a saucy grin. Lifting that glorious long hair off her shoulders, she gyrated to rest in a crouch before dropping to her knees. He hoped he wasn’t drooling too awfully much.
“Oh, my God,” Lucas hissed as she dropped her hair and wrapped her hand around his erection, letting those slim fingers move the length of him. When she took him into her mouth, he lost his ability to think, let alone talk.
Joy felt his fingers threading through her hair as she savored each sharp gasp, each groan that came from him as she loved him with her mouth. Powerful. His reaction made her feel powerful.
“Enough.” Lucas reached down to grab her under the arms and haul her up against him before she had the chance to protest. Not that she would have. Scooping her up, he laid her on the blanket.
With a savage kiss, he spread her legs with his knee and took her in one dominant thrust. She almost came on the spot, fighting desperately to make the moment last, to teeter on the edge of the abyss. “Lucas, oh, Lucas.”
The rhythm he set was fast, furious, delicious. Hay pricked through the blanket against her back and thighs, adding to the myriad of sensations racing through every nerve. His hoarse words of praise tickled her ear, urged her on, and she stopped waging her battle for control, surrendering to her love for him. Tremors wracked her body, spasms of delight and wonder coursing through her. His cries of pleasure echoed hers as he collapsed against her. Joy smiled in satisfaction and more than a touch of smugness.
Katie was never getting that shirt back.
Chapter 22
Lucas brushed a quick kiss on Joy’s lips. “Feels weird to be in a church on a Tuesday, doesn’t it? But,” he added with a shrug, “Monday and Tuesday are a horseman’s weekend.”
“Hence the bachelor party last night,” she said with a smirk. Lucas’s eyes grew stormy, so she tried to lighten the mood. “You’re worried about the day of the week? To me, it feels weird to be in a church at all. I mean for a wedding. Gypsies don’t always marry in a church.”
“You’ll have to tell me all about Hungarian weddings at the reception.”
“Not Hungarian. Romungro. And I will. I promise.” She loved how he squeezed her hand in response.
“I have to go up front now. Will you be okay here?”
Joy let her gaze wander the sanctuary until it settled on Samantha who was sitting only a few pews from the back entrance. Sam held her daughter in her lap, but she turned over her shoulder, smiled back at Joy, and nodded toward the empty spot next to her. “I’ll be fine. I can sit with Sam and Chelsea.”
Never having been to a wedding that wasn’t in the Romungro tradition, Joy wasn’t sure exactly what she should expect. She’d seen weddings in movies, but never the real thing up close and personal. As she eased into the pew and took a seat next to Sam, she felt entirely out of place.
Joy wore the sky-blue dress Sam and Katie had helped her select. The skirt almost reached her ankles, but the bodice didn’t conceal her whole scar. She’d draped a white lace shawl over her chest and around her shoulders, but she knew she would have to abandon it when they went to the outdoor reception. The September warmth wouldn’t allow her to wear it for too long.
“Did Lucas go into a nuclear meltdown?” Sam asked.
Joy just shrugged a response, but she felt the heat of a blush quickly spread across her cheeks as she remembered the evening. The whole evening. Lucas had definitely exploded, but not in the way Samantha thought.
Sam’s chuckle filled the air. “Yeah, it got pretty intense at our house last night too. I imagine Katie and Seth had...um...fun when they got home.”
Chelsea reached for Joy. “May I?” Joy asked, grateful for the distraction. Sam nodded as she passed Chelsea into Joy’s waiting arms. “Aren’t you a pretty girl today?” Chelsea smiled at her.
A baby. She was going to have a baby. Joy still hadn’t wrapped her mind around that notion, preferring to wallow in denial as she ignored the ramifications. It wasn’t as if she could keep it a secret for too much longer. Samantha and Katie both knew, and it wasn’t fair to keep it from Lucas. But Joy’s intuition prompted her silence, telling her there was some important reason not to tell Lucas. At least not yet. For now, she decided to trust her instincts as her nagymama had always taught her.
“How are you feeling?” Samantha asked as she passed a small stuffed Pooh bear to Chelsea. The little girl cooed in response and kissed the bear.
“I’m fine,” Joy replied, wishing the wedding would start so the conversation would end.
“No morning sickness? Are your boobs sore yet?”
Joy shook her head, knowing the blush on her cheeks must be in full bloom.
“You didn’t tell him yet,” Sam said rather than asked. “God, you remind me of Katie.”
“I do?”
“She didn’t tell Seth right away, either. I know she had good reasons, but...” With a shrug, she added, “I’ll leave it up to you to tell him when you’re ready. I just wouldn’t wait too long. I can see Lucas foaming at the mouth if he thinks you hid something like a baby from him.”
Joy sighed, knowing Sam was entirely right, but not changing her own mind. “I know. I’ll tell him. Soon.”
Sam snorted a small laugh as Chelsea crawled back into her mother’s arms. “Sure you will. Just like Katie.”
Sharp notes of organ music filled the sanctuary, and Joy welcomed the intrusion. The groom and his attendants appeared from a side door and took their places by the minister.
My wedding. Joy had always dreamed of that day. It would be a Romungro wedding, steeped in tradition and ritual. She wouldn’t marry in a church. Instead, she’d choose a place outside with lots of green. Grass, trees, flowers. And she’d be barefoot with her hair braided just like all gypsy brides-to-be.
Funny, she’d never pictured Tamas as her groom. Even when she was a teenager drowning in hormones and romantic notions, she had never thought of Tamas as the man with whom she would take vows and eat bread.
But Lucas? She had already pledged her heart, her hand, her body, and her life to him. He might need a religious blessing, but as far as she was concerned, Lucas was her mate. The husband of her heart. And she didn’t doubt his feelings for her. His promise to Janos when he’d taken her from Gypsy had left her no room for doubt, at least not of Lucas’s love and the depth of his feelings.
But the world was going to interfere. His world. And her world. Her heart told her as much. That certainty was why she guarded the knowledge of their baby so closely. Lucas faced a journey, the only way he could come to terms with what had happened to him when he’d been a soldier. Her dreams had told her so. The excess baggage of knowing he was going to be a father would prevent him from following the path destiny had in store for him. She couldn’t be that selfish, and she sure wouldn’t use their child as leverage to keep him by her side.
I need you to let me go when the time comes, Lucas had told her in her dreams. Let me go, and I’ll find my way home. She prayed she would have the strength to do as he asked when the dreaded time came.