Once Upon a Groom

by Karen Rose Smith

  He plopped the bags on the yellow settee. “What do you want to do next?”

  “How about a walk on the beach?”

  He looked surprised she might want to do that and she added, “I want to get a real feel for the ocean.”

  He tilted his head in agreement. “A walk on the beach it is. Better grab a jacket. It’s getting colder.”

  “Cold is Miners Bluff in January. I think I can handle this.”

  Again he studied her with something close to penetrating attention. How she wished she knew what kind of thoughts clicked through his mind. But Zack had become an enigma to her and she only caught glimpses of the boy she’d known once in a great while.

  The sun was hanging close to the horizon. Gray and purple stole into the sky as they walked without talking from the deck and down the steps to the beach. She thought she might not be able to keep up with Zack, but he didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

  “Do you do this often?”

  “Whenever I can. I often jog on the beach in the morning when I’m here.”

  “You know what Michael said was true. As much as you like horses, I’m surprised you don’t have a place with a couple of them here. You could ride whenever you wanted.”

  “I’d probably have to move farther north and have a longer commute.”

  “Wouldn’t it be worth it?”

  He stopped in the loose sand and faced her. “What are you trying to do, Jenny? Get me to admit I miss the Rocky D?”

  “I’m not trying to do that. I just think, well…if I moved my life from the Rocky D, across the country somewhere, I’d still want to be around horses. Our passions are part of us, and whether you admit it or not, when you’re gentling Dusty, your passion still shows.”

  “Out here I have to worry about paparazzi,” he grumbled. “Back at the Rocky D, I have to be concerned about you and my dad watching every move I make.”

  “It’s not like that,” she protested.

  His brows arched. “Try to fit your pretty feet in my shoes.”

  “You actually think my feet are pretty?” she teased, turning backward, still trying to talk to him as she walked that way. She didn’t want to fight. Teasing was more fun.

  “I always thought they were. Take your shoes off and feel the sand. Or are you afraid to because your nails are painted fuchsia or lime, or some fashionable color?”

  Actually, they were. They were a sparkly purple this week but she certainly didn’t want him to know that.

  He saw something in her face, though.

  “They are painted a wild color and you don’t want me to know.”

  “Now, Zack.”

  He started running after her and then she did take off, running for all her life.

  The loose sand and high tufts of grass made running difficult and she had to make sure she didn’t twist an ankle.

  He was used to jogging on the sand, used to catching up to anyone he wanted to catch up to.

  “You’re pretty good,” he said when he caught her and twirled her around. “But I beat you, so I get to see your feet.”

  “I don’t think I remember that being part of the deal!”

  “We can wait until we go back to my house and I could explore them there.”

  Out of frustration and some embarrassment, she sank down onto the sand and pulled off her shoe, then her sock. He witnessed the glory of purple nail polish on a foot that seemed demure in every other way. Back in high school, he’d known she wasn’t demure, not by the way she responded to his kisses and touches, not the way she’d responded that night they’d made love. Now he looked at her as if he were considering his next move.

  His smile crookedly boyish, he said, “I think we should really explore your wild side.”

  “I don’t like that look in your eye.”

  “You wanted to experience the ocean, right?”

  “Zack…”

  He scooped her up off the sand and she felt like a rag doll in his arms. She kept protesting, but he didn’t hear. Or if he did hear, he was intent on doing what he wanted to do anyway. That was Zack.

  And she loved him. She was in love with him all over again.

  That realization hit about the same moment he plunged into the cold waves, drenching them both in surf. She screamed, but she found it wasn’t in dismay. She screamed, then laughed, because she was enjoying this wild idea of Zack’s as much as he was. Laughing, too, he twirled them around and the surf splashed them all over. Then he was running with her back to the shore, back to the safety of just his arms and the California night. She held on tight as he sprinted back to his house. At the bottom of the steps, he set her down but she didn’t let go. Her arms were still around his neck as she stood on tiptoe, reaching up to him.

  There were no words for that moment. Yes, they were wet and she was starting to shiver, but she could feel Zack’s warmth and wanted more of it.

  As soon as his lips came down on hers, she wasn’t cold. All she could feel was the heat the two of them generated. All she knew was that she didn’t want to be separated from this man.

  He broke the kiss only to come back for more, again and again and again.

  The breeze blew by them and Zack tightened his arms and separated from her for a moment. “We have to get inside and get these clothes off.”

  She didn’t disagree. She took his hand as they ran up the steps, as they crossed the deck, as he tugged her inside the sunroom, away from the surf and the wind. As he kissed her again, her fingers tunneled under his shirt, seeking the warmth of his chest.

  He trailed kisses down her neck, but then asked in a murmur, “Are you sure?”

  “Oh, yes,” she answered, “I’m sure.” She’d been fighting to keep her feet under her for too long. She’d been fighting all the feelings that had never been resolved. She’d been fighting the idea of loving Zack again. In his arms, she couldn’t imagine why. Responding to his kiss, she didn’t even want to think about it.

  As they undressed each other, she could hear the ocean. As she rid Zack of his shirt, the last glimmer of daylight faded away. They were surrounded by windows, views of the sea and the scent of each other, damp from their dip, heated from their desire, magnificently unique to them. Zack’s body heat almost singed her as she ran her hands over his muscularly developed shoulders, his arms, his flat stomach. He easily stripped her clothes from her, kissing her everywhere skin was revealed until he was kneeling before her, kissing her where she wanted him to touch her most.

  Jenny felt weightless as he brought her to orgasm, then caught her as she sank to the floor with him. The rug was soft and silky against her back. Zack was strong and hard and hungry as he stretched out on top of her. They’d been coming to this for weeks, ever since he’d returned. She’d been pushing it away, pushing him away, but now she just wanted to be part of him, just wanted to know that what they had was real.

  It felt real.

  Zack’s beard stubble against her face was erotic. The glimmer in his eyes when he tore away from their kiss expressed the passion he was feeling. His lips teased and titillated her body until sensation was her world. He caressed between her legs, checking to see if she was ready for him. She’d been ready for him for years. Although she didn’t want to admit it, her dreams were filled with him, her memories of their time together a golden treasure she cherished. She’d done him wrong by not telling him about the baby. She’d done them both wrong.

  Zack rose above her, looked deep into her eyes and then entered her. She rose up to meet him, wanting to give him so much of herself she had nothing left. For a few spectacular moments of giving and receiving and joining, they were one. She clung to Zack as her body tensed and then unwound into bliss. After his shuddering release, there was no time or distance between them and they held on, savoring the beauty of what they’d just given each other.

  As they lay there, the ocean sounds seemed to grow louder, the night darker, the temperature cooler. Rationality returned with a vehemence when Zack ra
ised his head. “I can’t believe I didn’t protect you. I can’t believe this happened again.”

  Of course, she knew what he meant. She was concerned, too. But those weren’t the first words she wanted to hear out of his mouth. What about, I still love you? But as she saw the worry in his eyes, she realized he felt betrayed by her not going with him, and that betrayal could mean he’d never trust her again. The truth was—could she follow him anywhere? Could she ever think about leaving the Rocky D?

  “I let it happen,” she said on a soft sigh. “Protection wasn’t only your responsibility. Not before and not now.”

  He rolled to his side but reached for her and brushed her hair behind her ear. “You’d welcome a child, wouldn’t you?”

  She had to admit she would. Zack’s child would mean everything to her. “I didn’t let this happen on purpose, if that’s what you’re thinking. I mean, I wasn’t using you to have a baby.”

  Her blunt words silenced him for a little while.

  “Tell me something,” she said quietly. “Have you changed your opinion of marriage?”

  “You know how I feel about marriage, how I watched Mom and Dad fight. And I’ve witnessed more divorces than successful unions.”

  The reality was—she could never change Zack’s mind. But she could tell him how she felt about commitment and vows. “I look at Celeste and Clay and I know marriage is about what two people make it. I want to be a wife and mother, doing work I love to do.”

  “You need commitment.”

  “I need more than commitment. I need vows and a steadfast love.”

  “That you never had from your dad.”

  She bristled a little. “I’m an adult now, Zack. I know what I didn’t have as a kid. But I know what I want as a woman.”

  His gaze was steady and probing. “Are you telling me you don’t have affairs?”

  “I don’t have affairs, not unless you count the one I had with you.” She sat up and would have risen, but he caught her arm, looking vexed and unsettled.

  “I can’t be what you want me to be,” he said with certainty. “I’ve made a life here. I brought you to L.A. so you could see it. One of the actors I know is having a premiere tomorrow night. I want you to go with me.”

  She had to give his life a chance, didn’t she? She at least owed him that. “I’ll go with you.”

  “And to the party afterward?”

  “And to the party afterward.” She would get a good look at Zack’s life, up close and personal. But… “I didn’t bring anything dressy.”

  “We can go shopping in the morning. There are plenty of designer boutiques. I’m sure you can find something.”

  “You’ll go with me?”

  “Why not? I owe you another pair of shoes. Yours got lost with the tide.”

  It wasn’t only her shoes that had gotten lost with that tide. Memories and thoughts and her convictions had floated away, too.

  Tomorrow, maybe she’d like what she saw of Zack’s life. Maybe she could think about leaving the Rocky D.

  Chapter Ten

  Jenny ducked into the sumptuously equipped pink-and-black-marble bathroom, heaving a sigh of relief. The red carpet had been exciting yet intimidating. Dressed in an off-shoulder, black beaded designer gown, she’d had more confidence than she’d expected with camera flashes, reporters, fans and paparazzi creating chaos around them. She’d held on to Zack as if he were her lifeline. He’d taken it all in with confidence and nonchalance, introducing her to whoever stopped them, making her comfortable when a conversation swirled around them. It was easy to see he was in demand when he was out and about.

  Still…she’d gotten the feeling he kept himself removed from all of it. They’d come to this party at the home of one of his “friends” but she’d gotten the feeling they were more acquaintances than really friends.

  Jenny studied her reflection in the mirror and spotted a work of art on the wall behind her. It was probably a very valuable work of art.

  As she plucked her tube of lipstick from her purse, the door to the bathroom opened.

  “Oh, sorry,” the tall, attractive brunette said. “I didn’t know anyone was in here.”

  Jenny hadn’t locked the door since she was just going to freshen up. “No problem,” she said with a smile. “As soon as I fix my makeup, I’m out of here.”

  “I’m Sheila Jameson. You’re Jenny, right?”

  “Yes,” Jenny answered with some surprise, shaking the woman’s hand.

  “My husband and Zack are business associates. He was at Zack’s house yesterday for a meeting on an upcoming project.”

  “I see.” Jenny wasn’t sure what else to say.

  “There will definitely be talk about you being Zack’s flavor of the month.”

  “Flavor of the month?”

  “In the tabloids. When they find out you stayed overnight at his place…” She let her words trail off and shrugged. “Well, you know how it is.”

  Tabloids. Lord, was she naive. Was her picture going to be in supermarkets? “I’m just an old friend.”

  “Your history will be laid out if there’s any history to find.”

  Jenny’s shock must have shown.

  “You’re new to this, aren’t you? Zack should have prepared you for the aftershock. The truth is I don’t think he takes one look at anything anybody writes about him, but everyone else does.”

  That sounded like Zack. “Have you and your husband known Zack long?”

  “A few years, but I can’t say we really know him. He’s a hard man to get to know.” Sheila stepped up to the huge double vanity beside Jenny. “As an old friend, how long have you known Zack?”

  Jenny hesitated to answer.

  “I’ll find out tomorrow in the gossip columns,” Sheila said with a sideways glance. “It’s amazing what a reporter can discover on the internet with a picture and a name.”

  Jenny applied lipstick to her upper lip and then her lower lip, feeling as if she’d been swallowed up by an alien world. “I’ve known Zack since high school.”

  “Oh, there is a story here.”

  When Jenny was about to protest, Sheila shook her head. “No use denying it.” She produced a compact. “There’s been a lot of speculation about Zack and the women he dates. Rumor has it, he starts an affair with an end in mind. Maybe you’re the reason.”

  In spite of the ring of truth in Sheila’s supposition, Jenny felt the need to defend him. “Maybe Zack’s just a private person and the rumors are all wrong.”

  “Maybe, but there’s always a hint of truth there.”

  Dropping her lipstick into her purse, Jenny snapped it shut. “I’d better get back to the party.”

  “Back to the party…or back to Zack?”

  Jenny was silent.

  Sheila laughed. “You’re learning already. It was nice to meet you, Jenny. It’s good to know there might be someone in Zack’s life who’s a little special to him.”

  Jenny really didn’t know what to say to that. After a murmured, “It was good to meet you, too,” she exited the powder room, wishing she had locked the door behind her.

  Reaching the enormous living room with its open gas fireplace and sunken sections, she noticed Zack was in one of those areas speaking to an actor she recognized from a sitcom. Should she approach him or leave him to his conversation? Last night had made everything awkward between them. Not more intimate, not more clarifying, certainly not more definitive.

  To her relief, she didn’t have to decide whether to approach or not, because Zack saw her, excused himself from his conversation, mounted the two steps and came toward her.

  His easy stride, the way he looked in that tuxedo, the concerned look in his eyes practically melted her. He’d wrapped his arms around her heart again. If she tried to wriggle away, if she tried to cut him out of her life once more, she really wasn’t sure what would happen.

  What if she was pregnant with his baby? Oh, she’d want his child, but a relationship with Zack
would become even more complicated than it was. How had she gotten herself into this mess?

  By loving him, that’s how.

  When he reached her, he gently took her arm and guided her toward a set of French doors leading to a patio around the pool. Shrugging out of his tuxedo jacket, he dropped it around her shoulders, then opened the door. They stepped outside into a backyard that was as unreal as the rest of the luxurious appearance of the house. A gigantic triple-tiered fountain bubbled and gurgled in blue light while the pool itself shimmered a blue as perfect as the seas. They walked to the wrought-iron railing and stared into the grandeur of marble benches, manicured paths and garden arbors.

  “Did you enjoy yourself tonight?” he asked, staring out over all of it.

  “It was exciting, being a part of a premiere.”

  Now she could feel him studying her. “That’s not what I asked.”

  When she turned to face him, she knew she couldn’t hide the truth. “It was an experience, Zack, one I’ll always remember. I was dazzled. I was busy absorbing it all, trying to keep myself from gawking at all the celebrities, at the designer dresses, at the fabulous shoes.” She gave him a smile that was the best she could muster.

  “But you wouldn’t want to do this often, and you could live your life without it.”

  She stayed silent until finally she asked, “Did you enjoy yourself?”

  He didn’t answer quickly as she thought he might. “This kind of thing has become such a part of my life, I take it for granted, I guess.”

  “Can I ask you something without you getting defensive?”

  “I don’t know if that’s such a great way to start. It makes me defensive before you ask. But go ahead.”

  “How many people do you know here?”

  He furrowed his brow. “Oh, Jenny. I work with some, do business with others, attend cocktail parties and benefits with friends of their friends.”

  “But how many of them do you know? I mean, really know? Do you ever sit down and have a conversation about what you did when you were a kid? Do they know you like horses? Do you know what really matters in their lives? Is there anyone here that if you didn’t talk to them within the next month, it would matter?”