“You could get married.” He waited for the protests to start, but none came. All they did was stare at each other and blink wildly as they digested the idea.
“If you two got married, Ryker would be able to legally stay here permanently. Plus, it would solve the messy visitation trap all of you are caught in.”
Suddenly RayeAnn couldn’t maintain eye contact with him. The only flaw with the plan was that Ryker didn’t love her. Would his love for Lilly be enough to keep him here? No, came the answer. She took marriage very seriously. If she promised herself to him she would have to spend the rest of her life in a loveless, sexless marriage, because she didn’t believe in divorce. Vows were sacred and not to be taken lightly, way too important to do for convenience sake. They would just have to come up with a different plan.
“Well, I think we need to come up with a different plan. I don’t believe in divorce and, well, it’s not like it would be for love or anything. Kids are smart. Lilly would figure it out, and then what would we do? For Ryker, it’s a solution to the visitation problem, but that will eventually work itself out.”
“Are you trying to tell me nicely that you don’t love me?”
“No, not at all. I…well…”
“Then what are you saying here, RayeAnn?”
She was uncomfortable with the whole situation and getting angry as well. This was something she didn’t want to say out loud, but since he decided to pin her to the wall she was going to let him have it with both barrels.
“I’m saying that you don’t love me. You would never stick around long enough to give our marriage, any marriage for that matter, a real chance. You’re a coward when it comes to relationships. Just when things start going well you fabricate some excuse to leave. I don’t need that and neither does Lilly.”
“You think you know me pretty well, don’t you? Well you’re wrong on all counts there, missy. It’s you who can’t adjust her thinking or accept love when it’s offered. Admit it, you like having total control over Lilly and her living situation!”
“If I felt that way I would never have let you move in in the first place. I wanted Lilly and you to get to know each other. Do you need to see all the letters I sent you over the year that you returned unopened? I didn’t do that, you did.”
“Why didn’t you come and look for me then if you were so desperate to talk to me?”
“I couldn’t travel and you know it.”
“How would I know that? What kind of bullshit are you handing me now, RayeAnn?”
“I was confined to my bed for my entire pregnancy. Without Bryn and Tim to help out I would have starved or at the least lost the baby. By the way, thanks for all the support during that trying time.”
He stood with his mouth hanging open while she ranted on about her pregnancy. He never suspected that the pregnancy hadn’t been anything but normal. His heart constricted in his chest at the thought of a world without Lillyanna in it. When he looked up all three of them were staring at him.
“You…you almost lost her? I’m sorry, I had no idea…”
“No, I’m sorry. I said way too much and noting good can come from dredging up the past.”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“Why? What would it have changed? We’re both still alive, and Lilly is beautiful and healthy. That’s really all that matters in the end.”
“You know, RayeAnn, you’re wrong about me not loving you. The year I was gone was the most miserable, empty time in my life. I missed you every second of every day…and, yes, it scared the hell out of me. I have so many regrets about how things ended between us. I admit it was all my fault. I see that now. I love you and Lilly with every fiber of my being.”
She brushed the tears streaming from her eyes away with her fingers, accidently flicking them onto Tim. Her gaze was riveted on Ryker, as if trying to look into his soul. She was afraid to believe him, afraid if she did believe him she would never be the same again. Would that be a bad thing?
She forced her gaze away from him and put her face in her hands. Think! What the hell are you going to do now? The answer came to her as if spoken out loud, not even in her own voice.
“Love him, RayeAnn. Trust in that love. It will be your salvation.”
Her head snapped up as if someone had grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled it up violently. The tense muscles in her neck made a cracking, rebellious sound. She looked around the room, trying to figure out who had spoken. Ryker stood in front of her and Bryn and Tim had apparently slipped out of the room to give them some privacy. Was it possible that voice had been that of her Aunt Juliet? Right now anything was possible.
“I love you, too, Ryker, and that scares the daylights out of me.”
Falling to one knee in the middle of the kitchen, he grabbed both her hands into his, kissing each palm gently before allowing his eyes to meet hers.
“Please marry me. If you do, I promise you’ll never regret it. I’ll spend the rest of my life proving my love for you and Lillyanna.”
“I’m going to hold you to that whole lifetime business, you know.”
“Good. So is your answer a yes?”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you, Ryker.”
As he rose, his hoot of victory was so loud it probably woke up the whole county, not to mention Lilly. In a flash, she was in his arms and being whirled off her feet and around the kitchen by her exuberant fiancée. Her arms wrapped around his neck while kisses were plastered roughly all over her face as they twirled around the room. Tim clapped loudly while Bryn held Lilly in her arms and danced a happy dance with the baby. The glorious sounds of baby giggling filled the room. For this treasured moment everyone was happy and healthy.
CHAPTER 24
The wedding took place at the courthouse, performed by the same justice who had presided over their family court case. The honorable William J. Hudson had actually volunteered for the job, once they had an emergency hearing and all the facts, minus the ominous spirit information, were presented to him. Apparently he had a proclivity for true love.
Ryker scanned the room to make sure everyone they cared about was present. Bryn and Tim served as maid of honor and best man. His mother held Lillyanna through the ceremony, swaying gently with the baby in her arms. When he laid eyes on his beautiful bride his heart swelled with love. The rest of the world slipped away, as if she had suddenly become his only reality. Only when Judge Hudson cleared his throat loudly did his attention to the rest of the world snap back to the ceremony. During the short ceremony he’d noticed as a tear or two escaped his mother’s eyes. After the ceremony his mother took pictures of the entire wedding party, including Lilly, who was held in her father’s arms. Afterwards they all headed back to the house for a catered lunch and more pictures.
Lillyanna wore more of the wedding cake than she managed to get in her mouth. Another round of pictures captured the joy in the newlyweds’ faces. His heart felt whole for the first time in over a year, and it felt damn good. He watched as RayeAnn glowed, just as he’d always thought a bride should, while she chatted with their guests. The thought of their bright future as a family made his heart swell with pride. Finally she was his.
After much debate and discussion, it was decided that Lilly would spend the night with Bryn, Tim, and Darcy at Darcy’s house. Bryn and Tim were going to help in case Lilly felt fearful in a strange house.
Saying goodbye to her little girl was hard on RayeAnn. They had never been apart…ever. Her heart squeezed at the thought of giving over her daughter, yet she couldn’t deny the excitement that had been building at the thought of being alone with Ryker. It had been well over a year since they’d had sex, and she wondered if it would feel different now that they were married. Geez, she was acting like a nervous virgin. One glance at Ryker reassured her, the love she felt surged to the forefront and dismissed her doubts.
RayeAnn assured Darcy that they would be there first thing in the morning to pick Lilly up. After several kisses and
hugs, to the point that the baby began to protest, she was gone. They had the house to themselves. Arm in arm they made their way upstairs to the bedroom.
When Ryker reached in front of her and opened the door of the bedroom, the sight took her breath away. Candles, already lit, covered the surface of every dresser and table in the room, giving it a warm, welcoming glow. Multi-colored rose pedals were strewn about the room, giving off a delicate scent enhanced by the candles. A bottle of champagne sat chilling in the ice bucket and there was a tray of finger foods on a folding table next to the bucket. It was perfect. Romantic. She felt the tension release from her muscles as he swept her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her gently in the middle. Watching as he licked his lips, the look of hunger and want in his eyes made her tremble with excitement. God, she loved this man.
Very slowly he began to undress her. Starting with her shoes he gently slipped them off her feet. When he looked at her pink toenails, he grinned and so did she. He began to massage her feet, working each one until they were limp puddles of relaxation. Slipping his hands up her leg and under her skirt, he began to roll down the thigh high stockings, sensuously massaging her leg as he worked slowly down to her toes. First one leg, then the other. Taking his time, he alternated caressing with his hands and his lips, leaving a trail of burning excitement in his wake. What a delightful torture.
She found herself shivering and twitching, moaning with each new sensation as he kissed his way up her leg. Pushing her full skirt gradually up until it was bunched around her waist, he pulled her thong aside after spreading her thighs wide open. Hunger shone in his eyes as he proceeded to devour her mercilessly. She grabbed desperately at the brass railing of the headboard, beside herself with excitement. Gasping and gyrating her hips against his tongue and teeth, she desperately sought the release she craved. Climbing higher and higher, she hovered on the precipice of ecstasy. When it finally came, the orgasm imploded her world as lights flashed behind her closed eyes. To her amazement the love she felt for Ryker grew stronger, her heart wanting to burst from her chest with the joy she felt. Never had she felt so complete, so whole.
With her body still hummed from her climax, she watched as he moved up her body and kissed her greedily, searing her from the inside out. When his erect cock thrust into her, a new climax sent her whirling. Screaming loudly now with her latest release, she struggled to breathe, certain she would die of pleasure. Moments later his shout of release echoed off the walls as he collapsed beside her. His breathing sounded just as ragged as hers did.
She couldn’t speak for a long while afterwards. She stroked his hair back from his temples, feeling the dampness. She released one button of his shirt, then another, so she could slide her hand over his hot, bare skin. Wanting him all over again, she turned the tables on him and nipped his hard male nipple. Delighting in his gasp, she began to work over his sensitive nipples with her tongue. This was going to be fun! She moved her lips down his muscular chest until she teased his navel with her tongue. Her hand skimmed over his erection like a butterfly that wouldn’t quite land. Her pleasure, she was sure, was much more intense than before. As if marriage and a sense of belonging were an aphrodisiac in themselves. She couldn’t imagine a greater happiness than what she was feeling now. The power she felt over Ryker’s body heightened her arousal, while every moan and twitch pushed her to new heights. His cock was hard and throbbing as her lips felt the pulse of his passion.
“Please, baby, I can’t take any more.” He grabbed at her shoulders and tugged her up to meet his lips.
She plastered a searing kiss on his lips while grinding her hips to his. She broke the kiss and slipped over him, allowing her burning hot sheath to consume him. When she rode him she did it hard and fast, now just as desperate for release as he was. With each gyration of her hips her love for him reached new heights until her frantic release shattered them both. She wasn’t sure who yelled louder as their voices rose as one into the universe. Her limp body lay on his torso while his hand caressed her back, his breathing labored while he sighed with contentment.
“I love you, Mrs. Whitcombe. You rock my world, baby. I had no idea how empty my life was until I met you. Thank you so much for giving me a second chance. I promise I won’t ever let you down again.” She kissed his lip gently while struggling to fight back the tears that threatened her eyes.
“I love you too, Ryker. With all my heart and soul. I promise to do my very best to make you happy each and every day. I confess, I was a little afraid to marry you, but once I saw you standing in front of the judge I knew, without a doubt, that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life loving you.” She had to stop talking or she was sure to make a spectacle of herself to her new husband. Her head lay on his chest, and she fell asleep to the music of his beating heart.
A gentle rocking motion brought Ryker awake gradually but persistently. Was RayeAnn having a bad dream and shaking the bed? When his eyes opened they nearly popped out of his head. The entire bed was airborne and swaying from side to side a good six feet in the air. Twirling in circles a few times, it tilting dangerously to the side. With one arm he clutched her tightly to his body as the other hand grabbed onto the brass headboard to keep them both from falling to the floor. The breeze from the small tornado had extinguished all of the candles, and their wax oozed toward the floor.
“Ryker, you’re holding me too tight. I can’t breathe.”
“Sweetheart, hold onto me, tight, and open your eyes.” He knew the instant she did so, because her entire body stiffened in his arms.
“Reach over me, grab the headboard with both hands and hold on.” As the winds picked up, everything in the room that wasn’t nailed down began to viscously hurl through the air as though aimed directly for them. He rolled his body over hers to protect her, gritting his teeth as objects pummeled his back. The roar of the wind made talking nearly impossible, let alone breathing in the now fetid air. It smelled of death and decay.
Without warning the bed slammed to the floor, bouncing once before coming to a standstill. The other airborne objects followed suit, some still landing on his back as he fought for his breath. After a few moments of silence they sat up in the disheveled bed, taking in the damage done to the room.
“Ryker, do you think Lillyanna is all right? What if he found her at …?”
He put his hand over her mouth. “Don’t even think the words.” He snatched his cell from the floor where it had landed.
“Damn, broken!”
RayeAnn plucked the landline phone out of the debris, but the buttons had all melted together into one useless blob.
“Downstairs, quick! Try the phone in the library.”
Together they dove for the door. Frantically, they moved the shattered furniture from the door, just enough to slip through the narrow opening. By some miracle they made it down the stairs without breaking their necks. Both of them stumbled and clutched the railing for support.
Ryker clutched the door jam of the library as he swung around the corner. His free hand grabbed for the phone. Finally, a dial tone. He punched his mother’s number into the phone. He ran a hand though his hair while RayeAnn paced in front of him. After what seemed like an eternity his mother answered sleepily.
“Hello.”
“Mom, it’s me. Is the baby all right?”
“Son, I love you, but you do realize it’s three o’clock in the morning, right?”
“Yes…but could you just check her for us? It’s really, really important.”
“Did your new bride screw you silly? Of course she’s all right. Tim and Bryn are sleeping in the same room with her. I’m sure she’s fine.”
“Check, Mom. Now. Please.” He allowed the anger and fear to seep into his voice hoping that would get her moving. He heard the squeaky hinge creek as she eased the door open.
Her loud gasp made his heart stop. “What, Mom? Tell me what you see.” He heard the phone rubbing against fabric, someone fumbli
ng with it and then Tim’s voice was suddenly on the other end.
“Yeah, Ryker, he was here, too, but we’re all okay. Lilly is fine, thank God. She was a little fussy, so Bryn had brought her into bed with us. The room’s a disaster area, but other than that we’re fine. Tell me what he did over there.”
“Sounds similar to what he did here. This time, though, we were airborne for a while. He’s getting stronger and more violent.” He looked down at RayeAnn who was snuggled firmly against his chest and listening to their conversation. Deciding there was strength in numbers he asked Tim if he would bring Lillyanna and his mother home. Now.
“I know she’s safe, but I need to see her for myself.”
“Sure, I understand. Do you want to talk to your mother?”
“No, just bring her along. I’ll feel better once everyone is under the same roof. Just leave everything there. We’ll worry about it later. How’s my mother taking all this?”
“Trembling but not hysterical. Not very talkative. Poor thing must have slept through all the noise.”
“You know, on second thought, let me talk to her for a minute.” He heard Tim’s words as he explained that her son wanted to talk to her again.
“Ryker? What the hell’s going on?” He let out a relieved sigh. Yep, she was going to be just fine.
“We’ll explain everything when you get here. Pack a quick bag, Mom. Tim and Bryn will bring you and the baby back here. I’ll come help you clean up the house later.”
“All right, son. See you soon.” He hung up the phone while RayeAnn latched her arms tightly around his waist and buried her face into his hairy, hard chest.
“Ryker, what are we going to do? How can we keep Lilly safe? What if…”
“Shhh. That’s not going to happen. I won’t allow it. I’m calling Everett again, and I don’t give a damn what time it is. This has got to stop.” Looking up to the ceiling, he yelled to Gideon.
Seduction of Souls Page 16