by Mari Carr
She ran her hands along his back, wishing he’d taken the time to remove his shirt. She wanted to touch his skin.
“I don’t want a long engagement, Jill. I want my ring on your finger as soon as possible.” He pulled out as he spoke and pushed back in slowly, teasing her with his too-soft motions
She nodded, breathless. “That sounds doable.”
“And you’re going to have to take some time off from the diner. I’m planning on a long honeymoon.”
Her laughter ended on a groan, and he moved inside her harder, quicker. “I can do a long honeymoon.”
“Good. We’re gonna have to live in this apartment for a while, just until we find a place of our own.”
She fought to catch her breath as he pounded inside her once more, and she decided to give him a bit of his own medicine. He was seducing her with his words, his future plans, as much as his actions.
“We’ll grow old together.” She locked her legs tightly around his waist, holding him in place until he raised his gaze to her face.
“But never too old for this.” He leaned up on his forearms, kissing her deeply. His lips expressed the emotions she’d spent a lifetime longing for.
“I love you, pixie. Now what do you say I give you one good reason why we should be together?”
He pushed to his hands, and with his kiss, his body, his softly whispered words, he drove his point home…gloriously.
Epilogue
Jill adjusted her white veil and tried to decide if she felt silly or beautiful. She’d never pictured herself as a white-wedding kind of girl. Hell, she’d never pictured herself getting married period. She let her fingers run over her silk dress and studied her image in the mirror once more. She imagined Wes’ face when he saw her at the end of the aisle, and smiled.
“Hubba-hubba,” Kate said, stepping behind her, her sister’s bridal image reflected as well.
“Ha ha. I feel like a fool. White suits you better than me with that mass of reddish hair. This damn blonde mop on my head just makes me look washed out.”
“You’re fishing for compliments and I’m not biting.”
Jill rolled her eyes. “You know, it’s not too late to run,” she joked.
Kate grinned while shaking her finger at her older sister. “You wouldn’t make it twenty feet down that driveway before Wes caught up to you and dragged you back.”
“I wasn’t proposing we flee on foot. That revved-up Harley Rick has been working on looks pretty damn fast. I bet we could make it to the garage easily enough.”
Kate shook her head. “Oh no. You were the one who suggested the double wedding at the farmhouse, Jilly. If I’d known you were plotting an escape, I’d have made sure Rick locked the garage. If I’m going through with this, you are too. You aren’t leaving me alone to take the plunge.”
“Well, since you put it that way. I’d hate for you to think I ditched you at the altar. I’ll go through with this for you.”
Kate wrapped her arm around Jill’s shoulder, turning her so they could look at themselves in the mirror. “You’re doing this for you, for Wes. You’re doing this because he makes you happy and because the two of you were made for each other. Besides, it would be a terrible shame to waste this.” Kate gestured at their reflection. “You’re beautiful.”
Jill’s breath caught. Her sister’s words were true. She smiled at the image of the two of them in their wedding dresses. “Shit, beautiful nothing. We both look hot.”
A soft knock at the door followed by Cheryl’s voice interrupted them. “It’s time, girls. Get your butts downstairs. Two more minutes and I won’t be able to hold those boys back.”
Jill took a deep breath. “Well, ready or not. The firing squad awaits.”
“Hush,” Kate said. “Stop joking around and let me be serious for a minute.”
“Okay.”
“I love you, Jilly. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without you. If it weren’t for you, I never would have met Rick. I owe you so much.”
“Stop, Angel May, or you’re gonna have me crying before I get downstairs. Cheryl will kick my ass if I mess up the makeup she put on me.” She hugged her baby sister, thrilled to be sharing the most special day of her life with her best friend. “I love you too, Katie. More than I can ever say.”
“Ready?” Kate asked, opening the door that led to the hallway and to their bright futures.
“I am so ready,” Jill said, grabbing her sister’s hand and rushing her to the altar, the two of them laughing the whole way.
The End
About the Author
Some people fall apart on their 30th birthday, others on their 40th. For Mari Carr, 34 was the year that took her down. After she spent the day crying and saying, “I haven’t done anything I thought I would,” her husband finally asked what was left undone. Her answer was simple—she hadn’t written a book or decorated her house. “So do it,” he said.
Five years later, the house is sparkling with fresh paint and new furniture and her computer is jammed full of stories—novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends. The lesson: It’s never too late to achieve a goal or two!
High school librarian and English teacher by day and mother of two busy teenagers, Mari Carr finds time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep and the house is quiet.
With the publication of her first book, her latest goal—publishing before 40—has been achieved with a couple of years to spare. Phew!
Mari welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.
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Also by Mari Carr
Black Jack
Cougar Challenge: Assume the Positions
Covert Lessons
Everything Nice
Inflamed
Kiss Me, Kate
Rekindled
Retreat
Scoring
Spitfire
Sugar and Spice
Wild Irish 1: Come Monday
Wild Irish 2: Ruby Tuesday
Wild Irish 3: Waiting for Wednesday
Wild Irish 4: Sweet Thursday
Wild Irish 5: Friday I’m in Love
Wild Irish 6: Saturday Night Special
Wild Irish 7: Any Given Sunday
Print books by Mari Carr
Retreat
Sugar and Spice, Everything Nice
Tease the Cougar anthology
Wild Irish: Wild Days
Wild Irish: Wild Nights
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com