by Jenna Sutton
Claiming.
Chapter 31
Each layer of Quinn and Amelia’s wedding cake was a different flavor, and Nick was greedy enough to wish he could have a piece of each one. He took another bite, moaning softly as the tartness of lemon and the sweetness of raspberries bombarded his taste buds.
“What kind do you have?” Cal asked around a mouthful of cake.
“Lemon and raspberry.”
“Is it good? I have the devil’s food cake with vanilla icing, and to quote Amelia, it’s ‘orgasmically delicious.’”
Nick chuckled. The cake was pretty good, but the only thing he would describe as orgasmically delicious was Teagan’s curvy body.
“I think I’m going to try to sneak another piece,” Cal said. “I heard there’s coconut cake with lime buttercream. And I’m going to get a piece of the groom’s cake, too. It’s chocolate almond cake with mocha icing.”
Cal sighed, and Nick glanced toward him. The other man’s lips were tipped in a small smile, his gaze focused on Quinn and Amelia. The newlyweds were talking with a group of wedding guests, and Quinn’s arm was curled tightly around Amelia’s waist while she leaned against him.
“That’s what I call ‘Happily Ever After,’” Cal said, nodding his head toward his brother and his bride. “I would bet my life they’re going to be like that fifty years from now.”
Nick nodded in agreement. He was confident that no matter how many years passed, Quinn would still be holding Amelia close, and she’d still be leaning against him.
Taking another bite of cake, Nick tried to push down the envy that welled inside him. He was happy for his best friend and his new wife. At the same time, he wanted to be the one who held his bride close. He wanted to be the one who had fifty years of togetherness to look forward to.
Nick let his gaze wander the room. He could count on one hand the number of weddings he had attended. While he’d played football, a number of his teammates had married, and he had been invited to almost all the weddings. He had only attended a couple, though, because he felt uncomfortable in social situations where he was expected to talk.
Without question, Quinn and Amelia’s wedding was the nicest he had attended. The reception space was quite large, which was a good thing, since there were at least 450 wedding guests. Most of them were from the groom’s side, since Amelia didn’t have any family and only a few friends.
With its creamy stucco walls and dark wood plank floors, the room was similar to the Spanish-style chapel where the ceremony had been held. Wrought iron and crystal chandeliers hung from the unique, barrel-shaped vaulted ceiling, giving the room a sophisticated yet rustic feel.
It had a large dance floor, and the band was set up in the front of the room. Two sets of arched double doors opened to a huge patio area, which was strung with outdoor garden lights.
At least forty-five round tables were set up inside and outside. Light and dark gray table linens covered the tables, and large floral arrangements were situated in the middle of each. The flowers were the same ones Amelia and her bridesmaids had carried down the aisle.
Now that the meal was over and the cake had been cut, Nick assumed the dancing would begin. The seven-person band was ready to go, but it hadn’t started playing yet. The string quartet that had played during the ceremony had provided music throughout dinner.
Nick heard the sound of Teagan’s laughter, and his eyes instinctively sought her out. He smiled when he saw her chatting with Deda Aldridge, the head of Riley O’Brien & Co.’s business development group, and his partner.
Cal nudged Nick with his tuxedo-clad shoulder, and Nick brought his attention back to the younger O’Brien brother. Cal tilted his head toward Teagan, his eyebrows raised questioningly.
“How are things going with Teagan? Any progress with my stubborn but lovable little sister?”
Nick grinned at Cal’s apt description. He loved everything about Teagan, but he wished she was just a little less stubborn, especially when it came to giving him another chance.
“Maybe,” Nick answered. “She smiled at me.”
That smile she had given him as she’d walked down the aisle had made his heart beat faster and his blood bubble inside his veins. He had been surprised she had even looked his way, and when her glossy lips had tilted up, he’d felt as if he’d been struck by lightning.
Cal gave him a look that combined pity and contempt. “You’re pathetic.”
Nick laughed. “Someday you might think a smile is p-p-p-progress.”
“If that day ever comes, I give you permission to bludgeon me with the golf club I gave you for Christmas.”
“I’ll look f-f-f-forward to it.”
“Has she said anything about the gifts?”
“No.”
While they’d been drinking bourbon in the resort bar, the O’Brien brothers had suggested that he woo Teagan with gifts. He had liked the idea and had eventually decided on gifts that could do double duty as her favorite things and as reminders of their time in Boston—a time when he had been falling in love and had been too stupid to realize it.
Teagan hadn’t mentioned his gifts, but he thought that was a good sign. He didn’t want a thank-you, he just wanted her, and at least she hadn’t rejected the gifts by dumping them on his desk.
He was even more encouraged by the way she had acted when she had seen the injuries to his face. It was the first time she had willingly put her hands on him (except for sex) since they had been in Boston, and her concern had been evident.
“What about doing something romantic?” Cal suggested. “Maybe a ride in a hot air balloon.”
“You think that’s romantic?” Nick asked, shooting Cal a doubtful glance.
“I don’t know,” Cal admitted. “I’ve never had to be romantic to get what I wanted from a woman.”
Nick nodded. He knew exactly what Cal meant. Women threw themselves at him, and he’d never had to put any effort into getting laid. Before Teagan, Nick had never gone out of his way to do something special for any woman.
“Her birthday is in a few days,” Cal reminded him. “Maybe you could do something special to celebrate it.”
Suddenly, Nick’s mind was filled with images of Teagan in her green dress the night he had taken her out for her birthday—the night when he had ruined everything. He wished he could go back and relive that night like the asshole main character in Groundhog Day.
If he were given a mulligan, he would make love to Teagan all night long and wake up in her bed. Maybe he’d take her slowly in the early morning light, or maybe he’d pull her into the shower and take her while warm water trickled over them.
Then he would treat her to brunch before texting Elijah and asking his agent to find him a place with the San Francisco 49ers or the Oakland Raiders so he could be with Teagan when she moved back home. And finally, he’d ask her what kind of engagement ring she wanted.
If he had done those things when he’d had the chance, they would have already celebrated their third wedding anniversary. They would probably have a kid, and given the fact that he couldn’t keep his hands off her, they would likely have another baby on the way.
He could have had everything, and now he thought it was a big deal when she smiled at him. Cal is right—I am pathetic.
The band’s guitarist strummed his instrument to get the guests’ attention, interrupting Nick’s melancholy musings. Once the room was silent, Ava Grace stepped up on the dais with her guitar and sat down on a stool in front of a stationary microphone. Crossing her legs, the beautiful blonde gave the crowd a big smile.
The guests began to murmur, and the air crackled with excitement. No one had known Ava Grace planned to perform, not even the newlyweds.
Ava Grace had won the national singing competition, American Star, nearly four years ago. Since then, she’d vaulted into stardom with several num
ber one songs. She was a household name akin to Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood except she was even prettier and more talented.
“Hello, everyone,” Ava Grace said, her unique raspy voice amplified by the mic. “Most of you know me as Ava Grace Landy, but you might not know me by my most important title, Amelia Winger’s . . . oops, I guess she’s Amelia O’Brien now, folks.”
Ava Grace chuckled, and the guests laughed at her mistake. “My most important title is Amelia O’Brien’s best friend,” she continued. “Amelia and I grew up together. We’re family.”
Her voice softened. “Right after Amelia met Quinn, she told me he was too distracting—that she couldn’t even be in the same city with him because she was afraid she’d rip off his clothes.”
Nick laughed along with the rest of the wedding guests, glancing over to see how Quinn and Amelia were reacting to Ava Grace’s speech. The bride’s face was bright red, and the groom’s face was split by a grin that stretched nearly ear to ear.
“Millie, you now have the legal right to rip off Quinn’s clothes anytime you feel like it.”
The guests roared with laughter, and Amelia hid her face against Quinn’s shoulder. Ava Grace laughed. “Okay, that’s enough embarrassment for one night. I wrote a song for you two, and I’d love it if you would dance your first dance as husband and wife while I sing. What do you say?”
The newlyweds nodded, and a couple of dark-suited men cleared the dance floor. Quinn and Amelia took their place in the middle of it, and Ava Grace winked at her best friend.
“This is called ‘Empty Places,’” Ava Grace said before looking over her shoulder to count off the beat.
The band launched into a slow, sweet melody. Quinn twirled Amelia, and her fluffy dress belled out around her before he pulled her back into his arms.
Ava Grace began to sing, mesmerizing the guests with her voice and lyrics. Nick took a deep breath, letting the music pour over him, and all too soon, the song was over. For several seconds, there was silence in the room, and he noticed several wedding guests wiping their eyes.
Ava Grace stood and waved to the crowd before stepping down from the dais. Quinn and Amelia met her, and the bride threw her arms around her best friend. The crowd broke into applause, and the band immediately launched into an upbeat song. Seconds later, enthusiastic dancers filled the dance floor.
Sometime during Ava Grace’s song, Cal had disappeared from his place beside Nick. He had a pretty good idea where the other man had gone, and his suspicions were proved correct when he spotted him near the cake. While everyone else had been enthralled with the slow, romantic music, the best man had been stuffing his face.
Turning his attention from the glutton in the corner, Nick leaned against the wall. He spotted Kate and James on the dance floor, and he smiled when James dipped his wife over his arm.
Nick watched the guests dance through the first set of songs, and when the band took a break and the string quartet began playing again, he searched the room for Teagan. He had kept an eye on her all evening, debating whether he should approach her.
He didn’t want to reverse the progress he’d made with her by putting her on the defensive, but at the same time, he wanted to dance with her. He wanted to feel her curvy body against his, look into her beautiful blue eyes, and smell her sweetness.
He saw her standing alone near the doors to the patio, and he let himself enjoy the sight of her in the strapless bridesmaid dress. Her shoulders and chest looked smooth and creamy against the silvery-gray material. The dress crisscrossed over her torso before cinching her waist and falling to the floor in smooth folds. A flat-chested woman would have looked pretty good in the dress, but Teagan, who had large, luscious breasts, looked liked every man’s X-rated fantasy.
Teagan glanced his way, and he didn’t bother to pretend he hadn’t been staring at her. He didn’t bother to hide his hunger for her, either. The corners of her mouth tilted up, drawing him like a magnet.
He headed her way, surprised and pleased when she stayed where she was. He had expected her to rush out of the room. Maybe he was making headway.
Stopping in front of her, he shoved his hands in his pants pockets to keep from pulling her to him. She looked up to meet his eyes. Her glasses were absent, and he noticed the shimmery silver color on her eyelids and the length of her long lashes.
A dark curl had escaped from her fancy up-do, and it dangled over her forehead. He pushed it back, tucking it behind her ear, and traced the diamond stud fastened to her earlobe.
He’d hoped she would wear the earrings and bracelet he had given her, but he had doubted she would. He had planned to give the jewelry to her for Christmas, but he’d changed his mind in favor of the picture. The pieces had languished in a safe-deposit box in a downtown bank for months, and he’d decided to go ahead and give them to her as part of his new strategy.
He wasn’t sure how long they stared at each other, maybe seconds, maybe minutes, but he finally managed to gather his thoughts. He cleared his throat so he could deliver a long sentence, and she tilted her head, waiting patiently for his words.
“You look beautiful,” he said slowly. “I’ve never seen anyone or anything so beautiful.”
Her eyes widened, and her cheeks turned pink. She licked her lips, leaving them shiny and wet, and blood rushed to his cock. Moving closer, he settled his hand on her waist, clenching his fingers in the smooth, filmy material of her dress.
“You look really handsome,” she replied softly, smoothing the lapel of his tux with her fingers. “The most handsome man in the room.”
Her words sent a tingle through him. He had always viewed his good looks as a consolation prize for what he really wanted—the ability to speak easily and clearly. But after hearing the admiration in Teagan’s voice, he suddenly felt blessed by Mother Nature.
Cupping his hand around the back of her head, he slowly leaned down. He gave her plenty of time to pull away before placing his mouth on hers and gently stroking the seam of her lips with his tongue. Her lips fell open, giving him a taste of lemons and sugar, and he knew she had eaten the same cake he had enjoyed.
The chatter of conversation, the mellow tones of the string instruments, the ding of expensive crystal . . . it all faded away as she stroked her tongue against his. She slid her hands under his jacket to grip his waist and pressed against him until her breasts flattened over his chest and her stomach cradled his cock.
Teagan aggressively sucked his tongue into her mouth, and a sharp zing traveled down his spine to the tip of his erection. He gasped as it pulsed against his boxer briefs and jerked his mouth away from her to pull in a lungful of air.
He hastily stepped back to put some space between them, shocked that a simple kiss had brought him so close to disaster. He wasn’t an etiquette expert, but he was pretty sure it was bad manners to come in his pants during his best friend’s wedding and in full sight of 450 people.
Teagan glanced down, and he followed her gaze. He was hugely erect, and his tuxedo trousers did nothing to hide it. In fact, they seemed to emphasize his hard-on.
She raised her eyes to his, pressing her lips together, but he saw the hint of a smile on her mouth. A second later, her husky giggle reached his ears.
He scowled. “Not funny,” he grated.
“You’re right,” she agreed solemnly before snickering.
Shrugging off his jacket, he draped it over his arm to hide the monster in his pants. When he brought his attention back to Teagan, bittersweet emotion washed over him. She was smiling at him, her dark blue eyes sparkling with happiness like they used to.
He missed that Teagan. The one who had chattered and laughed and teased. The one who had understood him like no one else.
I miss the Teagan who loved me.
The strum of a guitar drew their attention, and the band’s lead singer announced that the bride and gro
om were ready to leave. Nick wove the fingers of his free hand through Teagan’s and pulled her onto the patio, where they would give Quinn and Amelia a proper send-off.
The rest of the wedding guests joined them, and when the wedding coordinators passed around baskets filled with rose petals, he and Teagan each grabbed a handful. ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’” blared through the speakers on the patio, and Quinn and Amelia ran through the crowd hand in hand.
Nick tossed the rose petals with the other guests, showering the newlyweds. Once they were out of sight, he turned to Teagan, but she was gone. He blew out his breath in frustration. It was always one step forward and two steps back with her, and he wondered if he’d ever get ahead.
The first notes of David Grey’s “This Year’s Love” floated from the reception hall, and he slowly made his way back inside. Couples packed the dance floor, all of them swaying to the romantic music. Nick scanned the crowd for Teagan but couldn’t find her.
Draping his jacket over the back of a nearby chair, he rubbed the back of his neck, squeezing the tight muscles with his fingers. He needed a drink.
“I love this song.”
Teagan’s voice came from behind him, and he dropped his hand before slowly turning to face her. She stood a couple of feet away, her hands clasped loosely in front of her.
“Would you dance with me?” she asked softly.
His heart thudded heavily, and he wondered if he had heard her correctly. Just in case his hearing worked fine, he held out his hand. He half expected her to walk away, but she slid her hand into his.
He followed her to the dance floor, and once they were there, she stepped into his arms. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her close, and she placed her hand on his shoulder before resting her head against his chest.
Somehow he managed to move his feet, and she followed his lead. The action jogged a long-forgotten memory of dancing with her at Cal’s college graduation party. He had cut in on one of Cal’s friends after watching the guy’s hands wander to Teagan’s ass one too many times.