“Yeah, but having sex doesn’t mean she wants to commit to me. It’s probably because she was ready for it. Not like she wants to marry me or anything.” He huffed out a breath, annoyed with himself. Because it was what he wanted didn’t mean it stood to reason she wanted it too.
Rory slapped him across the shoulders. “Man, you should see your face. You’re looking like the world’s going to end. When the time is right, in bed or otherwise, I’m sure you’ll know. When she’s in a really good mood, ask her. Ask her if she wants to commit to you and a relationship. Doesn’t mean you have to get married. Perhaps letting her know you want to go exclusive will give you an idea if she’s ready or not.”
He thought about it, kicking himself that he’d never thought of it that way. “Yeah, I like the idea of exclusive. That shouldn’t be enough to scare her away. I can see if I asked her to marry me it probably would. Your way sounds much better. Thanks, Brother.” As usual, Rory came through with the goods. Always the reliable brother.
“I aim to help, even love-struck fools like you. One more string to my bow as deputy sheriff.” He stepped forward and hooked a finger in the little boy’s mouth, pulling out a long strand of grass. “You’ll choke on that, big guy.” He patted the little boy on the head and let him reach for another blade of grass. “Women give out signals, Evan. It’s just a case of timing it right.”
“Yeah, right.” Signals, did this get much more complicated? “You seem made to be a father, Rory. He looks like a great little kid.” Evan watched the two of them together and felt a pang of jealousy hit him hard.
“Sure is. As I said, once I got over the surprise, I couldn’t help but fall for this little guy. I know Gina can’t wait to give him a brother or sister.” Rory picked Fisher up and swung him around. The little boy giggled and reached for his shirt, clinging to his chest, eyes closed tight.
“Well, good luck. I hope you produce many kids and soon. I can see myself as an uncle.” He smiled at the picture his brother made with a toddler against his chest and tried not to let the stab of jealousy get any worse.
*
“Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do?”
“I appreciate it, Denver, honestly. It’s all done. The caterer is organized, the garden is all prettied up out back, and the church is booked. Only thing left is to get my man there and make it official.”
“Sounds like you’re a wiz at organization then.” She glanced around the newly renovated kitchen. The smell of fresh paint still clung in the air, only slightly masked by the scent of vanilla candles. “I do like this kitchen. So much feeling of open space in a room that isn’t that big. Did you design it?”
“Yes. Rory gave me free rein in here since it’s my domain. I wanted what Callie has—a huge open kitchen with dining room. Sadly, that wasn’t going to happen in a space this small so I had to be clever and make the most of it.” Gina put the kettle on the old wood stove and smiled. “I turned the bathroom into a walk-in pantry and that gave me more space. We added a couple of bedrooms for Fisher and hopefully the next baby, with a bathroom between them to make up for what I took.” She grinned and dropped a hand down to cup her stomach, her eyes glazing over for a second and Denver smiled to herself.
“How far along are you?”
Gina opened her mouth and stopped. She swallowed and looked down, a tinge of pink staining her cheeks. “I haven’t told Rory yet. I want it to be a surprise between the two of us tomorrow night.”
Denver zipped her fingers across her lips.
“Thank you.” She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear before opening a cupboard and taking out two cups. “I’m so lucky, I know that. Finding Rory was the best thing that could have happened to me. Tell me about you and Evan though. I know you two work at the same hospital but there’s more there. I can tell just by looking at you together.”
“I’m not sure what you mean.” Denver fidgeted under the close scrutiny.
“You can’t take your eyes off of each other, Denver. I’ve seen you looking at the man like you want to gobble him all up.” A smile lit Gina’s mouth.
“I didn’t think I was that obvious.” She leaned back against the counter and folded her arms. She realized she didn’t want Evan for the job alone anymore, at least that was her train of thought at the moment. She wanted him because he made her feel special and loved, and because he knew how to make her tremble with need even when he wasn’t around. How the heck that had crept up on her, she didn’t know.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you like that.” Gina slid her hand down Denver’s arm. “This family is pretty open about their feelings and I should have been a bit more sensitive because I know not everyone is like us.”
“No, it’s okay. You’re right. I do want him. This is all kind of new to me. In my family feelings are kept on hold until the time is right. No bursting into spontaneous outpouring of love.” She shook her head. “Being with your family has made me realize how cold that left me feeling.”
“Didn’t your mother…?”
“No.” Denver sighed. “She died when I was little. My father brought me and my brother up, or should I say, nannies did the job for him.” The thought of what she’d missed hit hard. “Life wasn’t so bad, I thought we were happy but I guess I wasn’t.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Don’t get me wrong, we survived well enough. But it was nothing like this where you guys are always touching each other and professing your love or lust for one another.” She hoped her outburst wasn’t embarrassing Gina and thought honesty was okay in this house.
Gina laughed out loud. The tears filled her eyes and she did nothing to try and control the amusement she obviously found in Denver’s statement. When the kettle whistled, Denver nudged her out of the way and picked it up, poured boiling water into a teapot, and placed the lid on, not sure the hysterical pregnant lady would cope without burning herself.
“Oh, my. That’s classic. Sorry, Denver. Lust—I get that. Who can blame me? Look at what I’ve got for goodness sake.” Her eyes shone in pleasure and a glow blushed over her cheeks leaving a rosy tinge on her skin.
“Yes, I know. And that’s what scares me. I have one of those good-looking Watson boys too, and my life has changed so much in the last couple of weeks since Evan took me out for dinner. Spending one-on-one time with him over a meal has changed my feelings for him enormously. I can’t believe I think I love him already. That wasn’t in my game plan.” She wiped a hand over her face, confused by her own feelings and wondering where to go from here. The idea of having a husband to get her job was falling way behind the idea of having the man she had fallen head over heels in love with. In her life as well as in her bed. The thought made her quiver with nerves. “Mind you, I have had two years to get used to him.”
Gina patted her on the shoulder and then reached for the teapot. “It will sort itself out. Enjoy the time you have here together and see what happens.” She poured them a cup of tea each and placed them on the small wooden table in the center of the room. As Denver took a seat, Gina stepped over to the pantry and walked inside, coming out seconds later with a tin.
She took a plate from the cupboard, placed it on the table, opened the tin, and artfully placed chocolate chip cookies in a circle, keeping one in her hand as she sat down. “If I say so myself, this is a good batch of cookies. Fresh baked this morning.” With a smile at Denver, she took a bite and leaned back in her chair, chewing happily.
Chapter Twelve
Evan watched Denver sleeping. Her eyelashes swept down over flushed cheeks and her lips were parted showing the tip of her pink tongue. Lips that kissed their way down his body last night, sending him wild with a passion that threatened to engulf him again. He knew he was ruined forever. They shared a magic in bed he didn’t want to let go of. Before this week at home ended, he had to make her his.
“Stop thinking so loud.” She opened her pale blue eyes, blinked, and looked up at him. “Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad t
o leave such deep furrows in your forehead.” She reached up a hand to wipe at his skin above his eyebrows. Her touch jolted all the way down to his groin and he sighed. Evan reached for her hand and brought it to his mouth. Lips grazed over her skin and the taste of her triggered something in his brain. She smiled and he needed no further encouragement.
He pushed her back on the pillow, her hand up above her head, and let his body cover hers. Denver all but purred under him as she spread her legs so he could rest between them. Evan kissed her deep and passionately, moving the angle of his head to deepen the kiss as the heat swelled in his groin. His erection nudged at her center and he grinned to himself when Denver moved under him to position him at her entrance.
“Someone is keen this morning. Didn’t I satisfy you enough last night, Dr. Sinclair?”
She laughed, a happy sound echoing in his ears. “Oh yes. You know what they say about one taste and you’re hooked?”
“I think I do.” He nipped at her top lip and wriggled his hips, pushing at her moist opening and backed away as she arched toward him. I want you to want me like I want you, Denver. It’s all I ask.
“Stop teasing me, Evan, and put out before I explode without you.” The pale blue of her eyes fogged to a steely gray.
“Put out? Oh baby, I’ll put out for you anytime.” He plunged his tongue into her mouth and at the same time eased his cock inside the warmth she offered, sinking into bliss. Her hands slid down his back and held onto his butt, pulling him in as far as he could go before she wrapped her legs around his. Evan gasped as her nails dug into his cheeks, almost sending him over the edge. He gritted his teeth and trailed his lips down her throat. He wanted to make it last as long as he could. The heat between them was more than he had hoped for and knew Denver enjoyed it as much as he did. Was it enough to make her stay with him, or would she need a long drawn-out relationship before she took the plunge into marriage with him?
Evan could feel the eruption building inside her as she panted and urged him on faster. Her muscles tightened and started to quiver around him and he stilled to try to make the moment last.
“No, Evan, I want it now, please don’t stop.” Her eyes were shut and her jaw tense as she teased the climax to its peak. “Faster, oh God don’t stop now.” She threw her head back on the pillows and clenched her jaw as Evan pumped into her, giving her what she demanded. Her body bowed and a low groan slid from her throat.
His own climax close, he fought the hands that gripped him, trying to hold him inside her and gave a final thrust of his hips to follow her over the edge of oblivion. He tensed all the way down to his toes, his back curling as he rode the crest of his orgasm. When the spasms slowed he rested his forehead on hers, his breath ragged. “Holy heck, what a way to wake up in the morning.” He kissed the tip of her nose and watched as she opened her eyes. They were hazy from lovemaking, the tiny gold specks vivid in color.
*
Her hands slipped from his body and she lay there, sated, underneath him. Sex made her feel loose and at ease, and with Evan it was especially good. “Hmmm.” If she were a cat she would be purring. The thought raced through her mind.
“I take it you enjoyed that wake-up call.” Evan rolled off her and onto his back. He reached out a hand and gripped her fingers, twining his in between hers in a simple gesture. The contact pleased her enormously.
“Mindless sex first thing in the morning has a way of making me feel all loose and free. I could get used to it.” She closed her eyes and waited for a response, hoping it was the one she wanted.
Beside her Evan shifted and she opened her eyes and looked over at him. He rested his head on his hand, elbow dug into the pillow. His gaze appeared thoughtful, pondering.
“What have I said wrong?”
“Mindless sex, Doctor? I actually put thought into that, I’ll have you know. It took considerable concentration to make you purr like a kitten.”
Her lips twitched before she could control the urge to laugh bubbling up in her throat. It was no good. Peals of laughter filled the room.
“And now she laughs at me. What a blow to a guy’s ego.” He trailed his fingertip over her breast, toying with a now-pert nipple. “Even so, I’ll still admit you have a beautiful body, Denver, and I love to see you in my bed. Perhaps…” He bent down and sucked the tight bundle of nerves into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it before letting it pop out of his mouth again. “Perhaps I will have trouble letting you go after this week is over.” The heat from his mouth traveled straight down to her core making it almost impossible to keep still. “I think it’s something we should talk about after the wedding festivities have been dealt with.”
Denver watched as he gripped the sheet covering her lower body and ripped if off leaving her exposed to his hungry gaze. “Maybe we should try that again but slower to make sure we agree. What do you think?” He gave her a quick grin and leaned over, trailing his tongue from her breasts down her stomach.
She heard the soft chuckle as her legs opened for his mouth without any encouragement. Oh yes, this was going to be a good discussion. Right now she had other things to concentrate on. The hot tongue sliding between her folds was the most important. Denver closed her eyes, raised her hands above her head, and stretched out, giving over to the pleasure.
Chapter Thirteen
The music started and Evan looked back to the church door. His father stood there proudly with Gina on his arm. In front of them stood Callie holding a bouquet of flowers grinning at her husband standing at the altar with his nervous brother. The joy on the old man’s face hit Evan in the gut. For all the pain and grief he’d gone through after the loss of his wife, he’d managed to finally come out on the other side.
It’d hurt them all when she died. He and his brothers had gotten on with life while grieving in their own ways. None of them understood how it was for their father. At least Evan hadn’t until he was more mature. His profession helped in that regard. Understanding the psychology of death and the grieving process brought it all home, and he’d reached out to his father tentatively at first. Once Jock understood Evan held no grudge, he’d become more vocal and they’d kept in touch on a regular basis. Even Chance, who pretended to be grumpy around him, was softening thanks to Callie bullying him and showing their father the love she could no longer show to her own late parents.
Acceptance had been a long slow process for Evan, Rory, and Chance. Tyson had never blamed his father for the way he acted and stood by their father while they’d all turned their backs on him.
Rory stood at the front of the church with Chance by his side, watching as his bride made her way down the aisle. A hand reached into his and Evan wound his fingers with Denver’s. She leaned into him and whispered in his ear, “She looks beautiful. And Fisher is so cute in his little white tux.” The toddler sat in his newfound grandmother’s arms watching the proceedings. He played with the flower pinned to her dress, dribbling cheerfully as his grandfather did his best to keep up with the drool. It was plain to see they both doted on the little boy and Evan could understand it, having fallen under his spell himself.
He wondered if Denver would want children with him eventually. She liked Fisher well enough, and Evan wanted a family almost as much as he wanted her. It might be a battle getting her to go off the pill if she got the job at the hospital. Just another hurdle he was intent on climbing over when the time came.
Evan shifted his attention back to his brother. Rory smiled nervously at Callie as she took her place and then his gaze went to the woman he was taking for his wife. The normally composed deputy sheriff seemed to shift nervously on his feet as his bride walked toward him. Her face glowed with love as she reached his side.
“Who gives this woman to this man in holy matrimony?”
“I do.” Jock took Gina’s hand and passed it to Rory.
Jock blushed when Gina kissed his cheek and he ducked his head to hide his joy before taking his seat next to Evan. “Good job, Pop.” E
van patted his father on the shoulder as he sat down.
“Ain’t nothing to it.” He brushed the imaginary dust from the suit he’d pulled from the closet and had dry cleaned, and kept his gaze on the happy couple, a sheen of tears in his eyes.
“Friends, today we are gathered here to celebrate the union between Rory and Gina.”
Evan squeezed Denver’s hand. In response she leaned into him and sighed. He tried to concentrate on the service. His mind kept wandering and it was him and Denver standing before Reverend Davis, not Rory and Gina. He followed the whole service seeing himself holding his own bride in his arms.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
He shook his head and tried to clear the fog, bringing himself back to the present.
Rory slid his arm around his new bride’s shoulders and leaned in for the kiss. Gently at first, he nipped at her mouth and then, encouraged by the arms around his waist, he went in for the kill. They looked as though they thought there was no one else in the room and lost themselves in each other until the whistles and hoots of laughter became too much.
“Sorry folks. Got kind of carried away. She’s so pretty I couldn’t help myself.” Rory cupped his hand under her chin and gave her a small peck on the lips. “I love you, Gina.”
“Love you too.” They laughed and held hands turning toward the congregation. Evan stood and started to clap as they walked down the aisle of the little church. He pulled Denver with him to the steps of the church and reached into his jacket pocket for the bags of confetti. “Let’s do this.” He handed one to her and opened his, slipping his hand into the paper bits.
He stepped over to his brother and lifted his hand high, throwing the confetti over the heads of the newly married couple. Denver let fly with her handful and the photographer snapped shots as they were rained on with the colorful tradition.
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