Kitty winced. “I suppose not.”
“You see,” Rebecca continued, “your decision has risks both ways. It may be risky leaping into marriage, but not doing so carries its own risks. Those risks may be more comfortable because you have a better understanding of what they are. The risk of marrying in that sense is for the more adventurous among us, I suppose.”
Kitty glared at Rebecca—suddenly she sounded smug. “And you were willing to risk twice.”
“That’s right. And I don’t regret either risk. So what’s holding you back? You don’t want to lose some of your freedom? You prefer living alone, taking a man when you want one? Afraid of the unknown? Not sure enough about Jared or yourself to take the chance?”
Kitty looked wildly around the small room. The walls were coming in on her. She shook her head. She didn’t have the answers to all of those questions—maybe to none of them.
“I’m sorry, Kitty. I didn’t mean to push you.”
“No,” Kitty stammered, “I asked. I wanted to hear what you had to say. Don’t apologize.” Kitty reached for the tab. “But I do have to be going. You’ve given me much to think about.” She stared at Rebecca through blurry eyes. “Thank you. I have to be alone.”
Her heart still clutched when she got in her car. Was he worth the risk? She had so much to lose. She started the engine and revved up the car. But Rebecca was right—if she let Jared walk out of her life, she had a lot to lose, too. Too much.
How much time would he give her? She thought of the blue and white garter and wiped tears from her eyes. Damn him for pushing her so fast. Damn her for being so entrenched.
Kitty dashed to the ringing phone as soon as she opened the door to her house. She glanced quickly at the caller I.D. as she reached for the phone. She gulped. He wasn’t going to give her long at all.
Without further thought she brought the phone to her ear. “Hello.”
“Hi, Kitty. Good to hear your voice.”
He sounded so reserved, so business-like. “It’s good to hear yours, too. I don’t know where to begin.”
“I cancelled a trip to Europe.”
“Oh.” She frowned. Wasn’t he going to let her apologize?
“I’m coming to Chicago instead.”
“Oh.” Why couldn’t she say more than oh? She must sound totally stupid.
“I’m coming to get you, Kitty.”
His raspy voice sent a shiver racing up her spine. “I know.”
“I probably can’t get there until tomorrow noon. You’ll be at home.”
Was that a question or a command? She wet her lips. “I’ll be here. I’ll be waiting for you.”
“Good.”
Kitty stared at the phone when she heard him hang up.
“Oh my God,” she mumbled, flopping down in a kitchen chair. He was coming to get her. There was no mistake about what he meant. He was coming to claim her as his wife. And she hadn’t told him to stay away. She’d told him she’d be waiting for him.
When had she reached her decision? When she’d gotten up to leave Rebecca at the track café? On the drive back to her house? When she’d heard Jared’s voice on the phone? When he’d told her he was coming for her?
It didn’t matter. She stood and wiped at her eyes. She sighed and then began to laugh. He was coming for her. Her cowboy was riding in from the west to claim his bride.
She hadn’t told him not to come, but how could he be so sure? But he’d probably been certain about them much longer than she had.
Tomorrow noon. Good God. Why hadn’t she asked more questions, or even said yes, she wanted to marry him? Now she’d have to wait until tomorrow. How many times would she second guess herself? Too bad she couldn’t simply sleep till then.
Kitty tried not to look at the clock on the fireplace mantel. That didn’t seem to make the time go by any faster. She smoothed out her long plaid skirt. She’d chosen it purposefully, not wanting to seem overly eager in case she’d misunderstood him—though she didn’t think she had. The slit halfway up her thigh should prove provocative enough. And the off-the-shoulder smocked top hardly made her look matronly.
She crossed her legs at her ankles and grinned, looking at her high heel sandals. Jared was a softie when it came to high heels. She’d learned that about him the very first night they’d met at Susan’s wedding reception.
She lay back against the couch. So much had happened since that weekend. Had Jared talked at all to Jackson about her? She’d love to have listened in on that conversation.
She started when she heard a car pull into the driveway. She stood and peeked out the window to see Jared paying a cab driver. So that answered one question. He didn’t expect to need a rental car for a quick exit.
She waited for him to ring the doorbell before opening the door. He strolled into the entryway and set down his travel bag.
She watched him rake his gaze up and down her. If he was disappointed she wore a long skirt, he didn’t show it. “Hi,” she said softly. “Welcome back.” She held out her arms and he took her into his.
She laced her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth down to hers. His lips crushed against hers. She had difficulty breathing, and from the sound of Jared, he wasn’t any more calm than she was.
She stepped away from him, holding his hand. “Come on. You must be starved. I’ve made us a light lunch.”
“Starved,” he said, beaming at her. “Starved for you.”
She shook her head. “Not right away. Let’s not act like a couple wild animals.”
“It wouldn’t be the first time,” he groused, squeezing her fingers but following her lead.
“I’m quite aware of that.”.
When they got to the kitchen, she directed Jared to a chair, which he took reluctantly. She set about pouring coffee for both of them and put out a plate of fruits, cheeses, and sliced sausage.
“Eat,” she ordered, pulling up a chair for herself.
He nibbled on an orange slice. “I’m much more interested in hearing what you have to say than eating.”
“We’ll see about that.” She smirked and curled her fingers around his. “So you came to get me.”
“That’s what I said,” he drawled.
“No lasso, no chains.”
“They’re in my overnight bag.”
“I see.” She leaned back, inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. “What do you really have in mind, Jared? Hauling me off to your dungeon? Setting me up as your mistress? Tell me.”
“You know the answer to that. I want you to be my wife.”
“It’s hard for a girl to know unless the guy says what he means. So are you proposing to me?”
Amusement flickered across his eyes. “You know I am, Kitty. I didn’t know you could be so coy.”
“No one has ever proposed to me. I’m not sure I’d recognize the words.”
“Ah.” He tipped back his head and chuckled. His smile broadened as he moved off the chair to kneel before her on one knee. “So, Kitty, will you marry me?”
Kitty was surprised by her own clear headedness. She smiled at Jared. “You want me to move to your ranch?”
He nodded. “If you would. I’d be willing to try to live both there and here, if you want.”
“No, that won’t be necessary. I’ve lived here my whole life and spent most of that time working. California might be a nice change of pace. And as you made clear, they do sell houses there, too. I will want my own office at the ranch.”
His smile broadened. “So you’re saying yes?”
“Serena and Seth?” She tilted her head to the side.
Jared frowned and exhaled. “I won’t give up Serena entirely. I can’t.”
“Good.” Kitty’s heart fluttered. “Then I get to share Seth from time to time.”
“Serena and Seth are counting on that. So are you going to say yes, or are you going to make me grow old and gray kneeling before you? Oh!” he exclaimed. “How could I forget?”
Kitty wat
ched him dig into his trousers and produce a small box. She could feel her eyes widen. This was no longer abstract, if it ever had been.
Jared opened the box and plucked out a sizeable diamond flanked by two smaller diamonds. He took her left hand and, apparently seeing no resistance in her smile, pushed the ring part way onto her finger. “So do you have an answer?”
She nodded and drew his other hand along the slit of her long skirt until she curled his fingers around the blue and white garter hugging her thigh. Her skirt fell away, revealing what he was holding onto.
He glanced down and looked back at her with surprise. “You knew all along,” he challenged.
“Of course I did,” she said softly, pushing her finger forward until the ring passed over her knuckle. “Yes, I’ll marry you, and I had hoped we wouldn’t have any problems with our understandings about living space and Serena and Seth.”
He rose and kissed her soundly.
She curled her hand around his wrist and stood. “Let me clear the table,” she said.
“But now…”
She shook her head at him as she wiped the table. She tossed the rag toward the sink. “But now,” she said, sliding up onto the table, “I’m ready to serve my starving man.”
She hiked her skirt up over her waist and slid back on the table until her high heels rested on the table top. The precious look on Jared’s face would’ve assuaged any doubts she might still harbor about marrying him, but she had none.
He wet his lips and grazed her thigh with his fingers. “That garter looks terrific on you. It helps set off a bare pussy extremely well.”
She chuckled. “Maybe we’ll want to buy me a garter belt and stockings for a wedding present.”
“You can count on that.”
“But this will have to do for now,” she added, spreading her labia just enough to draw his attention.
He flicked his tongue out at her and lowered his head.
She moaned when his tongue slid along her separated folds. “Oh damn,” she squealed. “Maybe we should’ve done this first.”
Kitty locked her legs around his back and interlaced her fingers in his hair. “Don’t rush, but I think when you’re done with lunch, I’ll have a hunger to fill also.”
He rose up to face her. “I was hoping you might. So I guess you’re not a girl who has to wait until her wedding night.”
She burst into laughter and pushed his head back down to her throbbing loins. “Be a good boy. I’ve never spanked a fiancée, but I’m willing to try.” His lips covered her clit and she lurched forward.
Keeping his mouth in place, Jared winked up at her. “And I love a woman who keeps her promises.”
“I do,” Kitty, lolling her head from side to side. “And I will. Oh hell, I’m coming.” She squeezed his head between her thighs. “Wait for me.”
His words came to her from a distance. “I will always wait for you.”
- o -
The End
About the Author
Adriana Kraft is the pen name for a husband/wife team writing Erotic Romance for Two, Three or More. The award-winning pair has published over thirty erotic romance novels and novellas to outstanding reviews. Long and Short Reviews: “scorching hot…refreshing...something to read when you want straight up hotness.” Romance Junkies: “filled with warmth, blazing hot sex, well-developed characters…not for the faint of heart.” Romantic pairings include straight m/f, lesbian, bisexual, ménage and polyamory, in both contemporary and paranormal settings.
We hope you enjoyed The Best Man and we love hearing from readers! You can find us on line at these links:
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The Best Man Page 18