by Gina Sorelle
Half-mortified beyond belief and half-laughing at his ridiculousness, Kat pressed her elbows into his shoulder blades and held on for dear life as Danny carried her back down the aisle, laughing and high-fiving people as he went by.
“Oh, my God…” Kat breathed out as she bounced against his shoulder, face flushing with embarrassment – and utter happiness. “I am going to kill you, Danny!”
He laughed out loud. “You just promised – in front of all your family and our friends – to love me no matter what, sweetheart! And no take backs this time!”
Kat shook her head as he continued high-fiving all his buddies from the station, her nutty relatives, and even some of the older, more sedate ones who were looking at Danny like he was more than a little pazzo.
Which he, of course, was.
And Kat loved him desperately for it.
Just the Beginning…
Author’s Note
Hi, readers!
The following 40+ pages were originally written as a bonus section I was planning to post on my blog about a month after All of You was released. Instead, I’ve decided to include it in the book…hope you don’t mind! This way you can read it now, if you’d like, or read it later. Or both! ;)
It picks up right after the wedding ceremony ends and gives us our first glimpses into Danny and Kat’s married life together.
Thank you for reading!
Gina
Bonus Scene
‡
The reception was much less horrific than Kat had anticipated, mostly because Danny hadn’t left her side all night. He’d shaken the hands and he’d made the small talk, all the while holding a quiet, clingy – but blissfully happy – Kat to his side.
Out of consideration for Kat’s extreme discomfort with being the center of attention, Danny and her sisters had made sure the bridal party table was situated among the rest of the tables, instead of being set apart at the front of the room. Every time someone clanged their silverware against a glass – signaling their desire to see Danny and Kat kiss – he held her and twisted their bodies in such a way that her face was shielded. And Danny had lovingly cradled the back of her head, her face buried in his chest and his arms sheltering her, during their very public first dance. He’d also made sure to crack a lot of jokes and keep the atmosphere very light during the gads of uncomfortable pictures they’d all had to pose for.
This was not to say the night had been without its share of mortification. Kat had been forced to handle the whole bouquet toss on her own, which she’d managed to race through in record time. Despite his overall good boy behavior, Danny hadn’t been able to stop myself from dropping to his knees and burrowing beneath Kat’s dress to retrieve and remove – with his damn teeth – the garter from her thigh.
Danny being Danny, he had also taken the opportunity to quickly nip at, lick, and kiss her inner thigh before actually getting his teeth around the garter. With him buried under there, no one had been able to see it, but Kat’s soft gasp, furious blush, and suddenly stiffened spine had probably said it all, anyway – as had Danny emerging from beneath her dress, her lacy garter between his teeth and a huge shit-eating grin on his face. Danny had hauled her along with him as he’d tossed the garter to a bunch of drunken police officers suddenly clamoring to catch it so they could slip it onto the shapely thigh of Kat’s gorgeous cousin, Viviana, who’d caught the bouquet.
Unfortunately for all involved, Ben (who had been pushed out there by a very insistent Stella) had somehow managed to wind up with the damn thing in his hands. Viviana had giggled and tried flirting, Ben had stammered and blushed, and he’d pushed it up her thigh at the speed of light.
Kat’s heart had broken watching Ben, with some degree of difficulty, bend down and get back up during the process. She’d actually stepped forward to suggest they find someone else, desperate to save poor, introverted Ben from any further embarrassment, but Nathan had rightfully suggested that would only embarrass him more and so Kat had stood down. Ben got through it, the dance floor opened up, and the DJ had been keeping the masses entertained with jam after jam ever since.
Danny politely excused them from the horribly boring conversation about tactical firearms they’d been in with his police sergeant, and pulled Kat off to the side.
“Hey.” Danny pulled her closer, wrapped his arms around her, and lowered his lips to Kat’s ear. “I’ve gotta go take care of something…you’ll be okay for a second?”
Kat hugged him back. “What do you have to take care of, Mr. MacDonough?”
“It’s a surprise, Mrs. MacDonough.” When Kat groaned, he laughed and tugged her closer, tightening his arms. “No, nothing bad. You won’t mind it all, sweetheart, I promise.”
She eyed him suspiciously before sighing. “Well, I haven’t had a chance to talk to my co-workers yet, anyway.” Kat cast a quick look at her gaggle of her socially-awkward lab buddies (who were nerding out over something on Stellan’s phone) before turning back to Danny. “I’ll go say ‘hi’ to them while you’re taking care of whatever top secret nonsense you’re up to.” Kat pinched his side. “Which better not involve you climbing back up my dress and wreaking havoc, mister. I’ll let that one time go, but next time I’m not going to be such a good sport.”
Danny grinned wide. “What can I say…” he breathed against her ear, causing ripples of goose bumps to spread over her body. “My mouth gets anywhere near your body and it gets a mind of its own.” His hands slid dangerously close to her butt. “Just like my hands.” Danny cupped her butt, Kat gasped, and he laughed huskily in her ear. “See? I didn’t mean to grab your smokin’ hot ass, but my hands had their own ideas.” He squeezed gently. “Especially when you’re my bride and you’re wearing the sexiest damn wedding dress I’ve ever seen.”
“Let’s leave right now,” Kat whispered, pulling back enough to meet his eyes. “We’ve done everything we have to do…they don’t need us anymore.” She stepped out of his embrace, grabbed his hands, and started tugging him toward the door. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Danny laughed again, gently pulling her back into his arms. He stared down at her intently, grin fading to a thoughtful half-smile as he searched her face. “My impatient little wife. Just a few minutes longer,” he said as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Danny ran the backs of his fingers across her jaw line. “Have I told you how beautiful you look?”
Kat huffed. “Yes. Two hundred times. Now let’s go up to our room so you can tell me how beautiful I look…naked.”
Danny paused, as easily swayed by her argument as Kat knew he would be. And then she went in for the kill.
She licked at her bottom lip and bit at it before adding, “And as hot as you look in this tux, I cannot wait to rip it off of you.”
Danny’s Adam’s apple worked his throat, eyes glued to her mouth. “Oh, yeah?”
“You shouldn’t have taken that jacket off and rolled up those sleeves, Danny…because you have the sexiest forearms I have ever seen and they have been driving me crazy all night.” Kat lifted her eyes and quirked a brow. “Not to mention your incredible bulge in those pants. I’ve been dying to yank them off of you since I stepped into that room and saw you in them.”
Danny’s brow shot up. “My bulge?” He let out a strangled sound that was half-groan, half-moan. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and started dragging her toward the door. “Okay. Come on. Let’s go.”
Kat laughed. “What about your surprise?”
He stopped short. “Shit.” Danny rubbed at his chin thoughtfully before exhaling a hard sigh. “Yeah, I gotta take care of something.” He turned and gently gripped Kat’s shoulders. “Okay, you go say ‘hi’ to your co-workers, I’ll take care of my shit, and then we’ll bolt…sound good?”
Kat nodded. “Sounds good. Just come get me. I’ll be hiding with my nerds until you’re ready.”
Danny nodded, too, distractedly. “Yeah, good. Okay.” He released Kat and took a few steps back, but his hot gaze was still
skimming her body. Danny cleared his throat and reached down to very indiscreetly adjust his erection, which made Kat want to laugh. “Okay, sweetheart, see you in a minute.”
“See you in a minute,” she said before turning and walking toward the Dork Brigade.
Kat could still feel his lusty, loving gaze on her and it made her smile. And feel like the luckiest, most loved, most desired woman who had ever lived.
And extra thankful she’d chosen the revealing backless dress she’d just known Danny would lose his mind over.
Danny finished up his brief conversation with Stella, then the DJ, and went in search of Kat. He didn’t see her at the table filled with her co-workers, so he scanned the crowded room until he finally spotted her…
Sitting at a table alone with Ben.
Apparently, marrying Kat hadn’t been an immediate cure-all to his debilitating insecurity and stupid-ass jealousy, because the sight of Kat sitting there – smiling and chatting with Ben – set off all sorts of ridiculous, but horribly painful, alarm bells in his head.
As he stood there watching them – sweaty hands balled into fists and his heart pounding in his chest – awful, powerfully familiar fears raced through his head…
Of him not being good enough for Kat. Of her eventually getting sick of his craziness and leaving him. Of her changing her mind – maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but someday. Of how that would destroy him completely…
Without any conscious thought, Danny’s brain immediately slipped into its highly embedded, obsessive routine of trying to figure out ways it might happen and how exactly he would cope with the loss of Kat…what she might say, how she might say it, and what – if anything – he could do to convince her to stay, to love him and be with him despite all his bullshit…what options – if any – were available to him when she refused to stay…
Danny inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, and fought back the toxic thoughts with everything he had.
Get a fucking grip on yourself man. The woman loves you, just married you…in front of him – and every other person you both know. Kat said he never had romantic interest in her and you know for a fact she had no interest in him.
But Danny knew it wasn’t really about Ben at all and it never had been. It had always been about what Ben represented – what perfect guys like him would always represent: everything Danny never was and never would be, no matter how hard he tried.
But she loves you. She wants you. She chose you. And she just promised to always love, want, and choose you – over everyone else. For forever.
Danny took a few more deep breaths, unfurled his fists, and wiped them on his shirtfront.
You know she meant it. You know everything is going to okay. Just let this shit go…before it destroys the exact thing you are trying to desperately to hold onto…
Kat isn’t your biological parents. She isn’t all those foster parents. She isn’t all those women who floated in and out of your life…
She isn’t going to abandon you. Ever.
So stop acting like the fucked-up, insecure little foster kid you were and start acting like the grown-ass, married man you are.
Danny got a fucking grip, manned the hell up, and walked over to where Ben and Kat were sitting.
And the wary looks Ben and Kat gave him as he approached made him feel like the biggest, stupidest, craziest asshole who’d ever lived.
Ben looked like he was mentally prepared for some hand-to-hand combat and the way Kat scooted to the end of her chair made it look like she was prepping to jump between them.
Danny stopped in front of the table, forced a tight smile, and extended his hand to Ben. “Hey, man. Glad you could make it.”
Ben eyed him for a second before getting to his feet and reaching over to take Danny’s hand, gripping it firmly as they shook. “Congratulations.” Ben’s eyes crinkled a little as the corner of his mouth turned up wryly. “And thanks for inviting me.”
Danny nodded, his own lips curling. “You know you were number one on my list when the invitations were sent out.”
Ben barked out a hard laugh. “Yeah, I bet.”
Danny shoved his into his front pockets and rocked back on his heels for a few seconds before clearing his throat. “Listen, Ben…I’m sorry about all that shit I pulled before.” He lifted a shoulder. “I don’t have any excuse other than I am a really stupid, really blind motherfucker sometimes. I’m sorry for getting in your face like that.” Danny cleared his throat again and forced himself to add, “And thank you for taking such good care of my girl. I’m not happy she handled it the way she did, but I’m glad you were such a good friend to her. So…thanks for that.”
“Not that it matters now, but I want you to know I never would have asked her out – even as a friend – if I’d known something was going on with you two,” Ben replied, his gaze direct and his tone serious. “I also want you to know I told her repeatedly to call you the night she fell. I felt like shit doing that behind your back, man, but she refused to call you and, if that was my girl, I’d want someone to take care of her if I couldn’t.”
Danny nodded. “I appreciate that, I really do. It’s not your fault she was being such a stubborn, little troublemaker.”
“Uh…” Kat huffed softly. “Did you guys forget her and she is right here?” When both men turned to look at her, she gave a little wave. “Hi. Hello. Remember me? Just innocently hanging around while you discuss me like I’m not even here.”
Danny and Ben snorted in unison.
“Innocent, my ass,” Danny said as Ben muttered something under his breath about women Kat was quite certain was not flattering to her or her gender as a whole.
All-of-a-sudden, the music stopped and the DJ took to his mic.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen! The groom wants to dedicate this song to his bride before they…” The DJ grinned as he shrugged. “Well, as he put it – ‘get the hell out of here, already.’”
Bursts of laughter broke out across the room as Kat shot Danny another wary look.
“Danny wants a bunch of you to join them on the dance floor so Kat doesn’t feel self-conscious…”
Kat’s wariness flipped to downright aggravation and Danny grinned, already walking toward her, hand extended.
“So everyone please grab a partner and get on the dance floor to share Mr. and Mrs. MacDonough’s final dance tonight!”
The first chords of “I’m Yours” by The Script began playing and Kat’s expression immediately softened.
“Oh, Danny…” she said as she took his hand and let him help her up and lead her onto the dance floor.
They’d spent a lot of time sifting through their – and everyone else’s – iTunes accounts picking out music for the ceremony and the reception. Danny had stumbled on this song on Stella’s playlist and played it for Kat, telling her it perfectly summed up exactly how he felt about her and their relationship – and he’d been surprised how much that had touched her and how emotional she’d gotten listening to the lyrics with him.
Danny pulled Kat into his embrace in a darkened corner of the dance floor, lips curling at the memory of what had happened afterwards…
Them having passionate, drawn-out, amazing sex on the living room rug while this song played on repeat over his docking station speakers. And then Danny had had the pleasure of carrying Kat up to their new bed…in their bedroom… where they’d made love again before falling asleep, naked and wrapped in each other’s arms.
It had been the perfect night. Danny still couldn’t believe Kat was his and that night could happen anytime they wanted, as often as they wanted…forever.
“Well, this certainly brings back some good memories,” she said with a smile, wrapping her arms around him and resting her cheek against his chest as he gathered her closer.
“Fuck yeah, it does,” Danny whispered against her hair, lips curling. “The second it started, it turned the semi I’ve been lugging around all day into one of those raging boners you’re so fond
of.”
Kat laughed softly. “Yeah, I can feel that.”
Danny began stroking the silky skin of her bare back, slowly skating his fingertips up and down her spine and gently tracing the outlines of her shoulder blades, before coming up to caress the tops of her shoulders.
“And you really are a witchy, little tease for picking a dress like this, Kat…” He lowered his lips to where his fingers had just been and pressed several kisses to her skin. “You knew exactly what it was going to do to me, didn’t you?” He dragged his lips and tongue across her collarbone, smiling against her when he felt Kat shudder and her fingers dig into his back. “You knew exactly how out of my fucking mind it was going to drive me…” Danny nipped at her collarbone a few times and kissed up the column of her throat until his lips were just behind her ear. He kissed and licked at the skin before adding, “How impossible it was going to make it for me to control myself…”
She curled her fingers into the fabric of his tux shirt and wiggled against him, rubbing his erection harder into her lower stomach.
At Danny’s sharp, strangled inhalation, Kat pulled back to meet his eyes with a sly smile. “That’s exactly why I picked it. All I could I think about during all of those tedious fittings was how much seeing me in it was going to arouse you, Danny…about how I couldn’t wait to see the look on your face when you watched me move in it all night.” Kat slid her hands down to his ass and squeezed as she licked at, then bit, her lower lip – which made his dick throb, twitch, and grow impossibly harder. “But mostly I thought about how I couldn’t wait for you to take it off of me tonight.” Her expression softened as she searched his eyes. “About how desperately I want to make love to you as your wife…and how desperately I want to take you inside of me as my husband.”
Danny wasn’t sure how it was possible, but she’d just managed to break his heart in an amazing way and make him almost come in his pants at the same fucking time.