Must Love Frosting: Must Love Diamonds Series, Book 1

by Stacey Joy Netzel

  Asher hugged her to his side as he waved them off. They followed the rest of the group across the runway toward the hangar, and he kept his arm around her while the owner chatted with him about finishing up the photo shoot the next day.

  When the guy moved ahead of them, Asher leaned down to whisper in her ear, “No more work for me today. Let’s get this stuff off and get out of here.”

  An hour later, they stumbled into his hotel room, lips locked together as he kicked the door shut. It was a freefall of clothes, and kisses, and bare skin as he followed her down onto the bed. When he joined them together with one deep thrust, every whirling emotion came into sharp focus in her body. It was like the parachute opening, and she suddenly understood let’s make love to the world.

  Knowing the whole future lay ahead of them elevated their lovemaking to a new level. Afterward, she lay tucked against his side, her hand on his chest, head just below his chin. The beat of his heart beneath her palm was strong and steady. Just like Asher. She relaxed in the certainty this is where she wanted to be for the rest of her life. With him.

  Contented silence blanketed the room, but before sleep could take hold, she murmured, “I’m sorry for last week.”

  His arm tightened briefly. “It hurt like hell when you left, but I’ve come to realize we both needed to work a few things out.”

  “You were right about me being afraid,” she admitted. “You were also right about it being worth the risk.”

  “I was reminding myself of exactly that before you showed up. As soon as I could wrap up the job, my plan was to go back home and fight like hell to get you back.”

  Unexpected tears sprang to her eyes, and she pushed up to lean over his chest so she could see his face. “You were going to fight for me?”

  His solemn brown gaze held hers. “Whatever it took. I wasn’t going to give up until you gave in. And I always will.”

  She blinked at the moisture in her eyes and reached up to brush the mussed hair off his forehead. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  “I should’ve done it right away.”

  “I think this is the way it had to be. And I’m okay with that if you are.”

  He smiled as he ran both hands down her back, cupped her ass, and slid her up until her lips met his. “As long as you’re happy.”

  “As long as we’re both happy.” After a long, deep kiss, she rested her chin on her fist on his chest. “Speaking of happy, have you spoken to your parents?”

  “This is an odd time to bring up my parents.”

  “Have you?”

  “No. Not since before my trip.”

  “I did. Well, your mom, anyway.”

  He pressed his head back against the pillow, forehead furrowed. “When did you talk to my mom?”

  “Yesterday. She stopped by your house, and ended up at my house doing shots of tequila with my mom.”

  His eyebrows rose in disbelief. “My mom was drinking tequila? How in the hell did that happen?”

  “My sister knew about you, and she told my mom, whose remedy for a broken heart is to get drunk and cry it out.”

  “Okay…?”

  “I had just invited your mom over for coffee when my mom showed up, and we all got to talking—”

  “Between shots of tequila?”

  “Yes, between shots of tequila, and it turns out my mom is shockingly wise when it comes to relationship advice.”

  “The woman who’s been divorced four times.”

  “I know, right? But she really nailed it, and your mom finally realized that things happened the way they were supposed to happen so she would end up with you and your brothers and sisters. There was more than that, but the gist of it is, she loves your dad and the life they’ve had together, and I’m pretty sure if they haven’t worked things out already, they are in the process.”

  “Wow. Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That’s…” He blew out a breath and gave her a tremulous smile. “That’s so good to hear after the past month.”

  “I know.” Seeing the emotion in his eyes had her blinking back tears again. “You should probably call them and see how it’s going.”

  “Hmm.” He cut his gaze to the alarm clock on the nightstand, then lifted both his hands to frame her face so he could plant a kiss on her lips. “How about later—when we’re not naked in bed.”

  “Yeah,” she agreed with a grin. “I’m good with that.” She held his gaze, and her smile widened as she thought about something he’d said before. “So…whatever it took, hey? What would that have looked like?”

  He tucked her hair behind one ear and traced her earlobe. “I was going to start with flowers and chocolate.”

  “It’s a good start, but…” She lifted one bare shoulder. “It’s a little generic.”

  “Begging would’ve been next. And when that didn’t work—because God knows it didn’t work the first time—I would’ve moved on to brow-beating and kidnapping so—”

  She raised her eyebrows.

  “—I could seduce you with cake.” He grinned as if proud of having come up with that tactic. “Lots and lots of cake.”

  Honor laughed. “So we’re back to calling it that?”

  “It’ll be our code word.” He tapped a finger on her nose before sliding his hands down along her back. “Good plan, don’t you think?”

  “Browbeating and kidnapping? Sounds a little caveman-like to me.”

  “I meant the code word was a good plan.” Then he shrugged. “But a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do.”

  “I probably would’ve beat you over the head with my rolling pin.”

  “You’re totally over-looking the seduction part. I know how much you love my stick shift.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She was sprawled on top of him completely naked and still her face heated. “This is getting to be too much.”

  He shifted his hips beneath her, and the flush in her cheeks spread through her whole body when she felt he was hard.

  “Again?” But she wasn’t complaining really. She wanted more, too. With him, she’d take more for the rest of their lives.

  “If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a dozen times. I can never—”

  “—have too much cake,” she finished with him.

  Returning his grin, she rose up to straddle his hips and lost herself in the bliss of loving Asher. Of course life wouldn’t always be easy; she fully expected they’d have some curveballs to deal with at some point, but something this good was worth whatever work and risk it took to keep it.

  She now believed with all her heart and soul, with the two of them together, anything was possible.

  Most especially love.

  EPILOGUE

  Honor put the finishing touches on Celia Diamond’s square, four tier wedding cake, then stood back to make sure every flower and pearl accent was in place. The white drape cake was deceptively simple looking, yet timelessly elegant with its pearl accents and red and white edible roses. Mid-afternoon sunlight streamed through ballroom windows of the Diamond mansion, but the air conditioning kept the early August heat at bay, ensuring the frosting would be safe.

  And the guests cool as well, she thought with a humorous tug at her lips.

  A soft gasp came from her right, and then the bride stepped up beside her. “Oh, my God, Honor, it’s amazing,” she whispered. “Thank you so much for doing this for us.”

  “I was thrilled to be asked. Just remember, though, cakes are for eating. That’s why you chose a different flavor for each tier.”

  “I’m going to have some of each one,” she vowed with a grin. “And after watching everything I ate for the past two months, I’m going to enjoy every bite.”

  “Good.”

  Though Celia wore leggings and a button-up shirt, her make-up was done perfectly, her dark bob a combination of artful curls and loose braids, accented by red tea roses. She was always beautiful, but today the word stunning was appropriate.
Honor couldn’t wait to see her dress.

  “Shouldn’t you be getting dressed? What if Robert sees you?”

  “He’s down at the guest house with the guys, but yes, I’m going to put my dress on now. Elena said you’d arrived with the cake and I just had to come take a quick peek.” Her smile radiated pure joy. “It’s going to be a great day.”

  “Yes, it is,” Honor agreed as she gave her a quick hug. “Enjoy every moment.”

  “I plan to. Are you coming upstairs to get changed?”

  “As soon as I get my dress from the car.”

  “I’ll see you when it’s time,” she said as she departed with a happy grin.

  A few minutes later Honor carried her dress bag up to the second floor. Unlike three months ago, the hallway was busy with the wedding planner’s employees, a couple bridesmaids, and Elena and her daughter, Solana. Honor had met the entire Torrez family at the rehearsal dinner the night before and liked each one of them.

  She gave the two women a quick smile and wave before slipping into Asher’s bedroom. With her gaze and mind focused on the bed, she shut the door behind her and flipped the lock.

  “Took you long enough to get up here.”

  She gasped and whirled around, her heart in her throat as she saw Asher lounging against the wall next to the door.

  “Don’t do that,” she exclaimed as she smacked him in the chest—his firm, muscled chest encased in a snowy white shirt to go with his tux. It felt like déjà vu from the last time she’d been up in this room.

  As if reading her mind, he grinned and reached to catch her hand to tug her close. “Need help with your zipper?”

  She rolled her eyes even as a grin tugged at her own mouth. “I have to get dressed, Asher. You’re supposed to be at the guest house.”

  “Guys don’t need an entourage to get dressed. You’ve been so busy this week, I haven’t gotten near enough cake.”

  It had been a crazy week with Celia’s large cake, plus two smaller ones on her calendar. She’d missed him, too, seeing as each night she’d worked past one a.m. just to get everything done. Three days ago, they’d managed to steal an hour together for themselves, but other than that, she’d been asleep almost before her head hit the pillow, while he spooned close from behind.

  With one hand pressed to his chest, Honor rose up on her tiptoes and kissed his chin. “You can have all the cake you want at the reception.”

  “What if I want some now?”

  Her pulse skipped and her breath hitched with anticipation. “We don’t have time.”

  “The ceremony isn’t for another forty-five minutes. Your job is done already, and I’m only an usher.”

  Celia had refused to let him be the official photographer because she wanted her brother to enjoy the wedding, not work the whole time.

  “Ushers are supposed to seat people,” Honor pointed out. “You know, before the ceremony.”

  “Merit’s down there.” He dipped his head to nuzzle her neck. “Well, either there or the wine cellar. I saw him chatting up the best man’s sister on my way up.”

  She hummed with pleasure as his tongue stroked against her skin, and every breath she took teased her with Asher’s sexy cologne. She shouldn’t give in, but the man knew exactly how to wear down her resistance and make sure she loved every second of it.

  “Celia’s guests are probably wandering around aimlessly, wondering where to go.”

  “If they can’t figure that out, then let them wander.” His breath was warm against her ear, his large hands firm on her hips as he tugged her against his erection. “Gimmie me some frosting, Butter Cream.”

  Honor hadn’t been able to get him to stop calling her that, but at least he only did it in private. And truth be told, she loved the nickname, because she loved him. Snaking her arm up and around his neck, she said, “As long as you help me with my zipper after.”

  “Deal.”

  Dinner was done, cake had been cut, and Asher had just finished his second serving of cake for the day. He was definitely going for thirds as soon as the bride and groom departed and it was okay for him to take Honor home.

  But that wouldn’t be for a couple of hours yet, so for now he stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her middle, his head resting against hers as they swayed to the music while they watched the wedding party and the parents out on the dance floor.

  Her dress had been messing with his head from the moment she’d slipped it up her gorgeous, naked body. Turns out she didn’t have a zipper, but she’d had him tie the halter top behind her neck. When he’d trailed his fingers down the exposed length of her spine, she’d shivered and he’d had to resist taking her again. They had had a wedding to get to.

  The whole afternoon and evening, sexual awareness simmered between them even as contentment permeated every pore of his body.

  His body stirred yet again, and looking for a distraction, he focused on his parents swaying to the music, looking as much in love as the bride and groom. One would never guess the rocky path they’d navigated a few short months ago. After the tequila shots with Honor and her mother, his mom had gone home to work things out. Even after the second DNA test proved Grayson was his father’s son, his parents’ bond was stronger than ever as they worked the campaign side by side as a newly reunited team.

  Asher swept his gaze around the ballroom, like he’d done every so often during the evening. Each time he located Loyal, he reconfirmed which brother he was looking at, then kept searching.

  “No sign of Grayson all night,” he commented.

  “This would’ve been a huge deal for him to come to when he’s only just started to talk to all of you.”

  Everyone but Loyal. “I know. I still hoped.”

  Honor rubbed her hand over his forearm. “He’ll come around eventually. It’s only been a few months. You have to give him time.”

  Yeah, he knew that, too.

  He looked back at his older brother again, and noticed him frowning across the room. Following his gaze, he saw Roxanna sitting at a table, laughing with Shelby, Solana, Dev, and Reyes. The resentment between the two of them remained strong as they avoided each other at every turn.

  Watching Rox as he continued to sway with Honor and drink in the addicting scent of her subtle perfume, he was reminded of the last wedding the three of them were all at. Roxanna had asked if he thought they’d ever have this—love, marriage—and look at him now. He hoped she’d find her right person now that he’d found his.

  And speaking of love and marriage…

  He suddenly found it hard to draw in a steady breath. Tightening his arms the tiniest bit, he pulled Honor back with him into one of the private little alcoves in each corner of the ballroom.

  When she saw they were alone, she laughed softly and turned in his arms. “You read my mind.”

  Her husky voice sent a surge of desire through him, and he loved that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. But that’s not what this was about. “I have a question to ask you…”

  Her eyes went wide.

  “It’s actually a question about a question,” he quickly clarified.

  “Ok-ay,” she said cautiously.

  “There’s going to come a time when I want to ask you a question, the question, but I don’t want to freak you out, so…I thought if we talked about it ahead of time…we can be sure to be on the same page when the time comes.”

  She relaxed against him, smiling as she draped her arms around his neck. “And what page is that? ’Til death do us part, two point five kids, a dog, and a house in the suburbs?”

  “I was thinking more like four kids and two dogs, because really, what would we do with half a kid?”

  Her warm laugh filled his heart with so much love. “Dog hair and cake doesn’t mix.”

  “We won’t allow the dogs in your cake shop.”

  Her brows rose. “My shop?”

  “The store next to Lift Your Spirit is moving to bigger space across the street in October. I
thought I’d see if you would want the space. You did say it was a key location.”

  “Are you kidding right now?”

  He grinned at the excitement that spread across her face. “I mean, I am going to charge you rent and demand free cake for life, but the space is yours if you want it.”

  “I want it. I definitely want it,” she assured him. Then she rose up on her tiptoes, her happy gaze shining bright. “And as for the other, I’ll take that page any day you’re willing to offer it.”

  He wanted to drop to his knees and offer it right now, but he hadn’t brought the ring with him, damn it. That was okay, though, he’d plan something special just for her.

  In the meantime…he dipped his head and covered her mouth with his. She leaned in and opened to him in that way that always made his pulse rev high. He lifted his hands to either side of her face and leaned his forehead against hers as he spoke the emotion in his heart that would last a lifetime. “I love you.”

  Her lips curved against his. “I love you, too.”

  Thank you for reading!

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