Protecting the Bride

by Shelley Munro

  “He is not a nice man.” The inflection said everything. Susan doubted Grace’s judgment when it came to men.

  “I agree.” Grace wanted to defend herself but bit back the instinct to explain further. “I hope the authorities lock him up for a long time.”

  “There.” Susan patted the cut on Grace’s throat with the cotton wool ball. “The bleeding has stopped. You were lucky.”

  “Believe me, I know,” Grace replied. “Let me help you sweep up the glass.”

  “No, I couldn’t—”

  “I insist,” Grace said. “At least that way, we might get a little sleep tonight.”

  The woman glanced at her wristwatch. “It’s almost five. I usually get up at six to prepare everything for breakfast. One couple is leaving this morning. Once I clean their room, you can shift accommodation.”

  “That’s unnecessary,” Grace said.

  “I’ll need to order replacement glass and the door frame from Invercargill. We have a retired builder who will install the frame and windows for me, but I suspect the stock will take a few days. You can’t stay in a room that exposes you to the elements.”

  “Thank you,” Grace said. “Ah, that sounds like a vehicle now. Hopefully, it’s Cullen.”

  Grace guessed right, as seconds later, Cullen jogged up the steps and stalked over to her. He tilted her head up to study the marks Jeff had inflicted.

  “It doesn’t look too bad, cupcake.”

  “No.”

  He jerked her from the chair and wrapped his arms around her in a breath-stealing hug. “I should paddle your backside for your little performance earlier,” he whispered against her ear.

  “I had to do something.” His warm breath had the usual effect on her, pushing her pulse into a speedier beat and darting awareness of his size and masculinity through her. Now, she had a reel of images to go with her imagination and desire pulsed to life in her.

  “Not at the risk of your life, cupcake.” He shuddered. “I don’t want to imagine a world without you in it.”

  She burrowed even closer, savoring the way she felt in his arms.

  Protected. Loved.

  This last descriptive had her thoughts racing to a screeching halt. Despite Cullen’s protestations and his assurances that they made a great couple, the tiny snake of distrust and disbelief wormed into her brain. Those doubt-demons rode her subconscious, flinging out waves of unease and anxiety.

  She kept them to herself because Cullen believed they had a future.

  Her—she’d decided to live each day one at a time. It was the best thing to do. Either way, she suspected forthcoming heartbreak, but instead of worrying about it, Grace shoved the notion from her head and focused on Cullen and everything good in her world.

  The cops had Jeff in custody.

  “The local cop wants us to give him an official statement later today. I told him we could meet him mid-morning.”

  Grace stepped back, but Cullen didn’t loosen his embrace much. She sent him a quizzical glance.

  “You could’ve died,” he said. “I’ve never felt so terrified.”

  “Jeff is in custody now,” she murmured, her chest aching with the wave of adoration and happiness all wrapped up with a bow of regret. “Let’s shove him from our minds and enjoy the rest of our holiday.”

  Cullen’s smile was dazzling bright, and her heart squeezed with longing. “I can get on board with that.”

  Grace, seeking to lighten her mood, winked at him. “Perhaps we could have an afternoon nap since there is no point going back to bed. It’s almost morning.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Cullen agreed. “We should have a snooze every day.”

  If only, Grace thought, even as she returned his smile with a broad one of her own. She could do with more images for her Cullen reel before he left again.

  20

  HOME AGAIN

  “I’ll call Josh as soon as we land,” Cullen said.

  “To check on my house?” The flight back to Auckland had been bittersweet and non-eventful. Back to normal. Back to work. Back to reality.

  “Yes. Josh installed cameras for me and did a drive past each day.”

  “That was nice of him.”

  “I’ve done the odd favor for him. It’s what mates do.”

  “You’re lucky to have wonderful friends. It sounds sad, but most of mine have either moved away from Auckland or given up trying to meet with me. My hours are crazy sometimes.”

  “Have you thought about getting a new job?” Cullen asked. “Or you could try to get your idea for online cakes started.”

  “Jeff stole my savings. I can’t do anything until I get a backstop behind me. Most catering businesses fail in the first six months of opening. Usually, it’s because the owners tried to move too fast or go too big straightaway. I don’t want to end up a statistic.”

  “What about if you went on a smaller scale? Did kids’ lunchbox meals for busy parents? Or baked brownies for afternoon teas or special occasions? Or did dessert food boxes? You’re probably too late for Christmas or New Year’s marketing, but Valentine’s Day is soon. Experiment a little and do romantic dessert boxes. Tell your boss you need two days off a week and use that time to prep.”

  Grace pondered dessert boxes for Valentine’s Day. “That’s a fantastic idea. Use the romantic day as a test of the market. I’d prefer to go with my strengths, which are baking and desserts. I could advertise on social media and keep the operation small.”

  “There you go,” Cullen said.

  The plane landed, and everyone collected their belongings and exited the domestic flight. While they waited for their luggage, Cullen rang Josh.

  Grace spied their bags and grabbed them off the conveyor.

  “I’ll help,” Cullen was saying when she returned to his side with both bags. “Sure. Tomorrow morning at six. No problem. No, stop apologizing. Ash is right. You need to rest that arm.” He hung up.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Josh broke his arm playing touch football with our friends. He has a big contract, and he asked if I was available to help.”

  “What about your renovations?”

  “They’ll keep,” Cullen said. “I don’t mind helping Josh until I have to return to the army.”

  The drive from the airport to Papakura didn’t take long, and Grace’s feel-good mood dispersed during the journey home. She had to work tomorrow, and Cullen did too. She guessed she’d see him a little, but the two months left of his break would pass swiftly.

  Cullen pulled into his driveway.

  “I guess I’d better start the laundry,” Grace said, opening the door to exit Cullen’s vehicle.

  “Want Thai takeaway for dinner?”

  One last meal together. She seized the opportunity to spend more time with Cullen. “Yes.”

  “Do you want anything in particular?”

  “Surprise me,” she said. “As long as it’s not too spicy.”

  Cullen nodded. “I’ll give you a buzz once I’ve placed the order. I’ll do that in about an hour.”

  Grace nodded and retrieved her bag once Cullen had opened the rear. She took two steps before Cullen’s big hand curled around her right shoulder.

  “Don’t I get a kiss?”

  Grace whirled to face him, her quick move making him release his grip. She studied his face and couldn’t read his expression. It wasn’t open as it had been during their time in Stewart Island.

  Before she replied, he closed the distance between them and kissed her hard. Once she responded to him, he gentled the contact, taking the kiss into seductive territory. She moaned against his mouth.

  “That’s better.” He tucked a lock of hair behind Grace’s ear and then stepped back. “I’ll call you.”

  She nodded and plucked the keys from her pocket. Once inside, she dumped her bag and did a quick walk-through to ensure everything was in order with her house. It was, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

  Time for laundry. />
  It was closer to two hours before Cullen rang her to say the food was on its way and she should come over to his place.

  Grace had taken the time to shower and put on a pretty floral sundress, another of her new outfits. A sense of letdown bombarded her as she crossed the expanse of lawn to the gate between their two properties. Once they returned to work—tomorrow—everything would change. Revert to normal. She kept telling herself to enjoy the evening ahead, savor the time she had with Cullen. Although he’d told her he wanted her and showed he desired a future, the self-doubt wouldn’t let go, digging in claws deep enough to cause her anxiety.

  Grace halted at the wooden gate. “This negative Nelly attitude has got to stop.” Above all, Cullen was her friend. She needed an attitude change because Cullen would soon tire of building up her confidence. She would if she were him. Even before Jeff, she’d had crises of self-confidence, all a legacy of her teen years.

  “You are an adult, Grace. Pull up your big girl panties.” Grace straightened her shoulders, opened the gate, and surged through. Each day during the last week, Cullen had shown he wanted her by word and deed. It was time to trust him. No one could guarantee what happened in the future, so she’d make plans for her business, and in her romantic life, she’d take things one day at a time.

  “Cullen,” she called, and after a brief tap, she opened the rear door to the kitchen and walked inside. She found him unpacking their meal.

  “That smells delicious,” she said.

  “Do you want wine to go with it?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Cullen brushed a kiss on her temple, the action natural and affectionate. “Take a seat and start while I grab us a drink each.”

  Grace rubbed at the spot with her fingertips as she stared after him. She loved his… Oh! This was bad. Very bad. How could she have let her emotions get away from her like this? A few weeks ago, she’d thought she’d loved Jeff. Grace mulled over the revelation and decided she’d always loved Cullen. This wasn’t a sudden event. She’d always enjoyed his company, and they’d laughed together. They’d always had a friendship, but now it’d deepened to more, and her fears had come to pass.

  “Hey!” Cullen returned with two glasses of wine. He placed one in front of her and flicked her chin with his forefinger.

  She pulled away and wrinkled her nose at him. “You caught me daydreaming. It’s been a long day, and I’m tired.”

  “Me too,” Cullen said. “You’ll stay here with me tonight?”

  “I’ll have to go home to get clothes.”

  “Why? We’ll end up naked anyway, and I have a new toothbrush in the cupboard.”

  Grace laughed suddenly. One day at a time. “We might not get much sleep.”

  “Count on it,” Cullen said with a wink.

  They ate their meal together, the conversation flowing easily as it always did between them.

  “Josh mentioned he and Ashley are having a barbecue next weekend since his brother- and brother-in-law are coming up from Eketahuna and Moewai. He asked if we’d like to come.”

  “How could I turn down a barbecue at the prime minister’s house?” Grace teased.

  “You’ll like my friends. Nikolai and Summer aren’t far from here. They live in Bottle Top Bay.”

  “Will we need to take anything? I can bake a cake or something like that.”

  “I’ll tell Josh you’re baking a cake,” Cullen said. “You can showcase your New Zealand Best Baker skills.”

  Later that night, Grace wandered up the stairs ahead of Cullen and turned into his bedroom.

  “Toothbrush,” Cullen said. “Flannel for you to wash your face. Do you want me to run next door to get your moisturizer?”

  Warmth glowed in Grace. “Thanks. It’s on the bathroom counter.”

  “Where is your key?”

  “I didn’t lock up.”

  Cullen frowned. “You probably should. I haven’t noticed strangers driving by since we’ve arrived home, but I’d take extra precautions for a while. Where are your keys?”

  “In my handbag. It’s in the bedroom, tucked between the bed and the nightstand.”

  “I’ll lock up for you and bring your handbag.”

  In five minutes, he was back, and she was ready for bed. She slid beneath the covers and took pleasure in watching Cullen disrobe.

  “I enjoy looking at you,” she murmured.

  He sent her a boyish grin. “Likewise. I adore your curves and the way your breasts overflow my hands.”

  Cullen pulled back the covers and joined her, drawing her into an embrace. He kissed her softly, starting slow and gradually deepening the contact. He stroked his tongue against hers, enticing her to sink into the kiss with him. His hands stroked and cupped, massaged, and teased until Grace turned into a quivering mass of urgent need.

  “Cullen,” she whispered against his throat. “Please.”

  He released her and flopped onto his back. “On top of me, cupcake. I want you to take what you need and give me lots of memories to pull out when we’re not together.”

  Grace frowned. “I’m not very good at this. I always feel clumsy and self-conscious.”

  “Cupcake.” There was a warning in the cutesy nickname.

  Grace took heed and decided what the hell. Mostly, Cullen had taken the lead. It might be fun to explore his body and drive him wild with lust. She was positive she could do it.

  Without another word, she straddled his lean hips and grinned down at him. His gaze had attached to her breasts, and she cupped them, plucking at her nipples and teasing herself and him. His erection pressed against her butt, and she wriggled a fraction, letting the slick head slide across her buttock. Cullen groaned, and that was the instant when she decided this was fun. Grace ran her fingers over his bulky chest and explored the dip and swell of his pectoral muscles, the ridges of his abs. She leaned forward to tease his flat nipples with her tongue. He cradled her head, holding her in position and encouraging her to continue. She tested his skin with her mouth and sucked tiny kisses that left a path of red marks going down his rib cage.

  “Grace, I like that.” Cullen wasn’t shy about asking for more. “Harder. Mark me so I can see the signs tomorrow.”

  She licked, nipped, sucked, and varied the degree of marking. She amused herself by running her tongue down his abs and testing the bulk of his muscles. As she worked her way farther down his body, she stroked his erection with light caresses that didn’t come close to the pressure he enjoyed.

  “No more teasing,” he ordered finally. “Take me inside you. I wanna watch my cock disappear and merge with your flesh. Feel your slickness and the friction when you rise and fall on my dick.”

  “Yes,” she whispered, heat crawling over her chest and neck and flushing her face. While she wanted that desperately, she still took her time. She slid her lips across his, teasing herself as much as him. Her sex tingled, and dampness provided the perfect amount of friction when she rubbed against his cock without allowing penetration. Grace had one more goal before she moved the process along toward the ultimate pleasure. She sucked the swell of a pectoral muscle, purposely making it hard enough to leave a mark.

  “Yes,” Cullen whispered, and he followed this up with a hoarse groan.

  Grace’s breasts prickled, and the blissful sensation arced downward to the needy spot between her legs. Okay, she’d lied. There was one more thing she wanted to do. She scooted back down Cullen’s body and took his cock into her mouth. With a flick of her tongue, she smoothed away the bead of pre-come that appeared. She licked, letting his taste wind through her senses.

  Cullen wove his fingers into her hair and held her in position, silently imploring her to continue. Her tongue rolled over his head and under to tease the delicate underside.

  “Yes,” he murmured again.

  She pulled away with a loud pop that had his eyes flying open, his mouth firming in silent protest.

  “I promise I’ll do that again, but right now, I’
m going to self-combust if I don’t get you inside me.”

  “Thank the lord,” he muttered in a heartfelt tone that had her chuckling. That was another thing she adored about being with Cullen—the fun and laughter they experienced while making love and the simple companionship when they were doing ordinary things. He reached over to his bedside drawer and grabbed a condom. Seconds later, he rolled it on with his big hands and sent her an expectant stare.

  “Patience,” she scolded, wagging a finger at him. She flashed her pussy at Cullen as she positioned herself, then instead of doing as he expected, she held herself above his body and stroked a finger across her needy clit.

  “Hmm,” she said, repeating the move because it felt so decadent.

  Cullen growled. “Cupcake.”

  A laugh rolled from her in pure delight, and she caressed her clit for a third time, saving the jolt of enjoyment that slipped through her.

  Cullen grasped her hips while amusement filled his eyes. Despite his protests, he was enjoying this as much as her.

  Suddenly impatient, Grace positioned his cock and bore down, impaling herself in one quick downward plunge.

  “Yes,” Cullen hissed.

  His shaft filled her, offering exquisite friction and the promise of tremendous pleasure. She lifted her hips and sank back down, experimenting with the pace and angle until she found one she enjoyed. Her eyes slid closed so she could absorb the sensations rushing through her. Her breasts bounced, and her entire body was on display, but she didn’t care, not when she hadn’t seen a hint of judgment in Cullen’s expression. His calm acceptance went a long way to boost her morale, her courage.

  “Do you like this position?” he asked. “Because from my perspective, it’s a winner. I can hold your breasts and tease those pouty nipples of yours. I can thumb them until they’re tight, or I can give you a hint of pain.”

  “Your expression is amazing,” Grace said. “You look at me as if…as if…”

  “As if what, cupcake?”

  “As if I’m your everything,” she whispered, another flash of heat working down her chest.

  “That’s because you are,” he replied instantly. “I’ve had plenty of time to imagine myself in this position, plenty of time to plan and decide what it might be like when I’m loving you or when you’re taking control and responsibility for our pleasure.”