A Warrior Wedding (19 page)

“Damn, that food smells so fucking good.” Adam took one more deep breath.

“I know,” Jill agreed, wanting to pinch her nose closed so she couldn’t smell it anymore. “Are you scared, Adam?”

Adam wouldn’t meet her gaze; instead, he stood and kissed her on top of the head before walking away.

With her stomach cramping painfully, Jill stood, ignoring it the best she could. Strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

“You ready, Mrs. Buchanan?” Slade’s voice whispered in her ear.

“Ready for what?” She leaned into him, savoring his strength and loving her new name.

“You’re not the only one with surprises.” Slade kissed the side of her neck. “Let’s say our goodbyes.”

Jill nodded in agreement, excitement mixing with the pain in her stomach.

******

A
fter their goodbyes, Slade picked her up carrying her up the trail toward the house. Her bare feet stuck out from her dress.

“You forgot your shoes.” Slade stopped, ready to turn around.

“No, I didn’t.” Jill wiggled her toes. “I didn’t wear any.”

“At all?” Slade grinned.

“Nope.” Jill kissed his cheek. “You married a true country girl, Slade Buchanan.”

“Have fun you two.” Caroline met them on the path coming from the house. “Everything is set,” she told Slade.

“Thank you, Caroline.” Slade moved to the side letting her pass.

“What’s going on?” Jill frowned at both of them. When they remained silent, Jill knew she wasn’t going to get any answers. “Okay, well, leave everything, Caroline. You’ve done enough and I’ll be back to clean up.”

“I’ve got this, Jill,” Caroline told her. “Now get her out of here, Slade.”

“Caroline.” Jill huffed. “I mean it.”

All Jill heard from Caroline was a laugh. Frowning, she looked up the path and sitting in her parents’ driveway was a sleek black limo, and Slade was heading right for it.

“That’s for us?” Jill asked in awe. She’d never ridden in a limo before.

Slade set her down gently as the driver opened the door. “It’s for you.”

Looking at the driver before getting in, Jill thanked him. Scooting across the seat, her eyes were round as saucers. “It’s beautiful.” She took everything in.

“You’re beautiful,” Slade replied, watching her.

“I’ve never been in a limo before, can ya tell?” She laughed at herself climbing onto Slade’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“If this is the way you show your appreciation, I’ll buy you one.” Slade kissed her softly. “What color would you like?”

“Blue,” Jill answered automatically. “I want a blue limo.”

“Blue to match your hair.” Slade touched her face with a soft caress.

“You know me so well,” Jill teased, pressing her face into his hand.

“I’m learning more and more about you every single day.” Slade’s eyes roamed her face.

“That’s a scary thought.” Jill cringed.

“No, it’s fascinating.” He took her mouth in a gentle kiss that quickly turned into something more intense.

Finally!
Jill shouted silently in her mind, but as soon as things were getting hot and she was on the verge of losing her mind in a good way, Slade pulled away from her. “No!” This time the word came out of her mouth and loudly.

Slade chuckled. “Unless you want the driver to get a peek at the action, we need to slow it down.”

Regaining her wits, which took a few minutes, Jill realized they had stopped. Slade tapped on the window, the door opened right away. Slade slid out first, then held his hand out to help Jill. She turned to find a cute little cabin surrounded by trees.

“I figured you wouldn’t want to spend your wedding night at the compound.” Slade led her around the limo and then tipped the driver who had set two small suitcases on the porch.

“It’s perfect, Slade.” Jill beamed. “It’s almost like the one I showed you a while ago, that I loved.”

Slade smiled, took a key out of his pocket and opened the door. Carefully picking her up, he carried her into the cabin and set her down.

Jill stood in the middle of the room just taking everything in. The fireplace was a gorgeous stone and already had a fire crackling. She walked slowly, peeking into another room and gasped. The kitchen was huge and rustic, just like the cabin itself.

“Sid would kill for this kitchen.” Jill laughed, opening doors and soaking up the beauty of the place. Continuing her exploration, she headed upstairs. “It has two nice size bedrooms. The cabin doesn’t look this big on the outside.”

“Did you look out back?” Slade called from downstairs.

Jill came back down the steps, excitement shining from her eyes. She opened the double doors, walked out onto a patio and clapped in delight. “A pool!” Jill spun around, laughing. “Please tell me we can go swimming.”

“We can do whatever you want,” Slade said, without realizing the implication of his words, but Jill heard him loud and clear. “So do you really like it?”

“I absolutely love it, Slade.” Jill wrapped her arms around herself, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world. “How long are we staying?”

“For as long as you want.” Slade pulled her to him putting his chin on top of her head. “Because I bought it for you.”

“Excuse me?” Jill pulled away, her nails clawing into his arms. “What did you say?”

“It’s ours, Jill.” Slade chuckled at her open-mouth gape.

“You...you bought me a house?” she said. He nodded, yet she still didn’t believe it.

“I love you.” Slade tilted her chin up. “I would buy you the world if I could.”

“No.” She shook her head, her eyes still wide with shock. “A house is good, but it’s too much.”

“Be prepared to be spoiled, Mrs. Buchanan.” Slade picked her up so he had easy access to her mouth. “Because I plan on doing much more of it.”

“I don’t need to be spoiled, but I do need to be loved, by you.” Jill kissed him with all the passion she had inside her. She knew he knew exactly what she wanted, what she needed. “Please, Slade.”

“Jill.” His tone changed from sexy Slade to Dr. Buchanan.

“You never told Adam he couldn’t have sex with Angelina.” Jill dropped her bombshell on him.

“You’re not Adam,” Slade replied, letting her go when she wiggled.

“No, I’m not.” Jill backed away, reaching behind her to pull the string to unlace her dress, and wouldn’t you know it, her mother had knotted it. So much for stripping with a sexy flare. Instead, she pushed down her off-the-shoulder sleeves until she bared her breasts, which his darkening eyes went straight to. Thankfully, the lace had loosened over the hours of wearing the dress and she was able to shimmy her way out of it.

Standing before Slade in only a lacey white thong, Jill gave him her sexiest smile. “Tell me no now, Slade.” And God, she prayed he didn’t tell her no, because that would devastate her as well as being the most embarrassing moment of her life.

Slade adjusted his crotch as he continued to stare at her. Her eyes dropped to watch him and smiled at the huge bulge in his tux slacks. She wished she had high heels on, but she had to go with what she had. Turning around, on purpose of course, she bent and picked up her dress giving him the best view of her ass. Walking toward the steps with her wedding dress in her arms, she stopped and looked over her shoulder.

“I’ll be upstairs, Slade.” She purposely ran her eyes over his body, stopping at the bulge for a second longer. “I’m not above begging or playing dirty.” She tossed him a sexy grin; at least, she hoped it was sexy. She was just now learning the art of being sexy. Climbing the steps, she prayed to God she wouldn’t trip and that her climb showed him all her assets that she was overly exerting to draw his attention. Taking a peek, she grinned when his eyes were exactly where she wanted them.

Jill walked into the biggest bedroom, a huge grin on her face. Well, even if he didn’t ravish her, he’d be as uncomfortable as she had been. Jill jumped when the door slammed behind her.

“You don’t play fair.” Slade ripped off his shirt, buttons flying everywhere.

“Oh, isn’t that rented?” Jill watched the buttons bounce along the floor.

“I don’t give a fuck about the shirt.” He growled as he stalked toward her, his eyes burning black.

Okay, maybe, just maybe she pushed him too far.

“Take it off,” he demanded. When she didn’t react fast enough, he reached out and with expert ease, he ripped her lace thong off her body. She hissed in pleasure as he slid it between her legs, tossing it on the floor.

Raising her hands eagerly to his belt buckle, he grasped her hands, holding them together with one hand as he himself undid his buckle and completely stripped away the rest of his clothes.

“This will be on my terms, Jillian.” Slade’s voice was rough. “You are to do nothing, but enjoy me as I worship every part of your body. I want no argument whatsoever from you. Is that understood?”

Was he crazy? What woman in her right mind would argue with those terms? All she could do was nod her agreement.

Picking her up, he gently laid her on the bed, but still held her hands above her head. He did just as he promised, worshipped every part of her body, driving her insane with need. If the serum sickness didn’t kill her, this certainly would.

“Please, Slade.” Jill panted, needing to find release, and soon. It had been too long.

Slade let go of her hands. “Do not move them,” he ordered as he climbed between her legs and lifted her knees from the bed.

She loved the dominant part of him that came out in the bedroom. Even though sometimes it drove her absolutely crazy, she loved it. Their eyes met as he slowly slid into her. She started to rise to meet his thrust, but he growled down at her.

“Do not move.” He leaned down and kissed her as he began to pump hard and fast, using his own strength to bring her up to meet his thrusts.

She realized what he was doing. Not only was he taking care of her needs, he was making sure she used no energy by doing all the work himself. She had never loved him more than she did at that moment. He loved her
that
much.

He pulled his mouth away and she was happy to let him go because she could watch him as he loved her. The snarl on his face was sexy because she knew he was fighting back his own release until she found hers. He looked down to watch as their bodies met in a fast tempo and when he raised his eyes to hers, they were black as midnight, rimmed with red as his sharp fangs protruded, giving him a wild untamed look.

Jill’s body burst into what felt like flames. It was the strongest orgasm she had ever had. It shook her to the core, lasting for what seemed like hours. Slade’s body trembled for just as long. Using his arms to keep his body weight off her, he leaned down and kissed her, careful not to slice her with his fangs.

“Are you okay?” Slade’s voice was hoarse.

“You’re not allowed to ask me that anymore.” Jill touched his cheek. “But yes, I’m more than okay. I’m fantastic.”

“I love you.” Slade’s voice actually cracked and for the first time, Jill saw the fear he couldn’t hide shimmering in his eyes. Pulling him to her, she held him tight.

“I love you more,” she whispered before closing her eyes. It was time to put her next plan into motion.

CHAPTER 22

“I can’t believe Duncan turned himself in,” Steve grumbled from the driver’s seat. “And Sloan let him. Hell, Sloan took him.”

Jill sat in the passenger seat feeling numb at the news when she and Slade had returned to the compound. Slade had known it was going to happen and purposely kept it from her, but then again, what could she have done? Nothing, that was what. Absolutely nothing.

But that was about to change. She understood that the Warriors’ hands were tied, but she was a new Warrior and not high up. She was going to do this and no one, other than herself, could get in trouble. She ensured that no one else knew, except for Steve, but Steve was just her driver.

“They have a different sense of duty than we do, Steve,” Jill replied, sitting up straighter as they hit downtown Cincinnati.

“Yeah, well, I would never turn you or Adam in, that’s for damn sure.” Steve clicked on his blinker. “Even though every Warrior in there scares the shit out of me, I wouldn’t turn you in.”

“A lot of things scare the shit out of you, Steve,” Jill mumbled, trying to read street signs.

“Keeps my bowels in tip-top shape,” Steve replied, so serious that Jill’s head snapped toward him. “Well, it does.”

She didn’t know how in the hell he did it, but in any dire situation, Steve could say something so off the wall that she couldn’t help but laugh and laugh she did, so much so she started to dry heave. “Shit, Steve, you’re going to kill me.”

“I do what I can, babe... I do what I can.” Steve got into the furthest left lane turning on his hazards. “I think that’s it.”

“I don’t know.” Jill moved closer to the windshield to see. “Are you sure?”

The van in front of them moved and what it revealed made both Steve and Jill glance at each other. News trucks and reporters lined the street. Jill looked up at the building they were in front of. In big elaborate lettering, it said City Hall.

“Holy shit on a stick.” Steve had parked on the street in a spot someone had just pulled out of.

“I can’t do this.” Jill’s insides literally shook as she watched all the reporters standing around. “What in the hell did you tell them?”

“You told me to get the media here and that’s what I did. I told them there was a government cover-up that was going to be exposed.” Steve grinned, proud of his achievement.

“Seriously, I don’t think I can do this.” Jill hated to admit that, but it was true.

“Yes, you can.” Steve slammed his hand on the dashboard. “You are woman. Let them hear you roar.”

“I so want to kill you right now.” Jill sneered at him. “I hate that fucking song.”

“What in the hell are you waiting for?” Hunter slammed his hands on the top of the car while sticking his face through the open window.

Jill jumped, screaming. “What are you doing here?” When she saw Adam standing behind Hunter, Jill cursed. “Dammit, Steve.”

“I’m sorry, but I felt we needed some backup.” Steve gave his empty apology. He didn’t look apologetic in the least. “I tried to get her pumped up with that ‘I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar’ song, but she’s just not feeling it.”