Ask Me Why (8 page)

“Yeah.”

“Why not?”

“I don't want him to break her heart.”

“They're just dancing, Cam.”

“He met her the other day at the office and said she's adorable. I told him then to leave her alone. She's a nice person, and he's a love-'em-and-leave-'em charmer.”

“It's a dance, hon. I think she's safe.”

“For now,” Cameron said. “But I'll be watching him to make sure that's all it is.”

“Isn't he leaving tomorrow?”

“That's the plan.”

“I don't think you need to worry.”

Cameron didn't pursue it any further with Will, but she vowed to keep a close eye on her father for the rest of the evening to make sure he didn't step out of line with Mary.

Toward the back of the tent, she watched Gavin Guthrie approach Ella Abbott. He gestured to the dance floor. She crossed her arms and shook her head. He said something else to her, causing her to shake her head again. Gavin walked away from her, his shoulders slumped.

Ella watched him go, looking heartbroken and despondent.

Well, Cameron thought, wasn't that interesting? She'd have to get to the bottom of that situation after they returned from their honeymoon.

“Where'd you go?” Will asked against her ear, sending a cascade of goose bumps down her back.

She looked up at him. “I'm right here with you, my love.”

“Then you're right where you belong.”

THEY ATE, THEY
drank, they danced, they laughed, they cried, they posed for a million pictures, they tossed her bouquet, which Mary caught, and they loved every minute of their wedding. The DJ ended the dancing at midnight with “In My Life” by the Beatles, a dedication from the father of the groom to the happy couple.

After one last dance, they tearfully said their good-byes to friends and family—as well as Trevor and Tanner, who were going to spend the next two weeks with Lincoln and Molly—and headed for the cabin to pick up their bags. They had hired a car service to drive them to Burlington to spend their wedding night at the family's lake house. They would fly to Fiji on Patrick's plane the next morning.

The second the door closed behind them, Will had her in his arms for a passionate kiss that had her clinging to him, responding to every stroke of his tongue with one of her own.

“God, I needed that,” he whispered many minutes later.

“So did I.” She drew him down for another kiss, this one sweeter and softer than the first one. “Should we get changed before we go?”

“Definitely not.” He ran his hands down her back to cup her bottom. “I want to take my time getting you out of this amazing dress.”

“Well, alrighty then.”

They collected the bags they'd packed for their trip, shut off the lights in the cabin and headed for the door. “I've never been away from Vermont for longer than a week,” Will said.

“I promise to make it well worth the sacrifice.”

“I have no doubt it'll be worth it,” he said with a sexy grin.

“Are we really married, or did I dream this incredible day?”

“We're really married, and it's a dream come true.”

He kissed her again, lingering in the silent darkness of their cabin until the sound of a car horn outside reminded them of their plans. “Ready to go, Mrs. Abbott?”

“So ready, Mr. Abbott.”

He opened the door for her. “After you.”

Cameron went outside and stopped short at the sight of a vintage Rolls-Royce with a festive
Just Married
banner sitting in the driveway. They had most definitely not hired a Rolls-Royce.

She glanced at her father, who wore a sheepish grin and shrugged. Beside him, Mary beamed with happiness—whether it was for the bride and groom or because of the attention Patrick had paid her all evening, Cameron couldn't say, and that had her worried.

“My only child.” Patrick gestured toward the shiny black car. “What can I say?”

Most of the guests had left, leaving only their family members to see them off. Cameron hugged her dad. “It's beautiful. Thank you for this and everything else.”

“You're welcome. Have a great time in Fiji.”

“We will.” She drew him down so she could whisper in his ear. “Go home to Lincoln and Molly's, and leave Mary alone. I mean it.”

He laughed. “Stop meddling and go on your honeymoon.”

“Dad . . .”

He kissed her forehead. “Go. I love you. I'll see you when you get back.”

After she'd hugged his parents and grandfather, Will held out his hand to her, and though she had more she wanted to say to her dad about whatever he had planned for Mary, she took Will's hand and let him help her into the Rolls. The driver pointed out the chilled bottle of champagne that awaited them before he raised a privacy window.

“Somehow I doubt this car originally came with that feature,” Will said of the tinted window that sealed them off from the driver in front.

“Regardless, I'm glad to have it.”

He waggled his brows suggestively. “Me, too.”

The family showered them with more rose petals as they drove off.

Will put his arms around her, and Cameron snuggled into his embrace.

“Was it everything you'd hoped it would be?”

“That and so much more than I ever imagined. Regan did a wonderful job.”

“She really did, but the star of the show was my lovely bride, who absolutely blew me away with how incredibly beautiful she was today.”

“Aww, shucks, this old thing?”

“I love the dress, but that was only part of it. The rest of it was you and the way you positively glowed all day.”

“That's because I'm so happy. I've never been so happy. I didn't even know it was possible to
be
this happy.”

“I know, honey. I feel the same way. Lucky beyond measure.”

“How about Fred showing up to seal the deal?”

Will grunted out a laugh. “He does like to be right in the middle of things, doesn't he?”

“As much as he scared everyone and freaked me out, I'm kind of glad he stopped by. It's sort of fitting in a way.”

“He's been there for all our most important moments.”

“Just for the record, there's no way he's going to be in the delivery room when we have our babies.”

Laughing, Will said, “I'll make sure he's nowhere to be found.”

“I do have my limits where he's concerned.”

“Speaking of limits, I thought Nolan's head was going to explode when Hannah confronted Fred—again.”

“I know! I bet there's some fighting going on in their house tonight.”

“I can't say I blame him for getting worked up about it. The sight of tiny, pregnant Hannah staring down that gigantic moose gave me a heart attack. I can't imagine how he must feel.”

“I saw Gavin ask Ella to dance, and she turned him down. Wonder what's up with them.”

“No idea.”

“I never heard what happened when she ran out of the meeting after she heard he'd been arrested. Did you?”

“Not a word.”

“Hmm. They both looked upset tonight, so something must've happened.”

“I know it's going to be really hard for you to have two full weeks without any family business to meddle in, but I don't want to talk about Fred or Hannah or Ella or anyone other than you and me.”

“Is that so?” she asked, smiling up at him. “And what do you want to talk about?”

“This.” He kissed her. “And this.” More kisses. “And some of this.” He kissed from her ear to her throat, setting her on fire with his lips and tongue before he returned to her lips.

She ended up on his lap, her arms around him as their kisses became more urgent. “We can't do this here.”

“What? Make out?”

“Don't act so innocent. I know where making out leads with you.”

He ran his hand from her calf under her dress to her thigh. “Where does it lead?”

“Will . . .”

“Hmm?” He was busy making her tremble with kisses to her neck as his hand crept farther up her leg.

“It's only two hours to Burlington. You have to wait.”

“I don't think I can.” He cupped her, letting his fingers delve between her legs, using the silk of her panties to stimulate her.

“Will!”

“Shhh. Let me have my fun with my wife.”

“You'll have two weeks of ‘fun.'”

He pressed and teased and caressed and kissed her senseless, making her forget all about where they were as he coaxed her to an orgasm that had her clinging to him in the aftermath.

“God, you're so hot. I can't wait to make love to my wife.”

She squirmed on his lap, making him gasp from the pressure of her bottom against the hard column of his erection.

He sighed, deeply. “Whose big idea was it to go to Burlington tonight?”

“I believe it was your suggestion.”

“I'm an idiot.”

“No, you're not. If you were, I wouldn't have married you.”

“I'm going to expire before we get to Burlington.”

“We can't let that happen.” She tapped on his arm and got him to release her so she could move into the seat next to him.

“Where're you going? Come back.”

“I'm right here.” She tugged on his belt, unbuckling it.

“Um, what're you doing?”

“This.” She unbuttoned and unzipped him, freeing his erection from his pants and bending over him before he had a chance to say a word. The next thing out of his mouth was a long groan that made her smile as she sucked and stroked and licked him to an explosive release.

“Holy Christ,” he whispered.

She put him away as efficiently as she'd taken him out and then patted his chest. “What do you think of married life so far?”

“I think it most definitely agrees with me.”

Cameron laughed and snuggled up to him again, thrilled by everything about him and the life they had to look forward to together.

*   *   *

WHEN
they arrived at the house in Burlington, Will kissed Cameron until she woke up. Holding her in his arms as she slept had given him time to reflect on their wedding day as they traveled across Vermont in the darkness. For the rest of his life, he'd never forget the way she'd looked coming toward him on the arm of her father. He wouldn't forget how she'd never looked away from him or the smile she'd worn or the light in her amazing hazel eyes.

He'd had no doubts at all about marrying her or committing his life to her, but seeing her so certain, so unafraid of what they were about to do, had only added to the joy for him. After his first love broke his heart, he'd never expected to fall in love again, and he'd certainly never expected the kind of love he had with Cameron.

They'd gotten lucky that night in the mud with an angry moose standing between them. He had no doubt whatsoever that their meeting had been prearranged by fate, which brought together two people who might never have met without the well-intentioned meddling of his father and grandfather and a moose named Fred.

“I can't believe I fell asleep,” she said, yawning as Will helped her from the car while the driver unloaded their bags and carried them to the door.

“You wore yourself out the last couple of weeks getting ready for today and working crazy hours before you left the office.”

“That's true. You'll forgive me if all I want to do is sleep for the next two weeks, right?”

“I'd never forgive you for that.”

Cameron laughed at his indignant reply. “Good thing I'm only kidding then.” She screamed with laughter when he suddenly lifted her over his shoulder and headed for the door, thanking the driver as he went.

The man laughed at their antics and wished them well.

“Put me down,” Cameron said when they were inside the house. “You left our stuff in the driveway!”

“It'll still be there when I go back for it. Later.”

“Will!”

He kept walking and didn't put her down until they were by the bed in the master bedroom, where he immediately went to work on the zipper to her dress.

“You're in a rush tonight.”

“I've never been in more of a rush.” He pushed the dress off her shoulders and reached for it before it hit the floor. Holding out his hand to her, he said, “Step out of it.”

She held on to him and did as he directed.

He laid the priceless dress across the foot of the bed.

“Thanks for that,” she said, gesturing to the dress.

“That's not something to leave on the floor, even if we're in a rush.” He took a closer look at what she was wearing under it, and his mouth went dry with lust as he took in the sheer lace strapless bra that left nothing to the imagination, the barely there panties, the thigh-high hose and the three-inch heels that made her legs look endless.

She was a goddess come to life before his eyes, and that this beautiful, sexy woman belonged to him was the greatest miracle of his life. And then she smiled at him, fully aware of what she did to him, and he couldn't wait another minute to touch her.

Cameron unbuttoned his vest and then started on the buttons to his shirt, pushing both articles off his shoulders before she tugged the T-shirt free of his pants and pulled it over his head.

“Is someone else in a rush, my love?” he asked.

“Mmm hmm.”
She had his belt unbuckled and his pants around his ankles in record time. “Hurry.”

Will didn't need to be told twice. He stripped off his boxers and unclipped her bra as her hand encircled his erection. They fell on the bed in a mess of arms and legs and lips and tongues and frantic need. He didn't even bother removing her panties. Rather, he pushed them aside and surged into her, nearly coming from the rush of desire that overtook him.

He told himself he should go slowly. He should show her some finesse this first time as husband and wife, but finesse was no match for the powerful need she aroused in him. Next time, he decided, he'd show her finesse. For now, he grasped her hands, propped them over her head and took them both on a wild ride.

She met him stroke for stroke, her legs wrapped tight around his hips and her breasts pressed against his chest. Then she tugged at the grip he had on her hands. “Want to touch you.”