Blindsided (14 page)

“Thank God for twins,” Tanner quipped.

“Are you sure your heart’s in this?” Hunter studied his face long and hard as if he were going to paint Tanner’s portrait. It was damn unnerving. Hunter never said much, but when he did, his words were either profound or prophetic.

“Yeah, I mean what choice do I have?”

“She pregnant?”

“Hell, no.” Tanner chuckled. “She won’t even do it until we’re married.”

“You’re marrying her just to get in her pants?” Hunter guessed, hitting way too close to the truth.

Tanner buried his head in his locker, ignoring his buddy. He didn’t know why he was getting married when it came down to it. Sure, he’d been caught in a lie and told a bigger one to get out of it, yet his motivation ran deeper, or he’d have told another lie to void the engagement, which he hadn’t.

He liked Emma, really liked her, and his body ached for her. He usually didn’t examine his motivations too closely, part of his overall refusal to dig deep inside. If he dug too deeply regarding Emma, he might find some disturbing and scary as fuck reasons why he’d chosen Emma and volunteered to join the ball-and-chain club.

Maybe he was complicating this way too much. His reason could be a simple one. He’d spent most of his life competing with Isaac. Perhaps he’d extended their competition to beating Isaac to the altar by marrying the twin sister of Isaac’s fiancée. Whatever his reasons, whether he understood them or not, he was going through with this.

Deciding he’d overextended his introspection for the day, Tanner dressed, reminded Hunter what time the commuter plane left Lake Union for the islands, and high-tailed it to the nearest jewelry store to buy a big-assed diamond. Girlie-girl Emma would appreciate a diamond with maximum bling.

Tanner smiled to himself as he imagined the look on her face when he put the engagement ring on her hand. He’d do it this evening, somewhat embarrassed by his oversight and wanting to make sure the engagement ring would be visible in the pre-wedding pictures.

Despite his confusion over why he was actually going through with this, he wanted to do right by Emma, but he had few experiences to draw on as to what made a good relationship. He’d observed Izzy and Cooper this past year and caught glimpses of how two strong-willed people compromised for the sake of the relationship. He’d witnessed how Avery’s love had changed his brother and healed some of the broken pieces. Unfortunately, Tanner wasn’t sure anyone could put his broken pieces back together.

He’d endured more than Isaac, having been left to fend for himself and protect their little brother from the same fate he and Isaac had suffered. Big brother hadn’t cared enough to check on them or invite them to live with him once he turned eighteen. Tanner wasn’t sure it was in him to forgive Isaac for leaving them alone or for what happened to Jenny.

The thought of Jenny brought a melancholy smile to his face. One thing Tanner knew for sure, Jenny smiled down on him from heaven. She’d approve of Emma, and her approval meant everything.

* * * *

Emma had never been to Madrona Island or the San Juans before. Riding in the small floatplane with Tanner and landing on the water of Sunset Harbor was a rush she’d never experienced, but the water landing couldn’t compare to the rush of marrying Tanner tomorrow night.

Brody and Mandy, the owners of the Fiddler’s Cove B&B where the wedding party was staying, met the group at the dock. They managed to squeeze everyone into their vehicles for the drive to Fiddler’s Cove. From there it was a short walk through the woods or along the country road to Gamblers Bay where the Reynolds’ island estate was located.

Emma put away her things in the small room she’d inhabit until tomorrow night when she’d move to a private waterfront cabin with Tanner. She dressed in a sleeveless pink dress, her favorite color, and hoped Tanner liked it. The dress wasn’t sexy, but it was classy.

They’d been lucky to find anything available on the islands at this short notice. Jake Reynolds had contacted the owners of the B&B which had been undergoing an extensive remodel and hadn’t opened yet for business. He’d asked if they could possibly accommodate the group. They’d graciously agreed to do so with the caveat some of the rooms didn’t have the finish work completed. Emma wouldn’t have cared if the rooms didn’t have walls or a roof. She would be with Tanner, and stuff like finish work didn’t enter her mind.

Touching up her makeup and applying candy cotton pink lipstick, Emma returned to the salon where Tanner waited for her. He sat on the couch, hands dangling between his legs, staring out the window at the water, deep in thought. She paused, taking a moment to appreciate his masculine beauty. He wore a Steelheads polo and faded jeans. He’d had his blond hair trimmed, but it was still unruly with that messed up bedroom look she found enticing. The biceps in his arms flexed as he leaned forward.

He glanced up, and their eyes met, starting a small earthquake inside her. Tomorrow night, she’d know what it felt like to be in his arms, to have all that raw, male power focused on her and solely her, and to feel him inside her, filling her, completing her, taking her in every sense of the word.

She smiled nervously at him, and he grinned back, brimming with his usual self-confidence. He stood and walked to her, taking both her hands in his as he gazed appreciatively at her.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said almost reverently, and she knew she’d made the right choice on the dress.

Together they walked hand in hand to the Reynolds Mansion for the rehearsal dinner. Emma was in a fog, hardly able to believe she was here and about to marry this gorgeous hunk of a man. Just before they reached the lawn of the mansion, Tanner pulled her onto a small path leading down to a rocky beach.

“I have something for you.” He actually fidgeted, as if he were nervous. Uncertainty marred his handsome face, his rare vulnerability endearing him to her. She wanted to kiss the worry lines on his brow and ease the tension in his jaw.

“You do?”

He dug in his pocket and pulled out a small black box, dropped to his knees, and held both her hands in his. Emma stared at him, while her heart drummed in her chest, her throat closed up, and tears filled her eyes.

Tanner’s shaky smile just about undid her. “Will you marry me, Emma Maxwell?” He didn’t profess his love, swear to be hers forever, or make any promises he couldn’t keep, yet the earnest concern in his green eyes said more than words could ever say, giving her a smidgeon of hope.

They had a shot at making this work.

“Yes,” she answered, her voice rough with emotion.

Tanner removed the ring from its box and placed it on her finger. She gasped at the size of the rock and started to cry. Tanner stood and pulled her into his arms.

Emma clung to him, knowing she was right where she was meant to be and believing Tanner was too.

Tanner shouldn’t have been surprised that Izzy and Co. had put together the wedding of all weddings in less than a week. Despite July weather in the Pacific Northwest being unpredictable, the sun gods shone down on them, and they couldn’t ask for a more beautiful day—mid-seventies, blue skies, and the gentlest of breezes blowing in off the water.

He’d woken up that morning feeling relaxed and ready to get all this wedding crap over with so he could move on to the main event, getting Emma naked and underneath him all night long, which was only a figure of speech because when it came to sexual positions, he didn’t discriminate.

Tanner had never doubted his acting ability. He’d spent most of his life pretending to the outside world his life was great, explaining away the bruises and black eyes by telling teachers and social workers that he and his brother continually got into fist fights with each other. A half-truth, but not the way most people would see it.

As he waited for the wedding to start, Tanner prepared himself to put on an Academy-Award worthy performance to convince every guest present, even the most cynical of the cynics, he was in love with Emma.

Tanner stood in place next to Eva, a preacher dressed like she’d fit in more at a séance with her jet black hair, pale skin, and flowing tie-dyed dress. She wore a couple pounds of jewelry which jangled with every slight movement. He found the noise as annoying as hell.

Tanner tugged on the collar of his tuxedo shirt, feeling as if he were being strangled. Most likely the marriage noose was tightening around his neck. And damn, it was hot. He wiped beads of sweat from his brow with his tux sleeve.

Grady and Bella sauntered up the grassy aisle first, taking their time. Next came Izzy on Isaac’s arm, a necessary evil since Emma insisted on including Isaac. Tanner didn’t like it one bit, but he refused to be an ass about it and ruin her big day. He’d wanted Cam, but Cam graciously bowed out and installed himself as a bartender for the reception.

Tanner could tolerate his brother for a few hours—for Emma. Besides, having big brother here looked good to Steelheads’ management who were in attendance.

As Hunter, his best man, walked up the aisle with Avery on his arm, more sweat beaded on Tanner’s forehead. Hunter took his place next to Tanner, and Avery stood to the other side.

Hunter leaned over and whispered to him, “You look like you’re going to puke any second.”

Tanner scowled at him. “I’m fine. It’s all part of the act.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Hunter chuckled, not buying Tanner’s lie for one second.

Hunter elbowed Grady and said loud enough for Tanner to hear. “Doesn’t he look like he’s about to lose his breakfast?”

Grady craned his neck to inspect Tanner’s face. “And he doesn’t even have a hangover.”

“Don’t either of you two clowns have any respect for the sanctity of marriage? Shut the fuck up,” Tanner growled, staring straight ahead. God, he was parched. He’d give anything for a glass of water.

Grady and Hunter chortled with delight, drawing a pretty damn scary evil eye from Eva. It’d serve the jerks right if she cast a spell on them.

Tanner swallowed and stared out at the small crowd, sitting or standing in the few chairs scattered about the lawn. They’d specifically told guests to keep it casual, so the dress ranged from jeans for some of the guys like Cam and Rush to shorts and a tank for Brick and classier dress by members of the Reynolds family. Tanner shifted uneasily as he waited for Emma to walk from the old mansion onto the porch and stroll down the grassy aisle.

He wiped his sweaty palms on his brow. Damn, but that damn tux was hot.

Hunter snorted next to him, and Tanner shot him a murderous glare. The bastard grinned back.

The music flowed seamlessly into a bluesy country music tune Emma had picked. Tanner saw a flash of white fluff in the window, and he lost all rational thought.

Emma stepped out the doorway onto the wide veranda and into the sunlight and the guests stood as one.

Breathing was not an option. Tanner’s heart labored to beat and finally all but stopped. His eyes worked perfectly though as they feasted on her tall, slender body encased in a Cinderella-type dress and was so Emma. She even wore a small tiara in her hair, which she wore down in all these sexy ringlets framing her face. The dress dipped low in front, not skanky low, but tastefully, showing a hint of cleavage. Tanner licked his lips, wishing he were licking those rosy nipples of hers. He wondered if she’d taken up his challenge and walked up the aisle sans underwear.

Emma walked toward him on Cooper’s arm, since her parents had some gig in Portland and couldn’t make it. Tanner suspected they bailed on their daughters often. Even so, he’d witnessed Emma’s disappointment when they’d told her. Tanner hadn’t invited his father for obvious reasons. While he had a minimal relationship with the old man, Isaac had no contact and inviting their father would be one more source of stress and drama he didn’t need, nor did Emma. The old man didn’t do sober, and he was a fucking mean drunk.

The diamond engagement ring he’d asked Avery to help him pick out gleamed in the sunlight, but not as bright as the sparkle in her deep blue eyes.

He’d never considered sweet and conservative to be so hot, but damn, Emma wore it well. She was the hottest thing he could ever imagine. He snapped his mouth shut when he realized his tongue was hanging out like he was a slobbering horndog—which he was, but he didn’t want to behave like one. He’d promised to be Emma’s Prince Charming because today was all about her. Not him.

He got tonight.

Their eyes met, and his knees threatened to buckle. Her uncertain smile warmed his heart. She was almost as nervous as he was, maybe but not quite. He hadn’t been this anxious when he’d played in the national championship, and at the time that had meant everything to him.

What did his nervousness say about his upcoming marriage?

* * * *

Emma clutched Cooper’s arm so tightly the poor man winced. He smiled reassuringly and discreetly loosened her fingers on his arm.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I think so.”

“It’s never too late to back out, Emms.”

Emma looked up and met Cooper’s kind gaze just before they walked onto the back porch of the grand old mansion. “I love him.”

He smiled at her. “That’s good enough for me.”

“It means a lot for you and Izzy to support me even if you don’t necessarily approve.”

Cooper kissed her forehead. “We’re always here, little sister. Always.”

Emma sniffled and almost burst into tears, but she held it together. She’d never had a protector in the form of a big brother before.

“Keep it together,” Cooper whispered as they stepped through the open doorway and onto the sunny porch looking out over the most spectacular view of the islands.

“I’m trying.” Emma stared out at the small crowd of about seventy-five guests. They stood when she appeared. She felt like a fairy princess in her beautiful gown with the long train and the cute little tiara anchoring her veil. Tanner had given her his credit card. While she’d resisted at first, Izzy had no such compunctions and proceeded to run up a hefty bill, including this gorgeous dress, which fit Emma as if it had been made for her.