Down the Aisle (6 page)

“Aw, honey, it’s just an old wives tale. You’ll be fine.”

Courtney nodded, looking dazed.

Next it was up to Galen to get the garter. He led Lacey to the chair of honor. She peered down at her husband, who looked extremely pleased to be kneeling between her legs, and grinned. “I put it up high, handsome, so you might be there for a while.”

His smile in return was ripe with promise, and a little shiver went through her. “Man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

And boy, did he. He slid his hands slowly, excruciatingly over her ankles and then higher to trace the muscles of her calves.

“You know there’s only one, right?” she asked breathlessly.

“How would I know that unless I checked?”

Their guests started hooting and screaming and by the time he’d retrieved his prize, Lacey had broken out in a fine sweat. He bent low and pressed a kiss to the inside of her knee. “I think we need more of these,” he murmured, and then stood, twirling the blue garter on his finger.

“Single guys, front and center,” he called. The men lined up, and when he tossed it over his shoulder, it was headed straight for Shane. Then, a hand shot out and snagged it from mid-air. Lacey gasped as Rafe held his prize aloft. She shot a glance at Courtney, who looked like she’d been gut-punched. She wet her lips nervously and seemed to be considering whether to back out or not when Rafe turned toward her with a mocking smile.

“Ready for me, Court?” he asked. He didn’t wait for an answer and instead walked toward her. Walked? Hell, he stalked, like a lion approaching his prey. Even Galen was impressed.

“Damn, is he going to put the garter on her or eat her?”

Lacey shrugged. “Maybe both, if she’s lucky,” she whispered. Her husband chuckled and pulled her closer to settle in and enjoy the show.

By the end of the night, Lacey’s face hurt from smiling. They’d waved goodbye to their friends and family and climbed into their limo. In less than two hours, they’d be on their way to Puerto Rico. Five days of sun. Five days of fun.

Five days of breaking away from the reality that they were still no closer to having a baby than they’d been almost a year ago.

Chapter Five

Lacey opened her eyes as the cool breeze tickled her cheeks. God, she loved it here. They’d been in San Juan for four days now, and she’d never been happier. The first time they’d gone, a year before, they’d met another couple on their trip. They’d gone back to their villa, and during a
Three’s Company
style misunderstanding, she and Galen had been propositioned by them to engage in some down and dirty partner swapping. So when their car on this trip had pulled up to the same Grotto Villa that couple had stayed in, Lacey about had a heart attack.

Galen laughed his ass off when he realized her first thought was that he’d changed his mind and wanted to take them up on it. Come to find out, he’d rented the villa because they’d had their first kiss in the grotto-style pool. How romantic was that?

She let out a happy sigh and rolled to the side to plant one on her brand spanking new husband. The only sign he’d ever been there was the dent in his pillow, though. She pushed herself onto one elbow and listened closely. Waves lapping against the sand outside her window? Check. Low hum of the ceiling fan? Check. Hot man in shower? She strained hard to hear it, but nope. She hopped off the bed onto the warm, terracotta tiles and padded out of the room into the main part of the house. By the time she reached the lanai, she could hear it. The low male voice singing what sounded like a Katy Perry song.

She closed the door gently behind her, maximum stealth engaged. He kept on singing, so she was pretty sure she was in the clear.

She pulled the baby-doll nightgown she’d donned when they arrived over her head and tossed it onto one of the lounge chairs before padding across the cobblestones to the pool on her tiptoes. She found herself staring at the backside of a tan, buff, sexy, and mostly naked man standing under one of the manmade waterfalls. His broad shoulders tapered down to a lean waist that he’d maintained even after he’d retired from boxing. The thickly corded muscles that ran down the sides of his back were still lean and strong from hours at the gym. She slipped into the water, wading toward him, closer and closer. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as she reached out a hand to—

“You’re really taking your time about it, aren’t you?” He growled and turned to face her. Either he’d woken up with morning wood or he’d known she was there the whole time because his shaft was stiff and at the ready. She stepped up onto the ledge next to him and he moved closer, crowding her until her back was against the rock face.

“You think you’re pretty sneaky, huh?” he asked, stepping to one side so that the cool water sprayed the front of her body. She gasped as the rush battered her hard nipples.

“I love that. So sensitive,” he whispered, dipping his head to suck one pebbled tip into his mouth. She tensed and clutched his head to her, shocked that she could want him…need him so quickly. If he lifted her up right now, spread her legs and slid deep inside her, she would have been more than ready.

He released her nipple with a soft pop and nuzzled her. “I bet you thought you’d come out here and land yourself a quickie, didn’t you, Mrs. Thomas?” he whispered.

She wanted to answer him, but he stole the words from her mouth when he cupped her center with his hand and slid a finger into her in one sure move.

“Ah, yeah,” he groaned in approval. “I think that
is
what you wanted. But guess what, babe?”

She didn’t want to guess. She wanted to—

“It’s not going down like that this time.”

He dropped a kiss to her shoulder blade, then to the crease between her breasts, then lower. One on each rib, one over her navel, then one on each hip. He stopped there and let his teeth sink in just how she liked it. She gasped.

“Mm,” she murmured, slipping her hands into his hair and pressing him closer. He wrapped his strong arms around her thighs and murmured her name.

“Come with me,” he demanded. His tone sent a thrill straight to her core. As sweet as he could be, once the clothes were off, her man had no qualms about taking the reins. She had to admit, she liked it. He stepped down into the water to his waist and took her with him. He cradled her to his chest and lazily walked them to a wide, flat sunning rock in the center of the pool then lifted her with ease onto the warm, flat stone.

She laid back, letting her knees fall open.

“Jesus, you’re beautiful.”

She pushed back the nerves that still made a quick appearance now and then, and opened her eyes to watch him. His jaw was tense as he stared down at her like he wanted to consume her. The heat of the smooth rock seeped into her muscles, making her feel relaxed and languid.

He leaned in to flick his tongue out, tasting the knot of nerves that pulsed to the touch.

She gasped. One light touch, and languid flew out the window. She strained toward to him, desperate to get more of his magic mouth.

“I love watching you squirm like that, so if you’re trying to rush me, you’re doing it all wrong,” he drawled.

In spite of his tough words, she could hear the tightness in his voice, and she knew with just a little more effort…she wriggled her hips and whispered the word he loved to hear.

“Please.”

With a growl, he pounced on her. His fingers gripped her hips as his hot tongue lashed at her. She wrapped her legs around his neck, squeezing his face with her thighs and urging him on. This was exactly what she needed. Puerto Rico. Sun. Water. Her man. A week to lose herself and remember exactly how good it all was, baby or no. A lifetime of Galen was no hardship.

He sucked her clit into his mouth and bathed it with the tip of his tongue until she was pleading wordlessly for mercy. Just a little faster. Just a little harder.

“Oh God.”

He lifted her, kneading her against his face until the pressure became too much to bear, and she shouted his name. Her whole body flexed and bowed. Her legs shook with the force of it as she came hard against his mouth. He held her close until she stopped shaking, murmuring praise against her hip as he set her back against the rock. Her breath slowed, and she waited for him to come up there with her. To slide deep inside her and start the storm all over again.

“Whatcha waiting for, Mr. Thomas?” She asked when she could form a sentence.

She ran a lazy hand across his broad, tanned shoulders.

He climbed onto the rock, peppering her warm skin with cooler water. “I was trying to give you a second to prepare for this.”

He lay on top of her, covering her sun-warmed body with his chilly one, and she squealed. “Off! Off! I give!”

He laughed and rolled to his side, pulling her on top of him. “Forget it now. You asked for it.” She straddled him and sat back on her heels, glaring down at him.

“I was a little brain dead and didn’t think it through. You could’ve warned me.” Already, though, her body was warming his, and the urge to toss him back into the water was fading fast. He ground his bathing suit-clad groin against her, and she flexed back as the tingles started flowing again

“Seems like you’ve got something for me, husband,” she whispered. He treated her to a lethal grin and reached between them, tugging down the front of his shorts. His cock sprang forward, hard, thick and ready.

“Mmm.” She cupped his balls in her hand and squeezed, a sizzle running through her when he groaned.

The stone was rough against her knees as she rose high to take him in, but the sting was fleeting. She slid down over him, relishing every inch as he filled her. She rocked forward, seating him deeper, and he pulsed his hips to meet her.

“God, that feels good.” It was slow at first. The edge was off, and she wanted to enjoy every thrust—the pulsing inside her, the catch of his breath when she rolled her hips just right. But then he reached up and cupped her breast, tweaking her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, taking control, moving his hips faster and faster. Then it was all heat and need as she slammed down on him.

“That’s it,” he said through gritted teeth. “Take what you want, babe.” He released her breasts to grip her hips and used them to work her over him, the pace almost punishing. But he knew, because then there it was. Right there. She arched into him, the feel of his swollen cock taking her over the edge, sending her body clenching and pulling at him as she came.

“Fuck,” he grunted, and exploded right behind her, the hot spurts of liquid filling her.

When she finally got her breath back, she pulled in closer and burrowed into her spot in the crook of his shoulder. Absently, she caressed the firm muscles of his abs, relishing the heat and play of muscles even now. She loved this man. There were thousands, no, millions of people who didn’t even have that. The love of a good man. She needed to stop dwelling on the things she didn’t have and start focusing on the positive.

“I love you, Galen.”

He shifted and trailed his thumb over her collarbone before responding. “I love you, too, babe. And there’s something I want to give you.”

She slid away, and he led her back through the grotto pool and onto the lanai where he wrapped her in a fluffy white towel.

“Wait here.”

She sat on one of the cushioned chairs, soaking in the warmth of the sun and the scent of the hibiscus flowers.

She was so relieved that, even after her flip out, they were okay. Maybe it was better to just leave it at that, skip all the horrible ups and downs, and just get off the roller coaster for a while. Every day the phone didn’t ring, she felt a little more hopeless. Maybe it was time to just focus on her and Galen, and some day, if they were meant to be parents, it would happen on its own.

Galen came out onto the lanai with a box in his hand. His half-naked body rendered her speechless for a second. Thick-cut muscles covered long, loose limbs, and he looked like a frigging statue. No matter how many times she’d seen him, no matter how many times she’d touched, kissed, bit, or licked him, she’d never get used to it.

She flopped back against the chair and sighed.

“I want to talk to you about something.” He pulled a chair up close to hers.

His tone was so solemn she instantly stiffened. “It sounds serious.”

“It is,” he said with a nod. His jaw was tense, and she wondered if maybe he’d been thinking the same thing she had. Taking some time away from starting a family? The thought made her inexplicably sad.

“I did something. Without talking to you. If it was a mistake, I apologize, but I want you to know I had you on my mind the whole time.”

Lacey drew back like she’d been slapped, and a chunk of ice wedged its way into her chest. Why did that sound like a betrayal? “Y-you didn’t cheat on me, did you?” she whispered, shock and denial warring for center stage.

His eyes widened, and he shook his head furiously. “Jesus, no. I would never do that, Lace. No.” He ran an exasperated hand through his hair. “I keep screwing things up and saying things wrong lately. It’s not that, though. Never that.” He slid on the shorts and sat on the floor next to her.

The ice started to dissolve, but her whole body was still tense, on high alert.

“What, then?”

He held out the wrapped box. The happy peach- and green-striped paper didn’t seem like it carried bad news, and she stared at it. “What’s that?” she asked slowly, confusion clouding her already overloaded brain. They needed to have a serious talk, and he was giving her a present?

“I want you to open it first.”

She wrapped the towel more tightly around her body and took the rectangular package from his hands. It was heavier than she expected, and she resisted the urge to shake it. Usually, when he gave her a gift, she weighed it, turned it this way and that, and tried to guess the contents. It drove him nuts. But not this time. His heart was all over his face, and she knew whatever it was, it was no time for teasing.

She tore the paper away and crumpled it into a ball before looking down at a plain brown box.

“Go ahead,” he urged.

Why did she get the feeling that, once she lifted the lid, everything was going to change? She hesitated, and felt his body stiffen.
Like a Band-Aid
, she counseled herself silently, and yanked the top off the box.

A photo album sat inside, a picture of the two of them behind a plastic sleeve right on the leather cover. Okay, so that wasn’t so bad. It was actually really sweet and—

“Take it out and open it.”

She pulled the album out and set it on her lap. The first few pages were loaded with pictures of them as kids. Cat was in some of them; some were of them in school plays or on Thomas family vacations. The later ones were of her and Galen. Their first day as a live-in couple, pictures from their last visit to Puerto Rico. It was a history of them. She was already welling up when she turned to the last page, blown away by the thoughtfulness of his gift. There, a photo of a baby stared back at her. She squinted hard, trying to determine who that was. Not her. She’d never had black hair like that. And her cheeks had never been so round and perfect. Not him either. At about three months old, the face was already too feminine to be a boy. Who then?

“I don’t—”

“That’s Melina,” he said softly. “Katya’s baby.”

Emotions swamped her, and she reached a shaking finger out to trace her face. She’d wondered—for the past few months, she’d so wanted to know what the baby that had almost been theirs looked like. And here she was. So beautiful, so perfect, it was like the wound was torn open all over again. Tears clogged her throat, and she shook her head furiously. “I know you thought this would be nice, so we could at least see her, but I can’t—”

“She’s ours, Lace.”

The words battered at her broken heart, but she couldn’t process them. “She’s not. Katya changed her mind and—”

“They called a new agency three weeks ago to start the process again and asked for us by name. Apparently her boyfriend is back in jail, and Katya wants to move back to Budapest to marry her high school sweetheart. She doesn’t want to take the baby with her. I didn’t want to tell you until it was a sure thing. I couldn’t put you through that. But I got the call this morning. It’s a done deal. If we still want her, she’s ours. We can get her on Friday.” His strong throat worked, and he paused. “Tell me you still want her, babe. Because that face is fucking killing me.” He stared down at Melina’s picture and traced the shape of her chubby little lips. “I feel like she’s already mine.”