Here Comes The Bride (4 page)

"Be good." She whispered, playfully scowling at me.

"I’m better than good." Winking, I grasped her ankle. She gasped at my touch
and I couldn’t help but feel smug by her reaction.

I slid my fingers up her calf. She shivered.
I reveled in the feeling. Moving one hand behind her knee I brought the other up the side and started to move toward her thigh, she shifted a little. Bringing both hands smoothly up her thigh, I went a little further than the garter belt, caressing her skin.

"Aidan," she whispered a warning.

I smirked and grabbed the garter, slipping it down and off of her leg.

The single men lined up and I tossed it over my shoulder. Turning
, I watched it land directly into Dixon’s chest. His reflex was to catch it and that’s what he did. He smiled broadly and put it around his head like a headband while doing a victory dance. Laughing, I shook my head and helped Lilli up from the chair.

"You’re lucky I didn’t kick you in the balls," she said through a plastered smile.

"Aww, come on, how could I resist?" I grinned. She laughed and shook her head.

The night was coming to an end and Lilli was called out to the dance area with all the single ladies. She did a couple of fake tosses before she threw
her bouquet. It landed in Maggie’s arms. I could hear Viola laughing beside me from the look on Maggie’s face. Lilli doubled over laughing. Maggie tossed it up in the air and it landed on Celia, who caught it.

Guests
were slowly starting to leave. Once it was just down to immediate family, we started to wrap everything up.

Lilli kissed Donald and Sarah goodbye and then moved on to Viola and Liam. She stopped to talk to Celia, Phoebe and Maggie before turning to me.

"Ready?" I asked. She nodded, reluctantly. We climbed quietly into the car that would drive us back to the apartment.

"So
, it was a nice evening." I broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Yes, it was. Viola did a great job." She smiled down into her lap.

"Are you okay?"

She snapped her head up quickly. "Yes, of course."

Sighing, I furrowed my brow. I wasn’t completely buying her response. The remainder of the drive home was quiet.

Once we arrived to the apartment we both headed toward our own rooms.

"Lilli?"

She turned at her door and looked at me curiously.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," I tried to put as much sincerity into my words as possible.

"Sure." She smiled easily and headed into her room, closing the door behind her.

Once in my room
, I sat on my bed. So, I’m spending my wedding night alone, great. Sighing, I walked towards the bathroom, stripping my tux off along the way.

After I was showered and feeling a little more relaxed
, I opened the door to my room wrapped only in a towel.

"Aidan?" Lilli marched into my room.

When she saw me she stopped and her eyes went wide. I stood frozen, thinking she would run out at any minute but she didn’t. Instead, I watched her breathing hitch and her eyes linger over my body. I couldn’t help the smug smile spreading over my face. She was affected. Her eyes met mine and she turned around quickly, blushing.

"Never mind," she mumbled and walked
away.

"Lilli, wait," I shouted. "What did you need?" I wanted to keep her in my room with me but she was already in the hallway.

"Nothing, I’ll get it." She started to walk again.

"Lilli –"

"I can’t get the back of my dress to unbutton at certain spots but I’ll take care of it." She tried to leave again but I caught her arm. "It’s okay, I’ll –" She wouldn’t look at me, keeping her eyes averted.

"Just stand still." I ordered and started working on the buttons. Once the buttons were undone
, I realized there was a zipper. I started to unzip it, letting my finger graze her skin. She shivered at my touch. I stepped a little closer to her.

"I can get the zipper." She said quickly and turned around, taking a step back. "Thank you, and…um…sorry for barging into your room," she turned back around to walk away.

"Well, technically it’s your room too, now." I chuckled. "And we’re supposed to be sleeping in the same room, according to the conditions."

She froze at her doorway.

"Nice try." She shouted over her shoulder and walked into her room.

Laughing, I went back to my room. My night was filled with images of Lilli’s bare leg and the way her skin felt against mine.

Chapter Two

Honeymoon,
the First Night

Lilli

I got to my room and closed the door. Leaning back against the door, I sighed. Sweet baby Jesus, his fingers were like velvet orgasms on my skin.

Shivering at the thought of his fingers on the skin of my back, my mind started to wander to other places his fingers could travel. I shivered once more and shook the thoughts off. They would only get me in trouble.

Slipping out of my dress, my mind wandered to the sight of him in only a towel. My knees got weak thinking of the flushed tone of his damp skin.
I climbed into the hot shower and rinsed away the make-up, hair products and the damn body glitter Phoebe insisted on dusting over me. Once clean and relaxed, I brushed my hair and teeth before climbing into bed.

My dreams were vivid and steamy. Visions of Aidan in a towel, his fingers dancing across my upper thighs and sliding down my back
. Just when the towel was about to come off there was a loud knock on my door.

"No," I groaned. "Go away!"

His familiar chuckle was muffled by my closed door.

"Come on, we have to get going." My door opened. "You hope you’re decent!"

Lifting my head from my pillow, I looked at him questioningly. 

"Isn’t it ‘I hope you’re decent’?"

"Not in my case. I rather hoped you slept nude."

He grinned and dodged the pillow I tossed at him. Without warning, he pulled my blanket away from me.

"Damn it, Iverson, go away!" Half amused, I threw my arm over my head.

The shift of my mattress made me peek to my left. There he was lying next to me. Damn he smelled good.

"Come on, Mrs. Iverson, it’s time to get ready for our honeymoon." He smiled wide.

"Who said I was taking your last name?" I teased.

"You signed the agreement, Mrs. Iverson." He chuckled.

"Shut up," I growled and rolled away from him.

Though we were only joking around, I didn’t need to look at him lying next to me and smelling the way he did. Unexpectedly, he slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me back toward him. My gasp only made him shake silently with laughter.

"Okay, we can always start the honeymoon here." He snuggled against me.

Internally groaning, I battled between knowing better and the heat between my thighs. Getting control of myself, I played it cool, using sarcasm as my cover.

"Fine, since you’re threatening me with that
, I’m getting up."

The moment I moved away from him a groan
resonated through the room, I couldn’t tell if it was him or me. Not waiting to find out, I headed to my bathroom and started getting ready.

Phoebe and Viola had already sent a majority of the luggage ahead, so I just had to grab my carry-on bag.

Once cleaned up, I walked back into my room. He had left. A relieved sigh escaped me, or was it disappointment? I dressed in a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and a sweater, I knew layering was my best bet, leaving January in New York and arriving into tropical heat. After packing a few last things, books, iPod and laptop, I headed downstairs.

The smell of coffee led me to the kitchen where I grabbed a mug and poured. Sitting down at the bar in the kitchen, I sipped on coffee while eating an apple. I sent a couple of text messages to Phoebe, my mom and dad, Celia, Viola and Maggie, thanking them all again for everything and saying goodbye,
even though they were, most likely, still sleeping.

"Ready?"

I jumped at the sound of his voice. He laughed.

"Don’t do that!" I laughed. "Yeah, I’m ready."

He grabbed my hand and we headed out the door.

Exhausted from my restless night of vivid dreams, I almost fell back to sleep on the car ride to the airport. Before I could really pass out we arrived
and Aidan nudged me to open my eyes.

"I’m awake." I yawned.

"Barely," he smiled. Climbing out, he stuck is hand out for me.

Taking it, I stepped out into the cold. Icy air whipped around me and I shivered. Aidan wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me toward
s him.

"Come on." He
led us to the jet.

The smell of him surrounded me and I wanted to tilt my head just slightly and lick his neck. My will power was failing miserably, but I fought to stay strong. Sex only complicates things and this was complicated enough. Aidan looked down at me, noticing my frustrated sigh.

"You okay?"

His warm, freshly brushed, mint, scented breath washed over my face.

"Just tired," I shrugged. We got to the stairs and he nudged me to go up first.

Once on the jet
, I walked toward the couch and lounged back into the soft cushions. Aidan walked around for a few moments and then sat next to me, setting a tray on the table in front of us.

"Here," he stated. I sat up straight. "I had them get this ready for us." The tray had eggs, pancakes and bacon.

"Mmm…it smells good, but don’t you typically have to wait until after takeoff before eating?" I raised one eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, well…eat quickly." He jabbed his elbow into my side and laughed.

"You don’t have to tell me twice." I grabbed a pancake and put eggs and bacon on it before rolling it up. I looked at him and winked.  Leaning back, I ate my makeshift breakfast wrap.

"Did you just make that up?" His face looked curious and surprised.

I shrugged.

"I guess." I took another bite.

Watching as Aidan repeated my creation, he settled in next to me. We ate quickly and finished just as the flight attendant came over to clean everything up and prepare us for takeoff.

The engines started and I pulled my book out of my bag before sitting back into the couch. After we took off and we were ‘free to move about the cabin’, I lounged back and started reading. I’m not sure how far I got before I fell asleep.

The plane jolted as we landed and woke me. Hearing Aidan laugh before I felt it, I realized I was leaning on Aidan and had grabbed onto his chest when the plane abruptly landed.

"Sorry," I mumble
d and pulled myself away.

"Don’t worry about it." He smiled.

"So, we’re here?" Picking up my book, I put it back in my bag.

"Sort of, we’ll have to take the boat the rest of the way to the island." He stood up and grabbed his carryon bag before holding out his hand for me. I took it and stood up, then I let go and grabbed my bag. Following him off the plane
, we got into an awaiting car. It was definitely warmer here, so I took off the sweater, leaving me in my t-shirt. I was still warm, but would have to wait to change until we got to the island.

Twenty minutes later we reached the marina. Luggage was being loaded onto the boat as we approached.

"Here we are." Aidan climbed onto the boat and then grabbed for my hand to help me on board.

Boat
, was an understatement. It was like a mansion on water. It had two floors and I could see a room with couches, tables and a bar from where we stood. Aidan motioned for me to follow him into that part of the boat.

Throwing our bags onto one of the couches we sat down.

"There’s a bedroom through there," he pointed to a door, "if you want to change into something more weather appropriate."

I nodded.

"Thanks." I got up and grabbed my bag.

After changing I went back out to the large sitting area. The boat engines started up.

"You better sit down." Aidan patted the seat next to him. He’d already changed into shorts and a t-shirt.

"So, tell me about this place?" I settled into the couch. "Is it as over the top as everything else?" I smiled playfully.

"Over the top?" He cocked an eyebrow and smirked.

"That’s what I said." I giggled.

"Well, it’s a pretty large island and it’s completely private. So, it’ll just be the two of us, except for a couple of days a week there will be two guys who come to clean up and do maintenance around the place. Also, once a week a housekeeper comes." He paused. "What do you want to know?"

"Um…how about, what is there to do on this island?"

"Swimming, sun bathing, lounging around, snorkeling, hiking, and, of course, we can go to the main land to some restaurants and stuff." He shrugged.