Modern Arrangements: Complete Trilogy (Modern Arrangements #1-3) (25 page)

Lilli began walking towards me, wearing
Viola’s wedding dress. She was more beautiful than anything I had ever seen. My
heart picked up speed. I locked onto her eyes and stared intently, in pure awe
of her presence. This woman was amazing. When Donald gave her hand to me, I had
to latch on tightly before she had a chance to change her mind. After my
behavior at the rehearsal dinner, I was worried she would back out and run.

My worries subsided the moment there was
skin to skin contact. The familiar tingling heat between our hands never seemed
to dull or fade away, but this time if felt like a fire starting between our
palms.

As the ceremony progressed I couldn’t
help but feel different about her, about everything between us. When we kissed
I felt a wave of passion overtake my body, having to pull back before I got
carried away. Instead I thanked her before pulling away to face our guests.

I thanked her for doing this, going
through with everything and for the feeling she created within me. The moment I
put the ring on her finger, I knew I could fall for her and that I may just
want to. I shook off my thoughts as we proceeded down the aisle to stand in the
receiving line.

"You look beautiful, Lilli."
She looked at me in surprise.

"Um...thanks. You're not too bad
yourself." She winked and smiled. The gesture was so endearing, I cupped
her face and kissed her before she could turn away.

After the receiving line, we were rushed
around for wedding pictures and then led upstairs to the reception. Our first
dance started innocent and routine, but the more I looked at her, the more she
captivated me. I began to save to memory the light freckles across her nose and
cheeks, the deepness to her hazel eyes, and the way her cherry floral scent
filled the air when we spun. I couldn’t help but dip her. She jumped in
surprise, but we both started laughing.

Dinner
was being served when James felt the need to get up and grab the microphone. I
could only imagine what would come out of his mouth. At first, I thought he was
actually just going to be nice, then he addressed Lilli. I groaned.

"What –?" Lilli had started to
ask what he meant. There was no way I was telling her how everyone found it
hilarious that I wouldn’t be having sex with her anytime soon.

"Don’t ask, please." I begged.

"Ok." She agreed with a laugh.

The night was going well. Everyone
seemed to be having a good time and soon it was time to cut the cake. Lilli and
I stood at a large table, holding handfuls of cake with evil smirks on our
faces.

"Don’t mess up her make-up!"
Phoebe yelled.

"Yeah,
what she said." Lilli said, nodding toward Phoebe.

"Play
nice, Lilli." I laughed as our hands approached each other’s face.

Before anyone could say anything else we
were shoving cake up each other’s noses and laughing hysterically.

"Kiss her!" the photographer
shouted and I didn’t even think twice. Grabbing her by her waist, I pressed our
cake covered faces into each other, making sure to greedily lick a little from
her mouth. Pulling back, I couldn’t read her expression completely, but I
definitely saw a hint of lust. I wanted to kiss her again but she pulled away
and started to wipe her face.

Phoebe appeared and pulled her off.

"You two are horrible! Now we need
to do a touch up." Phoebe grumbled and hurried them to the restrooms,
Lilli laughing the whole way.

Once we were cleaned up and everyone had
taken a seat for their cake and other desserts, Lilli and I were called out to
the middle of the dance area. It was time to toss the garter. Lilli blushed and
covered her face while the DJ’s helper brought a chair out for her to sit on.
Lilli sat down. I knelt in front of her.

"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 towards 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 mumbled 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.

"Okay…" I sighed. Getting into
my bag again, I pulled out my IPod and book. Lying across a couch on my
stomach, I put my ear buds in and held my book in front of me.

I’d gotten one chapter finished when I
suddenly felt self-conscious. Looking up, Aidan was watching me, so I pulled
out my ear buds.

"What?" I wrinkled my
eyebrows.

"You’re just interesting to
watch." He shrugged. "Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"It’s okay, I guess." Looking
back to my book, I still felt his eyes on me. Looking up again, I raised my
brows at him.

"What? You said it was okay."

"I meant it was okay for making me
uncomfortable, not to keep doing it." I shook my head laughing lightly.
"I mean, come on…aren’t you bored with looking at me yet? You’ve seen me
before." I laughed harder.

"True, but no." I looked at
him confused. "No, I’m not bored looking at you." He grinned.

"Well stop. You’re making me self
conscious." I scowled playful.

"You have a habit of sucking your bottom
lip," He blurted. My face heated up as I fought the reflex to suck my lip.
He started to laugh. "You’re trying to do it now, aren’t you?" He
laughed harder.

I tossed my book at him.

"Shut up!" I laughed. He
doubled over in laughter.

I stood up and walked out onto the deck
of the boat. Leaning on the side, I couldn’t help but close my eyes and absorb
the warmth surrounding me. The air and sun were so warm. I opened my eyes and looked
out into the turquoise and light blue water surrounding us.

Aidan approached in my peripheral
vision.

"Hey," I smiled and turned
back out to the water.

"Hey," he leaned next to me.

"The water is ridiculously
pretty." Not hiding one ounce of the awe I felt.

"It’s definitely a break from the
murky skies and water surrounding New York." He stood tall. "You want
a drink?"

"Sure." I shrugged.

"Have a seat, I’ll go grab…what do
you want?"

"Water’s fine." I sat on a
lounge chair.

Aidan returned a few moments later with
two bottles of water. We sat talking about the island and how his grandfather
had acquired it through a bet.

"You’re kidding, right?" I looked
at him in disbelieve.

"Nope," He shook his head.
"At least that’s the story my grandfather always told us and to be honest
I haven’t heard anything to conflict with the story." He chuckled a
little.

"What the hell was the bet?" I
exclaimed, with utmost curiosity.

"Not quite sure. Once he said it
was over a woman, another was a poker game and another time it was a horse
race." He shrugged and his smile seemed to falter a little.

"I’m sorry." He looked at me
confused. "It must bother you to talk about him. I mean, you were close,
right?" Completely aware I was sucking on my lip, I would probably always
be aware now he’d pointed out my habit.

"It’s okay." He smiled bigger.
"It’s kind of nice to talk about him. I just…" he stopped.

"Just what?" I pressed.

"I guess I feel guilty for being so
pissed about his conditions." He looked at me nervously.

"Well…in your opinion, what do you
think your grandfather thought your reaction would be to this?" I raised
one brow.

"He knew I would flip the fuck
out." He laughed loudly.

"Then I think you are safe from
feeling guilty." I kept my smile large as I wiggled my brow line.

"Lilli –"

"Is that the island?" I
blurted as green and brown appeared on the horizon. Aidan’s eyes moved to where
I was looking.

"Yeah, I didn’t realize we’d been
sitting here that long." He sighed and stood up.

As I stood the boat’s engines changed
into lower gear, causing me to stumble. Reaching out for the railing, I caught
it just as Aidan wrapped his arm around my waist to steady me.

"Thanks," my cheeks warmed.

"No problem." Without removing
his arm from my waist, he grabbed the railing next to me. I shifted a little
uncomfortably, mostly because the feel of him so close was doing dangerous
things between my thighs.