Bargaining with the Bride (9 page)

"So, you’re not Lance,” mother said.

“Mom—“ Eliza started, but their mother cut her off.

“Was this a bit of a whirlwind romance?" Her mother raised her eyebrows, though this time she directed her comment toward Rachael instead for Garret. Which, Rachael supposed, made sense. The predator always hunts for the weakest of the prey, after all. 

"I don't know about all that." Garret said.

"No?" Apparently her father had decided now was the time to recover from his earlier misstep. "That's even more surprising given Rachael’s...history." He glanced pointedly toward her engagement ring and let his meaning hang there, plain but unsaid.

"Perhaps I misspoke," Garret smiled. "The dating was whirlwind, but the romance..." He smiled down at her, and for a moment the knot in her stomach disintegrated while other areas tightened and warmed. "As soon as I saw her, I was done for. I had to do some waiting to get her, but none of that mattered. Your daughter was worth it." He closed his hand over hers and then sat them on the table for her parents to see.

If he was acting, he was doing a damn fine job of it. So fine that her heart was in her throat. She stared from their interlocked hands to his eyes again, but then forced herself to look away.

She had to stop considering this. Earlier had just been a mistake. All her fault. This was an act. All an act.

"So, you pursued an engaged woman?" Her mother asked and from the corner or her vision, Rachael spotted Eliza rolling her eyes.

"That would be dishonorable." Garret shook his head, "No, I didn't pursue her. But we were friends. And I certainly hoped."

Her father opened his mouth to speak again, but Eliza cut him off.c"How romantic! I wish I had a love story like that. The closest thing I have is that time Wendell Detwiler bought me a three pack of gum at the A&P. And I'm still not sure if that was a sign of affection or halitosis." Eliza looked at their parents with an air of complete seriousness and Rachael bit back a laugh.

"So did you know Lance?" Mother asked, and her perfectly contoured brows rose almost as high as her nose.

"Hey, look, champagne." Eliza cut in, then lifted the glass in front of her in the air. "I hope it's a good year. I'd hate to have to send it back." She
tsk
ed, and that time Rachael was sure even Garrett had cracked a smile.

Still, he answered the question as their glasses were filled. "I never had the pleasure of meeting Lance."

"I see. And you're not insulted that your wedding was planned for another man?" 

"If they were truly in love, then the wedding would still be for him." This time there was an edge in Garret's voice, and he eyed her parents over his champagne glass as he raised it to his lips.

"Gee, it sure was nice of you guys to drop in on us like this," Rachael piped up, trying her best to deflect the lasers of interrogations that were apparently pointed squarely at Garret's chest.

"Of course," Mother sipped her champagne. "We couldn't very well show up to the wedding without ever having met your future husband. And with the wedding so close, I imagine you'll need help ensuring everything is properly handled."

"Actually, Rachael has already handled every detail. She's been incredible." Garret smiled from her mother to her and for a second Rachael could have sworn he'd winked.

Mother sniffed, "All the same. Help is always a blessing. Isn't that right, Eliza?"

Eliza's perpetual smile stiffened into a a defiant frown. What a polite dig at her current living situation. "I'm forever in your debt," Eliza mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Don't be so dramatic, dear. You know I didn't mean it that way. I simply meant that we love to help our children. Eliza with college for the year she managed to attend, and now with a living situation. And then of course there was the catastrophe with Rachael and—"

"Really, mother, that was years ago. I don't think we need to—" Rachael started, but her father interrupted.

"What an awful night. The mayor was beside himself. We had to pay all those fines from the country club. And our relationship with the community was never the same."

"Never," Rachael's mother gave a well-practiced shake of the head.

She glanced at Garret, willing him not to ask for more details. Not that it mattered. They went through this song and dance every holiday since that summer seven years ago and today was hardly the day for breaking tradition.

"Honestly, I still can't understand what you saw in the Mayor's son. He was...slovenly. Unless you simply wanted to ruin our relationship with his parents."

"She always was Machiavellian that way," Eliza's whisper carried across the table, but everyone ignored her. Rachael's focus was still on Garret. How he'd react. What he thought.

"Trespassing on a golf course of all places," Her father's head shook in synchronization with her mother's.

"And you helped me out of that. For which I am grateful." Rachael sipped the champagne, trying her hardest not to down it in one.

"I thought it was romantic. A midnight picnic on the golf course," Eliza shrugged.

"You would." Her mother huffed. "What wasn't so romantic was the night in prison."

"Yes, I think that's quite enough. Garret doesn't need to hear about all of that," Rachael tried again, but her mother frowned.

"Shouldn't he know all about you if he's going to be your husband? You shouldn't have secrets in a marriage, Rachael. I've always told you that."

"But do you really need to tell him about something that happened while I was in high school?"

"Would you prefer I told him about the underage drinking in college? Or the time—"

"Mother. I'm very grateful for all the help you've given me," She had to be calm. She had to embrace a sense of inner quiet and strength.

And most of all, she had to get them to stop talking.

"Yeah, besides, my stories were always way more interesting. You remember that time my friends and I broke into the water park? Good times." Eliza grinned and sipped her champagne.

Thank god for little sisters.

“
U
gh
, I thought tonight would never be over. As if I didn’t have enough reasons to drink before.” Rachael closed the door behind her when the taillights of her sister’s rental car had finally faded into the night.

“It wasn’t that bad," Garret laughed.

She turned the find him leaning back against the cushions of the sofa, looking cool and collected as ever. He’d been living with her for over two weeks, she still wasn’t used to that. The control that always surrounded him. The unflappable confidence.

In front of her parents, it had been all the more noticeable. The poised, practiced way he carried himself. Whenever they started in on her again, he’d listen intently, but never show a reaction. Occasionally, he’d jump in with a mention of why that story made him like her all the more.

It was sweet, really. Or it would have been if a nagging part of her didn’t wonder if he was only interested for the science of it. For the research. Somehow, though, she didn’t think that was it.

As his lean muscles flexed against the fabric of the couch, she found herself wondering, not for the first time, what might have happened if her sister hadn’t barged in on them tonight. She swallowed hard, and then crossed to settle into the chair across from him.

“Thank you. For tonight, I mean,” she said.

“My pleasure. Your sister is charming.”

“Crazy might be a better way of putting it.”

“All the best people are. After all, what we’re doing here isn’t exactly normal,” his gaze lingered on hers for a tense moment. Was it her imagination, or was there heat behind his words? Maybe even longing?

Awareness surged between her thighs and she crossed her legs to dull the ache. This was all just part of her imagination. What happened before had been in the heat of the moment. She knew how Garret felt about her, and if he’d wanted things to be more intimate he certainly would have acted on it by now. Sure, they’d kissed, but he’d walked away. And earlier…

That was her. She’d been out of bounds. She’d broken the rules of their agreement. Eliza gave him an easy out, and it would be unfair of her to test him by crossing that line again. The best thing to do would be to remain cool. She just had to relax.

“Believe me, if you’d been forced to spend time with my brother, you’d think you’d won the family lottery,” Garret smiled.

“A multi-millionaire executive playboy? Yeah, you’re right. Your brother always seemed like a real drag.”

He laughed. “A real dog is more like it. Maybe he’s not as…formal as your family, but trust me when I tell you he makes an impact. And if he met you?”

She waited for him to go on, but he didn’t. Instead, he cleared his throat and stared out the wide, bay window at the starry spring sky.

“He’d what?” She prompted, but Garret didn’t turn to look at her. He simply speared a hand through his thick hair and shook his head. “You don’t want to know.”

“I assure you, I do,” she scooted closer to the edge of her seat as if to illustrate her point.

He tilted his mouth to the side, and, after another nine-months-pregnant pause, he said, “He would hit on you.”

She laughed, “He would
not
. I’m not exactly the multi-millionaire type.”

“He doesn’t have much of a type.” Garret shrugged.

“So you’re saying he’d hit on be because I have a vagina?”

Garret shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. “It’s not like that. He’d hit on you because…ugh, it doesn’t matter.”

“I’m pretty sure it does.”

Silence fell again, and she prompted him, “Come on, Garret.”

“Okay, okay. He sort of has a system when he meets women. If they’re beautiful, he’ll come up to me and ask me their story.”

“And you’ll tell him my family is a nightmare?” she raised her eyebrows.

“No.” He didn’t bother to elaborate.

“So…what would you tell him?”

“I might mention your aversion to dogs.”

“Not
aversion
, fear.”

“Anyway, I would mention that. And that you’re a hard worker. He’d hate that.”

“He likes a lazy girl, does he?”

“Not lazy so much as stupid. You’d be too much for him to handle.”

“I see.” She followed his gaze out to the starry sky. It really was beautiful tonight. The air was crisp and quiet. Romantic.

“But I would also tell him you’re off limits.”

“Because I’m an employee?”

“No.” Again, he didn’t elaborate, but when his gaze met hers, she knew there was no need. The hunger in his eyes, the way his jaw tightened said it all. He wanted her.

“I see," She swallowed hard, trying to work past the dryness in her throat.

“I’ve been rethinking our situation,” he said, but before he could continue she held up one hand.

“Do me a favor, Garret. Just for tonight, I want you to stop thinking. Instead, I want you to act.”

H
e crossed
the room in one bound, taking her face between his hands so quickly that he heard and felt the little gasp she let out when their skin met.

Gently, he pulled her to the floor, but once there he rolled on top of her, pressing hard against her so she could feel the thick length of him, hard and waiting for her. It was strange, the way things had turned out between them. When they'd begun, it had been a bargain of mutual benefits. Now?

Now he didn't care what happened to him or the company or any of it so long as he could feel Rachael's soft creamy skin and stare into those warm, dark eyes.

"Jesus, you're gorgeous," he said, and he took her bottom lip between his, nibbling gently before sliding his tongue out to greet hers.

The same electricity of their first kiss sparked between them, and in an instant he felt her pulling him closer, rolling her hips against his hard length. Begging him for more.

And he wanted to give it to her.

Hell, if he could, it would give her everything he had and more, but he'd be damned if he was going to skip a single second of getting to know Rachael's body.

Slowly, he slid his hand from the floor to her waste, cupping the little space where her waistline jutted out.

Then he moved higher, tracing the little indents of her ribs until his fingers were on the underside of her breasts. With every movement, the fabric of her dress became that much more irritating. He wanted to rip it off in one pull, to leave her beautiful body exposed to him.

Exposed and willing.

Waiting.

He dropped a kiss on her throat, feeling the vibration of her moan as his hand slipped low again, dragging the hem of her skirt up to her waist so that he could feel the flimsy scant fabric of her panties.

"It's too dark in here," he whispered the words against her throat and she moaned again.

"I want to be able to see you. I want to look at every inch of your body. I want to..." He pulled away, and this time her moan sounded more like a disappointed whimper.

"What are you doing?" she rasped.

"You told me to act. That's what I'm doing." He got to his feet and then pulled her up with him. Once she was settled, he hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs.

When he reached her bedroom door, he kicked it open, not caring what he broke in the process. That would be a problem for another day.

He made his way to the bed and laid Rachael on the spread, then crossed the room again to flick on the lights.

They were softer than he would have liked, but when he turned to look at Rachael—her soft curls glowing—he knew it had been the right choice.

"Undress for me."

She blushed, and though he thought she might have, she didn't protest. Instead, she stood and wriggled from her skirt, and he watched her all the while, taking in the way her hips sway from side to side. God, the things he could do to those hips.

He would nibble on them gently, then kiss his way down between her thighs, teasing her clit ever-so-gently with his tongue before moving to her inner thighs and teasing her again. He would make her beg for him, and when he was sure she couldn't stand it another minute, he'd—

A piece of clothing hit him in the face, and when he snapped back to attention, it was to find Rachael's perfect hourglass clothed in nothing but a matching set of peach lace underwear.

"Now you," she smiled.

"Oh no, I'm going to look at you," she crossed the room and pushed her back onto the mattress, but she shook her head.

"You can see me once I see you."

Normally, he would have gotten his way, but tonight he wanted her too badly to waste his time. He tugged off his clothing as quickly as he could, pulling off his boxers and pants in one and letting out a little groan when his aching cock sprang free.

Rachael gasped and he looked down at her, questioning. "I just didn't know..." she blushed, glancing from his eyes to his crotch without daring to finish the thought.

He grinned, but didn't bother to respond. He had more important things on his mind.

Like what exactly was underneath those tiny pink panties.

He pulled her close and twisted her bra off with one quick motion. When it fell away and her breasts were revealed to him, it was all he could do not to let out a gasp of his own.

Damn, they were perfect. A size of a handful with nipples so pebbled and pink it took every inch of his self control to not bury himself between them and lose his mind.

Well, that, and the fact that he still hadn't seen all of her.

At first, he teased her, rolling his thumb over her inner thighs, then drifting over the soft fabric of her panties. He pressed the spot where he knew her clit was, and smiled as a little shiver ran through her.

"Please," she asked, and he obeyed.

He slid the panties away, watching as they gliding over her silken legs before finally turning and staring at the spare between her toned thighs.

Once her saw her, every thought of teasing went straight out of his head.

He dropped to his knees, then grabbed each of her ankles and pulled her pussy close to him. So close that all he had to do was dip his tongue out ever-so-slightly to waste the sweet wetness waiting there for him.

He teased her lips, and she gasped again, making him smile against her and move faster, pushing his lips between her folds.

"Oh my god, Garret." She weaved her fingers through his hair and when she pulled, another jolt of energy shot through his body, straight to his cock.

Jesus, how he wanted her. To watch her face contort as he pushed into her over and over again. To make her come while kissing her so that he felt the vibration of every moan.

Her thighs quaked beside him, so he moved closer still, tracing her slit until her found the center of her pleasure. Gently, slowly, he circled it, waiting for the moan he knew would come before he flicked his tongue up and down over her.

"Garret, please. I need you."

He closed his eyes, taking in the words before he pushed one finger into her pussy. And once he did...

Once he did, it took everything in his power not to fuck her right then and there. Her pussy was pink and wet and pretty, but it was so tight that he could hardly believe it.

That was, until she winced.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked.

"No, I just..." Her rosy cheeks turned a startling shade of scarlet. "It's been a long time since I—"

He nodded, pushing past yet another wave of roiling hatred for Lance. That prick should have known how good he'd had it. Should have known how good—how perfect and beautiful and fantastic—the woman he had was.

The fucking prick.

But he couldn't focus on that now, either. More than ever, his focus had to be on Rachael and making sure she had the best sex of her life.

"I'll be gentle," he soothed. "Tell me if it's too much."

Slowly, he pushed into her again, moving gently so that she could adjust to every move. As he continued on with his mouth, she ground into his finger more, spurring him on, making him go faster.

"I want you," she said.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

Her nod was all he needed. He pulled a condom from his discarded pants, rolled it over himself, and then straightened, gripping her thighs before guiding her back onto the middle of the bed. All the while, she kissed him moving from his shoulders to his neck, and making the rest of him feel like one pulsing ball of need.

When they were settled, he reared back and stared at her naked body one more time. Gently, he took her thighs in each of his hands and spread them wide, making sure that he had the best view of her he could possibly have.

"You're incredible," he said.

"So are you." She smiled and he kissed her softly again. Then, keeping her lips on his, he gripped himself and slid between her folds.

This time, she didn't wince. Instead, she wrapped her legs around his back and pulled him deeper, pushing him into her. He wanted to follow, but knew he couldn't, not yet.

He pulled away and teased the her opening with his head, pushing in one inch at a time and then out again. It was slow, agonizing, and incredible. The way her pussy stretched to accommodate him. The way he could feel her getting wetter with every thrust.

The way he knew exactly what to do to make her let out another sweet, soft gasp.

"Please, Garret," she said, "I want all of you."

"Rachael..." he breathed her name into her ear, and then nibbled on the lobe.

"Please."

And so he did, in one swift move he buried himself to the hilt, and she moaned against him, "again."

He did as she wanted, taking control of her body by anchoring her hips with his hands and then thrusting deep and hard and slow. He was on the brink of explosion, and when she sucked the tender skin of his neck, the world went dark with need, but he tried to keep himself together.

He had to. Had to for her. For—

"Please, faster, I'm going to come." Her nails scraped down his back and he lost all control. He pistoned into her over and over, amazed at how her body moved with his without any preamble.

Her feet pushed into his ass and the sensation rippled through him and him push harder and faster still.