Betrayed by Trust (8 page)

“I know better than to try to talk him out of this.” Ringo said. “He wouldn’t listen. But I’m telling
you
:
don’t hurt him
.” He gave me a tiny shake.

A jolt of fear ricocheted down to my toes. His voice was soft, but he didn’t need to shout to make his warning crystal clear.

He released me so abruptly I had to take a little step to regain my balance. He left without saying another word.

I sat down at an empty table. My hands were shaking. I needed a minute to recover, or Dan would ask questions I didn’t want to answer. I had a feeling he’d see right through me if I tried to lie to him. Ringo might be a bastard, but he had Dan’s best interests at heart. I didn’t want to do anything to hurt their friendship, even if I never wanted to see Ringo again.

The marine layer had burned off hours before the ceremony was scheduled. Most of our guests had arrived and were mingling in the backyard, waiting for the festivities to begin. I was still in the bedroom, letting Janna adjust the flowers in my hair. Everything else, the flowers, the chairs, the music, was ready to go.

The nice thing about throwing together a wedding on short notice with the help of your employer’s staff is that it makes you look like a genius. Kincaid had put Betina to work as soon as the engagement was official. After quizzing Dan and me for our preferences and conferring with my mother, she’d pulled together the invitations, caterers, party supplies, and a minister. All I had to do was pick the cake and flowers, and show up.

I’d found the perfect dress, with Mom and Janna’s help. I wasn’t showing yet, so I’d chosen a slim ivory sheath with a sweetheart neckline that flared out gently from the hips. A matching lace bolero covered my shoulders. I’d decided to forego the traditional veil, and instead had a white gardenia pinned in my upswept hair, echoing the flowers in my bouquet.

I gazed at my reflection in my bedroom mirror. I looked like a bride. I
was
a bride.
This is really happening.
My hands started shaking and I clenched my fists.

The enormity of the choice I’d made ten weeks ago had been pressing closer around me for days. Most of the time I’d been too busy keeping up the appearance of a happy bride to reflect on the consequences of what I was doing. Now it came crashing down with full force. I was committed.

Ringo’s warning echoed in my mind. In fact, I’d thought of little else the rest of the night, even during my bachelorette party. Janna had whisked me away early from the rehearsal dinner. She’d reserved round-trip tickets for the one hour flight to Las Vegas for herself, Betina, Kalisa, and me to see the new Chippendale show, and because I was a bride-to-be the dancers had singled me out for extra attention. The guys were gorgeous, but the in-my-face sexuality had made me uncomfortable, and since I’d had to stay sober, my thoughts had returned over and over again to Ringo’s words. Was I being selfish, marrying Dan?

It was too late for me to change my mind, but it wasn’t too late for Dan. I might have booked a one-way ticket on the crazy train to parenthood, but Dan could still get off. Maybe Ringo had the right idea. Dan had said he was in for the duration, but we could still call this off.

“You’re perfect,” Janna said, gazing over my shoulder at our reflection.

A gentle tap sounded at the door of the dressing room. Janna opened it to my father.

“Hi, Daddy.”

He just stood there at the threshold for a moment, blinking away moisture. “You look as beautiful as your mother did the day we got married.”

I started to tear up. “Oh, Dad.”

“None of that, now.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to me. “Crying is your mother’s job. She’s got three hankies in her purse.”

I laughed.

“That’s better.” He smiled.

It would be so much easier to just go forward with everything as planned, to do what was expected, but I couldn’t. Not without being sure. “Dad, I need to talk to Dan before we do this.”

“But it’s bad luck!” Janna exclaimed.

Dad looked me in the eye, steady and reassuring. “It’s normal to have cold feet, sweetie—”

“It’s not that—”

“—but whatever you decide, your mother and I will support you.”

I just nodded, choked up again.

“I’ll go get him.” Dad left, and Janna erupted.

“What’s going on? You’re not dumping him at the altar, are you? I know you’ve only known him a couple of months, but he’s really into you. He’s a great guy! Are you—”

“Janna, give us the room, will you, please?” Dan stood there, dressed in a dark blue, three-piece suit, a small white rose pinned to his wide lapel. His shoulders almost filled the doorway.

Janna closed her mouth with an almost audible snap, and left without saying another word.

Dan shut the door with a quiet click and turned to face me. He was clear-eyed and sober. Apparently Ringo and his other friends hadn’t gotten him wasted last night at his bachelor party. That would make this conversation easier.

“You don’t have to do this,” I said without preamble. “You can still walk away.”

“I could,” he agreed, the ghost of a smile haunted his lips. “But I don’t want to.”

Light flooded into my heart at his words, but I tamped down the feeling. He was just following through on his promise. A promise I didn’t want to hold him to, if he was having second thoughts.

Dan’s expression went still. “Do you?”

I wrapped my arms tightly around my waist, as if I could hold myself together that way. “No. But I don’t want to ruin your life, either.”

Dan looked at me as if I was speaking Swahili. “Where did you get an asinine idea like that?” He held up a hand. “Never mind. I can guess: Ringo.” Dan came over and pulled my arms free, taking both my hands in his. His fingers felt warm and strong. “Ringo’s a good guy. The best. There’s no man I’d rather have watching my back, but he’s out of line on this.” Dan squeezed my fingers. “Unless you back out, in about two minutes I’m going to marry you, because I want to. Then we’re going to dance until the stars come out, and push cake into each other’s faces, and then I’m going to whisk you away to the Town and Country where I’ll ravish you until the sun comes up. Do you have a problem with that?”

My mind focused on one point. “You’re going to ravish me?”

“Repeatedly. Unless you’re wimping out on me. Are you?”

I’d been wanting to be with Dan for the last four weeks. I shook my head and smiled. “Never say I didn’t give you a chance.”

“Never,” he said, grinning back.

Our room at the Town and Country Resort was on the top floor of one of several towers that populated the garden-strewn grounds. The carpet was plush, the detailed moldings pristine white, and the furniture dark, rich mahogany. French doors that opened onto a balcony took up one wall, a wide, four-posted bed took up another. A bottle of champagne chilled in a bucket. Two glasses waited on the table beside a tray of chocolate dipped strawberries. The resort was less than half an hour from our house, but it was world away from the happy chaos of wedding guests, music, and congratulations we’d just escaped.

“Did you arrange all this?” I asked after Dan tipped and dismissed the bellman.

Dan inclined his head. “I asked your doc if a little champagne would be okay. He said a sip or two wouldn’t hurt.”

That was like Dan, always planning ahead. I smiled and slipped off my shoes. The plush carpet felt wonderful under my toes after an evening of dancing on the patio.

Dan slung his jacket over the back of a chair, then loosened his tie. He unfastened the top buttons of his shirt with quick twists of his fingers. Dark hair peeked out from the opening. I watched, fascinated by his easy movements as he unbuttoned his vest and tossed it over his coat.

“Would you like the show better if I did this to music?” His eyes twinkled. Apparently Janna had bragged about our visit to Chippendales.

I leaned back against the table, affecting a nonchalance I didn’t feel. “That can be arranged.” I turned on the radio, then waved my hand. “Carry on.”

By chance, the song playing was the Pointer Sisters’ “Fire.” He grinned, then turned his back on me. Swaying in time to the music, a moment later he let his shirt slide slowly down his arms, revealing a muscled back that his tight T-shirt did little to conceal. He twirled the shirt over his head, then flung it into the corner. I couldn’t stop my surprised giggle. A moment later his tee quickly joined his shirt.

My hands itched with wanting to feel the muscles that rippled under his tanned skin. “Whoo-ee!” I exclaimed softly. “Take it off.”

Dan cocked an eyebrow at me over his shoulder, then toed off his shoes.

I heard him unfasten his belt and held my breath as he slid it slowly out of the loops. He tossed it under the chair with a little Elvis shimmy of his hips. Was this really my Dan?

My Dan.
That’s what he was now.
Mine.
I’d hit the jackpot without even knowing it.

I heard his zipper go down and bit my lips. Slowly, with a roll of his hips, he pushed his trousers down.

My breath stopped.

He’d gone commando. There before me, was the most beautiful set of glutes I’d ever seen, bar none. I was across the room before I knew that I’d moved, my hands on his perfect butt.

“What, no tip?”

“No g-string,” I countered.

He turned and lifted one leg. “You can put it in my sock.”

I giggled. And then I laughed. He stood there on one leg in nothing but black socks, with an impressive hard-on, and laughed with me.

A moment later he swept me onto the bed.

D
an leaned over me, supporting himself on one elbow, staring into my eyes with his warm, chocolate gaze. He delicately pushed one of my errant curls away from my brow. “You’re beautiful,” he said. Then he lowered his head and kissed me.

We’d kissed before, but always he’d held back, waiting for tonight. Now the waiting was over. The rest of the world fell away. There was no past. No Barry. No Conrad. Not even the baby. There was just the two of us as his lips caressed mine. Every inch of me wanted to kiss him back. I opened to him and his tongue slid into my mouth with a sensual promise of what was to come. His body pressed along the length of mine, and his erection nudged my hip. As I lifted one leg over his, the soft fabric of my dress slithered up to my knees. His hand slipped under the hem and traveled my leg up to my hip.

Dan’s skin was hot under my hand as I stroked his well-muscled back down to his firm butt. I loved the feel and the scent of him and wriggled closer, hungry for more.

Several minutes later, Dan broke away. I think I whimpered, because he smiled and then pulled me to stand by the edge of the bed. “As beautiful as this dress is, it’s got to go.” He slipped his hands under my lace bolero, sliding it gently off my arms. A second later he pulled down my zipper and was easing the dress off while dropping little kisses on my neck and shoulders. His hands skimmed down my sides, urging the satin to puddle around my ankles.

I stepped out of the dress, feeling like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. My nipples hardened into little points of wanting as Dan’s gaze raked over me. I stood before him, clad only in a white push-up bra, a lace garter-belt, and stockings. I bit my lip, hoping he liked what he saw. My breasts were already fuller than they’d been, giving me great cleavage. The rest of my body would be changing soon, growing round, but for at least this one time, I didn’t want him to feel like he got gypped.

His brows lifted and he grinned when he realized I’d gone commando too.

He wrapped his arms around me, then bent to meet my upturned lips, stroking my back into a bow to press my chest against his heat. I held onto him to stay upright. When he let me go, I realized he’d unfastened my bra.

“Slick,” I said, as he slipped the straps down my arms.

He smiled, dangling the bra from one finger. “I try.” Then he tossed it aside so he could use both of his hands to cup my breasts. “Perfect.”

His lips found mine again as his thumbs rubbed over my sensitive nipples, sending jolts of delight through my senses. I wanted him in a way I’d never felt for a guy before. Not like how I’d wanted Barry, and definitely not like the magically enhanced attraction I’d felt for Conrad. I stroked my hands up and down his back restlessly, loving the feel of him beneath my touch, needing more. As if Dan heard my thought, his mouth replaced his fingers on my breast, setting my body aflame with hunger.

Dan straightened and closed the inches between us. His heat made my skin sizzle with anticipation. Then he reached behind me, and with a quick yank, flipped the bedspread and top sheet down.

I scooted back on the bed and leaned against the pillows, holding my arms out to him.

His eyes grew dark, taking in the sight of me against the crisp white sheets. Then he crawled up my body, kissing his way up my legs, to my hips, nibbling at my belly, bussing each nipple briefly, until he was over me, his torso close but not quite making contact, only his chest hair tickling my breasts.

“This has been the longest four weeks of my life,” he whispered.

“Mine, too.”

He licked his lips. “I checked with your doctor about doing this. He said you’re good to go.”

I laughed. “Did he, now?”

“Well, he didn’t put it quite like that.”

“I should hope not.” I tried to be severe, but I couldn’t keep from grinning. I lifted my chin to give him a quick kiss, but he had other ideas. He lowered his head to slant his mouth over mine, taking it with a thoroughness that stole my breath. My arms wrapped themselves around his shoulders to hold him there, but he rolled us over so I was on top without breaking the kiss. My stocking-clad legs fell to either side of his, as we lay close, from knee to nose. His chest was hard with muscle, and I propped myself up a little to give my tender breasts a little breathing room. It was the most perfect kiss I’d ever shared. I felt him wherever we came together, and everywhere else too, like a fizzing effervescence. I wanted to touch every square inch of him, and be touched, to drink him in through my skin. Long minutes later we surfaced. We were both breathing deeply.

“I talked to my mom, too,” I whispered.

His eyes twinkled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I didn’t want to miss this because you were worried sex might hurt me. Us.”

“I love a woman who plans ahead,” he said, just before taking my lips again. Then he pulled my knees up beside his hips, spreading me across his lap. His erection pressed into my cleft, hot and hard.

I rubbed against him, already wet, loving the feel of him against me. Loving the hungry sound he groaned into my mouth. Then he sat up, holding me close as I straddled him. His hard-on was against my belly then, no longer pressing against the parts of me that wanted him, and I couldn’t stop a little mewl of disappointment.

I wasn’t disappointed for long. Dan’s hand slipped between us and stroked my damp folds, sending a shock of pleasure arcing through me.

In a few short moments the world contracted around a bright hot point at my core, and then a star exploded at the base of my brain. My body bowed and I gasped, my fingers convulsing tightly on Dan’s arms with the force of my orgasm. His hand stilled for a moment, then pressed inward, triggering another riptide of thought banishing pleasure. And another.

I dropped my head to his shoulder as aftershocks rippled through my body. “Don’t go getting all big-headed on me,” I muttered, “but … Wow.”

He grinned, then gently rolled me onto my back. His erection jutted up impressively as he knelt between my bent knees. I held out my arms to him. What he’d done had felt miraculous, but I wanted all of him. I was grateful that he didn’t hesitate, but slid inside, filling me.

He paused just long enough for me to get used to him, then I told him with an involuntary lift of my hips that I was ready for more. He started slow, but it wasn’t long until his thrusts quickened. He grew even harder, and soon I was meeting him thrust for thrust. The feel of him deep inside intoxicated. He was taking his last hard strokes as I cried out, clenching tight around him, trying to draw him in as deep as I could.

Dan came with a soul deep groan, and for a moment clutched me tightly, most of his weight upon me. I liked the solid feel of him, with his head nestled in the curve of my neck, as his body rocked into mine. Just as I was thinking I’d want to breathe again, he levered himself up a little and kissed my nose.

“Thank you,” I said.

“For crushing you?”

“That, too.”

He snorted a softly and rolled to one side, pulling me over to snuggle my head on his shoulder. “Anytime.”

I drifted off for a while, awakening as Dan hooked the sheet with his foot so he could pull it over both of us.

“Go back to sleep,” he said, then dropped a kiss on my forehead.

I kissed the well-formed pec under my cheek and curled closer to his heat, but sleep didn’t return.
I’m married. There’s no going back.

There hadn’t been any going back for a month. My body had been committed since I’d taken Conrad’s seed into my womb and conceived his child. But somehow, with the exchange of vows to care for each other no matter what, and with making love to Dan, my world had shifted. We were a couple now, soon to be a family.

Dan’s breathing settled into a regular rhythm. I inched away, separating from his embrace.

I wondered what Mark would think of what I’d done. I would have had to tell him; he’d always known when I was up to something when we were kids. He wouldn’t have been taken in by the story we’d told the parents. I imagined that conversation as I’d imagined so many others with him, and it wasn’t fun. He’d like Dan, but he wouldn’t like that I’d put myself on the line to save some wolf-spirit, and had sex with a stranger to do it. He’d always behaved with a weird combination of encouraging me to be adventurous and being protective.

Funny, I didn’t doubt that he’d accept the reality of Aldwyn’s existence or the need to free Elemental. Mark just wouldn’t want me to be the one who took the risk.

Well, Mark wasn’t here anymore to boss his little sister around. I’d made my own bed. Now I would just have to sleep in it.

The next morning, I woke up with Dan spooned tightly behind, his morning wood firm against my rear, his hand cupping my breast. I would have been happy to stay there, snuggled into his warmth, but I had to pee. I started to slide away, being careful not to wake him, but his arm tightened around me.

“Good morning,” he said in a dark suggestive rumble.

“Morning.” I turned my head to give him a quick peck, but Dan’s response wasn’t quick, and definitely not a peck. The rest of me followed my lips and I rolled to face him. My toes started to curl as he caressed my side, then lifted my leg over his hip. I could get used to being kissed like this every morning—after I went to the bathroom. When I could draw enough breath to speak, I mumbled, “Gotta go,” and leapt out of bed.

I hadn’t taken two steps when the dizziness hit. I grabbed the post at the foot of the bed and held on while the room spun around.

Suddenly Dan was beside me, pulling my hands free and guiding me back to the edge of the bed. “Sit down,” he said, then shifted me onto the mattress so I was lying down again.

I hated feeling helpless, but I was grateful for Dan’s aid. My head cleared in just a few moments. “I’m okay.”

“You almost fell on your face. That’s not ‘okay.’”

“I mean I’m not feeling dizzy anymore. And the doctor said this happens sometimes.”

Dan glared at me. “This happened before? And you didn’t tell me?”

“Don’t growl at me. It happened once. I talked to the doctor. Nothing’s wrong. Now let me up.”

Bless him, Dan didn’t argue as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and sat upright again, but he kept a hand on my shoulder.

“I hope that’s not going to happen every morning,” I grumbled, standing up. The room remained stationary.

“I suppose if it does, I can just keep you in bed all day.” He stayed beside me until I reached the bathroom, too close for me to appreciate the view of his still nude body.

“As nice as that sounds, it might have some drawbacks,” I said, then closed the door on him.

I took a quick shower, and when I came out, wrapped in the luxurious robe the hotel had provided, Dan had donned a pair of boxers. He’d also brewed coffee, laid out a sumptuous breakfast of the uneaten chocolate-dipped strawberries from the night before, and an artfully arranged fan of Saltines.

“You thought to bring crackers?” I picked up one and took a bite.

Dan shrugged one muscled shoulder as he headed toward the bath. “Your stomach’s been upset a lot lately.”

What could I say? He was right. I hadn’t realized he’d noticed. “Thanks. I remembered to ask my mom about having sex while pregnant, but I forgot to bring crackers. You can see where my priorities lie.”

Dan grinned and wrapped his arms around me. “That’s okay. You remembered the important stuff. Now eat.” He picked up a strawberry from the tray and fed it to me.

I bit into the wonderfully ripe fruit and juice dribbled down my chin. My husband licked it clean, then swept his tongue over my lips.

My husband.
The fact of it was enormous. But I liked that it was Dan in the starring role.

“Yum,” he said. “Sweet.”

Yes, you are,
I thought, and giggled with a happiness that bubbled up inside me like champagne. I hadn’t expected him to be so romantic. “You’re allowed to have your own strawberries, you know.”

“Mmm,” he said, feeding me another, then kissing me again. “They taste better this way.”

“Do they? I’ll have to see.” I snagged a chocolate-dipped berry from the tray and held it up for him. I watched as he bit into it, captivated by the sight of his lips forming themselves to the contours of the red fruit, the dart of his tongue to capture a dribble of juice, the ripple in his throat as he swallowed.

I stood on tiptoe and pulled his mouth down to mine, then sucked his lower lip between my teeth. His tongue twined with mine, hot and sweet. Perfect. It was several minutes later when I managed to say, “You’re right. This is better.” My voice came out sounding thick and hungry.

Dan’s hands slipped inside my robe and stroked my breasts, gently teasing my tender nipples, sending electric zings of delight throughout my body. I slipped two fingers into the waistband of his boxers and tugged him toward the bed. He followed without complaint.

It was nearly lunchtime when Dan roused me from my afterglow by trailing little kisses down the back of my neck and shoulder. They tickled, and I rolled to face him. He’d braced himself up on one elbow, smiling down at me.

“You look entirely too pleased with yourself,” I said.

“Why shouldn’t I be? I have a beautiful woman in my bed, and she’s my wife.” He leaned in close to kiss me.

I loved all this romantic stuff, but it made me a little uncomfortable. I shook my head at him. “You don’t have to say things like that. I’d rather you just be yourself.”

A ripple of hurt flashed through his eyes.

“I mean, I appreciate the effort you went to. It made our wedding night and this morning special. It’s just that I don’t want you to think you have to pretend to feel something you don’t.” I remembered what Ringo had said about Dan being in love with me, and wondered if he was right. I’d feel awful if our feelings for each other were so unequal. I didn’t want to hurt Dan.

“I’m not pretending. I like you. A lot.”

Heat rose in my chest and face as I remembered our lovemaking.

He drew my hand down between his legs to the erection that was growing there. “I think that’s pretty obvious.”