The organist pounded a chord, and the congregation rose to watch Birdie make her way down the aisle.
Unable to wait, he walked forward and took her hand drawing her to his side. When they reached the altar, he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips.
The reverend cleared his throat to hide his laughter. “Now’s not time for the kiss, son. That comes later in the ceremony.”
The congregation roared with laughter. A guffaw ripped from Tad’s mouth as he hugged Birdie. Her face reddened, but she chuckled.
The preacher looked down at them. “Are we ready to begin?”
* * *
Birdie, glad of Tad’s arms holding her close as they waltzed around the room, snuggled closer to him. Her past life seemed millions of years away. She missed it horribly, but she loved Tad and would be content to live forever in this fairy tale past. Obviously she was here for a purpose, exactly what, she didn’t yet know. Most likely it had something to do with her home or it could be she was here to be a mother to Nathan.
Olivia had outdone herself in overseeing the decoration of the ballroom at the Pacific Hotel. As they twirled, the many mirrors on the walls reflected the twinkling of the glass teardrops in the gas chandelier and the multitude of candles placed on every surface. She had to hand it to her new mother-in-law. She’d given them a wedding to remember their entire lives. A photographer had taken their pictures immediately after the ceremony. The picture would add to the memory and beauty of this day.
Tad whispered in her ear. “I’m ready to call it a night, love. How about you?”
“Yes! I’m ready to get out of these shoes and into something more comfortable.”
He arched a brow. “I’m more interested in getting you out of this dress, lovely as it is, and the contraption underneath.” His lips touched her ear sending a shiver through her body. “I want to see what lies beneath, touch every inch of you and make you mine.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, ma’am, it is.”
She stopped in the middle of the dance floor and took his hand. “Let’s go say goodnight to your mother.”
Olivia smiled as they approached. “I can see you two are ready to leave this crowd.”
Birdie took both of Olivia’s hands. “Thank you for all you’ve done. The wedding was beautiful, more than I’d ever hoped for.”
“It was my pleasure, dear.” She cradled Birdie’s face in her hands. “I’m so proud to have you as part of our family, as my daughter.”
Birdie’s voice cracked with emotion. “I couldn’t be happier, Olivia. I’m proud to be a Lockhart.” She slid an arm around Tad’s waist. “You did a good job raising this man.”
“All right, you two. Enough of this emotional stuff.” Tad kissed his mother’s cheek. “Good night. We’ll see you at breakfast.”
* * *
They could hear Nathan’s wails as they stepped off the elevator on their floor. Tad had booked a suite of rooms, two bedrooms with a sitting room between, so that Nathan and Sarah could be with them.
“Oh boy, we better see what’s happening or people will be complaining to management.”
“I don’t think there are many other people on this floor.” They stopped in front of their room. Tad removed the key from his pocket, the small piece of brass so different from the key cards of her time, and unlocked the door. “At last, Mrs. Lockhart, you are mine. When we cross this threshold, our life together begins.” He kissed her, his lips a mere whisper against hers. “I promise I’ll do all in my power to keep you happy.”
Before she could reply, Tad lifted her off her feet and carried her across the threshold of their suite.
“You don’t have to do this. This is a hotel room, not our home.”
“Well, you’re going to get carried across the threshold again then when we get home.”
This man was too good to be true, so different from modern men, or at least the ones she knew. Yes, they loved their spouses, but they didn’t treat wives like princesses. She’d have to work on that. She didn’t want Tad to mollycoddle her. She didn’t think he would. He respected her independence and wouldn’t try to hold her back—in most things. An image of him discovering “Detective Jenkins” made her smile. He’d get used to her behavior in time.
Tad took her hand. “Do you mind if we go in to see Nathan for a while?”
“Not at all.” His wails had turned into whimpers, suggesting Sarah had picked him up. Maybe this new environment bothered him. He’d been moved twice already. It was hard to know what took place in a baby’s mind, but she wouldn’t discount the notion.
Tad knocked on Sarah’s door before turning the handle. Sarah looked frazzled as she walked Nathan up and down the room.
Brow furrowed, she said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with him. He’s eaten and been burped. It’s too soon for him to be teething.”
Tad’s large hand stroked Nathan’s head. “What’s wrong, little man?” He reached for the baby. “Come to Daddy for awhile.” Tad lifted him to his shoulder and rubbed his back as he walked. He sang softly, the words Birdie didn’t recognize.
Sarah’s wearied expression changed into a smile. “You’re a natural, sir.”
Birdie had to agree. Within a few minutes, Nathan had quieted and his eyes drifted closed. Birdie stood behind Tad and stroked the baby’s head. The dark hair felt soft and downy. She wondered if it would darken when he grew up. “He’s a precious baby, Tad.” She leaned in and kissed his forehead.
“Thank you Birdie…for everything. Not many women would have accepted Nathan into their homes.” He turned around to face her. “It would have killed me to give you up, but I couldn’t give my child away.”
“I know.” She caressed his jaw, enjoying the warmth of his skin and the subtle scent of his shaving soap. “I couldn’t have loved you if you had, Tad.”
* * *
Tad loosened the row of buttons on the back of Birdie’s dress, and pushed it down her shoulders to her waist. His hands shook as he caressed her soft skin. “You are beautiful, Birdie.” He placed a kiss on the nape of her neck, her shiver fueling his love and desire for this woman. Her breasts filled his hands as he explored the curves under her chemise. With his palm he circled her nipples feeling them pebble in response. Her head dropped back against his shoulder as he pushed her dress down over her belly and hips.
She stepped out of her dress, turned and tossed it across a chair. His most erotic dreams paled at the sight of the vision before him. Silk stockings covered her long, beautiful legs, the corset pushed her breasts higher, like an offering of ripe fruit. She epitomized perfection. He stepped forward and allowed a finger to trail from the pulse point at her neck, down to between the bountiful globes and then across each one. “Turn around and let me unhook this thing.”
Five minutes later, they stood thigh-to-thigh, belly-to-belly, nothing between them but Birdie’s chemise and his drawers, which were growing tighter by the minute. He reached for the pins in her hair and it flowed around her shoulders. Over time, the different colored strands had grown out, leaving it a honey blonde with hints of red—a perfect complement to her creamy complexion and blue eyes.
She ran her hand through the tresses, giving it a semblance of control.
If he didn’t do something to slow himself down, he’d disgrace himself. Voice hoarse, he asked, “Where’s your vanity set? Let me brush it out for you.”
He stood behind her while she sat on the stool before the dressing table. There was something sensual about brushing a woman’s hair, especially when she wore next to nothing, and he could see her reflection in the mirror. The strands glistened with life as he pulled the brush through the long mass. His eyes were drawn to her beautiful skin as it glowed through the thin material of her chemise, the rosy crests of her nipples protruding.
She closed her eyes, and smiled. “Mmm, that feels so good. Will you brush my hair every night?”
“Every night I can.” He laid the brush aside and stroked her shoulders. “Will you always be this open with me with your body?”
“Yes, I promise.”
He stepped back, and removed a small box from his jacket lying across a chair. He handed it to Birdie.
Forehead furrowed, she asked, “What is this?”
“Just a little something to show my love.”
She stood and pulled his head down for a kiss. “Thank you, but it’s not necessary, you know.”
“I know, but it gives me pleasure. Open it.” He’d spent a lot of time in the jewelry stores when he had some free minutes in town. The gift had to be perfect. He hoped he’d gotten it right.
She opened the box and gasped. “Oh my, God. Tad, where did you find it?”
“At one of the jewelry stores in town.”
She lifted it from the box, turned it over and studied it carefully. “This is my brooch…the one I lost in the river. Do you think it’s possible someone found my brooch and sold it to a jeweler?”
“No, Birdie. Yours is lost.” He picked it up and turned it over. “Look, here is the jeweler’s mark on the back. It’s too new to be the one you had on.” Had she ever described her missing brooch to him? No, she hadn’t. “Plus, I didn’t know what yours looked like.”
She perused it again, turning and examining it from every angle. “You’re right…on both counts.” Her eyes rounded. She tapped the pin. “I’m almost positive this is the same pin I wore, only now its new, but was old in the future.” She shivered. “Talk about a déjà vu moment.”
“If you don’t like it, I can take it back.”
“Don’t like it?” She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed. “I love it! It’s part of our future history to be passed down for generations to come.”
Tad liked the sound of that. Perhaps Nathan could give it to his wife someday, or perhaps their first daughter could inherit it, keeping it purely in Birdie’s line. He took her hand. “Come, let’s go to bed.”
Birdie sat on the bed, rolling a stocking down her leg. While Tad turned down the lamps she admired his body—his broad shoulders, taut abs and buttocks. His body rivaled a male model’s on the cover of a romance novel, but hard work sculpted Tad’s, not weights and machines in a gym. Her skin tingled at the anticipation of his touch. Her throat clogged with emotion, she swallowed the urge to cry. At long last they’d be one. Tad was a beautiful gift to her heart. She’d never imagined she’d love a man like she loved Tad. She ached to touch him and learn the texture and taste of his skin. The long drawers could not hide his desire behind the buttoned front and she longed for him to strip them off.
“Here, let me do that.” She lay back and held her leg up for him. His eyes watched hers as he slowly rolled the stocking down, stroking her leg with his long fingers as he did so. Her flesh jumped at each touch. When he tossed the stocking aside, he kissed the sensitive spot behind her knee before moving to the other leg. By the time he’d finished with her opposite leg, she was shaking with need. She sat up, grabbed the waist of his drawers and pulled him toward her.
“You’re teasing me, Tad.”
He grinned. “You don’t like it?” He stretched out over her, holding his weight off her with his hands and knees.
Like it? She loved it. She slapped his chest. “You know I do, but that’s enough. I want more—to feel you against me.”
“Ah, sweetheart, I love you so.” He touched his lips to hers, nipped and sampled until she threw her arms around his neck and opened her mouth to him. Their tongues twined and explored. Oh, the man could kiss. He didn’t smother her with his lips, but coaxed hers to do his will and want more.
They broke apart, gasping for air. “I’m glad you’re a greedy woman, sweetheart, because I’m a greedy man, and I’ll never get enough of you.”
“Thank God for that.” She sat up and slipped the chemise over her head, wiggled out of her lacy drawers and tossed both garments to the end of the bed.
Tad straddled her and looked his fill. “You are beautiful, Birdie.”
“So are you, Tad.” She ran her hands up his chest loving the twitching of his muscles at her touch. He ran his hands down her sides, stopping to fondle and kiss each breast before moving to her hips. His lips teased her navel and his tongue trailed across and around the indention.
She squirmed beneath him. “Tad, enough.” She reached up, unbuttoned his underwear and pushed it down to his knees. Using his feet, he shoved it off onto the floor. He settled between her thighs. “I don’t want to rush you, sweetheart.”
“You’re not, I promise.” She pulled his head down and captured his lips. As he slid inside her, she wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him deeper.
“Birdie, love, too fast. I want to make it last.”
“No,
now!"
she gasped. "It can last… next time.” They moved together, straining to get closer until pleasure built inside Birdie and exploded. “Tad, I love you!” Her legs tightened around him as her body quivered in rush after rush of pleasure.
He dropped his head to her shoulder and groaned, “Oh, God,” as his body jerked in completion. She closed her eyes, and lazily stroked his back while their breathing returned to normal.
He rolled to his back, taking her with him. She sighed with contentment as his hands smoothed up and down her spine and shoulders. She raised her head, laced her fingers together and propped her chin on top of them. Their gazes met and she smiled. “I don’t think we’ll ever have problems in the bedroom.” One arm wrapped around her waist, his other hand moved to hold her head as he rolled her to her back and settled between her legs.
“Thank you, God.” He nuzzled her neck. “How lucky can a man get?”
She giggled, draped her legs around his waist and squeezed. “I’d say pretty darn lucky.”
* * *
Birdie slapped Tad’s hands away from her breasts as he pretended to help tie her corset. “Stop it. We’ll never get to church on time.”
He bent and nuzzled her neck, his breath tickled her flesh as he whispered, “We don’t have to attend services this morning. I’m sure everyone would understand.” He turned her to face him. “Let’s stay in. I want to spend the day with you.”
She curled her arms around his neck and sighed deeply. “Me, too, Tad, but this is the morning we introduce Nathan to the community.” His body stiffened. She knew all too well his apprehension and fear that their neighbors wouldn’t accept his child, would label him a bastard. All Birdie could say is they’d better never call him names or shun him in her presence. Dressing her up in fancy clothes might make folks think her a lady, but hurt her new family and the gloves would come off.