His
father cleared his throat before Ryan could speak. To Ryan’s surprise, his
father took his side. “The only reason the minister had the rings, Maureen, was
that we wanted to have them blessed by our priest, too. It was good of Jess to
make that happen.”
“It’s
just for the ceremony,” Ryan said, then played his best card. “I thought it
might be good luck.”
“How
so?” his mother asked, her tone thawing a little.
“Well,
you’ve been happily married for thirty years, and your grandparents wore them
for over sixty years.” He smiled. “I think it might make Jess feel better to
have that kind of history on our side.”
“It’s
just for the ceremony, Maureen,” his father said. “I think it would be a fine
gesture.”
“All
right,” his mom said, sparing a glance at his father that was filled with
affection. “But we get them back after your wedding night.”
“You
see?” his father said to his mother. “That wasn’t such a hard concession to
make, was it?”
His
mother shook her head.
“That’s
not the only thing I need you to do,” Ryan said, sparing a glance for his list.
At his father’s enquiring glance, he smiled. “I need you to eat raw fish and
pretend to like it.”
His
father’s face fell. His mother laughed and seized her husband’s hand. “Oh,
Robert, it won’t hurt you to try something different. And I have antacids if
the meal doesn’t agree with you.”
His
father straightened to his full height. “Jess is a lovely girl,” he said. “And
I don’t want that journalist to make more trouble for her and her business.” He
winced. “Just see if you can give me a small serving.”
Ryan
grinned. “I’ll try.” And he checked off two more items from Jess’s list of
issues. “Now I’ve got to figure out how to make the rain stop.”
“Rain?”
“It’s
supposed to start during the night and rain for days.”
“Is
that the last thing?” his mom asked.
“Far
from it. This list is huge.”
“You’re
not going out with your friends?” his father asked.
“No.”
Ryan was already trying to make a plan of attack for the next day. “I’ll crash
on the couch in Quinn and Patrick’s room, if that’s okay. I’ve got to talk to a
lot of the staff tomorrow. I’m going to need all the charm I can get.”
* * *
For
the first time in a month, Jess slept.
She
cried first, cried more than she thought it was possible to cry, and then she
fell into bed, exhausted. She was worn out. And for the first time in more than
a month, she had nothing to do. There was no list of tasks to be completed, no
calls to make, no arrangements to finalize, no competing perspectives to be
negotiated.
At
that realization, she felt the tension slide out of her body. She pulled the
phone jack out of the wall, locked the door and turned off her own cell phone.
She put the dress back in the closet and hid it from sight. She turned out the
lights and peeled off her clothes and stood in the middle of the cottage,
feeling the cool caress of the wind.
She
crawled into bed, had time to miss Ryan’s warmth, then fell into a deep and
dreamless sleep.
* * *
Ryan
awakened to the sound of someone tapping on the door to Quinn and Patrick’s
room. His brothers were still sound asleep, so he tugged on his jeans and went
to the door. To his surprise, Jess’s mom was there, her expression worried.
“No
one told you yet, did they?” she asked and Ryan was wide awake.
“Told
me what?”
“Jess
cancelled the wedding last night.”
“What?”
Ryan stepped out into the hall, pulling the door behind him so it was almost
closed. “I know she was upset about the details going wrong, but we’re still going
to get married.”
Arlene
quickly told Ryan of the events of the previous evening and he shook his head
in frustration. “She told me and she’ll probably tell the others this morning.”
“But
we can’t call off the wedding. We’re going to get married, whether the flowers
are the right kind or not.” He frowned. “I know the ceremony is important to
her. I’ve been trying to make some things come right and take some pressure off
her.”
“Really?”
Arlene looked more hopeful.
“Really,”
Ryan said with force. “I love Jess. I want to get married. I refuse to believe
that any of this is a sign.”
Arlene
smiled. “Maybe you should tell her that.”
Ryan
met the gaze of his future mother-in-law and smiled. “That’s a great idea,” he
said and her smile broadened. He’d do just that—in the most compelling
way he could.
* * *
Jess
was vaguely aware of the door to the cottage opening. She rolled over, thinking
it was one of the maids, then felt someone’s weight on the mattress.
“You
always smell so great in the morning,” Ryan murmured as he slid into the bed
beside her. He pulled her into his arms, his eyes gleaming with intent, but
Jess put her hands on his shoulders.
“What
are you doing here? I thought your mom wanted you to stay away until the
wedding.”
He
lifted one brow. “I heard there wasn’t going to be a wedding.”
Jess
felt herself blush. “I know I should have talked to you first, but I was so
upset...”
“I
know. I can understand that you talked to your mom.” He touched his lips to
hers and she relaxed at his touch. “But you could have a bit of faith.”
“Faith
isn’t going to fix everything that’s going wrong,” she managed to say before
Ryan kissed her again. When he lifted his head, she’d forgotten what she was
going to say.
“Naughty
Jess,” he whispered, his smile wicked. “I’m just going to have to remind you
how good we are together.”
Before
Jess could argue, Ryan had produced the length of blue ribbon. He tied her
wrists together and secured them to the headboard.
“There’s
no time for this,” she protested, but he just kissed her again. This time, his
kiss was longer and more lingering, his tongue flirting with hers. He cupped
her breast in one hand and teased the nipple, his caress making Jess want him.
“If
there’s no wedding, then you have nothing to do,” he argued. “If there’s no
wedding, then we’re just on vacation together. People who are in love and on
their vacation together have sex.” He winked. “I read that somewhere.”
“But...”
she started to say that they had a deal that they wouldn’t have sex before the
wedding, but immediately realized what he’d say.
He
put a fingertip across her lips to silence her, then traced the outline of her
lips with his warm finger. He watched his own hand, and she saw the heat in his
gaze. “No wedding means no waiting,” he said, proving that he’d followed her
thoughts. “But just because you cancelled the wedding doesn’t mean you’re going
to get away on a technicality.” He cupped her chin, bracing himself on one
elbow to look down at her. “I just have one question for you.”
“Only
one?”
“Only
one. Do you still love me?” He looked concerned. “Because I love you, and none
of this changes how I feel. I still want to get married.”
Jess
smiled. “I’ll always love you. I still want to get married.”
He
cast a playful glance over her. “So all I have to do is remind you why,” he
mused. His fingertips trailed over her, launching delicious tingles over her
flesh.
“But...”
Jess began to ask, only to have Ryan shake his head.
“That’s
enough talk for the moment,” he chided. “Now you have to learn your lesson.” He
produced the hood with the satin lining and moved quickly to straddle her.
“That means you’re not in charge.”
“Who
is?” she asked, because she knew he wanted her to.
“Me.”
Ryan knelt over her and she had a quick glimpse of his satisfied smile before
he eased the luxurious hood over his head. It encased her in softness and
darkness, and Jess sighed without intending to do so. It felt so decadent, and
made her whole body come alive.
He
smoothed his hands over her head, his possessive touch making Jess shiver. She
felt him bent closer, then he kissed her quickly. “They say that being
blindfolded makes the scene more intense for some people,” he whispered, his
lips almost on hers.
“Yes,
Ryan,” Jess agreed. She arched her back so her lips brushed against his mouth.
Ryan
chuckled. “And helps them to relax.”
“Yes,
Ryan.” Jess managed to kiss him again and Ryan made a growl of satisfaction.
“It’s
going to take a while for me to teach you a lesson,” he murmured, a threat in
his voice.
Jess
shivered. “I can’t wait.”
He
ran a fingertip down her arms, then pressed a kiss to her cheek. She felt him
leave the bed and knew he was looking at her. She heard him unfasten his jeans
and drop them to the floor, and her heart skipping in anticipation of whatever
he might do.
Did
he have the paddle? What about the butterfly vibrator? Jess couldn’t stand the
uncertainty, even as it thrilled her. Her sex was swollen and hungry, pulsing
with desire for him.
When
Ryan spoke, she was surprised by his question.
“What
is it about this stuff that you like?” he asked softly. “Or was it just a whim
to try it? Tell me.”
“It
was a whim, but I like it,” she admitted. It was easier to talk about her
desires when she was blindfolded. “Turns out I like being out of control. It’s
hot.”
“Maybe
it’s about trust.”
She
nodded. “Maybe it’s about letting go with someone you trust.”
He
ran his fingertips over the length of her, making her shiver. “It is hot,
hotter than I would have expected.”
Jess
licked her lips and he laughed.
“Tease.”
“I’m
trying!”
“Don’t
worry; you’ll get what you deserve.”
“But
when?”
“When
I’m ready. Do you want to go down fighting, or just surrender?”
Jess
smiled, liking that Ryan wanted to have a plan—and one that would excite
them both. “I liked when you surprised me the other day, and now, too. That you
caught me off-guard and took advantage of it was hot.” Jess swallowed. “There’s
something about being overwhelmed that is exciting.”
She
felt him lean over her, the heat of his chest close to her breasts. “And what
would be the very most exciting thing I could do?” His whisper was dark and
dangerous.
Jess
swallowed and confessed the truth. “Keep me captive until you’d had enough of
me.”
His
voice dropped even lower. “That could take a lifetime, Jess.”
Jess
shivered. “Yes. It could.”
“I
could let you out once in a while,” he mused. “But make you wear the vibrator,
or a chastity belt.”
“So
I’d always be yours,” she whispered, her heart pounding.
“And
you’d always be ready.” He kneaded her nipple between his finger and thumb. “I
could take you at your shop at lunchtime. Just stop by and put the Closed sign
on the door, then possess you in a pile of satin and lace.”
“Oh,
yes,” Jess whispered before she had a thought. “But that might damage the
inventory.”
“True.”
His fingers were driving her crazy. “Maybe we’d have to go into the shipping
room and use packing tape instead.”
Jess
gasped aloud at that idea. It was so rough, so dramatic.
And
it thrilled her.
“You
could use your handcuffs,” she suggested.
Ryan
chuckled. “Or you could keep a few rolls of ribbon behind the counter, along
with your hood.” His hand flattened and eased over the length of her. She
wished he’d finger her and spread her legs wide in invitation. “You’d be ready
anytime.”
“Yes,”
Jess whispered as his hand slid over her hot sex. “Yes.”
Ryan
caressed her clitoris just the way he’d kneaded her nipples. His touch was
gentle but firm, the pressure enough to make Jess moan. “But the main thing
we’d have to do is make sure no one heard you.”
“You
could command me to be silent.”
“Or
I could make sure of it,” Ryan said before he kissed her deeply. Jess thought
that was how he meant to silence her and she had no arguments with that. She
kissed him back, loving how his hand slid around the back of her head to hold
her captive. He leaned over her, his weight crushing her into the mattress, and
she loved having so much of him pressed against her. His kiss was deep and
demanding and possessive, and he teased her relentlessly with those fingers.
She
was breathless when he broke the kiss. She only wanted more. With her lips
parted, Jess stretched to kiss Ryan again—only to have him put something
in her mouth. It was a roll of cloth, maybe a hand towel, and she could only
make a muffled moan with it in her mouth. She tried to shout or scream, finding
it exciting that she couldn’t make much more sound.