Married by Monday (Weekday Brides) (23 page)

“
Yes. Sadly. He didn’t say anything truly nasty did he?”

“
No. But I don’t think he likes me.”

Abigail dropped an arm around her shoulders. “That’s a very good thing. I’d have worried if he had.”

****

“
Are you going to tell me why all the badges are here?”

Carter glanced over at his father and considered lying. Instead, he stalled. “What do you mean?”

“
So that’s how you want to play it. Okay…” He turned toward the guests and nodded in Dean’s direction. “Dean is a cop, but not Eliza’s family. My guess is the man he’s talking to is his partner. They’ve talked to four other people here other than the wedding party. Of course there is Neil, but we know he’s a retired Marine. He still works for Blake, right?”

Carter swallowed his drink. “Yeah, technically.”

“
There’s a rookie, a police dog with the valet, and those are only the ones I see. So I’ll ask again. Why all the badges?”

Carter hesitated. “It’s complicated, Dad. This isn’t the time or place.”

Cash lowered his voice. “Are you in…has there been a threat?”

Across the room, Eliza laughed alongside one of their guests. “I’m fine.”

Cash followed his gaze. “You know I’m here to help.”

For the first time in a while, Carter remembered how effective his father was as a cop. Maybe it was time to do some investigating on his own. As much as Dean and Jim were there to help, they weren’t free with the details that landed Eliza in her current the position.

Carter waved Neil over and asked the man if he had a pen. He scribbled Ricardo Sanchez’s name onto a napkin and handed it to his father. “He’s in San Quentin,” he whispered in his father’s ear. “Look back ten years.”

Cash shook his son’s hand. “Have I told you how proud I am of you, lately?”

Carter patted him on the back. “It’s been at least an hour.”

A photographer snapped pictures throughout the day. During Blake’s long-winded toast, Carter stood beside Eliza with a possessive hand around her waist.

When they cut the cake, Carter dribbled only a speck of icing on her nose. He avoided a messy chin by capturing her hand and licking off her fingers. For a moment, he caught her eyes and saw a spark of desire flood in them.

They hadn’t spoken of their wedding night, of what the other expected. In Carter’s mind he figured he’d let her set the course. With the slightest hint of passion, he would consummate their union and give into the sizzling chemistry that had been brewing for years. The thought of removing her wedding dress to see what she wore underneath, brought heat to his cheeks, and desire to his blood.

He finished chewing the cake while she watched and because he knew she wouldn’t pull away, he dipped his head to hers and kissed her. She was sweeter than the cake and breathless when he moved away.

They had another hour tops at the reception before he could remove her from the crowd and gauge her desires. He could hardly wait.

Chapter Nineteen

Eliza was plucking tiny grains of rice from her hair in the back of the limousine en route to the airport. “Wow.” She took a full deep breath for what seemed the first time that day. “That was crazy.”

Carter leaned forward and helped her disengage the small grains. “Crazy good?”

Her cheeks actually hurt from all the smiling. “Yeah. Crazy good.”

He nodded and tossed the rice to the floor. “Have I told you how gorgeous you are?”

“
Yeah, you did.”

“
Well you are,” he laughed.

The car moved into traffic leaving the guests behind to continue the party.

Eliza brushed rice off his shoulder. “You missed your Hollywood calling, Carter. I’ll bet you didn’t even rent this tux.”

“
Is that a compliment?”

“
Yeah. It is.” She left her hand on his shoulder and slid it to his neck.

“
Are you going to say
yeah
all night?” He placed a hand on her thigh, and lifted an expectant brow.

“
Maybe,” she said to be trite.

His eyes narrowed with laughter. “Now she says maybe.”

Even if their marriage was one of convenience, there was no reason not to enjoy it. If there was a lesson learned from Samantha and Blake’s union, it was that denying a physical attraction proved fruitless when the man you desired happened to be your husband.

She pressed her lips to his and tasted his surprise. He pulled her into his arms and deepened their kiss. His hand stroked her bare arm as he moved his lips to her ear. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Eliza glanced at the glass separating them and the driver. “We’re adults, we kinda like each other, and the bonus is we’re married.”

Carter sat back and held her face in his hands. “I never assumed…”

“
I know. Which makes it even better.”

He kissed her again this time with more fervor…more desire. Heat swelled in the pit of her stomach and traveled south. Her hand slid inside his jacket, and met with the hard ripple of muscle under his shirt.

Carter moved away, again. “We need to start talking or I’m going to embarrass us both,” he said.

She wiped some of the moisture off her lips and put a bit of distance between them. Carter glanced out the back window to the car that followed.

“
How long of a flight do we have?”

“
Too long.”

The bodyguards would be on the plane with them, which meant they wouldn’t be alone until they reached the hotel in Kauai.

The driver drove them through the airport and onto the tarmac. He stopped when they arrived at Blake and Samantha’s jet. Much to Eliza’s surprise, there were a half a dozen paparazzi clicking pictures of them as they boarded the plane.

“
Looks like news of our nuptials spread.”

Russell and Joe flanked them as they climbed the steps and into the plane. Eliza swiveled at the top of the steps and sent the photographers a presidential wave. Carter shook his head and his eyes crinkled with laughter.

Once inside she asked Carter to help her with the zipper of her dress. He groaned as he slid it down her spine. They both eyed the bed on the plane and smiled at each other. Eliza was sure where his thoughts led. “I don’t think so, Hollywood. Two bodyguards, a pilot, and a copilot are too much of an audience for me.”

“
There’s a door.”

“
Not a thick one. What if we hit turbulence?”

“
Kauai is five hours away,” he debated.

Eliza held her dress up with one arm and placed the other on his chest. “How long have you known me?”

“
Over two years.”

She shoved him out the door. “Five more hours won’t kill you.” She shut the door behind him and changed into a more practical dress.

****

Carter felt the ungodly urge to bang his head against the seat of the airplane. Eliza eyed the door to the bedroom more than once. The bodyguards were happily tucked into a service section of the plane and wouldn’t even notice if they slipped into the room. About the time Carter opened his mouth to suggest they “rest” the captain asked them to fasten their seatbelts and to expect some turbulence.

That was two hours ago. Outside of a trip to the bathroom and a refill of sparkling wine, they were glued to their seats.

“
I just realized something,” Eliza said as she sipped her wine. “I’ve never been to your house. I didn’t even pack my things. And what is Gwen going to do?”

“
I wouldn’t worry about Gwen. I think she likes her new life. And I’m sure Neil will tag a team of watchful eyes on her for safety.”

Eliza hadn’t thought of that. “Gwen will love his attention.”

“
What does that mean?”

“
Just that. She’ll love Neil’s attention. I think she has a thing for him.”

Carter swiveled in his seat. “For Neil? Are you sure?”

“
She hasn’t said so directly. But she does that dopey, girly look whenever she talks about him. Don’t you dare tell him I said that.”

He laughed. “I left high school some time ago. I admit I didn’t see that coming.”

“
No one is coming.” Eliza stopped short when she realized what she’d said. “I mean, I don’t think Gwen has done anything about her attraction.”

Carter winked. “Something tells me she won’t. And I can’t imagine Neil initiating a relationship with Blake’s sister.”

“
Because he works for Blake?”

“
It’s more complicated than that. If there is an attraction then I’m sure Neil will take extra care to insure Gwen’s safety. So don’t worry about her. I can text Jay when we land and have him hire a moving company if you want. Your things can be in my home before we get back.”

“
I’d rather do it myself. Besides, I’ll have extra hands around me for a while to help.” She glanced to the front of the plane and the bodyguards that were playing cards. “How long do you think we’ll have to have them around?”

“
I honestly don’t know.”

Eliza wasn’t sure either. And when the guards could be moved on, would that mean her marriage to Carter could to? Damn, she wasn’t married a full day and already she wondered how long the union would last.

The aircraft dropped a couple of feet as it hit unstable air, and Eliza clutched the hand rest of her seat. Carter covered her hand with his. “Smaller airplanes have a harder time hiding bumps.”

“
Mr. and Mrs. Billings. We will be up here a little longer. The weather in Hawaii isn’t ideal for landing. We are waiting for a break to make our descent.”

Eliza swallowed hard. “Did you fly a lot as a kid?” she asked to take her mind off the nasty flight.

“
Holidays when my parents couldn’t avoid the Hammond gathering. You?”

“
Not much. I don’t remember any flights with my parents. After, there were a few. But nothing like this.”

“
The turbulence or the private jet?”

“
Either.”

“
If you fly as much as Blake it makes sense to own your own ride.”

They hit another air pocket, and Eliza’s wine glass tipped over.

Carter pushed it way to avoid it soaking her dress.

“
You fly all the time.”

He nodded. “I do. Which is why I’ve been talking with Blake about a co-op.”

The plane sunk then leveled out.

Eliza swallowed hard. “You want to own your own plane? Isn’t that expensive?”

“
Not if you fly all the time.”

“
Please…”

“
Okay, yeah, they’re costly. But when I travel, I have people with me. I need to go quickly, and I don’t have time for domestic schedules. Besides, I’ve hitchhiked off Blake enough. It’s time to put some of my slush fund to use.”

“
Slush fund?” Somehow Eliza didn’t think he was talking about a simple savings account. Or a 401K. “My slush fund is in a coffee can back home. It would take a hell of a lot of coffee cans to come up with a private jet.”

They hit a couple more bumps before the jet sailed through the air.

“
Life happens once. I have money. I might as well use it.”

What does that mean?

Eliza glanced down at the rock he’d put on her finger. It was Kardashian huge, to the point where she wondered if it was real. After listening to Carter, she knew better than to ask. She needed to thank him for it at some point, but now didn’t seem right.

The aircraft started its descent, and her ears popped with the change of pressure.

Eliza released a sigh when they made it to the ground. Not that she was overly anxious that they would crash, but the flight rattled her nerves.

Rain pelted them as they left the plane. The airport was flooded and the car that was supposed to be waiting for them had been delayed.

It was still light outside, which somehow made everything a little better, but still, the flight had been long, and they were now two hours behind their schedule. Not that they had a schedule, but for them, it had been a long day and a plush bed in a five star resort sounded divine.

“
Apparently a road washed out, but the locals think it will be fixed within the hour.”

“
I thought Hawaii was always sunny. Like California.” The humidity licked her skin, and she knew her assumption was just that.

“
It rains a lot here this time of year. It doesn’t last long though.”

It didn’t. But the locals had a hard time getting the road passable, and it was nearly two more hours before they made it to the hotel.

With a flower lei around her neck, Eliza passed through the lobby in a daze. The wicker decor and open-air foyer would simply have to wait to be appreciated. Right now, a hot shower and a bed was all she wanted.

In their room a fruit, cheese, and wine basket met them. It was from Carter’s parents.

“
I like your parents.”

“
They like you to. Why don’t you take the first shower,” Carter suggested.