Authors: Deborah Brown
“And Lucia?” Cecilia asked.
“She finally put her trust in Zander and turned state’s evidence. She won’t get any jail time. If it wasn’t for her tipping us off about Ellis’s plans, last night could have ended differently.”
“What about Katrina?” Nicole asked.
“Katrina?” He narrowed his eyes. “She’s in jail. No deal for her. In addition to breaking and entering and attempted murder, she’s been charged with crimes stemming from her part in her dead husband’s scams. I think she’ll find she doesn’t like prison orange.”
Katrina’s declaration about loving Michael still rang in Nicole’s ears, and to think, that whole time she’d been causing his downfall, the same thing she’d accused Nicole of doing.
“I admit that I loved Katrina once, but it was a long time ago,” Michael said, a weary look on his face. “Even if I hadn’t met you, I would never have resumed a relationship with her. She set out to destroy me; I hardly call that love. I could’ve ended up sitting in jail for crimes I didn’t commit.”
Nicole sighed with relief; yesterday could have ended very differently. She had a lot of people to thank.
“It’s all over now, Nicole; you’re safe now. She needs to go back to bed and rest,” Michael announced to the room and scooped her up in his arms. She waved to everyone as they left the study.
As he carried her up the stairs, she leaned her head into the crook of his neck. “You should take me home.”
“You’re not going home until the doctor gives his okay,” he growled. “I don’t want to hear another word about it.”
“You’re bossy!”
“You’re the only one nervy enough to say that to my face. The only way you’re getting out of bed is to crawl over me. I’ve hired myself as your very own private nurse.”
Chapter Thirty
AS THEY CLIMBED the steps to Nicole’s house, she looked across the wide lawn and took in the breathtaking view of the Atlantic. She could stand here all day without ever wanting to go in. In fact, if Michael wasn’t standing next to her today, she would run away; the house held more bad memories than good at this point.
After a week of lying around, being fed, bathed, and pampered—not to mention the toe-curling sex—the doctor said she could go home, which made Michael growl. The doctor, to her surprise, laughed at him.
“So much has happened, I wonder if I’ll ever feel safe in this house again.” Nicole squeezed Michael’s hand. “First thing, I’m getting Rena Grey out of my house.”
“That’s already been taken care of. Jake brought some friends over and moved her and her possessions into a condo in Fort Lauderdale. We thought it would be better for both of you this way.”
“Thank you. I didn’t really want a confrontation. What’s going to happen to her?”
“Don’t worry about Rena Grey. She can live quite comfortably on her inheritance from Caroline. Also, Chester made a deal with the prosecutors; he’s not getting enough jail time, as far as I’m concerned. He’ll be out in no time to help his wife spend the money.”
Nicole half-expected Michael to say good-bye at that point, but he showed no intention of going anywhere. She shivered involuntarily as he opened the front door.
“All the bad guys are in jail,” he reminded her.
“I’m thinking about going away for a while,” Nicole told him.
He looked at her intently as he led her into the library. “Away? Where?”
“Back to the Santa Fe area,” she said. Really, she had no desire to go back there and had said the first thing that came to mind. What she really wanted was to stay and be with Michael, but they’d never discussed a future. Ultimately, she needed to decide if Starfish Island was where she wanted to live.
Michael cupped her face between his hands and searched her face. “Nicole Alexander, you know you’ll never turn your back on everything your grandmother left you.”
“I’m just not sure.”
“I am. Have you forgotten how well I know you? All the time I spent getting to know you?” He stroked her hair, pulling her even closer, and squeezed her bottom.
“That’s right. I have you to thank for all this, don’t I?” She laughed.
“The lady is laughing. That’s a good sign.” He kissed her lightly. “I want to talk about us.”
“Us?”
“We’ve grown closer over the last few days.”
“Michael—”
He covered her lips lightly with his fingers. “Let me finish. I don’t want you going anywhere. Stay here. We’ll face everything together, lean on each other. Don’t shut the door on something good that we could have together.”
“We may find one another boring now that all the excitement has gone out of our lives.”
Michael laughed. “Were you bored even once in the past week?”
“Hmm…” she teased.
His hands caressed her neck, his fingers sliding across her shoulders until she shivered. “I’m not going to stop telling you this, so you’d better start believing me,” he said in a throaty voice. “You’re mine, Nicole Alexander. I love you.”
She took a deep breath, very sure of her feelings. “I love you back. Are you all mine?”
A deep laugh rumbled up his throat. “I have been since I first met you.”
EPILOGUE
NICOLE’S STOMACH TURNED queasy as the yacht went over another wave. She planted her feet firmly on the deck and held onto the wall as she walked to the stool to finish her makeup. Michael had made all the arrangements for them to be married on his boat in the middle of Biscayne Bay.
Her nerves were in a knot. She’d dreamt of this day as a childhood fantasy for as long as she could remember, and it had finally arrived. Nicole focused on the day ahead as her almost-sister-in-law made some final adjustments, fussing over her unruly hair, which clearly had a mind of its own and was in no mood to make it easy.
“Here’s something borrowed.” Cecilia took a velvet bag from her purse and pulled out a pearl-studded hairclip. “I wore this at my wedding.”
She swept Nicole’s red hair off her neck, using the clip to hold together the riot of curls. Nicole sat patiently while her friend fussed with the wispy tendrils on the sides of her face, a light touch of makeup accentuating her tan skin.
“Are you ready?” Cecilia’s eyes sparkled with excitement.
Nicole sighed. “I don’t know. Am I?” she asked no one in particular.
“Yes, you are. You look beautiful.” Victoria, one of her bridesmaids, finished hooking the back of her dress. She took Nicole by the hand and pulled her up off the stool. “You’re going to take Michael’s breath away. Are you ready to look in the mirror?”
Nicole turned to the full-length mirror. She didn’t recognize herself. The woman who stared back at her was breathtaking in her sculpted strapless gown, tulle overlay, seed-pearl-embroidered bodice, and short train. She couldn’t remember ever looking as beautiful as she did in that moment. She felt her eyes stinging and used every ounce of strength to hold back the tears. This was no time for crying; she was about to marry the man she loved.
“Oh, Jake told me to give this to you, for the something old. It’s from Michael.” Victoria made a face at the
old
part. “It’s Caroline’s favorite necklace. Apparently, she gave it to Michael and asked him to give it to you when you got married. Caroline would have loved to see you wearing it.” She wrapped the gold chain around Nicole’s neck, adjusting the heart-shaped gold filigree locket.
Cecilia walked over to her. “Here is something new.” She pulled a white lace garter from behind her back, twirling it on her finger.
Nicole was close to tears at the outpouring of love she felt from her new family and friends. “I love you ladies so much. Thank you for making this day so special.” She pulled them in for a group hug, and they only let go when someone knocked at the door and called, “It’s time!”
Nicole and her two friends lined up to go down the white carpet into the main cabin. She remembered her first meeting with Michael and laughed. She’d blamed him for driving erratically when she was the one who’d almost run him down. From their first kiss, he’d taken her breath away. He’d refused to let her move back to Santa Fe, threatening to kidnap her until she realized she didn’t want to leave Starfish Island. Since then, they hadn’t spent a night apart; and a month later, he’d planned a surprise picnic dinner on the beach and asked her to marry him. She’d accepted without hesitation.
They’d made a deal with each other when they realized that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They both lived busy lifestyles, but they would always make time for each other.
Nicole’s jumbled thoughts were interrupted when Sebastian, Michael’s best friend, took her hand. “It’s time to go, love.” It was then that she realized the women were gone and she was next.
The Bridal March
filled the boat as Sebastian led her up the steps to the top deck. It was decorated stunningly with pink and white roses, but the only thing Nicole saw was her handsome, soon-to-be husband standing at the end of her path.
Michael looked elegant in his white tuxedo. He stared into her eyes as she walked toward him, stopping before him.
“We are gathered here today…” the minister said as he began the ceremony. Nicole felt a wide smile bloom across her face in response. She finally understood what it was to be in love and was happy that she and Michael were finally about to become husband and wife.
“Who gives this woman to be married?” the Edwards family minister asked.
“We do,” Jake and Sebastian said in unison. They had joined her on the white carpet, standing on either side of her.
Michael stepped forward, and Nicole took his outstretched hand.
“The couple has written their own vows, which they will now share. Michael, would you like to go first?”
Michael nodded and took both of Nicole’s hands. “Nicole Alexander, I stand before you now as a man in love, one who knows that he cannot live another day without you. I take you as my wife and my best friend. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you. I promise to protect you and stand by you, no matter what road life takes us on. I promise to never leave your side and to love you for as long as I live. I give you this ring as a symbol of my love.” He slid the ring onto her finger as tears slid down her face.
“Michael, I promise to spend the rest of my life loving you. To show you how much I appreciate and value you. I promise to never leave your side. I will be with you forever, loving you always. In good times and bad, I will be here. I will respect and honor you…” She leaned forward and whispered, “and will only obey you sometimes.”
Michael laughed. Jake overheard and repeated the last part, and every guest on the deck erupted in laughter.
“I give you this ring as a symbol of my unending love,” she continued as she slid it onto his finger.
“By the power vested in me,” the minister said, beaming, “I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Michael swept Nicole into his arms, thoroughly claiming her lips until they heard a couple of guests clearing their throats. The minister presented them as Mr. and Mrs. Michael Edwards, and their guests cheered.
The reception flew by. The first dance, speeches, and pictures were all framed with the blue-green water of the bay as their background. Nicole looked around, wide-eyed, happy for the friends she’d made who shared their special day. Finally, the reception reached its end and the boat returned to shore. Before disembarking, Nicole took off her garter and threw it to Victoria with a wink.
The happy couple got into a waiting limo that took them straight to the Fontainebleau Hotel on Miami Beach, where they rode the elevator up to the penthouse suite.
Michael lifted Nicole over the threshold, and their pent-up passion made itself known. They hadn’t made love in over two weeks, building anticipation for their wedding night. Michael helped Nicole out of her wedding dress, and they took a long and luxurious bath together.
She smiled and slid up his body to kiss him deeply before lifting her head to look into his loving eyes. “I love you.”
He lifted her out of the bathtub, wrapping her in an oversized white bath towel, and placed her on the rose-petal-covered bed. He kissed her softly on the lips and ran his hands over the length of her naked body.
“I love you, wife,” he told her.
Nicole laughed. “That sounds weird. Your wife.”
“Yes, that’s what you are. My wife,” he said, kissing his way down her body. He placed his lips on her most sensitive spot, and she moaned as he moved his tongue over her while his hands massaged her breasts.
He moved his body above hers and slowly entered her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Leaning down, he whispered, “You feel even better now that you’re all mine.”
He moved within her as she writhed beneath him, whispering his name. She pressed her breasts against him as she placed a teasing kiss on his lips.
Every groan, sigh and stroke brought them closer and closer to the edge. Finally, they both let go, climaxing together as they yelled each other’s names.
Nicole fell asleep in the arms of her husband, completely sated and content and looking forward to the rest of their lives.