The Unexpected Choice (7 page)

She held up her hand, effectively silencing him. “I'm not pretty. I'm not sexy. I'm nothing like the other women you've been with. I don't hold any illusions; you feel guilty over this, and you want to make it up to me. It shows your character that you want to be a good husband. In truth, we can't go back and undo it. In God's eyes, we're married, and we should stay this way until one of us cheats or dies. I do want to make the best of this. I really do, but…” She licked her lips and settled her stare on Joey's worried frown. “…I'm not ready to sleep with you. I know I'm your wife, and I'm more than willing, but to you, it's just a means to an end. I'm not saying it's wrong to feel attracted. We're married now. But I don't want to be just a warm body for you. I guess I'm holding out hope maybe one day you can look past the glasses and my miserable wardrobe and see me for who I am. When you've done that, I'll be satisfied with wherever it takes us.”

“You seem to know an awful lot,” Joey grumbled.

“I'm just being real.”

“You're being ridiculous.”

“Maybe to you.”

“I'm pretty sure if anyone else were here, they'd think you were being ridiculous, too.”

“Let's just get some sleep. I'm exhausted.” Stacey turned around and crawled into bed, pulling the covers up to her ears. Joey hadn't moved.

“I can't sleep next to you while you're wearing
that
.”

“There's a couch right over there.” Anger simmered near the surface now, just waiting to erupt. Usually, Stacey wasn't easy to anger, but everything was starting to take its toll on what little confidence she had.

“There is no way I'm sleeping on the couch on my honeymoon.”

“Then don't.” Stacey snuggled a little deeper into the sheets and closed her eyes.

Before she fully registered what happened, the covers were gone and she was underneath Joey, his eyes blazing with an odd mixture of playfulness and determination.

He settled between her legs, and his lips trailed a heated path down her neck and over her collarbone. She hated the wanton whimper escaping her mouth, so she clamped her eyes and mouth shut.

“I'm going to break down your defenses one by one, Stace. One by one. Before long, you'll be demanding I make love to you just like this.”

He continued to demonstrate his power over her body by touching and trailing searing paths of heat along her skin to the most intimate places. She wasn't afraid of his body or the pain inevitably involved. What she was afraid of was the repercussions of such an intimate act with him. Her heart was at stake. Papa had taken most of it when he'd passed on. Joey was getting the remnants, and she wanted to hold on to those and not feel so exposed. But as it was, she knew it was a losing battle.

“Stacey?” he asked, looking up into her face. His eyes were rounded and vulnerable. “I want to make love to you. Tonight. Will you let me?”

Stacey swallowed thickly. Her body betrayed her, arching up to him involuntarily. She might be just a warm body to him. He might even close his eyes and envision Cameron as he made love to her.

But she could pretend, too. Tonight, he loved her for who she was, thought she was sexy and beautiful, and their marriage was a real one.

Tomorrow, she'd deal with the consequences.

Pressing her lips to his, she wrapped her arms and legs around him, telling him the answer without a single word.

 

 

A pinprick of light annoyed Joey from behind his eyelids. Exhaustion wasn't done wreaking havoc with his body, and it didn't help he'd had a late night last night.

With a jolt, Joey opened his eyes and saw a sleeping Stacey lying next to him. He wasn't one to pride himself on things, but this morning she looked thoroughly loved. From her tousled hair down to her wrinkled gown. Cleavage peeked at him from behind her arm. He couldn't resist running a finger down the line and pressing his lips to her forehead.

Stacey Ingram surprised him. They'd gone back and forth for so long last night he feared the night was lost to them. But if he was anything, he was determined and even if he didn't love her, he wanted to be a good husband and show her what the physical side of a relationship felt like. And if he was honest, it was no hardship for him. Stacey was as passionate between the sheets as she was about everything else in her life.

And he was counting on passion to get them through the next few years together as they raised the baby.

At some point during the night, she'd taken her contacts out and placed her glasses on the nightstand beside her. The duct tape stared back at him like some sort of joke. The first thing they were doing was getting those fixed or replaced when they got home. Maybe she'd consider wearing contacts more often. He hated for those beautiful eyes of hers to be hidden. He'd found out last night how expressive they could be when her defenses were down.

Stacey stirred and flipped on her back, the gown shifting and rising on her thigh. He placed his palm there and traced circles with his thumb. Then he delivered a single kiss next to his hand.

Glancing up, he saw she stared at the ceiling, wide-eyed and alert. Sliding his hands up the side of her waist, his body followed and pinned her to the bed.

“Good morning, M
r
s. McCrary,” he whispered, kissing the underside of her jaw.

“Morning,” she snapped and pushed at him.

“Uh-uh,” he argued. “We're not going to be all weird today. This is the first day of our honeymoon, and it's going to count.”

“Joey…”

“
Hush
up and kiss me, Wife.”

It didn't take her long before she grinned and gave him a chaste peck on the lips.

“Nope, a good one.”

She turned her head to the side and shook her head. “Morning breath.”

“Morning breath? Really, that's your excuse?”

She stared at him and then grinned. “Has anyone ever told you you're relentless? I'm sore in places I didn't know I had.”

“You know what that means, right?” he asked, then kissed her long and deep.

When he pulled away she shook her head. “What?”

“It means we just have to get you broken in a little more. Like leather. The more you use it, the better it gets.”

A saccharine sweet smile lit her features. “How romantic!”

Throwing his head back, he laughed heartily. “C'mon, Stace. You know you want to.”

Chewing on her bottom lip, a little habit he'd noticed her doing when she was thinking, she finally nodded. “I do want you.”

Desire shot through his veins. The sweetest words ever uttered. “Then sit back, my lady, and enjoy the ride. Before we leave this hotel room, you're going to know what an orgasm feels like.”

With a roll of her eyes, Stacey met him halfway for a kiss. The confidence of her touch spurred him on. The previous night hadn't been ideal, but then again, Stacey had been a virgin, and he'd forgotten to read up on how to speed the process along for someone terrified out of her mind. But it wasn't anything a little experience and a little more patience wouldn't cure.

Waggling his eyebrows, he trailed a path of hot kisses down her torso until he reached his goal. Before long, he was lost in Stacey's passion.

****

Sweat beaded on Stacey's forehead. Who on earth had she married? Joey was insatiable, and it seemed he was in no rush for food, water, or clothing, all of which Stacey would give her right arm for at that moment.

As Joey collapsed on top
of
her, spent, she ran her fingernails down his back. He shuddered.

“You're so perfect,” he rasped. “I can't get enough.”

“You're telling me this?” she countered. At his chuckle, she smiled and pushed at his shoulders. “C'mon, Joey. It's afternoon. I need food if I'm going to survive this.”

“Good plan. Shower together?” he asked as he raised a brow, turning on the charm.

“For no other purpose than to get clean or do you have ulterior motives?”

“I'm not sure. I guess we'll find out when we get there?”

With a quick peck on the lips, Joey helped her up. She then realized she'd removed her contacts. She blindly patted the nightstand for her glasses.

“Here you go.” Joey placed her glasses on her nose with careful precision. “Better?”

Suddenly self-conscious, Stacey looked down. Her world might be a little
too
focused now. With Joey standing before her in his birthday suit, and her in a skimpy chemise, the reality of their new life settled around her like a mound of falling debris.

“Why don't you wear contacts more often?” Joey casually asked.

Stacey shrugged. “Too expensive.”

“Would you like to wear them more often? I can tell you're not confident when you have your glasses on. I have a good job now, and we can afford to keep you in contacts. But it's your call. At the very least, let's get your glasses fixed.” Joey's hand enclosed around hers, and he smiled.

“If you want…” Stacey replied.

“I do. You just think about it, and let me know what you want to do.”

“I will.”

Suddenly, her world tilted, and it took her a moment to realize Joey had scooped her off her feet and walked into the bathroom with her. Planting a sweet kiss on the tip of her nose, he put her on her feet again and reached behind her to turn the shower on. Then he took a step back, just enough for him to grab the hem of her nighty and pull it over her head.

Even though they'd made love several times during the night, Stacey hadn't undressed completely. Instead, Joey had seemed content to kiss her through the fabric and leave the small barrier between them. Now, she bared it all before him, and his eyes were rounded with desire yet again.

“Seriously, Joey, I need food.”

“I need
you
,” he murmured.

With a deep sigh, not born completely from frustration but rather excitement, she let Joey usher her into the shower.

She wasn't sure how a honeymoon was supposed to play out, but this was shaping up to be a pretty good one.

****

Several hours later, Joey inhaled a hotdog with chili as he sat next to Stacey on a park bench downtown. She carefully ate her pretzel as he licked the chili away from his chin. He gave her a smile and winked.

“Hungry?” she asked with a chuckle.

“Just in a hurry to get back to the hotel room.”

She gave a little smile and shook her head, even as pink tinged her cheeks. “When is Cameron due?”

“A few more weeks. When we get back, we need to start thinking about a nursery and names.”

Stacey frowned and shook her head. “Names are between you and Cameron.”

Wadding up his hotdog paper and napkin, he tossed them in the trash next to Stacey. “Cameron has no rights to her baby right now. She's signed everything over to me already until she's out of prison, Stace.”

“Doesn't mean I should be involved in the process of naming the baby.”

Joey engulfed her hand with his large one. “You're my wife. This baby is going to call you Mama. You have every right to name her.”

“It's a girl?”

“Last check with the ultrasound tech, it was.”

Stacey leaned back against the bench, clearly perplexed. It was almost as if Joey could hear her thoughts. During those younger years, she didn't do frilly or play with dolls or know how to fix hair. All she said she remembered when she was a kid was playing in the dirt and coming home to a scolding. Climbing trees was more her thing.

“I know what you're thinking.”

“What, Einstein?” She studied the simple gold band on his ring finger she'd placed there yesterday. He loved the way it looked on him, even if it was a little surreal. Stacey, the girl he'd worshiped, still worshiped if the truth be told, was his wife. He sent up a prayer of thanks. Joey wasn't sure what God had in store for him or if the devil was wielding his power over his life, but either way, he was enjoying being her husband so far.

“You're thinking you don't do pink. You have no idea how to do girlie stuff, right?”

A smile slipped passed her obvious worry. “Exactly.”

Joey chuckled and pulled her close, placing a kiss in her hair. “Let me tell you, Stacey McCrary. You're going to be the best mom to our little girl, and she's going to love you no matter what. Even if she finds out your favorite color is green and not pink.”

“How did you remember?” she asked, looking into his eyes.

“I still remember the day you put a gross frog on my leg!”

“And you screamed like a girl.” Her giggling made him smile.

“More like a boy who had to face his fears without any prep time
.
”

Stacey laughed. “Big ole baby,” she chided.

“I used to get so angry that you weren't scared of anything.”

“I was scared of a lot. I still am.”

“I'm scared of you, Stace. You've always scared me.” He sobered, thinking of the lightness in his heart and the way he looked forward to getting home and settling into a routine with her. Waking up next to her every morning. Six months ago, settling down was the last thing on his to-do list.

“No reason for me to scare you. I'm just a girl you grew up with.”

“Who's now my wife and knows how terrified I am of frogs.”

“Be nice to me, and you have nothing to worry about.” She grinned, and he felt a tug of tenderness he hadn't experienced since Cameron. He shoved it quickly away and cleared his throat.

“I'll be nice all right,” he drawled, eyeing her with playfulness. “My mama always taught me if I couldn't be nice, I wouldn't get rewarded.”

Stacey's eyebrows rose.

“All I know is I must have been nice somewhere along the way. I sure got rewarded this time.”

Shoving her glasses up on her nose, she sniffed and looked
sadly
off into the distance, clearly lost in thought. He'd never understand her.

“What did I say wrong?”

“I thought we said no more flattery, no more sugar coating. I'm not a reward. I made a decision to help you.” She shrugged and looked away again. “Just because we've had sex now doesn't mean you have to say flowery things. I'm well aware of who and what I am to you.”

Reluctant to get
that
conversation started again, he squeezed her hand at the end of a sigh. He didn't want to dwell on the fact she had called what they did last night
sex
. They may not love each other, but it was a far cry from just sex. “Have you ever thought about baby names?”

“I told you it's not my call. You name her what you want to name her.”

He growled this time, taking her by the shoulders and turning her to look directly into her surprised eyes. “What's it gonna take? You've already married me, Stace. She's yours, too. We're going to be raising her. I want your input.”

Stacey closed her eyes and pressed her lips together. Then she said, “I've always loved the name Rachel.”

Joey mulled it over in his mind, but before he could speak, she stood. “But again, it's not my call. She's your kid.”

Joey grinned at her self-consciousness and grabbed her wrist as she paced past him. He hauled her in his lap and brushed her runaway hair behind her ear. “I think Rachel is a beautiful name. I like it.”

Disbelief clouded her eyes. “Really?”

“Rachel from the Bible. Jacob loved her and worked so hard for her.”

“Just like you
are
,” Stacey said with a smile.

“Are you ready to be a mother?”

“It's all I've thought about since we've agreed to do this. I've always wanted to be a mom.”

“At least I did something right, huh?”

A careless shrug lifted Stacey's shoulders, and she looked away again. “We'll see. My mom was great, but as time fades, I'm forgetting things. I might not be a natural at parenting.”

“Hence why there are two of us. We'll do it together.”

They sat like that, Stacey on his lap and Joey rubbing her back in silence for a while. He'd give his right arm to know what she was thinking about, but then again, he might regret finding out. What if she regretted him? What if she didn't bond with the baby? He'd heard of it happening in adoption.

“Joey?”

“Yeah?”

A gust of wind lifted her blonde curls and they teased his nose. “Cameron has a few days after she's born to change her mind, doesn't she?”

Joey's eyes slammed shut and he swallowed thickly. “I doubt she will.”

“But the possibility is still there?”

“Yes.”

“So if she changes her mind, where does that leave me?”

“Still my wife. Still the only stable mother my baby girl is gonna have.”

“You don't think it's possible for her to change once she sees her?”

Stacey had suddenly voiced his fears without him realizing what he'd been afraid of all along. What if Cameron straightened out and wanted him back? Where would it leave Stacey?

Looking at her now, he knew he'd be hard pressed to choose. He'd cared about Cameron with a reckless passion he'd always remember. Few people found their kind of passion. But he enjoyed Stacey in a quiet, no strings attached friendship that held equal amounts of sway. Both were powerful, but he stood less of a chance of getting hurt with Stacey.

He'd promised her no divorce. But when he thought about Cameron coming back to him, clean and ready to raise their family, he wasn't sure how he'd feel.

“I think it's possible,” he said carefully. “But she's pretty bad off. Regardless of what she decides, we will still have her until Cameron gets out of jail.”

Stacey shifted in his lap and placed her hand on his shoulder. “I know you love her. If it comes down to it, I couldn't ask you to stay with me when I know you wish things were different with her.”

A lump rose in his throat, swift and choking. She was still the same self-sacrificing girl she'd been when she'd turned eight and had given him her last birthday cookie even though he'd had three already. He touched her jaw and smoothed his thumb over her skin. “I married you, Stacey. No, it wasn't for love, but I would never abandon you. If Cameron changes her mind about the baby, we'll deal with it then. I don't know how I'd feel. For now, let's stop all this heavy talk and experience our honeymoon. We've barely been married twenty-four hours, and I want to enjoy this weekend, not dwell on what-ifs.”

Stacey's lips turned up hesitantly. “Me, too.”

“Wanna go back to the hotel room now?” He wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

Stacey threw her head back and laughed, an action that left him breathless and in awe of her beauty.
H
e didn't care if she laughed a little too loud or if her butt bone was digging into his thigh. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him close, something Joey was glad to reciprocate.