Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Holly
After the noise and excitement from the reception at Grammy’s, the quiet after the snowfall as I ride on Rebel’s lap over the path that Pappy put in between their house and mine is magical. The snow started falling again, putting another pristine layer of sparkles on the ground. I’m still not sure how I managed to fit on the motorized wheelchair because the bottom of my dress is very poofy. I start giggling which has Rebel looking down at me.
“What?” he asks as he motors us toward the ramp that’s coming off the back porch, since that’s the area that’s got the covered pathway.
“Explain to me again why I’m not walking alongside you?” I manage to say between giggles.
“Because if I could walk on both legs, I’d have you curled into me. This is kind of the same,” he replies, smirking at me.
“If you say so.”
I’m not going to begrudge being in his arms no matter how he accomplishes that fact, but when we finally reach the sliding glass door and I attempt to get up, he stops me by gripping my hip. “Nah, babe, gonna carry you over the threshold,” he states.
“Rebel, you’re not supposed to walk yet!” I exclaim. I know it’s one of ‘those’ superstitions and as I’ve discovered, my man definitely has a boatload of them, so it would make sense he’d latch on to any of them that predict a long and happy marriage.
“Who said anything about walking, Holly? Hold on, this might get bumpy,” he advises as he pushes the door wide then hits the button, so the wheelchair goes over the slight hump that Pappy put a guard over for just this reason and I find us in the area that’s between the kitchen and the dining area.
He spins us around, closes and locks the slider, all while grinning at me. “Let’s grab some drinks then head into our room,” he murmurs, which sends a full-body shiver through me.
God, his deep voice alone can practically make me orgasm. Humming a bit, I open the refrigerator door once he gets us there and gasp. “I wonder who did this?” I ask as I pull out a bottle of chilled sparkling wine and two fluted glasses that have been engraved in fancy script with our names and our wedding date.
“I suspect Paul did it earlier,” he admits. “He wouldn’t let me get anything out of the fridge this morning when I was thirsty. In fact, he insisted on ‘manning the kitchen’ until it was time to get ready.”
“My Pappy can be sneaky, that’s for sure,” I advise, grabbing two bottles of water as well. “I’m glad they got sparkling wine though, because I’m not much for champagne unless orange juice is involved.”
“I’ll keep that in mind for the future,” he teases as he spins us around then heads toward the bedroom.
Once we’re in there, I carefully maneuver out of the chair, then place all the drinks on Rebel’s nightstand. Turning, I see Rebel just staring at me, so I ask, “What? What’s wrong?”
“You’re so fucking beautiful, Holly. You always are, whether you’re in work clothes, cleaning clothes, or even your pajamas, but today, you outshine even the brightest star in the sky.”
Tears fill my eyes at his words, and I briefly wonder why I’m so damn emotional lately. Every little thing turns on the waterworks, from seeing how pretty the girls looked today to how happy Grammy and Pappy looked when we turned after Prophet announced us as husband and wife. “Thank you,” I whisper.
“You’re welcome, but there’s no need for thanks, sweetheart. I’m speaking the truth. Do you need me to unzip anything before you get into something more comfortable?” he questions.
“Yes please. It looks like it’s buttoned, but there’s an invisible zipper underneath it with the pearl buttons on top,” I tell him, moving closer so he can help me get undressed. I feel his hand as he moves my hair so he can reach the zipper tab, then slowly, so damn slowly that I can feel my skin breaking out in goosebumps, he pulls it down.
Feeling the combination of the air from the ceiling fan plus his warm breath against my skin adds to the sensation and by the time he has it at the end and the front of the dress is gaping, I feel like I should be panting, my desire is so close to the top, it’s probably evident to Rebel. Not that I care, of course, but still… it’s like everything has been amplified for some reason.
“I like what’s underneath the dress as well,” he murmurs. Then I feel his lips against the base of my spine, which sends my thoughts down a very pleasurable road that ends with us both sated and exhausted.
“I’m glad,” I admit. “But I’ve got something else in mind. I do want to take a quick shower first if that’s okay?”
“Whatever you want, sweetheart,” he replies.
“Do you need any help with anything before I head in there?” I question.
He chuckles while shaking his head. “I’ll be fine, Holly. Go do what you need to do.”
I’m in the shower, my hair not only piled on top of my head but also underneath a shower cap when a wave of nausea hits that almost has me hitting my knees. “What on earth?” I muse as bile climbs up my throat.
No, no, no, no, no! my brain screams as I stumble out of the shower and land in front of the toilet, where I proceed to lose everything I’ve ever eaten, including that horrid jello mold when I was seven. Every time I think I’m done, another wave hits me as sweat and tears pour down my face. I’m so lost in my misery that it takes a second for me to realize there’s now a cool cloth settled against the back of my neck and strong arms supporting me around my waist.
“Rebel, you don’t need to see or hear this,” I croak out between waves of blech.
“In sickness and in health, sweetheart,” he replies. “What do you need?”
“Just what you’re doing right now, even if I think you’re a little bit nuts for willingly being in here,” I mumble, which makes him laugh.
Once I’m positive I’m finished, I sit back on my heels as his hand moves to flush the toilet. He then hands me the wet cloth and I use it to wipe my face and mouth, which has a horrible aftertaste inside, like I cleaned out a dumpster with my tongue.
“What happened?” he asks as he helps me get up. I move to the double sinks and immediately put toothpaste on my toothbrush before I begin brushing every centimeter inside my mouth, including my tongue and the insides of both cheeks.
After I spit and rinse, then wash my face, I turn to face him, still naked and slightly wet from my shower. “I don’t know, Rebel. I can’t think of anything I ate or drank that would’ve caused this at all.”
He grabs a towel and moves closer then wraps me up in it which is a good thing because now I’m shivering. “Let’s get you dried off and into bed.”
Disappointment courses through me and I want to stomp my foot. “Rebel,” I whine. “That’s not how tonight’s supposed to go!”
He chuckles while leading me back into the bedroom. “Babe,” he says, causing me to roll my eyes. This is said in a tone I haven’t deciphered just yet. “Do you honestly think every newly married couple consummates their marriage on the same day? Think about the weddings you’ve attended over the years. Most of those couples were trashed out of their minds thanks to all the toasts and open bars. I’d hazard a guess that a lot of the guys couldn’t even get their dicks hard with the amount of alcohol they consumed, and personally, if you and I had drank a lot, we wouldn’t be either. Not because I’m not always hard whenever you’re around, but because the first time we’re together as man and wife will happen when we’re both fully present and in our right minds.”
Gah, he’s such a good man! “I agree,” I slowly admit.
“Although there’s a time and place for a drunk romp,” he teases. “Now, come on, sweetheart, I don’t want you catching a chill and getting sick. Well, sicker than whatever’s going on right now, that is.”
I forgo the pretty new nightgown in favor of one of his Henleys he pulled from the dresser which I slip over my head then climb into bed. Once underneath the covers, I remember I have my shower cap on, so I quickly pull it off and fluff out my hair. As he climbs into bed, I remember his gift and reach into my nightstand to pull it out.
“I got this for you,” I tell him as he settles against the headboard and pulls me into his arms.
I see his look of surprise as he takes the nicely wrapped box, but my heart breaks when I see how carefully he unwraps it. He did the same at Christmas, which tells me a lot about how he grew up without saying a single word. I suspect he didn’t often receive gifts, and that blows my mind because he’s one of the most generous people I’ve ever met. He thinks nothing of buying stuff that he sees that he thinks I’ll like, or Mina and Ruby will enjoy. Hell, he found a cute sign for Grammy’s chicken coop when he and the guys were out on a run and brought it home for her. Pappy hung it up as soon as she finished gushing over it.
He finally opens the box and pulls out the tissue wrapped bell and I hold my breath, hoping against hope that he’ll like it. Carefully unwrapping it, I hear his gasp as he pulls out the new gremlin bell. “Holly,” he whispers.
“I knew you were going to need a new one based on what the brothers said,” I reply. “So, I went to the Harley-Davidson store and a nice salesclerk helped me find the perfect one for you.”
“It’s perfect,” he says. I know the minute he sees what the engraving says because he starts to say something, then can’t. It takes him several seconds before he turns to look at me. “Y’all are always right here,” he announces, tapping the center of his chest. “Every little thing I do, I consider how it’ll impact y’all. Whether it’s a club decision or one for us as a couple, I do it all for y’all.”
Tears are now streaming down my face at his words. I mean, I knew deep inside that he was that kind of man, much like my Pappy, but hearing him vocalize it solidifies once again what a good man I’ve got. “I love you, Jonah Sherman,” I manage to say through my clogged throat.
“I love you more, Holly Sherman,” he replies, pulling me into his arms. “What do you say to a little rest since you were so sick a little bit ago?”
“As long as we’re together, I’m down with that,” I reply.