Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“No shit,” Blaine bit out. Then a slow grin slid into place. “But I still got my girl, and it didn’t take me a year to get her.”
Zander chuckled. Maverick had spent a year trying to get Chloe to go out with him.
“That just goes to show that I’ve got staying power in and out of the bedroom,” Maverick said.
As they argued, “Pink Pony Club” came on, and Madigan squealed, drawing Zander’s attention as she grabbed Lettie and Reese and dragged them into the middle of the lawn to dance. They called out for the other girls to join them.
Zander stepped away from his brothers to get a better view of Shauna, and Rosie darted past, snagged two cookies off the table, and hollered, “Grandpa Mike! I got you a cookie!” as she ran off.
Shauna pushed to her feet with Marybelle in her arms, laughing about something with Chloe and Emerson.
They headed for Madigan but detoured over to Sid and Leah, coaxing them into joining the others.
Shauna was a sight to behold, swinging those gorgeous hips with his niece in her arms, earning sweet smiles and probably a few giggles.
Zander saw Cap heading his way. He had congratulated Zander and Shauna earlier, but they’d been caught up in the chaos of the moment. And that unforgettable kiss.
“How are you doing, Cap?” he asked as Cap sidled up to him.
“I’m good. This is some celebration. If Shauna hadn’t clued me in, I would think this was a reception for two people in love.”
“I’ve got to be honest. I was shocked when I found out my parents planned this, but I’m glad they did. Shauna said she never wants to get married for real, so I’m glad she’ll always have this.”
“I am, too. I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time.”
“Well, we’re both glad you could make it tonight.”
“Shauna is like a daughter to me,” Cap said with a serious lilt in his voice.
“I’m embarrassed to have missed the signs that things were going awry at home.
I won’t make that mistake again, and I want to say thank you.
What you’re doing for her and Brian is above and beyond what most people would do. ”
“I wouldn’t be here if not for her. I’m just glad she finally agreed to let me help. It was like pulling teeth to convince her this was a good idea.”
“Yeah. Shauna doesn’t trust easily.”
“I don’t blame her. She’s been through a lot, and I don’t exactly have the type of reputation to back up my claim to do right by her.”
“I’m glad you’re honest about that, because I did some checking up of my own,” Cap said.
“I hope you won’t take her trust for granted.
I have nothing but respect for your family and for the work you do through the club to support the community, but don’t think for a minute I won’t come after you if you hurt her. ”
Zander held Cap’s gaze. “I give you my word I will do everything in my power to make her life better, not worse.”
“I’m holding you to that,” Cap said. “If you’ll excuse me, Gunner said he wanted to talk with me before I take off.”
“Five bucks says he’s going to try to talk you into getting a pet,” Zander said.
“He can try.”
As Cap walked away, Zander looked across the lawn at Shauna, no longer holding Marybelle and dancing with the girls. Her smile lit up the whole damn night. He thought about what Cap had said, and his heart physically ached at the idea of ever causing Shauna pain.
Preacher and Conroy stepped into his line of vision with shit-eating grins on their faces.
“You keep looking at her like that, and people are going to start talking,” Preacher said.
Conroy grabbed a cookie from the dessert table. “I’m pretty sure that kiss lit the rumor mill on fire. Platonic, my ass.”
“Hey, don’t go starting rumors. She grabbed me. You saw it.”
“Yes, but we also saw the way you’ve been looking at her all night,” Preacher said.
Shit. He hadn’t even thought to hide it. “It’s not like that. I’m just glad she’s having a good time and she’s got the girls in her corner. She doesn’t have many people to lean on.”
“Well, son, now she’s got all of us, and she’ll never have to worry about that again.” Preacher clapped a hand on Zander’s back. “Even after she dumps your ass.”
Zander half laughed, half scoffed. “On that note, I think I’ll go dance with my bride.”
“Hey, Con, did you notice he didn’t say temporary bride?” Preacher asked as Zander stepped away.
“Yes, I did, Preach,” Conroy said.
Zander turned back to set the record straight. “This may be a temporary arrangement, but I made a promise, and she’s going to ride on the back of my bike. That makes her my queen, and she’ll never feel like anything less.”
He headed over to Shauna, dancing with Madigan and a few of the girls, and damn, his wife had moves.
She looked lost in the moment, throwing her head back with a laugh as she and the girls shimmied.
She danced with a carefree energy that was effortlessly alluring, too natural to be purposefully sexy or performative.
He had a feeling she rarely had a chance to let her guard down like this and didn’t want to steal it from her, so he hung back, enjoying the show.
As the song came to an end, he sauntered over and slid his arm around Shauna, drawing her against him. “Mind if I take this gorgeous girl for a spin before I take her home and tuck her in?”
Madigan grabbed Shauna’s arm. “No, we’re not going to let you corrupt her. She’s the sister we never knew we needed.”
“Yeah, I love these girls, but it’s nice to meet someone who isn’t all about pink toenails and dresses,” Sid said.
“And she’s joining our book club,” Chloe added. “You’re going to have to pencil our time with her into your schedule.”
Shauna beamed, but he couldn’t resist teasing the others. “You expect me to walk away and let you corrupt her?”
“No, you can have your dance.” Madigan pointed at him. “But she’s one of us now and we’re keeping her after the divorce, so don’t screw things up and make her not want to hang around once your deal is over.”
“That’s never been a problem before,” he said arrogantly. “Women always want more of me, not less.”
“He’s totally going to screw this up,” Madigan said frustratedly. She pointed to her eyes with two fingers, then pointed them at Zander, mouthing, I’m watching you.
He chuckled and put a hand on Shauna’s back, guiding her away from the girls.
“You should’ve quit while you were ahead,” Shauna said as he drew her into his arms.
“I did. You’re dancing with me, aren’t you?
” He loved the slightly bashful smile that earned, and hell if it didn’t make him want to kiss her again.
She felt incredible in his arms, their bodies moving as one to the beat of a slow country song.
“In case I haven’t told you enough tonight, you look beautiful. ”
The blush on her cheeks deepened. “Thank you, but you’ve told me enough.”
“What can I say? You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever married.”
She laughed softly. “I can’t believe we actually did it.”
“Believe it, Angel. How does it feel knowing I’m all yours?”
“Like I must be the crazy one.”
“Then I’m in good company.” The song “Never Stop” by SafetySuit came on. “Hear that? They’re playing our song.”
“We have a song?”
“Hell yeah, we do.” He went for levity, singing, “This is my fake love song for you. You’ve got limited time to brag that I’m yours, send other women home crying at night. You’ll be sleeping like a baby, knowing you’ve got the best guy around.”
She laughed. “That’s quite a song.”
“Only the best for my queen.” Their gazes lingered as they swayed to the music.
He could get lost in those gorgeous eyes, soaking in the feel of her soft curves, the quiet intensity of her gaze, and the heat and curiosity hovering between them.
One song bled into the next, the temperature between them rising.
They didn’t speak, but their bodies sure as hell did, their grips tightening, their hips swaying in perfect sync, and lust seeping between them, binding them together in a silent dance of desire.
Then there was that look she was giving him that said I want more, but…
The song “Worst Way” came on, bringing lyrics about not romancing a woman, but letting his hands and mouth do the talking. As if the fucking playlist had heard his thoughts.
He needed to get himself back on track, but there was no way that was happening with her in his arms. “Are you having a good time, or are you overwhelmed and ready to head out?”
“A little of both,” she said carefully. “Your family is amazing, and everyone has been wonderful, but being close like this is kind of…”
Dangerous. “You’re thinking about that kiss, aren’t you?” came out before he could stop it.
“No,” she said too fast. “I don’t want to talk about that kiss.”
“That makes me want to talk about it,” he said honestly.
“Zander,” she whispered harshly, but she was smiling, and she was too fun to tease for him to want to stop.
“What? You’ve got to admit, it was a hell of a kiss.”
“So?”
Time to test the waters. “So maybe we should try it again. See if it really was that good.”
She stared at him for a beat, heat and hesitation warring in her eyes, but in her next breath she said, “That’s not what this is.”
“I know it’s not. I’m just trying to be a good husband, leaving the door open. I’d hate for you to be fantasizing all night about kissing me again and then leave you hanging. And hey, if lips are too intimate, I’m happy to let you kiss me elsewhere.”
“Ohmygod.” She laughed. “Would you stop? I feel like everyone’s watching us.”
“That’s just me, darlin’. I can’t take my eyes off you.” Apparently I can’t shut my fucking mouth, either.
“I’m serious, Zan,” she said quietly.
He casually glanced around. Damn. His parents and a handful of others were watching them. His father arched a brow, as if to say, You’re not looking at her like that, huh?
That doused the flames.
Time to rein it in, asshole. She’s right. That’s not what this is.
“Want to get out of here before it gets any weirder?” he asked.
“Yes.”
THE RIDE HOME was quiet, save for the sexual tension humming between them. Zander tried to focus on the road, telling himself to get a grip before things went further. The last thing either of them needed was more complications.
He helped her out of the truck, and in an effort to get them back on track, he slung an arm over her shoulder as they headed up the walk, falling back to the comfort and familiarity of friendship and joking around, the way things were before that kiss.
“So, what’re you going to call me? Your old man? Your hubby? Your ride or die?”
“I was thinking…Zander.”
“Everyone calls me that. You’ll come up with something special. Remember, we’ve got to convince everyone you couldn’t live without me.” He unlocked the door and threw it open. She started to walk past, and he lifted her into his arms.
“Zander!” She laughed, which was exactly the reaction he’d hoped for. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying my bride over the threshold,” he said as he carried her inside.
“You know this isn’t legally required, right?”
He kicked the door closed behind him. “Yeah, but it gave me a reason to have you in my arms again.”
As he lowered her feet to the floor, her hands slid down his chest. She was right there, those beautiful brown eyes gazing up at him so intensely, the air crackled around them, but it wasn’t his body aching to be heard this time.
It was that organ in his chest that had gone unnoticed for so long speaking too loudly to ignore.
He put his hand over hers, keeping it on his chest, wanting to be sure she heard what he said next.
“All kidding aside, thank you for trusting me. I’ll try my best to be the kind of husband you deserve. ”
“You don’t—”
He put two fingers over her lips, shushing her. “I want to. Let’s leave it at that.”
She reached up to move his fingers away from her lips but kept hold of his hand and ran her thumb over the barbed wire tattoo on his middle finger.
Her brows knitted, and she studied the tattoo closer.
The tangled barbed wire ran from the tip of his finger to his knuckle.
In between the tangles, along the inside of his finger, was the musical abbreviation sfz.
Her eyes flicked up to his. “When did you get that?”
“When I was eighteen. Why?”
She looked at it again, her brow riddled with confusion.
“What’s the matter?”
“My middle name is Zoe,” she said just above a whisper, as if they were the only two people in the world who should hear it.
Now it was his turn to be confused. He tried to make sense of it, but there was no making sense of this. He and Shauna were like a custom home whose unique elements had been forged years before the architect had even conceptualized them.
“Why do you have that tattoo?” she asked.
“It’s a musical abbreviation.” He curled his fingers around hers. “Or maybe it’s another sign that we were meant to be in each other’s lives.”
She held his gaze, her eyes wide and searching, as if he’d become someone new she was seeing for the first time. Only he knew it wasn’t just him who was evolving. Their electrical charge echoing in the silence was inescapable.
“I’m gonna…” She stumbled backward, pointing behind her toward her bedroom. “Yeah. I’m…I’ve got to work in the morning, so…”
He knew whatever this was, was so big and so real, it scared her. It scared him, too, but it intrigued him even more, and he wanted to explore it. Hell, he wanted to dive in headfirst and get lost in it. He gritted his teeth to keep those thoughts from coming out as she took another step backward.
“This was fun…Thanks…for the…Yeah. I’m, um, I’m going to bed.” She turned around, nearly tripping over Kitty, and hurried into her bedroom. Kitty darted in behind her, slipping in before she closed the door.
You can run from this, my sweet bride, but I have a feeling it’s already a part of us.