Chapter 9
Mercy
Who knew that Ripley Murdock was the holy grail of orgasms?
A little beep started.
God, no. How was it already time?
“What the hell is that?” He murmured against my neck.
“My alarm.”
“Cake time?”
I groaned. “Yes.” I sat back on his very firm thighs. “I told you we only had a few minutes.”
He cupped my face. “Worth it.”
My heart stuttered in my chest. “Rip.”
He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. “I’d do it again.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. When I’d sought him out, I figured this was just going to scratch the itch. I wasn’t used to being a slave to my hormones, but for once I actually wanted to see what it was like.
Tens across the board.
Holy hell, this man was potent.
And I’d only gotten some heavy petting.
My secondary alarm started bleating off the floor. My phone had fallen out of the little pocket of my shawl. “Shit, shit, shit.”
I fought with the straps of my bra and he stilled my fingers. He shifted the lace and pulled it up and tucked me into the cups gently. Dear God, maybe even reverently.
My mouth dried.
I shouldn’t get messed up over this man.
I pushed his fingers away and struggled back into my dress then pushed my hair out of my eyes. “How freshly fucked do I look?”
That cocky grin was back. “Thoroughly. I can’t wait to see what you look like after I actually get inside you.”
I blew out a breath. “Okay, you need to behave.”
He leaned back against the ragtop and gripped the tops of my thighs. “No chance of that now that I’ve tasted you.” He smiled and lifted his fingers to his mouth, licking the tips. “My fingers are still wet from you.”
“Okay are you trying out for one of those women’s apps where the dude talks dirty?”
He barked out a laugh. “No. Why? Do they get you off?”
I wasn’t answering that. My version of porn was none of his business.
The fact that he talked dirty so well when most men sounded like an idiot—well, beyond the professional ones I’d listened to—was just another tick in the unfair column.
This was just supposed to be a quick…whatever. I don’t even know.
A fuck?
Even now it was way more than a hookup and that was damn dangerous.
I scrambled off of him and tried to reach my phone.
“Are you wearing sneakers?”
I glanced at him. “Kinda forgot my heels.”
“You’re damn adorable.”
“Great. Just what I wanted to hear after that,” I muttered.
He moved forward and dragged my back against his chest. “Adorable and hot aren’t mutually exclusive.” He nipped my ear. “Now let’s get back to the wedding.”
“Right. Yes.” I found my phone and shoved it into my bra as I fumbled my way out of his Caddy. Oh, yeah this was sexy as hell.
Kill me now.
I took off and heard him swearing behind me. It took him an extra minute to get out of his backseat but he caught up with me quickly, grabbing onto my hand.
I didn’t want to like it, but I did.
Especially when my fingers slipped into the rough grooves of his like they were meant. No fumbling there. I gave him a startled glance and he grinned down at me. “Get a move on.”
The guests had fallen onto the appetizers like a pack of wolves. The cheese and meats were near decimated as people mingled with beer and small plates.
Thankfully, the table of sweets was still intact. The staff had added a few candles and I took out my phone to get a few more shots for my social media accounts.
Cash and Parker stumbled in behind us, both of them laughing and handsy with one another.
I was afraid to check out my own face and neck.
Beard burn and smudged lips?
Probably.
Cash glanced at Ripley then to me with a shit-eating grin. “You two…”
“Don’t start,” Ripley warned.
Cash laughed. “I think it’s great.”
I wanted to scrunch up my shoulders to my ears. The fact that it was so obvious made my stomach twist. So unprofessional. I hadn’t thought about that part when I was pushing him into the back of his damn car.
“Ripley, where have you been?”
Sully’s voice had my spine snapping straight.
“What do you need?”
“Photos.”
“Oh, right.” Ripley glanced at me.
“Go ahead.” I gave him a tight smile. “I have to get things set up for the cake cutting.”
Sully glanced from him to me. “The cake looks amazing, Mercy. Better than we even imagined. Nora loves it too. She’s getting photos done in the field, but I know she wants to tell you herself.”
I twisted my fingers. “Yeah? I’m glad. Don’t worry about me. Go do your wedding stuff.”
Sully gave me a grateful smile. “So glad you and Rip got the cake here in one piece.”
I flushed. “I’m really sorry about that. I hate that I gave you undue stress.”
Sully waved me off. “I knew Rip would take care of it. We’ll see you later.” He dragged Rip off.
Ripley glanced back at me, mouthing, “I’m sorry.”
Not that he had anything to be sorry for. It was my screw up.
Once a Hart, always a Hart evidently.
“Hey, sis.”
I froze. No freaking way.
I turned to find my older brother, Luther behind me. He was wearing his one and only suit jacket with a pair of paint-stained jeans and a white Oxford shirt. Positively black tie for him.
“What are you doing here?” I glanced around. I hoped to hell he wasn’t crashing. Though I was pretty sure the entire town had an open invitation to this thing.
He hooked his arm around the blond beside him. “Gigi works part time for Sully.”
Gigi gave me a polite smile. “Hey.”
I smiled tightly at her before staring at Luther. “Don’t start trouble, huh?”
“Relax. We’re just here to have a good time aren’t we, Gigi?” He pulled a flask out of the inside pocket of his jacket. “I filled this baby up thanks to the open bar.”
Freaking great.
Relax...sure. It couldn’t be any of my other brothers. Hell, I’d even take Booker and all the painful awkwardness that would bring over Luther.
“The chief of police is here. Do not get arrested.”
“Always such a straight arrow. Live a little, Mercy.” He squinted at me. “Or maybe you already did. You got a little something.” He flicked a finger over his neck.
I slapped a hand over my neck where Rip had definitely been concentrating on earlier.
“Do I need to beat the shit out of someone?” He looked around. “Who’s been macking on your neck?”
“None of your business. Since when do you care who I date?”
“I care.” He frowned.
“Go dance with Gigi. I have work.”
“You always have work.”
I hunched my shoulders as I nudged a tart over to straighten out the petal for the daisy arrangement on the table.
“Whatever.” He took the flask out and sipped then toasted me. “At least maybe if you got laid, you’ll loosen up. I’ll see you later.”
I glanced at the older woman who was taking photos of the table with a wince.
Great.
She gave me a tight smile. “It really is beautiful. Your bakery is my favorite place.”
“Thanks,” I whispered as I swallowed down the lump in my throat.
The woman walked away with a small plate of pepperoni and cheese. I sagged against the edge of the table.
Nora and Sully went with a buffet style dinner over a sit down one which meant the time for cake was a little earlier than usual.
The open bar was only for the first two hours of the night and we were well into the second one now. I was tempted to get my own glass of wine to calm myself down but resisted the urge.
Ripley climbed the dais and clinked his ring against the side of the bottle of beer he was holding. His voice lifted. “We thought about doing a roast for Sully tonight but figured we shouldn’t unman him before his wedding night.”
The crowd laughed.
I found myself threading through the onlookers to get a better look at him. Ripley lost his tie and his jacket, leaving him in just his fitted black shirt that made him look amazing.
“I’m going to keep it simple. I might be the big brother of this crew of idiots, but Sully has always been the steady one.
The one who takes care of everyone—including this town.
I couldn’t be happier that he and Nora found one another.
Makes a guy believe in love, even a big grease monkey like me.
” His gaze landed on mine for a second before he refocused on his brother.
“Here’s to a lifetime of happiness, you two! ” He held up his beer.
My stomach pitched.
That man was far too potent for his own good.
Parker got up next to him. “Since when are you perfect speech guy?”
Ripley grinned. “Short and sweet, baby.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She shoved him away. “I’ve been poring over my Notes app for six weeks and he just goes off the cuff. This is my life.”
“You finally lost a bet!” Cash called from the crowd.
She squinted at Ripley. “I’ll remember this.”
Rip blew her a kiss. Cash rushed over and put him in a headlock.
“Don’t make me break you two up tonight of all nights,” she called out. “I’m trying to be heartfelt here, dammit.”
Ripley looped his arm around Cash’s neck. “Behaving.”
“Better.” She huffed out a breath. “Nora, you’re my best friend.
I’m so glad we reconnected this year. Now we’re really sisters, since we both decided a Murdock was in our future.
The best decision I’ve ever made was to hook myself to this family.
I can’t wait for you to stand up for me just like I did for you.
You deserve every happiness and I see it in every smile between you and Sully.
You’re the best mom to Danny and I can’t wait to raise kids with you. ”
“Are you pregnant?” Someone shouted.
“You shut your mouth!”
The crowd laughed.
“Raise a glass to Sully and Nora. Happy wedding day, you two crazy kids.”
Nora leaned back against Sully and smiled up at him. Sully dipped his head down and gave her a gentle kiss as everyone toasted them.
“Now, we’re going to finally get to try that cake that’s been staring at me since I got here!” Parker downed her champagne.
I melted back into the cluster of people and hustled back to the dessert table to do one final sweep. The silver knife was polished and ready for the photographer to get the perfect shot of the first cut.
She’d beat me over to the table and was snapping photos as her assistant had the tripod set up to get some video.
I could see the imperfections around the back of the cake from the trip, but no one else would notice.
I’d turned it to maximize every angle.
Nora and Sully came over hand in hand.
“Oh, Mercy.” Nora’s voice was thick. “It’s absolutely perfect.”
“Sorry for the drama.”
Nora laughed and dabbed at the corner of her eye. “There’s always drama when the Murdocks get together.”
“Let me get out of the way.”
“No, wait. Let’s get a photo.”
God, I could only imagine what I looked like. I managed to put my lipstick back on, but the rest of me was a hot mess.
Nora waved me over and I stood between them letting the wedding photographer do her thing. Maybe she could fix me up in Photoshop.
I slipped away as the photographer started barking orders. I bumped into something big and hard. When I felt the hand at my hip, my system knew exactly who it was.
“The cake is amazing, Mercy. You outdid yourself.” Ripley’s voice rumbled at my ear.
“Thanks for helping me get it here.” I glanced over my shoulder at him. He really was far too attractive for his own good. And the fact that I wanted to relax back against him scared the crap out of me.
I never leaned on anyone.
It was safer that way. Twice now he’d gone above and beyond for me.
The cheer broke the spell between us. I turned my head just in time to see Sully holding up a hunk of the strawberry and champagne cake for Nora.
My first cake was in the books and it looked damn good.
That was the important part of tonight, not the elder Murdock distracting me from that.