Happy Is the Bride Read online

  “I kind of understand why you did what you did.”

  “I thought, what’s worse? Nate thinking I’m some kind of pathetic stalker person or that I’m getting pictures of his old college friend for the gossip sites.”

  “Tough choice.” He stroked his thumb along the curve of her jaw. “I think I prefer the third option myself.”

  “Which is what?”

  He kissed her nose. “The one where you try to do your best to help your family even when the odds are stacked against you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t deserve your understanding.”

  “Yeah you do. I get why you were reluctant to confide in me. I’m a cop and a well-known Dudley Do-Right.”

  “I wanted to tell you the truth, but I was afraid.”

  “Afraid that I’d arrest you?”

  She knew he was kidding, but she wanted to tell him the truth. “No, that you’d look at me with contempt and walk away.” She forced out a breath. “I couldn’t bear to think you’d despise me.”

  He sighed. “I should’ve made you tell me what was up. I tried, but I really didn’t want to hear your answers in case you actually were doing something illegal. My heart was at war with my stupid head.”

  “Your heart?”

  “Yeah.” He gathered his courage. “I’m all yours if you want me, Della. One hundred percent all in.”

  “But you hardly know me and—”

  He kissed her on the lips. “I’m a Turner. I know you.”

  With a soft sound she kissed him back, her arms going around him as if they were meant to be there.

  “I knew you were The One the moment I saw you that first night at the bar,” Nate murmured. “And I fought that feeling every step of the way.”

  She drew back slightly to look at him. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “Nope. It’s the family curse—or blessing, depending on which way you look at it. A Turner knows when he’s found The One and that’s it. Game over.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. Why do you think my nickname was the one-night stand king?”

  She shook her head. “Tell me.”

  “Because it only took five minutes for me to work out whether the woman I was dating was The One or not. After that I just stayed to eat my dinner and enjoy her company as a friend.”

  “But you had sex with at least two of them.”

  He made a face. “After I’d been the local sheriff for a couple of years, I got . . . cynical about the whole Turner legend thing and thought I’d try to prove it wrong. It didn’t work, so I focused on my job and stopped looking.”

  “Until you met me.”

  “Exactly.”

  She regarded him steadily and he tried to look as resolute and responsible as possible.

  “You know this is crazy, Nate?”

  “All I know is how I feel.”

  “As of this morning I have no job and no future back in California.”

  “Then I’ll move to wherever you find a job.”

  The thought of leaving Morgantown wasn’t as much of a wrench as he’d expected. He’d do anything for her. If Della was okay with it, he might even talk to Travis about his ridiculous offer and live the high life for a year or so.

  “You’d do that for me?”

  “Sure. Or you could move to Morgantown and revive our local newspaper. Once a Turner man finds The One, you’ll do anything to keep her and make her happy.”

  “Nate . . .” She bit down on her lip.

  “I know it sounds crazy and the last thing I want to do is make you run for the hills.” He kissed her again, capturing her face between his hands. “But it’s okay. I can wait for you to get used to the idea of me hanging around.”

  “You sound so sure.”

  “I am. And seeing as Travis was nice enough to gift us his suite for the next day and a half, how about we put that bed to good use?”

  “Wow, that was smooth.”

  “Well, I thought so.” He hesitated. “Do you want me?”

  He held still as her gaze went from him to the bed and back again. “You’re sure about this?”

  “More than anything in my life, but I’m not going to push you into doing anything you don’t like—although not taking me to bed will probably haunt you for the rest of your life.”

  “You’re that good, are you?”

  He winked. “Why don’t you find out?”

  She gave one more uncertain look at the bed. His heart stuttered in his chest as she faced him and slowly let her hair fall down around her shoulders.

  He wanted to drop to his knees and kiss her feet—wanted to give her the world—and they hadn’t even gotten naked yet.

  “You start.” She pointed at his chest.

  “Yes, ma’am.” He unsnapped his shirt and then unbuckled his belt. “Now you.”

  “I’ve got half as many clothes on as you do, so keep going.”

  He pretended to sigh as he toed off his boots and sat on the side of the bed to remove his socks. She was dressed for travel in leggings and a T-shirt, so she did have a point. Standing up, he finished unbuttoning his shirt. She licked her lips, making him want to throw caution to the wind and rip everything off as fast as possible. But then again, the anticipation in her gaze made him want to slow down, make her wait.

  “Faster,” she commanded.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Only if you take something off as well.”

  She raised her arms and pulled off her T-shirt in one easy motion, exposing a pink lace bra that made his mouth go dry. He tried to get rid of his shirt and only succeeded in getting into a tangled mess that made Della snort with laughter.

  “Don’t ever try to be a stripper, Nate.”

  He grinned back at her as he undid his top button and eased down his zipper. Now she was the one who wasn’t smiling, but he wasn’t complaining, considering what she was staring at.

  “Take off your pants, Della. I want to see you.”

  She did as he asked, giving him a moment to free himself from his jeans. His heart was thumping so loudly she could probably hear it. Jeez, her panties matched her bra. He was going to die of lust before they even got started.

  She walked toward him. “Can I touch?”

  “Anything you like. I’m all yours.”

  Her hands came to rest on his shoulders, shaping him, learning him, sliding up and down his arms and then his chest, making him shiver with delight.

  “What’s this?”

  He looked down to where her fingers rested just above the jut of his hip. “Got caught by a knife when I was breaking up a bar fight.”

  “And this?” Her fingers traced the top of his tight white boxers, making him break out in a sweat.

  “Gunshot wound.”

  Her sharp intake of breath was followed by her bending down and kissing the faint scar on his abs. Her hair brushed against the hardness of his arousal and he barely resisted the urge to wrap a hand around her neck to keep her there, or maybe a bit lower, for a long, long time.

  Instead, he urged her upward to meet his mouth, locking their bodies together in an embrace that felt so damn right he wanted to weep.

  “Della . . .” He kissed her luscious mouth, losing himself in her taste and warmth. “I want you so bad.”

  “Me too,” she breathed against his lips. “Take me to bed, Sheriff.”

  * * *

  Della squeaked as Nate picked her up and walked over to the bed, where he deposited her in the center of the silken quilt. He smiled as he lowered himself over her, his strong thighs parted around hers and his hands braced on either side of her head.

  She cupped the back of his head, drawing him closer so she could kiss him, felt his body yield slightly and brush against hers. He was being so gentle she felt like a precious object. But she didn’t want to be worshipped right now. She wanted to be loved. She scraped her nails over his scalp and he shuddered, his teeth catching at her lower lip, making her arch helplessly agai
nst him.

  “Della . . . I don’t think I can be slow this time.”

  “Okay.” She smiled against the curve of his neck. “Then get to it.”

  He groaned as he captured her hands above her head and used his teeth to unlock the front clasp of her bra. His worshipful sigh as her breasts were revealed made her feel like a goddess. He bent to kiss her there and she closed her eyes as he explored her with such thorough determination that she wanted to scream his name.

  She whimpered instead, but he didn’t stop. Wriggling beneath him, she freed one of her legs and dug her heel into his ass, bringing all their important places into alignment. His hips bucked and she hung on tighter, aware of the hard, throbbing length of him rubbing against her panties and the rising need for more.

  “Now,” she ordered. “Please.”

  He eased away from her, shucking his boxers and removing her now-damp panties with the speed of a magician. She barely got a good look at him before he was protecting himself and covering her and—oh God. There he was, surging into her, making her come within seconds.

  She clung onto him as he froze in place over her, a thick, solid presence while she clenched and rocked and rode him to the best orgasm of her life.

  When she opened her eyes again, he was watching her, his expression strained, his biceps quivering with the effort to stay still, and not crush her with his weight.

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  “You’re welcome.” He licked the seam of her lips. “Can I have a turn now?”

  “Of course.”

  “Thank God.”

  Then she forgot how to breath as he rocked against her, gathering her closer and closer, his fingers seeking out her pleasure as he took his, binding them together in the heat of a passion she had never imagined existed. When she finally came back down from the clouds, Nate was slumped over her, his head resting on the pillow beside hers. She turned to look at him and he groaned.

  “Yeah, I know. Too fast. I’ll do better next time.”

  “Foreplay and everything?”

  “Whatever you want.”

  Della pretended to consider her options. “Can I tie you up?”

  His brow furrowed. “You into all that Fifty Shades stuff?”

  “Nope, just messing with your head. And how do you know about that anyway?”

  “My sister gave me the lowdown. That was enough.” With a growl, he rolled on top of her again. “I have handcuffs back at home, you know.”

  “You do? I can’t wait to try them out.” She kissed his nose. “On you, of course.”

  He eased away from her. “Let me clean up and I’ll think about your suggestions.”

  She gave him a couple of moments and then followed him into the massive bathroom. He’d already turned on the shower, which gave her plenty of time to admire him naked.

  He gathered up some towels and held out his hand. “Shower with me?”

  “I’d love to.”

  And it was the truth. She loved everything about this hardworking, decent man. She even liked him, and he certainly seemed to like her.

  “What’s so funny?” He maneuvered her into the shower.

  “You are.”

  “Don’t tell anyone else that.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he soaped his hands and advanced toward her. “I have a reputation to maintain.”

  “As the one-night stand king?”

  His soapy palms slicked over her back and ass. “Nope, as an officer of the law.”

  “With handcuffs and everything.”

  It was getting harder to come up with witty banter when his hands were all over her and his mouth . . .

  “We’ll have to make this quick.” She managed to speak but only barely. “I need to go check in on Adrianna and Perry.”

  “Sure. I’ll come with you.” He dropped to his knees. “Don’t worry. I’m a fast learner and an even quicker worker.”

  And then she forgot words as he loved her and just went with the feeling.

  * * *

  Della knocked on the door and stood back listening as her mother called for her to come right in. She still had a key, but after ten years away she no longer felt right about using it. She’d grown up in this house and in this friendly neighborhood. Everyone knew her family and her history, which was great, but it could also be stifling. She loved her family, but she didn’t want to move back here. Of course if her sister needed her, she’d do it. That was a given. Family had to come first.

  If she’d taken up Travis’s offer to sell the pictures, she could’ve given her sister financial security for years . . .

  What would Adrianna think if she knew?

  Della paused in the dark hallway and grabbed hold of Nate’s arm.

  “Should I tell Adrianna what I did?”

  “About the money?” Nate patted her shoulder. “It’s up to you. How do you think she’d react?”

  “I don’t know. I’d hope she’d agree that I did the right thing, but then, I don’t have kids and I know she’d do anything for them.”

  “Della, come on through! We have news!” Adrianna sounded more excited than she had for years.

  Still holding Nate’s hand, Della went through to the family room, where Perry was curled up on the couch watching something on her tablet while her mother and grandmother made lunch.

  Della’s mother went straight to Nate and held out her hands.

  “Gracias. Thank you for helping my granddaughter.”

  Nate held her hands and kissed her cheek. “I just provided the vehicle. Della and her sister did all the hard lifting.” He turned to Adrianna. “How’s Perry doing?”

  “Much better now.” Adrianna’s smile was brilliant. “Guess what happened today?” She offered Della a piece of paper. “We had an email from someone at the Travis Whitley Charitable Foundation, offering to pay all the expenses incurred for Perry that aren’t covered by insurance!”

  “What?” Della grabbed the letter and started to read and then handed it to Nate. “Well bless his heart.”

  “Do you know this guy? Is he legit? Did you put him on to us? I have no idea how he found out about Perry.”

  Adrianna was babbling now, but Della didn’t care. The sheer enormity and kindness shown by Travis was overwhelming her, too.

  “I know Travis from way back and I can vouch that this is for real,” Nate confirmed. “Della met him at the Cutwright wedding this weekend. That might be how he got to know about Perry.”

  “This is so amazing I can’t quite take it in.” Adrianna flapped the letter like a fan. “It means so much to our family.” She grabbed Nate’s hand. “Will you give him our thanks and our love when you see him?”

  “Sure I will.” Nate grinned. “Hopefully, one day you’ll get the chance to thank him in person.” He winked at Della and lowered his voice. “He did say he would sing at our wedding, right?”

  She smiled foolishly back at him, aware that her mom was watching but not caring in the slightest. He was a good man and at some point she’d have to tell her family what he meant to her, but this was Perry and Adrianna’s moment, not hers.

  “Can I go say hi to Perry?” Nate asked.

  “You can try,” Adrianna mock groaned. “If you can persuade her to take her headphones off.”

  Nate walked over to crouch beside the sofa and offered his hand to Perry, who obligingly took out at least one of her earbuds.

  Della watched his face as he talked, and something inside her, some little pocket of resistance, melted away, leaving her vulnerable but not scared. She’d let him in. They’d grow together and be better as a team. She knew it in her soul.

  He looked up, as if conscious of the weight of her thoughts, and blew her a kiss. Her cell pinged, and to cover up her absurd desire to go kneel beside him and ruffle his hair, she checked her email.

  * * *

  An hour later, after Perry had gone to sleep, Della still hadn’t mentioned her job loss to her sister or mother, but she was obviously re
ady to leave. Nate kissed everyone good-bye and accompanied her to the car.

  “What’s up?”

  She glanced over at him as she settled into her seat. “I got an email.”

  “From your boss?” He turned the engine on for the air-conditioning but didn’t release the parking brake. “Is he angry with you?” He quite fancied going to meet Della’s dick of a boss and straightening out a few things with him.

  “No, it wasn’t from him.”

  She sounded . . . odd. “Then who was it?”

  “Travis Whitley’s publicity department.”

  “He has one all to himself?”

  “Apparently.” She cleared her throat. “They want me to work for them.”

  “That’s good, right?” Nate said cautiously.

  “Yeah . . . They’re based in San Francisco and Nashville, but I can work from home.” She suddenly covered her face with her hands. “This is like some kind of fairy tale.”

  He fought a chuckle. “With Travis as an unlikely fairy godmother? I suppose it is. Do you want to work for him?”

  She sat back in her seat. “From the job description, I’d say it’s a perfect fit for my skill set. And the salary is twice what I was earning before.”

  “Then what’s stopping you?”

  “Just that I tried to deceive him and yet he’s done so much for my family and now—this!”

  “Maybe the fact that you had the chance to do something underhanded and chose not to meant a lot to him. From what he told me, people he can trust are in very short supply.”

  “Then you think I should take it?”

  “It’s not up to me, but I do have an opinion if you want it.” He smiled at her. “Take the job. Not that I’m biased at all, but then you could come live in Morgantown—we have great internet there, thanks to Chase Morgan—and maybe get to know me better, fall in love with me, and marry me?”

  Her eyes filled with tears and he held his breath.

  “Great internet, huh?”

  He made a cross over his heart. “The best.”

  “And you?”

  “If you want me.”

  “Happily ever after?”

  “Why not?”

  She slowly exhaled and reached for his hand. “Okay.”

  “That’s it?”

  The frown she gave him made him light up inside.