MY BELLY WAS full and I was grateful that the skirt of my dress was poufy enough to hide my food baby, and I was swaying to the music Ripper was playing as I nursed my glass of champagne.
“Congratulations,” Bran said as he came up and bent to kiss my cheek.
“Bran!” I cried happily. “I’m so happy you’re here.”
I’d missed him at the ceremony but understood that with things the way they were between him and Cade, he hadn’t felt totally comfortable being there for the wedding.
“Of course, I couldn’t let your big day pass without stopping by,” he said, his gaze flitting over the crowd before landing on Carmen, who was on the dance floor with Shannon and Amy May.
“She’ll be happy you’re here, too,” I said, tilting my head toward Carmen.
He nodded, then looked warily to where Cade was standing and talking to Chris.
“You know,” I began, “This is probably the best mood you’re ever going to find him in . . .”
Bran’s looked to me, startled.
“You mean . . . here? You want me to talk to Cade now? At his wedding?”
“I’m just saying, he’s very happy, and it will only take a minute. Plus, I think you’d be able to relax and enjoy yourself if you just got it off your chest . . . put it out there.”
“You don’t think it’ll piss him off, me bringing that up now?”
I shook my head.
“I really don’t.”
Bran took my champagne glass and downed it, then handed it back and said, “Now or never, right?”
“Right,” I agreed, then watched with my heart in my throat as he walked up to Cade.
Shit, I hope Cade doesn’t clock him.
Cade turned as Bran approached, and he didn’t scowl or anything, so I took that as a good sign. I saw Bran ask if he could talk to him, Cade motion to Chris that he’d be right back, then the two of them walk a couple of steps away.
Bran was almost as tall as Cade, but while Bran was built like a runner, Cade was built like a linebacker, making Bran look somehow small next to him.
I felt a twinge of guilt when a shadow crossed Cade’s face as Bran talked. Maybe I should have left things alone, or at least, not pushed Bran to bring up bad memories on Cade’s wedding day.
But, then Cade’s face cleared, he clapped Bran on the shoulder and nodded, said something, and then walked back toward Chris. Before he could get to him, his was waylaid by Slade, who looked like he had something serious to discuss.
Bran turned and grinned at me, gave me a small thumbs up, then went to join Carmen on the dance floor.
I was watching Slade’s lips, and saw him say, “Don’t worry about a thing, brother,” then he headed toward the bar and Cade went back to Chris.
I crossed to Cade and put my arms around him from behind.
“I love you,” I said as I rested my cheek against his back.
“You’d better,” he replied, but I could hear the teasing in his tone.
“Why don’t you dance with your wife, brother?” Chris chided, and I realized we hadn’t had our first dance as husband and wife yet.
We’d decided to forgo all of the traditional dances and such, preferring to let this feel more like a party than a reception, but I liked the idea of doing the husband and wife dance.
“Yeah, dance with your wife,” I agreed.
Cade turned and took my hand and led me onto the dance floor.
We walked all the way to where Ripper was spinning and Cade left me to whisper in his ear, then he was back.
Norah Jones’s Come Away with Me started playing, and Cade took me in his arms.
“Thank you,” I told him as I moved as close to him as I could without seeming indecent.
“For Braswell?” he asked, and I nodded. “It’s not a big deal. He explained. And, not only is he with Carmen now, but I know he’s had your back more than once, so . . . we’re good.”
Seriously, this guy.
“Is everything okay with the club?” I asked.
No, I didn’t usually get involved in club business, but we had just recently had a run in with the Diablos, and I wanted to make sure there hadn’t been any blowback. I also wondered if we needed to be worried about retaliation.
“Slade said they have a meet scheduled with Cueball,” Cade replied. “It’s nothing you’ll need to worry about.”
I nodded, trusting he and his brothers would handle things, then tilted my head up and offered him my mouth, which he accepted.
I parted my lips beneath his and lost myself in his kiss as we swayed to the sultry sound of Norah Jones. His fingers dug into my sides as he deepened the kiss and I eagerly met him kiss for kiss.
“Are you having a good time, wife?” he asked with a grin when we finally stopped kissing and focused on dancing.
“The best time, husband,” I replied.
“Are you ready to know where we’re going on our honeymoon?”
Cade had let me have carte blanche with the wedding, in return for him getting to decide and plan the honeymoon.
Since the less I had to plan, the happier I was, I’d agreed instantly, then promptly swept it from my mind. I’d be happy spending time alone with him anywhere, honestly, unless it was somewhere with a tent and a sleeping bag, which he’d promised it wouldn’t be.
“I am. Where are we going? When do we leave? And, how long will we be gone?”
“Europe. Day after tomorrow. Three weeks,” Cade replied, and my mouth dropped open.
“Europe? Are you serious?” I asked, unable to wrap my head around it.
I figured he’d take me to Mexico or a mountain somewhere, but . . . Europe?
“Oh my God . . . day after tomorrow? Three weeks? Where are we going to stay? What cities are we going to? I need to pack!”
Cade chuckled and caressed my back.
“Breathe.”
I took a moment to collect myself, let out a long breath, and said, “Okay, now answer my questions.”
“I’ve got a couple buddies with places in Europe. Paris, Venice, Barcelona. I figured we’d rent a bike and drive the countryside for a while. Hop a train when we need to. Just, travel around and see where the wind takes us.”
“A couple buddies with places in Europe?” I asked incredulously.
“Yeah, from my football days. They went on to play pro, so they’ve got houses and stuff, said they’d be happy to let us crash and apologized for not making it out to the wedding.”
“Huh,” I managed, dumbfounded by all of the information he was laying out.
Then I grinned broadly and said, “We’re going to Europe . . . for three weeks. On our Honeymoon. Alone.”
“That’s right, darlin’.”
“Have I mentioned, I love you?”
“I don’t mind if you keep saying it. Every day. For as long as we live.”
“Then, I’ll do just that.”
Turn the page for an excerpt from Too Tempting,
The Lewis Cousins Series Book 1