Chapter Fourteen
Jasper
It’s been nearly thirty-six hours since I’ve seen Fannin. I don’t like it. Normally I would go days, sometimes weeks, without talking to the woman I was shagging, but Fannin is different. Ten minutes after I let her out of my bed, I wanted to drag her right back. Now, dressed to the nines for this shite wedding that I know is going to be a nightmare, I’m in the back of a luxury town car, a black tuxedo strangling the life out of me with a bouquet of thistle, the same color as Fannin’s eyes and nearly impossible to find, on the seat next to me. I’m not looking forward to the un-joyous occasion mostly because I don’t think I can manage to keep my mouth shut when it comes to Fannin and all of the arseholes in her life. I felt protective of her before she let me inside of her, hated the way they all treated her. Now that I know what she tastes like, that I’ve tied her to my bed . . . she’s mine, and I’ll be damned if they’ll treat her poorly in front of me. The fact that I’m proper taken by her should worry me. Especially after the stunt Lorna pulled, but I’m not worried. This fake relationship has become one of the realest things in my life.
The car rolls to a stop in front of Fannin’s building in the heart of Manhattan.
“Just circle a bit, if you don’t mind. I’ll phone you when we’re on our way down,” I tell the driver as I step out onto the curb. A doorman opens the door, nodding in greeting. At the concierge podium in front of the elevator, I’m met by a smiling older man, tufts of white hair looking like soft cotton on his head. “You must be here for Miss McGuire,” he says, picking up the phone.
“Aye. I am. What gave it away?”
He chuckles, “The monkey suit. She told me she would be going to the wedding tonight and that she had a date.” He waggles his eyebrows, the same cottony tufts as on his head, at me. “I’m glad she decided to take someone. Shouldn’t nobody have to attend a wedding like this alone. It’s like one of those soap operas my wife likes so much,” the chatty man huffs. He’s about to go on when Fannin picks up the phone.
“Miss Fannin, your date is here, want me to send him up?” I can’t hear what Fannin says but she must give him permission because he nods at me, smiling conspiratorially like we have some kind of secret. I like him. “Will do.” Placing the phone back he turns to the elevator and opens it for me, reaching in and pressing the button for the fifteenth floor. “Not quite the penthouse, but close. Number three is her.” He winks.
When the elevator slides open, I’m let out in an elegant foyer, not what I was expecting. It all feels like a swank hotel really. Walking down the hall, I come to a stop in front of Fannin’s door and give a knock. Almost immediately, the door flies open and I’m stunned stupid. Fannin is before me in a two-piece dress thing. The top is black sparkly lace with some kind of nude material behind it that makes it look as if she’s naked beneath the tank. I let my eyes roam over her bared stomach to the shiny champagne-colored skirt that hits just at her knee. Just enough to tease. Her legs are so long as it is, but add to it the four-inch nude heels and they look like the path to heaven. My heaven.
“You look stunning, love.” That’s an understatement. Handing her the bouquet of thistle, I press a kiss into her cheek, her scent more intoxicating now that I know what it smells like on my sheets.
She smiles, pleased, and smooths a hand over my lapel while clutching the flowers to her chest. “You don’t look too bad yourself. I half expected a kilt.”
Cheeky. “I’ll not be busting out the plaid skirt for the likes of these arseholes.”
With a laugh she pulls me into the apartment. “Thank you for these. They’re absolutely gorgeous. Thistle, right?” Fannin asks as she takes a vase off a shelf and fills it with water and the flowers.
“Aye. You left your hair down,” I say into the silky curls, making her jump at my sudden closeness.
Looking over her shoulder, she peers up at me. “You don’t like it? I was going to put it up, but I know how Bethany hates when I wear it down so—”
I quiet her rambling with a kiss. Just a quick peck really, otherwise I’ll be bending her over the counter instead of escorting her to a wedding. “I like it best this way. My wild beauty. Like you can’t be tamed by the likes of them.”
“How about you? Can I be tamed by you?” Her voice is soft, inviting me to tame her right here, right now. She’ll be the death of me.
“Aye. I’ll show you later just how good at taming you I am.” Taking a step back, I tip my head to the door. “You ready? If we don’t leave now, we won’t, love.” My voice is gruff with my need for this woman.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She goes to slip past me, and I snag her elbow, stopping her.
“Are you okay? With today? The wedding? I should have asked earlier, I’m sorry.”
Fannin places a hand on my cheek, her eyes lit with appreciation. “You still taking me?”
“Aye.”
“Then I’m fine.”
***
Fannin opted not to attend the church ceremony, telling her father that she would see them at The Plaza for the family pictures which I think is shite. The fact that she has to stand next to these lying cheats and smile burns my arse. When we arrive and enter the Grand Ballroom, we don’t take three steps into the room before we’re stopped.
“Fannin. There you are—we were starting to worry.” A tall man of about sixty says, makes his way over to us. Her father, I’m guessing. I can’t help but go a bit rigid beside her, my hand clasping her a little tighter around the waist.
“Hi, Dad.” The warmth in her voice has me relaxing. I’m ready to slay all of her dragons—all she has to do is point them out.
Fannin’s father beams as he takes her into his arms for a hug. “You look beautiful. Just like your mother.” His tone holds some reverence. Fannin told me her mum had died during child birth and her father had never quite recovered.
“Thanks, Dad.” She reaches for me, looping her arm through mine. “Dad, this is Jasper James. Jasper, this is my father, William McGuire.”
Her father takes the hand I hold out to him in a firm but warm handshake. “Sir.” I nod.
“Jasper, I’ve heard a lot about you. Seems you’ve made quite an impression.” His smile is genuine. “I’m glad that you could make it.”
“I wouldn’t dream of being anywhere else,” I say. Meaning every word.
“A Scotsman, eh? Fannin didn’t mention that.” The large man grins. “That’ll earn you some points with me.” Slapping me on the back he turns his attention to his daughter. “I know you don’t want to, but Miriam would really love it if you came and took some pictures. I promise it won’t be long.” His tone holds sympathy. Maybe he’s not so bad. It must be awkward for him. The only ones that seem to not be bothered by the whole thing are the bride and groom who I see making their way toward us from over William’s shoulder. A petite woman follows behind, fussing with Bethany’s gown.
Fannin stiffens beside me. I cover the hand gripping my forearm with mine. She glances ups and gives me a grateful smile.
“Ah, speak of the devil,” William booms. “Miriam, I was just coming back with Fannin for pictures.”
Fannin’s stepmother comes from behind her daughter’s ridiculous dress to stand beside her husband. Her gaze rakes over Fannin from head to toe, clearly not approving of her attire. Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree then.
“You look lovely, Miriam,” Fannin, being the bigger person, says. “And you, Bethany. Congratulations. The both of you.” Like a proud father, my chest puffs up a little. I’m not sure why. I certainly don’t feel fatherly in any way toward her. The two just nod their thanks. Fucking cowards can’t even be arsed to give her proper thanks.
“We missed you at the church,” Her stepmother says. No “Thank you.” No “You look nice.” No “So happy to see you.” Just right to chastising.
“That would be my fault. I was running late. Had a bit of an emergency.” The lie comes easily.
“At the bar?” Bethany asks snidely.
“Yes, actually.” I don’t bother greeting her or issuing congratulations. This is me, slaying dragons. Fannin’s knight in shining armor. Or rogue beast, as she likes to call me.Whichever. To think for one minute that she was going to come here alone makes me crazy.
Bethany and Adam look at each other, a little eye roll and smirk between them. I’m struck again by how much they deserve each other.
“What happened? Run out of coasters?” she snickers.
I smile, little more than a flash of teeth, more like an animal baring its fangs.
“Careful, Bethany. Your ugly is showing. Remind me again what you do for a living?” Fannin defends.
The bride narrows her eyes, linking her arm through her husband’s. “I’m on the board for several different charities. One day, if you ever get married, maybe you can do the same.” She looks over at me and gives a nasty smile. “Then again, probably not.”
“How cute. You’ve taken your unemployment and turned it into a positive thing. Well, at least we know Adam here is good for something.”
Looks like I’m not the only one slaying dragons tonight.
“That’s enough, girls,” William says firmly before Bethany can reply to Fannin’s last barb. “You’ll have to excuse them, Jasper. They’ve always fought over every little thing.”
“Only because Fannin was always taking my things.”
Fannin’s smile is condescending to say the least. “I’m pretty sure it was you who always took what didn’t belong to you. I guess some things don’t change.”
Glancing at William, I see that he’s feeling like a proud papa himself. Smothering the smile behind his hand, he tries again to cut in before it gets any uglier. “Oh, Bethany, there’s your grandmother. Go show her to her seat and then we can take some pictures.” He ushers the group away, kissing Fannin’s cheek as he passes by.
“Well, that went better than I expected.”
Fannin looks at me like I have three heads. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No. I half expected a real girl fight. Complete with scratching and hair pulling,” I tease, wrapping my arms around her, locking them at the small of her back. “You did good, Fanny.”
“Night’s not over yet. There can still be some hair pulling.”
“Oh, believe me, there will be, love.”
Maybe sooner than she thinks.