Oh no. Was he going to bolt from the altar?
Somebody blew a note on a pitch pipe. The performers set up a soft acapella accompaniment.
Myles took a breath and began to sing.
Oh. Oh God.
She couldn’t move. Couldn’t do anything but stare at him with her heart cracked open wide as he serenaded her with “Take Me As I Am” from Jekyll and Hyde.
His voice floated over the audience, twining around her heart as he sang to her and her alone. Everything in the music, in his eyes told her, You see me. The real me. Here I am. I’m yours. Of all the songs he could’ve chosen, none could have meant more from one black sheep to another. Wasn’t that his biggest appeal? That he saw her, the real her, and accepted her without reservation? Wasn’t that what they brought to each other?
As he reached the end of his verse, her nerves melted away and she took her first measured step toward him, wishing like hell her dress wasn’t laced quite so tight as she launched into what might be the most important performance of her life. The guests faded away, and for the length of that aisle, there was nothing and no one but Myles. She poured out everything she felt. Making the promise that if he’d only look deep enough, he’d see that she loved him. The real him. Her voice gained strength with every step, until she joined voice and hands with him beneath the pergola as they sang vows of love and acceptance, no matter what.
Sliding a hand around her waist, he drew her in, lowering his brow to hers as they softly sang the final line. “Take me as I am.”
The minister’s voice broke the ensuing silence, reminding Piper that they weren’t alone and the wedding wasn’t over. “Well, that almost makes the vows seem superfluous.”
She grinned over at him. “We should probably do them anyway.”
“And so we shall. If there are no further surprises?” Reverend Emmons looked to Myles, then over to Tucker, who made an innocent face. Hearing no other interruptions, he continued. “Dearly beloved—”
Chapter 10
“Not a dry eye in the house!”
Myles flinched as yet another camera flash went off in his periphery. “Zach, do you really have to keep doing that?”
“According to your grandmother, yes. And she’s scarier than you.”
“Of course she is,” he muttered.
Piper chuckled. “You turned our wedding into a musical. This means there must be documentation and that it will be talked about for years to come.”
He scowled. “I didn’t do it for them. I did it for you.”
She lifted her hands to frame his cheeks, pulling him close. “And I love that you did. You took the circus and made it about us. About me. I didn’t really think that was possible. So thank you.”
“You were getting little enough out of this whole deal.”
Her expression as she smiled up at him made Myles’ heart squeeze. “I got you out of it. That’s all I wanted.” Rising to her toes, she closed the last of the distance, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
He heard the click of the camera again and lifted his head. “Zach, I swear to God... If you don’t let me kiss my wife in peace, I’m going to kick your ass.”
“But this stuff is gold. I’ll have a seriously hard time picking the right shot for the front page of tomorrow’s edition.”
“If there is one word about this wedding in tomorrow’s edition, heads are going to roll,” Myles snarled.
“But people love love! This will boost circulation.”
“I’m not exploiting my personal life in the name of the paper. Now go away before I lose my good mood.”
Zach wisely lowered the camera. “Fine, fine. I’ll go find someone else to bug. But you can’t control what ends up on Facebook and Instagram.”
Eyes narrowed, Myles watched his friend weave his way through the crowded ballroom. “Remind me why we’re still here?”
“Because we promised to play nice and we haven’t discharged our duties as bride and groom.”
“We danced. We ate dinner. We had cake. We even did the damned receiving line. What more do they want from us?”
“To hang out a respectable length of time before the bouquet toss.”
“Define ‘respectable.’”
“Long enough that they don’t think we’ve snuck away from our own reception to have a quickie in the coat room.”
And just like that, all the blood he’d been conscientiously trying to keep in his skull drained south. Myles pulled her closer to hide that reaction from the rest of the guests. “First, a quickie is a physical impossibility with you in that dress. I may require an engineering degree to get you out of it. Second, I am not going to make love to my wife for the first time in a coat closet. Third, I have every intention of taking my sweet time about it, which I’m eager to get started on, so really, how important is the stinking bouquet?”
Her eyes dilated and her breath quickened, which did marvelous things for the decolletage pressed against his chest. “I’m thinking we’ve been respectable enough.”
“Well then, Mrs. Stewart, let’s figure out our exit strategy.”
Before they made it more than three yards, they were intercepted by his parents.
“Oh Myles, I just had no idea,” his mother gushed.
That I’ve got a hard-on for my wife? Hand on Piper’s waist, he shifted her subtly in front of him. “About what?”
“That you had that in you. I mean, you were good in White Christmas. But this—” She clasped her hands and looked between the two of them, her eyes getting teary. “It was just lovely. That must’ve taken so much rehearsal.”
“I’m pretty wiped out. I didn’t sleep much the last week,” he admitted. See there, I’m tired. We want to get out of here. Take the hint.
“It was a great surprise,” Piper said, leaning back into him.
Augusta’s eyes widened. “You didn’t know?”
“Nope. Just as surprised as the rest of you.”
“But your performance was so perfect.”
“The song is one of my favorites, and Myles and I sing together often.”
Warrick shifted from foot-to-foot. Myles waited for his father to make some insulting remark. “It’s unexpected,” he finally managed.
Well, that was about as neutral a statement as he could make.
“I guess I’ve never been very accepting of the fact that you’ve always defied my expectations.”
Piper stiffened, and Myles braced himself for some kind of confrontation.
“I’m sorry for that. You’ve made a good life for yourself, with a good wife, a good business. And maybe you haven’t done any of it like I would have, but you’ve made it work. A lot of men couldn’t manage that.”
As apologies went, it was rather lukewarm, and judging by the pained look Warrick shot Augusta, his mother was the impetus behind it. But it was more than he’d ever offered before, so Myles wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I wanted to give you something. A bit of a peace offering.” Warrick reached into his coat pocket and drew out a thick envelope.
Automatically, Myles took it. “What is it?”
“A cruise. I know you don’t have a lot of time just now, but it’s a three-day trip to the Bahamas, leaving from Miami on Monday morning. It might end up being a little bit longer than you were planning to be gone, but your wife deserves your undivided attention.”
“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Stewart. Thank you.”
He shifted his attention to Piper. “Young lady, you’re a part of our family now. If you’ve got the cojones to call me out for my bad behavior, you can certainly call me by name.”
Her shoulders shook with silent laugher. “Thank you, Warrick. We appreciate it.”
“Thank you,” Myles said. “Both of you. This wedding wouldn’t have happened without your help. Or Gram.”
“She’s just happy to see you settled,” Augusta said.
“Even if I did hija
ck her carefully planned ceremony?”
His mother waved that away. “She wanted something worthy of the society pages. You gave it to her in a way that no one is likely to top. Anyway, I expect you’re both pretty exhausted. It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks.”
On cue, Piper’s jaw split with a yawn.
“Thought so. Let’s find Margot. We’ll get that bouquet toss done so you can get out of here.”
Absolutely nobody was under the delusion that they were really tired, but Myles wasn’t about to complain. He’d take whatever help he could get.
The ubiquitous Margot popped up as if they’d summoned her from a lamp. “Ready for your send off?”
“We are,” Myles confirmed. “How exactly is that going to work since we’re not actually leaving the hotel?”
“We’re not?” Piper asked.
“I booked the honeymoon suite for the night.”
She pivoted into him, tipping her lips toward his ear. “If I’d known that, I’d have dragged you off an hour ago.”
Myles choked back a groan, his brain more than happy to provide ample inspiration for what they could’ve been doing for that hour.
“The suite is all ready, per your instructions. We’ll just get the DJ to call together all the ladies for the toss, then everyone will line the ballroom to the lobby to see you to the elevator. Unless you have another preference?”
Having no better ideas, they gave their blessing. Leo Hamilton, one of Patty’s sons and official DJ for the night, began blasting Beyonce’s “Single Lady” over the PA. “Ladies, if you will gather on the dance floor, it’s time for the bouquet toss!”
There was a rush of women to the center of the ballroom, his baby sister among them.
“What’s Skye doing out there?”
“She’s of age, big brother.”
Myles scowled. “She is not. She should still be wearing pigtails.”
“We’ll have a discussion at a later date about how it’s perfectly reasonable for her to be dating. I’m up.” Picking up her skirts, Piper made her way to the front of the crowd. She looked around, focusing on Zach. “You ready?”
“Whenever you are,” he called back.
Turning her back to the crowd, she waved the bouquet, once, twice, and on the third time hurled it into the air. The flowers sailed high, dropping down in the middle of the crowd. A scuffle broke out, and Myles could’ve sworn he heard a little shriek before a hand shot up, bouquet clutched in it. The other hopefuls fell away to reveal Simone, with her Cheshire cat grin dialed up to full wattage. From the sidelines, Omar gave her a thumb’s up. Myles noted Mama Pearl giving her The Eye. He thought about passing on a warning to Simone—not just anyone would do for Mama Pearl’s baby boy—but ultimately Myles decided he’d rather stay quiet and watch the fireworks as they happened. Besides, he had more important things to attend to right now.
Margot took the mic from Leo and began directing guests to line up for the send off. Myles retrieved his bride, and they circled around to the end of the line. Zach took his place in front of them to catch the well-wishers throwing...wait, what the hell were they throwing? Surely not rice or bird seed inside?
Confetti. Silver and white confetti showered over the two of them as they hurried down the corridor of people. Wolf whistles and cheers chased them all the way into the lobby, where they made a beeline for the elevator a hotel employee was holding open.
Piper collapsed against the back wall, laughing as the doors closed. “I’m going to be picking confetti out of my hair and clothes for a week.”
Myles swiped a hand over his tongue. “I’m pretty sure I ate some.”
She heaved a relieved sigh. “Well, we did it. We survived the wedding. More importantly, we survived your grandmother. We—” She cut off, her face going slack with panic. “We forgot the prenup.”
He hadn’t even thought to have one drawn up after the two minutes of thought he’d given it the night she’d proposed. “I’m so not worried about the prenup.”
“But I promised.”
“You made a bigger promise on the roof.” He gripped the railing on either side of her, effectively caging her with his body against the back wall. “So unless you are having some ill-timed second thoughts, I believe that means we’ve arrived at the reward portion of the night.”
Her hands splayed on his chest. “No second thoughts. Although since I didn’t know we were going to be staying here tonight, I don’t have any of my stuff here. I thought we’d swing by my place when we left.”
“Yes you do. I had Tyler pack you a bag.”
Surprised pleasure flickered over her lovely face. “Do you think of everything, Mr. Stewart?”
“I try.” The elevator dinged as they reached the top floor. Transferring his grip from the railing to her waist, he began backing out of the car. “Right now, though, all I can think about is you and me and the king-sized bed that’s waiting down the hall.”
“I support that plan,” she said, a little breathless.
He bent and scooped her up.
On a giggle, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Does it still count if the threshold you’re carrying me over isn’t home?”
“I’ll do it there, too. Mostly I figure I can move faster carrying you than you can walk in this dress and those shoes.”
“This is unarguable.”
He carried her down the hall to their suite, having Piper dig the room key Margot had slipped him earlier in the day out of his breast pocket and sliding it into the lock. Then, kicking the door open, he carried his bride inside.
Moody jazz spilled out of the stereo speakers. Candles, not yet lit, were scattered around the room. Champagne iced in a bucket in one corner, and a room service cart with the cold supper that would keep until they got hungry again, was tucked in the breakfast nook. The double doors to the bedroom were thrown open to reveal the sprawling bed, scattered with rose petals.
He let Piper slide down his body, keeping hold of her even as her feet hit the floor.
Her eyes were wide, taking everything in. “I’ve never seen roses this color before.”
“They’re sterling silver.”
“They’re gorgeous. Is it to match the silver theme from the wedding?”
Myles looked into those warm, chocolate eyes. “They symbolize enchantment. Which seemed fitting, since you enchanted me from the moment I first met you. And now you’re standing here with me as my wife.” He couldn’t keep the wonder out of his voice as he lifted her hands, pressing a kiss to the one that bore his rings.
Her lips curved. “You keep saying that.”
“If I keep repeating it, maybe it’ll start to feel real.”
Piper slid her hands beneath his jacket, shoving it off as she stepped close into him. “I’ve got a better idea for how we can do that.”
~*~
His coat hit the floor with a soft whoosh of fabric that had Piper’s pulse going thick with anticipation. She’d wanted him for months, almost from that first meeting at auditions. And now that wicked sense of humor and that poet’s mouth were hers. No more waiting, no more reasons to hold back.
She worked the tie loose, using the length of it to drag his mouth just a hair’s breadth from hers. “I do believe, Mr. Stewart, that you’ve been torturing me for days with the idea of claiming me as your wife. Time to pay up.”
Heat flared in his eyes. But if she’d expected him to rush toward that finish line, she was disappointed.
“Oh, I fully intend to take my time about that.” He brushed his mouth over hers in an unhurried kiss before stepping away.
Frustration shot through her. “A request, then.”
“Anything within my power to grant,” he promised, picking up a lighter and moving around the room, setting the candles alight.
“Once we get started, don’t stop touching me.”
“That is a promise I can absolutely keep.” He set the lighter aside and moved to the suitcase.
“What are you doing?”
“Condoms. I want to make sure they’re in easy reach.”
“Not necessary. I’m on birth control. So unless you have some other objection…”
“Well, this night just gets better and better.”
Holy hell, that hungry, predatory look on his face was a turn-on.
He seemed to scrape together some semblance of the civilized as he crossed back over to her, sliding his hands around her waist and drawing her to him. “I’ve been fantasizing about getting you out of this dress.”
She was absolutely on board with that. Naked was exactly where she wanted to be in short order. “Oh yeah? How does that fantasy go?”
“Something like this.” He turned her so that he could get at the laces of the bodice. “Have I mentioned, I’m glad you left your hair down? So soft and lovely.” He scooped it over one shoulder, running his fingers through the strands before applying his mouth to the sensitive skin of her neck, one hand flattened against her belly.
Piper felt her inner thighs loosen, wishing he’d take that hand either lower or higher. Or both. Without the barrier of the dress.
As if sensing her thoughts, he went to work on the laces, tugging them free of the loops, one by one, until the bodice loosened. “At first I was annoyed by the laces because, talk about inefficient. But then I realized that it forces me to slow things down, build anticipation.”
“I’m not sure I can take too much more anticipation.”
She felt his smile against the bare skin of her shoulders.
“Oh, I think you can take quite a bit more, Mrs. Stewart.” Those glorious, strong hands slid inside the dress to wrap around her torso, pulling her flush against him until she could feel his erection against her hip.
Impatient, Piper pressed back against him, satisfied at his groan. His palms slid up her body to cup her breasts. Her breath hissed out. Thank God the dress hadn’t allowed for a bra. The cut and boning of the dress allowed just enough room for his hands to stroke and knead, pearling her nipples. There was something thrilling about being touched this way, intimate, but still mostly dressed.