Flanked (22 page)

“I better get back to Sage. See ya’ll later.” Mustang tipped his hat to them and made his escape, but Garret didn’t miss the smirk on his face as he went.

They’d get through the wedding then he’d deal with this. The others would keep his secret, if only barely. Silver was obviously still in full deception mode. He’d have to get her alone and let her in on this latest development. Then they’d have to figure out what to do about it. The main question was should they tell Aaron they’d been having sex behind his back or not? Either way, it was certainly going to be an interesting weekend.

One thing should make her happy though—at least they could sneak off to be alone in Mustang’s trailer. Maybe he’d wait to tell her anything until after that. She’d probably be in a much better mood afterward.

“Hey, all.” Aaron walked up to the group and ensured Garret wouldn’t be able to tell Silver anything just yet. “I think we should find seats. Luke and his best man just went up to the front of the church, so I figure the ceremony should be starting soon.”

“All right. Let’s sit.” Garret shot Leesa and Chase one final warning glance, then followed behind Aaron and his plus one as he tried not to notice the outline of her ass in that dress.

Yup, one hell of a weekend.

The preacher started the ceremony and before long, Silver found herself having to wipe away her tears.

What the hell? She didn’t cry at weddings. And she barely knew Luke and Annie, so why of all weddings was she crying at this one? She sent a sideways glance at Aaron. He was focused on the altar so at least he hadn’t noticed her swiping at the moisture sneaking out of her eyes. One look at Garret showed her he was a little more observant. He smiled and slid his hand between their legs, running a finger up and down her outer thigh. It wasn’t sexual at all. More like he was comforting her, but knew he couldn’t hold her hand in public, so instead he let her know he was there for her with just a hidden touch.

It still didn’t make her feel better about this new development in her feminine psyche. When had she become such a sap? As the preacher droned on, she tried to justify her reaction. It had to be because the preacher knew Luke’s family so well, and he’d included so many touching details in the ceremony. Luke’s parents had been married in this church. Luke had been baptized here. Luke’s father’s funeral had been here.

It was the preacher’s assurance to the groom that his father was surely looking down upon them on this important day that had started the water works for Silver. And they continued straight through the exchanging of the vows and then the rings. She couldn’t help but remember the feel of Garret’s hands on hers when he’d slipped her grandmother’s ring on her at their own civil ceremony.

Neither of them wore the rings they’d exchanged. How could they when the marriage was still a secret? But she carried it everywhere with her, tucked away in her wallet. She wondered where Garret kept his.

The preacher echoed the words the justice of the peace had spoken to her and Garret just over a month ago and pronounced the couple at the altar husband and wife. Garret gave her leg a little squeeze and she knew he was remembering the same thing she was. An extra-fat tear spilled out and rolled down her cheek before she dashed it away.

Dammit. Her marriage to Garret was fake. Legal, but not built on love or meant to last a lifetime. She had to remember that. So why did she have these tears and an ache inside her that felt a bit like longing—longing to have what she saw in Luke and Annie’s eyes when they looked at each other?

“I never took you for the type to cry at weddings.” Garret leaned close, his voice soft and meant for her alone.

She let out a snort. He had no idea how true his words were. At least it had been the truth until he’d come into her life.

“All women cry at weddings,” she lied.

The organ music began again and the smiling couple made their way down the aisle, followed by the best man and maid of honor and then the guests. The action prevented more conversation between her and Garret, which was fine with Silver. She needed time to reconcile herself with these new emotions.

The reception was being held a short way down the road at Luke’s ranch, where an enclosed practice arena had been transformed into a wedding wonderland.

Tiny twinkling white lights hung from the wood braces in the ceiling and heaters were set up all around, making it feel cozy even in November. A band and a dance floor at one end, and buffet tables and seating for the guests at the other end, completed the set-up. Silver took it all in as they found an empty table and sat.

“Luke’s father was a champion roper and this is where he trained. Now Luke’s best man, Chris, is using it to train cutting horses.” Garret leaned close, but she still had to listen carefully so she could hear him over the music playing.

“Oh. Nice.”

Garret laughed next to her. “You don’t have to pretend you’re impressed.”

“I’m not pretending.” Silver actually thought it was nice. There was history here—family tradition and longtime friends. Who wouldn’t want that for their wedding day?

His brow rose. “Well, good. I’m glad you like it. Wanna dance?”

“Should we?” She glanced around. Would that further their plan or mess it up?

“I think we better. I have to talk to you. Alone.”

Her brows rose. “Okay.”

What could this be about? Silver wondered while Garret led her to the dance floor as the band played a slow tune.

His eyes focused on her face as he held her and swayed to the music. “So apparently Chase, Leesa and Mustang, and who knows who else, have all guessed that you and I have been sleeping together since the North Carolina event.”

“What?” Technically they’d done everything but sleep, but she got the idea. “How?”

“They said it’s obvious.” He shrugged. “The point is they think we should just tell Aaron.”

She let out a burst of air. “Do they know my brother at all?”

He laughed. “I know. That’s what I was thinking. He’s not going to take well to us hiding it from him. What the others don’t know though, is that Aaron won’t be suspicious that we’re spending time together because he’ll think it’s all part of us laying the groundwork for the lie.”

“When are we going to proceed with this lie anyway?” What was up with her today? She’d had a daily countdown to when she’d get to see Garret again, and now that she was here in his arms, she was feeling like a cranky bitch. It had to be the deception getting to her. On top of all these new emotions flying around thanks to this damn wedding.

“I guess in a few weeks. Maybe when the season starts up again.” Garret answered her question.

“Then why bother telling anyone at all we’re married if we’re just going to get divorced right afterward? Maybe we shouldn’t tell at all. Just have the whole thing be a secret. No one needs to know the marriage ever happened. After the divorce it’ll be as if it never had.” Silver’s frustration with the situation made her words sound harsher than she’d meant them to, but what she’d said was the truth. They’d planned for this thing to end, so why complicate it?

Garret pulled back a bit. “Is that what you want? Don’t tell anyone then just get the divorce as soon as possible?”

As soon as possible
. She didn’t particularly like the sound of that, but if that’s what he wanted… Silver shrugged. “Yeah. I mean, after you’re healed.”

He let out a long, slow breath. “All right. That’s what we’ll do then. We’ll tell Aaron as soon as we can get him in private.”

Garret continued to rock them slowly in time to the music as he stared off into the distance.

“Did you figure out someplace for us to be alone?”

He looked surprised at the question and glanced down at her. “Yeah. Mustang said his trailer is unlocked and we’re welcome to use it.”

“Good. When?” Maybe some good hard sex would knock her out of this funk she’d settled into.

“Whenever you want.” Garret continued to watch her with a strange expression on his face.

She glanced around the room. Hors d’eouvres were out but not the food for the buffet. If they disappeared during the meal, Aaron would notice they hadn’t eaten. But if they snuck out now, they’d probably get away with it. “Now. No one will notice we’re gone. They’ll think we were mingling or touring the ranch or whatever.”

“Now?” His brows rose. “Okay.”

Somehow she thought he’d be happier. He was, after all, about to get lucky, and she wasn’t even complaining about it being in some sort of trailer. Instead, he kind of looked like a man heading for sentencing. Interesting. Maybe a good hard fucking would knock Garret out of his funk too. It certainly wouldn’t hurt.

With a covert glance around, Garret steered her out of the reception and around the barn where she soon saw Mustang’s trailer. It wasn’t nearly as scary as she’d imagined. There weren’t even horses or bulls inside, just a fairly nice living space with exactly what she needed—a bed.

“This is pretty nice.”

Garret laughed as he closed the door behind them and flipped the lock. “You sound shocked.”

“I kinda am.” She didn’t like how he was still standing so far away. Silver remedied that by taking a step forward and planting her hands on his chest.

He put one hand on each side of her waist, but that was all. It was strange being face-to-face again after being apart. Yeah, they’d texted every day and talked at least once a week, but that felt different to this.

Maybe he was waiting for her to make the first move. Fine, she could do that. Her high-heeled boots beneath her dress gave her some height. She only needed to reach up a bit to get to his lips. She’d missed the sex, but she’d missed his kisses too. When her mouth touched his, she realized how much. He hesitated a second. Perhaps he was afraid of losing control. It had been a long time since they’d seen each other. But once he gave in, he was back to the old Garret, angling his mouth over hers and plunging his tongue inside. He tangled his hand in her hair and held her head tight.

His thigh wedged between hers and she groaned at the delicious friction it caused against her clit when she pressed closer. She pulled her mouth away from his. “Fuck me.”

“Don’t be in such a rush.” He leaned in again to kiss her.

He could be very frustrating sometimes. Like when he didn’t let her have her way. She was about to pout, and possibly bitch, when he reached his hand between them. He pulled up the hem of her dress and slid his fingertips beneath her panties. Her hips bucked forward the moment he connected with her hood ring. One touch on her clit and she was moaning.

Garret smiled against her mouth and began to work her with his fingers. He moved his mouth to her ear. “Still sensitive, I see.”

“Yeah, but not as bad as when I first met you.” She let out a low moan when he put more pressure into his stroke.

“Good. I don’t want to think you’ve been picking up strange men in stairwells to scratch your itch when I’m not around.” There was no joking in his tone.

“You’re the only strange man in my life.” She hissed in a breath as he hit a particularly good spot. “Oh, yeah. Right there. Don’t stop.”

There was no more talking as Garret’s touch pushed her over the edge. With her arms around his neck for support and his free hand on her back holding her, she came hard and probably much too loudly considering where they were. He waited until the last spasm had slowed and then she found herself lying on her back on the bed and not quite sure how she’d gotten there.

Still standing, Garret left his pants on, but open. He looked good dressed up for the wedding. As good as he’d looked the day they’d been married. He looked even better to her now as he covered himself with a condom.

Pushing her dress up and her panties down, Garret stepped between her spread thighs. She was going to offer to take her boots off, but the way he was eyeing her as he held one of her booted feet in each of his hands made her think they were doing it for him. Fine. She could appreciate that. His cowboy hat still being on as he slid inside her was doing it for her too.

He tilted his head back, his eyes squeezed closed, as he pushed inside her. She was more than ready, and he took advantage of that by setting a fast, hard pace.

“How many beers did you have?” she asked on a gasp as he rocked into her.

He opened his eyes and his gaze met hers. “One.”

“You should have had more.” She was ready for a good long fuck.

Garret let out a breathy laugh. “Sorry. I’ll slow it down and try to hold on for you.”

She certainly hoped he could. Who knew if they’d get more time together this weekend with Aaron around.

“Roll over.” He pulled out and let go of her feet.

Silver let him be bossy this once because she knew him well enough now to know what he wanted. She turned over and got up on her knees on the mattress. Garret wrapped his arms around her and slid inside her from behind, just like he had in the truck the night they’d met. And just like that first time, he reached down and found her clit.

She tilted her head to the side and let out a sigh as he ran his tongue up the side of her neck. “I love this position with you.”

A tug of pleasure shot through her as he pulled on her hood ring while sliding in and out of her.

“I love every position with you.” He swallowed hard enough she could hear it. “Now hush up and concentrate. I’m not going to last.”

Again, she let him be bossy, mainly because he started working her overly sensitive clit so hard and fast she couldn’t be bothered complaining. His body tensed behind her as he held on, waiting for her. The moment her muscles gripped him as her second orgasm of the day began, she felt him give in and let himself go.

Coming together, even in a borrowed trailer just steps from her brother and a arena full of people, was amazing. Then again, every time with Garret had been amazing. Yet they were flying away from each other again tomorrow and getting divorced when his rehab was finished.

With that thought, her funk returned full force right along with a heaviness in her chest that she had a feeling wouldn’t be going away anytime soon.