Sinners On Tour 06 Sinners at the Altar (3 page)

His cock twitched at whatever wild thoughts were circulating through that gloriously deviant mind of his.

“Sounds interesting. How about we try it tonight?”

She had expected him to protest her demand a little, but was delighted that he’d agreed. The man was so sexually experimental; so open to anything. It was one of the things she loved most about him and a quality she hadn’t realized was lacking in her past romantic interests until she’d found her sexual match in Brian. At first their sexual compatibility had been enough to keep her with him, but somewhere along the way she’d realized that while his body was an amazing gift, it was the man’s open and loving heart that was the real prize. And unlike her, Trey had probably realized that before Brian had branded him with lust.

Damn it. Why couldn’t she stop thinking about Trey this morning? Had she again dreamed about the way he’d looked when he’d stolen a kiss from Brian? She couldn’t deny Trey’s love-drenched look of longing still haunted her thoughts and dreams. Her lover had seemed completely unaffected by the kiss she’d witnessed Trey take from him. So if it hadn’t meant anything to Brian, why did it bother her so fucking much?

“We’ll take a detour to a sex shop after we pick out our rings,” she said, forcing thoughts of Trey from her mind. Her misguided jealousy was her issue, not Brian’s, and she wouldn’t let niggling insecurities about a long-ago tryst between a pair of drunken, testosterone-fueled teenagers
to darken her wedding day.

Completely oblivious to her internal struggles, Brian wrapped her in a tight embrace. “God, I love you, woman,” he said. “My turn to make you come.”

“Yeah, it is.”

His ingenious fingers moved between her legs to stroke her clit, his touch sending thoughts of Trey’s infatuation scattering and her knees buckling.

Chapter Three

Myrna hid her hand behind her back as Brian came after it with a monster of a diamond engagement ring. The platinum setting had channel set princess diamonds surrounding a round central stone large enough to kill a charging elephant.

“It’s too big,” Myrna protested. She’d been in love with the stunning designer ring until she’d glimpsed the price tag and had gone light-headed. The thing was worth more than her beloved Thunderbird.

“Try it on before you decide,” Brian suggested.

Resolved to tell him she didn’t like the way it looked on her finger, she held out her left hand and forced herself not to dissolve into a puddle of mush at the delighted smile on Brian’s handsome face. She was going to have to give the guy his way more often; he practically radiated happiness at his small victory.

He sank to one knee at her feet, and her heart dropped.

“Brian, what are you doing?” she whispered, glancing nervously at the store clerk, who grinned broadly, and then looked back down at the man at her feet.

“Asking you properly,” Brian said, gazing up at her with love shining in his eyes.

She scarcely noticed the bruised rings around those eyes, they were so filled with hope and happiness.

“Myrna Evans, I love you with all I am, have been, or will ever be. Will you marry me?”

“I already said I would,” she said around the lump in her throat.

“You should answer me properly,” he said. “In front of this witness who is about to make a huge commission.”

Myrna laughed because she was so damned happy. Her only other option was crying. And for the same reason.

“Yes, Brian Sinclair, I will marry you,” she said.

The clerk clapped her hands excitedly as Brian slipped the ring on Myrna’s left ring finger.

“Now you have to accept it,” he said with a crooked grin, “no matter how expensive it is.”

“You jerk,” Myrna said. She smiled down at her hand and her heart skipped a beat. Her vision blurred as her eyes filled with tears at seeing his ring on her finger for the first time. “You generous, wonderful, sweet
jerk
!”

She practically tackled him to the ground when she dropped into his arms and kissed him desperately. He chuckled against her lips, his arms tightening around her to draw her closer. After a moment, he turned his face toward the jewelry counter, and Myrna moved her kisses to his jaw and neck.

“We’ll also take a couple of wedding bands to go,” Brian said to the clerk. “As you can see, we’re a bit anxious to get to the honeymoon.”

After purchasing her
ridunckulous engagement ring and their matching wedding bands, they headed to a nearby bridal shop on foot.

Brian jerked Myrna’s arm and she gasped in pain. She drew to a sudden halt and turned to him to ask him what the fuck he thought he was doing when she discovered she’d almost walked into the doorframe of the bridal shop. She’d been so busy staring
at her engagement ring, transfixed by its sparkle that she’d probably have earned a set of shiners to match his if he hadn’t yanked her out of harm’s way. The ring might be extravagant for her taste, but it was also stunning and, more importantly, it symbolized how much she meant to Brian.

She gaped at the huge rock at the realization. Holy fuck, he must love her a lot.

Inside the shop, Myrna explained her dire situation, and a bridal consultant shoved ten different dresses into her arms before showing her to a dressing room. She had to find something that fit right off the rack because there was no time for alterations.

After almost an hour of trying on dresses, the growing pile of discarded gowns was starting to depress her. The first didn’t fit. The next made her look flat-chested. Another two were downright ugly; were all those bows on her ass really necessary? One not even close to her style never made it off the hanger.

On Myrna’s seventh attempt, she was starting to think she should just get married in her business attire. Brian liked when she wore suits. She was sure he wouldn’t mind her wearing one at the ceremony. Her bridal assistant, Carla—
we’ll find you something perfect, honey, I’ve never failed yet
—finished zipping the latest dress and stood back to study Myrna. Her breath caught, and she covered her wide mouth with trembling fingers. Myrna lifted her eyes to the three reflections of herself in the mirror, expecting yet another disappointment. She never expected to burst into tears.

“That’s the one,” Carla said, pulling Myrna, now sobbing uncontrollably, into her arms to rub her back until she got a handle on her emotions.

“I’m sorry. I can’t believe I’m crying.” Myrna drew away and dabbed at her eyes, feeling like a complete ass for getting so emotional over a stupid dress.

“Happens all the time,” Carla assured her. She smiled broadly. “Are you wearing it out, then?”

“I don’t want him to see me in it yet.”

Brian was sitting just outside the dressing room waiting for her.

“Do you have someone to help you with the zipper?”

She supposed she could ask one of the guys to help her on the bus. “I’ll figure something out.”

She turned back to the mirror and ran her hands down the rumpled satin bodice.

The white dress was form fitting from breast to hip; the skirt was loose and long and gathered on one side by a decorative design embroidered in silver thread. The hem just brushed the floor. She turned to examine the back, which
had a simple train that extended a few feet behind her. The row of pearl buttons that hid the back zipper was a lovely bonus that ended in another design embroidered in silver that bunched the train just below her rump. She’d wanted to look beautiful for Brian when he took her as his wife and, in this dress, she felt beautiful. She held her arms out and shook her hips side to side, watching the skirt sway enticingly. Perfect. The dress was perfect.

“Did you find anything yet?” Brian called from outside the dressing room door. “It’s getting late, sweetheart. Just pick something.”

“Just pick something,” Carla said and rolled her eyes. “Men just don’t get it.”

But Myrna knew when he saw her in this dress, he’d get it. Because the sap was far more sentimental than she was.

“I think I found something suitable,” Myrna called to her eager fiancé. “I’ll be out as soon as I take it off.”

“I want to see it.” The door handle rattled, but it was locked.

“You’ll have to wait,” Myrna said. “I want it to be a surprise.”

Chapter Four

Brian paced up and down the aisle of Sinners’ tour bus. His four band mates watched him as if they were spectators at Wimbledon. He paused before the closed door at the end of the corridor and listened for sounds of Myrna moving inside the bedroom. Silence assaulted his ears. She
had
to be in there. There was no escaping the bedroom. The window was too small, and he’d have noticed if she’d tried to sneak past him.

Brian couldn’t wait to see her in her dress.
Couldn’t wait to see
her
, dress or no dress. But even though he willed it¸ the doorknob didn’t turn. The door didn’t open. His woman didn’t appear, leap into his arms, and kiss him senseless. Not yet. What was taking her so long?

Trey had helped her zip herself into the garment ages ago. Well, maybe it had only been twenty minutes ago, but it
felt
like ages, especially since Trey had made a big show about how gorgeous she looked as he’d left her alone in the bedroom to fix her hair or whatever was taking her an eternity.

Brian wrapped the rope of chain that hung from his belt loop around one finger and jangled it repeatedly. His pre-concert jitters had nothing on these pre-wedding jitters. The soles of his feet were cold, as if ice water filled his boots. At least pacing kept his mind off the turbulence in his stomach. Sort of. He turned and headed back up the aisle toward the front of the bus, moving past the bathroom, the bunks stacked on each side of the corridor, and the dining table.

Like a parking garage gate, an arm dropped in front of him. Brian drew to a halt and lifted a questioning brow at his best friend. His best man. His musical soul mate—rhythm guitarist Trey Mills.

“Will you sit down?” Trey said. “You’re driving me insane.”

“Can’t help it. I’m freaking out,” Brian said.

Eric stopped tapping his drumsticks on the tabletop and glanced up at him. “Why? You’re not having second thoughts, are you? Beca
use if you are, Myrna’s gonna need a lot of consoling for her broken heart.” Eric grinned, looking entirely too pleased with the idea. “I think I’ll go check on her.”

When he started to climb out
of the booth, Brian sat beside him and shoved him up against the wall to prevent him from trying to console Myrna, who needed no consoling. If anyone needed consoling, it would be him. And Eric would not be the one he turned to.

“I’m not having second thoughts,” Brian said. “I think maybe she is.”

“She’s not.” Sed’s deep voice sounded just behind Brian’s left shoulder. “She’s happy.
With
you. I’m not sure why, exactly, when she could have had me...”

Brian snapped his head up to glare at Sed, and Sed chuckled.

“Easy, Sinclair.” Sed shoved his shoulder. “Your prize is safe. I’m just fucking with you.”

Brian wasn’t so sure. Sed had a way with women. Brian’s women. And Sed had been moping all day about his ex-fiancée. The one who had left and ripped his heart out. The one he’d seen the night before for the first time in two years.
The one who caused grown men to fight burly bouncers for reasons still not entirely clear. Sed might be trying to play it cool, but Brian knew better. Jessica had wrecked the man and until Sed let her go for good, he wasn’t ever going to get out of his romantic slump. Or stop imposing that romantic slump on those around him.

“So what are you going to say to her?” Jace asked.

Brian glanced across the table at their bass player. Jace had been on edge all day. The youngest member of the band checked the time again, before briefly meeting Brian’s eyes. Something was going on with Jace, not that he’d ever share what it was. But he was acting weird even for Jace.

Perplexed, Brian said, “Say to her?”
He had absolutely nothing nice to say to Jessica Chase.

“Your vows,” Jace clarified. “They’re kind of important.”

Oh. He’d meant
that
her. The important one.

“I don’t know,” Brian said. “I figured it would be best to wing it. So it’s more sincere.”

“Wrong,” Trey said. “As nervous as you are now, how do you think you’re going to feel during the actual ceremony?”

The only thing Brian was nervous about was that the wedding might not take place. What was taking her so long to get ready?

“Do you still have the rings?” he asked Trey.

“Yes. I promise I didn’t hock them for beer money.”

“Let me see.”

Trey sighed and lifted his butt out of the bench seat so he could slide his hand into the front pocket of his jeans. He slid his hand deeper, a confused look on his face. “I’m sure they’re in here somewhere.”

Brian’s heart stuttered in his chest.

Trey checked his other pocket. “This is not good,” he said. “Maybe you need to check for me.” He held his pocket open in invitation.

“Stop fucking around, Trey.” Brian reached across the table and grabbed Trey around the neck.

Trey’s pained outrush of breath gave Brian pause. He’d forgotten about Trey’s head injury. They’d all gotten into that little fight at the strip club the night before and were suffering various afflictions. Perhaps Brian had gotten off easy with his two black eyes. At least he didn’t have a huge knot on the back of his head.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Trey closed his eyes and lifted a finger at Brian. After a moment, he opened his eyes. “Yeah. It comes and goes.”

“I still think we need to take him to a hospital,” Sed said.

“Brian’s getting married today,” Trey said.

“So?”

“I’m the best man.”

“We’ll go after the wedding, then.”

“We have a concert.”

“And?” Sed’s look of warning would have sent most men running, but Trey just shook his head in annoyance.

“Dare will rip off my junk and feed it to jackals if we miss this performance,” Trey said.

Sinners just so happened to be opening for Dare’s band, Exodus End, at Las Vegas’s Mandalay Bay in about four hours.

Eric burst out laughing. “Where’s he going to find a jackal?”

“The zoo. How the hell should I know? He’s Dare. He has connections.”

If Trey needed a doctor, Brian didn’t want him to put off getting treatment for any reason. Not even the much anticipated wedding that he and Myrna had been planning for two entire days. “Myrna and I could postpone—”

“I’m not going to the hospital.”

“You will if we make you,” Sed said.

“I’m fine. Fuck. Get off my back.”

“I think you should go,” Brian said. “If you’re fine, they’ll just look you over and send you on your way.”

“After I sit in the ER waiting room for five hours.” Trey unwrapped a cherry sucker and stuck it into his mouth. “Not going.”

Brian heard the bedroom door open. His heart leapt to his throat. He was on his feet even before his bride appeared in the doorway.

The fitted bodice of her gorgeous white dress pressed her breasts up and together in a most beguiling manner while its gathered skirt made her waist look impossibly tiny and her hips look extra curvy. Myrna covered the center of her chest with one dainty hand. Light caught the diamond engagement ring on her finger. The ring Brian had put there a couple of hours ago. The ring that proved she’d agreed to be his. The ring that he’d convinced her to accept even though she’d protested its expense. He was proud of his small victory. The diamond was ginormous. No guy would ever consider hitting on her with
that
rock on her finger.

Myrna’s auburn hair was pulled back in an elegant twist with loose tendrils framing her beautiful face. She’d applied her make-up to make the green in her hazel eyes pop, and the coral color that had been applied to her soft, pouty lips made them look even more kissable than usual.

Stunning. His woman was stunning. And his.

Even though Myrna’s physical beauty stole Brian’s breath, there was something that rocked his world even more than her face and her body. It was the blended look of love, anticipation, and
trust
in her wide eyes as she stared at him from the end of the corridor that had him completely out of his head.

“I think I’m ready,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

Brian couldn’t keep his hands off her for another moment. He dashed down the hallway and swept her into his arms, drawing the full length of her body against him.

“You shouldn’t kiss me yet,” she said breathlessly.

“Why?”

“I just put on lipstick.”

“Then you’re going to have to put it on again.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can live with that.”

He lowered his head, pausing with his lips a hair’s breadth from hers. His heart thrummed with anticipation, and his cock stirred to attention against his upper thigh. After a moment, her eyes flipped open. He watched her pupils constrict as she focused on his eyes.

“You’re right,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t kiss you.”

“Why not?”

“I want to marry you first.”

“Then let’s get going, because I really need to be kissed. Among other things.” Her hands slid over the white dress shirt she’d talked him into wearing. “You look so handsome in this shirt. I want to bite off your buttons.”

At her words, he no longer felt like a douche for wearing it for her.

Brian took her hand and walked backward down the bus aisle toward the exit, tugging her with him. He couldn’t take his eyes off her even to watch where he was going. “Trey, I hope you found those rings,” he said as he passed the dining table.

“I’ve got them. Where are we going?”

“The first drive-thru wedding chapel we encounter.”

“We can’t all fit in the Thunderbird,” Eric said.

“We’ll just shove you and Jace in the trunk,” Trey said.

“We’ll follow on my motorcycle,” Jace said.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” Trey asked, wrapping an arm around Jace’s shoulders.

“I don’t call a trip in the trunk of a car with Eric an adventure. More of a nightmare.”

“Hey,” Eric said, “I took a shower this morning.” He sniffed his armpit. “
And
remembered deodorant, you lucky motherfucker.”

Trey laughed.

Brian hoped the ceremony didn’t take too long. He had a powerful need to strip that dress off Myrna’s gorgeous body and get her worked up enough to bite off his buttons.