Some Like It Hot (17 page)

But not for long.

Mitch suddenly felt fully rejuvenated; the need to have her again rammed into him. He began pumping vigorously into her, over and over, relentlessly.

“Mitch!”

When the second orgasm came crashing down on them both, so soon behind the last, they both screamed out at the top of their lungs as they soared to heights so high, swift, and powerful, they thought death would surely follow.

They lay for a long moment in each other’s arms, not saying anything, still in awe at what they had just shared. Finally, Mitch spoke when he saw the unused condom on the nightstand. “We goofed again, baby.” He then thought about their bodies’ double explosion and added, “Big time.”

She smiled as she snuggled close to him. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get it right one day.”

“I may have gotten you pregnant tonight. You were real hot inside both times, and I filled you up pretty good.”

Gina smiled. She had always appreciated the fact that she and Mitch had been able to talk candidly and frankly to each other in the bedroom. That sort of sexual communication only enhanced the sensuality they shared. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t get pregnant tonight,” she whispered, turning in his arms and looking at him.

“You sound pretty sure of that.”

She leaned over and softly kissed his lips. “Trust me, I am.”

He lifted a brow, wondering if she had gone on the Pill or if she had used some other type of birth control and had failed to tell him about it. “How can you be so sure?”

She met his gaze and a smile tilted each corner of her lips. “Because a woman can’t get pregnant when she’s already pregnant.”

Gina saw his forehead bunch as he tried figuring out just what she meant. Then she saw the crinkle of happiness that immediately appeared in his eyes and the grin that suddenly shone on his mouth. “You’re having a baby?” he asked in awe, barely able to contain his happiness and excitement.

“That’s what the doctor said this morning.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I had planned to. Tonight. That was the reason for the surprise dinner.”

Mitch pulled her into his arms. “Oh, sweetheart, I can’t believe it. A baby. We’re going to have a baby.”

She nodded and wrapped her arms around him. “Are you happy about it, Mitch? I mean, are you truly, really happy?”

He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. “Yes, I am truly, really happy.”

She leaned back in his arms, contented with his answer. “I hope you know what this means.”

Mitch shook his head smiling. “No, what does this means?”

“It means, Mr. Farrell, that as soon as it can be arranged, you’ll have to make me Mrs. Mitchell Farrell all over again.”

He pulled her closer to him. “And it will be my pleasure. You’ve always been Mrs. Mitchell Farrell, Gina. In my heart you were always my wife.”

“Oh, Mitch, I love you so much.”

He leaned over and kissed her, thanking God for giving him this second chance with her, and believing in his heart that this was how things were meant to be. They were supposed to be together, and this time he was going to make sure it lasted forever.

A Month Later

Only family and close friends were invited to witness the marriage of Mitch and Gina. Corinthians’s father, the Reverend Nathan Avery, had been more than delighted to perform the ceremony. Trevor had happily served as Mitch’s best man and Corinthians had been Gina’s matron of honor.

They hadn’t told anyone about the baby, deciding to keep it their secret for a while. As Gina glanced around at the number of pregnant women in the room, she knew when the time came she would be in good company.

Syneda, Clayton’s wife, was due to have her baby in a few months and Jake’s wife, Diamond, was not far behind. Then there was Dex’s wife, Caitlin, who had recently found out with an ultrasound that they were having a son. Last, but definitely not least, was Nettie, the owner of Sisters, who was married to Ashton Sinclair, one of Trevor’s best friends. Everyone was excited with the news that Nettie was having triplets, all boys.

Gina glanced across the room at Mitch and smiled. He was talking to her brother and just looking at him sent heated desire racing down her spine. She couldn’t wait for them to be alone later.

“You look absolutely radiant.”

She smiled when Corinthians’s compliment snagged her attention. “Thanks, and I feel radiant as well as very happy. Today has been a very special day.”

Corinthians chuckled softly. “The first of many more to come.”

Gina’s smile widened when she thought of what her future had in store. “Yes, the first of many more to come, and I appreciate everyone who came to celebrate our joyous occasion.”

Corinthians took a sip of her punch, then said, “Speaking of joyous occasions, I wonder what’s wrong with Alex? He seems bothered about something.”

Gina glanced across the room at the man Corinthians was talking about, Alex Maxwell. He was Trask’s brother and a close friend of the Grant and Madaris families. Her smooth forehead furrowed. “I don’t know, but it looks like he’s glaring at Christy Madaris.”

“Hmm-mm, I think you’re right,” Corinthians said as her gaze followed Alex’s and lit on the beautiful young woman with vibrant red hair who had arrived moments before and was circling the room. Christy was the Madaris brothers’ baby sister and when it came to Christy, the brothers were overprotective.

Gina shook her head smiling. “I can’t believe how Christy has grown up, and she’ll be graduating from college next spring. I can remember when she was a teenager who had a big-time crush on Alex. I’d often wondered if she would grow out of it, and apparently she has.”

Corinthians nodded as she glanced back across the room to Alex. He was still glaring at Christy. She remembered a time Trevor wore a similar expression when he looked at her. A slight smile touched her lips and she wondered if perhaps history was about to repeat itself.

“So, you pulled it off, I see,” Trevor said to Mitch, smiling as he glanced across the room to where his sister stood talking to his wife. He could tell from the smile on Gina’s face just how happy she was.

Mitch chuckled. “Did you think for one minute that I wouldn’t?”

Trevor grinned. “No. That night I talked to you, you were pretty damn determined. I’m glad you’re back in the family, Mitch.”

“And I’m glad to be back.” He glanced across the room to where his father-in-law was standing talking to Reverend Avery. “Excuse me, Trevor, there’s something I need to take care of.”

He walked over to the two men. “Excuse me, Reverend Avery, but I would like to speak with Mr. Grant privately for a second.”

Nathan Avery smiled. “Sure thing, son. We were discussing our grandson there. I’ll check out those little sandwiches Stella just put out.”

When Mitch found himself alone with Gina’s father at first it was hard for him to gather up his thoughts. And it didn’t help matters that Maurice Grant was looking at him through dark eyes that reminded Mitch so much of Trevor when he wasn’t too pleased about something.

Mitch cleared his throat. “There was a reason I didn’t ask for Gina’s hand in marriage this time, sir.”

“Oh? Were you afraid I wouldn’t give it to you a second time?” Maurice Grant said, unsmiling.

Mitch shook his head. “No, I felt it wasn’t needed. You had given it to me once and a part of me felt you knew I was doing the right thing by getting her back.”

“And have you done the right thing, Mitch?”

“Yes, sir, I have. I love your daughter very much.”

Maurice didn’t say anything for a long moment. Then he let out a deep sigh. “I know you do. I’ve always known how you felt and I was fairly certain we hadn’t seen the last of you, although Gina was pretty convinced we had. So, I really wasn’t surprised when you showed back up in Houston.”

“You weren’t?”

“No.” The older man let out an amused chuckle. “In fact, I had expected you sooner.”

“I had a lot of issues to resolve.”

“And have you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. My daughter loves you very much, but I guess you know that.”

“Yes, sir, I know that.”

“And I guess I don’t have to tell you that I expect you to make her happy.”

Mitch shook his head, smiling. “No, sir, you don’t have to tell me that.”

“Good.” He extended his hand out to Mitch. “I’m glad to have you back in the family, son, and I know in my heart that you are the
best
man for her. You are the
only
man for her.”

A lump formed in Mitch’s throat. It had been important to him to regain this man’s trust and confidence. “Thank you.”

“Mitch?”

Mitch turned toward the soft, ultra-sexy voice and smiled when he saw Gina. “Yes, sweetheart?”

She glanced from him to her father, then back to him again. Concern showed in her eyes. “Is everything all right?”

He chuckled. “Yes, everything is fine. Come here, Mrs. Farrell.”

She closed the distance between them and walked straight into his opened arms. He held her tight and close to his heart. Tonight they would leave on a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, and St. Croix, for a four-week honeymoon. Two weeks for the honeymoon they’d never had the first time around and the other two for this marriage.

From now on everything between them would be
strictly pleasure.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply
our hearts unto wisdom.

—
PSALM
90:12

To my husband, Gerald Jackson Sr.
and
A special young lady, Sydney Rashan Snow

Sydney Corbain smiled as she watched her brother Linc steal a kiss from Raven, his bride, as they waltzed around the room, their first dance together as husband and wife. Tears of happiness shone in her eyes and she took a deep breath, then exhaled. This was how it was supposed to be for two people who loved each other.

Her smile widened as she acknowledged there were actually six people dancing around the room who loved each other, happy and eager to start their new lives together. This was the first triple wedding she had ever attended, and she had to admit it was one of the most beautiful. It was evident that Leigh Walcott Alexander, the professional event planner, along with the owners of Leo’s Supper Club, the Hardcastles, had worked hard to make the wedding and the reception special for the three couples.

She didn’t think she had seen such beautiful brides as Raven and her two sisters, Robin and Falcon. They were simply glowing for their husbands and there was no doubt in Sydney’s mind they were women well loved.

She glanced around the room and her gaze met that of Tyrone Hardcastle, one of the owners of Leo’s. This wasn’t the first time tonight that their gazes had met…and held. She could feel something between them—interest, curiosity, awareness—as well as something else.

An irresistible attraction.

She sighed deeply, frozen in place, as they continued to look at each other. His gaze began moving slowly over her face, studying her feature by feature. She wanted to look away but could not. Her senses were on high alert and she actually liked the excitement. At twenty-six, a sexual attraction she could handle, an emotional connection she could not.

The two of them had been introduced last year when she’d come from Memphis to D.C. to see her brother Linc, and within seconds she had felt an aura of acute sexual awareness that radiated between them. It was there in the intensity of his gaze whenever he looked at her, making a shiver of heated desire course through her body. Even now she could feel her reactions being triggered. She knew from the psychology classes she’d taken in college that sexual attraction was normal and a part of every human’s makeup.

Sydney sighed again. There was nothing normal about the desire she was feeling for Tyrone Hardcastle. She was an attorney, for heaven’s sake, programmed to deal with facts—specifics and details. But at that very moment, Tyrone was making her too confused to play the role. The strange thing about it was that she had never felt these strong vibes from his identical twin brother, Tyrell. Her reaction to Tyrone was one sure way to tell them apart, as well as the difference in hairstyle. She hadn’t spent enough time with either to know their temperament. Last October, exactly six months ago, she had learned the painful lesson that a person could be one way on the outside and totally different on the inside. Rafe Sutherlin had been the one to educate her. She was glad she had found out what type of inconsiderate person he was before she agreed to marry him.

So here she was, fighting off vibes she had never felt for Rafe, or any man for that matter. Everyone who knew her was aware that she was levelheaded in some things and impulsive in others.

Like now.

She and Tyrone were flirting with each other without saying a single word, yet flirting just the same. But so what? It was fun, spicy, and harmless. Each time they saw each other their attraction became more tempting and enticing, and she felt that Tyrone Hardcastle was worth every minute she was putting into it. Juilliard educated with a doctorate degree, he was responsible for the music and entertainment at Leo’s. She had to give him credit for how his skillful selection of music, every noteworthy tune, had enhanced the event. Those in attendance would remember the varied sounds and resonance of the reception as much as they did the wedding itself. Both had been crafted together in a way that made it one unforgettable event.

She could also give him credit for how he looked tonight. He was not dressed like a behind-the-scene worker, detached from the activities. Like the rest of the Hardcastles who felt a definite closeness to the three brides, he was dressed in formal attire like everyone else.

No man, she thought, should look that good in a tux and have such a striking profile. He wore his sandy brown hair in twists that fell to his shoulders. His skin was a golden brown and his eyes, still trained directly on her, were large, slanted, and clear brown. Like his twin, there was a distinctive mole on his left cheekbone and a strong cleft chin.

From what her sister-in-law Raven had told her, Tyrone was very much single, preferred to be called Roni by family and friends, and placed everything, including women, second to his music.

She shrugged. She didn’t have a problem with that since she’d also been accused of placing everything second to her career. At least that’s what Rafe had claimed. As she took a sip of her punch, thinking that even the fruity drink was first class, she decided to stop this game she was playing with Tyrone Hardcastle for now, since nothing could ever come of it.

But then, maybe, one day…