The Complete Groupie Trilogy (107 page)

As they stood together next to Jake and Shannon, Graham could no longer deny that Vanni had truly come full circle. He wasn’t just using her for his own gain anymore. His face brightened the minute he saw her across the room, and he looked happier standing there with Andy than he had looked when being applauded by a roomful of strangers.

Her dream had come true. She had truly won his love.

Graham scanned the room for Maggie. She had dressed up for the occasion. Her bright red hair stood out against her pale skin and the wispy, yellow dress she wore. Her lovely face was framed by the makeup she wore, no doubt tricks she had learned from Jorge, and when their eyes met he saw that same look of affection that Andy had worn for Vanni.

Only this time, that look belonged to him.

He smiled and walked to where she stood. He could have asked her to dance; he could have toasted her with champagne. But truth was he had had enough of the party. He was through sharing.

He took Maggie by the hand and led her toward the car so they could go home.

They shared a comfortable silence on the car ride to Malibu. He was constantly amazed how they could be so close and not say anything at all. It all fit like a glove. He didn’t hesitate as he lifted her up and carried her through the door, taking her by surprise. “What are you doing?” she giggled.

“Something I should have done a long time ago,” he told her with a crooked grin. He kicked the door closed behind them and carried her toward his bedroom.

“Graham,” she said softly, but he shut her up with a kiss. She melted against him when his tongue parted her lips and took possession of her mouth. There was no question, he asked no permission. This was their night – he knew it the minute their eyes locked at the party.

The past was put safely to pasture. Their future was at hand.

He laid her gently on the bed. Her blue eyes were wide as she watched him take off his jacket and unbutton his white shirt. He shrugged it free before he joined her, taking her into his arms. “You wanted to wait until I was sure you weren’t a substitute,” he said as he looked down into her eyes. He touched her hair, his fingers flowing through each coppery strand. “From your red hair,” he whispered, before his finger traced her face, “to your cute little freckles…” He touched her mouth with the tip of his thumb, “Those full, honey lips,” he said as his hand traveled toward her breast, “to your perfect breasts that fill my hands as if they were made to,” he looked back into her eyes. “You’re my Mags, through and through. You look like no one else. You feel like no one else.” He bent closer and whispered against her mouth, “I want you like no one else.”

With a groan her mouth parted and he kissed her long and deep. She was breathless when he pulled away. “It took me a while but I finally figured it out. Everyone else has been a substitute for you.”

Tears sprang into those eyes that always stared at him with wonder, with longing… with love. “Oh Graham,” she said as she wrapped herself around him. He kissed her harder. He loved the sound of his name on her lips. His hand ran up her bare leg, under her dress, to cup her hip as he pulled her closer.

She arched against him and his mouth found the hardened peak of her breast through her dress. Her fingers tangled in his hair as his tongue ran tiny, hot circles on the fabric. She didn’t stop him as he pushed the material away for a taste of her skin.

Instead her legs scissored behind his hips as he sucked her breast into his mouth. Her fingers dug into his bare back as he toyed with her and teased her with the tip of his tongue. She had wanted him so badly for so long; she felt her whole body ignite under him.

She, too, was tired of waiting.

He lifted her up to unzip her dress, sliding it down over each milky shoulder. He made it a game to kiss his way down her body, across each little freckle, until he had her bare and beautiful underneath him. Her skin felt like silk to his touch, and his body hardened and reached for her through his own restrictive clothing.

Her fingers unfastened his slacks, pushing them down over his hips, revealing his body to her at last. She had seen him naked many times, but this was the first time she saw him as a lover. He was all man as he strained for her, and her fingers gently wrapped around him.

“Maggie,” he breathed into her mouth before he kissed her again. He shuddered as she caressed him, cupping him gently, stroking him decisively. Her hunger was tempered by her innate tenderness, driving him crazy with his desire for her. Every sensation was intense as the first time he had been touched by a woman. “I need you,” he pleaded, delirious to be inside her at last.

She guided him between her legs. She felt so warm and wet, and opened up to him like a new virgin as he sank deep inside of her. At first he couldn’t even move. He luxuriated in how she felt around him. It was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. He looked down into her eyes. The last barrier had been crossed.

They shared hot, open-mouthed kisses as he started to move inside of her. She met each stroke, her fingers buried in each hip to guide him. Their passion grew more urgent, as if they were afraid they’d completely go up in smoke before they reached their destination.

He filled her completely, with each stroke her eyes widened as he reached deeper within her. “Oh, Graham,” she would whisper over and over, as she saw the reflection of her desire in the depths of his darkened eyes.

He toyed with her full bottom lip between his teeth as his hand slipped between them. The minute he touched her she shot off like a rocket. Her body shuddered around him as she moaned through the first intense orgasm, which he encouraged to linger through the nimble manipulation of his delicate forefinger.

She bucked against him and he met each gyration with a forceful, possessive stroke. When he felt himself start to lose control he buried himself deep within her with an incoherent grunt. He felt her body spasm all around him, which only served to make his climax more intense.

He was out of breath and couldn’t speak for moments after the last shudder passed. It was the first true orgasm he had felt since he was shot, but it felt almost like the first time he’d ever come with anyone. She looked lovely and sated as she traced his strong chin with her finger. “You are amazing,” he said softly. “I can’t believe I almost missed this. I’m an idiot.”

She grinned as she wrapped her entire body around his, keeping him deeply sheathed inside of her. There was no way she’d ever let him go again. “But you’re my idiot,” she claimed.

He kissed her softly. “All yours, Mags,” he said as he hugged her tight. “All yours.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

June 16, 2011

Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Candles illuminated the living room of Andy’s and Vanni’s house, while soft music played from their sound system. They danced around the living room, a fitting evening to their date. Bubbly sparkling cider and the remnants of Chinese takeout sat on the coffee table, where they had fed each other after a rare day off from the studio. Their wedding was the very next day; there was no way they could have concentrated on anything else.

With Kelly’s help, Andy had thrown together an intimate backyard wedding. They had rented an archway due to be delivered the next morning. It was painted white, covered with dark green leaves and white roses. Under that archway they would pledge their devotion, one to the other. Vanni couldn’t wait. There were no cold feet, no second guesses. He didn’t want to wait another day before Andy Foster became Andy Carnevale. He bought her a diamond band to go with her engagement ring, and he was dying to put it on her finger.

Their happily ever after was but a day away, and the minutes were ticking by at a snail’s pace. It was way worse than waiting to see what Santa left under the tree on Christmas morning. He knew what his gift would be, and he couldn’t wait to unwrap it. He hugged her close as they danced. “Just think. Tomorrow we’ll dance together as husband and wife.”

She smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I can’t wait,” she said. She could hardly believe it was true.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow night,” he growled playfully into her ear as he cupped her hips in both hands. Her big, pregnant belly prevented him from getting too close. “If someone will let me get past the gate,” he said as he rubbed her hard tummy. “I guess we can’t call her bean anymore.”

“More like basketball,” Andy groaned. Her last doctor’s appointment showed that their little girl was a healthy size, and she had entered her eighth month of pregnancy with a clean bill of health. She was finding it more painful to walk as their daughter slipped further down in her pelvis, and teased Vanni that she’d be waddling down the aisle.

He responded, saying she’d be the sexiest penguin he’d ever seen.

He led her by the hand to sit in their large sectional sofa that faced the fireplace. “Maybe we should decide what we will name her for real,” he suggested as he pulled her down to cuddle her close. “Given it anymore thought?”

She shook her head. With the wedding and the show, much thought of what would happen after their baby was born was put on hold. She’d think about at night, after he’d leave their house in Palos Verdes and return to Redondo Beach, but it didn’t seem right to come up with a name without him. She figured they’d come up with it together once they were married and could focus all their attention on the baby.

They were in the home stretch now, with nothing more to do but wait for the blessed arrival.

She had suggested they name the baby Giovanna, after him, but he shook his head. He wanted their daughter to have a clean slate, to be named something completely unique to her. He wasn’t even sold that she should have an Italian name, but Andy wanted to celebrate her daughter’s ethnic heritage. He’d shake his head after every suggestion. “Antonia? Francesca? Serafina? Madonna?” He gave her a pointed look. “How about Renata?”

Vanni cocked his head thoughtfully. “What does it mean?”

She reached for her phone on the coffee table. After a few seconds of research she said, “Reborn.”

He smiled as he hugged her close. “I like it. What do you think” he asked her stomach. “Do you like Renata?”

They laughed as they watched her tummy jump. “I guess that settles it,” she said.

“Renata Rose Carnevale,” he said. He pulled Andy closer for a kiss as his large hand spanned her large tummy.

She sighed as she submitted to his kiss. Her whole body came alive whenever he touched her. The last few weeks had been magical. He had given her a letter, to put into words how sorry he had been for all the things he had done. He had apologized for Lourdes and for Kat and finally for Holly. He told her he’d do whatever she wanted – that his life was hers now, and he’d never do anything behind her back again. He had presented to her what he wanted to do for Holly’s son, which included joint custody, something they could talk to Holly about together after her baby was born.

So far Holly hadn’t pressured him to visit her or participate in her pregnancy beyond the occasional phone call or text message. This was a huge relief to Andy, who felt his giving in to these plaintive demands was unnecessarily leading her to believe they had a chance at a relationship. After he told her about buying Angelo, the bear for their son, she wasn’t surprised when he confessed about Holly kissing him.

“It’s understandable, Vanni,” she told him. “You’re not setting boundaries.”

They both decided that keeping his distance now, especially as he was doing everything for Andy and their family, was necessary.

Holly must have understood on some level. When they talked, she’d give him reports on her health and the baby, but would never ask him to visit. She often said she was too tired to see anyone. After everything she’d been through with her pregnancy, he wasn’t surprised.

It gave him the freedom to devote any energy he wasn’t putting into
Fierce
into his relationship with Andy.

For Andy there were flowers and gifts, he’d make her dinner and massage her back, which had started to ache from the precious cargo she was carrying. He made sure that even if they worked long hours at the studio, he always spent a few hours with her before he’d go home for the night. They had a baby grand piano in the new house, where he’d toy around with new songs for her or their daughter, and he bought a toy baby grand piano for the nursery. He longed to pass his love of music to his little girl.

She already loved the sound of his voice, as if she knew it was her daddy. He’d sing to Andy’s belly and touch her lovingly, and she’d always respond to the sound of his voice.

Often they would raise Andy’s shirt so he could celebrate all the miraculous changes in her body. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and told her that constantly.

She’d bemoan her stretch marks, so he’d rub lotion into her tightly stretched skin. She’d whine about her swollen ankles, so he’d massage her feet. He considered it his highest honor to answer her every need. He even painted her toenails, although both of them decided after he was through that he’d best stick to singing.

This last night, the night before they would marry, she had only one need. She needed to be with her man. They had sworn to wait until their wedding night, but each time they touched their desire grew more urgent. They had dedicated the last few weeks to the dating and courtship process. Now all that was left was to come together and become one, in body and in soul.