This Love's Not for Sale (38 page)

“So what’s your
question again?” Tucker asked as his eyes rested on her breasts. It was hard for him to remain coherent when Lilliana was so close to him. 

Lilliana emphasized every word.
“What is it for?”

“What do you mean? It’s your
profit sharing check.”

Lilliana’s lashes flew up and her gaze bore into Tucker. Didn’t she know what she had signed?

“Lilly, you act like you’re surprised. Didn’t you read the contract before you signed it?”

“Well, not exactly. I was still v
ery upset with you and... I thought I sold it. I received the big check for the five acres and the house.”

Lilliana’s breasts rose and fell under her labored and excited breathing
, and Tucker shook his head to force himself to concentrate.

Tucker’s voice took on a disciplinarian tone.
“You should always read anything before you sign it.”

Lilliana rolled her eyes. “I’m well aware of that, thank you. I don’t need a lecture, Professor McGrath.”

Tucker’s mouth lifted in a lop-sided grin. He had missed her sarcasm. Lilliana did a double take and her eyes rested on his mouth. In that instant, her lips parted and Tucker could hear the sharp intake of air. His smile. How could he forget? It was his secret weapon.

Tucker tried to flash his teeth without being obvious.

Lilliana blinked several times and her eyes became glassy. “So… profit sharing? You mean the land is still mine? But what about the big check?”

“The large check was for the
lease of your land for five standing years. It was payment up front to cover the rental of it. The smaller check is part of the profit sharing of the organic crops that are being grown and harvested there. You’ll receive those checks quarterly. After five years you can choose to either renew Farm Aggregates contract or end it.”

Lilliana threw herself into one of the chairs across from his desk.

“But you made it sound like I was selling my land. Why would you do that?” she whispered through a strained and fragile voice.

Tucker sat on the edge of his desk, watching as Lilliana’s emotions played on her face.

“Because you were still angry with me and I knew you wouldn’t listen to anything I had to say. I lied so I could get you to at least look over the contract. I assumed you had. Hell, you signed it.”

“But… what about the original contract?” she stared at Tucker, baffled.

“That was just a place holder until I got everything ironed out. I didn’t want you running to someone else to sell your land before I could get the details sorted through.”

“That’s so deceiving!” Lilliana’s temper flared. “What if I had signed it?”

“I wouldn’t have done anything with it. And, honestly, I knew you wouldn’t.”

Lilliana stood and paced the office, mumbling unintelligibly under her breath.

“Why, Tucker? After all your lies, why would you help me out like that?” she asked, turning her face away from him.

Tucker swallowed and managed a feeble but completely heartfelt answer,
“Because I love you.”

Lilliana whirled around and faced Tucker with a look of denial. “You mean
loved.
”

Tucker shook his head slowly. “No. Love: Present tense.”

Lilliana’s legs wobbled and Tucker thought she was about to do down. He lunged toward her and pulled her into his arms. The warmth of her body and divine smell overpowered him and his heart dropped to his toes, and he suddenly felt weak in the knees, too.

Lilliana pouted her bottom lip and rested her hands
on his chest. “You don’t really mean that. You lied to me.”

“Yes, I do mean
it. I wish I didn’t. Hell, my life would be easier if I didn’t. But you won my heart long before you think; somewhere in between the apple crisp and the animal shelter. Maybe even sooner if I’m completely honest with myself.”

The sun shining in Lilliana’s eyes reflected astonishment.
“That was almost the beginning.”

“I tried to tell you that.
That conversation with Darren… I was so pissed off that he had gotten in my face and was asking for an explanation. I felt like I didn’t owe him anything so I didn’t deny his accusations. I should have. Every day I regret that I didn’t, but my fucking pride didn’t let me.”

Lilliana stared, speechless for a brief moment. “That night that I gave myself to you, why did you go so easy on me?”

Tucker cocked his head furrowed his eyebrows. “Submission is a gift, Lilly, and I would never take advantage of that. The fact that you said no limits was enough for me. You ruined me, too, Lilly.”

Lilliana shook her head, trying to process Tucker’s words.

“Since I’m coming clean, I should also admit that those biscuits you ate weren’t really my mother’s recipe. They were store bought,” Tucker smiled guiltily.

Lilliana’s eyes and expression softened. Wrapping
her arms over Tucker’s shoulders, she caressed the strong tendons at the back of his neck. “I already knew that, but I didn’t want to hurt your feelings by calling you out.”

Tucker’s mouth curved upward in a hopeful smile. “Can we start over
, Lilly? From the beginning, but without the lies?”

“Yes, I want to. I’ve missed you so much, Tuck,” Lilliana’s voice broke with sadness.

Tucker felt a warm glow flow through his body that started in his buzzing brain and worked its way to his tingling toes. “Lilly of the Valley… tell me this isn’t another cruel dream. Tell me you’re really standing here saying we’re going to try again.” The desperation in Tucker’s voice was difficult for him to hide as he tried to maintain his cool.

“Yes, try again, f
rom the beginning. You. Me. Us. Again.” Lilliana’s eyes focused on Tucker’s mouth and her arms clamped around his neck tighter.

Tucker’s ego was restored
when he felt her arousal and saw the acquiescence in her eyes that he had missed like the air in his lungs.

Tucker puffed his chest out and smiled with an air of confidence.
“You got it bad for me.”

Lilliana wrinkled her nose at him.
“If by
got it bad
you mean I want to slap you upside your pugnacious…”

“Stop talking, Lilly,” Tucker whispered, his mouth inching closer to hers.

Lilliana smiled and opened her mouth, but not to speak, to accept his carnal kiss. Tucker nipped her bottom lip and breathed into her mouth…

“My pet.”

Tucker waited impatiently at the altar, his eyes fixated on the door at the far end of the isle. He detested waiting and now, of all days, he was waiting for his bride-to-be. Lilliana was taking too long and he began to wonder, had he been the victim of a runaway bride? The entry music stopped and restarted three times. Everyone was looking to him for some kind of answer, but he didn’t know anymore than the guests what the hell was going on. Darren’s eyes widened and he shrugged his shoulders when Tucker looked over to him for some kind of sympathy. He was glad to have worked things out with him, at Lilliana’s insistence, of course.

The music started a fourth time and a mocking voice in Tucker’s head hammered at his resolve. He lost all patience and stomped up the aisle and into the back room where Lilliana was hiding out. Throwing the door open, he found Lilliana sitting on the floor and mumbling incoherently. Tucker’s irritation faded and he gathered her into his arms and held her snugly.

“My sweet, Lilly…”

“Oh, Tucker…” she simpered, her eyes full of tears.

“Christ, pet, calm down. Just breathe.”

He watched her closely as she followed his instructions and her rapid breathing slowly subsided. He stood, helped her up and guided her to a long couch. The fear exuding from her was heartbreaking. Didn’t she want to marry him? He knew she loved him, so why the hesitation? She had only let on about her nervousness on a few occasions during the planning, but nothing to this extent.

“Explain to me how that over-sized brain of yours works. My collar around your neck is fine, but my ring around your finger is making you vacillate? How the hell does that work?”

Lilliana moved her shoulders in a shrug of confusion as if she didn’t even know the answer herself. She smiled but the terror in her eyes was all too evident. “I love you, please don’t question that. I just… why do we have to sign a piece of paper to prove that?”

“I want you and our children to have my name,” he winked. Tucker flashed his teeth, trying to put her ease. It worked every time and this time was no different. Lilliana’s eyes moved to his mouth and she sighed.

“God, you have the most amazing molars,” she whispered.

“Let’s not forget about my bicuspids.”

“Yes, those, too,” Lilliana chuckled.

“So are we going through with this?” Tucker asked, quirking an eyebrow at Lilliana.

Her eyes widened as if she had momentarily forgotten why they were there. Tucker was growing more eager than ever but he didn’t want to push Lilliana.

“When did you know you wanted me? I mean
really
wanted me?” Lilliana asked.

Tucker knew the answer without even having to think: “The moment I saw those mysterious eyes at the dentist’s office.” He lifted her face to his and pecked her forehead. “When you told me
I couldn’t begin to fathom the amount of fucks you didn’t give about what I wanted.” Another kiss on the corner of her mouth. “The first time you allowed me to spank that heavenly ass of yours.” He swiped his tongue across her lips. “Every time we shared a bed and you lay in my arms.” His tongued dipped into her mouth. “When you accepted my collar.” His mouth crushed down onto hers briefly. “But the real moment was when you told me that we could try again and start over. I knew then that you would be mine until death do us part.” At last, he wrapped his hand behind her neck and hauled her into his deep and possessive kiss, burying his tongue deep inside her mouth. Lilliana panted as their lips separated, her eyes still closed. “I love, Lilly of the Valley, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know, am I?”

Lilliana’s eyes fluttered opened. “No, you’re not. But… maybe we can just stay perpetually engaged. Permanently affianced. Eternally bound by a promise. Betrothed until the end of time…”

Tucker had heard enough. Lilliana’s plea was halted by him standing so suddenly it scarcely registered on her radar. In one fluid motion, he snatched her up and heaved his bride over his shoulder, his arm over the back of her legs holding her firmly in place. He was taking his bride, one way or the other. Lilliana was going to be his
forever.

***

“Tucker, wait!” Lilliana shrieked out of breath as his bouncing movements compressed her diaphragm and made her unable to get a complete sentence out.

“I’m done fucking waiting. We’re doing this. I love you, now stop talking.”

Lilliana panted and tried to squirm out of Tucker’s grip, but his muscular arms were too strong. There was no way he was really going to haul her down the aisle over his shoulder like some kind of Neanderthal, was he?

Oh, God, he was.

Tucker kicked the door open and the chorus to
On Top of the World
by Imagine Dragons promptly started and people’s voices died down.  Some people’s faces looked shocked, some appalled, but most - amused. A low sound of merriment built up in the wedding hall that turned into a loud rolling laughter that echoed throughout the large room. Lilliana sheepishly grinned at a few people. Leave it Tucker to know just how to make a grand entrance.

As they approached the bridal party, a whoop and a holler roared over the crowd. It was Mason and Gavin. Apparently they were quite entertained by their big brother’s caveman antics.

“Take your bride!” Mason yelled.

“Get her, Tuck!”
Gavin bellowed.

Tucker lowered Lilliana and placed her on her feet gingerly and straightened her lace, cream-colored strapless dress and smoothed her now mussed, should
er-length hair, and readjusted the crown veil. The crowd broke out into loud applause and Lilliana’s face burned bright red. Tucker large hands took her face and held it gently, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

“Don’t even
think about running,” he lifted a brow at her.

Lilliana felt a poke in the ribs from behind and heard Dana’s and Ariel’s giggles.

Staring into Tucker’s eyes, Lilliana got lost and the room became silent. He was such a good, kind man… and so damned beautiful. She took in the handsome image before her as he stood watching her cautiously in his black tuxedo-suit and pale blue tie. At Lilliana’s urging, he had cut his hair for the special occasion and his layered-cut hairdo was a look that was quite appealing. As the minister’s words droned on in the background, she wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers through his short hair and to feel his lips on hers while officially having his name.

She remembered how hurt she had felt when she found out about his lies, but
now, seeing the look of love reflected in his eyes, she let it all go. She knew Tucker would never hurt her that way again or the way Adam had, and that their destinies were forever intertwined. They were meant to be - truly for
eternity.

They were going to grow old together on her family’s land, and in the home that Tucker had renovated to make room for the large family that they wanted.  A smile spread across her face at
the thought of a clan of McGrath’s running around their home, and in the same calico fields that her mother and Margo had once played in.  A dull pain stabbed her heart thinking about them and wishing they were present, but she shifted her eyes momentarily to look over Tucker’s shoulder to see the large poster size photos of her mother and Margo prominently displayed in honor of them. It had been his idea and she loved him for it. Her eyes immediately darted back to Tucker’s and explosive currents of love coursed through her when she saw the galvanizing look of possessiveness in his eyes.

The pounding of her heart finally quieted, and s
oftly breaking through her trancelike state, she faintly heard, “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

She blinked rapidly and Tucker’s mouth lifted into his signature, lop-sided grin
as he held out the ring. Lilliana’s eyes rounded and a knot rose in her throat. Her eyes filled with happy tears at the vision of the large emerald cut diamond set in white gold. Tucker reached down and held onto Lilliana’s hand tightly as he slipped it on her finger. A single tear fell from her eye and she met Tucker’s passionate gaze.

“There is the part where you,
I do
,” he winked.

With a contented sigh, Lilliana surrendered to his will and gave into the inevitable -
‘til death do them part.
A rush of air left her lungs and she answered, “Yes, Sir, I do. I really, really do.”

Tucker wrapped his arm around her waist and tugged her firmly to him.  His mouth ghosted hers as a round of applause filled the room and she barely heard him say, “And now you’re really, really mine. End. Of. Story.”

Lilliana smiled and touched his lips. “Oh, no, Tuck. It’s only the beginning of the story.”