With Me in Seattle Bundle One (38 page)

“I called her after I left your place last night and told her that I was going with someone else for the movie.  I won’t talk to her again.  I’m sorry I hurt you.  I wasn’t holding her when we left the restaurant. I certainly didn’t kiss her. I probably hugged her goodbye, but it didn’t mean anything.  I don’t even remember what I was doing, but the rags always twist things to look the way they want them to.  I was probably thinking about calling you.”

“So,” Luke says, and I tilt my head back so I can see his eyes,  “we’re having a baby.”

He smiles, widely, and just looks so…
proud of himself.

“Looks that way.”

“I guess we’d better get married sooner rather than later.”

“Luke, I don’t want you to feel like you have to marry me just because I’m pregnant…”

“Stop right there.  I asked you to marry me before we knew you were pregnant.”

“I know, but…”

“No buts.  Natalie, I love you so much.  I want children with you.  This is a wonderful thing.  It is soon, sooner than I would have preferred, but a baby is never a bad thing.  You’re going to be a fantastic mom.”

I didn’t know I could cry so much in one day.  More tears flow.  I’m relieved and happy and so in love with this beautiful man.

He leans down and rubs his nose across mine and kisses me in that gentle way that makes me swoon.  “I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too.”

“Oh God, Natalie, the poor man has almost been killed.  Must you maul him?” Jules breezes in with a bag full of food.  She shakes her head in exasperation.

“Don’t be a brat, Jules.”  I sit up and start unloading Luke’s food for him.  My stomach grumbles, and I’m pleased to see that she brought some for me, too.

“We’re having a baby.”  Luke gives Jules a wide smile.

“I know.  I’m so happy for you guys.”  Jules walks to him and plants a kiss on his cheek, smiling at both of us. 

“Lips off my man, Montgomery.”

“Jesus, you’re so selfish.”

***

We’ve been home for a week, and Luke has mostly recovered from his injuries.  There will be no visits to the gym for a few more weeks, but the bruises have faded.

“The moving van is here.” 

“You are not lifting anything.  Don’t even think about it.  Your wrist is still healing.”  He hasn’t even lifted me lately, and I’m missing it.

“Well, that makes two of us.”

“I didn’t hurt my wrist.”  I raise an eyebrow at him as he crosses the great room to me.

“I do love your sassy mouth.”  He slaps my bottom, and I squeal, before he moves his hand around to settle on my belly.  “There is no lifting for the beautiful woman I knocked up.”

I laugh and caress his handsome face.  “Are you sure about me moving in here?”

“Of course.  We’re getting married in two months anyway. It makes sense.”  He stiffens and frowns down at me.  “Don’t you want to?”

“I want to be wherever you are.  It doesn’t make sense for us to move in with Jules.”  I smirk.  “Jules can live in the house as long as she pleases, and I’ll still use the studio for work.”

“But?” He raises an eyebrow.

“But I think that as our family grows, we might need more bedrooms.”

His face softens, and he kisses me gently on the forehead.  “I’ll buy you any house you want.”

“I want to stay here for now.  We’ll keep our options open.”

“Okay.”  He kisses me again before the moving guys ring the doorbell and start unloading boxes and a few pieces of furniture.  I left the majority of everything at the other house for Jules.  All of the boxes go up into a spare bedroom, so I can sort through them at my own pace.  The unloading doesn’t take long.

“Do you need to work this afternoon?” I ask Luke after the men leave.

“No, you?”

“Nope.”  I walk toward the stairway and start ascending the stairs toward our bedroom.

“What in the world should we do to occupy our time on a rainy Thursday afternoon?” Luke murmurs in my ear at the top of the stairs.

“Hmm…we could read,” I suggest.

“Nah, I’ve been doing a lot of that lately.”  He nibbles my neck and wraps his hands around my waist, spreading his palm over my belly.

“We could watch a movie.” 

“I’m not in the mood.”

We finally make it to the bedroom, and I turn in his arms, kissing him softly while I run my fingers down his cheek.

“I’m all out of ideas,” I whisper.

“That’s okay,” he whispers back.  “I have a few ideas of my own.”

Epilogue

“Holy shit.” 

I’m standing in a beautiful bungalow in Tahiti, in front of a full-length mirror, and I don’t even recognize the woman staring back at me.

I love my wedding dress.  It’s long and billowy.  It’s white chiffon with a beaded bodice and spaghetti straps, and the skirt falls from the empire waist all the way to the ground.  I won’t be wearing shoes today.  My makeup is classic and simple, perfect for a beach wedding, and my hair is curled into an intricate bun behind my left ear with a red rose pinned to it.

I’m wearing my pearls.

“You are stunning.”  Jules kisses my cheek, and I smile at her nervously.  She is also stunning in her simple pink chiffon gown. 

I look around the bungalow and smile in happiness and warmth and love.  I am surrounded by beautiful women.  Luke’s mom, Lucy, and Jules’ mom, Gail, have their heads together in a corner.  They both look lovely in their pretty pink dresses. 

Samantha and Stacy are cooing over little Sophie, who is simply adorable in a soft pink dress with a pink headband.

Jules is, of course, my maid of honor, and Stacy and Sam are my bridesmaids.  Sam and I buried the hatchet after Luke’s accident, and we have become good friends.  She did most of the legwork on planning this fantastic wedding.

“Are you nervous?” Stacy asks.

“I wasn’t until I put this dress on. Now I’m a little nervous.”  I smile and look back in the mirror.  Holy shit, I’m getting married!

Neil walks through the door and smiles widely when he sees all of us.  “I’ve been sent in here to give you this.”  He hands me a wrapped box with a card attached and kisses my cheek. “It’s almost time.”

“Are the boys ready?” I ask.

“Yes, and your soon-to-be husband is a nervous wreck.  He is ready to make you his wife.”

I laugh and kiss Neil’s cheek. “Here, take this back to him.”  I hand him a wrapped box, also with a note.  “And tell him I’ll meet him in a few.  I’ll be the one in white.”

I walk into the bedroom to open the gift in private.  My man does enjoy spoiling me.  As if renting out this entire beautiful resort for our family and friends to enjoy for a whole week and our beautiful wedding weren’t enough, he’s given me little gifts every day.

I’m crazy about him.

Luke has written on the envelope of the card,
Open the box first, then read this.

He’s so bossy.

I unwrap the beautiful white paper, and there is a small Tiffany-blue box.  Inside, nestled in the satin, is a pair of amazing diamond earrings.  They are soft pink princess-cut diamonds with teardrop diamonds dangling from them.  They take my breath away.

I open the card and sit on the side of the bed.

My Love,

When you read this, you will be minutes away from becoming my wife.  I can’t express to you how honored I am that you are mine.  I am ready to love you for the rest of my life, as your husband.

I love you, with all that I am.

—Luke

Well, isn’t he a charmer?

***

Natalie decided that returning to Tahiti with our family and friends was where she wanted to get married, so I’ve flown everyone here and booked the resort for the week, just for our affair.  I hope it’s everything she ever dreamed it would be.

I button my white shirt and check my reflection in the mirror of the master bedroom of my parents’ bungalow.  Nat wanted the guys to wear khaki pants with white shirts for the ceremony, so that’s what we’re wearing.

She’s the boss.

My hair is a mess, as usual, and it doesn’t make sense to fix it, because Nat’s fingers will be in it as soon as she sees me. 

I smile as I think of my bride.  I am one lucky son of a bitch.  Natalie is, without a doubt, the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen, all long dark hair, beautiful green eyes, and smoking-hot curvy body.  But her heart is what caught me.  Her gracious, loving nature, and sassy mouth are what I can’t ever imagine living without.

And I don’t have to.

“Hey, Williams, stop mooning over yourself and get in here for a celebratory shot!”  Jules’ brother Isaac calls from the main room of the bungalow.

All the guys are here:  My brother, Mark; Jules’—and Nat’s—brothers, Isaac, Caleb, Matt and Will; and their father, Steven.  My dad raises his glass as he hands me mine in a toast.

“To my son and Natalie.  Thank God she said yes.” 

“Here, here!”

Everyone slams down the shot, and the room erupts once again in chaos, men yelling lewd jokes and throwing insults.

It does not calm my nerves.

I’m not at all nervous about marrying my girl. I’m just ready for it to be over already. 

“Dad, I need you to take something over to Natalie.”  I hand my dad a small blue Tiffany box.

“No problem, I need to check in with your mother anyway.  Are you about ready?”  He smiles and pats my back.

“Yes, I’ve been ready.  Let’s get this show on the road.”  My dad laughs as he heads over to the bridal suite, and Isaac approaches me with another shot.

“No, man, I need a clear head for this.”  I wave off the shot and look out the door toward Nat’s bungalow.

“This isn’t for you, moron, it’s for me.”  He grins and slugs back the tequila and winces.  “Fuck, that’s good.  Are you ready for this?”

“Everyone keeps asking me that.  Yes, I’m ready.  I’m past ready.”

“You’re good for her, you know.”

I look over into Isaac’s face, shocked.  All of Natalie’s family have always been welcoming and friendly with me, but I know the brothers have had reservations, and as a brother myself, I can’t blame them.

“How so?”

Isaac shrugs and looks back over at the other guys, then back to me.  “She’s opened up more, laughs more.  Hell, I don’t know, man.  She’s just happy.  I’ve known her for a long time, and I don’t remember ever seeing her smile this much.”

“I’m glad.”  I nod and smile to myself. 

“But if you hurt her, or that baby,” Isaac continues, and I know what he’s going to say, “I’ll fucking kill you.”

“No need. I’m not going to hurt her.”  I hold my hand out to shake his, and he takes it, then pulls me into a guy hug. 

“Welcome to the family, bro.”

“The girls are ready.” My dad stalks back into the room with a wrapped gift in his hand.  I told her not to get me anything.  She and the baby are everything I need.  “This is for you.”

I walk into the bedroom to open the gift, and the note, alone, wondering if she likes the pink diamond earrings I sent over.  Everything in this wedding is pink, and she should have pink diamonds, too.

Luke,

I know you said that Baby and I are all you need today, but I couldn’t help but get you a gift.  I chose this particular gift because it symbolizes how precious time is.  I am grateful for the time you give me, and for the many years we are about to spend together, as a family, and as lovers.  You are what I was waiting for, Luke, and I can’t believe that in a few short hours you will be truly mine, as I am yours.

Thank you for picking me to share this life with.

Love,

Nat

P.S. I can’t wait to kiss you.

And she calls me charming.  God, I love that woman.

Inside the white box is a platinum Omega watch with a black face.  On the inside is an inscription, which makes me grin.  Nat is big on inscriptions.  That sexy body of hers is full of them.

You are my now, always, forever.
—
Nat

Well, hell.

I fasten the watch on my left wrist and stomp back into the main room.  “Let’s go.  No more waiting around.”

Without waiting for an answer from anyone, I walk down the wooden boardwalk to the sandy beach where the ceremony will be held.  The resort did a great job getting set up with white chairs, a small arbor with red roses, and candles lit and scattered over the sand, giving the beach a soft glow.  It’s almost sunset, and I know Nat would think the lighting is perfect.

I shake hands and wave at some of our fifty or so guests who have flown here for the week-long celebration and make my way up to the arbor with Isaac and Mark right behind me.  The front row is reserved for our parents, and I made sure to have the resort place lilies and sunflowers on two of the chairs in honor of Natalie’s parents.

Where is she?  I see the girls, all in pink dresses.  I’m relieved that my sister, Sam, and Nat have become friends and gotten to know each other better since I proposed.  Sam happily helped plan this wedding.

Our mothers are escorted to their seats, and my heart starts to beat a little faster.  Jesus, I can’t stand the suspense.  I need to see her.

Where the fuck is she?

Finally Jules, Sam and Stacy make their way toward us and take their places, and the music changes.  Natalie and Jules’ father come into view, and the rest of the world just falls away.  Her beautiful dark hair has been curled and pulled into a loose bun behind her left ear with a rose tucked in it.  Her dress is long and billowy, with a beaded top and spaghetti straps, and she’s holding a large bouquet of red roses with the pearls inside.  Her new diamonds sparkle at her ears, and, thank God, she’s wearing our pearls.

I feel the grin spread across my face as I stare into her gorgeous green eyes, and my heart calms.  This is it.

“Who gives this woman to this man?” the pastor asks.

“On behalf of her parents, I do,” Steven responds, and places Nat’s hand in mine.

Every time I touch her, I feel the hit to my gut.  Every single time.  I’m drawn to her in ways I never knew possible, and I will never grow tired of the feeling I get when she’s near me.