Part 33 (2/2)
Gina tapped his arm to get his attention and pulled her mouth from his. ”Well?”
”Well what?”
”Are you going to marry me the right way? No prenups, no exes as the best man, just you and me, and our whole family, getting married for all the right reasons at the ranch?”
”Sweetheart, I'm yours for the taking.” He kissed her wis.h.i.+ng they weren't standing in the waiting room of a hospital. ”I'll marry you as often as you want. I love you.”
”You'd better love me, because if you haven't noticed, I'm not the easiest woman to deal with and I don't take c.r.a.p from any man, not even the one I marry. Comprende? Comprende?”
”Comprende.”
Ben wondered how long the reception had to last before he could carry Gina back to the house and have his wicked way with her. They'd been married for three hours, they'd done the whole picture thing, had a big dinner, and even cut the cake, some of which he could still feel in his ear. He wanted to pick up his wife, carry her back to the house, and lock the family out. h.e.l.l, they could always use the outhouse if need be.
He watched Kate, who had caught the bouquet, dance cheek to cheek with Buck who had scared everyone sufficiently to be the only man vying for the garter. Gina danced with Grandpa Joe who must have said something about children because she turned bright red. Ben decided it was a good idea to separate his wife and his grandfather. Lord only knew what the old guy would come up with next. Maybe now he and Gina were married, Gramps would finally turn his attention to one of the cousins.
As much as Ben loved his family, he'd heard all the wedding night advice he could handle. Trapper handed him a beer and Ben took a long pull. ”I'll give you a thousand bucks to get rid of everyone so I can take my wife home.”
Trapper laughed. ”I'll cover you if you two want to sneak out in the next half hour. We have a pool going on how long you'd last. I said between 3 and 3 hours. I gotta tell you though, adding a grand to it would certainly sweeten the pot.”
Ben was about to say something when he saw Gina and Gramps heading his way. Thank G.o.d. He couldn't wait to get her alone. He'd hardly slept the night before because for some stupid reason, Gina insisted on sleeping apart so he wouldn't see her on their wedding day. It was the most insane tradition he could imagine, but she insisted, and the last thing he wanted to do was spoil it for her. He figured it was just one night, but he'd gotten so used to sleeping with her curled up next to him, he spent the night reaching for her. It didn't help that he woke hungover from the bachelor party Delbert and the guys threw him while he was kicked out of the cabin. And it wasn't as if there was any other place to go. The family had taken over the bed and breakfast in Atlanta, as well as a few of the other part-time residents' cabins, leaving him and the boys to bunk with Delbert.
When Gramps handed Gina back to him, Ben could tell by the look on her face she was done. Gramps smiled at the two of them. ”So, when are you two gonna start working on making me some great-grandbabies?”
”Right now.” Ben bent down and picked up his wife. ”Come on, sweetheart, we're going home.”
Gina felt herself being lifted, which was really no surprise. Ben had a habit of carrying her around and, although she'd never admit it, she was beginning to like it. Usually when carrying was involved, making love came soon after, so who was she to complain?
As soon as he lifted her off the ground, she was pummeled by birdseed. That was one tradition she could have definitely done without. She swore someone shot a handful right down the front of her dress. She held on for dear life until Ben shouldered his way through the door and locked it before setting her down.
”d.a.m.n.” She brushed off her hair and shook her dress, dislodging birdseed from a number of interesting places.
”What's the matter?” Was she the only one who got hit by birdseed? Wasn't that just typical? He looked all chivalrous when really, he was just using her as a s.h.i.+eld-not that she'd mention that to him... yet. Gina looked around because she felt as if she were missing her purse, when she realized what it was. ”We locked Jasmine out.”
Ben stuck his head out the door and whistled for Jasmine. She ran in and went straight to her bed. ”She has the right idea.”
Every time Gina moved, she felt birdseed falling deeper within her dress and under things. She s.h.i.+mmied around.
”What is it?”
”I have birdseed down the front of my dress.”
Ben smiled that smile of his that never failed to make her catch her breath. ”I can help you with that. Here, turn around.”
”You want to do this right here?”
Ben shrugged. ”Well, yeah. I'll sweep it up later. It will be easier here than in the bedroom.”
”Fine, but our whole family is going to be walking by the cabin on their way down. The least you could do is close the blinds.”
”Right.” Ben made quick work of closing every blind, shade, and curtain on the first floor of the cabin. When he ran back, he had taken off the jacket of his tuxedo, the first two snaps of his s.h.i.+rt were undone, and his bow tie hung from his collar. He was so gorgeous he still took her breath away. Earlier, when she saw him waiting for her in the meadow, looking nervous, she felt as if she should pinch herself. She wasn't sure how she'd gotten so lucky. Then she remembered when she was a kid, the one thing that got her through every disaster was the knowledge that once she finally grew up and was able to lead her own life, she'd be happy. She'd lived through h.e.l.l and got through all the bad stuff early. The rest of her life would be wonderful. Thank G.o.d she'd been right about that.
Ben tipped her face up as if he were reading her mind. ”I've seen that look before. That's the same look you had the first time I told you I loved you, and you ran off crying. You're not going to cry again, are you?”
She took a deep breath and wrapped her arms around his waist, blinking away the tears. ”I hope not. It's embarra.s.sing.”
”What's wrong?”
Gina shook her head and felt the first teardrop fall. c.r.a.p. ”Nothing. I'm just happy and I love you. Maybe it's an overflow of emotion.”
”I wish I had known that the first time.”
Gina had to laugh. ”Yeah, you and me both.” More birdseed slipped down through her dress, making her wiggle around. It was really annoying.
”Turn around and I'll help you with the dress.”
She did and Ben began to unb.u.t.ton the long row of pearls running down her back, and kissed the skin he bared with each b.u.t.ton that popped. ”Ben, how long is this going to take?”
”It could be a while-they're really small b.u.t.tons. Are you in a rush?”
She s.h.i.+vered beneath his lips. ”Well, I was just thinking.”
One more b.u.t.ton popped through the little loop. ”What?”
”It's not like I'm ever going to need a wedding dress again. I've gotten married twice now, I think that's enough.”
Another b.u.t.ton popped open and he licked the skin he uncovered. ”I sure hope so.”
She reached back, yanked, and pearl b.u.t.tons went flying, bouncing as they hit the floor. The dress fell to her feet. She stepped out of it, and turned around. Ben looked as if he just swallowed his tongue. ”What?” She looked down at the ice blue bra, panties, and garters she wore. ”What do you think? It's my something blue.” The way he looked at her gave her goose b.u.mps.
”G.o.d, you're beautiful.”
She blew her bangs out of her eyes. ”Thanks, but I think I have birdseed in my bra.”
Ben unhooked her bra. Sure enough, birdseed fell out and bounced on the floor. He ran his hands over her whole body, unhooking her garters and rolling down her stockings. His mouth followed his hands as he slid her panties down, tantalizing her, intent on dislodging all the birdseed. She had to hand it to him. He certainly was thorough.
When he'd exhausted her patience and his, he lifted her off her feet. ”Let's go to bed and I'll make sure you have nothing on you but me until 3:00 tomorrow afternoon.”
Gina wrapped her arms around his neck and was about to ask why 3:00? He stole her thoughts when he kissed her. Before she knew it, he'd carried her to the bedroom and was driving her insane with his mouth and hands, while she did her best to get him out of the rest of his clothes.
They fell into bed together and she slid on top of him, looking down on the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She'd never felt so loved and complete as she did the moment she slid over him, taking him inside her. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, holding her still. She slid her hands up his stomach, his muscles contracted as he blew out a breath and speared her with a look so intense, she felt her o.r.g.a.s.m building. When she moved, he went wild, filling her, driving her, and shattering her control. He rolled them both over and did it again until he finally lost the battle and groaned out her name, collapsing on top of her. Ben rolled them both over so she was lying on top of him. She listened to his breathing level out and his heartbeat slow.
She kissed him and smiled when she felt his erection jump within her. ”What's happening at 3:00 tomorrow?”
Ben ran his hands down her back to her b.u.t.t and pulled her legs forward, sinking deeper inside her. ”We need to leave for Boise. We have a family meeting at 9:00 Monday morning, before everyone disperses.”
Gina kissed him, taking her time exploring his mouth, as she teased his sides with her fingers. When he groaned she ended the kiss. ”What about?”
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