“Mother, you’ll get plenty of pictures later.”
“I want some now,” her mother insisted. But “some” turned out to be at least a hundred by James’s estimation.
They signed the marriage license, and James took the opportunity to kiss his bride. “I don’t ever want to spend another day like this one,” he whispered.
“Me, neither,” she said, then giggled. “But you’re going to get something out of it. Mother bought me this cute little black nightie.”
James could feel the hot blood circle his ears and...other places. “Your mother bought you a nightie?”
“She said it’s her wedding gift to you.”
“I’ll thank her later.”
“Wait until you see what Julie got us,” she whispered.
“I have the feeling it isn’t a toaster,” he said wryly.
Summer laughed. “No. She picked it out when Mom wasn’t looking. You do like tassels, don’t you?”
“Tassels?”
“Shh.” Summer looked around to be sure no one was listening. “I’ll save them for after the honeymoon.”
“Why?”
“Because, my darling husband, they cover—” She stopped abruptly.
“Yes?” he coaxed.
“Husband,” she said the word as if saying a prayer. “James, you’re my husband.”
“I know. And you’re my wife.” It hit him then, too. The beauty of it, of belonging to each other, of the word itself.
Their families all seemed to return at once.
“I don’t know about anyone else,” Helen Lawton was saying, “but I’m starved.”
There was a chorus of agreement. They trooped into the hotel’s elegant restaurant and ordered dinner and champagne, although Summer could barely eat and had trouble following the conversation.
“We’ll say good-night, then,” James announced the minute they could leave without being rude. “Thank you all for making this the most incredible day of my life.”
“It’s still early,” Helen protested.
“Helen,” Hank snapped. “Think about it.”
“Oh, yes, sorry.” Helen’s face brightened, and she smiled apologetically at James.
“Will we see you in the morning?”
“Helen!” her husband growled.
“I’m just asking, Hank. What harm is there in asking?”
“I don’t know, Mom. What time is your flight?”
James didn’t listen to the answer, although he supposed he should have. As it was, he had a hard time hiding his impatience. He and his wife—his wife—would only have two more days together. Luckily that was two days and three nights. Their flights were leaving within a half hour of each other, and then it would be a whole month before he saw her again.
“All right, then, darling,” Helen said, hugging Summer, “we’ll see you both in the morning.”
The entourage left, and James was alone with Summer at last.
“Are we going to my room or yours?” she asked, smiling up at him.
“Neither. I rented the honeymoon suite here for the rest of our stay. Your mother packed your suitcase and had it sent over.”
“You think of everything.” She reached up and removed the wedding veil and shook her head, freeing her curls. “I can’t tell you how anxious I am to get out of this dress.”
James chuckled as he led the way to the elevator. “Not nearly as anxious as I am to get you out of it.”
“Who were all those guests?” she asked him when they stepped inside the elevator car.
“I thought they were friends of your family.”
“I’ve never seen them before in my life.”
James shrugged. “Me, neither.”
“You know what? I’ll bet my mother invited them. She couldn’t bear to have us married in an empty chapel.”
James fingered his room key. “Are you hungry?”
“No.”
“Good. Let’s go work up an appetite.”
Summer smiled and moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “I have a feeling you aren’t talking about racquetball.”
James cleared his throat. He wanted her so much his body trembled with the strength of his need. “You’re right about that.”
Six
James astonished Summer. She didn’t know what to expect from him as a lover, but it wasn’t this. They’d made love no less than three times during their wedding night, and Summer woke the following morning to find him standing at the foot of their bed, fresh from the shower.
His nude body glistened in the early-morning light. Droplets of water dripped from his hair and onto the dark curls that covered his chest.
“Good morning, Mrs. Wilkens.”
Summer smiled and stretched her arms high above her head, arching her back. The sheet slipped away, exposing her breasts.
“Good morning, James.” She saw that he was fully aroused and slowly lifted her gaze to his. Already her body was responding to him, throbbing with readiness and need. James’s eyes narrowed as they focused on her.
Wordlessly she knelt on the bed and held out her arms to him. She smiled, thinking someone should’ve warned her about this man before they were married. At this rate, they’d both be dead within a week.
He walked over to the side of the bed, kissed her once, twice, and then knelt beside it.
All her life Summer had never experienced such power. Or such love. Her breathing grew slow and shallow. She half closed her eyes in pleasure at the simple touch of his hand.
James groaned, and Summer recognized his meaning. He couldn’t wait any longer. Neither could she. She threw her arms around his neck and slowly lay back against the bed, bringing him with her.
She smiled contentedly as they began to make love. All of a sudden her eyes flew open. “James, you forgot—”
“It’ll be all right,” he assured her breathlessly. “Just this one time.”
She didn’t want him to stop. Not now. “Okay.”
James reached his climax soon after she experienced hers. A harsh groan tore from his throat, and his powerful body shuddered.
His shoulders still heaving, he gathered her in his arms and spread soft, delicate kisses over her face. He started to move away from her, but she wouldn’t let him.