Prologue
Conn and Nia
Conn
Nia had been staring out the front window for half an hour. Conn couldn’t see her face, but her stiff posture told him everything. She was worried about her parents.
Beyond the glass, wind whipped the late-December snow into a frenzy. At least it was a bright day. The white stuff swirling around out there might affect visibility and road conditions somewhat, but it wouldn’t make the Chambers’ six-hour drive too treacherous. Unlike the first time Conn made the lengthy trek. Blizzard-like conditions had made that one wicked journey. Best road trip of his life though. Look where it’d ultimately led—to a life with the beautiful blonde at the window.
“They should be here by now,” Nia whispered without turning.
At her side, Zeus grumbled, then nudged Nia’s hand with his big, reddish-brown head. Conn’s dog had taken an immediate liking to Nia during their spontaneous trip to Barry’s Bay almost a year ago. Since she’d all but officially moved in this past summer, Zeus rarely left her side. The dog had never been happier. The same went for Conn.
He crossed the room to stand behind her. “Hey.” He kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her. “They’ll be here soon. I checked the highway report a few minutes ago. Everything’s clear and accident-free.”
“For now. Look at it out there. It just keeps coming.”
He slid his hand lower, inside the front of her jeans. “Kind of reminds me of you.”
Her breath hitched as her body responded to his touch. “This isn’t a good time.”
“I disagree, sweetheart. You coming for me is always a good time.” He used his free hand to unzip her pants. More room to give her what she needed.
“Conn…”
Oh yeah, that sweet combination of protesting and pleading was one of his favorite sounds. He nuzzled her ear, kissed the spot just below that made her crazy. “Relax and let me do this, baby.” He stroked her clit—no teasing right now, just rolling and rubbing the way he knew worked best.
Heat and electricity zinged between them. As it always did. As it had the first time he touched her, last New Year’s Eve.
A soft, needy murmur rose from Nia’s lips. The sound sent every available drop of blood racing to his cock. Didn’t matter how many times he’d heard them, the noises she made when he got her off made him feel like champion of the world.
Her palms slapped against the glass. Her head bowed forward and her hips rocked with the motion of his hand. “That, that. Conn, hard…”
Hard didn’t begin to describe his current status. He gave her the pressure she needed, holding her steady while she came in his arms. A lifetime of this would never be enough.
“Come here,” he said when her breathing returned to normal. He led her to the couch and knelt before her. The twinkling, white lights from their Christmas tree cast a glow over the room, bouncing off her golden hair like an angelic halo. “I wanted to do this while our families were here with us, but I can’t wait another second.”
Her gaze dropped to the black velvet box he pulled from his front pocket. “Hold on. You mean that wasn’t all you pressed against my ass over by the window?”
“You know it was.” She’d stolen his moment, which made it that much better. “Let me put this away.” He waved the jeweler’s box in the space between them before moving to replace it in his pocket. “And I’ll prove it to you.”
She grabbed his forearm. “Christmas present first.”
Damn, she’d never looked more beautiful. Yeah, he thought that every day. Every single time he looked at her. But right now, with her cheeks flushed pink from coming on his hand, her eyes sparkling with excitement over his gift…
“It’s not a Christmas present.” He lifted the top, exposing the pink diamond solitaire he’d managed to hang on to for three excruciatingly long weeks.
She gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.
That’d never do. He needed to see those pretty lips. And he needed her left hand, one finger in particular.
“I love you. I want the world to know you belong to me. I want you to know without a doubt that I belong to you. Always.” He took her hand in his and slid the ring on her finger. “Marry me, sweetheart.”
Chapter 1
Curtis & Sara
Curtis
Curtis subtly flicked his wrist to check the time. Almost four o’clock. No wonder he could see his brother’s jaw clenching from a dozen feet away. Time to wedding rehearsal—two minutes. Conspicuously absent—the maid of honor.
“Shit.” Conn muttered the curse under his breath as he joined Curtis on one of the small church’s front pews. “Any chance you brought your handcuffs this weekend?”
Curtis raised an eyebrow at his brother. “Maybe. You looking to start the honeymoon early?”
Conn laughed. Just once, a short burst, but it drew inquisitive looks from everybody assembled. Including Nia. Conn smiled at his bride-to-be while answering Curtis’ question. “Every day is like a honeymoon.”
Should have seen that one coming. The guy’s love-struck grin seemed to be in permanent residence on his face. Curtis was happy for his brother, he really was, but Conn and Nia were sweeter than a cup of sugar. And as a rule, Curtis preferred spicy.
The odds of Curtis landing anything spicy this weekend barely registered on the scale. Not in Nia’s hometown with its population of a few thousand—on a busy day. But he wasn’t here to pick up. Even if that was the only good thing to come out of most weddings, in his experience.
“Who do you want restrained?” he asked. “One of Nia’s ex-boyfriends?”
“Ha. Nope. Somebody closer to home. Nia’s sister—if she ever shows up.” Conn spoke low enough to keep the conversation private, his clean-shaven jaw ticking in the process. “I can’t believe she’s doing this.”
“From the bits and pieces you’ve told me, screwing up the festivities sounds right up her alley.”
Conn grunted and clasped his hands behind his head. “Sara’s a handful, no question. But I honestly thought she’d keep her shit in check for the wedding. She and Nia have a pretty solid relationship, hard as that is to believe, given their differences.”
“If you say so, man.”
It’d been a year and a half since fate—or more specifically, car trouble and bad weather—had brought Conn and Nia together. In that time, there’d been several occasions where the Lawler and Chambers families had mixed. Sara hadn’t attended. Not even Christmas dinner at her sister’s house. Sara’s family didn’t make excuses on her behalf, nor did they seem upset. Instead they affectionately tossed around terms such as “free-spirited” and “nonconformist.”
Well, the free-spirited nonconformist better walk through the church doors, stat. Anybody who got in the way of his brother’s happiness, especially this weekend, would be answering to Curtis. Badge and handcuffs not required for that job.
“You didn’t bring a date for the wedding,” Conn said, interrupting Curtis’ internal threats toward a woman he’d never met.