Bride 2 Be

Chapter Nine ~ Midnight's Passion

Chapter Nine
Midnight’s Passion

LISA WATCHED AS EDWARD slid the huge rock onto Penny’s finger, her bottom lip quivering. She wanted to close her eyes and wake up, to find that it was a dream, a nightmare, or an alternate reality. Thinking the marriage itself would create significant problems didn’t compare with the true scope of the situation. Penny found herself pregnant, out of wedlock, and felt that marrying Edward would solve all her problems in life. Lisa believed Penny’s predicament would soon dramatically complicate her world.

She hated having to tell Calvin the truth, the big secret that Edward couldn’t bring himself to speak, seeing the look of disbelief and betrayal on his face, his dreamy eyes filling with sadness. They left her no choice, and when he pleaded with her to talk to him, to clue him in, she didn’t have the heart to deny him, not after the way he took charge and brought her to Vegas to find her sister. Now they both suffered the same, felt let down by this unexpected union, at being shut out by their siblings. Edward leaned in and kissed Penny; the ceremony finished, and their fate was sealed. Her heart clenched tight in her chest, almost robbing her of breath as she continued to observe from the sidelines, uninvolved in her only sister’s wedding day. Seeing it unfold before her eyes, watching didn’t register how it should.

Penny and Edward both beamed, with enormous smiles on their faces as they turned to face their siblings. Lisa saw their happiness and hoped that it would remain, that nothing would spoil it for them if they were in love. The thought of Carol and John’s reaction to the impending news made her heart sink deep in her chest. She would have to call Anna and give her a heads up, and that phone call she intended to put off for as long as possible. This day got worse as it progressed, with no sign of sunshine. All she wanted to do now was head back to Endurance and try to pick up the pieces once they began falling around her.

Penny stood before her, glowing, waiting. Lisa searched for her voice, felt the dryness of her throat, and realized that no matter what she said or how sincere she sounded, it wouldn’t be enough for her sister. “Congratulations to you both,” she croaked.

The happy smile faded into a slow frown. “Lisa, please be happy for us. We both want this and if you don’t accept it, our relationship will never be the same.”

“I’m afraid no relationship will be the same from here on out,” Calvin stated. He reached out his hand, offering it to Edward. “Congratulations, Edward. I hope you will both be happy.” Edward shook the hand, his face somber. Calvin moved in front of Penny and kissed her cheek. “Welcome to the family.”

Lisa watched in a daze, with no words coming to mind. Calvin turned to her and forced a smile, and that gesture lifted her heart a little. “Let me take you back to New York.”

Lisa nodded. “I would like that.”

“We will talk to you both back in New York. I’ll leave it up to you to call Mom and Dad and tell them the news,” Calvin said.

Lisa hugged Penny. “I’m always here if you need me. Remember that.” Lisa kissed her cheek and turned away.

Calvin caught up to her and put his arm around her waist as they walked out together. She rested her head against his shoulder, finding comfort in him. “Get me out of here, Cal.”

He pulled her close, his warm breath against her hair. The limo driver moved to open the door when he spotted them. Lisa slid in with Calvin right behind her. She heard him tell the man to take them to the airport. Once inside the dark Limo, he called the hotel to cancel their overnight stay and called Max to prepare the plane for departure. Lisa gazed out the window, her mind in a foggy whirl, and the Las Vegas lights were one big blur. She would have to deal with the business aspects and town gossip about another rushed marriage but hated to even think about it. Not knowing what Grayburg Corporation would do once word of the marriage got out prevented her from planning ahead. She hated it when things became out of her control.

Her little town of Endurance loved to talk about big news and put their own spin of speculation on everything. With Megan and Corey Brady’s wedding reception interrupted by his arrest just a few months ago, the town kept the newlyweds front and center with constant chatter. Lisa had hoped that with all charges dismissed, things would return to normal, and business would pick up. Instead, she had gawkers coming into the Boutique just to catch a glimpse of Megan and get the latest updates. When word spread about this, it would be more of the same, and it would be months before people came into the store to shop.

Calvin’s warm hand rested on her shoulder, pulling her back into his chest. Wrapping his strong arms around her, he held her tight. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop the wedding and didn’t try harder.”

His warm breath floated over her hair, and she snuggled deeper into his strength. He had a way of making her relax, to slow down and take the time to feel again. She felt safe and secure in his arms and wished he would never let go. She knew she shouldn’t entertain such thoughts, that they would only lead to trouble and heartache, but they remained like the steady rhythm of her heart. “I don’t blame you; it’s not your fault.”

He kissed the top of her head and rubbed one hand down her arm. “I know, but I really wanted to make things better.” His fingers grazed the outside of her breast, and she sucked in a ragged breath. At her reaction, he did it again, the same move, but this time with such slowness that heat swamped her senses. Hunger burned, desire to build and to push out all the sadness and thoughts that pierced her mind. That hand moved to cup her breast and held it before his thumb brushed over her nipple, the tip straining for that persistent touch. Lisa slid further down in the seat until her head leaned back, and she could look up into his face.

Their eyes met, his heated stare pinning her in place. Caught in the depths of those intoxicating brown pools, she wanted to get lost in them. Reaching up, she let her hand rest on his cheek. She touched the stubble, the softness of his skin, and the contrast against her palm, which was delightful. Focusing on his mouth only made the need to kiss him, to fuse her lips to propel her forward. She couldn’t wait, raised up as he lowered his mouth to hers, his arm slipping beneath her and holding her close. Cal pressed his mouth to hers, coaxing her lips apart. Lisa opened to him, loved the feel of his tongue sliding against hers, the dance about to begin.

Moving her hand up, she ran her fingers through his soft hair, pulling him closer; turning her body into his, she took flight, letting every new sensation take over and push out all the heartache. His hand slid down the middle of her back, warmth spreading in the wake of his hands, tracing her spine before resting on her bottom. Fire built in Lisa’s stomach, rushing through her veins and yearning body like molten lava. His tongue delved deeper, searching, demanding as it tangled with hers in a fiery dance. Lisa wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging, ready to crawl onto his lap and see where this would take them both.

“We’re here, Mr. Grayburg,” the driver said.

Lisa froze in Calvin’s arms. Damn the luck.


STANDING BENEATH THE HOT spray of the hotel shower, Lisa closed her eyes, her mind replaying the kiss she shared with Calvin in the Limo. The man knew how to play her mouth like a sultry melody, leaving her begging for more. She never expected to find so much passion hidden beneath the surface of the cool businessman he loved to portray to the world. The small glimpse she saw only made her burn, her body craving more, wanting to explore every inch of his lean physique. She turned the water off, grabbed the towel, and dried her body, her thoughts still lingering on Calvin. He didn’t even blink an eye when they arrived at the airport. He escorted her to the plane, ensured she kept herself together during the takeoff and landing, and then brought her back to the hotel. He spoke of nothing in particular. She knew he read the embarrassment on her face when they arrived at the airport. In his own sweet way, he pretended not to notice, making small talk and doing his best to get her to laugh.

Lisa put on a red and white flowery nightgown, crawled into bed, snatched the remote, and turned on the television, desperate for a distraction, anything to make the burning subside. She flipped through every channel—twice, a rampant flash of images lighting up the darkened room, but nothing caught her interest. She shut it off, sank under the covers, and closed her eyes. Sleep, she hoped, was just around the corner. More images of Calvin flooded her mind. Her vivid imagination ran wild with a shirtless Cal, his muscular chest calling out to her, making her fingers itch to crawl over his skin, to touch him and make him moan with pleasure.

Lisa tossed and turned for hours; sleep eluded her, yet Calvin Grayburg remained. The sexual appetite he awakened in her refused to settle quietly. No matter what she did to try and drive it out of her mind, to silence it, it plagued her at every turn. She sat up in bed, frustrated, needing an outlet. She stared at the wall across from her and knew he was on the other side. Is he having as much trouble sleeping? Is he thinking about me? She needed to know whether this attraction could be mutual or if she read more into it. Sliding out of bed, Lisa stood and took a deep breath.

She glanced at the bedside clock, one in the morning glowing in green, and still, she had to go. She walked to the door and out into the hallway, knocking on Calvin’s door. As she waited, her heartbeat sped up, thundering in her ears. Second thoughts flooded her mind like a river overflowing its banks. She gnawed her bottom lip, the word mistake filtering in and making her turn away from his room. As she took the first step, his door opened.

“Lisa?”

That voice, that low, sexy sound that she wanted in her ear, was so close all she had to do was turn around and take what she came for. She swallowed the doubt that crept into her frenzied mind and, with the grace of a ballet dancer, spun around to look at him. Her eyes raked over his bare chest, then down the small line of hair that led to his bellybutton. The definition of his abs made her mouth water as she stared at the waistband of his green pants. She snapped her eyes back to his face. “I couldn’t sleep,” she lied.

He smiled and leaned against the doorway. “Neither could I.” He watched her as she stood a few feet away from him. “What do you intend to do about it?”

Calvin Grayburg offered her a clear challenge, knowing Lisa never backed away from one. Without a second thought, she took two steps and jumped into his arms. Calvin caught her easily, swept her into his arms, and carried her inside. Lisa buried her mouth in the crook of his neck, kissing him, licking his skin, nibbling up to his ear. He laid her down on the bed, her legs hanging over the side, his eyes beginning their journey of exploration. From her head to her toes, he took in every inch of her body before landing back on her face. Her breathing became rapid, making her chest rise and fall, catching his attention.

Where his eyes focused, his mouth followed. In an instant, he was on his knees, between her legs, his mouth on her chest. The feel of his wet tongue gliding down the deep V of her gown made her gasp. Her arms reached up over her head, clutching at the bed covers. His tongue moved over the thin fabric, circling the hardened tip while his fingers clasped the hem of her nightgown, inching it up her thighs. Lisa shuddered and squirmed under his ministrations, anticipation coursing through her body, all too ready to be one with him.

Calvin leaned back, edging the material higher over her body. Lisa watched him, loosening her grip on the bedding and letting her arms rest at her sides. He kissed her stomach before raising the gown over her breasts. Calvin stood, reached for her hands, and helped her sit up. He lifted the nightgown over her head with exquisite slowness, baring her to his hungry eyes. Lisa reached for the pajama bottoms that hung low on his hips, her eager eyes desperate to see what lay beneath.

She touched the satin material with shaking fingers and ran a finger under the elastic before tugging them down to his knees. Lisa stood, pressing her bare breasts into his hard chest. Her hands rested on his hips, and Lisa slid her leg up the side of his, grabbed the pants with her toe, and pushed them the rest of the way down his legs. Their mouths met, Cal thrusting his tongue inside, his arms wrapping around her tight. He led her back to the bed and turned them around before he sat down. Lisa broke the kiss, looked down into his face, and knew they would come together powerfully.

Climbing onto the bed, straddling him, the fire raged in her belly as her altar met his hot erection. Lisa gazed into his eyes, resting her hands on his shoulders, wanting to make every moment of this encounter last. It had to be something she could look back on with happiness because she doubted it would ever happen again, their paths only crossing a few times a year. A warm smile enveloped his handsome face, and her heart retook flight. He wanted her; she could see it in those brown eyes. He lifted his hand, brushed a wild strand of hair out of her face, and threaded his fingers into her mane before he pulled her back in for another fiery kiss.


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