Tre watched her leave at the same time he did even though he knew she wasn’t going to work, he worried. He’d gotten a message from Carter assuring him that bail had been unequivocally denied. That was something that helped him relax, focusing on the Thursday morning runs.
And it made him smile just a little because he knew she was moving some important things from her apartment to the house. Their house, he thought, giving Cai instructions to take the Jeep and go help her before he rode off on the bike.
The bride wore faded jeans, a deep violet tank over her white t-shirt and comfortable ankle boots. Tre came rushing around the corner, one hand shoved into his hair while the other held his helmet, his EMT uniform a little wrinkled and his face flushed as he made it around the last corner at the top of the stairs leading to the judge’s chambers.
“I am sorry I’m late!” Tre kissed her soundly, only then noticing that Anna was grinning at him, dressed pretty much the same as Natalie since the woman worked landscaping. She had short, dark curls framing her face as she leaned in Carter’s arms, watching her friends.
“We figured you were on a run,” Natalie told him. “It’s okay. The judge gave me papers to fill out and I have this for you…” she handed him a pen and the papers before going into the judge’s chambers.
She laughed when he patted down his pockets, a frantic look on his face when the judge called for a ring. He grabbed at the chain around his neck, a ring sporting a medical symbol pulled free and slid over her much slimmer finger. And she didn’t care at all. It was gorgeous. Done in what looked like bright gold with a black inlaid oval and the medical symbol on the top with a ruby nestled in the bottom.
Natalie held it around her finger, finishing their vows before kissing him and accepting the congratulations from their friends. She was staring at the ring, watching the lights glint off the burnished gold and sighed.
“I’ll get you a real one, I promise,” Tre heard the sigh and the words came out too fast.
“I might just tape this one up and keep it,” she held up her palm admiring the ring on her finger. “I love it,” She hugged him.
“I think the girl is happy, Tre, relax,” Carter laughed, grabbing Anna for a quick kiss as she was sliding toward the stairs. “I know…work. I’ll see you at home later. Be careful out there, Anna.”
“I’ve got to run, too,” Tre stroked a palm over her head, tugging the ponytail and tiling her mouth to his. “Be careful and I’ll see you at home.”
Carter waited until they were alone, walking with her toward one of the offices for visiting attorneys to use.
“I dug out all the files, Natalie. I managed to easily convince a judge of no bail. With all the past problems, his breaking into your home,” Carter shook his head. “I’d like to know the mindset behind behavior like that, but I hear it’s a lost cause. I need some signatures and we’re going for whatever the maximum is for this assault and his assault on Tre the day before.”
Natalie’s head snapped up, her signature crooked.
“He assaulted Tre? When? Where?”
“Camera footage from the EMT Unit, Natalie,” Carter watched her face pale a little. “Tre let him take a punch at him, Natalie. Not that Bryant needed his help, the man is too dangerous to be out in public. He’s chosen to ignore the restraining order and given how easily he got off because of your kindness, the judge won’t be so lenient this time around. But I have to ask you not to go behind my back on this, Natalie. If you don’t agree with what we’re doing, tell me. Okay?”
“You aren’t my brother, Carter,” she said with a crooked little smile. “I promise not to step in on this one. I don’t see you dragging it out so I’m constantly humiliated for being a victim. That’s what I was escaping by going to the judge and other attorney,” she shook her head. “Girls have egos, too and mine was taking too big a hit from that whole mess.”
“Believe me, I’m married to Anna and completely get the girl thing,” he teased, putting papers back into their folders and gesturing to the outside. “I’ll walk out with you and then file these. For propriety sake, I also sent a note to your brother informing him that in as far as your representation was concerned, he was removed. I don’t know if that’s going to present problems for you or not, Natalie. Tre said he might not take it well.”
“He’s not the one with the bruises,” she said coldly. “It won’t be a single problem, Carter, and thank you for taking on the work.” She went to her toes, kissing his cheek before sliding into her car.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at the celebration, Natalie,” Carter told her before striding back to the courthouse.
“Crap,” Natalie was chewing on her lip when a woman came running toward her, fingernails tapping on her window. She looked up from the phone in her fingers and jumped. Visibly. She closed the phone and grabbed her keys, pushing the door open and stepping outside. She knew those eyes. She knew that face. Tre had her photo on his desk at home.
“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Cecily held out her palm, her smile bright. “Cecily Thorne. Tre showed me your photo the other day when I visited him for lunch.”
“Natalie Templeton,” she said quickly, wincing and looking decidedly uncomfortable. “Oh…”
“I’d hoped I could meet you before tomorrow night. Do you have time for lunch? Or are you working?”
“I’m actually off today,” her fingers went absently to the bruise at the side of her forehead.
“My god, girl, are you alright? Police problems?”
“Oh, no…this was…is…personal. But I’m alright. Just…bruised,” she stopped when Cecily reached out and touched the oversized ring on her finger.
“Did he ask you to go steady?” Cecily smiled. She could easily see her son doing that. She’d seen the look in his eyes and knew he was crazy for this young woman.
“Well…not exactly…” Natalie swallowed hard. “He didn’t have a wedding ring for the ceremony so he used this,” the words fell lower and lower as she spoke, the stunned amazement on the woman’s face worrying her. “He should have called you. He should have…I don’t know…it kind of just happened…”
“Have lunch with me, Natalie, please,” Cecily stepped forward and hugged her. “My son is brilliant in too many fields. I don’t doubt you saying yes made him beam.”
“He does have a deliciously cute smile,” Natalie admitted. “My car or yours?”
“I’ll drive, you tell me all about it! Oh, I have to have a party!”
“I suppose as a new wife, if I give you carte blanche permission…”
“My sweet son will have no choice but attend. Natalie, I adore the way you think. I think the middle of May would be perfect,” Cecily told her, looping her arm in Natalie’s and leading her to the waiting Lexus.
“But no gifts, please. We don’t need anything. Maybe a donation to the hospital where Tre will be working. It’s completely non-profit and could use the money.”
“Now that…we can do. Brilliant,” she said with a bright grin, opening the car and getting behind the wheel. “So have you picked out what you’ll wear tomorrow?” As she guided the luxury can through the streets to a quiet restaurant that wasn’t far from the courthouse.
Natalie sighed.
“That was next on my list. I don’t exactly have a wardrobe for fancy things. The few times I’ve gone out with the girls, jeans are acceptable. But I guess it depends on the girl,” she said with a shrug, thinking of some of her friends who look perfectly comfortable in skirts and dresses.
“Would you mind company? I think something in that shade of violet would be perfect,” she handed the keys to the valet and waited on Natalie. “So tell me about the bruise.”
It shocked her that three hours later she was laughing and having fun with an almost stranger. But Cecily was too much like her son, Natalie decided, and relaxed while she tried on dresses in the shop they’d gone to. Cecily evidently knew all the right places because before she knew it, she had two amazing short dresses. One for tomorrow and one for the large wedding reception her new mother-in-law was planning.
And she’d argued with her. She really worked at arguing with the woman only to have her credit card placed gently back into her wallet.
“My treat, Natalie.”
“No, please…Cecily…you cannot…”
“But I can. I’m sure there’s a written rule book about this sort of thing. Just imagining the look on Tre’s face when you wear that silver dress tomorrow makes it all the more fun,” Cecily quickly paid for the dresses before rushing her new daughter-in-law off to the next shop for a pair or two of heels.
“Cecily!” Natalie finally collapsed on the cushions next to her. “I don’t get this worn out chasing down creeps on the streets.”
“I love shopping and it’s so much more fun with someone along. Especially someone in need of my help. I’d bet you don’t have more than one pair of nice, functional heels in your closet,” she chastised teasingly.
“I don’t need them,” she tried clenching her teeth, but was having too much fun listening to Cecily tell her all about Tre when he was younger. Both of them looked at Cecily’s bag when the chiming began. Natalie watched the wicked gleam in Cecily’s eyes and smiled. “That’s Tre’s ring, isn’t it?”
“Perhaps we should have some fun, darling,” Cecily took the phone out and placed it in her palm, pressing the speaker button. “Hell, my handsome son. To what do I owe the honor. And it’s too late to bow out of the party. I’d never forgive you.”
“I gave you my word, mom,” Tre chuckled. A little nervously.
“What’s wrong, Tre? You’re sounding a bit off. A problem I can help with?”
“Oh, no, nothing. I’m fine. I’m…actually better than fine. It’s just that it…I did something this afternoon that I probably should have said something to you and dad about,” Tre cleared his throat and found himself praying that the alarms went off signaling a run. Not that he wanted anyone to be hurt.
“Confession time, Tre?” Natalie said softly, the silence from the other end making both women grin.
“This is gonna cost me, isn’t it?” Tre finally said, his voice flat.
“Hmm…one wedding reception scheduled for the middle of May,” Cecily announced with a definitely smirk in her tone.
“And since I’ve already agreed to it…as your new wife…” Natalie could see the narrowed amber eyes behind his gold frames and giggled. “She promised me pink sugar roses on the cake. I’m so bribable.”
“I’ll see you at home, wife. Mother, I’ll talk to you later,” Tre broke the call when the alarms went into their second round, but his laughter was loud as he ran for the truck.
“I believe he took it rather well,” Cecily declared, sliding the phone inside her purse and eyeing the strappy black heels Natalie still wore. “I like those and they do make your legs appear even longer. And they go with just about anything.”
“My mother stopped shopping with me when I began a cop,” Natalie stood up, her jean legs rolled so she could see the strappy heels as she walked. “Maybe even sooner than that. I didn’t fit into her idea of a debutante, either, though.”
“I don’t know your mother. I’ve heard things,” she met the curious look from Natalie. “Let’s say their politics and outlook are vastly different than ours. I’ve run into them occasionally at charity functions but never had conversations with them.”
“I guess family is just something you endure sometimes and run from other times,” Natalie said with a sigh, sitting down and removing the shoes before finding her socks and replacing her boots. “Definitely a keeper pair of heels. They’re even making them comfortable these days.” She met Cecily’s gaze. “I feel like there’s too much in my life to protect Tre from sometimes. And they’re one of them.”
“It’s part of us as women to want to protect,” Cecily said thoughtfully. “Just as it’s part of good males to protect, Natalie. I think as long as your communication is open, I doubt you and Tre will have a problem with them. And if nothing else, I know my son communicates,” she said with a laugh. She slid the package to Natalie. “So tell me how he proposed.”
Natalie laughed, recalling his rant. She shared the conversation as they found their way back to her car.
“I thought it was so sweet,” Natalie said as they drove. “The look on his face was so cute. He convinced himself he’d made a mess of things…you raised an amazing son, Cecily. Thank you.”
“I guess we thank each other, Natalie. When I had lunch with him…” she smiled softly. “The look in his eyes when he talked about you was what every mother should wish for their child.”
Natalie leaned over and kissed her cheek before leaving the car.
“I had a wonderful afternoon, thank you. I’ll see you tomorrow evening,” she watched the Lexus pull out of the lot and went to her car with her packages. She never did get back to the apartment, but she had enough clothes to last her until Monday, easily.
Natalie was still grinning at the oversized ring she refused to take off when she parked near the house, several bags in her hands before she managed to hip the door closed. She was considering the doorknob when the door was opened, Tre on the other side with a shirt not buttoned and his jeans riding below his naval.
“It’s dangerous spending an afternoon with your mother,” Natalie said very quickly when he looked at the colorful tissue packed bags.
“Another party?” He said, taking the bags from one of her hands and stepping back to let her inside. He saw one shoulder rise and fall.
“It kind of just happened,” Natalie lied with a little grin, continuing up the stairs to what she now could call their bedroom. She hung things in the closet, taking the other bags from Tre and setting the shoe box on the shelf above where she’d hung her dresses. “I was in the parking lot after talking to Carter and she came running up and she saw the ring and…she asked me if you’d asked me to go steady and I…well, I told her,” she said weakly, backing into the corner as Tre stalked forward. “And she was so excited and…and before I realized it, she was planning a wedding reception and wanting to help me find a dress for tomorrow.”
Natalie bounced into the corner of the large walk-in closet, his hands pulling the shirts free and over her head. His mouth cruised along the simple, smooth edge of her bra, strong hands holding firmly to her waist while his tongue dipped inside.
“Tre…” Natalie let the groan free when his mouth traveled over the thin fabric of her bra and bit down on the nipple thrusting toward him. His hands moved to the button of her jeans, opening it and quickly making short work of the zipper and pushing them down her long legs.
“I couldn’t think of anything but you today. I know I was operating totally on textbook and it was driving me nuts,” Tre trailed his kiss along her stomach, Natalie’s fingers caught in his hair, a shudder of hot desire ripping through her. “I seriously wanted to take the rest of the day off and lock us both in the bedroom.”
“It’s tough being a responsible adult,” Natalie managed to somehow get the words out, though she wasn’t sure how. The man had hands and mouth moving over her like he’d been starving for months. Her palms moved from his shoulders, shoving the open shirt down his arms.
“Then I find out my new wife has already thrown me to the wolves,” Tre growled, nipping at her throat before sliding down her body and pulling her feet from her boots. He helped her step from her jeans before sliding his palms heavily up her long legs and onto her behind. He lifted her against him, wrapping one of her legs around his waist.
“I’m getting the distinct impression you like that single word,” Natalie gulped in air, his fingers gripping tightly and holding her against the hard length of him. “Oh, god, Tre…” she rotated and dipped her hips, thrusting that swollen nub against his cock with a deep mew of hunger.
“My wife…hell, yes,” he responded, his mouth covering hers before he turned and walked them to the bed. “I plan on using it every chance I get,” he promised, kissing his way along her throat. “I like the sound of it next to your name, Natalie.”
Natalie laughed, her arms wrapped around his shoulders when he stopped by the bed.
“You’re adorable, Tre Thorne. Put me on the floor, please,” Natalie watched the gold flecks in his eyes as he reluctantly lowered her. “Now…you seem a little tense,” she said softly, turning him while her fingers opened the snap on his jeans.
“Adorable and tense? Yeah, that pretty much describes me at the moment…” Tre groaned when her fingernails grazed down his cock, thick and hard. “Is it your intention to have an insane husband?”
“Do I have the kind of power to make you insane, Tre?” Something about that seemed to send a sharp tingle through her. She swallowed, determined to finish what she started the other night, and tugged his pants out of the way.
Talk about up close and personal!
Tre bumped against the bed, groaning at the portrait she offered up, in nothing but panties and bra, on her knees with her warm, stroking palms on his cock.
Oh, no, she didn’t have power at all!
“I was supposed to feed you first,” Tre groaned, his hands tangling in her hair after she pulled the band free on her ponytail. His fingers let the long silk flow over them until her mouth covered him, sliding her tongue around and down and suckling until he through his eyes would cross.
“Oh, I plan on gobbling you up,” she said with a sexy laugh. She pushed until he sprawled out on the bed, her knee going to the surface first before she lay on her stomach. Her fingers stroked and caressed along the hard length; tracing sensual circles just under the ridge and down to gently tease the soft skin below the heavy sacks.
Heat soared through his body, the sensations she was creating in him building, one teasing stroke at a time. Only it was becoming too much, too hard to keep control. His hands were wrapped in the long, thick hair, her lips kissing down the length before she took him deeply inside her mouth, her tongue swirling and stroking as she angled her body for more.
More of him and more of the hot pulsing. His groan wasn’t contained; wasn’t throttled in any way, her name echoing and breaking against the walls as he exploded deep in her mouth. His head pushed into the mattress, his body arched as jet after jet of semen shot violently from his cock.
Hard spasms wracked his body, every muscle of his taut as breath locked in his throat while several more pulses struck, releasing and sending ragged shudders through him.
Never had he known sex could be so incredibly good.
No, he thought as he drifted back to earth, good just wasn’t the right word.
He pulled Natalie to him, hands stroking over the almost bare flesh. One hand slid up her back and into the hair at the back of her head, hungrily devouring her mouth and the softest mewl that came from deep in her throat.
He needed her. Wanted her.
His hand slipped down her back, easily parting the small clasp holding the scrap of lace and nylon in place. He urged her up and tugged it free, his mouth watering for the sweet pink nipples that had hardened for him.
“You’re beautiful, Natalie…so sexy,” he whispered, lifting her hips and sliding the damp panel of her panties to the side.
Natalie straightened above him, her palms stroking along his chest.
“I never thought so…” Dark violet eyes sparkled as she leaned forward, kissing him and rotating her hips, his fingers gliding through the syrup down the center of the silken cleft, sliding inside and retreating. “Tre…”
“More…” he slid two fingers inside before guiding his cock to the hungry opening. “All yours, Natalie…”
“Mine,” she whispered and let her weight slide down, a soft whimper deep in her throat when he reached between them and stroked over the swollen nub of her clit. Her body jumped, her breathing caught and the eroticism of the last hour began coiling inside her.
Tre watched the light flare in her eyes as she rose and rode his cock, taking him deeper with each thrust. He couldn’t take his eyes off her body, her head back and long hair swaying teasingly as she rocked her body over his. He let her set the pace, his hands busy stroking an aroused nipple and flicking and massaging her clit.
Natalie felt the splinters beginning. Felt the bright shimmering explosion that rippled inside her and made her hands flex and press against Tre’s chest. Pushing down and thrusting hard down his length, thrusting and holding her body still while the convulsions swept through her, sending a flush of heat searing all of her.
She felt his body shudder beneath her, his hands moving to grip her hips before he thrust several times before a hard, deep groan filled the room. Tre wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him and refusing to release her for several long, minutes, his mouth moving softly against hers.
“My adorable, sexy wife…” His body offered a weak shiver when she giggled and slid to the side, laying spread out and sighing thickly.
“Amazing, my sweet, loving husband, amazing,” Natalie breathed deeply.
“I think we have food downstairs,” Tre said after a few minutes, their fingers clasp between them. “I have a vague memory of it when I came in from work.”
“I suppose we should keep our strength up,” Natalie rolled lazily to her side, her head finding a nice niche against his shoulder, his arm holding her close. “How long does a honeymoon last?”
“Till one of us dies, I think,” Tre teased, laughing with her and rolling to face her. “I’m pretty sure we’re going to be on our honeymoon for a long, long time.”
“Promise?” Natalie kissed him softly.
“I can give you that promise easily, babe, easily,” he whispered against her mouth.