Chapter Eight

Here Comes the Bride

Yuki reached across the teak sideboard for the floral headpiece Sinead had ordered. She pinned it into the side of her hair while looking in the wall mirror. As one of Sinead’s bridesmaids, Yuki wore a pale pink shift dress, and the matching pink orchids looked pretty against her black hair. Bridie, who stood close by, wore a silver dress, and her white and purple orchids stood out, brilliant against her copper-red hair.

They were getting ready in Sinead and Gabriel’s cabin, a luxurious honeymoon suite, complete with a private garden and plunge pool. Sinead sat on the chaise lounge next to their king-sized bed, relaxing before she had to put on her dress. Now that Yuki knew Sinead was pregnant, she could see the signs: she was tired, needing a nap after lunch, and her stomach was gently curved in her silk slip.

“Just give me one more minute.” Sinead closed her eyes and rested her head on a cushion.

They still had time, and they all looked gorgeous so far. At least, Yuki thought so. All their hairstyles were up-dos with loose waves around their faces, and their makeup was on point. The hair stylist who worked for the hotel and the local makeup artist were geniuses. Bridie offered Yuki a glass of champagne, and she happily accepted.

“I suspect my big sis might have stayed up too late last night.” Bridie winked at Yuki before heading outside with her glass to sit in the sunshine.

The dark clouds had passed, for now. Yuki crossed her fingers, hoping the weather would hold. She followed Bridie and sat on a sun lounger, then took a sip of her drink.

“I saw the meme of you crying at that charity gala. Whoever posted it was a right arsehole.” Bridie’s words startled Yuki out of her thoughts.

Yuki had been staring at the pool, wondering if she’d have time for a swim later. No, probably not. “Oh. I guess everyone’s seen it.” She sighed and continued, “That was me at my worst moment. It hardly seems fair that’s all the world knows about me.”

“I know what you mean. Well, sort of. I had an embarrassing couple of years when I was younger and deep in debt, and it still follows me around. My reputation went to hell, and it’s taken me a long time to find my feet again.” Bridie sat back in her lounge chair and sipped her champagne. “I’ve also got a long hit list of terrible ex-boyfriends, so if you want to talk about it, I’m here.”

Yuki nodded. She’d heard Sinead’s version of events from a few years ago, about how Bridie had taken up with Sinead’s abusive ex-boyfriend, Padraig, not knowing how twisted he was. Neither sister could be blamed for the way that loser stalked and threatened them. He was the one with problems, both legal and mental.

“I didn’t know how to leave him.” That wasn’t what Yuki meant to say. But now it was out there, she realised it was true. “Daniel had me set up in his apartment in Sydney, and sometimes I went to his other place in Singapore while he was working there. I didn’t have anything of my own. My family told me he was too controlling, but I couldn’t see it at first. Sinead told me too. She said he reminded her of Padraig, and he’d only get worse over time.”

Bridie made a humming sound of agreement. “I’m sorry.”

Yuki set her glass down on a nearby table with a clink. “Daniel texted me just before my flight to Thailand. He ordered me to clear all my stuff out of the Sydney apartment by Monday. I don’t even have a home to go to right now.”

Bridie let out a loud sigh. “Men like that deserve a good flogging. You could stay with me if you like. I’m renting a two-bedroom place in South Melbourne, and my roommate moved out recently.”

Something like excitement fluttered in Yuki’s stomach. “Thanks for the offer. I’ll definitely consider it.”

She could stay with Bridie or someone else for a while. It wouldn’t have to be forever. She could work out what she wanted to do longer term without crashing at Sinead and Gabriel’s house during their second honeymoon phase.

A loud thump followed by a horrible hacking sound came from inside, making them both sit up straighter, and then Bridie leapt to her feet.

“Sinead?” She glanced at Yuki before hurrying over to the door and heading inside.

When Yuki followed a moment later, she found Bridie sitting beside Sinead on the lounge, holding her hand while Sinead threw up into a large plant pot.

“Oh no. Should I call Gabriel?” Yuki looked around wildly, searching for her phone. Which she still didn’t have. Strange how she hadn’t missed it. When social media was full of lies, staying connected to the world somehow lost its appeal.

Bridie glanced up and murmured, “Maybe you should go find him. I think he and Declan were meeting Ryan at the bar.”

Yuki gave her a nod and, biting the inside of her lip, hurried outside. She’d forgotten to ask which bar the men were meeting at: the garden or the beach. Deciding to take her chances, she picked the bar adjoining the bistro and took off along the garden path, past the central swimming pool at a power-walking pace.

As she rounded the corner to the garden courtyard bar, clip-clopping in her heeled sandals and wishing she’d gone for flats, she spotted the three men standing by the long wooden bar with glasses of what looked like whiskey in hand. Ryan had arrived from London. His dark hair, neat beard, and imposing height made him stand out, along with his bright pink shirt. Gabriel leaned against a bar stool, facing away from her.

“Gabriel,” she all but gasped as she skidded to a halt, seriously out of breath.

He turned to face her, his forehead creasing with obvious worry as soon as he met her gaze. He swiped a hand through the front of his dark blond hair, messing it up.

“What’s wrong?” he asked in a gravelly voice just as Declan spoke her name.

She glanced at Declan long enough to appreciate the visual appeal of him dressed up in a grey linen suit and white shirt. But no time for ogling. She shot him a half-smile before flicking her attention back to Gabriel. “Sorry to bring bad news, but Sinead’s sick. Bridie’s with her, but she’s really retching, and I don’t know if she’ll be ready for the ceremony in an hour.”

Gabriel stared blankly at Yuki, then looked at Ryan. “Shit. I’m going. Let me make sure she’s okay.” Then he looked at Ryan. “What about the celebrant?”

Ryan shook his head. “Go, Gabe. Take care of her. Don’t worry, I’ll talk to the celebrant.”

With a pat on the shoulder, Ryan sent Gabriel on his way, then whipped out his phone and had it pressed to his ear before Yuki could blink. As Ryan headed off towards the resort’s main entrance, he gave them a wave while saying something about delaying the ceremony for a few hours.

As Gabriel jogged off towards the cabins, she called after him, “Do you want me to come with you?”

He shouted back, “No, you stay there. I’ll call you later, Declan.” And then he was gone, blocked from their view by a bamboo screen.

Yuki glanced at Declan, who shrugged and said, “Guess we’ll have to find some way to entertain ourselves.” He grinned, and it was the shiniest, most movie-starrish smile she’d ever seen. Oh, how she’d missed that shiny smile.

She folded her arms over her chest and sighed. “I hope Sinead’s okay. Those babies seem to be taking a toll on her already.”

Declan’s gaze wandered over her body before he answered. Her skin turned to fire under his attention. “She’s a strong woman; she’ll be grand. Just like someone else I know.”

With a shake of her head, Yuki blew out a breath. “Strong? Me? I hardly know whether I’m coming or going at the moment.”

“More coming than going lately, I’d say.” He waggled his eyebrows at her. Then his eyes raked over her again. As if he knew every inch of her body, which, to be fair, he did.

God, he’d make her explode again with a look like that. The blue of his eyes seemed deeper, more intense, as his gaze came to rest on her lips.

Her face burned with the heat of a thousand suns. Yes, he’d seen her come this morning. And now she couldn’t stop thinking about it. How he’d touched her: as if he couldn’t get enough, as if she was everything he needed. Until he flipped a switch and instantly went from pulling her closer to pushing her away.

Yuki met Declan’s eyes now and let her confusion show on her face. “I thought you’d changed your mind. That you didn’t want me anymore.”

His face fell into a half-angry, half-shocked expression that didn’t suit him one bit. “That’s not it at all.”

He gestured to a bartender and pointed to his glass on the bar. A moment later, he had a fresh glass of whiskey. He downed it in one gulp, and Yuki tracked the movement of his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing. She wanted to kiss him there. To breathe him in.

Declan took a deep breath and put his glass back down on the bar with a thud. “I don’t want to go any further unless we’re both prepared to commit to something serious. I’ve been celibate for a long time, until this morning anyway. I’m not after some quick roll in the hay.”

Yuki blinked several times, then simply stared at him. Celibate?

But what about…?

She stepped closer and whispered right beside his ear, “You weren’t exactly celibate when you went down on me this morning. You were like a werewolf under the full moon, wanting to eat me alive.”

Declan shivered, then took a step back. “Miss Yuki, I think we should go somewhere a little more private to discuss this further.” His voice was all business, but his pupils had blown, and he stood like a soldier, his back ramrod straight.

Yuki wondered if something else was ramrod straight. Her eyes flicked downwards without waiting for her brain’s permission. The impressive bulge in the front of his trousers confirmed her suspicions, and she glanced up at him with one eyebrow raised. He wanted her alright.

Declan cleared his throat and grabbed her hand.

Before she could fully register the warmth of his grasp, he shifted his grip so he circled her wrist with his thumb and forefinger, and Yuki found herself being pulled behind him. She clip-clopped across the floor, jogging after Declan as he marched along at an impressive pace.

When they reached the area by the pool, the wind had whipped up. Yuki pushed the loose strands of hair back from her face. This was the weather she’d been worried about earlier. A storm was brewing, and it had started sprinkling with rain. She tipped her head up to the sky for a second, enjoying the cool droplets against her skin. But then she remembered.

“Oh no, the wedding makeup! And my hair will be wrecked.”

Declan glanced around and tugged on her arm again, pulling her into an alcove between a large suite and some type of gazebo. The space was a semi-indoor garden beneath a pergola, filled with orchids and other tropical hanging plants. Green and lush, like a jungle, it was decorated with dashes of wild colour, like something from a fantasy story. Immersed in the wonderland, she turned to ask Declan if he liked this place as much as she did. But her words evaporated in the steamy air.

With a groan, he pulled Yuki closer and enveloped her in his arms. His lips crashed down on hers, and she yelped before kissing him back urgently. His lips were soft and full, and she remembered him. Remembered this. The way he kissed was mind-melting.

Declan tasted her, devouring her with all the pent-up heat and energy he’d bottled up inside. His hands gripped her hips, squeezing as she wiggled against him. And when he finally broke the kiss, keeping their lower bodies still pressed together, she had to fight the impulse to launch herself at him and wrap her legs around his waist.

“Yuki.” His voice came out low and partially strangled. She tilted her head back to keep her eyes locked with his. “You’re so gorgeous it makes me lose my mind. I want you so badly it’s messing with my concentration. But I need more than one night with you. I want us to give this thing between us another try.”

Her pulse thrummed through her entire body, her hormones crying out for him to take her. Right here in the garden, she didn’t care. She wanted to say yes to anything he asked, just because it might get the two of them naked, fast. But her head wasn’t so sure. She’d been down this road before.

“Why have you been celibate?” Yuki hadn’t meant to ask the question so directly, but out it popped anyway.

His forehead creased, even as his hand smoothed over the curve of her backside. “I’ve had a bad run of relationships, not even counting what happened with us. My last ex-girlfriend left me about two years ago after invading my privacy so viciously that I couldn’t even believe it happened at first. She sold photos and information to the media. Stole money and things that were personal to me. I started therapy after a shitty time and a bad bout of depression. It was my therapist who suggested I stay away from relationships until I’d properly recovered. Until I met someone I could fully trust.”

Wow. That’s a lot.

Yuki’s stomach flipped at the realisation he wanted her, for real. Trusted her. She reached up to plant a kiss on his jaw and nuzzled into his neck. The scent of him here was delicious and musky, mixed with the fresh citrus of aftershave. “I’m so sorry that happened to you. I feel burned by my ex. But it’s still so recent. I don’t know if I can commit to anything serious just yet. Even if I want to.”

Declan pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I understand, and I don’t want to pressure you. I’ll, er, let you get back to Sinead.” He broke his hold on her and took a step back.

She reached for him, gripping his forearm. “No, wait. I don’t want you to leave. What I meant to say is we should see how things go. Try being together for now. Then, in a while, we can discuss it like mature adults.”

The creases reappeared on Declan’s forehead before a shy smile tipped the corners of his mouth upwards. “So, Miss Yuki. You wouldn’t mind if we rekindled our old flame?”

She peeked up at him from under her eyelashes. “You can rekindle my flame anytime.”

He grinned, then licked his lower lip as he stepped towards her. “Your wish is my command.”

With a rush of blood to his head and an urgency that made him feel like something feral, like a wolf, Declan closed the distance between them. He moved his hands to Yuki’s hips and let himself feel the warmth of her beneath his palms. Let himself feel, full stop. His heart raced as he pressed his forehead against hers and simply breathed her in.

Yuki wrapped her arms around his neck, and it was like a dance. Like the night they’d first slept together after dancing underneath the stars on Christmas Eve years ago. Although they’d only shared a few weeks together back then, he’d never once regretted his time with Yuki. His only regret was not letting her know how hard he’d fallen for her.

But he’d not make that mistake again. He had time. They had time.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers. She opened to him, her tongue tangling with his. Yuki bit his lower lip, teasing him into a dizzying state of arousal he’d normally push back with an iron fist. But not today. Declan wanted to feel all that she did to him.

His hands found her arse, its rounded contours fitting into his hands even better than years ago. He squeezed her flesh through her little pink dress, and Yuki gasped against his lips. Pulling her closer, he pressed his rock-hard erection into her stomach. And almost blacked out.

“My God, I want you.” He groaned out the words as she inched a hand between their bodies and palmed him through his trousers.

Yuki nodded against his neck. “I can tell. Is this all for me? Please say yes.”

Declan let out a long breath. “Yes. But not yet.”

Her grunt of frustration had him chuckling under his breath, despite the fact he could scarcely breathe.

“When?” she squeaked out.

He pulled her closer still, until she ground herself against him. “Tonight. After the wedding. We’ll go back to my room. And we’ll have all night.” Declan could wait. He’d waited so long already. An eternity.

But first… Declan ducked his head and kissed down Yuki’s throat, letting his hands roam lower at the same time. Her dress was made of some sort of stretchy fabric, so it was easy to ruck it up higher, over her thighs. Easy to expose her lace underwear. So easy to move them aside to make way for his questing fingers. And slipping his fingers through her slickness was the easiest thing in the world.

As his fingertips ghosted over her tight bud, Yuki moaned. “Fuck, Declan!”

He chuckled, enjoying the chance to see her let go. He continued his exploration, circling and stroking, and within minutes, she was rocking against him. Using two fingers, he entered her in a single, smooth thrust. Then she was clenching, giving herself up for him.

Yuki grasped the front of his shirt—her hands tightened into fists—until slowly, she came back down to earth. As Declan watched, her dazed expression cleared, and the sweetest smile crossed her face.

“Wow. Flame officially rekindled.” She pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek.

“Mmm.” He hadn’t had any relief, of course. Declan still burned for her, still wanted her with every inch of his being. But he would wait because she was worth it.

He squeezed her waist and stepped back from her warmth and temptation. “Right, gorgeous girl. We’d better go see how the bride and groom are getting on.”

Yuki straightened her underwear and he helped to smooth down her dress, trying not to get carried away and undress her fully. Later, he wanted her naked, both of them bare. With a giggle, she watched as he adjusted himself.

His expression must have been quite the picture. He grimaced as he turned to face her. “Laugh at your peril, Miss Yuki. I have plans for you later.”

Her eyes were comically wide as they left the garden together, holding hands.