Just His Type (Part Two) Page 15

  Joe's father stepped forward into the sunshine which had crept onto the covered porch as the afternoon waned. As always, his face was stoic and composed. The cheerful chatter ceased as father and son stood face-to-face.

  He raised his arm and for a brief moment I wondered if he would hit Joe. Another man would have flinched, but Joe stood tall and looked his father in the eye. Instead of a clenched fist though, Mr Tanner presented an open hand. Joe clasped it in a firm handshake.

  "You ain't off the hook yet, boy," Mr Tanner said in a soft but reserved tone. "But it's a start. I didn't actually think you'd marry her. We cultivate the south field first thing Monday. Don't go sleepin' in."

  Joe's mother bustled forward to pat both men on the upper arm, which was about as high as she could reach. "There now," she cooed. "Isn't that nice?"

  I watched Joe in disbelief. He seemed a bit stunned himself. Matt and Chuck chuckled and Lilly's peal of laughter rang off the porch timbers.

  "Welcome to the family dear," Mrs Tanner continued as she pushed her way between her husband and her oldest son to stand on tiptoe and plant a kiss on my cheek. "I wish you'd warned me though, there's nothing to feed this lot except grilled cheese sandwiches."

  A sudden heat rushed to my face when I remembered the last time I prepared grilled cheese sandwiches—or at least tried to. Joe let out a lusty chuckle under his breath as we shared a significant look.

  Adam swooped in though and took Mrs. Tanner by the arm. "Never fear, Pat. I was up half the night cooking myself. There's a veritable feast down the cottage. Even a wedding cake and everything!" He began the parade from the porch down the lane and back towards the little cottage in the cove. The rest of them trailed after, Lilly with her father, Violet skipped along beside Matt, Adele laughed lightly as Nate whispered in her ear.

  Chuck moved to the little table where his laptop sat, still broadcasting the proceedings for Mrs. N. She appeared frail and colorless on the screen, but she was grinning. Her granddaughters surrounded her, each clutching tissues and sniffling.

  "That was lovely, Rhiannon," Mrs. N said, her speech much clearer now. "And more fun than one of my soap operas."

  Joe and I laughed. "I'm glad you got to see it," I said. "I wish you could be here though."

  Mrs. N. waved a spindly hand. "It's more comfortable here anyhow. You bring me a piece of cake though, and some for the girls too, when you come by tomorrow to talk about the store."

  I knew an order when I heard it. Stubborn old thing, she never stopped thinking about the store.

  I knelt down so I was close to the webcam and smiled at her. "I'll do that," I promised. I blew Mrs. N. a kiss. "I love you," I whispered, regretful that I hadn't told her sooner, glad that I had the opportunity before it was too late.

  "I love you too, girl. Now go enjoy your wedding day. You kids have tired me out, I'm about ready for a nap," Mrs. N said with a chuckle.

  The granddaughters scooped up the laptop to give me and Joe their best wishes and cheerful promises to have the store ready to reopen by Monday morning. Chuck took over after I thanked them. He closed the program and packed up his laptop. Then with a half-bow and a big smile, he hurried down the lane to catch up with the others.

  Joe and I lingered for a moment on his parents' porch. My gaze skimmed over the neat flower beds, the row of wind-swept trees, and the shaggy grass which carpeted the lawn until it met the edge of the bluff. It was all so dear and familiar I couldn't help but smile. I'd always felt at home here, now I truly was.

  "Hungry?" Joe enquired.

  "Starving. I didn't have much of a stomach for food this morning."

  Joe rested a wide hand over the curve of my belly. The life within jumped beneath his touch. The baby wasn't large enough yet for him to feel, but I did and it made me happier than I could put into words.

  Joe knelt at my feet. His hands spread outwards over the smooth cotton fabric of my dress to cradle my hips. He rested his head against my abdomen. "You look beautiful today, darlin'. More beautiful than you ever have before. I love this dress—blue is my favorite color. " He dropped a kiss on my stomach. "I love our baby." Another kiss. "And I love you. I always have, I always will."

  The lump in my throat was too big to speak past, but evidently Joe wasn't expecting a response because he rose to his feet, took my hand and led me down the lane towards our own home. He spoke softly about the fields as we passed, about his plans for the red earth he loved, about how the farm functioned, how the potato crop was planted, how it grew, how it was harvested. I'd never heard him speak of the farm quite that way before and his passion for it, coupled with his knowledge, made me see him in a way I never had.

  The party was already in full swing down at the cottage. Joe and I paused where the stand of trees broke and opened out to the tiny vista of our cove.

  Laughter floated over us as Joe's mother shooed Matt and Chuck away from the food. Adele and Lilly had their heads together, one blonde, one auburn, as they conspired over cold drinks. Adam presided over the charcoal grill while he chatted with Mr Tanner as if it was the easiest thing in the world. Every table had been brought outside and loaded down with food to the breaking point. The men had shed their jackets and ties. Nate had even removed his clerical collar. He sat with his feet up, strumming on his guitar while Violet danced barefoot in the sand, her red hair like a flag in the wind.

  "Welcome home, darlin'," Joe said so only I could hear.

  ~~~***~~~

  It must have been the longest day of my life and I'd never been more exhausted. Only sheer force of will was holding me upright. I heard Joe trailing through the cottage, turning off lights, getting everything settled for the night as I slipped into our small bedroom. The last of the Tanner siblings had gone, packed off to their proper home up at the house. It was finally quiet for the first time in days.

  Joe came up behind me, wrapped his arms around my waist, and laid his chin on the top of my head.

  "Alone at last," I joked, suddenly nervous. After a full afternoon and evening of Tanner family carousing, I should've welcomed the peace and quiet. So why did my insides turn to knots at the idea of being alone with my husband? Maybe it was because he was my husband.

  "Mm-hmm," Joe murmured into my hair. He planted a kiss there, making me smile.

  There had to be words for what was in my heart, but I didn't know how to make them come out. I felt as if there was so much I needed to say to Joe, so much I wanted him to know, but didn't know how to begin.

  There was one thing I knew how to do though.

  I turned in Joe's arms until we faced each other. I snuggled under his chin and kissed his warm throat. He purred as my lips traveled upwards over the stubbled flesh of his cheek.

  "You look absolutely fantastic in a suit," I whispered as I nibbled on his earlobe. "I'm going to have to find a way to get you to wear one more often."

  I ran my hands up over the smooth poplin of his dress shirt. His beautiful blue tie had been removed hours earlier, but I was more interested in the tanned neck above his open collar anyway.

  "All you have to do is ask, darlin'," Joe said in a gruff tone.

  I teased the whorl of his ear with my tongue and Joe's wide hands drifted up to span my waist possessively.

  "I didn't think we'd be doin' this tonight." He growled with pleasure. "Ain't you tired?"

  "Not at all," I lied. Five minutes ago all I could think about was sleep, but that was before the spark of desire had been lit in my belly. Sleep could wait. It was my wedding night after all.

  My mouth moved across Joe's rough cheek to brush lightly against his lips. He smiled and one hand moved from my waist to the small of my back to pin me against his body.

  "My wife," he said slowly. "My beautiful, beautiful wife."

  Joe reached up and gathered the heavy curtain of my hair to expose my neck.

  "Go on," I prompted. My heart was beating so fast Joe had to feel it as he held me to him.

  "My wonderfully stubb
orn wife." Joe chuckled as he bent to my neck to rain soft kisses on my skin. "My tough-talkin', no-shit-takin', yet-somehow-still-bighearted wife." He slipped the strap of my sundress down, his mouth following the same path as his fingers. "This family didn't know it, but they needed you. You're like a breath of fresh air in this place."

  "Joe..." I gasped as he kissed the inside of my wrist. His tongue flicked over the quick drumbeat of my pulse.

  "I wanna make love to you until you fall asleep." Joe's voice rumbled deep and low. He was as turned on as I was. "Then I'm gonna wake you up and make love to you again. Tonight, tomorrow, and every night 'til I'm ninety."

  I cocked an eyebrow. The old, sultry, flirtatious Rhiannon simmered beneath my skin. She hadn't disappeared after all, she just existed only in the space Joe and I had created together. She wasn't gone, she just belonged with one man now. Tonight, tomorrow, and every night 'til she's ninety.

  "Every night Joe?" I teased as he reached to slide the other strap of my dress down.

  "Well—" He laughed a little sheepishly. "Maybe not every night, but pretty near. And just 'cause we're not doin' it, doesn't mean I ain't thinkin' it."

  His deft fingers found the zipper at the side of my dress. He drew it down with slow, deliberate ease, his calloused fingers deliciously rough yet gentle against my skin.

  "What's under here for me today?"

  He peeled the blue floral fabric from my breasts. His eyes widened as sapphire lace was revealed. It wasn't the most comfortable bra I owned, especially since pregnancy had increased my bust line, but comfort wasn't what I had aimed for anyway. Soft, round flesh practically poured over bright blue lace.

  Joe traced the scalloped edge of the delicate fabric with a feather-light caress. When he looked up at me, his eyes had darkened to a stormy navy.

  "I am the luckiest man ever," he groaned before he worked the rest of my dress down over my hips.

  The bra matched the panties, as did the garter belt. Joe stared at me with hungry eyes then picked me up and deposited me on the bed with gentle care. He stripped off his own clothing before he stretched out beside me.

  He ran a large, capable hand up my stocking-clad leg. The spark of want burned deep in my belly, as it had before with Joe, but now there was something more. This wasn't just lust, although there was plenty of that, but it was also love—on Joe's part and, I was beginning to believe, on my own as well.

  For the longest time he did nothing but touch me. The tender paths his fingers took seemed almost random to me, but obviously meant something to Joe. It was as if he planned to learn every inch of me by hand. I don't know if he intended it to be this sexual, but before long I was practically panting with want.

  Joe chuckled while I squirmed beneath his fingers. "Somethin' wrong darlin'?"

  I'd never trusted myself to be the passive partner before. I'd always taken the lead with men in the past, but with Joe it felt easy to lie back and let him do what he liked. Up to a certain point. There was a damp pool of need between my thighs and I desperately wanted more than just gentle exploration.

  I gasped as he touched my breast for the first time. Even through the lacy barrier, my nipple hardened instantly at the caress. "Kiss me, dammit!"

  Joe's laughter was a deep rumble I felt down to my toes. He didn't hurry to acquiesce though. Instead, he plucked at the elastic of my garters.

  I changed tactics and arched myself against him, pressing all my soft curves against his solid muscle. Through lowered lashes I looked into his deep blue eyes. "Kiss me Joe? Please?" I purred.

  I smiled to myself when he growled in the back of his throat. If Joe-fucking-Tanner wanted seduction, I'd be only too happy to oblige.

  Joe took my mouth then, with a greedy hunger that drove the air from my lungs. We kissed and kissed, as if we couldn't get enough of each other, as if each time we'd discovered something new.

  Time slowed to a crawl. The constant rhythms of the waves on beach outside and of the ticking of the alarm clock at the bedside fell into the distance. Nothing else in the world existed for me but Joe. My husband.

  He gently removed my panties and my bra. Being released from the wire cage made me groan with pleasure. Joe kissed the red marks left behind by the ill-fitting brassiere. He teased at the edges of garter, his hands swooping over the transition between silky stocking and smooth skin. Every touch made me feel luxurious, like I was melting into a puddle on the mattress. I'd never been more relaxed. I'd never been more excited. I'd never been happier.

  When Joe slid into me it felt better than before. I was so slick and he was so hard, we both groaned in ecstatic unison. We moved together like we were made to, and when I finally found my release, tears dampened my cheeks. Joe cried my name when his turn came. He collapsed against me with his face buried in the damp curve of my neck.

  I only knew the sound of our harsh breathing as the stars behind my eyelids faded and my heart rate slowed to normal. Joe didn't move, but held me down with his solid weight.

  I'd never felt anything like this. There was such an intense rightness about it all, about him and about us, about our little home together, about how we were with each other. I couldn't pretend to understand what had brought us together, I didn't dare question why it was he loved me, how it was he'd chosen me. I only knew he did, and he had.

  Joe remained still for so long, I figured he'd fallen asleep. The temptation to drift off tugged at my own mind but I had to do something first. With a happy sigh, I reached up, pushed the soft hair from Joe's forehead and put a kiss there so he'd have sweet dreams.

  "I love you Joe-fucking-Tanner," I whispered even though he couldn't hear me. Or maybe it was because he couldn't hear me. I'd never said it to any man before, maybe I felt I needed to test it out.

  "I love you too, Rhiannon-fucking-Tanner."

  "You're awake!"

  He chuckled, the sound deep and gravely. "Damn right. But we ain't discussin' this now," he said in a sleepy voice. "We'll talk about it in the mornin'."

  He shifted his body and slid off from on top of me only to scoop me up in his arms and nestle me beneath his chin where it was warm. I wrapped my arm around his broad chest and squeezed.

  "I thought you were going to make love to me until I fell asleep and then wake me up and make love to me again."

  "You ain't asleep yet."

  He was right, of course. I wasn't asleep yet but it felt like I was dreaming nonetheless.

  "I love you," I whispered, testing it out again.

  My husband nuzzled my hair and then with a contented sigh, slipped into sleep. Happily, I followed.

  ***************************************

  Make sure to check out Part One- Lilly’s Adventure