A Fortune's Children's Wedding (20 page)

He seemed to intuitively know when she needed more speed, more pressure, and gave her what she craved. He was right, she thought before her thoughts splintered into rapturous incoherence. They were perfect together.

She arched her back as wild spasms of pleasure rocked her; she felt his body coil as he emitted a low groan of harmony with her own muffled cries. His release came in a deep fast series of thrusts as her body melted and convulsed around his. Time seemed to crystallize as they surrendered to the sweet oblivion.

They drifted slowly back to reality, lying together on the bed, the drone of the plane's engine an oddly soothing background noise. Her arms and legs were wrapped around him, and she lifted her head to trail a path of delicate kisses along his jawline.

She loved the sensation of the two of them joined, forming one whole, intertwined and inseparable. She loved him.

“Wow.” He cradled the back of her head with his hand.

Her eyes met his. He looked satiated and sexy and he grinned at her, sending a flush of heat straight to her core.

“Can I take that as a compliment?” She felt satiated and sexy.

“You know you can.” He pulled her hair back in a ponytail, playing idly with it.

“Angelica…” All of a sudden, he sounded serious, as if he wanted to have a
discussion,
which undoubtedly meant something about Brandon.

Angelica pouted a little. “Flynt, I'm not in the mood for a serious discussion, particularly about my father.”

She felt supremely content and wanted only to savor these intimate moments. Their bodies merged, their limbs tangled, the exquisite exhaustion of spent passion.

Flynt wondered if she'd realized that she referred to Brandon as her father more and more, signaling her own subconscious acceptance of his paternity. He decided this wasn't the time or place to make that point. She wasn't in the mood for a serious discussion.

“Does this mean you don't want to talk about the Fortunes? Because there are things you should know, Angelica.”

He slowly withdrew himself from her body.

“I'm sure there are.” She sat up and caught his hand, drawing him back to her. “And it won't be long before I'll know more about the Fortunes than I ever wanted to, I'm sure of that, too. But right now let's have a moratorium on anything Fortune.”

He put aside his intention to tell her about his pending-and-certain-to-be-activated SMS contract with the Fortune Corporation. Did it really matter, anyway?

“Anyway, discussing business pales in comparison to making love with you.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

It was a long time and many kisses and caresses later before they briefly resurfaced.

“I like making love with you, too,” she confided breathlessly. She groped in the darkness for the box of condoms that had been dropped somewhere on the bed. She couldn't find it, and when he pulled her on top of him, she completely forgot to search again.

She forgot everything but the incredible pleasure of Flynt's body beneath her own. “I want you to make love to me again, Flynt.” She trailed biting little kisses along his jawline, her hands stroking him.

Flynt's head was spinning; his body taut with need. But his primary concern was for her. “Are you sure you feel up to it, sweetheart?”

She laughed wickedly. “I think that's more applicable to you.” And caressed him intimately. “And you are most definitely up to it.”

She felt his hands on her breasts, his long fingers stroking her, and gave herself up to the incredible sensations rolling through her. Her legs flexed deeply and waited, open and vulnerable, for his body to merge with hers.

They made love more leisurely this time, playfully, almost light-heartedly. It was passionate and thrilling and wonderful in a new and different way. They moved together slowly, easily, until the fiery currents of pleasure built and burned hotter, and they climaxed together in an incandescent explosion of pleasure.

“For a novice, I'm pretty good at this,” Angelica murmured later, as she cuddled against him, feeling such bliss.

“How much of a novice?” Flynt's hand, which had
been caressing her back, stilled. “Never mind, you don't have to answer that. I shouldn't have asked.”

“I'm so much of a novice I don't mind the question. I—I was—I hadn't—” She swallowed, suddenly nervous.

What if her virginity upset him? There was a chance of that, she knew, because Danny had once confided to her that he avoided virgins; they scared him. It was a little late now to find out if Flynt shared her brother's anathema. She shouldn't have brought the subject up, and berated herself as very much a novice for doing so.

“You're my first lover, Flynt.” Angelica tensed, waiting for the possible repercussions. “I know that's probably unwelcome news but—”

“Sweetheart, it's welcome news,” he said quickly. He kissed her tenderly, lingeringly, then held her close and tried not to dwell on the enormous implications of being Angelica's first lover.

It was a first for him too, being someone's first lover, and that the woman should be Angelica was all the more overwhelming to him because he cared so much about her. Right now they were so close, so attuned he couldn't imagine it ever being otherwise.

But just like a soundtrack in a movie, every doubt he'd ever had about permanency in relationships played in the background of his mind. How many other couples had experienced harmony, only to set about destroying it? He had watched it happen with his own parents.

“Some men don't want to deal with the responsibility of a woman's virginity.” Angelica sighed softly as Flynt stroked her hair. “But I should've known you would be understanding, Flynt.”

“I'm not some anonymous man and you're not some anonymous woman,” he chided her gently. “This is you and me, Angelica.” He was not about to inflict his doubts on her; she didn't deserve that. Not now. She needed reassurance and tenderness and he could provide that for her. He wanted to.

“I needed to be reminded of that.” She nuzzled his neck. “Sometimes I tend to generalize.”

“You?” he joked drolly. “Never!”

“Okay, I admit it. Generalizing is a habit of mine.” She laughed a little, feeling languid and mellow and so very close to him. “But it's not fair to you, Flynt, because you are unique.” Her voice grew thick with emotion. “I've never known a man like you.”

“And I never dreamed there could be a woman like you, Angelica.” Flynt shifted her in his arms, tilting her chin upward to brush her mouth with his. He ran his hands over her, loving the feel of her supple curves, the warmth of her smooth skin.

“I'm proud to be your first lover, sweetheart. So proud and so happy. The way I feel about you…” He tried to find the words but it was difficult to speak when Angelica was moving so sinuously against him.

She thrust her hands into his thick hair and molded herself to him, kissing him with unreserved passion. The kiss went on and on until they were both breathless.

Flynt tucked Angelica into his side, spoon-fashion, and they lay together, savoring the quiet peace. He made another attempt to describe the feelings welling within him.

“Angelica, I want you to know what I feel for you…the way I feel about you…” Flynt heaved a sigh.
“I'm trying to be eloquent and original, and all I can come up with is that—I've never felt this way about any other woman, Angelica.”

Angelica treasured his halting declaration. “That sounds eloquent and original and—and beautiful to me, Flynt.”

She instinctively knew what he meant: that he was in love with her. She even understood why he didn't say “I love you” to her, because she shared the same inhibitions about saying it to him.

It didn't matter. When the time was right, they would say the words aloud to each other. For now, they would remain unspoken.

A
limousine was waiting at the airport to take Angelica and Flynt to the Fortune mansion, bordering on Lake Travis. As the chauffeur drove the limo slowly along the long driveway, Angelica stared at the huge white colonial-style house ahead, with its verandas and French doors and expanse of meticulously landscaped lawns and gardens. Even in the dark, the place looked impressive.

“Kind of takes your breath away, huh?” Flynt murmured.

Angelica made no response.

His arm was around her. She was very quiet, resting her head on his shoulder, her hand on his thigh, so silent and still that at times Flynt thought she had fallen asleep.

But a swift glance at her face revealed her big dark eyes, open and taking in everything around her: the lush upholstery of the Fortune Corporation limousine, its wet bar, small television set and music console.

But Angelica and Flynt had passed on the offer of liquid refreshment. He'd made a small joke about wine and she flashed a sly grin, the only time she had smiled since the jet touched down in Minnesota.

They traveled through the city, then into the tree-lined suburbs, finally entering a visibly exclusive enclave of gated grounds whose houses were out of sight from the road.

Angelica reached for Flynt's hand and gripped it tight, her fingers icy, a tangible sign of how nervous she was.

“It's going to be okay, Angel,” he said softly, caressing the top of her head with his lips. Her hair felt soft and silky and smelled of an alluring, fresh-scented shampoo. “You'll like your grandmother Kate, I know you will, and she is going to love you.”

“This place is an
estate,
and I don't like elitist palaces,” Angelica said disparagingly. “I don't want to stay here. Only a couple months ago I would've been arrested if I'd dared to set foot on this property—or worse. That guard probably has orders to shoot intruders on sight.”

“Look, Angelica, I know what's going on with you, you're covering anxiety with attitude. But you don't have to do that with me, honey, you—”

“Flynt, save the psych stuff for the FBI profilers, okay?”

He thought of her unguarded moments, when she'd been totally candid with him on the plane and doubted he would be seeing any more of that. She'd reverted to being Romina's daughter, in full attack mode.

Flynt heaved a sigh. “Does this mean you're going
to hate the Fortunes on sight, so they can't hate you first?”

She stiffened but made no reply.

“Keep in mind that if you arrive with chips on both your shoulders, you will also be denying them the chance of liking you, Angelica.”

“I'll keep that in mind, Flynt.”

She sounded sarcastic and bratty, and Flynt felt a pang of sympathy for Kate and the Fortunes awaiting her. First Brandon, now Angelica. It seemed the clan was in for another rocky ride, as far as reunions went.

The limousine pulled to a stop in front of the house. In her current mood, Angelica reached for the door handle to open it and hop out. Flynt held her firm, making her wait for the driver to perform the task.

“Don't make things worse, Angelica,” Flynt muttered, boldly nipping her neck.

“Things can't get any worse!” she wailed and went limp against him.

But only for a second. By the time the driver had opened the door and announced their arrival, she was holding her head high, in complete command. She permitted the driver to assist her from the limousine.

Flynt stared at her, amused. She looked as regal as a princess on a royal tour. He stood beside her, taking her elbow, unable to suppress a smile. Was this the way a commoner-consort felt?

“Angelica!” Kate Fortune, elegant in blue, hurried toward them.

She stopped in front of the pair, and tears filled her eyes. “Brandon's child! My own granddaughter! How
I've been longing to meet you, my dear.” She threw her arms around Angelica in a spontaneous hug of welcome.

Angelica didn't pull away. Despite her avowal to reject anything Fortune, it struck her as churlish to physically repel her own grandmother. Slowly she raised her arms to tentatively embrace the older woman.

“I'm so glad you could come to visit us, darling.” Kate draped her arm around Angelica's shoulders and started walking her toward the open door of the house.

Lights blazed within.

Angelica threw a panicked glance over her shoulder at Flynt. She might be decades younger, but her grandmother was taller and had a grip that felt strong as steel. Suddenly, vividly, Angelica recalled feeling this same apprehensive helplessness as a very small child, when Romina was dropping her off at day care.

“Come on, Flynt.” Turning, Angelica called to him. The moment he took her hand in his, that sickening anxiety lessened. And almost completely dissolved.

Kate watched the couple with interest. “How was the flight? I hope everything was convenient and comfortable for you.”

Angelica and Flynt exchanged glances. She quickly looked at the ceiling of the overhang that extended down to protect the front porch from the outside elements. Her dark eyes sparkled. He stared at the ground, a flush spreading across his cheekbones.

“Yes, um, the flight went well, Kate.” Flynt managed to choke out the words.

“Everything was convenient. And comfortable,” Angelica added in a good-little-schoolgirl tone that made him want to laugh and to strangle her at the same time.

He shot her a warning look; she gave him a provocative one.

“I'm delighted to hear it.” Kate's interest turned to fascination as she observed the two. “I do hope you don't mind that Brandon canceled at the last minute. He called to say he had some personal matters to attend to, and we agreed that the plane should leave as planned.”

“Personal matters,” Angelica repeated, looking at Flynt. “I wonder what personal matters would keep
Dad
in Birmingham?”

“Behave yourself, Angelica,” Flynt growled in her ear as Kate stepped ahead of them to enter the house.

Angelica responded with a try-to-make-me challenge in her eyes.

Flynt was both aroused and annoyed. He didn't dare do what he most wanted, to pick her up and haul her off to ravish her. Angelica ran her thumb seductively over his palm, and he knew they were on the same wavelength. Too bad they were in her grandmother's house, a most prohibitive factor.

“Welcome home, Angelica, darling,” Kate said happily as Angelica and Flynt stepped inside the spacious vestibule. “I want you to always consider this your home and to come and stay as often and as long as you like.”

Despite her intention to remain guarded and cynical, Angelica was touched by the sincerity in her grandmother's voice, by the warmth in her eyes and smile. She didn't doubt for a moment that Kate's offer was genuine. “Thank you,” she said quietly.

“The whole family is eager to meet you, but I persuaded them not to come over tonight,” continued Kate.
“After all, it's late and you've had a busy day, including the long flight here. I'm sure you would prefer to simply relax, without any further demands tonight.”

Angelica breathed a sigh of relief. “I am tired.”

Taking on the entire Fortune tribe tonight would've consumed an excess abundance of energy and confidence, and she was already reeling from the events of this monumental day. She needed time to process what she'd experienced tonight, from making love with Flynt to acknowledging her love for him.

And then there was the perplexing, monumental question of where did they go from here? What happened to people in love? A chill ran through her. She'd always believed she knew the answer to that one: a couple inevitably parted because love was an illusion that didn't last. But what she felt for Flynt was no illusion; it was real, and she couldn't imagine herself changing her mind about loving him.

She remembered what Flynt had said about love—that he didn't believe in it, either. His mother and father had stopped loving each other after they had suffered the unbearable tragedy of losing their small son and had pushed each other away, choosing to grieve alone.

But when she and Flynt were hurting, they had come together, not pushed each other away, Angelica mused. She thought of her many years with her mother, through all the men and the babies and the abandonments. She and Mama had chosen to stick together; she and her brother Danny had never turned on each other when things got hard, either.

Mama said it was because they were blood kin, that blood was the strongest bond, but Angelica knew that
wasn't always true. Her own grandparents were a case in point. One set had turned their backs on their teenage daughter forever; her Fortune grandfather had betrayed his wife and given away their child. Hardly sterling examples of blood kin loyalty!

With her lifelong tenets turned inside out, Angelica allowed herself to consider the most radical concept of all. Wasn't it possible that a man and a woman could choose to stay together instead of going their separate ways when trouble struck, just as some blood kin chose family loyalty in adversity? That loving and not loving were
choices
that couples made. What if she and Flynt were to choose to keep on loving each other?

The insight resonated within her. She could do it, she decided, she could choose to keep loving Flynt, just as she'd chosen to love her mom even through the most exasperating times. The big question was this: would Flynt choose to keep loving her? She remembered what he had said the first time he'd told her about his parents' reaction to the loss of poor little Mark, that they'd split because the couple reminded each other of pain and loss. Angelica winced.

“Would you like to see the house or go directly to your room, dear?” asked Kate.

Angelica saw her grandmother studying her intently, almost knowingly. It was oddly comforting and somehow made her feel accepted.

Quite suddenly she revived, her curiosity trumping her confusion and fatigue. “I can't be in such an amazing place without seeing it. I would like to take the tour, please.”

“The tour?” Kate laughed. “Gracious, that sounds like we're on a visit to Mount Vernon.”

“I've been to Mount Vernon,” said Flynt. “George Washington aside, this place is nicer.”

Still clutching Flynt's hand, Angelica followed Kate through the wide hall, gazing around her. She'd seen historical mansions on TV that paled in comparison to this place. Antique furniture, Oriental rugs, beautiful paintings, vases that were works of art themselves, filled with fresh flowers in every room. Some rooms were devoted to special interests: the sizable library, the music room, the billiard room, among others.

“This could be a setting for a real-life game of
Clue,
” Angelica whispered giddily to Flynt. “Can't you see Colonel Mustard whacking Professor Plum over the head with the candlestick in the study?”

“In the Fortune version of the game, the culprit could be Sheila Fortune, your uncle Nate's ex-wife, using a poisoned jeweled dagger at a costume ball in the ballroom. I only met the woman once, but she had a real flair for drama and vindictiveness,” Flynt murmured dryly.

Angelica was overwhelmed by it all. “I just can't imagine living in a place like this.”

“Well, unless you plan to move in with your grandmother, you won't be, Angelica. You're still Romina's daughter who lives and works in Birmingham, Alabama.”

Flynt glanced at Kate, saw her attention was directed to adjusting the blooms in a flower arrangement, and seized the moment to kiss the delicate underside of Angelica's wrist.

Arousal and affection surged through her. Flynt had said exactly what she needed to hear. He understood her in a way nobody else ever had, and she loved him for it. Really loved him.

The tour completed, Kate looped her arm through her granddaughter's. “Before I take you to your room, you must meet Sterling.”

Kate led the way up the grand staircase to the master bedroom suite where Sterling Foster sat smoking his pipe and reading.

Introductions were polite and swift, then Kate took Angelica to a well-appointed bedroom with an adjoining bathroom. The room was a veritable garden of violets and ivy, the wallpaper perfectly coordinated with the quilt and pillow shams, the curtains and armchair-and-ottoman set. Long-stemmed fresh flowers in a decorative vase scented the room with their subtle fragrance.

Angelica stared around admiringly. Despite the decorator perfection, the room had a homey feel. She felt comfortable rather than intimidated in it. Her luggage had already been placed in the room, and she noticed Flynt's bag among hers.

She was still holding tightly onto his hand. She didn't want him to leave her, Angelica acknowledged achingly. Not only because he was a comfortably familiar presence in the alien Fortune mansion, but because he
belonged
with her.

They were a team. And after their intimacy on the plane earlier, she couldn't imagine spending tonight alone in that big king-size bed. The prospect was simply intolerable. She knew what she would be missing without Flynt. Beside her, inside her.

Angelica blushed at her own lusty imagination. But it inspired her to blurt out, “Uh, Grandmother, would you mind if Flynt stayed a little while to—to explain the home security system my mother is thinking of buying for her house?”

Her blush deepened. “We were discussing the pros and cons of the different systems on the plane but didn't have a chance to, um, well, go into specific details. You and Sterling don't have to wait up or anything. Flynt can let himself out. Can't you, Flynt?”

Flynt glanced from Angelica who appeared embarrassed but determined, to Kate who looked ready to burst into laughter.

Kate spoke up before he could reply. “Of course Flynt can let himself out. Yes, you must certainly finish your discussion. And now Sterling and I shall retire for the night. Our suite is on the other side of the house, so Flynt needn't worry about disturbing us. We can't hear a thing over there.” Her eyes danced.