More Than Us (3 page)

Evelyn steps out of the bathroom, and I blatantly stare at the stunning woman before me. She’s not exactly the same girl I met in college. She rarely wears leather skirts anymore, and her hair hasn’t been platinum in some time, but that part still lives within her.

What I see in front of me is a woman comfortable in her own skin.

I sensed she was there all along.

She is the woman I love completely.

“Ready?” Evelyn asks, smoothing out the front of her dress.

Offering my hand to her, I reply, “You have no idea.”

THREE

Evelyn

The vehicle jostles us in the back seat as the driver takes to the restaurant.

“We’re on our way,” I tell my mother through the cell phone.

“I hope you’ve been taking care of yourself,” my mother’s voice iterates for the third time. “You have a big day ahead of you, and you want to look your best. Those images will last forever. You can’t go back in time, and photo-editing can only do so much.”

I try so hard not to roll my eyes, but it’s practically impossible. She’s always so concerned about appearances. I grunt internally and remind myself that this is the way she shows her love even though it grates on my every nerve.

When it comes to her, it’s all about picking the right battles, and the point is to win the war.

“Yes, I’ve been getting rest and eating right. Of course, I want to look my best.”

“Good. I have everything arranged—masseuse, nails, hair, attire, ton—”

“Thank you for making all the appointments,” I interrupt her. “I really appreciate it.”

Foster

Joining our hands, I wink at Evelyn as she continues the conversation with the matriarch of her family. Her frustration is evident but to be expected. They don’t have the closest relationship; however, it’s so much better than it once was.

Evelyn and her mother are just two different people when it comes to how they see the world, but over the years, they’ve seemed to come to an understanding with one another. She claims that I’m the reason for the change.

When Evelyn and I first met, admittedly, we weren’t very open with one another about our upbringings—both being from families with well-established businesses and what many would call a great amount of wealth. For different reasons, it’s not exactly something either of us wanted to boast about. She grew up in New York under the tutelage of an au pair and with the expectations of following closely in her mother’s footsteps. Evelyn often refers to herself as having been groomed for society, and she hated it. She rebelled against it whenever she could.

Everything about her is wild and free and should never be caged. That’s the girl I fell in love with.

When she found out about my family, our business, our undeniable wealth, it did not go over well.

I almost lost her, all because of her parents’ expectations.

I was furious.

I lost my heart in one fell swoop, and that was when I truly knew how much she meant to me.

“Foster?” Evelyn says, lowering the phone from her ear.

“Yes?”

“My mother would like to speak with you.” She passes me her cell.

“Hello, future mother-in-law,” I tease Mrs. Cunning. “How are you doing?”

“Hello, Foster,” she replies, stoic. “I’m doing well. Thank you. I hope you and Evelyn have had a nice time these past few days.”

“We have.”

“I wasn’t sure if I would have a chance to tell you privately before the wedding, but…” She pauses. “You and I didn’t get off on the best foot; however, I am really happy you two found each other, and we are looking forward to having you as part of the family.”

“Thank you.” I peek at Evelyn, and she sassily plunks out her tongue at me. “I really appreciate that.”

“Anyhow, I wasn’t sure if you knew that or not, but—”

“Now, I do.”

“Very good. We will see you soon.”

“See you soon.” I end the call and give the phone back to my fiancée.

“What was that all about?” Evelyn questions, fastening her purse.

“She was just telling me how much she adores me.” I smooth the tie over my chest.

She guffaws. “Bullshit.”

“Do you doubt my charm? Am I not adorable?”

“No, you’re downright delectable. I could eat up all of your adorableness,” she teases. “But my mother? I doubt she has enough warmth to adore anyone; however, she does seem to like you more than me.”

“You know that’s not true.” I lean in and kiss the top of her head. “She was just welcoming me to the family before all the commotion started. She wanted to do it privately.”

“Oh,” she says, sounding genuinely surprised. “That was nice of her.”

“I thought so. Besides, I think your mother and I have a different…understanding of one another than you and she do of each other.”

“True. You didn’t have to grow up with the woman.”

“No, I just fell in love with her daughter and made sure she knew it”—I grin—“along with everyone else.”

“You’re so swoony. You know that, right?” She flirtatiously nips at her bottom lip. “Do you keep tabs on the amount of charm you need to lay on me within each twenty-four-hour period? Because, if you do, I’d like you to know that you’ve hit your quota.”

“I’m not giving you all of my secrets.”

She threads her fingers with mine. “Soon, you’ll be required to do so by law.”

“I don’t remember that to be a part of the vows.”

“You need to read them more closely.” Evelyn bites at my ear. “Maybe check the footnotes. I keep an extra copy in a special place.”

She breathes heavily across my neck, and fuck me, a surge of blood throbs into my dick.

“And where is that?” I ask.

“You’ve been there before. It’s just a little to the south.”

“Does it have navigational coordinates?”

“It’s better to explore the old-fashioned way.”

“And how is that?”

She grips my cock. “With your hands.”

“Evelyn”—I grit my teeth—“we are on our way to meet your parents—and mine. What are you doing?”

“Is this a problem?” she questions, stroking me like it’s the fucking hand-job Olympics.

I exhale sharply. “It’s poor timing.”

“Your penis doesn’t seem to think so.”

“My dick has no sense of time.”

“Should I buy it a watch?”

The driver clears his throat, reminding us that his ears can hear just fine.

Evelyn tightens her fingers around my cock, giving it one last squeeze, and then kisses me on the cheek. I adjust myself and give my fiancée a stern look, feigning anger. She doesn’t fall for it and bats her lashes, all innocent-like.

“Nice try,” I tell her, calling her on her little act. “You know what you were doing.”

“Absolutely. I’ve had tons of practice with the equipment.”

The car begins to slow and pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant.

“We’re here,” Evelyn announces as the vehicle comes to a stop. “Are you ready for the craziness to begin?”

“Not really. My mind and body aren’t on the same page anymore. You kind of got me excited for something else.”

She reaches over my lap, opens the door, and then crawls over me. “I’ll make it up to you later.”

I tap her ass. “I’m holding you to that.”

We exit the luxury vehicle, and I escort my bride-to-be into the restaurant where the hostess shows us to our table in a secluded area complete with a scenic view of the beach. In unison, our parents rise from their seats, welcoming us.

“There they are,” Mrs. Cunning, my future mother-in-law, states with her arms open.

“Hello, Mother,” Evelyn says, kissing her on the cheek.

She then kisses her father before making her way to my parents. My mother takes her in a warm hug, full of smiles and laughter.

“Good evening, Foster,” Mrs. Cunning says to me.

I politely kiss her on the cheek. “Evening, Mrs. Cunning.” I clasp Evelyn’s father’s hand. “Mr. Cunning.”

“Son.” He nods.

“Not until after the wedding,” his wife states, in reference to him calling me son.

I smile at my future in-laws and then turn my attention to Evelyn, who is currently in a state of giggles over something my father said to her. I love the way my family has completely taken to her.

Mrs. Cunning sidles next to me, looping an arm through mine. “She looks happy, Foster. More so than I ever thought she could be.”

“She does, doesn’t she?”

“It’s because of you. It’s easy to see that.”

I pat her hand. “Thank you.”

FOUR

Evelyn

In the car, on our way back to the hotel, after an uneventful and pleasant dinner with our parents, I text back and forth with my man of honor, Wolfgang. He’s my closest friend, and he has always supported my relationship with Foster. I truly feel that, without him, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

Me: Are you all checked in?

Wolfgang: Yes. I was even able to swindle a bottle of champagne from the front desk. The super fancy kind.

I laugh to myself. I’m happy he likes it. He has no idea that it’s a gift from Foster and me, and I plan to keep it that way.

Me: Awesome. We’re on our way back from dinner now. Would you like to meet up at the bar for a drink?

Wolfgang: Would you hate me if I passed and just saw you in the morning? The flight killed me. I need my beauty sleep in order to best cater to my queen tomorrow.

Me: No problem. Jet lag is a bitch. Get some rest, and we will see you in the morning. Love you.

Wolfgang: Don’t party too hard, minxy lady.

I stuff my phone into my purse and then lean back into the seat.

Foster caresses my thigh. “Everything good?”

“Yes. Wolfie is settled in and will meet us in the morning. I also got a message from Chandra, and she said that she and Jeremy landed about an hour ago. They are going to check into the hotel, and we will just see them tomorrow.”

“What about Gerard, Caroline, and his parents?” he asks, inquiring about my longtime family friends and his wife.

“My mother mentioned to me at dinner that they arrived this morning and would be joining us tomorrow, too. Have you heard from Graham or Parker?” I question, referring to two of his closest friends.

“They both should be arriving before midnight. I checked their flight statuses while you were texting with Wolfie. The plan is for us to meet them in the morning with everyone else.”

I sigh, snuggling into Foster’s shoulder. “So, it looks like it’s just you and me then.”

“You poor thing,” he kids. “What is a girl to do? All alone with her fiancé.”

“It’s a tragedy of epic proportions. How will I cope? There must be some sort of support group.”

“There’s no help for you.”

“You’re so loving and romantic.”

“Somebody needs to be.”

When the car reaches the section of the resort where our room is located, it comes to a stop, and Foster and I step out into the evening. As the driver pulls away, Foster tows me toward the ocean.

I guess we aren’t going back to the room yet.

We remove our shoes when our feet hit the sand and pad our bare feet across the soft beach to where the tide is heading out toward the oyster-colored moon. As we head further down the stretch of sand, the lights from the resort begin to fade into the distance.

We continue to walk. Foster doesn’t say a word, and neither do I.

“What are you thinking about?” I finally ask, breaking the silence.

“That tonight is our last night together like this.” His feet slow. “Tomorrow night, we’ll be separated after dinner, and then after that, the next evening that we spend together, we’ll be married.”

My breath catches. “I haven’t thought of it like that.”

Leaning down, nudging my ear with his nose, Foster says, “Your days as a single gal are coming to a close.”

“And you can say good-bye to being a bachelor. The ball and chain will soon be in full force.”

“Yes, weighing me down like an anvil—”

“Into blissful oblivion.”

He chuckles. “That’s exactly what I was going to say.”

“I knew it. See how good I’m going to be at this wife thing? I’m already finishing your sentences.” I twirl like a silly schoolgirl. “I’ve got this happily ever after bit mastered.”

“I think you had too much espresso at dinner.”

I dance around him. “Or I’m high with delight from being in your presence.”

“Your ego-inflating bullshit is quite impressive this evening.”

“Thank you. That’s a compliment, coming from you.”

Foster swoops his arms around my waist, picking me up off my feet and securing my body to his chest. “I love you.”

I relax into him. “I love you, too.”

Lowering my feet to the ground, he turns me in his arms, so we are face-to-face. Foster presses his lips to mine and passionately kisses me, instantly changing my playful mood. There’s too much sincerity and love on his mouth for me to feel anything other than close to him in this moment. Tightly embracing me, he flirts with the exposed skin at my back and then begins lower the zipper of my dress.

“What are you doing?” I ask, breathy.

“Kissing you.” Foster touches his lips to the pulse point on my neck. “A lot.” His tongue tickles the space behind my ear. “As much as this single gal will let me.”

“Are you trying to sow those wild oats in your remaining time as a bachelor?”

“It’s highly probable. I haven’t run a full analysis on it, but I speculate that there’s a ninety-nine percent chance that the statement is true.”