My Best Friend's Bride (18 page)

He steadied her shoulders in his hands and stared down at her. “You’ve got this, darling. And don’t forget that I’m with you.”

Jill nodded numbly, hoping the antinausea medicine Hunter had purchased for her earlier would kick in. Then they were off and chugging toward the falls.

People around them chattered excitedly and snapped photos as they approached the enormous semicircle of cascading waters. Jill had to concede the view was stunning close up, even more spectacular than it had been from above. Hunter wrapped his arms around her from behind, holding her against his broad chest, and she didn’t protest or make an effort to pull away. She found his presence calming and reassuring in a way she’d never anticipated. Plus, she felt all snuggly and warm, drawn up in his embrace, even as the dashing spray doused her.

“So what do you think?” he bent down and whispered in her ear.

She peered back over her shoulder and into his eyes. “I think it’s fantastic, Hunter. I really do.”

He raised his brow. “You’re not afraid?”

“Not with you here with me.”

“Jill, I know this is out of place. But we may never be here again. Never have this opportunity.”

“For what?”

There was heat and longing in his eyes. “To kiss under a waterfall.”

For a moment her heart stopped beating. Then it whipped into overdrive because she knew exactly what she wanted to do. What her entire spirit was calling her to do. She pivoted gradually in his arms until they were chest to chest, cheap rain slickers crinkling between them. “I know I said I didn’t want this.”

He dipped his chin toward hers. “We both agreed.”

She spoke in a breathy whisper. “Tomorrow we go back to the contract.”

Hunter cradled her cheek in his hand. “If that’s what you think is best.”

Jill didn’t know what she thought was best anymore. She really didn’t. Tomorrow would be different. They’d be back in Sugar Hollow and Jill would be writing her book while Hunter went to work. Jill didn’t need to become involved with Hunter Delaney for real. She’d gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid it, right down to having them each sign on the dotted line. The original plan was the right one and she knew it. Despite the outward expertise she displayed to the world, Jill was actually an expert at
messing up
relationships. She’d never even had
one
last for more than six weeks. If she was going to last an entire year living with Hunter, she couldn’t risk them becoming involved and then having a falling out so soon into their contract. What if he became upset as all those other men had and walked out on her? Where would that leave her book deal, and her grandpa? “I don’t know what I think,” she finally answered.

Hunter’s voice was raspy as his mouth closed in. “I think you’re thinking too much about it.” Then he brought his lips to hers, sweetly at first, and then with a ravenous hunger that wasn’t at all chaste, and which competed with the vigor and the thunder of the falls.

A little while later, they exited the boat holding hands. Hunter sensed that something had changed between them. Then again, Jill was sometimes hard to read, so he wasn’t sure. Perhaps he should just ask her and get this out in the open. “Jill,” he said as they wadded up their wet raincoats and stuffed them in a recycle box. “About what happened on the water…?”

“It’s okay, Hunter.” She drew a deep breath. “It was a moment. We were swept away.”

Hunter certainly had been. He’d never had a woman kiss him like Jill had. Perhaps that was because he’d never hungered for any other woman’s kiss as much as he had hers. Hunter thought back to his earlier conversation with Brad, when he’d said he wasn’t going to press Jill. If she wanted him, he was going to let her come to him. Of course, then, he’d been talking about wanting Jill physically. Now that his emotions were getting tangled up in this, Hunter wasn’t entirely sure how he felt. He looked to Jill for guidance because he was committed to letting this remain her call. “If that’s the way you want to leave things, we will.”

“I think that’s how we ought to leave things.” She met his eyes and quickly turned away.

“Well!” Hunter said cheerily. “At least you didn’t get seasick!”

“Thanks to you,” she said with a smile, relieved he’d changed the subject. “And the medication.”

“I hope you’re going to be hungry tonight.”

She arched her delicate eyebrows. “Did you have something planned?”

Hunter pointed to a tall tower in the distance with a revolving restaurant on top. “I thought we’d eat up there,” he said. “It will give us just one more perspective on Niagara Falls.”

“Sounds ideal, but Hunter…”

He looked at her.

“This time I’m paying.”

The food was delicious and the view was superb. It was amazing to see the falls from this high up at night, particularly as they radiated with rainbow colors from the lights that had been installed around them. “I hope you’ve had a good honeymoon,” Hunter said as he poured their wine.

“I’ve had an awesome honeymoon,” Jill said. “I don’t think I could ever have another one to compete.”

“But you will have another someday, don’t you think?”

Jill shrugged shyly. “I don’t exactly have the best track record.”

Hunter took a sip of his wine. “I guess that’s something we have in common.”

They paused a long moment to stare out at the falls. When she turned to him, she sighed. “That was some kiss, Hunter.”

“Which one?”

Jill giggled lightly. “There have been three, haven’t there?”

“You’re counting?” he asked, appearing pleased.

She smiled, but a bit of melancholy tinged her voice. “I guess all of them. All of them were pretty nice, including the one in the chapel.” She lifted her wine, deciding to tease him. “If I’d had any idea what good kisser you were, I might have even let you kiss me in high school.”

“That’s all I wanted to do, you know. Not anything more, like you assumed.”

Jill’s cheeks warmed. “Are you telling the truth?”

“I may have been a big football star, Jill, and I might have attracted my share of interest. But between you and me, I wasn’t into girls who seemed to be after that.”

For some reason, this stunned her. Hunter had surprised her, yet again. A new idea bloomed in Jill’s head for her book.
Surprises, yes
. What was a successful relationship without a few surprises thrown in? The unexpected turn could revitalize things, keep them fresh! “You’re full of surprises, Hunter,” she told him.

“Good ones, I hope?”

She didn’t have to stop to think about that. “The very best.”

He reflected on this, then asked her, “So what’s happening between us? Are we becoming friends, do you think?”

“I’ve certainly had a great time with you these past few days.”

“And yet you…” He swallowed hard, appraising her. “You’re not interested in anything more than those three kisses. The kisses you admitted yourself were pretty darn good ones.”

“Oh, Hunter, I wish that I could explain.”

“Why don’t you try?”

“It’s very important to me that we make it. That this deal between us lasts a year.”

“It’s important to me too.”

“That’s why we can’t risk fouling it up. Can’t you see? If we legitimately become involved and it doesn’t work out, how will we manage to stay together and keep up appearances for the entire year?”

Hunter hung his head, because—darn it—in a convoluted way Jill was making sense. Had Hunter ever managed a long-term relationship? The answer was no. Had he and any of his former girlfriends ever stayed together for a year? No, again. And did they all hate his guts with a passion by the time the relationship ended? Easy reply. An emphatic
yes.
Hunter heaved a breath and studied Jill sadly. “I guess I see what you mean.”

“So, here’s the deal.” She sipped her wine. “I’ve had a wonderful vacation. Thank you. I can’t tell you how long it’s been since I’ve taken a break, and apparently I really needed one. Now, it’s time to go home and focus on work. You on your job, and me on mine. I’m glad we’re getting along because that makes things easier.” But even as she said that, it sounded like she was questioning whether it really did. “When you need me to attend your work functions as your loving wife, I will. When I need your support as my husband before the media’s prying eye, I know you’ll be there for me.”

Hunter nodded his assent and sounded resigned. “Meanwhile, separate rooms and everything on the straight and narrow.”

“I can’t chance getting hurt, Hunter, and neither can you. What’s more, neither of us can do anything that might jeopardize our deal.”

“You really want the renovation that badly?” he asked, hoping the moment might be ripe to talk about Jill’s grandfather. Jill still hadn’t admitted to Hunter the pressure she was under concerning her grandfather’s financial affairs. Maybe if she opened up to him and they talked about it, they could discuss ways to address that problem.

Jill looked blank. “What?”

“Your advance money. You said you needed it for—”

“That’s right, I did,” she said quickly. “But it’s not all about that. It’s about getting my career back on track too. Long-term security.”

“Of course,” Hunter said, understanding that was all Jill was prepared to reveal at the moment.

They finished the rest of their meal in silence, each mulling over the difficult conversation they’d just had. In his head, Hunter understood Jill had lots of good reasons for sticking with their plan, yet his heart was already starting to grow uncomfortable with it. But Hunter wasn’t a quitter; he stuck with the commitments he made. He’d committed to living platonically with Jill for the year, so that’s what he intended to do. At the end of their contract, if he still felt the way he was starting to feel about her now, they could have a different conversation. Maybe after he moved out, they could try dating for real? Hunter took a swallow of wine thinking what a crazy, backward situation he’d gotten himself into. Here he was already married to Jill, but plotting out ways to court her after their divorce!

The bill arrived and Jill reached for it, intending to pay. This time Hunter didn’t stop her.

“You do understand?” she said, raising her eyes to his.

“In a crazy way, I suppose it makes sense.”

She laid her hand on his on the table. “Thank you, Hunter. This means…more to me than you’ll ever know.” She blinked, and for an instant Hunter suspected she was fighting back tears.

“It’s not a problem,” Hunter croaked hoarsely. “We signed a contract, Jill, and a deal’s a deal. I intend to keep it.”

Chapter Eighteen

Morgan pressed her palms against Owen’s broad chest as he stood on her doorstep. “It’s time to go home now, lover boy, or I’ll never get anything done!”

Owen pulled her up against him and attempted to nuzzle her neck. “I thought you asked me over for pancakes?”

She pushed back with a laugh. “That was more than twelve hours ago!”

Owen stared up at the night sky and the stars that twinkled above. “It has gotten late, hasn’t it?”

“Very,” she purred, planting a kiss on his lips. What a whirlwind romance this had been! For the past three days, Morgan and Owen had been nearly inseparable. Apart from the brief few hours when he’d gone back to sleep at Susan’s place, he’d spent every waking hour here. Including this morning, when he’d come over for a big country breakfast. Morgan had even made cheese grits! She was so darned proud of herself. “But if you don’t leave,” she continued, “I’ll never be ready for Jill coming home tomorrow.”

“Jill and Hunter.”

“Yes, them.”

Fifi sat at Morgan’s feet, contentedly thumping her tail against the floorboards. The dog looked up at the embracing couple with a big, dopey grin. “You know,” Owen said. “I think Fifi kind of likes us. Dogs have a sense about people being together that way.”

“Shut up.”

“I’m serious. We published a book on animal instincts only last year.”

Morgan wrapped her fingers around his sturdy biceps. “Yes, well… My animal instincts are telling me not to let you go.”

“Then don’t.”

“I must. I still have some picking up to do.”

He jostled her in his arms. “You
will
come to New York? You promised.”

“Yes, you impossibly insistent man. I’ve already marked the Fourth of July weekend on my calendar.”

“Good.” Owen pulled his gaze from hers to glance around the porch and then survey the yard. “That’s a bit odd, isn’t it?”

“What’s odd?”

“The cat. The gray one. I haven’t seen him since we moved Hunter’s stuff in.”

“Mimi?” Morgan asked in a haze. Then suddenly it dawned on her and she shrieked. “
Mimi!
Oh, no!” she cried with a gasp. “You’re right! I haven’t seen him in days!”

“I thought you were feeding him?”

“I was! I filled up his bowl in the laundry room twice a day. The next time I looked, the bowl was always empty.” She stared down at the dog, whose tongue was lolling out sideways. “Fifi! You scamp!” Morgan could have sworn that Fifi grinned.

“We have to find him,” Owen said.

Morgan gaped at him in horror. “I thought he was hiding all this time!”

“Maybe he still is. Where was he the last place you saw him?”

After a thorough search of the other rooms in the house, they approached the one door that Morgan had kept shut since Saturday. Morgan laid her hand on the doorknob to the guestroom and grimaced apologetically. “Jill didn’t want the pets getting in Hunter’s room.”

The moment they stepped near the bed they heard the scratching, and the whining… A soft pitiful mewing coming from…Morgan gulped as her eyes grew big…the closet!

Owen was braver than she, so he opened the door. Mimi leapt out of its hollow with a
reee-oow!
and streaked across the room, bolting into the hall. Morgan clasped a hand to her mouth as a horrific odor overtook her. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes,” Owen said, pulling two heavily stained and obnoxiously scented garment bags off the hanging bar. “I don’t suppose Sugar Hollow has twenty-four-hour dry cleaning?”