Protect Me (21 page)

I walk through the door toward the tent with the little boy tucked securely in my arms. I feel Nate’s eyes on me as I make my way to the tent, and I can’t help but glance behind me quickly before I enter. Nate is standing at the back door, eyes boring intently at my back. I give him a small smile - one that he returns - and I head inside the tent.
 

The wedding was beautiful. There is no other word to possibly describe it more accurately. I held up so well until it came to the vows part. Erin and Jake decided to write their own vows, and I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t cry when Jake got choked up while reciting his promises. I tried to fight the urge to cry as I watched the big guy up front practically brought to his knees as
he gazed deeply into his bride’s eyes and professed his love and commitment to her. I’m certain there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. They always say that it’s the big ones that fall the hardest.
 

Grant has been my little shadow since the wedding. I’m pretty sure Nate doesn’t find it too funny that the little guy keeps reaching back for me every time he takes him in his arms. Josselyn and Travis have been teasing him for at least an hour.
 

After an amazing dinner, the reception is finally underway. The new Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are enjoying their first dance as husband and wife while Nate and I sit around the table with Holly and Jase, Josselyn and Travis, and Avery and Maddox.
 

“I knew when Jake fell, he would fall hard,” Avery says as she sips a glass of champagne.
 

“You’re telling me. I almost burst into tears when he got choked up reciting his vows,” Josselyn replies.
 

“He’s a great big pussy,” Nate announces to the table, resulting in a laugh from the other males present.
 

“I didn’t cry, did I, babe?” Maddox asks Avery as he places a kiss to the crown of her head.
 

“No, you didn’t, but I bawled like a baby,” Avery says with a grin.
 

“That’s because you were just then realizing that you were going to be stuck with Maddox for the rest of your life,” Travis tells her with a laugh.
 

“Whatever, Travis. At least I didn’t mess up when I put the ring on his hand,” Avery retorts.
 

“Hey, the pastor was talking too fast and I got confused,” Travis defends and looks at Joss.
 

“It was still one of the best moments of my life,” Joss says with a smile just before Travis leans forward and kisses her square on the lips.
 

“This is why I’m eloping,” Holly adds to the conversation. “No paparazzi following us around, flashing cameras in our faces or trying to snatch that first wedding picture from a helicopter.”
 

“Have you guys decided on a date and everything yet?” Joss asks Holly and Jase.
 

“Yep, but we’re not sharing anything until everyone boards the plane. You’ll all know the destination when we’re airborne,” Jase announces with a huge smile as he places sweet kisses on Holly’s bare shoulder.
 

Holly and Jase met before the Bent concert this past April. The story I’m told is that Jase, who was the lead singer of the Grammy winning rock band Bent, walked out to do a Meet and Greet, spotted Holly at the back of the room, and instantly fell in love with her. Bent was in the middle of a coast to coast tour of the United States so the first month of their unofficial relationship was spent with a phone in their hand, on Skype, and texting. Even vicious paparazzi and crazy, attention-whore supermodels couldn’t keep them apart
in the end.
 

Jase proposed to Holly on July 4th, about a month after the tour wrapped up, and together they moved to an older country home on the edge of Rivers Edge. No one was prepared for a rocker like Jase Bentley to move to town, but he was determined to give up his big lifestyle and be with Holly, and the residents of Rivers Edge are eating up the attention.
 

Rumor has it, everyone at the table - with the exception of me, of course - will be getting a very short notice of a departure date, along with a plane ticket to a destination unknown. I personally think it’s incredibly romantic and love that Jase and Holly are determined to have a private, low-key wedding. If you consider Paris or Hawaii or Bora Bora low-key. Like I said, no one knows where they’re going, but everyone has their bags practically packed already.
 

While the couples at the table continue to talk about their speculations for Jase and Holly’s wedding, I can’t help but return my eyes to the couple on the dance floor. They are like night and day in appearance and personality. Jake is as tall as Erin is short, he’s as loud as Erin is quiet. But, it works for them. I love watching them bicker back and forth, especially because once they reach the turning point in their “discussion”, you can see the look in their eyes and the smiles on their faces and know that make-up sex is right around the corner.
 

“Have you guys noticed that Jake hasn’t taken
his hand off of Erin’s stomach all night?” I ask to no one in particular. However, the entire table is instantly quiet and staring at me. And then as if all pulled towards the dance floor by an imaginary string, all seven heads turn towards the couple. “Plus, I’m pretty sure she hasn’t had anything to drink tonight,” I add.
 

“Holy shit,” Avery replies, wide eyed and with a huge smile, as she stares at her brother and his new wife.
 

“Now that you mention it, I am pretty sure she didn’t drink the night of the bachelorette party,” Josselyn adds with a smile.
 

“They’re having a baby,” Maddox states with a smile just before he leans over and kisses Avery on the lips. “We should have another baby,” he whispers against her lips but not quite soft enough to not be heard by everyone at the table.
 

“Just don’t make that baby right here,” Holly says, feigning disgust. “I know both boys are sleeping right now, but Bean over there doesn’t need to see that.” Everyone turns to Brooklyn who is sitting at the table blowing bubbles leftover from the ceremony between Mr. and Mrs. Stevens. Both Ryder and Grant crashed about an hour ago and were taken by their mothers up to the nursery that Mrs. Stevens has set up for the grandkids. The small, portable monitor sits on the table between Joss and Avery.
 

Jake looks up from the dance floor and notices us all staring and smiling at them. He whispers something
in Erin’s ear and she whips around, shock on her face.
 

They know that we know.
 

As soon as their dance is complete, the DJ encourages everyone to join the couple on the dance floor for the next slow song. Nate stands up and takes me by the hand, leading me out to the center of the dance floor. He pulls me tightly into his embrace as we sway in rhythm to the music.
 

I used to love to dance. Back when Garrett and I first started dating, I used to love to get dressed up for dinner or a party and dance the night away under the big sparkling lights of the banquet hall or hotel. But after his love turned violent and physical, the events became tainted. They were a chore, a requirement. The smiles were forced or fake and the fun and excitement completely void. Dancing became something I avoided.
 

Now, wrapped up in Nate’s protective arms, I feel the joy of the act again. Nate sways perfectly in time with the beat proving that even big, strong men do have rhythm.
 

“I have a surprise for you,” he says, pulling my tighter against his chest. Tighter against his chest
and
against his growing erection.
 

“Does it have something to do with the hello I’m receiving from your pants right now?” I ask with a chuckle.
 

“Maybe. I can’t help the way my body reacts to you. This happens every time you’re in the room with
me, every time I think about you, and just about every time I take a breath,” he says.
 

“So, you walk around in a state of arousal all day long?” I ask with a smile.
 

“Basically, yep,” he says as he kisses me on the forehead.
 

“I bet that makes for some awkward moments. The grocery store. Dinner with your family. Work with the guys.”
 

“Now do you see my problem?”
 

“So what are you going to do about this problem?” I ask coyly.
 

“I have a bag packed for both you and me out in the trunk of the Mustang and a tent pitched along the creek bank in my spot. I want to take you camping tonight,” he tells me.
 

I look up into his wide blue-green eyes and ask, “Camping?”
 

“Yeah. The only way to take care of my problem is to make love to you. Over and over again. Maybe even for days on end. I need to take you somewhere you can’t get away from me that easily,” he adds with a smile.
 

“Sex in a tent under the stars? Sign me up, cowboy,” I tell him with a huge grin.
 

Nate pulls back and makes a grab for my hand. “Nate! We can’t go now,” I tell him as he starts to steer me towards the exit.
 

“Bullshit we can’t. The most beautiful woman in the world just agreed to one of my top five fantasies. Screw Jake and his wedding. He’ll get over it. I’m out of here,” he says over his shoulder as he pulls me stumbling behind him.
 

“Uncle Nate,” Brooklyn says as she blocks the entrance to the tent. “I want to dance,” she says excitedly. “We always dance,” she adds.
 

“Bean and I danced the night away at Maddox and Avery’s wedding and she made me promise her a dance tonight,” Nate tells me as he releases my hand and bends down to pick up his five year old niece.
 

“How can I turn down an offer like that?” he asks the adorable little blond in his arms. Nate is walking back out to the dance floor as I turn to make my way back to the table that is now vacant, since all of the other couples are still dancing.
 

I watch Nate twirl his niece around the dance floor as she throws her head back and laughs dizzily. I can’t contain the smile that spreads across my face as I study them together. Someday, Nate is going to be an amazing father. You can see it in the way he interacts with Grant, Bean, and Ryder. My gut tightens and my heart speeds up as I wonder what it would be like to have that…with Nate.
 

I’m lost in my own thoughts when I feel a tap on my shoulder. Startled, I turn to face Nate’s brother, Will.
 

“Hey, you look so lonely over here by yourself.
Care to dance?” he asks with a smile as he extends a hand down to me. Will has a friendly, boy-next-door appearance that is enhanced by his glasses, and I can’t help but smile as I take his hand. He leads me to the floor that I just vacated with Nate and pulls me in close, but not too close. Will remains a respectable distance from me. It’s the kind of slow dancing you would do with your own brother or father.
 

“Enjoying yourself tonight?” Will asks with a smile.
 

“Absolutely. It was a beautiful wedding and reception,” I reply as he spins me towards Nate and Brooklyn. “No date tonight?” I ask.
 

“Uh, no. My new boss has me working crazy hours lately so I didn’t have any time to secure a date,” Will tells me.
 

“New boss?”
 

“Yeah, we call her Cruella because she’s bitchy and abrupt and none of us like her. She’s been there since March, I guess,” he tells me.
 

“Hey, keep your hands above the waist, little brother,” I hear Nate state sternly from behind me.
 

“Don’t worry, big brother. Lia has been trying to talk me into going out back behind the tent to make out, but I wouldn’t do that to you,” Will teases which makes Nate growl. It’s deep and possessive and gets the exact result Will was going for.
 

“He’s full of it, Nate,” I say with a smile and a
wink.
 

“Bean here was just telling me that I was her favorite uncle, Will,” Nate says as he spins the little girl around in a quick spin.
 

Brooklyn laughs while Will comes back and says, “Of course she did. She knows you’ll cry like Ryder if you don’t get your way.”
 

“Not true. Tell him, Bean,” Nate says with Brooklyn.
 

“Just put these chumps out of their misery, Bean, and tell them once and for all that I’m your favorite uncle,” Travis says as he joins the conversation while dancing with his wife.
 

Brooklyn looks around at the eager faces of her uncle’s before she says, “Jake is my favorite uncle.”
 

Shock is evident on the faces of Nate, Will, and Travis. “What?!” all three say at the same time.
 

“You heard her, a-holes. I’m her favorite,” Jake says with a satisfied smirk.
 

“Can’t be true, Bean. I thought we were buds,” Nate says with a big pouty face.
 

“I’m sorry,” Brooklyn says. As soon as Jake and Erin dance towards the other side of  the floor, Brooklyn turns to her three remaining uncles who are all standing dumbfounded in their place and says, “Uncle Jake paid me ten bucks before the wedding to say that.”
 

The look on their faces is priceless. All three burst out laughing and continue on with their dancing.
Nate plasters a huge kiss on Brooklyn’s cheek before handing her off to Will.
 

“Trade me,” he says before taking me into his big, strong arms. Being snuggled against Nate is my safe spot. Nate may have the creek bank, but I have him. Wherever he is, that’s my spot. Right there next to him. I snuggle in as close as possible and can’t help but wonder just how long I really have him. Nate made it clear that he’s not looking for the happily ever after. Marriage and kids aren’t in his future.