White Collar Wedding (2 page)

Chapter Three

Gavin hadn’t wasted any time whisking her away. The moment their duties as host and hostess of the reception had been fulfilled, he bid the crowd a hearty farewell and ushered her to the truck.

Lauren happily met his hungry lips for a kiss that ended too abruptly. He helped her onto the front seat, and together they arranged the train of her dress around her feet.

Gavin slipped out of his suit jacket and laid it over the back seat before he climbed behind the wheel. A wicked smile played on his lips as he reached around the back of her neck and pulled her in for another too-quick, toe-curling kiss.

“My gorgeous wife,” he whispered against her mouth.

“My sexy husband.” She sucked his bottom lip between her teeth, causing a familiar rumble in his chest. Lauren snickered as she released him. “I suppose all newlyweds call each other
wife
and
husband
at first, but it sounds kind of primitive.”

Gavin kissed her again, then took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Primitive or not, I like the sound of it.
Wife
.”

Yeah, she liked the sound of that, too.

“It doesn’t seem real, does it? That the wedding is over already, I mean. That we’re actually married.”

“Hmm, it’ll feel plenty real once we get to the beach house.” Those dimples promised all sorts of naughty delights. “Unless you want to get started now…”

He teased the back of his fingers over her bare shoulder, causing her skin—and her nipples—to pebble. He caressed the line of her collarbone before heading south, toward her breast.

She encircled his wrist before he reached his destination. “We have an audience.”

Gavin eased from her hold and looked out the windshield. “We should feel lucky they aren’t poised to follow us down the driveway.” He flashed a wave, then with a heavy sigh, sat back and reached to loosen his tie.

“Don’t you dare,” Lauren warned. “Leave that on.”

“It’s a long drive.”

“You used to wear a tie for fifteen-plus-hours a day. You can handle wearing that one for another hour and a half.”

His dark blue eyes smoldered. “You got plans for my tie, do you?”

Visions of the night to come drifted through her mind. It was fitting they would spend their wedding night at the place where it all started. They’d make love for the first time as a married couple in the house where they’d first fucked as nothing more than former co-workers.

Gavin was a thorough lover, the best she’d ever had. He’d shown her a level of pleasure she’d never known. Pleasure beyond the physical sensations of their bodies—which in itself was pretty damn spectacular. But it was so much more than that. He’d shown her the wonder of being in love.

And she was waxing poetic as only a true newlywed could.

“I’ve got plans for every part of you.” Lauren gave him a sidelong glance before smiling and offering a wave of her own at the crowd of friends and family who’d gathered on the expansive front porch.

“Hmm. Is that right?”

Her gaze returned to his face as he licked his lips. Her body lit up like a Roman candle. Her husband had a wicked way with his tongue.

It had been days since they’d been together. With all the last minute wedding details and their decision to spend last night apart, Lauren was anxious to get her man naked.

“You’ll find out soon enough.” She glanced at Gavin’s lap. Seemed she wasn’t the only one raring to go.

The sight of his erection made her mouth water. Her spine did a reflexive jig. Her pussy contracted, and her folds grew slick with need. Now would be a great time to be wearing panties.

“All of my parts are intrigued. And are more than willing for whatever you’ve got in mind. Which will be sooner than either of us is prepared for if you don’t stop staring.” He reached for his sleeves and stopped short. “These okay to lose?”

She pulled her gaze from the impressive bulge straining his slacks. “Staring gets me into the most interesting situations with you, doesn’t it?” she teased, remembering the first time he’d touched her. The night she’d lost her job and found a new path—working side-by-side with Gavin and his family at Shadow Maverick Ranch.

“And, yes. You can take those off.” She knew Gavin would roll his sleeves back next, and Lauren had a serious fascination with the ropes of muscle in his arms. Not to mention the elaborate ink along his right side.

He removed the chrome cufflinks, dropping each in the truck’s cup holder with a
clink
. As expected, a few quick movements and his cuffs were rolled up enough for her to get a glimpse of the tattoo she’d memorized months ago. With her tongue.

Mmm, so sexy.

“Any chance you’ll give me a hint as to the plans you’ve got in that beautiful head of yours?” Gavin asked as he started the truck and got them on their way.

“Nope. If I tell, you won’t want to wait. You’ll pull the truck over and…” She almost blurted that he’d want to see for himself if she was naked under her dress. “Well, you know. Call me old fashioned, but the first time I have sex as a married woman isn’t going to be in the cab of this truck.”

Time to change the subject or the ninety-minute drive to Galveston would be sheer torture.

“Catch me up on what’s going on at the house. I’ve been so busy with wedding stuff these last few weeks, I feel like I’ve completely abandoned you to the mess out there.”

Gavin gave her a curious glance. He reached over and took her hand, lacing their fingers together and resting them against the center console.

“How about we table that discussion for another time?”

She groaned. “Oh, that can’t be good.”

He lifted their joined hands to his lips. He kissed the inside of her wrist. “It’s fine. There’s no need for us to talk shop on our wedding day.”

“Discussing our new home is talking shop?”

He nodded firmly. “Today it is. Unless it concerns what you’d like to do once we get to the beach, what you’re planning to do with my tie, or the many ways I’d like to show my gratitude for the fact you married me, then the topic will have to wait.”

“The first thing we’re going to do when we get there is change out of these clothes.” Which would take a while, if she had any say in the matter. “Which includes your tie. So…” She turned to face him. “That leaves us with the issue of your gratitude…”

* * *

Good lord.

Gavin was extremely detailed in his descriptions of what he’d like to do to her. His words acted like tin
y caresses, igniting her body to the point the slightest movement caused sparks of pleasure to run along her skin. Coupled with the actual touching he’d done—a brush of his thumb across her shoulder, his fingertips down her arm, his palm covering hers while lazily stroking her fingers—by the time they pulled into the driveway at the beach house, Lauren was more than ready for him to get started on the list. Practically panting for it, in fact.

Gavin slipped the truck into park and turned the key. “Ready?”

Lauren went for the door handle. “Hmm, let me think…” Her boots were on the ground before Gavin had a chance to come around to help. She draped the dress over her arm and met him at the front of the truck. His outstretched arm took her mind back to their ceremony.

Gavin had stood so handsome and proud, his face beaming with excitement. He’d spoken with strength and confidence as he pledged his life, his love, to her. Overwhelmed by emotion, Lauren wasn’t able to give as much volume to her voice, but she was no less resolved as she promised herself to him.

As she slipped her hand into his for the second time today and walked with him to the door, she’d never been more sure of anything in her life.

“Let’s get this business out of the way right off the bat.” Gavin worked the lock, and then scooped her into his arms.

Lauren linked her hands around his neck. “Shouldn’t this wait for our permanent home?”

“What? And miss an opportunity to have you against me? Not a chance.”

Lauren nuzzled his neck as he carried her into the house. He didn’t put her down until they were in their bedroom.

“Should we open a bottle of wine?” she asked as he set the lights low. He slid back the curtain covering the sliding glass door.

Their house sat on a private strip of beach, so Lauren wasn’t concerned about being seen—or heard—as he opened the door to let in the mild November air.

He came back to her. “The wine can wait a bit. The only thing I’m interested in right now is making love to my wife.”

“Hmm.” She nipped at his chin. God, she loved the way he smelled. Spicy. Rugged.
Male
. “Not entirely what I had in mind.”

“No?”

“No.” Lauren smoothed his tie. She kept going until she reached his belt, and then went to work on his shirt, tugging it from his pants. “I’m more interested in fucking my husband.” She started on the lowest button, traveling upward one small disc at a time. “With love, of course.”

Gavin’s nostrils flared as he watched her hands. “Always.”

When she reached his collar, she met his gaze. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”

A dimple appeared on one side. “So you’ve been saying.”

She loosened his tie and pulled it free. He frowned when she flung it to the carpet. Before he got too distracted by her actions, she released the final button on his shirt and slid the material over his shoulders. She let gravity do its job. Lauren had more interesting things to do.

She ran her palms over the hard plane of his chest, her gaze trying to take in everything at once. The curves of his biceps. The rounded muscles of his pecs leading to the hard grooves of his stomach. The enticing line of hair below his belly button.

Gavin had always been fit, but his time at the ranch had filled out his frame, giving him a thicker, more chiseled look.

As she trailed her hands lower, Gavin smoothed her hair to the side, exposing her neck. She tilted her head, giving him what he sought as she worked the buckle on his belt.

Lauren knew what was coming. She watched his head descend yet she still experienced a full-body shiver when his mouth met her neck.

The gentle sucking of his lips mixed with the moist heat of his tongue set her ablaze. She fumbled with his belt, her fingers forgetting how to perform the simplest of tasks. Her knees threatened to give out as he worked his way to her ear, stopping to draw lazy circles against the oh-so-sensitive spot behind her lobe.

“I’ve been thinking about this for days. Are you ready for me, sweetheart?” he whispered against her ear. “If I slip my fingers into your panties, will I find your pussy swollen and wet?”

The mention of panties got her back on track.

“Don’t try to distract me with your dirty talk, Mr. Mathis.” Sweet mercy, how she loved his wicked words. “Now, behave and get your pants off so you can help me out of my dress.”

“My pleasure,
Mrs.
Mathis.” He toed off his shoes. His slacks hit the floor. “Turn around.”

If she hadn’t been wet before, hearing her new title spoken in Gavin’s smooth drawl definitely did the trick.

She gave him her back. He trailed his fingers over the lace. “So pretty, but let’s see what we can do to get you out of this.”

“Preferably with the dress in one piece, if you don’t mind.”

“No promises,” he grumbled as he worked the tiny pearls. “How many damn buttons does one dress need?”

When he slipped the last one free, Gavin spread the material open and warmth spread across her back. His calloused hands roamed. She lifted her arms just enough to give him access. As though he’d read her mind, his palms moved around to cup her breasts.

He muttered an oath. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

She assumed the question was rhetorical, since the answer was quite obvious. She gasped as he squeezed and then rolled her nipples. The sensation traveled to the juncture of her thighs. Her clit swelled to attention, pulsating in time with her rapidly beating heart.

The dress fell from her shoulders. Gavin released her breasts and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her back against his chest.

“God, I love you.” He placed a kiss on her temple. Lauren turned her head and he placed another on her cheek. Then another on the edge of her jaw.

“I love you.” She stretched her neck and offered him her mouth.

He kissed her slowly. His tongue brushed the seam of her lips before gently slipping inside. At this angle, Lauren couldn’t do much more than take what he gave her. She met him with the same light, teasing strokes.

Before long, his hands were back on the move. Her belly flip-flopped as he passed over it on the way to where the dress had gathered at her hips. He slipped his fingers under the fabric. With a shimmy of her hips, the dress pooled around her booted feet.

Lauren knew the moment Gavin realized her secret. His sharp intake of breath led to a caress of her bared curves.

“Fuck me, Lauren,” he rasped and cleared his throat. “Have you been naked under your dress the whole day?”

Totally worth it.

“Surprise,” she drawled.

He helped her step from the circle of fabric.

“Surprise, indeed. It’s a damn good thing I didn’t know about this earlier. We’d have consummated our marriage a lot sooner.” He turned her under his arm, his eyes dancing over her as though he were seeing her for the first time. “You are absolutely gorgeous.”

If Lauren had any doubt as to his sincerity, she’d never have been able to stand there, allowing him to look his fill. Her body wasn’t perfect. She’d put on a few pounds since moving to Texas, giving her hips a roundness they’d never had before. But the way Gavin looked at her—as though she was all he’d ever want or need—gave her the confidence to carry out her plan.

“Are you ready for the rest?”

“There’s more? ’Cause I gotta tell you, darlin’… those boots are about to do me in.”

“We’re just getting started. Sit down on the edge of the bed.”

She bent to pick up his tie. Gavin’s eyes narrowed when she wrapped an end around each of her hands and pulled the fabric tight.

“Don’t even think about blindfolding me,” he warned. “I don’t plan to miss a thing.”