21 Marine Salute: 21 Always a Marine Tales (89 page)

“Lily!” Rebecca’s eyes lit up when their gazes met, and she let out a laugh. Ignoring their dresses, the bride-to-be wrapped her arms around her in a fierce hug. “I worried you wouldn’t make it.”

“I wouldn’t miss your wedding for anything in the world.” Not even after three straight nights on call.

“You weren’t happy about Luke.” Rebecca’s voice dropped, but wicked teasing glinted in her eyes.

“Hey, I’m just glad he got his head out of his ass where you were concerned.”

Admittedly, Lillianna found it hard to be happy for her—at first. She and Rebecca met during their freshman years in college and spent the next four as roommates. She’d heard all about Luke Dexter and watched his lack of response crush the vivacious woman over and over again.

“He loves me.” Rebecca held her hands tightly. “And I’m
happy
.”

“Okay. Then that’s all that matters to me. You’re a beautiful, beautiful bride.” Lillianna stepped back and held her arms wide so she could take in the full picture.

Taking her cue, Rebecca turned a full circle. “I feel beautiful in this.”

“Good.” Lillianna appreciated the strapless midnight blue evening gown she wore as one of the bridesmaids. The maid of honor joined them—the fabulous Lauren Kincaid looked so glamorous, Lillianna didn’t have to worry about anyone staring at her.

“Hi, I need to steal Rebecca for a second. Luke sent me with a present for her.” The actress beamed and Lillianna waved her off. The church wedding had turned into a huge affair, including a half-dozen bridesmaids, a maid of honor, three flower girls, the same number of groomsmen, and promised to be a full house. Apparently, as many of Luke’s unit as were able had also shown up.

Which meant she would be swimming in Marines.
Joy and rapture
. Lillianna checked her makeup one more time in the mirror. She’d gone with silver accents in her eye shadow, and it added just the right amount of sparkle to her dark cocoa skin. Rebecca had chosen fantastic dresses. They flattered every single bridesmaid. The dark blue of their gowns would complement the groomsmen in their formal blues. A shiver of apprehension rippled through her belly. She always loved the way Marines looked in uniform, but she didn’t envy the life one had to live. A military brat, Lillianna didn’t bother romanticizing military life.

“Hey.” A brunette passed her a glass of champagne. “We’re toasting our bride one last time before we report for the wedding.”

She hadn’t met all the bridesmaids, but if she had to peg one for military, this one would be. “Thank you. Lillianna Hansen.”

“Jasmine Cavanaugh, but call me Jazz.” They exchanged a quick handshake. “I’m starting to enjoy the fact that we went really small with our wedding.”

“No kidding—are there really four hundred guests?” She followed Jazz over to the circle forming around Rebecca.

“And a thousand more probably, at the reception. These two are really popular.” Her easy grin drooped faintly on one side, an echo of trauma—stroke seemed the most likely culprit, but maybe a battlefield injury.

“Ladies.” Lauren led the toast, raising her glass and waiting until the rest of the women did the same. “I’d like to just take a moment to wish Rebecca all the best in her marriage to Luke. It’s been my distinct pleasure to get to know her over the last several months. We’ve worked together on so many projects that I can’t help but think the best thing our men ever did was introduce us to each other.”

Rebecca laughed. “Hear, hear.”

Glasses clinked together and after a sip, Rebecca cleared her throat. “I wanted to say thank you—I know there probably won’t be a lot of time later—especially if the party goes the way I planned it.” More laughter met her statement. “But thank you, all of you, for being here with me today. From Lillianna, my college roommate, who listened to me cry myself to sleep and didn’t mind holding my hair back after one particularly bad spring break of drinking, and still wants to be my friend. To Lauren and Jazz who’ve become such a fundamental part of the life Luke and I are building. To Tina and Janey, who believed in Intimate Introductions before I even did, and to Delilah even though she couldn’t be here—” She coughed, blinking furiously.

“No crying,” Lauren ordered.

“Thank you for being here tonight, for the fittings, the planning, the dozens of emails, and for not hating me for wanting it all to be so perfect. Tonight is a dream come true for me and as soppy romantic as it sounds, a night I’ve planned since I was fifteen-years-old.”

“And how!” Tina echoed the sentiment. They clinked their glasses together for the second toast and then sipped.

Rebecca glowed with happiness. Lillianna didn’t try to contain her smile, and it was time to let go of her misgivings.

A clock chimed and Jazz collected the glasses. “It’s time to get moving. We need to have Rebecca ready in fifteen minutes, ladies!” They rushed to double-check faces, hair and to fluff the bride’s skirt, but ten minutes later, Lillianna trailed behind Jazz down the long aisle decked out in roses, patriotic ribbons and candlelight.

The service was standing room only. Lillianna couldn’t get over how fine the men in their uniforms looked, arrayed alongside the captain marrying his bride. Few dry eyes were in the house during their heartfelt vows and the cheer that erupted with their kiss sounded a lot like ‘oorah!’

The wedded couple led the way back up the aisle with a uniformed groomsman for every bridesmaid offering his arm as escort. Drunk on the abundant love during the ceremony had to be the only explanation for the quiver in Lillianna’s stomach when her escort extended his arm and she slid a gloved hand through to rest on his forearm.

It had nothing at all to do with his crisp and pressed appearance, powerful bearing, or saucy little wink.

Not a damn thing.

Paul eyed the bridesmaid from the moment she’d made her entrance through the double doors. As the fourth groomsman, he’d get to escort her out.
Thank you, Jesus
. Gorgeous was the only word that would do. Not that the other bridesmaids weren’t good-looking. Jazz looked damn fine and if he stared too long, one of her two husbands might be inclined to take his head off. All in good fun, at least on Zach’s part, but Logan stood right next to Paul.

Better to keep his eyes on the more attractive prize. From her rich, dark hair piled atop her head, to the deep, natural, rich cocoa of her skin. He hesitated to call it brown, but the white gloves and deep navy of her dress looked so smashing against her skin tone. His training kept his gaze forward as they walked together, so he barely got a glimpse of her eyes. Sadly, the evening wedding meant the sun was already sinking as they exited, and the shadows lessened the chance he could tell what color they were.

Photographs would be next and then a drive to the reception at Mike’s Place. If he played his cards right, they’d be in the same limo.
But we have to dance
…. A smile curved his mouth. He would have plenty of opportunity to stare at her eyes and determine their color then.

“Paul Torres,” he murmured.

“I’m sorry, what?” She glanced at him, a distracted smile softening her expression. It hit him like a fist to the gut. He needed to revise his earlier opinion—gorgeous didn’t do her justice.

“I’m Paul Torres, you must be Lillianna.” The only bridesmaid who’d missed the big rehearsal dinner.
Not that I can complain
…. He almost missed it, too. His flight landed an hour beforehand and only some skillful driving with Damon managed to get them both there in time to be in place before the bridesmaids did their obligatory walk.

“Yes, sorry. I can’t get over how happy she looks.” She let go of his arm and offered her gloved hand to shake. “And I’m Lillianna Hansen.” The urge to kiss it was a little too romance-novel for him, so he shook it then held onto it.

“The captain looks pretty happy, too. I think he got the better end of the bargain.” Paul chuckled. Every man from his unit seemed to be settling down in civilian life, marrying or pairing off. He’d served with most of the men in the groom’s party and earned his invitation when the wedding coincided with his leave. Unfortunately, one of Luke’s best friends—Brody—hadn’t been able to make it. The lieutenant remained on active duty in Afghanistan, but promised to visit the happy couple on his next trip through Dallas—probably to see his girl, the artist, as much as to see Luke.

“I hope so. There’s a tiny part of me that doesn’t like him.” Her announcement surprised him, but the photographer summoned them to join the bride and groom so he swallowed the question.

Five hundred photographs later, the dismissed wedding party made their way to the small fleet of waiting limousines. Jazz and her husbands loaded into one, the freshly marrieds got their own, James and Lauren claimed the third. Paul drifted back a little, and fortunately Lillianna waited for him as Damon and A.J. helped their bridesmaids into a limo and joined James and Lauren.

Score. We get the last one to ourselves
.

“Everything all right?” She eyed him expectantly.

“Fine, I just wanted to check a button.”
Lame, Paul. Lame
. But it was the first excuse to pop into his head. He motioned for the limo and she shook her head and led the way. Beating her to the door, he opened it, handing her inside before slipping off his cover and joining her.

She sat opposite him in the wide area of the stretch, and on the far side. He considered swapping seats, but he liked looking at her better—even if only in the illumination of passing headlights. “I hope you’re ready for a big party.”

“Me, too.” Lillianna didn’t sound ready. He raised his eyebrows and she moistened her lips.

Damn. Mind out of the gutter
. He gave his body the order, but too late to prevent the shock of reaction running riot through his system. If he hadn’t already been curious about her before, he definitely was then.
Out. Of. The. Gutter
.

He cleared his throat. “Worried?”

“No, sorry. I’m tired. It’s been a long three days and we had some champagne before the ceremony.” She clasped and unclasped her hands as if uncertain what to do with them.

“I hope everything’s okay.” Three days ago, he’d been sweating his ass off in Baghdad counting the minutes until the C130 would depart and he kissed the desert goodbye. He had a handful of days on leave and new orders for Germany. At least the climate would be better.

“Sorry again. I’m a nurse. I work in the ER and we had a lot of staff out with the flu, so I worked some doubles to help cover.”

Yeah, that had to be the suck
. “Well, let’s hope tonight we can make up for your hard work.”

“As long as I can stay awake.” She relaxed and crossed one leg over the other. “Sleeping in an on-call room for three hours here and four hours there does not make for the partying mood.”

No, he would imagine not. “I’ll keep you awake.”

“I’m sure you have better things to do than worry about me.”

“Not at all. In fact, it’s my duty to worry about you, ma’am.” Paul was already feeling better about the night. “I’m your appointed escort.”

“For the wedding but not the reception.” A tiny frown drew her brows together.

Little lies made the world go round, right? “Actually, at the rehearsal last night, Rebecca asked all the groomsmen to be sure to look after the bridesmaids. So I’m afraid you’re stuck with me.”

“Uh huh.” Her mouth twisted, but a smile hinted at the corners. “So you’re in charge?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And you’re going to make sure I have a good time?”

Oh, yes
. “Absolutely.”

She licked her lips again and his cock strained against his trousers. If she kept that up, he’d have a zipper imprint soon. “What if—despite your noble and very dedicated attempts—I’m still sleepy?”

“I’ll sneak you out myself and deliver you to the bed of your choice.” If he had to steal a car to make it happen, but no sense in sharing that part since he knew more than enough people who would loan him a ride.

Laughing, she lifted her bare shoulders in a resigned shrug. “Very well, if you insist on showing me a good time.”

Their arrival at Mike’s Place saved him from answering. The bride and groom were already inside, the worst of the formalities over for the evening. He slid out, set his cover in place, and held out his hand.

“You haven’t seen what they did to the ballroom, have you?” he asked on the way up the walk. It was a warm evening but not too hot. Perfect for a party that would spill out the ballroom doors and into the sculpted gardens offering respite to so many recuperating at the veteran’s center Luke built.

“No. I told Rebecca she should replace me as bridesmaid, I must be the worst in the world. I missed fittings, I only had an hour to be at her bridal shower and then missed the rehearsal.”

Two men in suits opened the main doors for them and they stepped inside the golden-lit room, a cross between a Marine Ball and the waltz scene from some Disney movie. The lights were softer, a full band played at one end and the dining tables surrounded the dance floor.

Stationed waiters brought drinks and cleared them away, but a buffet from Damon’s restaurant occupied one wall, with plenty of room to keep people on the move.

“Wow.” Lillianna stopped and Paul waited for her. “She wasn’t kidding.”

“About?” Curious, he tipped his head toward her. The low lighting made her silver eye makeup glitter but kept her eyes hidden, and it annoyed him. With the warm chocolate of her coloring, he half-expected brown eyes, but he wanted to know what shade.

“Rebecca said she’d dreamed about this night since she was fifteen…and looking at this…yeah….” She cleared her throat and touched a finger to the corner of her eye. “I guess she really has.”

“Nothing wrong with dreams.”

“No, nothing at all,” she agreed. “So where are we sitting?”

“This way.” He secured her hand in the crook of his elbow and led her toward the big table where the other bridesmaids and groomsmen settled in.

“Do you think you could do me a favor?” she murmured.