90 Days (Prairie Town Book 2) (35 page)

     Kissing Laney’s cheek and allowing her to break away from him to join the bride’s side, he stepped over to where Callum, Jeb and Ags were standing, a proud grin on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.

     It hadn’t been very long ago that he’d envied his best friend for the love she had found, and now he had his own.

     Laney looked absolutely radiant in a light blue dress that hugged her curves perfectly.  Her hair was pinned atop her head with a few stray curls framing her face, her light green eyes sparkling brighter than stars on a clear night.  Damn it if she didn’t make him want to do inappropriate things to her as soon as the vows were spoken and the pews were emptied.

     He would even go as far as saying she was prettier than the bride, but he wouldn’t hurt Lydia’s feelings like that; she deserved to have this day.  She deserved all the happiness that was about to enter her life and he was just grateful he could be a part of it.

     “I am so glad I’m not wearing mascara today.” Ags said beneath his breath.  “Today is not a day for makeup at all.  Poor Lydia; how will she get through this with dry eyes?”

     “I don’t think you’re supposed to make it through a wedding with dry eyes.” Benji glanced at his friend and winked.  “Should I grab some tissues for you, just in case?”

     “No.” Ags deepened his voice.  “I’m a man.  Men don’t cry.”

     “Bullshit.” He coughed against his knuckles.

     “Behave.” Jeb whispered loud enough for them to hear as the wedding hymn began.  “Ruin my sister’s day and I’ll tie you both up by your toes.”

     “Kinky.”

     Benji couldn’t help but to snicker at Ags’ remark.

     “All three of you behave.” Callum instructed, his eyes falling upon Lydia’s beautiful, smiling face as she appeared in the doorway. 

     Everyone stood for the bride as she made her way down the aisle, her arm looped through her father’s.  Mr. McIntosh looked like a million bucks as he guided her towards the altar, his tie straight and his smile resilient.

     Benji snuck a glance in Laney’s direction and it confirmed his earlier statement: everyone cried at weddings.

     He even sniffled a few times himself once Lydia and Callum joined hands before the priest and they bowed their heads in prayer.

     And even though he
should
have bowed his head to pray with them, he was too busy looking at the maid of honor and wondering the best way to remove her dress without ripping it.

     “May I have the rings, please?” The priest asked, pulling Benji out of his dirty thoughts.

      Ags handed the rings over as requested and everyone watched as Callum slid the tiny silver symbol of love onto Lydia’s finger.

     “With this ring I promise to love you, and only you, for the rest of my days.” He vowed.  “My heart, my body, my mind, and my soul belong to you, Lydia, and only you.  I will love you fiercely and without limits.  I will protect you and shield you and give you everything you may want or need until the last breath leaves my body.  And then it is my hope that I will continue loving you after I’m long gone and buried.  The love I feel for you is eternal and everlasting.  Though this ring may fade over time and your hair may turn gray,”—the crowd laughed softly—“what I harbor in my heart for you will remain strong, colorful, and vibrant for the rest of forever.  Please always remember that when you look at this ring.  Remember it when you look at me.”

    
Aw, goddamn. 
Benji quickly knuckled a tear from his eyes and glanced at Laney again.  She gave him a small smile and he rolled his eyes, embarrassed for having been caught crying.

     “Damn, that was good.” Jeb mumbled loud enough for only Benji to hear.  “Must have taken him a month to come up with that speech.”

     It really didn’t matter how long it had taken Callum to write his vows; Lydia believed him and that’s all that mattered.  They were about to start an amazing journey together, one Benji could only hope to discover one day, and as long as Callum lived up to the words he’d spoken, everything would be okay.

    
Good for you, Lydia.
  He thought when they kissed.  The entire church erupted in deafening applause and never had a couple been more deserving of a celebration.

     “Ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Callum Reynolds!”

      Following behind the new bride and groom, Benji looped his arm through Laney’s and escorted her out into perfect August weather. 

     “That was some wedding.” She sighed happily, resting her head against his shoulder.  “My god, she makes a magnificent bride.”

     “True, true.” He was thoughtful, a grin spreading across his lips again as they watched Lydia and Callum get in his Tahoe.  “But I bet you’d give her a real run for her money, huh?”

      Laney’s face turned red and she tried to hide her face from him, but he wasn’t going to have that.  Hooking his fingers beneath her chin, he pulled her gaze back to his and leaned in to kiss her sweet lips.

     “Someday, Laney.” He whispered with a nod.  “Someday.”

     “Someday?” She echoed, tilting her head like a curious cat.  “Someday, what?”

     “Benjamin!  There you are.” Tula approached them, breathless and all smiles.  She clutched a box between her hands.  “I’ve got something I need to give you.”

     “Is that for Lydia and Callum?” He eyed the box and quirked a brow.  “I think they’ve had everything sent over to their house.  They’re on a tight schedule to make it to Ireland.”

     “I know that.” She rolled her eyes.  “This isn’t for Lydia and Callum; it’s for you.”

      “For me?” He glanced at Laney quizzically and she simply shrugged.

     “Yes, for you.” She shoved the box into his hands and grinned.  “But don’t open it here.  Wait until you’re alone.”

     “What is it?” Curiosity got the best of him as he lifted the box to his ear and shook it.

     “Don’t do that!” Tula nearly snorted as she pushed his hand back down and shook her head.  “You silly boy.  It’s not something you want people to see, all right?  This is for
you
and Laney.  Catch my drift?”

     He stared at her in confusion, completely lost, and then laughed.  “Jesus, Tula.  What is it? A sex toy or something?”

     Laney immediately dropped her head.

     “Keep it down!  Do you want everyone to hear?” Tula flashed him a wicked, wicked smile and then patted his cheek lightly.  “You can thank me for it later, sweetie.  Oh, and make sure that if you’re going to have sexual relations at Bookleberry’s,”—his mouth dropped open—“you do it where there isn’t a camera.  Paul may be scarred for life.”

     “Oh my god.” Laney squeaked.

     “Enjoy, my sweetlings.” She pinched his cheek and grinned mischievously.  “A lovely wedding, wasn’t it?  Toodles!”

     And just as quickly as she’d appeared, she was gone.  With his ears burning, Benji turned his attention back to Laney, who was hiding her face against his shoulder.

     “Well, that was…”

     “Humiliating?” Her voice was muffled, but he was certain he could hear the hint of a smile in there somewhere.  “Totally embarrassing?”

     “Hilarious?”

     “Benji, that wasn’t funny, not in the slightest.” Laney slowly lifted her head and peered at him with sparkling eyes.  Tears?  “That is horrifying.  She saw us on camera?  I thought you deleted the video!”

     “I did, I swear!  But I may have forgotten it’s also a live feed straight to her laptop.”

     “No!”

      “Yes.  Oh, God, Laney.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, rested his lips against her forehead and tried his best to stop laughing.  He just knew Laney was going to murder him before the day was done.  “I’m sorry.  Do you forgive me?”

     “Definitely not.” She swatted his shoulder and pulled away from him, but she didn’t get very far.  Being mindful of her cast, he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her back to him, his chest pressing into her back as his lips touched her naked shoulder.

     “Please forgive me, baby.” He growled seductively in her ear.  “We’ve apparently got a new toy and I’d hate for it to be neglected because you’re mad at me.”

     “Benji! My parents are literally standing right over there.” She writhed against him and her breath hitched in her throat.

     “But they’re too busy waving.” An impish grin slid over his lips and he gripped her hips possessively. “They’re not paying a bit of attention to us, babe.  We could disappear right now and they probably wouldn’t notice.”

     “Benji.” She became breathless—flustered, no doubt.  “I’m the maid of honor.  I can’t just disappear.”

      “Not even for a quickie?” He purred against her sweet-smelling skin.

     He was trying to tease her, but damn if he wasn’t getting himself worked up at the thought of taking her in the church bathroom.

    
I’m definitely going to hell.
  He thought as Laney trembled against him.

     “We can’t be gone for long.” Her anxious whisper caught him by surprise.  “Seriously, Ben.  We’ve got twenty minutes tops.”

     “What—?” He stumbled forward when she suddenly turned to grab his hand, and he apparently forgot how to walk as she weaved her way through the crowd.

     She was headed straight for the bathrooms.

    
Oh, merciful God…

     “Quick.  Get in here and don’t let anybody see you.” Laney instructed as she all but yanked him into the bathroom and closed the door.  She was breathing so hard, undoubtedly from excitement, and it was making
him
nervous as he gripped the box between his shaking hands and stared at her.

      “Well?” She gazed at him expectantly.  “Are you going to see what’s in there or not?”

     “Ma’am, yes, Ma’am.” He laughed, almost feeling guilty about having to rip off the pretty wrapping paper.  Tula sure knew how to wrap…

     “Hurry, Ben! We don’t have much time.”

     “Calm down, Laney.” Laughter bubbled past his lips as he let the wrapping paper fall to the floor and then pulled off the lid to peer inside.  “Holy…is that what I think it is?”

     “What do you think it is?” She questioned, peering inside.  “Oh…
Oh
.”

     “Oh is right.”

     Tula had somehow gotten the impression they needed a strapless strap-on in their life, and not just
any
strapless strap-on, but a high-tech, top of the line strapless strap-on.  It was one meant for people like Benji, and he suddenly couldn’t wait to try it out.

     “Maybe we should save this for later.” He began to close the box, but stopped when Laney’s warm fingers touched his.

     “Or maybe not.” She arched a brow.  “I want you, Benji.  Right here.  Right now.”

    
Oh, Jesus fuck…

    
“Put it on…or in…or whatever you have to do with it.” She licked her lips, eager eyes staying on his.

     He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Laney so out of sorts before.

     It was hot.

     “Are you sure you want to do this now?” Not that he was complaining.  Hell to the no, he was not complaining a damn bit, but they
were
at a wedding and even though the lady of the hour was rushing off for her honeymoon, it didn’t mean no one wouldn’t be looking for the maid of honor.

    
Fuck doing the decent and sensible thing right now.
  His eager hands tore open the box and he didn’t even bother to read the instructions.  Everybody knew how to operate a strapless strap-on, right? A ‘real-do’ as they were sometimes called, honestly had to be the easiest thing to figure out, and he was going to become a master at it in record time.

     “Just give me a second, babe.” He panted, cheeks ablaze from the sudden arousal barreling down on his body. 

     “Take your time.” Laney smiled.

     She totally didn’t mean it.

     Undoing his slacks and pushing them down, he leaned against the counter and readied himself for what would, without a doubt, be the most memorable moment of the McIntosh-Reynolds wedding—at least for him.

     “Okay.” He nodded confidently once he was finished and then glanced up at her.  “What now?”

     It was a stupid question to ask, but they hadn’t necessarily done anything that involved more than his tongue and fingers doing wonderful things to her body; this was new territory, at least with her, and it was terrifying for him.

     “I’ve got an idea.” She purred like a damn kitten and leaned in to kiss him.

     A kiss like that was unmistakable.  It was fueled by dirty thoughts and wanton tendencies.  His knees damn near buckled when she began unbuttoning his vest, followed quickly by his shirt, and then her warm fingers splayed over his chest. 

     Sucking in a deep breath, he tried to remind himself that this was Laney,
his
Laney, and she could do whatever the fuck she wanted to him.