A Perfect Bride For Christmas (41 page)

started. Oh wait, I forgot something.” He leaned down and gave each of the triplets a kiss.

Zoe followed his example and they were soon

down the stairs and getting ready to leave.

One person came out of the crowd, one man she

had no desire to see, but she knew Alex considered him a friend.

“I haven’t had a chance to kiss the bride.”

Tommy stared at her with surprise and male

appreciation.

“No, too late,” Alex said as he put his arm

around her shoulder. “I’m getting out of here with my wife. There’s a bottle of champagne with our name on it.”

Tommy shook his head. “I can’t believe it. I

always liked you, Zoe, even when I was being an ass.

Too bad I didn’t know you hid all this under—”

“Stop right there, Tommy, unless you really

want another black eye.” Zoe curled her hand into a fist. “I don’t weigh as much, but I still pack quite a whollop.”

He held both hands up in surrender. “I’ll quit

while I’m ahead.”

The rest of the leave-taking went without a

hitch. The girls didn’t cry, but Amelia blubbered like a baby. Keeley kept giving her tissues as Alex pulled the Hummer out of its parking space and down the long drive.

Soon they were alone, heading down the road.

Zoe leaned back with a satisfied sigh and watched the Christmas lights on the houses.

Alex smiled in the glow of the dash. “Mom kept

saying there would be a wedding at Hollyfield on Christmas Eve.”

“Thank you for making us a part of your family.”

Zoe’s hand snaked over to rest on his thigh, reveling in the feel of the muscle bunching under her hand as he worked the pedals. “I love you.”

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Alex’s blue eyes lit up as he slid a look in her direction while keeping track of what of the traffic.

“I love you too. Never doubt that.”

“Never again.”

****

arm draped over a shapely hip. His eye adjusted to the half-light in the bedroom and caught a glint of gold on his ring finger. He was married, and in bed with Zoe Bennett, no…make that Zoe King. He

smiled, snuggled closer to her backside, and let his body go on autopilot. His erection was immediate and intense. A gentle thrust brought a slow, sleepy moan of pleasure from his wife.

Zoe rolled over, opened her fantastic eyes to

smile up at him. “Hey, you better cut that out or my husband will get testy with you.”

Alex nuzzled the underside of her chin, inhaling the sleep-warmed scent of her skin. “Testy? If you were my wife, I’d get a hell of a lot more than testy.”

He raised his head. “No wait, I am your husband, or have you forgotten already?”

A finger ran from his chin, down his chest, over the tense muscles of his abdomen until she had

captured his hard length in her hand. “How could I forget when you keep reminding me?”

Zoe reached up with her free hand to bring him

down for a kiss, her mouth sliding over his in

invitation. He didn’t need any further inducement.

He took her face in his hands, his fingers feathering the sides of her face as he covered her mouth, taking the kiss past the first flush of desire into the full-blown furnace burning inside his body.

Zoe gripped him tighter. She stroked along his

shaft until she came to the head where she swirled her finger over the sensitive flesh. His body jerked forward, his hips acting on their own accord.

The taste of her, the feel of her silken skin

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against his fingertips spurred him on. His mouth left hers to glide down the slender column of her neck.

His tongue traced the curve of her breast, the tight bud of her nipple and down the gentle rise of her abdomen.

Her hand slackened, let go, and skimmed to his

shoulders. He worked his way down in gentle nips and swirls of his tongue until he came to the prize.

The scent of her, the taste drove him on, pressing against the slick folds, in a relentless attack.

A satisfied feminine moan rolled from her

throat. He continued to work his tongue, teasing her tender flesh until the moan became a cry of release.

Zoe lay spent, but Alex didn’t give her chance to recover. He held her hips up, positioned himself at her entrance to thrust home. Her eyes widened, as did her smile.

“Grandmother, what big teeth you have.” She

stretched and wrapped her legs around his waist.

“All the better to eat you with my dear.”

“Too late, you already did that.”

“Hmmm.”

He leaned down to rub his morning stubble

against her cheek and pulled his hips back. “I’ll have to think of something else.” His hips surged forward, and he buried himself into her, into the very depths of her body.

Her arms reached to wind around his neck, her

hands forcing his head down for a kiss. Time after time, he pounded into her, sweat pouring off his body as he tried to hold off his release.

Zoe lifted her hips up to his, capturing him with a tight squeeze each time he tried to take charge. He let out a small laugh. She’d laid her trap, and he fell into it willingly.

The tempo slowed. He wanted this moment to

last. The feel of her in his arms, the way she threw back her head as her release came, the sound of his 332

A Perfect Bride for Christmas

name on her lips. He gave one last thrust, impaling her and yet found himself lost in the sharp plummet as he came hard and fast.

Zoe’s eyes closed as he reached down, still inside her, to push her sweat-damped hair from her face.

Never again would he feel as he did right now. He’d died with her and felt reborn in this instant. The past burned away in the ferocious heat of his love.

Alex lowered his forehead to hers, pulling in a sharp breath to slow the beat of his heart. Emotions swamped him, but the words to convey how he felt seemed inadequate to the task.

“Zoe King, I will love you until the day I die. You are my perfect bride in every way.”

She put a hand on his cheek, her eyes bright,

her smile slow and sweet. “I know.”

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Christmas morning. The clock read 7:30. Zoe

managed to catch a few minutes of sleep after the last bout of early dawn lovemaking. The gift she’d prayed for lay next to her. Alex’s dark, tousled hair and morning stubble made her heart stammer, her body ache with need, but she didn’t have time to indulge again. The girls were probably up and

causing all manner of mayhem at Amelia’s house.

“Come on, Cupcake, rise and shine.” Zoe gave

Alex a gentle push.

His eyes flew open. He scooted away from her,

horror, and confusion in his eyes. Alex blinked before he got a good look at Zoe lying next to him. She laughed as Alex rolled on his back and covered his eyes with his hand.

“Geez, for a second I thought I was in bed with Jesse.” He shuddered. “I mean, I love her but—no I don’t even want to go there.” Alex rose on one elbow.

“And how in the hell did you know she calls me

Cupcake.”

Zoe jumped out of the bed and headed for the

bathroom. “Little bird told me,” she shouted over the shower. “You better get in here. We have a houseful of children who’ll be going on a Christmas rampage if we don’t get to your mother’s house ASAP.”

Alex followed her to the bathroom and joined

her in the shower. Hot water flowed over the planes of his chest, down the ripped abs, to sluice over his half-erect penis. Unable to resist, she soaped her hands and worshiped his body.

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“Kids,” he whispered in her ear as she cupped

him, stroking the length of the hot flesh between his legs. “Remember the kids.”

“We have kids?” She rubbed her body against

his, sliding and slipping until her clit begged for attention. His slick fingers found the bud of her desire and stroked it in a slow, deliberate caress.

She lay her cheek against his chest and let the feeling flow through her body.

His laugh vibrated through his chest. “Three at last count. You were the one who said we had get out of here and save my mother from an avalanche of Christmas wrappings.” Alex’s fingers stopped their delicious attention.

“Well, I’m such a buzz-kill.” She backed away

and moved to get under the showerhead.

They finished their shower, dressed and started for Hollyfield. The kids’ packages filled up the back of the Hummer. Along the way, Alex stopped by his apartment for the rest of his Christmas gifts,

“This is going to be a short honeymoon. I’ve got to be out this place by the first of the year. Let’s decide on a time and then we’ll take two weeks off later, preferably someplace sunny.” He surveyed the room. “Are you sure you have enough space in your house—our house for all this?”

Zoe nodded, taking in the nice leather couch

filled with magazines, an empty potato chip sack, along with shopping bags filled with brightly

wrapped gifts. A recliner sat to one side with

assorted clothes piled on top. She went over to the recliner and picked up a sweatshirt between her thumb and forefinger. “I think we need to discuss housekeeping. You have to set a good example for the girls now.”

Alex blushed and plucked the sweatshirt out of

her hands. “Duly noted.”

“You know.” She took in the boxes and piles of

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stuff on the floor. “I think you might be able to use the attic for a man cave. It’s finished. The things I have up there can go into storage or be given to the Salvation Army. You need a space where to run to if there’s an estrogen overload.”

“Great, I’ll check it out when we get back.” Alex grabbed up a couple of shopping bags full of oddly shaped presents. “Could you get those?”

He nodded toward the sacks sitting on the end of the couch. “You know, I may be out of a job.” Alex glanced over at her. “Sydney’s father didn’t take to kindly of me dumping his baby girl.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he smiled as closed the door behind them. He stuffed the rest of the sacks full of presents onto the back seat of the Hummer. “I’ve wondered about starting my own law practice. I’m solvent enough to get it going but I’ll be starting from scratch.”

The sun broke through the gray ceiling of clouds to turn the snow-covered world dazzling bright. Joy tumbled through Zoe’s heart. “You’re the best

attorney I know. Cox, Zuckerman, Howe & Stanford would be crazy to let you go, however, I know you can do anything you want.”

“Great,” he patted her hand. “This will be a

crazy month or two ahead of us.”

Zoe laughed. “Let’s get over Christmas first and let the rest take care of itself.”

They spent the remainder of the trip in a

friendly argument over potential honeymoon

locations until Alex pulled up in front of Amelia’s porch.

The girls were waiting. They raced down steps

in their slippered feet, unmindful of cold. Macy held a bobbling Walter in her arms, the pink bow around the poor kitten’s neck looked bedraggled and

unwelcome.

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“We got a kitty,” Macy shouted while Walter

wriggled and scouted out an avenue of escape.

“A kitty,” Mia and Michaela joined in. “Gramma

let us have Walter.”

Amelia and Keeley stood in the doorway,

dressed in their robes.

“Come in. I’ve got breakfast started.” Amelia

held the door open.

Alex pointed to Heath’s Tahoe. “We must not be

the first one’s here. Where’s Clint? I don’t see his truck.”

Amelia nodded. “Heath and Nicolette are in the

kitchen. I heard Clint stirring around earlier this morning. He set out all his gifts and took off.

Probably to check on his mare and her new foal.”

“He’ll be back, won’t he?” Zoe asked as she

watched her children struggled over who would hold Walter next. “The girls will be so disappointed if he isn’t.”

Amelia glanced over her shoulder at Keeley and

back at them. “I’ve got this vibe—a feeling this will be the best Christmas ever for the King family.”

“Not the sixties stuff again.” Alex’s face colored up. “You’re not having flashbacks are you?”

Zoe’s mother-in-law laughed and shook her

head. “Girls, let’s bring Walter inside to warm up.”

“‘K, Gramma.” Michaela tried to take Walter

from Macy. “It’s my turn.”

“No, mine,” Mia begged.

Alex groaned. “Dear sweet lord. Are we going to have to get three cats?”

Zoe reached up to give Alex a kiss on the cheek.

“Merry Christmas, love. Merry Christmas.”

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A word from the author...

I want to thank everyone who kept my dream

alive. It's been a long road with many bumps but without fellow travelers it wouldn't have been nearly as interesting.

My friends at Heartland Romance Authors

helped to pave the way. Les Belle Dames sans Merci were by my side. Liz Laffery, Sara Attebury, Judy Fedynich, Valerie Hatfield, Sherry Foley, and

Shannon K. Butcher kept me on the straight and

narrow. Then there is Alicia Dean, the newest

member of this road trip.

And lastly, I'd like to say a big thank you to my husband, Dennis, who supports me in every way.

He's even joined my RWA chapter—now there's a

true hero.

Turn the page

for an exciting preview of

Heath King’s Christmas story

in the second
Three Kings
novel

from author Alicia Dean

A Knight

Before

Christmas

The Three Kings, Book II

Available now from The Wild Rose Press

Given a choice between smearing honey all over

his naked body and leaping into a bear cave, or returning to Kansas City for Christmas, Heath King would have stripped off his clothes, popped the top from a bottle of Cloverleaf, and asked for directions to the nearest den.