Watching You: KJ Elite Inc. (42 page)
Read Watching You: KJ Elite Inc. Online
Authors: Unknown
He dialed his mother’s number and waited. She picked up on the third ring, on speakerphone, and he heard Mrs. Vikki also.
“Hello!” She answered in a sing song voice.
“Hello mama. Is everything all ready?”
“Oh yes, baby. We have it all set up. Are
you
ready?” His mother was clearly excited.
“Five minutes and we’ll be there.”
He said his goodbyes and hung up the phone, sliding it into his front pocket.
Tommy had on his best wranglers, black cowboy boots, white button down and cornflower blue tie, topped off with his black cowboy hat Taylor had bought him for his 18
th
birthday. She called it his, “special occasion hat”. It had never left his hat rack since she left.
He climbed the stairs two at a time and knocked on the bedroom door where Jamie was staying.
“She ready?”
“Just about.” A man’s voice sounded.
“Matt, what the fuck are you doing around my woman when she’s naked?”
“Calm down, I’m just sampling the goods for you!” He laughed heartily and Tommy growled.
“You touch her, you die.”
“I definitely won’t tell you about how I was there when she changed for awards shows and walked around in a bra and thong, then.”
It took every single millimeter of Tommy’s strength to hold his composure. Matt was just trying to bait him.
“I’m ready.” Taylor announced, swinging the door open. He saw Matt clutching his stomach and laughing while doubled over in pain. “Now are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
Tommy just gave her his signature grin and shook his head.
“Surprise. I haven’t gotten to take you on a date yet.”
“Um, prom?”
“You went with Leif, you left with me.” He said, pointing his finger at her chest.
“Semantics.” She waved her hand and beamed.
“Your chariot awaits my darling.” He raised his eyebrows, simultaneously, a few times and held out his arm.
“I do hope you’re being metaphorical.” She narrowed her eyes at him, grabbing him.
He laughed and walked them down to the front porch.
“As I said, your chariot my dear.” A real Vanna White display did he put on.
Before them, standing on the lawn was a horse drawn carriage driven by Luke.
“Come on, we’ll be late.”
“I better not live to regret this, Thomas Kane.”
“I certainly hope you don’t regret anything about us, Taylor Kane.” He whispered in her ear as he lifted her into the carriage.
Chapter 20
Peyton drove them up toward the main houses but pulled off the path and down near the wood line to a spot where they all used to play as kids; behind the barn.
Taylor gasped, squeezed Tommy’s knee.
“TJ. It’s… breathtaking.”
He just smirked and kissed her cheek.
Out behind the barn, lights were strung up and down posts with lanterns. White chairs were set up and a makeshift altar stood before them all. In the chairs were their closest family and friends – which meant more than half, if not all, of the town.
Taylor stood there, a tear running down her cheek, dripping onto her matching cornflower blue dress. The dress was strapless with the front dropping to just above her knees and the back having a short train to it. She had on her black cowboy boots, hair curled and down. Her lips were painted a beautiful strawberry bronze topped with her favorite clear strawberry gloss. New diamond earrings donned her ears and glinted in the lights strung about, forming an aisle and surrounding perimeter.
“What did you do, Tommy?” She blushed, turning her cheeks bright pink.
Taylor turned into him, embarrassed but he turned her back.
“Our loved ones are here tonight, to witness our wedding.”
“Well, you certainly don’t waste any time, do you?” She mocked him, “Let’s go on a date – oh hey, wanna get married?”
Tommy laughed and kissed the side of her head.
“Awfully presumptuous, no?” She cocked a brow at him, over her shoulder.
“Nah. I knew you’d give it up.”
Taylor laughed and smacked him with the back of her hand as he stood next to her.
“I have to go up there, but you’re in great hands.” He winked and walked up the aisle, towards his brothers who had just showed up. Matt at the end of his group, a new brother. Peyton however, stood on Taylor’s side, beside the Doc and most importantly, Jamie. Taylor and Doc had become very close since she started seeing Jamie; they were a great fit for friends.
“Heya, baby girl.” My dad sidled up beside me and weaved my arm through his, giving it a pat.
He stood there wearing his Sunday best – which meant he was almost matching Tommy but with a white cowboy hat and boots. He had always been a handsome man, age be damned.
“Heya, daddy boy.” I smiled up at him.
“You look absolutely stunning.” He kissed my forehead and asked me, “You ready for this?”
“I was born ready.”
The music began; I looked around and saw Mrs. Davenport behind an older black piano. She played the wedding march beautifully.
We walked down the aisle slowly and someone handed me a small bouquet of white tulips. They’d only just begun to bloom and I knew Tommy went to some trouble to get some for this night.
“Who gives our Taylor away to be married?” Luke asked, grinning at me and winking.
“Her daddy. But I’ll take her back if you lose her.” He pointed at Tommy then kissed my forehead once more before Tommy took my arm.
“Yes, sir.” He leaned his head down to my ear so only I could hear and he said, “I already lost you once and I won’t ever do it again.”
It made my heartrate hike and toes tingle just right.
We weren’t humping like rabbits, nine times a day, but we couldn’t keep our hands off of each other, either. You wouldn’t be able to resist either.
Luke read through his version of the ceremony, making it personal but fun; completely altered to fit us.
After we said our vows as God intended them, Tommy pulled me closer to him, ignoring his brother saying, “You may now kiss the bride.”
“I’m going to kiss you now.” He breathed, his lips an inch from mine.
“Funny, you said the same thing when we were thirteen and then you followed it up with, ‘So I know how to kiss all the other girls.’”
He chuckled softly and stared into my eyes.
“What can I say? I couldn’t have you fawning over me all the time.”
“Well, if you use me for practice and start kissing other girls – I need you to know – they’ll never find your body.” I grinned against his lips and then he dipped me, devouring my mouth before all our loved ones. I can only hope the boner poking me in the side was not visible through his Wranglers. I had to beat enough women off with a stick; if they saw what he was packin’, I’d never get rid of them.
At the reception, twenty feet away, a little dance floor had been set up; we danced the night away – after I bawled into my daddy’s shoulder and Tommy serenaded both our mother’s. The night was perfect and I knew that I would never be able to live another day without Tommy by my side. How in the hell I did it for six years was beyond me. No more. My mother hugged me and cried, “Tears of joy” she said. They bombarded me and thanked me for letting us give them this little peace; their dream for us. Mama Cynde handed me a beer and winked when Tommy approached me. The party was winding own in the early hours of the morning, giving the sky a beautiful glow.
“Orgasm for your thoughts?”
I snorted.
“So classy.”
“You don’t like me classy. You like me just like this.”
He pinned me up against the barn door and whispered kisses and nips down my neck, gripping my ass with his hands; his erection pushed into my front setting me off. Somehow I lost my beer, but I wasn’t really concerned.
I moaned into the night, pulling him closer to me.
Against my skin he said, “You know, I did chase you.”
I pulled back now and looked into his eyes. “What?”
“When you left. I ran after you. I had nothing but my jeans on, and I chased your truck all the way to the front gate.”
Tears welled in my eyes and I bit my lip. It couldn’t have been true.
“I shouted for you to stop until I went hoarse and got all the animals spooked. Charlie came rushing out of your parents’ house like his ass was on fire. After he found out you were gone… he didn’t speak to me until I got back from the Army and even then, it was as little as possible and never if he didn’t have to.”
I shook my head, surely drawing blood as hard as I was biting.
“I thought… I thought you were a figment of my imagination. I’m sorry.”
Tommy wiped my tears away with the pad of his thumb and shushed me.
“I should have tried harder. For one, I could have told you not to go before you actually left. I could have gone to L.A. and then New York. But I didn’t. I ran away to the Army and volunteered for the war.”
Now I shook my head and told him to be quiet.
Charlie approached us, beer in his hand and focused on Tommy. Just stared.
“Are we cool, now?” Tommy asked, keeping me closed in against the barn wall.
Charlie took a pull from his longneck and asked, “Are you done being fucking stupid?”
“Yeah, man. I’m done. She ain’t goin’ anywhere and neither am I.”
My brother looked at me and then nodded.
“Are you done?”
“Do you see a ring on this hand?” I wiggled my wedding band in his face.
“Good. I’d hate to have to hurt one of you.”
“Liar.” Tommy laughed out.
“Good night you two.” He leaned in, kissed my head and walked off, eyeing the ladies dancing.
“Trouble that one.” I said, chucking my thumb at his fleeing figure.
“So, back to what I was saying.” He leaned into me again, licking my earlobe making me purr. I put a hand to his chest; I had to tell him before the night was over.
“It had some really fucked up parts, but I wouldn’t trade our story for the world.”
“I don’t have to – you are my world.”
I laughed and smacked his arm.
“You’re definitely getting some tonight.”
“Was that ever in jeopardy?” He quirked a brow at me.
“Never.” I leaned in and kissed him then told him to take me home.
“We still have guests Mrs. Kane.”
“Now, Mr. Kane.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted and then swept me off my feet, over his shoulder.
As we headed home, I saw Noah shadowing Jamie back to the bar. She had a white cotton eyelet dress that draped to her knees and had on my tan cowboy boots. Even in the week past, Jamie was looking one hundred times better. Her cheeks were filling back up and her arms were gaining some fat. She dealt with me, but I could tell she still needed her space – still though, she was most comfortable with me. Noah, Matt and Tommy were a close second. She glanced at me under a curtain of hair and gave a small wave. I waved back, grinning and then smacked Tommy’s ass.
One day, our kids would hear all about our story but for right now, it was just that. Ours.
Thanks
A VERY special thanks to Ret. Drill Sergeant Daniel Alarik, CEO of GRUNT STYLE. It’s a clothing line that is very near and dear to my heart. Tommy and his brothers love the line as much as my husband, America’s veterans and I do! Daniel hires veterans to make clothes for veterans – it’s a beautiful cycle. And the merch is fucking kickass! Check them out at
www.gruntstyle.com
www.twitter.com/gruntstyle
I’d also like to make mention of the void left in our veterans returning from deployments; PTSD is a very serious, very painful thing and it affects roughly 7.7 million Americans.
Studies show that 31% of Vietnam vets, as many as 10% of Gulf war vets, 11% of OEF (Afghanistan war) vets and 20% of OIF (Iraqi war) veterans suffer from PTSD. There are certain triggers that offset attacks, nightmares and painful memories. Please, be courteous and attentive of veterans – though they’re not the only ones who hurt. See what you can do for America’s veterans. As a veteran, I ask that you give back and learn the symptoms – be aware.
