When Bruce Met Cyn (21 page)

“I hate pity.”

“Then marry me, because I'll pity myself a lot if you leave and I never get to see you again.”

Her disbelieving laugh dwindled into a rumbling growl. “We're not suited to each other! It's like…like you were born in a church with a star shining down on you, and I was born…I dunno. Under a rock or something.”

“Cyn.” He wanted to remonstrate with her, but she appeared so dejected with her shoulders slumped, her head in her hands, that he couldn't bring himself to do it. “Are you talking to me or your hands?”

It took some coaxing, but she finally raised her face to see him. Her shoulders went back, her chin, for once, lifted. She met his gaze squarely. “I do love you, Bruce.”

His heart sang, his knees went weak. He grinned so hugely that it hurt. “A marvelous start.”

She put her small hand on his chest, over his heart. “I don't want you at risk just because of me.”

God love her, she was so sweet, and so caring. He summoned up a look of insult. “Understand, Cyn. I'm a peaceful man. I'm a man who believes in giving second chances and showing understanding whenever possible.” He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “But I'm also a man who believes in protecting my own, and you're mine now.”

She tried to pull back. Bruce wasn't about to let her.

“If Palmer comes near you, if he so much as looks at you, I'll take him apart.”

Her eyes widened comically.

“Don't doubt it.” Bruce held her gaze, making sure there were no misunderstandings. He said it, and he meant it. “Being a man of God doesn't make me a weakling, doesn't make me too stupid to know how to protect you.”

“I never said…”

“I've been a preacher for years. But I've been a man, and Bryan's brother, all my life. I'm not incapable of beating a man to the ground if it becomes necessary.”

Cyn's mouth opened, closed, and then she burst out laughing. “Amazing, incredible Bruce.” She wiped tears of sadness, and of mirth, from her eyes. “What am I going to do with you?”

“I have a suggestion. First, say yes. Then marry me and move in with me, make love with me every night, give me a few babies, and grow old with me.”

Her expression sobered, and she closed her eyes. “I want that more than I've ever wanted anything.”

Bruce didn't intend to give her time to rethink it, to list all the ways she considered it an unfair union. She was the one woman for him, and he'd make her realize it. “Great. Then I'll take that as a yes.”

“But…!”

He yelled out, “She said yes,” and all three men clomped out of the apartment and came across the loft toward them, issuing congratulations, hugging Cyn, pounding on Bruce.

“See,” Joe said. “Alyx does have a reason to visit. A wedding.”

Scott groaned.

Cyn turned her face into Bruce's chest and just hid. He knew she was hiding, and she knew that he knew. Still he just held her close with one arm while accepting accolades and handshakes with the other. She was so small and soft, so utterly female, and she'd never had the luxury of just enjoying life. He'd give her that luxury, and so much more. He'd give her respect and caring and pleasure.

He'd make her happy—with herself, and with him.

He had rushed her, after all, but this time, neither of them had a choice. Her safety was at stake, and Bruce would do whatever was necessary to make sure the ugliness left her life.

 

Everyone ended up at Joe's for dinner. Luna was in her element, breezing in and out of the kitchen, serving everyone in the dining room, and somehow making the event very casual and warm. Willow had already left the table to do homework, and Austin had run off to watch television.

They were terrific kids, well loved, full of energy, and not afraid of making a mistake—or what the repercussions would be if they did. Everyone at the table treated them with…respect. It seemed an odd sentiment to apply to children, but it was true. People listened to them, asked their opinions, and teased them with good-natured affection. And Willow and Austin felt safe to tease back.

At one point, Willow had interrupted the adults to ask a question. Austin had spilled his milk. And no one went ballistic. No one yelled or…hit.

If Cyn ever had kids, she'd want them to feel just as secure.

And then it hit her like a ton of bricks. She might. As a married woman, it'd be possible to have babies, just as Bruce had said.

Kids. With Bruce. Cyn's heart felt so full and heavy it almost hurt. He was marrying her for all the wrong reasons. She had determined not to be selfish anymore, but just this one time, just once more, she couldn't deny herself.

She was so buried in deep, disturbing thought, she barely kept up with the conversations flowing around her. Bruce kept smiling at her as if he'd won the damn lottery, which made no sense at all. She looked at him, at his strong profile, at the integrity of his face and the caring in his brown eyes, and she wanted to burst into tears.

Shay let out a loud laugh. “Yoohoo, Cyn? He'll be yours soon enough, honey, but we need to make arrangements first. Stop daydreaming and give us permission to help before I pop.”

Bruce turned his head and smiled at her. Again. He leaned close, keeping her attention trapped in his acceptance, his apparent happiness over the progression of events. “Luna and Shay would like to give us a hand with this wedding business. What do you say?”

Ugh. She looked at both women, and damn it, they looked happy, too. She was being a complete pill, and she had to stop. She also had to accept their help because she didn't know squat about organizing a wedding.

She cleared her throat while toying with her fork. “Shay, you said you and Bryan got married here, at the lake?”

“Yes, and it was beautiful.”

Luna jumped in before Cyn could ask. “We'd love it if you had the ceremony here. The weather is perfect and I'm sure we have a free weekend sometime soon.”

“Soon?” Cyn tried to sound enthusiastic.

“The sooner the better,” Bruce told her with such a look of naked hunger, she felt a slow heat unfurl in her belly. One good thing would come of marriage: he couldn't deny her anymore.

His brother reached across the table to punch Bruce in the shoulder. “She might want a big wedding, you know, and that does take time.”

Bruce frowned. “Do you?”

God, no. She shook her head. “As small as possible, please.”

“Is there anyone you'd like to invite?”

She half laughed, saw everyone looking at her, and shook her head. “No.” She had no friends, no family.

Bruce looked around the table. “Just about everyone I want to attend is here, except Dad, Scott, and Alyx, so we'll have to check with them. But are the rest of you free?”

A round of affirmations followed.

“There you go.” Bruce took Cyn's hand. “Do you have a preference on a date?”

She forced a smile that felt more like a grimace. “Um, well, we'll need time to do…stuff, right? I mean, aren't there required blood tests or something?”

Joe shook his head. “As a newly married man, I can assure you not much is needed in North Carolina.”

“Just ID,” Bryan explained. “Like a driver's license or a birth certificate.”

Bruce said, “We have both.”

“And forty bucks for the certificate,” Joe added. “There's no waiting period, no age requirement, no tests or proof of residency.”

Bryan bobbed his eyebrows. “They make it easy to get hitched here.”

Luna jumped up from the table. “Let me grab the schedule and I'll tell you what we have open.”

Wide eyes fraught with uncertainty, Cyn waited until Luna returned with a triumphant smile. “This coming weekend is the annual fishing competition. We'll be swamped. But the next Sunday is free. We could do an afternoon affair, maybe right after church service. What do you think?”

Everyone stared at Cyn. “Uh…great.”

Bruce hugged her. “We need to find you a dress.”

Agog, Cyn said, “I don't need—”

Shay protested. “No way, Bruce! You're not supposed to see her gown before the wedding. Luna and I can take her shopping.” She turned to Cyn. “That is, if you don't mind.”

They were all so nice, so generous. She nodded. “Thanks. Sounds like fun.”

Bryan said, “Pick a day, ladies, and I'll drive you.”

When Luna started to object, Joe said quietly, “No, honey. You can't go off on your own. Remember the threat.”

Yeah, can't forget that. It was the whole reason for the wedding.
But Cyn only thought it, she didn't say it out loud. Bruce was marrying her, everyone appeared thrilled with the idea, and she was through moping.

She straightened in her seat and accepted Bryan's offer. “That'd be great. You can carry packages—like our own personal mule.”

Rather than take offense, Bryan nodded. “Exactly.”

Shay clapped her hands together. “We'll have everything organized in no time at all.”

Bryan raised his glass in a toast. “To happy-ever-after.”

Cyn did smile then. Damn, if it wasn't for Palmer forcing it all, she really would be the happiest woman in the world. And who said she couldn't make it work? She'd molded her life however necessary, and somehow, she'd mold this into the happy-ever-after Bryan had just predicted.

She lifted her glass. “Hear, hear.”

 

The next few days went by in a whirlwind. Cyn was installed in Bryan and Shay's guest room until the day of the wedding. She hated to impose, but like a kid, Shay was excited to have company. She kept Cyn up late with girl talk until Bryan would take Shay off to bed. It wasn't tough to figure out why Bryan refused to sleep alone. The heat in his eyes and the flush on Shay's cheeks always told the story.

Cyn only hoped that Bruce would want her as much. So far, he'd called a halt before they actually made love. She didn't know what to think of that, or why he denied himself. Didn't he want her? Was he so damn giving that he'd only been thinking of her, while disregarding his own needs?

Surely once they married, he'd quit his bedroom games. If he didn't, she just might resort to raping him.

With Bryan playing watchdog, they drove into the city to shop. Shay tried to steer her toward one of the more expensive boutiques, but Cyn won out, and the ladies landed in an upscale secondhand shop.

Cyn wasn't really surprised that Shay was as comfortable with used clothing as she was with designer duds. Luna kept pulling outrageous pieces off the rack, and Shay kept gravitating to the more extravagant gowns.

Cyn was pushed and prodded into trying on at least a dozen dresses before she found “the one.” It was simply beautiful, a satin halter with beaded lace appliqués, a tulle skirt, and a corset bodice that made her waist look tiny and showed off her cleavage in what Shay termed a
tasteful tease.

Admiring the dress from every angle, Cyn did a circle in front of the mirror before turning back to her audience. She bit her lip, waited—until Shay and Luna sighed their approval.

“Stunning.” Luna looked near tears. “It doesn't even need to be altered.”

“You look like Snow White with your dark hair and pale eyes.”

Luna agreed. “Cyn, you have to get this dress. It's prefect for you.”

Cyn peeked at the price tag, saw Shay ready to offer, and said quickly, “I'll take it.”

It was too expensive, but she could afford this one extravagance for such a life-altering occasion. With the other women encouraging her, she also bought a beautiful rhinestone-and-pearl bun wrap made to look like flowers and vines in her hair. She didn't want a veil, but the delicate headpiece was too beautiful to resist.

By the time they found nylons and a garter, a bracelet and earrings, Cyn felt like a princess. And the fact that they'd accomplished it all in one day left Luna and Shay boggled. They probably didn't realize that for Cyn, shopping was a special treat and she wasn't hard to please. Like a kid in a candy store for the first time, everything looked good to her.

Bryan was a sport, getting them all ice cream that afternoon when they took a break, and only yawning a few times while they also picked out shoes.

Halfway through the day, while they were choosing a few simple flower arrangements, Cyn worked up her nerve to broach a touchy subject. “Shay? Luna?”

Shay gave up her scrutiny of the white sweetheart roses and Luna quit fingering the long ribbons that'd make up Cyn's bouquet. Cyn cleared her throat. “You know my mother is gone.”

Sympathy welled up in suffocating proportions and Cyn dodged the hugs that started her way.

“The thing is,” she said quickly, turning her back so she wouldn't see their pity, “I don't have any close female friends, either.”

Shay took umbrage at that. “You have us.”

“Yeah,” Luna seconded. “And last time I looked, I wasn't chopped liver.”

They were nuts, and fun. Cyn fought off tears. Damn, getting married was making her emotional. “True. And Julie's cool, too.”

“Cool?” Luna smiled. “If you say so. I like her. I respect her. But I never thought of her as cool.”

Cyn hadn't, either, until they'd spent the morning together. Julie was one of those ladies who had hidden depth. “The thing is, I don't have a special friend, you know, the type you ask to do special things.”

Both ladies stared at her, making Cyn want to shrivel. She was so bad at this stuff. But then, she'd never had any practice. Making friends was harder than she'd realized.

She cleared her throat again. “I'm going to ask Julie, too, and I hope she says yes, but…would you two mind standing up with her as matrons of honor or whatever the heck it's called? I know that's not how it's really done, but then, this isn't a big, fancy event and I just thought if you all wouldn't mind—”