“That hardly seems fair to me, and don’t forget, I’m half of that marriage contract.”

  “True.” She drew her hair to the side so he could access the zipper of her dress.

  He pulled the zipper down, and she felt a delicious sense of anticipation. While he drew the dress from her shoulders and down her arms, he leaned in and pressed a kiss to the back of her neck, letting his tongue drift along the column of her spine. She gave a little shiver.

  “Cold?” he whispered.

  “Hot,” she replied. “Tingly. Turned on. Want you.”

  She heard his deep inhale as he slid the dress off, holding on to her while she stepped out of it. He hung it on a hanger in his closet, then turned and gaped at her. She looked down and okay, she liked sexy underwear. Good to know he appreciated the flimsy pale pink silky bra and matching panties.

  “Fuck me,” he said, his voice coming out in a croaky whisper.

  She shot him a wicked smile as she stepped up to him, tracing her fingertips over his well-developed chest. “That’s my intention.”

  He swept his knuckles over the swell of one of her breasts, and when he tucked his fingers inside her bra to tease around her nipple, her breath caught, their gazes met, and she knew that the fire she felt whenever she was around him was because this man was incendiary.

  He kissed her, and suddenly her bra had disappeared, and his hands were on her breasts, his thumbs sliding across her nipples, and every part of her trembled with the need to feel his hands and mouth all over her. She took his hand and slid it down over her rib cage, leading him where she wanted him to go.

  He pulled his mouth from hers, his gaze hot, his eyes loaded with the same heat she felt deep inside.

  He teased the rim of her panties, then slipped his hand inside, stoking the fire that burned there. “I know what you need,” he said, his movements so sure, so right on the money that her legs began to buckle.

  But he had her, holding on to her with his arm and leading her to the edge of the bed. He took a nipple into his mouth and sucked, and she arched upward, the sensation like being launched into space. She felt weightless, and every nerve ending was so tuned into Owen that she forgot everything else but his touch, his fingers never stopping those I-know-your-hot-spot movements as he brought her right to the peak, then over. She gasped and writhed against him as her orgasm hit, trembling through it until she finally landed back on terra firma.

  She opened her eyes to find Owen staring down at her, his eyes still flaming hot.

  “You have magical fingers,” she said. “What else on you is touched by magic?”

  She reached between them to wrap her fingers around his cock, learning the length and feel of him. He was hot, thick, and she wanted him inside her.

  He grinned. “Let’s find out.”

  He opened his nightstand drawer, pulled out a condom and slid it on, then rolled over to face her.

  But instead of getting right to the action, he lifted her arm, pressed a kiss to the inside of her elbow and then up her arm, raining kisses along what seemed like every inch of her body—her collarbone, her breasts, her rib cage, teasing between her thighs but deliberately not touching her sex, which by now was throbbing with need again. He made his way down her legs, even kissing her feet. By the time he made his way up the other side of her body, she was one giant ball of nerve endings, and between his kisses, licks and tiny bites across her skin, she was panting and ready to explode.

  He nudged her legs apart and slid ever so slowly inside her, his gaze firmly locked on hers. And then he just . . . stilled, and she felt the pulsing, the feel of him filling her, and the way he looked at her, and it was all so . . . so . . .

  Intense. She’d think it was like nothing she’d ever felt before, but the thing was, she had felt it before. In those bits and pieces of memory that kept flooding back from their wedding night, she felt the punch of that same intensity, the slide of her leg over his, the incredible force of feelings as he began to move. She felt like a volcano before the explosion, all that boiling energy inside her just waiting to erupt. And with every thrust, Owen was the one to coax it out of her.

  She was so in tune to his movements, to the way he used his body to touch her in ways that made her sizzle. She needed to tell him how good this was, how he made her feel. But when she opened her mouth, the only thing she could manage was “Yes.”

  But then he lifted, and ground against her, hitting that sweet spot, and she supposed her “Yes” had been enough, because that volcano inside her was just about to erupt. She grabbed hold of his arms and squeezed, raking her nails along his forearms. He grunted, whether in pain or approval she didn’t know. She didn’t care. All she knew was she was right there.

  And then she climaxed, a burst of pleasure that fanned out along every part of her. If light had shot out of her fingertips at that moment it wouldn’t have surprised her, because she felt ethereal, as if she’d left her body at that moment.

  Was that her voice? Was she yelling? She knew she was shuddering, but it was just so good, really so good, and it went on and on, and when he drove in deep and shuddered against her, taking her mouth in a soul-stealing kiss, her orgasm intensified, and it was one of the best experiences of her life.

  She might not be breathing. She wasn’t sure. All she did know was that she was supremely satisfied, and if this was the end, it was an exceptionally good one.

  But then she felt Owen’s breath on her neck. So warm. And then his lips teasing her throat before he rolled off her. She smiled.

  Okay, she was alive. And definitely breathing.

  “I thought I died,” she said.

  He lifted his head up, frowning at her. “What?”

  “I think I had an out-of-body experience just now.”

  He propped his head on his elbow. “That good, huh?”

  “As orgasms go, it was pretty good.”

  “If you thought you died, it had to be better than pretty good.”

  “Stupendous. Now I’m thirsty.”

  “Okay.” He grinned, then got out of the bed and went into the bathroom. After he came out, she zipped out of the bed to use the bathroom, then came out and found him wearing his jeans. Mostly his jeans, anyway. They were half unzipped, the button undone. He was in front of the window, the setting sun casting him in shadow.

  She took a deep breath and just . . . ogled appreciatively the utter sexiness of the man.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Oh, nothing. Just admiring your . . . everything.”

  He laughed. “Come on, we’ll go get something to drink.”

  She didn’t want to put her dress back on, so she grabbed a T-shirt out of his closet and put that on instead. It fit her like a dress, falling to her thighs.

  Owen gave her a hot stare. “You look damn sexy in my shirt.”

  “It’s soft. I might take it home with me.” She didn’t tell him that it smelled like him. That would be too much, right?

  They went into the kitchen and Owen got out a couple of glasses.

  “What would you like?” he asked.

  “Water, please.”

  He filled the glasses with water. She took a couple of long swallows, sighing at the cool liquid relieving her parched throat.

  That had been a workout. A sweet, delicious one.

  Her phone buzzed on the kitchen island. She picked it up to check the message.

  It wasn’t one message, it was several, all from Brenna.

  Hey, I’m at the house and you’re not here. Where are you?

  I called you and you didn’t answer. Are you on a date?

  Still no answer. Are you okay?

  Honor. Where are you?

  Damn. “I need to make a quick call.”

  Owen nodded. “Sure.”

  She got up and walked outside, then punched in Brenna’s number. She answered right away.

  “Where the hell are you?”

  “I’m . . .” She thought for a second. “On a date.”

  “Oh. Obviously too occupied to answer your texts or calls.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t have my phone with me.”

  She heard Brenna’s low chuckle. “Good for you. I just got worried when you weren’t here and you didn’t answer.”

  “Everything’s fine . . . Mom.”

  “Hey now, no need to go there. Finn was in the whiskey room working and I got bored, so I thought I’d come hang out with you. You’re usually home and you weren’t and I thought you were out shopping. And then you didn’t answer.”

  Was she that boring and predictable? “Well, I’m obviously not home.”

  “Obviously. Is that chickens I hear?”

  Dammit. “Of course not. Why would you hear chickens?”

  “I don’t know, Honor. You tell me. Where are you, anyway?”

  “Outside. And maybe the neighbors have chickens. Though I haven’t heard any.”

  “Sure. Whatever. Now that I know you haven’t been kidnapped or murdered, I’m going back home. Talk to you later.”

  “Okay, bye. And, Brenna?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Thanks for looking after me.”

  Brenna laughed. “That’s what we do. Later.”

  She hung up and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. And then she heard them—the chickens. She should have thought about that before she walked outside. Now she’d have to come up with a reasonable explanation, because she knew that right this moment, Brenna was on the phone with Erin, giving her the lowdown of everything that had happened. By the time she saw her sisters tomorrow she’d need a plausible story, and said plausible story could not contain Owen’s name.

  Having secrets was a giant pain.

  She went back inside.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Yes. Not really. Brenna went to the house looking for me and couldn’t, and then got a little frantic trying to reach me.”

  “Uh-oh.”

  “Yeah.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That I was on a date. Very nonspecific.”

  “Good.”

  She took a seat at the table next to him and grabbed her water, taking a sip. “For now. I’ll get a thorough interrogation from both of them tomorrow.”

  Just the thought of it—of having to explain her marriage to Owen, how Erin might react—caused a deep pang in the pit of her stomach, obliterating all her warm after-sex glow.

  Dammit.

  He tilted his head to the side, studying her. “What’s the plan?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t plan to tell them I was with you, that’s for sure. I’ll come up with something by then.” She blew out a breath. “I’m not good at lying to people, especially my family.”

  He reached over and took her hand. “I don’t want you to have to do that, either. I also don’t want to stop seeing you.”

  Her heart squeezed at the same time that her nerve endings soared with panic at the thought of her sisters finding out what was going on between Owen and her. “I need a little space right now, Owen. To figure things out in my head.”

  He pulled his hand from hers. “You got it. Whatever you need.”

  “Thank you. And for the record, I don’t want to stop seeing you, either. But this is complicated.”

  “It doesn’t have to be. But you do what you need to do. I’ll be here.”

  She went into his room and reluctantly pulled off his T-shirt, gathered up her things, paused for a minute and then folded his T-shirt, tucking it under her arm along with her purse. If Owen noticed, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he walked her to the door. She turned to face him.

  “Thank you for tonight.”

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Bettie wriggled between them and her soft fur brushed Honor’s legs.

  This felt all too perfect, and she wished she could stay. But she couldn’t. She pulled back, slid her fingers across his lips.

  “Good night.”

  “See you later.”

  She bent down to give Bettie a hug and walked out to her car, got in and drove away, regret pulling at her with every mile.

  Leaving didn’t feel right. Something was going to have to give, and soon.

  She didn’t know what she was going to do, only that she felt more miserable every time she had to walk away from Owen.

  CHAPTER

  thirteen

  I HOPE I don’t throw up all over my bridesmaid dress today.”

  “I’m sure Alice hopes the same thing.” Honor looked at Erin, who did, indeed, look a bit pale. At least it was an evening wedding, and Erin felt her best during the evening hours, so maybe there was hope.

  “Did you tell Alice you were pregnant?” Brenna asked.

  Erin shook her head. “Jason knows, of course. And I called Mom and Dad, who were in Dublin and said they were going to celebrate at a pub that night. Other than that, just you two know. I want to keep the circle of knowledge small since it’s still early.”

  “Of course,” Honor said. “Other than the nausea, how’s it going?”

  “I’m exhausted all the time, Jason said I’m moody as hell but he loves me, and my boobs hurt. Otherwise, it’s awesome.”

  Honor had none of those symptoms, at least not yet. Maybe that was a good sign that she wasn’t pregnant. She mentally crossed her fingers.

  Not that she didn’t want kids. She did—maybe someday. But definitely not now. Getting pregnant from a drunken, accidental wedding night would not be her ideal baby-making scenario.

  Though having a baby with Owen?

  She inhaled and let it out slowly.

  “Okay, you’re stressed,” Brenna said to her as they stood in what used to be Erin’s bedroom. “What can we do to help today? Or at least what can I do, since Erin is in the wedding.”

  “Oh . . . nothing. I’ve actually got this one totally under control. Mae is at the barn overseeing the table setup and decorations, and Alice and the rest of the bridal party are due to arrive soon.”

  “Which means I need to get my collective self together,” Erin said, gathering up her things. “Hair is done, makeup is done, I just need to get into my dress and hope it fits.”

  Erin slipped her robe off.

  “Hey, you’ve got a tiny baby bump,” Honor said, her heart doing little aunt-to-be flip-flops.

  Erin turned sideways to look in the full-length mirror. “Yeah, there it is.”

  “How far along are you?” Brenna asked.

  “I have no idea. Maybe eight weeks? Our first OB appointment is next week, so hopefully we’ll get a clearer picture then. And an ultrasound pic to go with it.”

  Honor grinned. “How exciting.”

  “In the meantime, I have a belly to hide.”

  Fortunately, the bridesmaid dress was a simple floor-length chiffon that had ample room in the midsection and also flowed beautifully. If anyone had bumps or ridges, you could never tell.

  The turquoise color looked stunning against Erin’s skin and hair, as it would on all of Alice’s bridesmaids.

  After Brenna zipped her up, Erin turned to face the mirror.

  “You’re beautiful,” Honor said.

  Erin blinked back tears. “Did I also mention that I cry all the time? Hormones are so fun.”

  Brenna squeezed her. “Crying is only allowed by the bride today. And the parents.”

  Erin nodded, sniffed and lifted her chin. “Got it.”

  Erin waved her hand at Honor. “I’m good here. Go do your thing. Tell Alice I’ll be right there.”

  “Okay.” She dashed down the stairs and found the bride in the bridal suite. Alice Weatherford was a friend of the family and one of Erin’s best friends. She was so happy that today Alice would be marrying Clay Henry, one of the sisters’ longtime best friends. These two were the epitome of a couple who were meant to fall in love. She was so happy for them.

  “How’s everything going in here?” Honor asked.

  “Perfectly,” Alice said, looking serene and beautiful in her satin and tulle dress. Her lush brown hair had grown longer and was pulled up on the sides, leaving the rest slightly curled and flowing down her back. And her signature purple glasses matched the touch of lavender in her bouquet, plus she’d chosen purple shoes because she was just a little quirky, and that was why they all loved her so much.

  “You look stunning, by the way.”

  “Oh, thank you. I feel kind of stunning. I’m not usually this dressed up, or used to being the center of attention. Typically, my job is to get other people to fall in love. Who knew that would happen to me and in such a dramatic way?”

  Honor walked over to smooth out the lines of Alice’s dress. “You and Clay are perfect together. It was like . . . destiny or something.”

  Alice laughed. “In my matchmaking business, I don’t believe in destiny. I used to not believe in chemistry, but we all know how that turned out for Clay and me.”

  “Yes, you couldn’t fight that one, could you? And now it’s your day.” Honor checked her phone and saw the message from Brenna. “Are you ready to get married?”

  Alice took in a deep breath and nodded. “I’m so ready.”

  Honor led her outside where her bridesmaids were all waiting, including Erin. Flowers were handed out and Honor got them all into position. Alice’s dad was there and he held out his arm for her, and they were all set.

  The music started playing and they all headed toward the arbor. Now all Honor had to do was make sure there were no glitches. She stood on the side, and that was when she caught sight of Owen standing next to the other groomsmen, looking tanned and smoking hot in his tux. He had a cowboy hat on, because of course this was a cowboy wedding with Clay being the groom.