Don't Kiss the Bride

I nuzzle my face into his neck and inhale his cozy scent. “Is this real?” I whisper. “I’m so scared this isn’t real.”

Cupping the back of my head, he holds me to him. “It’s real, baby.” He hugs me for a long time, then touches my chin, lifting my face to his. “I’ve messed up a lot. I should’ve told you how I felt sooner. I just wanted to do things right.”

“Lucky, it’s okay…”

“It’s not. I let all this age shit and my fears of getting hurt mess with my head. From now on, I’m listening to my heart and my gut. We’ll learn to trust and love and grow together. I want us to have a real wedding and a honeymoon. And I’ve been thinking I want to sell the house.”

“Sell your house?” I repeat. “Why?” He’s done so much work on that house.

“Because it’s not our home, and it has too many bad memories for both of us. It’s bad juju. I found a piece of land for sale, not too far from Aunt Suzy and Uncle Al. We can build a house there. Make it our dream home.”

My heartbeats speed up with happiness. My own home. With my husband. “Can we have a big bathtub? And a porch, and a window seat in the bedroom?”

He laughs and kisses my nose. “You can have whatever you want.”

I wet my lips. “Okay, but I have one condition.”

“Name it.”

“You have to let me put some of my money toward it. I need to feel like I contributed to our home.” I refuse to take any more free rides from him. I want us to be equal and fair, two adults.

“Skylar—”

“I mean it, Jude. This is important to me.”

He nods and gives me a quick, soft kiss. “Okay, babe. I get it. And I’m having the lawyer get rid of the pre-nup. What’s mine is yours.”

“And what’s mine is yours.” Closing my eyes, I lean my head against his and whisper, “I love you,” before pulling away.

“I love you. Now start up your car and drive us home like you stole it. We’re moving your stuff into the right bedroom tonight, Mrs. Lucketti. No more guest room. I’m gonna kiss my bride all night, every night.”

Chapter 55

Jude

When I pull into the driveway, I kill the engine, stare at the front door, and exhale a massive breath.

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me.

Today I officially closed my construction business, and if all goes well with the bar, my time of sweating and freezing my ass off outside every day and coming home with my back killing me is over.

Well, except for me and Skylar’s new house, which we start building next month. That’s a project I don’t mind killing myself over, though. That’ll be a total labor of love.

Once inside, I find her sitting on the couch in the living room with Cassie and Gus—one on each side of her feet like furry bookends.

She’s engrossed in her laptop, probably taking one of her online classes or saving decor ideas on one of our many wish-list boards.

I take a few moments to just look at her and fall in love with her all over again from across the room. My wife. She’s seriously the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, with her long hair flowing over her shoulders—one bared by the pink sweater slouched halfway down her arm. I smile at the small four-leaf clover tattoo with Lucky in tiny print on her shoulder.

So. Fucking. Sexy.

All mine.

Smiling, I walk up behind the couch and touch her shoulders, and she bends her head backward, all smiles and blue eyes looking up at me, extending her arms up to pull me down for a kiss.

I kiss her hungrily and slowly move my hands from her shoulders to embrace her neck. She murmurs my name and the vibration of her throat against my fingertips drives me wild.

“I’m gonna go take a shower. I want you naked in our bed when I get out,” I growl against her lips.

When I move to pull away, she grabs the back of my head, clutching my hair.

“Forget the shower,” she says in a sultry voice. “I want you dirty. Right here. Right now.”

“Fuck,” I whisper-groan. My cock is already rock hard, straining against my zipper.

I cover her mouth with mine and slide my hands down the front of her sweater and suck in a breath when my palms find her bare-breasted. I move my lips down to her neck, then her collarbone, sucking the delicate flesh between my lips. Her nails dig into my scalp, her head tilts to the side. Leaning over her, I skim my hand down between her thighs to cup her pussy through her jeans. I can feel her warm, wet heat through the fabric.