“Hear what?” The girls from Reeva’s pleasure palace run through my mind. I wouldn’t want a thing to happen to any one of them.
“Reeva passed away.”
“What?” My heart sinks.
“I’m sorry, hon! I should never have told you tonight. I didn’t mean to bum you out. She had a stroke, and it was downhill from there.” She shrugs. “She mentioned you the day before it happened. It was the last thing she said to me.”
“What was that?” I lean into Gavin for support.
“She said Demi got it right.” She looks from me to Gavin. “She said true love always wins.”
Eva gives us both a quick hug before heading to the buffet.
Her words resonate like a chorus—true love always wins. Reeva wanted that her whole life and didn’t get it. And on her last day she spoke of me finding it. I turn to Gavin and pick up his hands. We do have it. We have what the entire world is aching for. The stars should be jealous of the way he loves me because the sky doesn’t care for them as much.
I pinch the envelope in my hand. “You mind if we donate this?”
“MS research?” Gavin knows me so well.
I give a weak nod. “I owed her a bit more, so I’ll probably pad it.” Two hundred thousand dollars more to be exact. But I don’t mind. Reeva was always padding things for me. “I think we should get out of here.” I wrap my arms around his neck, and take in how alarmingly sexy this man looks under the silver moonlight.
His lids hood low. “What’s your hurry?” His cheek twitches, and my insides cinch.
Gavin Jackson is a firebrand I’m anxious to sear over my body.
“For one, I have a shiny new husband to make love to.” I graze my nails over the back of his neck. “But, if you want, we can sneak away and have a little fun of our own. He’ll never have to find out.”
Gavin knocks his head back with a lewd grin expanding on his lips. “Caught red-handed, Mrs. Jackson. I’m afraid all the fun you’ll be having from now on will be with me.”
“Sounds like a dream come true.”
“It will be.”
I wrap my hand around his tie and glide my fingers down the length of it. It’s cool, and slick, and deliciously phallic. Everything about Gavin is arousing me on an unnatural level.
“Are you licensed to carry this weapon?” I give his tie a quick yank.
“I have a far more powerful weapon I’m going to pull on you.” He nips a kiss at my ear. “Put in you.” He kisses my lips through his signature grin. “But if you don’t keep still, I’m not above tying you to the bedpost.” He drops a kiss to my collarbone. “I have a belt I can use if you like.”
“Oh, I plan on being very, very restless—and very, very naughty.” I bite my lower lip so hard, my teeth almost puncture through. Gavin has me worked up, ready to consummate our union in the nearest bush. “Hey, how did you get that footage of my parents’ wedding?” I trace his jaw with my finger as we walk into the night.
“While we were rummaging for the dress, I stumbled upon an old VHS tape. The idea hit me right then. I shoved it in my jacket, and the rest is history.”
“Our history.” I jump up and kiss his cheek. “It was the best present ever.” I dip my gaze below his hips a moment. “You think you can top that?”
“If not I’ll spend the rest of my life trying.” He grazes his teeth over my neck. “I sort of like you on top anyway.”
“As you wish.” My hand glides down his back, and I hook my fingers in the seam of his pants. “I sort of have a present for you, too.” I wince because I’m not exactly sure how he’ll react. “I bought Jackson’s Lumber back for you.”
His brows rise. He looks amused more than anything else, since we’ve already made Warren four ridiculous offers.
“What did it finally take?” He rubs his eyes trying to hide his frustration with Warren McCarthy.
“Twenty thousand.”
“That was our first offer.” He looks skeptical, and he should.
“He said he’d take it if I made him my new accountant. And, since I don’t want anything to do with any of Nora’s hired hands—I agreed. Do you think he’ll steal?”
“No. But we’d better watch him anyway.” Gavin dips his lips to the hollow of my neck. “Thank you.”
“I just wanted to make sure everything got to where it was supposed to be.”
“I think we’re supposed to be somewhere.” His gaze drills into mine. His eyes are flirting, amused, smiling, and it sets off a firestorm in my stomach.
We head toward the cabin and walk straight into Ace, Reese, and Kennedy down near the shore.
“You did it!” Reese gives us both a hug. “Welcome to the club.”
“Way to make me feel left out.” Kennedy lifts her face to the moon as if she were taking in the rays.
“It’s not all about you, Ken.” Reese gives her a light knock with her arm. “It’s about me.” She winks.
I fill Kennedy in on needing a place for Eva and point her out as she quickly becomes a one-woman show on the dance floor.
“No problem.” Kennedy turns a shoulder up at Reese. “See? I won’t be alone tonight after all.”
Caleb comes by and joins our circle. “I’m taking off. Good job, you two. Have fun tonight. Keep it G.” He socks Gavin in the arm. “Kidding.”
“Thank you for everything. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.” It’s true. Gavin and I owe just about everything to Caleb.
“Just name your firstborn after me, and we’ll call it even.” He nods at the others before taking off.
Reese leans into her stepsister. “And there he goes.”
I gasp at the thought. “Do you have a thing for Caleb?” Holy crap, Kennedy so has a thing for Caleb. I can see her eyes getting all swirly and little pink hearts shooting out of them like a cartoon. Caleb and Kennedy would be perfect.
“I don’t have a thing for Caleb McCarthy.” She shakes her head a little too aggressively. “For one, he’s a McCarthy. And two, he’s”—she racks her brain for something to add to the list—“he’s an ass. Really, I can’t stand him. He’s twice as self-absorbed as his stupid twat of a cousin. In fact, I think I’d rather date Warren.”
“Me thinks you protest too much.” I glance over at Gavin. “Sort of the way I did in the beginning.”
And with that, we say goodnight and start in on the walk home under a starry, starry night.
No need for wishes.
I’m Mrs. Gavin Jackson.
All of my wishes have already come true.
Gavin
If I were to pick one moment to freeze in time and relive over and over, it would be this one. I pick up Demi and race her up the porch. My lips crash over hers as I open the door. There’s just enough moonlight pouring in, so I don’t bother with the lights. We won’t need them.
“You ready to do this?” I sweep my lips over her cheek and control the urge to bite into her like a peach.
“Now and forever.”
I swing her over the threshold and lock the door in less than two seconds. It was killing me all night to see her in this dress, looking as beautiful as ever, and not being able to manhandle her the way I wanted.
“Come here.” I reach back and carefully unzip her dress, pulling it over her head and laying it across the couch as if it were a body. I go to wrap my arms around my beautiful bride but stop midflight. “Holy hell.” Demi has on a lace bra and panties that puts the entire Victoria’s Secret catalog to shame. There’s not much to either, and, of what there is, it melts right into her skin.
“What do you think?” She throws her hands into the air and rotates her hips from side to side.
“I think you look edible from head to toe, and I’m ready to test the theory.” My chest is already bucking as I struggle to catch my breath. “I also think you’re still a bit overdressed.” My eyes never leave hers as my fingers unhook her bra with expert ease. I pluck her panties until they fall to the floor. Demi is a work of ar
t in the nude. The moonlight licks her every curve, and a touch of jealousy pulses through me at the idea.
“And what about you?” She pulls my tie and gives an honest effort at tearing off my shirt, but the buttons won’t give. “Sorry.” She wrinkles her nose and looks cute as hell. “I’ll have to go old school.” Demi unbuttons my shirt, dropping a kiss onto my chest after each and every one. I wait with superhuman patience as she unbuckles my belt. My pants and boxers hit the floor in tandem. “That’s more like it.”
“What about this?” I hold up my tie, and the moonlight spreads over it until it morphs into a long, silver tongue.
She reels me in with it as if it were a leash. “That, my love, is going to make things interesting.”
I loop the excess around the back of her neck and bring her face to mine.
“Yes, it will.” I pick Demi up and take her to the bedroom. Rose petals are strewn over the bed, and a bottle of champagne sits chilling in the corner. She kicks her feet in the air as I glide us over the petals, soft as sin.
Demi reaches up and takes off her mother’s pearl necklace. Her hand glides to the nightstand, and she exchanges it for the rose gold chain with the pendant I made for her and clasps it around her neck.
“You plus me equals forever.” She kisses the pendant before letting it fall to her chest.
“Best kind of math.” I run my finger over the tiny heart.
“Hope you don’t mind the petals.” Demi scoops up a handful and tosses them in the air. “Kennedy insisted.”
“I’m glad.” My teeth graze over her ear. “You know what else I’m glad about?”
Demi reaches down and wraps her hand over me, stroking me until I outright groan.
“I can guess,” she whispers.
“That, and the fact everything worked out for a greater good. That’s what we are, Demi”—I brush the hair from her eyes—“we’re good.”
“We’re perfect. And don’t you forget it.” She pulls me over her, and I drop a kiss onto her forehead.
“I won’t. In fact, I’ll be sure to jog your memory night after night in the event it starts to slip your mind. Just like this.” My mouth falls over hers. Demi hugs me with her legs, and I ease my way in, burying myself deep inside the woman I love—the woman who just officially became my wife.
Things happen for a reason. Sometimes a tragic event can lead to the most magnificent blessings. It did for us. Once we swam through the tragedies of our parents, of Nora and Josh and the misery they put Demi through—the ironies life gave with Warren McCarthy, of all people, working for us—or Demi and I finding each other, period—it’s pretty clear this marriage bed was the destination all along. It was a long winding road on a runaway train, but, here we are, arriving safely at the station—ready to begin a new journey, a better one, together.
“You ready to rock this bed?” I pull her wrists together and bind them with my tie.
A laugh gets trapped in her throat. “You think you’re smart don’t you, Jackson?”
“I know I am. I have you beneath me don’t I, Jackson?” I pull her wedding ring up to my lips and kiss it.
“I guess you are.” She grinds her hips into me, and I lose it. I thrust into Demi like my life depends on it. Her hips move with mine gentle at first, then with a hacking rhythm that meets me right where I need to be.
We burn the sheets all night with our insatiable desire, and I run my lips over every square inch of her, making love to her with my tongue, with my hands, with my whole body. I want Demi to know she’s in for a lifetime of pleasure. God gave me a gift, and I plan to cherish her each day in just this manner, just as prolifically.
Demi and I are more than lovers, more than friends, we’re family. She is my wife, my everything—the sun in this ever-present darkness known as life. Demi brings the sunshine—every day is brighter with her in it.
Demi blesses me with a kiss that could take down kingdoms.
I move inside her, and we start all over.
I’ve never felt more complete, more like a man than I do tonight with Demi. I’m glad she landed in the right boathouse all those months ago. Fate brought us together that afternoon—after all, she was mine to begin with. And I’m hers in every single way. Demi has me on a string, floating off the helium of her love.
I’m all hers.
And I’m damn glad she’s mine.
Demi and I are happy.
We knock that headboard into the night like machine gun fire. I don’t care if the entire lake is lit up by the racket. Demi and I are writing a love song, sending it into the night on a rocket straight to heaven. This is Morse Code for we’re doing just fine, better than fine.
Demi and I didn’t meet due to the unfortunate circumstances that led to the demise of our families. If fate hadn’t led her into my boathouse, we would have connected some other way. Maybe we would have met at Yeats, at some frat party in front of the beer pong table, at the library bantering about feminism—at a gas station filling up our tanks. Fate would have worked out the details even if tragedy never intervened. When two people are meant for one another there isn’t a thing the seven-billion people on this planet can do to get in their way. They simply find each other.
Demi and I found each other.
We found love and family.
We made it.
We’re finally home.
A Note from the Author
Thank you for reading Beautiful Illusions (Beautiful Oblivion #2). If you enjoyed this book please consider leaving a review at your point of purchase.
Look for Beautiful Elixir (Beautiful Oblivion #3), Kennedy and Caleb’s story coming 2015!
Acknowledgements
There are so many people to thank, readers, bloggers, who have helped with the release of each of my books. In addition to them, I want to give a very special thank you to Addison’s Angels, my spectacular street team who go the extra mile every single day. I want to give you all a collective shout out and huge thank you for your awesome support. From the deepest chamber of my heart, you have all of my gratitude.
A giant thanks to my betas Rachel Tsoumbakos, Christina Kendler, Kathryn Jacoby, Rachel Dick, and Delphina Miyares. Each of you made the book stronger, and I appreciate all of your input.
Rachel Tsoumbakos, whether or not you sobbed during the reading of this book, I will never tell. May your street cred be forever intact.
Christina Kendler, you continually blow me away. I don’t know how you juggle your busy life and still make time to scour through my books. Thank you for lending me your very valuable and beautiful eyes.
Kathryn Jacoby, you are a master at what you do. Thank you for caring enough to help buff this novel to its polished, shiny state. Your word ninja status has been firmly established. You are truly an angel!
Rachel Dick, how I love your input and your eagle eyes for helping me vet out details that would otherwise make me pull my hair out. Thank you for pointing out the obvious when I can’t see it. I need that so much. Hugs!
Delphina Miyares, I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate the fact you tell me your honest thoughts without a filter. That. Is. Invaluable. Never stop telling the truth. If we’re ever in the same city, I’m taking you out to dinner.
A giant shout out to my right hand girl, Sarah Freese, who helped spit shine this novel until it I could see both our smiling faces in it. You always make me smile, Sarah. I’m so glad you put up with me and my litany of questions, most of which I ask post midnight, and you’re very kind to answer within minutes. I’m still convinced you don’t sleep.
A very special thank you to Amy Eye without who’s formatting help this novel wouldn’t be nearly as fun to read. You are so special girl. I can’t tell you how much you mean to me. It’s on my bucket list to hug you in person one day.
And last, but never least, thank you to Him who sits on the throne. Worthy is the Lamb. I owe you everything.
About the Author
Addison Moore is a New York Time
s, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Her work has been featured in Cosmopolitan Magazine. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children, and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading.
Feel free to visit her blog at: http://addisonmoorewrites.blogspot.com
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Addison Moore, Beautiful Illusions
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