The Winter Collection Read online

  “And what?” I ask, annoyed.

  “You aren’t married,” he rushes to say.

  It takes a moment for his words to register in my mind because they don’t make sense.

  “What the fuck you just say?”

  I stand up so fast my chair goes flying back and hits the glass window with a loud crack. I brace my hand on my desk and lean forward because I’m sure I didn’t hear him right. Not married? When I meet Blakely I went a little insane with want for her. The only thing that calmed me just a little was making her mine. At my lawyer’s words I can feel whatever that thing is that lives inside of me start to rattle the shackles that’ve kept it in check.

  “I can’t find the paperwork anywhere. It almost like it’s been erased and never happened.” Brent leans back as if the few inches will save him from my anger. It’s thick in the air now.

  “Sir,” Mindy says, her voice low and calm as she correctly reads my mood.

  “Not now,” I tell her, not even looking her way.

  She makes an irritated sound and I know she thinks whatever she has to tell me is important. Nothing is more important than my wife, and Mindy knows that, so she doesn’t push like she normally would.

  “How is that even possible?” I growl out.

  “To be honest, I think someone went in and did it. Someone doesn’t want the two of you married.”

  Immediately I’ve got a mental list of people who wouldn’t want us married. Starting with her parents and then down to every fucker who looks at her. Even that little prick at the coffee shop who always gives her extra caramel in her coffee.

  “Fuck them,” I throw back at my lawyer because I’ll fix this now. “Mindy!” I bellow out, and my assistant comes strolling back into my office looking bored. We’ve worked together too long now for my temper to faze her.

  “Get me a priest. I’m getting married today,” I say, then freeze when I see my wife standing behind Mindy.

  “And who will you be marrying today, husband of mine?” She tilts her head and reveals a small teasing smile.

  “I was going to tell you your wife was on the way up,” Mindy adds before walking out of my office, knowing she won that round.

  Blakely waits for me to answer her.

  “Come here, wife,” I command as I push my hands off my desk and stand up. Normally I call her dream girl, but now the need to call her wife has lodged itself in my throat. I have to remind myself that no matter what a piece of paper says, she’s mine. But I’m going to get that goddamn piece of paper.

  Chapter 3

  Blakely

  I hear Mindy laugh under her breath as she goes to her desk. My feet carry me straight to my husband and I smile at Brent as I pass him. Daniel pulls me to him and kisses me hard, making my mind flash to the first time we ever kissed.

  We’d both been at some fundraiser and my dad introduced me to him. He’d whispered a warning to stay away from Daniel, but I remember it being odd because my father acted totally different in front of him. After that first meeting I did my best to avoid him as my father told me, even though I didn't want to. Then he took the choice right out of my hands when he grabbed me by the wrist as I was exiting the ladies’ room. He led me into a dark room and before I could even say a word his mouth was on mine. Without a word I knew I was his and I haven’t spent a night away from him since. Daniel made sure of that and I didn’t put up a fight. I let myself fall in love with him because it was too easy not to.

  I slide my hand up his chest and I can feel a low rumble there. With one touch he makes me forget about the rest of the world and it’s only the two of us.

  “Sir. Brent’s still here,” Mindy says, breaking the moment.

  I laugh as he places a soft kiss on my swollen lips then one on the tip of my nose. The act is so gentle compared to the kiss we just shared.

  “How was your day, wife?” The word is filled with more possession than normal and he’s on edge. I can feel it, like when the guy at the coffee shop tries to make small talk with me.

  “Better,” I say with a happy sigh. His moods don’t scare me like they do other people. Sure he’s a giant and could probably Hulk smash something if he wanted to, but the only thing I’ve seen him smash is a spider that almost scared me to death.

  “I hate to ruin your day if it's starting to look up, but I promise to make it up to you, dream girl.” I smile even bigger when he calls me that. The first time he called me that I flinched. Of course he pried until he got the reason out of me because he can’t stand secrets between us.

  My father and stepmother always said I spent too much time daydreaming. That life wasn't the fairy tale, but if anyone should know that it’s me. It’s why I always want to make the most of every moment. But still, it made me feel stupid and silly every time they said it. When I explained to him why I didn’t like the name, he told me that I walked right out of his dream. He had a recurring one of a woman he didn’t believe was real until the day he saw me. Then he told me to keep on dreaming up things so he could make them come true. Yeah, anyone who thinks Daniel isn't the sweetest man in the world has no idea who he really is.

  “Because you're getting married?” I tease him, unsure of what they were talking about when I walked in, but I must have heard something wrong.

  “Yeah, because I’m getting married.” He sounds irritated and I notice he’s still edgy. It’s quickly becoming clear something is really wrong.

  “What are you talking about, Daniel?” I glance over to Brent, who’s playing with his phone and probably trying to not look like he’s watching us.

  “There’s a problem,” Daniel says, and I look back to him.

  “Is that so?” I lift an eyebrow at him.

  “One that I’m fixing right now.” Of course he is.

  “Spit it out, husband of mine. We have things that need to be done that we didn't wrap up this morning,” I remind him with a smirk.

  “You’re not married,” Mindy blurts out from behind us and I whip around to stare at her. “Sorry. I’m just not sure he could actually get the words out.” She shrugs before walking out once again. I’d laugh if her words weren't still trying to make sense in my head.

  “Not married?” I repeat, and it sounds ridiculous. “How is that possible?”

  “You’re my wife,” Daniel says through clenched teeth. He had me married to him ten hours after we met him, so I can see why the thought would really piss him off.

  “Not in the eyes of the law,” Brent adds, and Daniel begins to shake. “Your marriage license has gone missing and there’s no court record of it ever being submitted to the county. I know it was, but now it’s gone.”

  “You’re fired,” Daniel snaps at him, not even glancing his way.

  “You’re not fired,” I tell Brent before giving Daniel a small smack to his chest. “It’s fine,” I reassure my husband. I don’t like the thought of us not being married either, but maybe I could use this opportunity to fix our family. “We’ll just get married again.”

  “Mindy is getting a priest as we speak.”

  “No,” I tell him, and I watch a look of shock form on his face.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Mindy asks, walking back into the office with her arms filled with folders.

  “He’s being dramatic,” I say.

  “We’re getting married today,” he demands and crosses his arms over his chest. I wonder if this is the look that intimidated everyone else. I find it sexy, but I keep that thought to myself.

  “We’re doing it right this time. We’ll get married next month. Give me time to plan something.” Already ideas are forming in my head of the type of wedding this will be.

  “No,” Daniel says immediately.

  “Yes.” I put my hands on my hips as I look up at him.

  “Today,” he pushes.

  “I think you better make sure that priest is almost here,” Brent mutters to Mindy, and she makes a ha sound.

  “No, I already canceled him,” Min
dy responds coolly.

  “I really want to do this, Daniel. I want the dress and walking down the aisle. The vows, all of it.”

  “Fuck,” he mutters. “Put that bottom lip away, dream girl.” He sighs and his folded arms drop from his chest before he holds me against him.

  “A week. I’ll give you a week,” he counters.

  “That’s not much time,” I tell him and he lifts me so that my feet hang a good foot off the floor.

  “I’m rich. A week is more than enough time.”

  “That’s Christmas,” Mindy reminds him, and I realize I completely forgot.

  “I guess I’m getting a wife for Christmas then,” he says before he gives me another one of those kisses reminding me of who I belong to.

  As if I could ever forget.

  Chapter 4

  Daniel

  I take another drink of my Scotch as I wait for my wife to come out of the bedroom. She kicked me out over thirty minutes ago and I’ve been impatiently waiting ever since. I don’t know if the burn in my chest is from the alcohol or the fact that I’m going to have to suffer through another one of these events. I’d rather send a check and be done with it, but it could be that I’m still irritated about everything that’s happened.

  The Christmas lights on the tree sparkle and I think about having presents under it for our children next year. Maybe we should move and get a place outside of the city. I don’t know why I haven't thought about it sooner and I wonder what Blakely would say.

  She’s never said if she enjoys being here or not. She’s told me several times that all she cares about is that where we live feels like a home and not a museum. My place hadn’t looked like anything before her. Most of it wasn't furnished when I brought her home, but it didn’t take long for her to change that. She took me to little antique shops all over the place until we found what we thought would fit best. There was something magical in watching her face light up when she found a simple five-dollar table that we could sand and refinish. She’s made this a place I want to come home to and now it’s cozy and warm just like she is.

  I set down my glass and look down the hallway, debating if I should go and get her. I know with a few caresses I could get her to change her mind about going to this thing tonight and I want some alone time with her. She’s been so busy planning this wedding and I wonder if I should have given her more time. It’s a bitter pill to swallow because I want us married now, but I hate that she’s running around to try and make it perfect in such a short amount of time. It doesn't help that she won’t let me do anything. She’s told me repeatedly she wants it to be a surprise.

  I check my phone to see if I have any new emails. We might be fixing the problem of not having a marriage license, but I still want to know how the fuck this happened to begin with. Someone has tried to come between my wife and me, and I won’t stand for it. Normally I might enjoy a hunt like this, but not when it comes to my dream girl.

  “Has there been a change in the weather?” My head jerks up at the sound of her voice, and I suck in a breath when I see what she’s wearing.

  “Where did you get that?” I ask, staring at the red dress that clings to her curves.

  This dress shows off every inch of her lush body and my fingers itch to dig into her right now. It’s held up by a strap across one shoulder that looks like roses. It’s breathtaking, but more than anything it’s her—soft and sweet but a little bit wild and free with the bottom flaring out around her. I know that side of her is from her mom, and I wish I could have met the woman who gave me such a gift. The more I learned about her mother the more I realized that a piece of that was inside my wife. I made a silent vow that I will always do my best to pull that part of my wife out of her. The small piece that’s a bit of a hippy with a free spirit and love of life. It’s in there, but sometimes it hides under the shadows of her father.

  “I know that stepmother of yours did not pick that dress out.” I get up and close the distance between us. I have to put my hands on her and remind myself that she’s real and she’s all mine.

  “I take it that means you like it.” She looks up at me through her lashes, and though I shouldn’t enjoy how shy and innocent she looks, I do.

  “I like you in anything,” I say as I run my finger along her pretty pink cheeks. She’s made me into a desperate man who can’t stand to be more than a few feet from her. I touch my finger under her chin to raise her head as I lean down and kiss her. “Or out of it.”

  I want to take her back to our bedroom and have my way with her. She makes that cute humming sound in the back of her throat like she always does when she’s wet. My cock swells thinking about what that sweet juice will taste like and I want to get on my knees and find out.

  “It’s only for a little while,” she sighs, and I know she’s asking me to be the strong one and not make her stay home. She’ll do it for me, but I can’t ask her to do that. I need to try and find some control, but even after all this time my need for her hasn’t cooled.

  “I’m timing it,” I say, and she laughs.

  I take her arm and we leave for the Vine event. Once we’re in the back of the town car she snuggles into my side and I know she must be tired. I had to drag her to bed last night and make love to her until she passed out or she would have stayed up all night working on wedding plans. I should have let her sleep, but I woke her up this morning with my cock deep inside her because I had to remind myself she’s still mine. I made her cum three times before I let her fall back asleep again.

  I have a feeling her stepmother isn’t helping with the stress of wedding either. The woman likes things done a certain way and I know my sweet wife will try to make her happy. I clench my jaw and rub my thumb up and down Blakely’s arm to try and cool my anger. Her sweetness is wasted on them. I’ve spent years biting my tongue when it comes to them because I know how they can they be. That’s why I don’t feel any guilt about rushing our first wedding and moving her right into our home.

  I didn’t want them there then and I don’t want them there now either. Not after her father pretty much offered me his daughter as payment for his debt. I actually went to the event the night I met her because I wanted to confront him about the off-hand remark he sent me in an email.

  I got distracted by her and forgot why I went to the party in the first place, until her father introduced me to her. I didn’t know what game he’d been playing that night and I didn't care because she wasn’t a game to me. He didn’t have to offer her as payment because she was already mine the instant I saw her.

  I won’t put Blakely in the middle of whatever bullshit her father has going on. I took her and washed my hands of what he owes me because I’m not going to take down her father even if I think he’s a piece of shit. I didn’t tell her about the email because I knew it would hurt her, but now I wonder if that was a mistake.

  I’d shaken her world up enough when I came along and didn't want to add to it. I wanted her trust and I feared she would’ve believed her father over me. I could see from the start how much she wanted her family to like me, and I tried my best at first. But it didn’t take long before John’s ego took a hit and we stopped pretending.

  He tried to backtrack, thinking he could use his daughter against me when he saw my clear interest in her. I try not to think about whether he’d ever made the same offer to someone else. I’d have to kill him and whoever the other man was.

  “Daniel?” I glance down at Blakely and smile, hoping my anger isn't showing.

  “You never told me if the weather changed.” Her eyes are hopeful, but we haven't had any snow this year and it isn't looking like we will be any time soon.

  “I’m sorry, dream girl. There’s no snow in the forecast.”

  I see her smile fall and it crushes me. She wants a white wedding and I can tell how much she’s disappointed. Why does she have to want something that I have absolutely no control over? Still, my mind can't stop trying to fix the problem for her.

  �
��Don’t worry, I’ll ask Santa to make it happen,” I say and nuzzle against her. Her laughter fills the car and dissolves my residual anger.

  “Are you going to behave tonight?” she asks as she smiles at me.

  “Then you wouldn't have any fun,” I say against her skin as I graze my teeth along the shell of her ear. She shivers and I kiss her before pulling away. “You’re still in trouble for roping us into this, so don’t push your luck,” I warn.

  She smiles bigger and leans against me so I can stare down her dress and to her cleavage. The car comes to a stop and the driver gets out to go around and open the door.

  “I’ll take my punishment,” she whispers as she licks her lips. “Later.”

  Just then she reaches for the door handle, but I grab her hand and stop her.

  “Don’t even think about it.”

  Chapter 5

  Blakely

  Daniel brings my hand to his mouth and kisses it as the door opens. The driver steps back to let us out and Daniel gets out first. He helps me out then tucks me against his arm in a possessive hold. I glance over and see a few local news reporters and I look away, not wanting their attention, but it’s too late because I hear them call Daniel’s name.

  “Is it true? You’re not really married?” My head turns back to look at them wondering how they know.

  The wedding I planned is small and intimate. I told everyone we were finally doing a ceremony to celebrate and the only people who know about us not being married are my family and close friends. Daniel tenses at the question and I turn my head so they can’t get a picture.

  “Let it be,” I whisper, knowing I need to calm him. “You’re my husband and my everything,” I remind him, and he kisses the top of my head as a silent thank you before leading me inside and out of the cold.

  When we enter, the party is already in full swing. Daniel snags me a glass of champagne and I hold the glass, not taking a sip. I haven't told Daniel I stopped taking the pill and it’s too soon for me to be pregnant, but I don't want to chance it. Telling him is going to be my Christmas surprise and I know he’ll be thrilled. It’s hard to shop for him, but I know this would mean more to him than anything. I’m ready and I want to start our lives together in every way.