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Chapter Sixteen

“You make me sick.”

I was sitting on the floor of the bridal boutique watching Angel turn around in a slow circle. The color of the dress looked amazing with her dark hair and flawless skin. She looked at me and laughed.

“I’d be hurt except I know you don’t mean it.”

I shook my head. “I don’t. But damn, you look amazing.”

At that moment the seamstress came up with her little cushion full of pins and a measuring tape. She smiled.

“Are we just working on the hem?”

Angel tugged at the strapless gown and studied it with a careful eye.

“I think I’d like just a little tuck on the sides too. I don’t want any mishaps when I’m dancing.”

I laughed as Angel pushed the dress down to emphasize her point and then yanked it back up.

“So, when can I see your dress?” Angel asked as the seamstress knelt down and began to work on her hem.

“We can stop by my mom’s after we’re done here if you want,” I said leaning back on my elbows. “I’ve decided to try it on once a week anyhow.”

“Where’d you get it?”

“I was helping Leighanne get her dress and saw it. It’s amazing. One of a kind. Just like your brother.”

Angel rolled her eyes. “He’s one of a kind alright.”

I smiled. “Hey, you underestimate him.”

She smiled at me. “I never thought I’d see the day he’d find someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. You’ve changed him.”

I shook my head. “I didn’t change him.”

“Oh, yes you have. He’s grown up. But, don’t tell him that. You’ll break his heart.”

I laughed. “The secret is safe with me. Plus, I don’t know how grown up he is. I caught him having a conversation with Brooklyn’s bath toys this morning.”

Angel laughed. “Thank God you had a girl.”

I grinned. “I wouldn’t mind adding a little boy to the mix.”

“Oh really?”

“Not anytime soon,” I said, noting the interest in her eyes. “But it would be nice. Someday.”

“There’s always the honeymoon,” Angel teased.

I threw a rolled up pair of pantyhose at her, she ducked just in time much to the chagrin of the seamstress. I stuck my tongue out; she returned the gesture.

Not only was I gaining a husband, but I was gaining a great sister.

----------------------------------------

“You did a great job. I would have bought this dress and I’m not even getting married.”

“So you approve?”

“Absolutely.”

Angel was admiring my dress as it hung in the bag. I was bound up in my Spanx and ready for another dress run. My mom and Angel took the gown off the hanger and I was suddenly engulfed in a wall of white.

It might have been my imagination, but it seemed like I didn’t have to tug it so hard to get it over my hips. I smoothed the silk out over my stomach and turned around in a circle.

“Oh Liv,” Angel said softly. “You look so pretty.”

She teared up; my mom wasn’t far behind. I held up my heads.

“No, no, no. Don’t cry,” I said. “Don’t cry. I’m a serial crier. If one person starts I’m a goner.”

My mom left the room and returned with some wadded up toilet paper. Angel and her quickly dabbed their eyes and looked at me again.

“I think you’ve lost weight, honey,” my mom said. “The dress lays a lot nicer.”

I smiled. “You think so?”

“I know so. Want a cinnamon roll?”

I stared at my mom like she was crazy. She held up her hands.

“You can’t blame me for trying.”

After Angel inspected every square inch and once again gave me her approval, they helped me out of the dress. I changed back into my clothes and helped to put my dress back into the bag.

“Where are you guys going on honeymoon?” Angel asked.

“I don’t know. Nick’s planning that,” I said.

“Where would you like to go?” Angel said.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve only been through the U.S. and Canada.” I tilted my head thoughtfully. “I have always wanted to go to Australia.”

“Me too,” Angel said. “I’ve been to Europe, Asia, and South America, but never to Australia.”

“But, I really don’t care where we go,” I said.

“You won’t be doing much sightseeing anyhow,” my mom added. I blushed badly.

“Of course we will,” I stammered. Mom grinned.

“I’m old, but I’m not dead honey. Stop blushing. I know my granddaughter wasn’t delivered by a stork.”

Angel laughed. “Not unless the stork was 6’1” and blonde.”

Mom grinned.

“Okay, enough,” I said, even though I couldn’t suppress a smile. I checked my watch. “We better get back to the house.”

Angel gave my mom a hug and I did the same. As I turned, my mom wrapped her hand around my arm.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” she asked. I looked at Angel. She pointed out the door.

“I’ll wait in the car,” she said. She closed the door behind her.

“What’s up mom?” I asked. She suddenly looked nervous.

“I want your opinion on some new clothes I bought,” she said. I followed her into her bedroom. She opened her closet and took out a cute sundress and jacket.

“That’s really cute!” I said, nodding my approval. “What’s it for?”

She seemed to pale slightly.

“I…have a date.”

Those were words I hadn’t expected to hear. I tried not to look too surprised. Instead, I just took a sharp little breath.

“Where’d you meet him?” I finally said. Her face relaxed; obviously the hard part for her was just admitting she had a date.

“The grocery store down the block. He works in the meat department.”

“What’s his name?”

“Michael.”

“How old is he?”

“Twenty.”

I must have looked horrified; she laughed.

“He’s my age. I’m not a cougar.”

I didn’t even think my mom knew was a cougar was; it was chalking up to be a day of surprises. I smiled.

“When’s your date?”

“Tomorrow night.”

“Well,” I said. “You’re going to look fantastic.”

She hugged me tightly. “I was hoping you wouldn’t be mad.”

I returned the hug and pulled back surprised. “Why would I be mad? When I asked you to move down here I told you that you needed to get out and live.”

“I’m nervous,” she admitted in a small voice.

It was a weird role reversal; I assured her that her date was going to be fine.

“So are you inviting this Michael to my wedding?” I asked with a smile. She laughed.

“Let’s see how this date goes first.”

I gave her my vote of confidence. After another hug and a kiss I headed out to the car. Angel was looking at her phone; she looked up as I opened the driver’s side door.

“Everything okay?” she asked. I nodded and put the car in reverse.

“Everything’s fine,” I said. Then realization hit me.

“Oh my god. My mom has a date.”

-------------------------------------------------

“I wonder if she’s going to make him cinnamon rolls,” Nick said as I told him about my mom’s date over dinner. Angel had gone home to finally unpack and unwind. Nick twirled a large quantity of noodles on his fork and took a big bite. I took a small sip of my grapefruit juice.

“Nick, this is a huge step for her. I never thought she’d agree to go out with someone.”

Nick smiled. “Hey, your mom’s a good looking lady. I think it’s cute.”

“You think my mom’s good looking?”

“Well, her daughter’s a knock-out so, yeah, I’d say so. But I think the knock-out needs to have more for dinner than grapefruit juice and lettuce.”

“Nick,” I said with a sigh. Today was the first sign that my hard “work” was paying off. It only made me want to keep going. Nick didn’t see it that way; he held out a forkful of noodles towards me. I stared into his eyes as I took the bite. My heart gave a leap at the intensity in his face. For the first time since Brooklyn was born I felt the desire to initiate intimate contact. Nick seemed to read my thoughts. He raised an eyebrow.

“You look like you want to take a bite out of me,” he said slowly.

“I think food deprivation is increasing my sex drive,” I said quietly. I pushed my plate out of the way and leaned over the table. The noodles Nick had just twirled onto his fork slid off. His eyes darted right towards me cleavage.

“Hunh, I’m suddenly not hungry anymore,” he said, setting the fork down on his plate. I got off my barstool and walked around the island towards him, never breaking eye contact. As I came towards him, he twirled around in his chair. With a mischievous smile I yanked off my shirt. Nick sprang from his seat like I had flipped a switch. The moment he was on his feet, I jumped at him. He caught me under my legs as my arms wrapped around his neck and my lips crushed into his. I wiggled up against him.

“Jesus Liv,” he whispered as I came up for air. “Was that grapefruit juice spiked?”

I decided his question didn’t need a response.

“Nick. Upstairs. Now.” I whispered instead. My hands clawed at his back, pulling up his shirt at the same time. My fingers pressed into his warm flesh. His shoulders rippled and his grip on my legs tightened. I pressed my heels into him. By the time Nick got to the first stair step, I had managed to get his shirt off. I let it fall on the banister. Halfway up one of his hands had managed to unclasp my bra. With a quick shake and shimmy, I let it drop. At the top of the stairs, Nick tripped on the last step and we came crashing down. The soft carpet cushioned my fall and my legs wrapped around him tighter.

I didn’t let him get up. Instead I pulled his face towards mine, relishing the feel of his full lips against mine. I pressed my chest into his; his hands fell from my legs, sliding between our two bodies. I felt the button on my jeans come undone.

We both worked fast. The rest of our clothes started a topsy turvy spiral down the stairs as we tossed everything carelessly away. We were in the hall barely feet from our bedroom door, but I had no desire to move. I had him right where I wanted him. My teeth drew in the sensitive skin on his wrist as his hand moved down my face. He froze, watching under clouded eyes as I licked.

“Damn,” he finally managed to say. He began to get up, but I yanked him back down.

“Where are you going?” I said breathlessly.

“I need to get—“ he began to say. My hands slid down over him.

“You’re not going anywhere,” I said. He moaned and reached for my hands. Before I knew it they were pinned over my head; my bare feet braced themselves on the beginning of the stair rails. Nick smirked down at me; I tugged my wrists out of his grasp and growled. I had never seen his eyes so smoky.

“Liv, you have no idea what you’re starting,” he said seriously. I reached down and stroked him.

“Give me an idea,” I said playfully. He locked his hands on my hips and I felt like electricity was coursing through my veins. The musky scent of intimacy hung heavily in the air; I could practically taste it on the tip of my tongue. From the way the muscles in his arms tightened to the way his breathing filled my eardrums to the feel of him hard and ready made everything else seem nonexistent.

Here I was, just a girl from small town Wisconsin, lying naked at the top of a staircase ready to have wild monkey sex with Nick Carter.

I had intense pride in knowing that he was off the market and mine, all mine.

And he had been right.

I was ready to devour him…

From head to toe.