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“But I’m not done with the fashion show, so get back in there and put another one on,” Starla insists.
Stepping off the short pedestal in front of the mirror, I head back into the dressing room and strip down once more, setting that dress aside as the one I’ll have to beat. Before I move on, I check the price tag, and my stomach does a tiny flip. It’s one of the most reasonably priced dresses in the store. Overwhelming relief fills my chest. Maybe I can have a budget wedding of my dreams. Though honestly, as long as Gabe is the one I’m marrying, I could care less if I had to wear a paper sack to the ceremony.
I try on several more dresses, each beautiful works of art that I could see someone wearing, but none hold a candle to the empire waist halter top with the beaded belt. And when the fashion show is over, I have no doubt in my mind that it’s the right choice.
“Have you thought about a veil?” Linda asks as I try on my dress one more time at Starla’s insistence.
“Actually, that embroidered one caught my eye as we were coming in,” I admit.
“That one’s my favorite,” Linda says emphatically, showing her inner youth. “It just came in last week, and I’ve been dying for someone to request it.”
Striding over to the display, she carefully removes the veil from the rack and brings it over to me. With practiced ease, she slides the comb into my hair and runs her fingers through the fabric until it cascades perfectly down my back.
“Okay, now you look like Venus,” Starla says, her eyes growing wide.
I frown at her, confused for a moment.
“The Roman goddess of love,” she explains.
“Aw.” I feel my cheeks warm as I turn back to the mirror and try to see what she sees. It’s perfect. With the embroidered blossoms flowing over my shoulders and the hint of a train on my dress, I do look my best.
In comparison to the dress I remember buying for my wedding to Dean, this is simple and elegant, not the chic statement piece that had made me look more like the model onBridemagazine. And somehow, this fits so much better. This dress isme. Not some showy thing meant to prove how much money I can spend on a single day.
“I think this is it,” I breathe, and tears sting my eyes as I picture walking down the aisle to Gabe wearing this.
“You’re going to make a beautiful bride,” Linda says.
19
Winter
Starla goes home,prepared to get serious about helping me pull things together for my wedding. Life almost seems to go back to normal, aside from the crushing weight of anxiety that never seems to lift from my chest. Each day that goes by looms more ominous as Gabe and the boys make no headway on finding our attackers, who remain ever-present in my mind. For weeks, we have seen neither hide nor hair of them, and while that should bring me some comfort, instead, it does the opposite. I feel as though it’s only escalating what they have planned for us next.
And while Dallas is finally able to get out of his cast, and Gabriel seems to be fully healed, he’s barely touched me since the day his brakes were tampered with on his bike. I’m growing desperate for some form of release. While I know Gabe is trying to be careful as I grow more pregnant each day, no amount of gentle petting is going to relieve the pressure building inside of me.
After work one day, I finally decide I need to take charge and do something about it before I explode or my hypertension goes through the roof. Walking down the street to the lingerie store a few blocks away, I step inside to find something that will make me irresistible to Gabe.
I walk out a short time later, armed with the sexiest outfit I could find. Driving my newly repaired car home, I arrive an hour before Gabe, just enough time to freshen up and be ready to seduce my fiancé.
My skin tingles with anticipation as I don the red lace-and-silk chemise. Then I add the garter belt and stockings. I don’t bother with undies. I want Gabriel to have access to me as soon as he’s ready. Glancing at the clock, I know I have about ten minutes until he’s home, so I put on a touch of mascara and eyeliner and head out to the bedroom to find my sexiest position on the bed.
“Winter? I’m home,” Gabriel calls.
“I’m in here,” I respond, knowing he’ll find me from the sound of my voice.
Something thunks in the other room, and then I hear Gabe’s muted footsteps coming down the hall. A shiver of excitement runs through me, and I lick my suddenly dry lips. As soon as he steps through the doorway and his eyes land on me, Gabriel freezes.
Arousal flickers to life in their electric-blue depths as his gaze travels down over my body, taking in every inch of my exposed flesh. “What’s this?” he rasps, his voice hoarse with lust.
“I need you like we used to fuck. I need the release,” I say, pushing up off the bed so I can approach him slowly. I peer up at him through my lashes as I reach him and run my palms up his strong chest.
“But… what about the baby?” he asks, concern bringing his eyebrows down into a frown.
“She’s perfectly healthy, and Dr. Denning said it’s perfectly fine if we keep having sex,” I remind him.
I can tell Gabriel is still unsure, so I press more adamantly. “Please, Gabriel,” I beg, knowing he likes it when I do that. “I need you to take me, to make me stop thinking for a while.” While I don’t speak directly about all the terrifying things that have been happening lately, I can see Gabe knows what I mean.
His expression grows in intensity, his eyes searching mine. And then his lips crash down into mine, his tongue pressing adamantly between my teeth. I groan with the urgency of his touch, and his hands grip my shoulders, slowly guiding me back until I’m pressed against the wall. He doesn’t shove me against it like he might have at one time, but his hands run down my arms, the callouses scraping my skin gently until his fingers wrap around my wrists.
