Accepting His Ways (Quinlan O'Connor Book 2) (23 page)

The day dawned clear and crisp with the final colors of the season visible, waiting on the next windstorm to divest each tree and bush of its adornment. Reveling in the final days of autumn before winter’s fury, came the morning of Cheyenne’s long awaited wedding. She knew she was going to be changed forever after this day, and that brought with it its own tremulous misgivings, as well as its own joy.

Siobhan reviewed the program with Cheyenne over her last breakfast as a single woman. It was 6:00 a.m. but no one could sleep anyway. Cheyenne was glad she had accepted the offer of staying last night with her future in-laws. Cheyenne didn’t move in when he wanted her to, she wanted to wait. She smiled as she acknowledged that he took the compromise well. Quinn had stayed at Andrew’s house since Caoimhe had gone into the hospital.

“Now, let’s go over every detail on our page. Then we will be happy as larks the rest of the day,” declared Siobhan.

Cheyenne laughed nervously, “If you say so, Mom.”

The bright November sun met the wedding party as they entered the church from the side door. Quinlan was nervous in some ways as he was never one for much showmanship, but anxious to get things going as well for he was envisioning his wedding night finally arriving for their pleasure. He had planned and envisioned it for a long time.

Liam slapped his brother on the back and said, “Well, the church is ready, the pews are filling, and your bride is dressed. We have the rings set up with Hunter, the flowers with Bailey and Éiren, the minister and Da are standing in the back to make sure that the boys are ushering properly. We need to go to the front of the church now to be ready to greet the women heralding your bride.”

Quinn checked his pocket for his handkerchief and his vows, then nodded that he was ready to go and went to take his place in the front of the church awaiting his bride.

The boys appeared to have seated everyone and then they seated the family all together, along with Cheyenne’s mother. They filled the second and third rows in the center seating area in the church sanctuary. Liam was Quinn’s best man and then he had two of his longtime friends stand up with him, the infamous Master Josh and Ace whose wife, Jacqui was Cheyenne’s friend. Asking Carter could have been a disaster if he was called in on an emergency. He had no partner to cover for him. He was considering changing that now that they had Susan.

Cheyenne had chosen Da as her one family member to be part of her party and three of her friends to stand up with her. It was decided that it was more acceptable and less problematic if Cheyenne chose only friends. She didn’t want any woman in the family to be upset to be left out and Quinn chose Liam as the eldest because the brothers wouldn’t care at all. The women had small children and had all put in their own special touches to make the wedding perfect and so none felt anything but satisfaction for the end results of their labors.

As the harp music changed to signal the bridal party’s arrival and the pianist took over the musical accompaniment, the flower girls walked down the aisle with very serious expressions that interchanged with big grins for they felt this was a very important job for five-year-olds to do.

The ring bearer brought the rings in quite somberly and was not to be distracted from his task even though he didn’t want to do it. Liam told him that it was an honor to carry the rings. His uncle and new aunt would wear them forever. Liam also pointed out that it was an honor to be the one chosen worthy of that task. His granddad gave him five dollars to stay the course.

Granddad Sean also gave the older boys who were ushering ten dollars each for he found that if you want a boy to do a good job, the rewards needed to be tangible sometimes. Granddad then proceeded to give them a strong lecture on family pride when they balked at the kilts. Quinn had given the boys each a pocketknife.

He even gave one to seven-year-old Hunter. Hunter was quick to point out that he was almost eight. However, Jocelyn demanded Liam confiscate it before the evening was out for he was carving everything in sight. That included Grandma Siobhan’s leather purse, trying to tool a new design in the leather. Siobhan was complimentary of his artistic attempts; however, his parents were not impressed.

Cheyenne was beautiful in her wedding dress as she walked down the aisle on Sean’s arm to meet her groom. The dress had an all lace veil over a beautiful hand embroidered Irish lace mantilla and satin under the dress that every woman who meant something to Cheyenne had a hand in. She was carrying her Irish bouquet with silver accents.

The kilt that Quinlan wore was stunning and his shirt, an electric blue, complimented by a golden tie that picked up the thin blue and gold running through his tartan. Cheyenne almost swooned when she looked at her handsome man in the tailored black jacket with all the trims and accessories that a well-dressed Irishman would wear. While Quinn would have married in jeans, the women in the family would not have let him.

When the traditional white shirt was vetoed by Cheyenne, he gave up and did what he was told, with one stipulation “No pinks, no purples, and no powder blues.” In this wedding, Cheyenne dominated, a fact that had all the women laughing at the irony. However, Cheyenne was careful to pick a bright blue she knew would match the kilts and that Quinn would be comfortable in.

When the minister asked, "Who gives this bride away,” Sean said loud and clear, “The Clan Sterling, gives their daughter,” and in response to who receives this bride, he replied equally strong, “The Clan O’Connor receives their daughter.”

While the ceremony was simple, it was elegant and peaceful with many tears shed when Quinn read his vows. The tears and looks between them while saying their vows after Ciarán tied their wrists and hands together told the whole story

“I forever vow my undying love to you, Cheyenne. I would lay down my life in staunch protection of you and I vow always to be the cornerstone in the foundation of our home. I’ll be a good father to our children and a loving husband to you. Please accept all that I have, all that I am, and all that I will be as my commitment to you now and into eternity.”

Cheyenne couldn’t wipe the tears from her eyes with the handkerchief that Siobhan placed in her sleeve because of the symbolic binding, so she allowed them to flow.

“I vow to love you always, honor you in our home and our lives,” she hesitated a moment before grinning at Quinn. “I promise to obey you, always to rely on your leadership to guide our home well. I accept your love and protection for my life.”

The story of Quinn’s commitment to Cheyenne and Cheyenne’s ultimate relinquishment of her final vestiges of control to Quinn as her ultimate act of loving trust was understood by all. Quinn’s eyes told her he knew it for what it was, and he accepted it with gratitude as the sacred thing it represented, while secretly preparing for the battles that would rage ahead. Cheyenne may have given her purest control, but on a daily basis, the practical result would not always bear that out. It was the challenge she would always present that he loved deeply about her.

Cooper and Hunter described the reception as the best part of the wedding and the room was overflowing with well-wishers. The children and O’Connor wives were shooed away from the groom’s cake more than once and then they relinquished on the mead. Liam stated he had enough children for now and steered Jocelyn away after one cup. Cián forbade Molly from even sampling the brew, which Molly took as a challenge, drinking two cups to the cheers of Cheyenne. Both associated men, Cián and Quinlan took that opportunity to bend their woman’s ear, taking them to the dance floor for further conversation. Ciarán said the more the merrier, which sent Katherine to the other side of the room moaning and shaking her head with her little round belly. Kelli was quiet during the whole conversation, not joining in on the teasing or the sampling, giving Parker more than pause.

The goodbye and well wishes surrounded them as the newlyweds were sent on their way to start their life together. The honeymoon was to be at an undisclosed location because Quinn wanted to surprise Cheyenne. When they arrived at the airport, they took a late afternoon flight to Denver. Before they left, he gave their itinerary to Da because he was the only one he trusted to keep it a secret until Quinn got her safely to her destination.

Quinn explained. “We have to take another flight tomorrow afternoon, but I didn’t want to get stuck on the plane for so many hours on our first night. I have other plans for tonight.”

“Are you kidding? Where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there. I’ve been planning this for a long time and I’m not spilling the beans right before I complete the surprise.” He unlocked the hotel door and led her into the room, doing a quick check to see if all looked right before letting her walk in further. “Now, Mrs. O’Connor, I believe there was a small issue of patience that I need to reward.”

Cheyenne smiled and then looked around for a moment before nervously requesting a shower first. Quinn looked at her for a moment, assessing where she was in her thinking before nodding with a smile, only to join her after she stepped into the stream of warming water.

“A little cold isn’t it?” he spoke as he slipped his hands around her waist pulling her back into his now wet chest.

She giggled and he laughed at the innocent sound of joy. “It’s heating up.”

“Yes, it is,” he responded as he kissed her shoulder. “The water is getting warmer, too.” He continued his sucking and lapping the water droplets as he progressed down her body. “I’m going to try to do the best I can to give you what you’ve patiently waited for but I can’t promise. I know it isn’t going to be leisurely as I had first hoped because,” he passed his hand down her belly to her wet curls covering her mons, pulling slightly to heighten her arousal. “I’m going to bring you some enjoyment in here to prime the pump so to speak and then we are going to continue to the next phase of the evening, the Kentucky Derby.”

“I see,” she said a little breathless as he worried her clit. “But I don’t have my big floppy hat and mint julep. Do you think we should wait until I get them?”

“I don’t think we should wait. I have waited,” he teased her clit a bit more intensely before dipping into her creamy pond, “and ached,” he kissed her lips, consuming her breath, “long enough.”

Backing up slightly, he got soap from the dispenser and soaped her body, returning to her outer lips he stroked her inner barrier to find her clit ready for him. This time he soaped the whole with his hand before concentrating on her little, stiff center of nerves. He held her against him tightly as he brought her to her first climax of the day.

He waited until her breathing was back to normal and she was ready to stand on her own before he took the detachable shower head and rinsed her off, careful to direct its spray over her pink bits. He didn’t want any soap to remain for the next stage.

Cheyenne took soap and lathered him as she looked up into his face full of halfhearted censure and said, “It’s my first night too.”

“You’re right. I’ll share the floor tonight but only tonight.”

“Okay, I’ll take it.” She reached down and lathered his cock with her soapy hands. “You’re as big as I expected but it will be a tight fit. I haven’t been with anyone since before you.”

“I should hope not.” His relaxed and aroused body could only last so long before he put a stop to her ministrations. “Stop, baby, I need to last so I can get you where I want you.” When she slowed down but continued the assault, he reached down his hand to stop her. “You wouldn’t want to court a spanking already, would you, Mrs. O’Connor? I can guarantee I have many more ways to redden your backside or punish a naughty
piscín
than what I have shown you.”

“No, no, I don’t need any heating up. Can we hurry? I need you and I have been such a good girl for so long, I might die if you don’t hurry.”

Quinn slapped her wet bottom hard enough to leave his print and make her screech before washing her hair. While she conditioned it, he finished his cleaning before kissing her neck and stepping out of the shower in search of towels. He was dry by the time she was finished and he carefully dried her. Then lifting her up, he strode into the bedroom and tossed her into the center of the bed. She laughed and dove for the covers, trying to get under them.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Pulling her legs toward him, he arranged her for the best advantage point, placing his head smoothly between her thighs.

“Put your hands above your head,
piscín
,” he said, signally the start of play.

“Hey, I thought we shared tonight,” protested Cheyenne with a grin.

“We will, but I get my turn first,” declared Quinn with a matching grin, as he savored his treat one lap at a time. “Sorry, baby, but I have to come visiting now. I’m not going to hold out much longer. I wanted to take you to the moon three times but I promise to do it again, only I have to come inside first.”

As good as his word, since he knew where her spongy g-spot was, he angled to hit it and then her clit from his spot on top. It wasn’t long before both shot into orbit. Cheyenne had been on the pill for several months so that they would not get pregnant right away and Quinn could go bareback.

Much too soon, playtime was over as the newlyweds burned out quickly as a nova star in earth’s atmosphere. The second round, when Cheyenne woke up, had Cheyenne trying the bronc riding position and she loved it. “Oh please, can we do it this again? Please?”