Rapture and Lace (Lace #3) (Lace Series) (3 page)

  He tightened his grip on my hips and pushed me back gently. "Not happening, Evangeline."  

  I pouted and looked up at him through my eyelashes in the hopes of changing his mind.  

  "Are you sure about that, Mr. Morgan?" I purred and slid my hand across his arousal hidden beneath the denim of his jeans. He sucked in a quick breath and his eyes darkened. I bit my lip and my heart rate sped up to see the look of lust in his eyes.  

  He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his messy hair. "Breakfast, Evangeline." He flicked his eyes open to meet mine with a new look of determination.  

  I huffed with sexual frustration. "Stubborn heel," I mumbled under my breath.  

  His eyes shot up with surprised amusement.  

  "What was that, Miss Austin?" He dug his fingers into my hips and tickled. I tried to squirm away but he was having none of it.  

  "Carter," I pleaded through giggles.  

  "Did you say something, Evangeline?" I tried to squirm out of his grasp. He arched an eyebrow in challenge.  

  "I said, you Mr. Morgan, are a stubborn heel," I pushed back on his chest still trying to escape. His mouth spread into a wide smile. He spun me around and lifted me up on the island, nudging himself between my legs. One hand ran up my back, fisting my long hair in his hand as he tugged softly.  

  "Watch your mouth, Evangeline. I don't take well to teasing." He pushed his hips into my core firmly.  

  "Neither do I." I wrapped my arms around his neck and shimmied closer to him seeking more friction. He ran one finger down the curve of my neck, his other hand still holding tightly to my hair and arching my head to the side. He skimmed his lips along my throat and continued to grind his arousal into my core. A soft moan escaped my lips.

  "I know you don't." His lips pressed soft kisses underneath the sensitive flesh beneath my ear. "What do you want for breakfast?" He breathed softly into my ear and then pulled away from me with a devilish smile.  

  My eyes shot open and I heaved a disappointed sigh. I pressed my lips together and regarded him for a moment before hopping off the island.  

  "Well, since I’ll very nearly starve if I’m to rely on your skills, I think I’ll fend for myself." I opened the door to the pantry and my eyes widened for a moment when I realized it was a walk-in. Practically the size of my bedroom at home. The shelves were stacked floor to ceiling with boxed and canned goods, bottles of water, and more.  

  "Ready for the apocalypse?" I frowned and then my eyes lit on what I was looking for.  

  "Pop-Tarts, Evangeline?" Carter frowned.  

  "They're in your house. Toaster?"

  "I would imagine they were left by my brother. He's got an affinity for junk food." He grinned.  

  I scoffed at him in mock offense. "Shut it and point me to the toaster."

  He laughed and pointed to a cabinet under the counter. I pulled out the toaster and threw the Pop-Tarts in. I leaned my upper body on the counter top and crossed my legs at the ankle, swaying my hips back and forth waiting for my breakfast to pop up. I could feel the fabric of Carter's shirt riding up my thighs and the huff from across the room told me he had noticed too. Just then strong hands circled around my waist and I felt his hips press into my bottom. He held my hips still with one hand and with the other ran it up the curve of my spine underneath the shirt. He stroked softly as he pressed his hardened arousal into me. I pressed back against him and closed my eyes. My breathing became ragged and I willed him to break his promise of abstinence.  

  He stroked back down my back and then slid his palm up on top of the shirt to reach into my hair. He brushed his fingers through it tenderly, and then tightened his grip and gave a soft tug.  

  "You. Drive. Me. Insane," he leaned over my body and said in my ear in a throaty whisper. A smile played across my lips as I pushed back into his arousal eagerly wanting to take the next step.  

  "Oh no, Evangeline. Not until after you marry me." And just like that Carter's body pulled away from mine, breaking all contact. I whimpered in disappointment just as my Pop-Tarts popped up. Carter set a plate down on the counter next to me and I flopped my breakfast on the plate and turned to him with a huff and a glare. He smiled, downed the rest of his coffee and then walked out of the room.  

  "Thirty minutes, Evangeline," he tossed out behind him. God help me but I love that infuriating, sexy man.   

   Thirty minutes later the dress designer, who introduced herself as Nanette, arrived with an entourage of assistants pulling in racks of white dresses. I raised my eyebrows and chewed on my bottom lip, hating that I had such a short amount of time to make such a monumental wedding-dress decision. In fact, Carter had said very little about what he was planning, so I had no idea what to expect. Not that I was terribly disappointed, I was notoriously indecisive; in fact, my feelings about our relationship the past few weeks had proven that, so I was happy to leave the details of our wedding in Carter's very capable hands.

  Carter noticed my unease and rubbed my shoulders reassuringly. "You're going to be beautiful no matter what, Evangeline."  

  I rolled my head back and closed my eyes, trying to relax.  

  "Take your time, beautiful girl. I'll be back in a few hours." He kissed me softly on the lips and then left me with a mountain of white dresses.  

  I stepped into the spare bedroom Nanette and an assistant had set up in. She was eager and friendly, no doubt Carter had offered her ungodly amounts of money to make a house call. She was pleasant, asking me questions and making conversation. One of the assistants on the other hand was standoffish and even bordered on rude.  

  My heart thudded in my chest as the realization hit me that I was getting married tomorrow, to a man that I hardly knew, and who sometimes drove me insane. Maybe I was the insane one to be doing this. But I also knew that I’d never felt like this with anyone else. Carter and I had some irresistible connection—a pull to be together, something that couldn’t keep us apart. While butterflies were fluttering in my stomach, I knew now, more than I had yesterday; I had a feeling, stronger than ever, that this was right.  

  Nanette had me sift through the racks of dresses and pull any that I wanted to try. I pulled the first few away from the rest of the bunch and shook my head immediately. They were beautiful and elegant, but too simple. I knew I was looking for something a little more romantic. A big princess gown was certainly out, so there went nearly half of the dresses they'd brought. I began to worry that I wouldn't find something that I loved after all. I fingered through a few more dresses and separated them from the bunch tentatively. I found myself drawn to the simple A-line dresses with small and beautiful details like beading and lace. I smirked to myself when I pulled out a few lace dresses that Carter would love.  

  I picked a few more out of the bunch and then nodded that I was ready to try on a few. The associate helped me into the first dress and it was an immediate no. The drop waist wasn't flattering. The second dress was strapless, which I didn't love either; it wasn't the most flattering cut for my slightly curvy figure. I skipped over a few dresses that were strapless and landed on an intricate lace and beaded A-line with a halter neck. The assistant zipped me into it. It was beautiful, but it felt too fussy in some ways, and I said so. I turned in the mirror with a frown.  

  "Well, when you get yourself into a situation that requires buying off the rack, options are limited." The assistant looked pointedly at my tummy. Realization dawned that she was insinuating that I was pregnant and this was a shotgun wedding. I glared at her.

  "That is not the situation, actually. If you aren't willing to be helpful I'd be happy to take my business elsewhere." I held her gaze in the reflection of the mirror. Her eyes flickered for a moment before an apologetic smile crossed her face.

  "Of course, I’m sorry."  

  Nanette shot the assistant a warning glance then proceeded to unzip the dress.  

  "We'll find something you love," she said with a genuine smile. She pulled another dress I'd picked off of the hanger and helped me step into it. She pulled the soft white fabric over my body and then turned to fasten the buttons on the back. I turned in the mirror to look at myself, catching my breath. Tears sprang to my eyes as I ran my hands over the white lace of the dress. It was intricate and stunning. Lace covered the dress from top to bottom, extending over a sweetheart neckline and up to my collarbone where it was sheer and romantic. The dress fell in a slight A-line with delicate lace cap sleeves giving it a vintage feel.  

  I turned in the mirror to see the back. While the front was covered fully, the back was almost entirely open. The fabric dipped down to my lower back, that favorite place that Carter liked to interlock his hands when he hugged me close to him. The curve of my back was on display up until the lace met the cap sleeves and connected at the top of my shoulder blades with a few delicate buttons. The dress had a small lace train that drifted behind my feet. It was stunning and intricate and sexy and simple; it was everything I was looking for.

  Tears choked my throat as I nodded my head at Nanette.

  "Perfect.” Her reflection was beaming behind me.  

  "Yes," I whispered as I wiped a tear from my cheek. "It's perfect." I smiled and twirled in the mirror again. And Carter would love it.  

  "I love it too. It was made for you." Nanette smiled happily. "We'll just take a few measurements to check the length, make sure it doesn’t need taking in. Do you have the shoes you'll be wearing?"

  "No." My eyes flashed in disappointment. I'd completely forgotten about shoes.  

  "No worries, dear. I've brought along some samples, I've got a pair in mind that will be absolutely perfect with this dress." She gestured to the assistant. "The Manolos." She waved her off before dropping to her knees and busying herself with a tape measure.  

  I watched my reflection in the mirror as my hands slid over the fabric. I imagined Carter’s reaction the first time he would see it. I imagined him waiting for me at the end of some sort of makeshift aisle, since I wasn't even sure what he had planned.  

  I was never sure if marriage was necessarily in the cards for me, I knew from a young age that children certainly wouldn't be, but when Carter said those words to me, kneeled before me, I'd completely surrendered to the fact that my future was with him.  

  My heart swelled at the memory. I wanted to run my fingers through his hair for the rest of my life. Gaze into his steely blue eyes, wake up to that crooked smirk. I loved him with my entire heart, fully and completely. I couldn't stay away from Carter because I wasn't meant to. He had consumed me from day one and I had consumed him—we were meant to live our lives with each other. It had been rocky, and I was sure we would continue to face bumps in the road, but I also knew that living without him in my life wasn't an option anymore.

  The assistant came back holding a pair of white satin pumps with delicate crystal beading that stretched across the toe. They had a beautiful vintage vibe that would be perfect with the dress. I slipped them on and she took a few more measurements for the hem.  

  "All done. I'll just shorten the length and it will be perfect. It'll only take me an hour." She smiled at my reflection in the mirror. I nodded and the assistant helped me out of the dress. Truth be told I wasn't ready to take it off, I wanted to wear it for days—it was so beautiful. I sighed wistfully and stroked my fingers along the dress one more time before leaving the room.

  I made my way into the kitchen to grab a bottled water before realizing that I didn't even know the price of the dress. I'd been so caught up in its beauty, I hadn't even looked at the tag. My stomach did a few nervous flips remembering some of the other price tags. I could afford the low end of five digits if I put it on my credit card, although I would be paying for it for months and months, however, it would be so worth it. But what if it were the high end? I knew designer wedding gowns could be $25,000 and more. I bit my bottom lip and prayed that wouldn't be the case.  

  I darted back into the guest bedroom where the designer was working. "Excuse me, I forgot to ask, how much for the dress?"

  Nanette lifted her eyes in a reassuring smile. "Not to worry, Miss Austin. It's been taken care of."

  "Oh, well, how much was it anyway? Just so I know?" I could find another dress that was in my budget if need be.  

  "I’ve been told to keep the total to myself, Miss. Something about there was to be no limit on price, and that you weren’t to know the total because, and I quote, 'she is stubborn enough to walk down the aisle naked if she thinks the dress is out of her price range.'" The woman smiled politely.  

  I scoffed and rolled my eyes that Carter had managed to stay a step ahead of me. Now I would never know if the dress was way under my budget, or through the stratosphere over it. I gritted my teeth and vowed to make him pay for embarrassing and outwitting me all in one go.  

  "Well, thank you, I guess, for your help." I smiled at her.

  "No, thank you, Miss Austin." She beamed. I clenched my teeth and knew in that instant that the dress was way over my budget.

After the dress designer left I wandered up to the master suite Carter and I were sharing and rifled through my purse for my phone. When we rushed out of the apartment, Cate knew we were away for the weekend but had no idea about the proposal or that we were running off to get married.

  I dialed her number. I had no intention of revealing that small slice of information now, but I was going to touch base and let her know we'd made it here safely.  

  She answered on the first ring and we talked for a while. I told her about the gorgeousness that was Carter's home in the mountains. She asked if we were having fun, and I knew she was referring to the hot sex we usually had. I mumbled that he had actually put a halt to that situation.