Page 27 of Two Weddings and a Shoot Out

He walked them down the aisle and held her hand while she walked up the two steps to the stage. Joining her there, hecouldn’t wait. He knew the kiss was at the end, but his love was here with him, and they were starting fresh.

He leaned down and claimed her lips. Maureen didn’t tell him not to fuck up her lipstick or that it wasn’t time yet. She dropped her flowers and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Yelling and clapping had him reluctantly pulling away from her.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

“For what?” she whispered back.

“For taking a second chance at love with me. You’ve made me happier than I thought possible,” he said.

She nodded, breathed deeply, and swallowed.

“Quit being so hero-like. I don’t want my makeup smudged for pictures afterward.”

He chuckled and turned toward the minister, nodding for him to continue.

Compass answered when he was supposed to and listened to Maureen do the same. In a short amount of time, the minister announced them to the crowd, and the motorcycles revved. He’d thought when he’d lost Lucille that life was over, but he’d been given a second chance at love, and he wasn’t going to fuck this up. He’d give Maureen the fairy tale because they both deserved it.

“Now’s the time you’re supposed to kiss her,” the minister said.

Compass chuckled and slid his hands under Maureen’s arms, lifting her up to his mouth. Capturing her lips, he dove in to devour his wife’s mouth, not caring that he’d probably have the hard-on from hell in front of everyone. Today, he was ravaging his woman’s mouth until she was breathless. She was his. For as long as they both lived.

Chapter Eighteen

MaureenheldontoCompass’sshoulders as they rode the last couple blocks to Nelson’s. Her stomach was churning. She didn’t think she’d be this nervous about their first time together. It was Compass. She’d slept beside him most nights, but today was different.

They were taking the next step. She was excited, but the what-ifs of all the things that could go wrong were plaguing her. What if, once they got together, sex was horrible? It couldn’t be horrible, could it? Because they loved each other, and love would make everything okay. Right?

Compass rolled the bike to a stop and backed it into the parking area. He held his hand out to help her off the bike, and she stepped off and stood beside him.

Oh my! Could she really do this? If she decided not to tell Compass about the room, then they’d be back at Bluff Creek, and she could have a couple more hours’ reprieve. Yep, that’swhat she’d do. She’d just not say anything. They’d ride back with everyone else and then…

Compass’ hands cupped her face, and his mouth claimed hers. Each tease of his tongue swept her doubts away until her head was spinning. When the man finally pulled away slowly, all she could think about was him, upstairs in the room, and them finally together.

His hands left her face, and he grasped her fingers, leading her toward the table. She let him grab their card, but when he started to head toward the refreshments, she tugged on his hand.

She grinned at the look of consternation on his face.

“I need to go inside,” she said.

He nodded and let her lead him. When she turned toward the door to the upstairs with the code, Compass stopped her.

“Are you feeling sick? We need a code to get upstairs, and I can ask the guys for it if you need it.”

She felt a tad cruel not saying anything, but she wanted to see his face when he realized what was going to happen. She punched in the code without saying anything, walking up the stairs. She remembered where Ellie said the room was but then giggled a little. Ellie had left a post-it note on their door with a message.

Enjoy your Code Burke!

Compass chuckled behind her. “So Code Burke meaning the old guys or Originals have it, hmmm?”

Maureen opened the door and then turned to Compass. “We’ve waited a long time for this, and Ellie thought it might be nice if we didn’t have to wait until tonight. What do you say, old man? You up for a little consummation?”

He grasped her hand and rubbed it down his hard length. “I’m definitely up for anything you have planned. Do I need to carry you over the threshold?”

“Nope, but you need to come in the room so we can close the door and have our way with each other. I’ve fantasized about having you for months, Compass.”

The heat blazing in his eyes made her worry over coming upstairs disappear.

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