“Tasty Titty Cream?” He looked up at her with a grin and set it aside. “That’s going in the keeper pile.”
Rand shook her head and held up a leopard print nighty with crotchless panties. “Never.”
“Oh come on. That’s hot.”
She threw it at him and he pounced on her, pushing all the bags out of the way as he hovered over her.
“I have something for you. It’s been burning a hole in my pocket for days.”
He bent over the bed and came back up with a ring box. “My mother gave this to me to give to you. It was my grandmas.”
He opened the box and she gasped. “Jake I can’t-
“Yes you can,” he said softly.
She took the box with shaky hands, the implications playing havoc with her firm stance that she didn’t love him. He’d given her his grandmother’s ring.
It had to mean something right?
After church on Sunday, instead of her usual afternoon of leisure with Earl, she had donned a long cream skirt and purple blouse she’d bought while out with Jamie and Tabby, and headed over to the town grange hall. She’s invited Earl to come to the shower of course, but the old goat had simply snorted at her.
When she walked through the door, her gaze took in the autumn colors blended about the room. The tables were laid out with plain white table cloths, but a dark, forest green doily covered the center, where orange pumpkins filled with an array of flowers sat. Streamers were woven across the ceiling with white lanterns hanging throughout.
“Hey, what do you think?” Jamie had popped up next to her, giving her a little start.
”It’s awesome.” Rand meant it. The whole place was elegantly beautiful.
“Oh, and Mrs. Hansen wanted to know who your bridesmaids were going to be. Jake was just going to have Red and his brother, so she suggested you pick two people.”
Rand smiled. “Could you and Tabby do it? You two have really been there for me these last few weeks, even when I wasn’t-”
“Really? Yay! Absolutely. We will take care of everything, don’t you worry.”
As she whirled away, calling Tabby’s name, Rand shook her head with a laugh.
Suddenly, someone snatched her hand, and she turned to find Jake grinning at her. Relieved to have him there, she let him drag her into a broom closet and press her against the door.
“What are you doing? Your mother is going to have a cow if she finds us in here.”
“No she won’t, and besides, I missed you.” He nibbled along her neck and she pushed at his chest weakly.
“You just saw me in church an hour ago.”
“I meant I missed you naked, in bed, your body beneath mine as I-”
The door flew open and they turned to find Jake’s mom looking put out. “Jacob Michael, I asked you to go to the store twenty minutes ago.”
“I did,” he protest
ed and Rand covered her mouth to smother a laugh as Mrs. Hansen reached out and caught her son’s ear, yanking him off her and out of the closet.
“Then go make yourself useful instead of pawing at your bride!”
When she released him, Jake rubbed his injured ear with a glare. “If I want to kiss my bride, I’ll do it any time I damn well please.”
Rand chose that moment to make her escape, her eyes tearing with suppressed laughter. Who would have ever thought going through all the pomp and fuss of a wedding could be so much fun.
When they got home that night, the last thing Rand wanted to do was put all the presents away, especially after she, Tabby, and Jamie, had spent yesterday cleaning up the house after the bachelorette party.