Love at First Doubt Bonus Scene
Effie
One Year Later
During the first look, Rock’s turquoise eyes scrutinize me, filled with a characteristic tenderness that I’ve grown to love and expect from him. As the photo shoot continues, the muscle in his jaw jumps, and he grows increasingly agitated until he kicks everyone out of the oceanfront suite at the Neoterra Resort on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California. “Blackbird and I need a few minutes alone, okay?”
I turn away, shaking from head to toe and looking out the window of the suite, breathing slowly in an attempt to calm myself. Despite it being Valentine’s Day, the weather is stunning. I couldn’t ask for anything more, so why do I feel my chest tightening and my eyes stinging with tears?
The suite doors shut with a clink, followed by footfalls on the wood floor, and the warmth and safety of Rock’s arms around me.
“I’m sorry,” I apologize, on the verge of a sob and fighting hard to hold back tears.
“Shh,” he whispers comfortingly, his breath warming the shell of my ear. “Tell me what’s wrong, Stormy.”
“It’s just—” I fight hard not to cry, and he pulls me more tightly against him, wrapping his big body comfortingly around me. “This is just so much. I mean, talk about over the top.” I crane my neck, looking around the seafoam green suite with two bathrooms, a massive bedroom, and two balconies affording stunning views of the Pacific.
“I know,” he says quietly.
“I’m sorry I talked you into all of this. But I wanted to make Dad and my new family happy, and oh, a part of me honestly wishes we had just eloped to Vegas like we originally planned. I mean, there are hundreds upon hundreds of people here, many I only know from magazine covers, album covers, and movies.”
He kisses my cheek gently, and his hand hovers over my hair, trying not to mess it up. “Do you remember what the doctor said, Blackbird?”
“About what?”
“About heightened mood swings and emotions during the first trimester.”
“Do you think that’s what going on?” I ask, biting my bottom lip hard.
He nods against my shoulder, palming my stomach with his big hands. “Maybe.”
“I just feel so many emotions at the same time. Joy, gratefulness, excitement, guilt, sadness, anger.”
Rock walks me towards the couch before sitting down and pulling me into his lap. Stroking my cheek with his fingertips, he confesses, “Mama, I don’t know what I can and can’t touch right now. These makeup artists and hairdressers have you so dolled up.”
“I barely recognize my own reflection,” I say, craning my neck past him to the mirror on the opposite wall. Sax”’s wife, Cindy, stepped in to help with the wedding in the sweetest ways. She flew me down to Los Angeles for wedding gown shopping and contracted multiple hairdressers and makeup artists for me and my bridesmaids—Rock’s plentiful sisters-in-law. I should be grateful for all of this. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
“Are you having doubts, Stormy?” he asks, clenching his teeth, his eyes swirling with apprehension.
I palm his smooth-shaven cheeks, missing his normal stubble, and gaze at him intently. “About us? Absolutely not. But this is all too much. And with how poor I grew up, raised by a single mom and all, it’s actually painful to see how the other half lives. I mean, between the limo and this dress and the caviar and the six-tiered cake, and this suite, all of the rockstar and celebrity invitations… I can’t begin to wrap my head around how much this cost!” I shake my head.
“It’s pretty obvious that your dad’s trying to make up for time lost. Maybe I should’ve stepped in and put my foot down. But I wanted to let things progress naturally between you, Sax, Cindy, and your siblings. Was I wrong?” Rock asks solemnly.
“Not in the least, baby. And don’t get me wrong. I couldn’t be happier about this day and how Dad and Cindy are spoiling me, but a part of me wishes it was just you, me, and fat Elvis in a white jumpsuit down in Vegas.” I refer to the drive-thru wedding chapel we planned on visiting to get married by an Elvis impersonator before Sax got wind of this and took the helm.
Rock laughs, kissing me. “Lord, you are a spitfire, and once you get what you want into your head, there’s no talking you out of it, is there?”
I lean my forehead against his. “No, there isn’t. And the thing I want most in the world is you and me, officially one forever.”
The cowboy leans closer, capturing my mouth for a long, ravenous kiss. “Sorry, Blackbird, but you’re going to have to touch up your makeup after that. You know I can’t stay away from you long.” He rubs his thumb over my bottom lip, frowning with concentration. The move reminds me of Christmas Eve at my place when he swiped whipped cream from my mouth.
Regarding the scarlet swatch I’ve left on his lips, I giggle. The whole effect makes him look even more like a naughty rock star. Bringing my fingers to his lips, I concentrate on removing my lipgloss from his mouth until he teasingly bites my forefinger, sucking it into his mouth and filling the room with the kind of tension that makes me want to lock the doors and take off my dress.
“Keep that up, and you’re about to talk me out of this suit and into that bed,” he warns gruffly, reading my mind and nodding towards the California King.
“You have no idea how tempting that sounds,” I whisper.
Grabbing my hand, he presses it against the firm rod in his pants, confirming, “Oh, believe me, I do. And you’re the one temptation I can’t stay away from. My one true addiction. So be careful.”
“We better calm down in that case,” I say in my best kindergarten teacher voice, leaning my head carefully against his chest to avoid covering his black suit and black dress shirt with a black tie in makeup. I rest my ear on his chest, listening to his powerful heartbeat and letting its pace slow my breathing.
“Besides, pregnancy hormones, I think there are a couple of other factors at play here,” Rock says, running his fingertips back and forth over my bare arm until it’s covered in goosebumps. “This big shebang has gotten your nerves all fired up, hasn’t it?”
I nod, relaxing into the giant of a man who always knows exactly what I need. Despite the performing and studio work we’ve done this past year, I still get stage fright, and he helps me through it every time.
“And then there’s the situation with your mother,” he adds with a frown. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but when you’re ready, I’m here for you. Just like we promised the first night we got together at the tattoo parlor. Ride or die”
I squeeze my eyes tightly together, wishing I had a thicker skin when it came to my mom. But when she called last night to inform me she wasn’t going to make it after all, it stung as badly as every other time she’s let me down, even if it came as only a minor surprise. “I know it sounds silly with the way she’s treated me over the years. But I still hoped she’d be here.”
“I get it,” he says softly. Stroking my hair, he looks pensive for a few minutes before adding, “Natural-born parents aren”’t always what they’re cracked up to be. I’m sorry she hurt and disappointed you, though.”
“I must seem so ungrateful to you, sitting here in an oceanside suite that probably costs more to rent per night than I make in two weeks as a teacher. I’m sorry,” I whisper.
“Blackbird, all I give a fuck about is making you happy. Say the word, and we’ll call this whole thing off. I’ll rent a car, and we’ll drive to Las Vegas tonight. It’s less than five hours.”
I chuckle half-heartedly, more tempted by the offer than he needs to know because if any man would follow through on such a crazy plan, it’s my bad-boy rocker.
“I just feel like an imposter here. Like I don’t deserve all this fuss, and I don’t belong. This is going to sound so dumb, but sometimes it’s hard for me to be happy. Like I don’t know how,” I confess.
He nods gently, still resting his cheek against my head. “It’s taken me years to feel okay with being a member of the Rough & Ready crew. I didn’t feel like I fit in, and it was very difficult for me to accept love from others or their kind actions. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop…for them to figure out I was no good and not worth all their effort and time. That’s why I was such a hellion and led a rough life. It’s almost like I was trying to prove myself right and them wrong. But then I met you and realized I had to become the man they always knew I was to be able to claim and keep you. Some days are tougher than others, but when I see how you look at me, the faith you have in me to be your man, and your unwavering love and faithfulness, there’s nothing on this Earth I wouldn’t do for you. This feeling between us is why men sacrifice their lives in battle. Why they’ll do anything to keep their woman safe and happy. So, if you want to go right now, I’ll let everyone know what’s up. That said, I know you pretty fucking well, and I think you’ll regret it later if you don’t let Sax walk you down the aisle.”
I swipe at the tears starting to flow down my cheeks. “Now, you’ve done it. I’ll need my makeup redone if I keep this up.”
“My brothers have all made bets about how far you get down the aisle before I start fucking weeping, so get in line.” His statement doesn’t surprise me. Rock is a very emotional guy at times; it’s what makes him such an innate performer and a mind-blowing lover.
Staring into his handsome face, I say, “Thank you, baby.”
“For what?”
“For knowing me better than I know myself,” I say softly.
“That’s the job description of a husband, isnt it? And a man on the road to becoming a daddy, thanks to the most beautiful woman on the planet. Now, you know how I tell you funny things before we go onstage to help you get over your stage fright?”
I shake my head. “Oh no, the last thing I need is to imagine everyone in the audience naked. There are some pretty old rockers out there.”
A deep laugh rumbles in his chest, filling me with its delicious, dark vibrations. “Yeah, that’s a visual I donâ’t need in my head. Instead, I want you to think about the fact you’re marrying a man who made such a bad first impression that you actually thought he was dead.”
I giggle until tears of joy roll down my face. “This makeup’s done for. There’s no saving it.”
Rock pats my hip. “I’ll call the makeup artist back in here.” Cindy hired them for the ceremony and reception, and now I get why. Theyrre hanging out for touchups like this.
“Thank you, baby.”
“Are you feeling better, Blackbird? Because whether you realize it or not, you deserve every damn thing that’s being done for you today and so much more. You’re my queen. Don’t you forget it. Oh, and one more thing,” he says, drawing closer to my ear as his voice lowers seductively. “Whether we should be allowed in a place like this or not, I don’t know. But when we get back here tonight, I’m going to make you come so many times your toes will curl, and you won’t remember your own name. So, keep that in the back of your mind when you’re feeling nervous, too.” He winks.
Rock couldn’t be more right about everything. When Dad sees me enter the room before the procession down the aisle, his pale blue eyes fill with tears. It doesn’t help my emotional state one bit. Wiping the moisture from my cheeks, his eyes beam as he says, “You look gorgeous, sweet pea. You’re a stunner just like your old man.” He chuckles at the joke.
“And a crier like you, too,” I laugh, wiping more tears from my face. “If I keep this up, I’m going to need the makeup artist to follow me down the aisle.”
He raises his eyebrows. “We can do that if you like?”
I shake my head giggling. “These are happy tears. Why try to conceal them with makeup? Thank you, by the way, Dad, for all of this. And for making me feel so unbelievably welcome in the family. You and Cindy have been unceasingly kind and generous to me, and you’ve given me the family I used to dream about and draw pictures of as a kid.”
He smiles, more tears rolling down his tanned, wrinkly cheeks. “Thank you for letting me be a part of your life. Sharing this day with you and Rock means more to Cindy and me than you can ever know. I know this isn’t really you and your young rocker’s jam. But thank you for humoring us and letting us be a part of this.”
His words bring a new realization despite my nerves and anxiety over this big event. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. And while we’re crying and stalling the entire wedding, you might as well be the first to know, I’m nearly done with the first trimester and—”
“No way! I’m going to be a grandpa!” Sax’s face lights up, and he lets go of my hand to do a little dance that looks kind of like the electric slide.
I giggle, covering my mouth with one hand while the other holds the bouquet, as the wedding planner rushes over. “You’re up next,” she says with a smile to us both. “I’ll nod when it’s time to start walking.”
A few minutes later, she nods, and Dad and I start marching down the aisle the way the planner made us practice during rehearsal. A string quartet plays to the side of the lovely pastel rose-drenched archway with views leading out to the Pacific. We walk slowly down the monumentally long aisle to hundreds of recognizable faces, and I make out the strains of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.” Rock outdid himself again.
As we approach the groomsmen and Rock, my Lazarus has to turn away and wipe his cheeks like he said he would. Logan gets a big grin as the other brothers frown, letting me know the burly search-and-rescue guy won the bet. And standing at the altar is none other than a fantastically decked-out Elvis impersonator in a white, studded jumpsuit. Again, Rock overlooked nothing.
The revelries stretch late into the night, and I finally see the wisdom in Cindy’s insistence on a small army of photographers and videographers. There are so many beautiful memories I want to preserve and cherish for a lifetime.
Like Rock’s and my first dance, the father-daughter dances with Sax and Rock’s foster dad, Wyatt. Dancing with my four pre-teen and school-aged siblings and taking a turn with each of Rock’s brothers, who warmly welcome me to the family. There’s the bouquet throw and garter toss with so many guests, I don’t even know the people who get them. But everyone seems pleased by the outcome.
By the time we can finally make our escape back to the suite, I’m hobbling with sore feet. So, Rock sweeps me up in his arms, carrying me effortlessly while I hold my kitten heels in my hand all the way to our room. When we enter, the lights are low and candles flicker around the room. Rose petals line the floor, leading to the bedroom and main bathroom, and romantic Rockabilly crooners serenade us from the sound system.
“What in the world have you done? This is amazing!” I cry, awestruck by the intimate scene.
Rock blushes a little bashfully. “I told you. You’re my queen and deserve royal treatment, Mrs. Landry.”
“Are you ever going to put me down?” I chuckle as he strides through the bedroom towards the bathroom.
“In a minute.” He pushes open the ajar bathroom door to what looks like a thousand flickering candles, like stars in the night sky. A bubble bath is drawn with pale pink rose petals leading to the water’s edge and floating on the top. On a small table beside the freestanding bathtub, there sit two big mugs filled with hot chocolate, big dollops of whipped cream, and a sprinkling of crushed candy canes.
I cover my mouth, squealing with glee! “I can’t believe you did all of this for me!”
He sets my feet gently back on the ground. “And I can’t believe you took a chance on a bad-boy rocker who passed out in your backyard and pissed in your bushes. But I’m here to make sure you never regret that ill-advised decision for one moment.”
After the most sensual undressing I’ve ever experienced, one that makes my whole body shake with need and leaves my seamed stockings, frilly undergarments, and wedding dress in a messy pile on the floor, I straddle his soap-slippery body in the bathtub, his greedy, hard cock pressed demandingly against my inner thigh. His hands wrap around my waist, massaging and sliding back and forth over my hips and ass, his eyes flooding with primal desire. “I hope you can find a second wind because now it’s time to party like rock stars.” He winks as he leans forward, capturing my lips and my heart for all eternity.
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