I Do, I Do . . . Again Read online

  Slowly, deliberately, he drew her into his arms, pulling her so close that her body seemed to melt against his.

  "Put your arms around me, Sunny."

  Lifting her chin, she met his eyes. The look in them was smoky. Unmistakable. The boy she had married years ago was gone. He was a man now in every way. Taller. Broader. More self-confident. She shivered with pleasure as he threaded his fingers through her hair. More demanding. She placed her hands on his shoulders.

  "You've been lifting weights," she murmured. He ran his thumb over the swell of her lower lip. "I always imagined you'd play squash or something. Don't all successful lawyers play squash?"

  He placed his hand beneath her chin and tilted her face up toward him. "I don't want to talk about sports, Sunny."

  "You don't?"

  "And I don't want to talk about the law firm."

  Her laughter was low, her excitement deeply female. "What do you want to talk about?"

  "Nothing," he said, dipping his head toward hers. "Not one damn thing."

  And then he drew her closer still until the last of the emotional barriers between them incinerated before the primal rush of passion their first kiss brought to life. His mouth was hard and demanding; her lips, soft and yielding. She answered his need with a fierce need of her own and he didn't leave her wanting.

  All that they had shared was in that kiss and in the dozen kisses that followed.

  "Robby...oh God...." Her voice drifted away on a wave of pleasure. "This is crazy."

  "Yes," he said, his lips hot against the curve of her breast. "Crazy."

  "The sofa," she said as her knees grew weak. That soft and welcoming sofa before the fireplace where she'd watched Top Model reruns alone.

  Moments later they lay together, greedy for the feel of skin against skin. He cupped her breasts beneath her t-shirt, letting his palms tease her nipples until they grew taut and hard. She felt that touch in the deepest, most secret part of her body. She fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Robert moved her hands away then ripped it open, scattering buttons across the floor. In the space of a heartbeat he stripped her of her t-shirt, then eased her jeans and panties over her hips and legs. The night breeze rippled over her heated skin. He devoured her with his eyes, as if he owned her, body and soul.

  She reached for his belt buckle and he laughed deep in his throat. Moments later they were both naked, so ravenous for the sight and sound and smell of each other that they had no time for preliminaries.

  Only a raw and primitive mating could satisfy their need.

  Their lovemaking was sweet and savage, as swift as the river flowing beyond the open window and when it was over and she lay in his arms with her cheek resting against his chest, Robert knew without a doubt that he'd never let her go.

  "Sunny."

  She burrowed closer to him. "Hmm?"

  "We're getting married."

  Chapter Two

  Sunny sat straight up in bed and stared at him. "What was that!?"

  "Marry me," he repeated in a tone as maddeningly calm as before.

  "You're proposing to me?" She had to be dreaming. Things like this didn't happen in the light of day.

  He threw back the sheet and swung his legs from the bed. "I know what's missing," he said, dropping to one knee. "You deserve an official, old-fashioned proposal of marriage."

  "You're naked," she pointed out, starting to giggle.

  "Good. That way you'll know I'm serious."

  "You can't possibly be. We barely know each other."

  "We've known each other since we were thirteen years old."

  "And we haven't seen each other since we were teenagers."

  "Can you tell me you don't feel what I'm feeling?"

  "Of course I do. It's just...."

  "You're afraid."

  "I'm not afraid of anything."

  "Maybe not," he said, climbing back in bed next to her, "but you're afraid of this." He placed her hand against his heart. "You're afraid of failing a second time."

  How terrible--and wonderful--it was to be with a man who knew you so well. "And you're not?"

  "We're older this time. Fate's brought us together and I can't believe it's not for a reason."

  "There's more at stake than our feelings--your children, for instance."

  "They'll love you as much as I do."

  "You can't be sure of that."

  "How could they help it?"

  "Daughters are notoriously possessive of their fathers."

  "Jessi's a good kid. She needs a mother as much as I need a wife."

  Sunny bridled at the implication. "If you're just looking for a housekeeper, then--"

  "I love you, Sunny."

  She stared at him, his words echoing inside her heart. "You can't."

  He shrugged eloquently. "I do."

  "That's crazy."

  "You won't get any argument from me."

  "Love at first sight doesn't happen twice with the same person."

  "It just has." He met her gaze and held her fast. "Hasn't it?"

  It was one of those moments that defined the rest of your life. One second she was Sunny Talbot, a fiercely independent art gallery owner; the next second she was a woman head-over-heels in love who could think of nothing beyond how badly she wanted Robert to kiss her. She knew that the smart thing would be to turn away from him and chalk up this interlude to one of life's stranger moments.

  But this was Robert.

  She'd grown up with him. Despite the fact that their marriage hadn't survived, she wouldn't have missed those years with him for the world.

  And she still loved him. All of the pain and sweetness of first love was there inside her heart, ready to deepen into the kind of love that could last a lifetime.

  "The road less travelled," she said softly. "I pick it every time."

  "I can't guarantee the scenery."

  "There's only one guarantee I want." She moved into his embrace. "That no matter what happens, we'll face it together."

  "We can't rewrite history, but we might have a good shot at the future."

  The past rushed back at her in all its heartbreaking glory. "I loved you so much," she murmured, her lips brushing against his. "With my heart and soul."

  He stroked her hair and she heard the way his breath caught for a moment. "I would have done anything for you, Sunny. I would have laid down my life for you if it would have made things different."

  "Why didn't it work?" Her voice was a whisper.

  "Because we were young," he said after a moment. "So damn young...."

  All through high school they had been the golden couple, beautiful, blessed with brains and talent and the certainty that life would always be as perfect as it was the day they met.

  "We gave up so easily, Robby. We should have fought for our marriage."

  "We didn't know how."

  "We could have learned."

  "Maybe we didn't want to."

  His words stung because she sensed the truth in them. The miscarriage had been their first failure and they had turned away from each other as if that tragedy had somehow put "finished" to their marriage. Golden couples didn't fail at anything. Any teenager could tell you that.

  And that's all they had been. Teenagers still wet behind the ears, with about as much understanding of the real world as they had of quantum physics.

  Sunny leaped from bed and rummaged in the cedar chest that rested beneath the window.

  "Look at this." She handed Robert a framed photo then curled up next to him again.

  "Our prom picture," he said, chuckling. "Will you look at those sideburns?"

  "Our wedding picture," she corrected, "and I happen to think those sideburns were adorable."

  Robert shook his head as he met her eyes. "Were we ever that young?"

  Sunny's eyes misted over with sentimental tears. "The wonder of it is anyone thought we were old enough to get married. We look like children playing dress-up." Her thoughts drifted back toward the
night of the senior prom when they'd realized that in a few short months they would be in college, thrown into a brand new world where anything could happen. "I couldn't imagine a life without you," she said. "There wasn't anything on earth more important than being together."

  And so while their friends had gone on to a post-prom all night bash, Sunny and Robert had pooled their money, then climbed into his Chevy for the trip down to Maryland where they were married by a justice of the peace.

  "Do you remember the way they looked at us in that diner near the Delaware border?" Robert asked. "There we were, looking like Ken and Barbie in our prom clothes, surrounded by the Hell's Angels."

  "They did look rough," Sunny conceded, "but they paid for our wedding breakfast."

  "We're lucky we got out of there alive."

  "We were young and in love and they thought we were adorable."

  They laughed about their first apartment, the one with the hot plate and the cranky landlord and how their parents shuddered each time they came for dinner.

  "My folks thought we needed an armed guard to pick up the mail," Robert said.

  "And my mother was convinced the landlord was a peeping tom."

  Despite everything, the Talbots and the Hollands had stuck by their kids through thick and thin.

  "They're not going to believe this," said Robert.

  "I know," said Sunny. "They'll say we're crazy."

  "Considering what's happened in the past few hours, I can't say I'd blame them."

  "Once she gets over the shock, my mother will be ecstatic," said Sunny. "She thought you were the greatest catch since Prince Charles." She flashed him a grin. "Back when that was a good thing."

  "Just as long as she doesn't expect us to get married at Westminster Abbey."

  "They're going to hate the idea of a small wedding," said Sunny.

  "You don't--"

  "Absolutely not! Big weddings are absurd."

  "A waste of time and money."

  "I'd rather be surrounded by the people who love us the most."

  "Just family," said Robert. "Small and simple."

  "In my yard, overlooking the river. The view is beautiful and no reservations are necessary."

  "How about next week?"

  "Sounds perfect," said Sunny with a contented sigh. "Our families won't have time to kick up a fuss."

  "So now that we've got the wedding plans ironed out," said Robert, "we can start enjoying the honeymoon."

  "I have a few ideas that might interest you."

  Moving swiftly, he pinned her beneath him on the bed. "Anything you can show me?"

  She gasped as he found her center. "You might be able to persuade me."

  "Like that?"

  "Oh, God...Robby, I--"

  The honeymoon was a smashing success. Now all they had to worry about was the wedding.

  ***

  "We have to be strong," Sunny said as they pulled into the restaurant parking lot the next evening. "They're going to be tough on us."

  "We're in this together," said Robert, turning off the engine. "United we stand."

  "Don't bet on it. Divide and conquer is more like it. I'll bet they're inside, planning our downfall."

  They'd broken the news of their engagement earlier in the day. First they had told Robert's children, Jessi and Michael. Michael had bounced around the room with excitement while Jessi's poker-faced silence spoke volumes. Both sets of parents had been surprised and thrilled by the unexpected turn of events and had eagerly accepted the dinner invitation and the chance to renew an old friendship.

  "All we have to do," said Robert, helping her from the car, "is tell them we want a small wedding."

  "You make it sound so easy," said Sunny, shaking her head. "It isn't."

  "Sure it is," said Robert as they entered the restaurant. "We're adults. We can have the wedding we want."

  "Right," said Sunny, waving to her father across the room. "I bet you still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy."

  "Sunny! Rob!" Her father Stan Talbot embraced them both in a bear hug. "It's about time. George and I have a toast ready and waiting."

  The wine flowed. The toasts were loving and hopeful and filled with genuine emotion. Sunny's mother Millie and Robert's mother Olivia cried happy tears while the two fathers congratulated themselves on having such exceptionally clever and attractive children. Olivia passed around pictures of her grandchildren, Jessi and Michael, and Sunny watched as a kaleidoscope of expressions passed across her mother's face. I know exactly how you feel, Mom, she thought. I'm as amazed as you are.

  They made it through the soup and salad courses on a wave of high spirits.

  "See," Robert whispered in her ear as the man course was served. "I told you we wouldn't have a problem."

  Sunny remained unconvinced. "Two more courses to go," she whispered back. "We're not out of the woods yet."

  They were halfway through their fettucine when it happened. Sunny was lifting a forkful of noodles to her mouth when she noticed a look passing between her mother and Olivia. Her heart dropped to her feet.

  "We've been doing some thinking," Millie began.

  "And come up with some great ideas," Olivia continued.

  "You're going to love them," Millie said, pulling a stack of cocktail napkins from her purse.

  "We've written them all down for you," said Olivia, withdrawing a similar stack from her own purse.

  "Mom," said Sunny cautiously, resting her fork on her plate, "I thought I told you we wanted a small wedding."

  "Of course you did, dear," said Millie. "We've just drawn up a guest list."

  Robert eyed them with suspicion. "On the cocktail napkins?"

  "We wanted to get a head start," said his mother, the ultimate organizer. "One works with the materials one has on hand."

  Robert started to say something but Sunny kicked his leg beneath the tablecloth.

  "How many names are on that list?" she asked, as calmly as she could manage.

  Neither woman said a word. Stan and George rose from their seats and beat a hasty retreat to the bar. Robert reached across the table and grabbed the cocktail napkins.

  "Don't crumple them, Robert!" his mother warned. "That's our master list."

  Sunny studied the "master list" with a growing sense of horror. "There must be three hundred names here."

  "Give or take," said Millie with a bland smile.

  "Mother," said Sunny strongly, "we don't know three hundred people."

  Millie and Olivia exchanged amused glances.

  "Honey," said Millie, "we have a big family. You're related to three hundred people."

  "And so are you, dear," said Olivia to her son. "We've done our best to prune the list, but I'm sure you don't wish to insult anyone."

  "The hell I don't," said Robert. He turned to Sunny. "And quit kicking me under the table."

  Sunny's face flamed. "I'm sure we can discuss this rationally."

  "Of course we can," said Millie, sensing victory. "Just leave the whole thing to us and don't worry about a thing."

  Sunny took a deep breath and marshaled her forces. "Mother, Olivia, we need to talk."

  The two women met her eyes as if they were as innocent as lambs, but Sunny knew she caught the glint of wolf's teeth behind the ingenuous smiles. "Yes, dear?" they said in stereo.

  She looked toward Robert for support. "We want a small wedding."

  "Of course you do, dear," said her mother, patting her hand, "but this happy occasion would mean so much to the people who love you."

  "A weddings is a celebration," said Olivia, gathering speed. "It's an opportunity to share your happiness with others. It's one of the oldest ceremonies in civilization."

  "They've done their homework," Sunny said to Robert. "I think we're in trouble."

  Robert waved the cocktail napkins in the air. "There's nobody on this list you can cut?"

  Both women shook their perfectly coiffed heads. "Not a soul."

  Sunn
y took a peek at the list of names. "You forgot my assistant Joi," she said. "I could never get married without Joi present."

  Robert took a second look. "If you invite Kyle Pruitt you have to ask Derek Andersen."

  His mother brightened. "How could I make such a foolish mistake?" She started a supplementary list on another cocktail napkin. "And if we have the Andersens, we can't forget the Giffords."

  "Traitor," said Sunny to Robert. "I can see Westminster Abbey in our future."

  "Look at their faces," said Robert, pointing to their mothers, once again engrossed in major league list-making. "They're on Cloud 9."

  "I suppose we could have the ceremony in my backyard and the reception somewhere else," she said. It was hard to ignore the glow of happiness emanating from the two women. "As long as we don't have to wait."

  "Of course you won't have to wait, dear," said Millie. "We can arrange a beautiful winter wedding."

  "Winter!" Sunny and Robert protested. "We can't wait until winter."

  "Autumn then," said Olivia, the peacemaker. She looked at Millie. "I'm certain we can arrange an autumn wedding."

  Millie pursed her lips. "Well, I--"

  "Next week," said Robert in his court-room voice.

  It was Millie and Olivia's turn to protest in stereo. "Impossible."

  "Next week or no wedding," said Robert as Sunny gained a new appreciation of his legal-eagle expertise.

  "We need at least six months," said Olivia, meeting her son's eyes.

  "Out of the question," said Robert.

  Millie looked toward Sunny. "You understand, don't you, honey?"

  "Next week," said Sunny. "It's non-negotiable."

  "September," said Millie, tossing them a bone.

  "Two weeks from today," said Sunny.

  "A June wedding," said Olivia. "The roses will be in bloom."

  "April," said Robert. "Before the end of the month. We'll live without the roses."

  The two women whispered frantically.

  "Six weeks," said Millie, jaw set.

  "The second weekend in May," Olivia elaborated.

  Robert looked at Sunny.

  Sunny looked at their mothers.

  "I suppose six weeks is reasonable," she said slowly. "There is a lot to be done."

  Olivia and Millie conferred one last time.