Rio frowned and tipped his chair back. "I should have thought of that." He glanced at Conner. "We both should have."
Conner's croak of agreement was a little strangled as she began to rub slow, caressing circles along that hard, thick bulge. His hand covered hers, pressing her palm tight against him and holding it still.
"I'm going to ask him, see if I can get an answer," Rio said. He pushed back his chair.
Isabeau watched him leave with a small smile.
"What do you think you're doing?" Conner hissed.
She lifted one shoulder and sent him her best siren's smile. "Playing with fire. I like how it burns."
"You keep it up and you'll be crawling under the table and giving me a little relief."
She shook her head. "Not this time. This time, I'll be insisting you find a way to give me some relief. My cat won't let up."
He sat back in his chair, his eyes going golden. "Really? She's giving you trouble, today?" His gaze grew hot.
Flames licked over her skin. She tried rubbing him again, but his fingers tightened over hers. He pulled her hand out of his lap and bit the ends of her fingers, sending a spasm of liquid heat rushing to her melting center.
"It's hot as hell knowing you need my cock buried inside your burning little body. I should torment you a little bit and wait until you're begging me."
She leaned close to him, licking at his ear with the tip of her tongue. Her teeth raked the side of his neck. "Or maybe you'll be the one begging."
He groaned softly. "You're killing me, baby, with all these women surrounding us. And believe me, they're sneaking peeks. I can hear their whispers and their laughter."
"I'm just obliging them. They want to know what kind of package my man is delivering," she whispered and tugged at his earlobe with her teeth.
"I think they're judging whether or not I have enough strength to resist a little temptation from a she-cat."
"Or enough manhood to do something about it," she countered.
He rose so fast he knocked the chair over. With one swift motion he picked her up, rolled her over and deposited her on his shoulder, head down his back. One hand clamped tight just under her bottom as he stepped off the porch and headed toward the barn. Laughter followed them, the sounds of both men and women.
"What are you doing?" Isabeau grabbed his shirt with both fists and hung on as he strode across the uneven terrain.
"Proving my manhood, beloved. I certainly don't want you--or that pack of women--to think I can't handle the job."
"No one's replacing you, crazy leopard man, that was called teasing."
"Totally foreign concept to me," he said and yanked open the barn door. "Proving manhood I understand."
She was laughing so hard she could barely hold on. "Put me down, cave man."
"I am the ruler of the forest and I've captured my mate."
Rio stepped in front of him, Doc at his side. "You can put your little captive there down, Tarzan, and back off."
Conner whirled around to face Felipe and Marcos coming in on his left. Felipe shook his head and snapped his fingers. "Give me the girl, ape man."
Conner growled a warning and spun to his right, only to be blocked by Leonardo and Ruth Ann Gobel's husband, Dan.
Leonardo held up his hand. "I don't think so, not on her wedding day. Give us back our sister."
Conner whirled around in circles, Isabeau laughing uncontrollably as they were surrounded by the men. Most were sixty or seventy, but they looked stern and uncompromising.
"Hand her over," Doc ordered.
Conner reluctantly put Isabeau onto her feet, holding her body in front of his, his arm curled around her waist.
"You don't understand," he said as the mob pressed closer. "The women challenged my manhood. I had no choice."
Rio crooked his finger at Isabeau. "Come here to me, little sister."
Isabeau couldn't keep a straight face. Rio managed to look scary, but his eyes were laughing as were most of the older men. Leonardo and Felipe were just plain snickering. She slid one hand behind her back and continued a slow massage over his thick erection all the while pretending to struggle against Conner's arm. "He won't let me go."
"I'm going to have to take him out behind the barn and teach him some manners," Doc declared. "You let that girl go."
"Not happening, Doc," Conner said, holding her to him. Her fingers were pure magic. He'd forgotten fun. Maybe all of them had. Abel and Mary reminded them what life was all about--sharing with family and friends. Laughter and hope. Love. And he loved Isabeau Chandler with everything in him.
"He's just too strong, Rio," Isabeau claimed and then reached her arm up and behind her to hook around the nape of Conner's neck and draw his head down to hers.
Her lips were velvet soft, firm and far too enticing to resist. Her mouth was hot, her tongue sensually tangling with his. For a moment he forgot their audience and their silly game and just lost himself in the wonder of her kiss. He tasted love and it was the most addictive spice there was.
"Hey there!" Rio said. "Little sister, I think you're worse than he is. Let her go, Conner, or we're taking you out behind the barn to give you a little lesson in respect."
"Actually," Conner said, without a hint of remorse, "I am being respectful. I'm trying to spare you and your women from seeing what your shortcomings are. If I don't keep Isabeau right here, we could have a riot on our hands."
She spun around and pushed him away from her with both hands flat on his chest, color flooding her face. "You're terrible." She marched over to Rio, her nose in the air.
Doc intercepted her path, catching her arm. "Young lady, I think you need to come with me. It's obvious I need to put you in protective custody."
She turned her head to watch the men close in on Conner. They were laughing as they advanced menacingly. She had the feeling her bridegroom was about to be subjected to some ancient ritual. She went back to the house with Doc. The women were gathered on the porch, watching the men's antics, laughing together.
Mary snapped a tea towel at her. "Naughty girl." Amusement sparkled in her eyes. "Sign the documents for Abel and let him complete your health certificates and then we've prepared you a nice bath. Claudia will do your hair for you. She's a wonderful hairdresser. Leopard hair grows so thick and fast and yours has curl to it. She'll be able to put it up beautifully."
"I brought jewelry," another woman said. "I'm Monica, a jewelry designer. As soon as Mary called me and said you were Marisa's daughter-in-law, I knew I had found the perfect person for my most special design. It's just been sitting there. I've never even displayed it. I just knew it was for an important occasion. This is my present to you on your wedding day."
She held up a box. Champagne diamonds sparkled in a swirl of glittering white diamonds dropping in tears from a chain of white gold. The earrings were small teardrops matching the necklace. It was the most beautiful jewelry Isabeau had ever seen. She stepped back, shaking her head. "I can't accept that."
Monica smiled at her. "I'm eighty-two, Isabeau. I have no children and this is my work. I'm grateful for the opportunity to give it to someone who will treasure it."
Isabeau felt tears choking her. The kindness of these people, the sheer generosity was amazing. She let her breath out, struggling not to cry. "Then, thank you. I'll never forget any of you. You make me feel as if I really have a family."
The women smiled at one another and ushered her into the house, out of Conner's sight.
17
CONNER was nervous. He hadn't expected to be nervous. He was also excited and he'd expected that, but suddenly, standing up in front of the judge with a much larger audience than he'd counted on was a little disconcerting. Rio kept grinning at him and he found it was just better not to look at Leonardo or Felipe. Even Elijah had shot him a quick smirk before going off to patrol. He ran his finger around his collar and adjusted his tie one more time. Admittedly this was all his idea, so he couldn't exactly run. He wanted to marry Isabeau. It wasn't that making him nervous. But what if she changed her mind? He shouldn't have pushed her so hard. She was young. Nearly ten years younger than he was, and she'd been sheltered. What had he done? Come into her life, exposed her father, revealed she'd been adopted and then dragged her into a very dangerous situation. He took a breath and ran his sweaty palms down his thighs. Okay, she'd been the one to seek out the team for the present job, but truthfully, if he'd ever found out about his brother, he would have gone anyway, and he could have--should have protected her more . . .
The music started. Hushed murmurs rose and he turned his head. His heart stopped beating. The breath stilled in his lungs. Isabeau stood framed in the doorway, her gloved hand tucked into the crook of Doc's elbow. She was in a floor-length gown that emphasized the curves of her body to perfection. Diamonds sparkled at her throat and ears. She looked ethereal, a princess in some fairy tale. She looked so beautiful his eyes burned and his throat felt raw. His heart managed to kick-start again, this time hammering in his chest. A roaring started in his head and muscles knotted in his stomach. Her wild hair looked elegant, and yet maintained her untamed appearance, adding to the throb in his groin.
He realized his mouth was open and he was devouring her with his eyes, but he couldn't stop. There was no way to look away from her, a vision, walking toward him. He felt a mixture of emotions, humbled by the fact that she could love him after what he'd done--and what he might have to do. She was everything to him and he knew that emotion was raw and stark on his face for everyone to see, but he couldn't mask it. He didn't even want to try.
Mary sobbed in the front row and several other women dabbed at their eyes. One of the men blew his nose loudly. And then she was moving, walking toward him, her gaze on his, and his love grew with every step she took until he felt as if he might burst with it. He didn't know if every groom felt this way, but in his world, where everything was life and death, where he saw the worst in people, this moment, surrounded by friends and good people, was perfection.
He glanced once at Rio to make certain he had the all-important ring. Doc's friend, an older woman by the name of Monica Taylor, had brought him several boxes to allow him to pick out a ring for his bride. He'd never seen such beautiful work, and when he realized the jeweler was Monica, he was even more impressed. Her hands were twisted and gnarled with arthritis, and when she showed him the rings, she'd trembled.
Rio seemed to understand his concern and he nodded his head and made a show of touching his pocket, leaving Conner able to concentrate solely on his bride as she walked up the aisle to him. He wanted the moment to last forever, that image of her moving toward him. Everything else in the yard disappeared. Even his sense of self-preservation. He'd been raised to always--always--be on the alert for danger. There was a part of him aware of his surroundings, constantly vigilant, but in that moment, he was wholly focused, even his cat's entire attention was completely centered on Isabeau.
He heard the judge asking who gave this woman to this man as if from a great distance. Doc's voice murmured an answer and then he was placing Isabeau's hand in Conner's. He closed his fingers around hers and drew her hand to him. He leaned down, his gaze holding hers.
"You're so beautiful, Isabeau. Thank you for this."
Her lashes fluttered. She actually looked shy. He felt her fingers curl in his and his heart jumped again. He'd never felt so protective of anyone in his life. He pulled her close to him as they turned to face the judge. He wanted his body heat to envelope her, his scent, so that he filled her senses in the same way she filled his.
He could hear the man speaking about the sacred bond of marriage and at last he understood what he was really feeling. This was his other half. He was complete with her and she with him. They had chosen one another to share it all--both good and bad. They knew bad. They knew the worst of humanity--and the best. And they had chosen to walk a path together. He wanted that path to be the best he could make for her.
She looked into his eyes as she stated her vows in a soft, firm voice. He was clearer, confident, knowing his choice was right. With every passing moment of the binding ceremony, he felt the threads tying them together grow stronger until they were unbreakable bonds. She looked a little shocked when he removed her glove and pushed the ring onto her finger. She blinked up at him with a little gasp and then turned her head to search out and find Monica with a small happy smile and a nod.
Then he was enfolding her in his arms, drawing her against his chest and sealing their vows with his kiss while everyone stood up and clapped. Rio clapped him on the back and Felipe and Leonardo followed suit, nearly knocking the breath out of him.
He kissed Isabeau's fingertips. "I can't believe how beautiful you look." He inhaled her fragrance; she smelled of cherry blossoms and fresh forest after a rain.
"The women helped me. They've been so wonderful."
She looked so happy Conner kissed her again, vowing silently to try to find a way to repay the people of the valley. They'd turned this day into something magical. Their generosity seemed boundless. As the guests congratulated them, they each pressed a small gift into their hands. Each item was made with loving hands. All seemed priceless. A sharp hunting knife, the metal folded and honed into an edge that gleamed. A knitted pullover sweater for Conner. A cardigan and scarf for Isabeau. The wool had been spun and dyed right there in the valley. Isabeau's personal favorite was a small bronze statue of two leopards, one a fierce male standing protectively above a female who nuzzled his throat. The beauty of the piece brought a lump to her throat.
Talk swirled around them and music started. The buffet tables were filled with wonderfully smelling food, and several of the women took turns taking plates and coffee to Elijah as he prowled the grounds and nearby forest to keep them all safe. Marcos flirted outrageously with the women, and laughter rang throughout the valley.
Conner pulled Isabeau into his arms, the music pounding through his veins in time to the beat of his heart. She fit perfectly, and the scent of her drifted through his lungs like fine wine. He rested his cheek against the soft silk of her hair, content to sway gently to the rhythm.
"I can't believe they did this for us, Conner," Isabeau said. "I was afraid I'd feel lonely and sad, and they've transported us into some magical realm." She tilted her head to look at him. "They did this for your mother, for Marisa. She's here with us. They all loved her and they took us in and made us family because of her."
"She was magic," Conner agreed. "She had a way of making every person feel important, maybe because, to her, they really were. I never really heard her say an unkind word. She took in Mateo and raised him as her own. And when I say "as her own" I mean she would love him the way she loved me. With everything in her." His arms tightened around Isabeau. "I'm glad you had a chance to meet her."
"I see her in you, Conner."
"Do you?" He was really asking. Really hoping. "I was afraid I was all my father." Hard. Mean. A man others would avoid.
"She's in your eyes, Conner. And in the way you love. You didn't hesitate to take Mateo in, even if it meant losing me. You would sacrifice for a small boy you don't even know. Her kindness lives in each of the people she touched, in you and hopefully in your brother."
He brushed kisses along the corners of her mouth. "We'll see to it."
"You aren't worried, are you, Conner?" she asked. "We'll find him and we'll bring him out safely."
"I've never thought about being a parent. First I was worried that I might not measure up as a mate to you, and now I have to worry about what kind of father I'll make."
She snuggled against his chest. "I don't think you have to worry. You had a great example in your mother and, although my father did many things very wrong, he was a good parent to me. He loved me and made me feel important to him. He made certain I had a good education and always felt loved. I might not have had a mother, but I did have a father. You didn't have a father but you had a great mother. Bet
ween the two of us, we're bound to have picked up a few things."
Conner looked around him at the men and women who had established a retirement valley. They grew food on their farms and most still worked at their occupations, but were now committed to the good of the community. "We have a wealth of knowledge right here," he whispered against her ear. "Look at them all. They've already fought their battles and learned their lessons. We'll settle somewhere close to them. You can still work with your plants in the rain forest, we can raise Mateo and any children we have nearby."
"What about your work?"
He shrugged. "It isn't that difficult. Rio sends for us when we have a job."
She scowled at him. "I don't think I'm going to be so willing for you to seduce a woman after this. I'd like to say my leopard wouldn't be jealous . . ."
He laughed softly. "Your leopard would be spitting jealous. She'll turn ferocious if she finds her mate near any other woman. Don't worry, I gladly give up my job to one of the others. When I go"--because she had to know this was his life's work--"I'll go as one of the team, not the front man."
Elijah passed by on his shifting patrol and one of the women handed him a strawberry lemonade. His smile was genuine, but she couldn't imagine what he was thinking. Did they know about his past? Probably. The men and women in the retirement valley seemed to know about everything--leopard or human. They were accepting, tolerant people who were willing for anyone to live out their lives. No one asked him questions and he was treated with open friendliness.
Isabeau inhaled sharply, wanting to remember every detail, the setting sun turning the sky into an orange-red flame, the forest a silhouette of dark trees and brush and especially the fragrances mingling in the air. She could sort them all out if she chose, the food, the forest and each individual. She knew exactly where Mary and Doc were at any given moment. She threaded her fingers through Conner's as they strolled around the yard talking to the various guests.
Mary, Ruth and Monica insisted they cut the cake and feed each other a slice, and Isabeau did so, laughing at Conner's wry expression. The wedding had been his suggestion, but he hadn't counted on the women of the valley pulling off a traditional wedding. She rested her back against him and looked around her, committing her magical wedding to memory.