Thorn's Challenge - Brenda Jackson [68]
And then it happened. Rampant desire raced through him, caught fire and spread like a blaze to her. He continued pumping, thrusting as their bodies strained and flowed with a pounding rhythm toward a release that lingered a breath away. He felt her dig her fingers into his shoulders and broke off the kiss, threw his head back and sucked in a breath he felt could be his last at the exact moment her body clenched him for everything he had.
This time their joining felt like a spiritual connection, the climax that tore into them stronger, deeper and richer than any before. Before either could recover, she climaxed again and he immediately followed her lead, moving faster, riding her the way he had always wanted to, the way he had always dreamed of, straight through the waves and soaring for the stars.
“Thorn!”
He found strength to look down into her face.
His woman.
He met her gaze and he knew. Their life together would always be filled with love and passion, and he couldn’t think of having it any other way.
Epilogue
T ara no longer hated weddings.
She inhaled deeply as she looked around the church. Memories assailed her as she remembered the last time she had worn a wedding dress here, and now today, in front of some of those same three hundred guests, she had married the man she loved, Thorn Westmoreland.
She, Thorn and the wedding party had hung back to take a multitude of pictures. Everyone else had left for the reception, which was to be held in the ballroom of a beautiful hotel on the beach.
Thorn had left her briefly to go in the back to talk to the minister about something, and she happened to notice the Westmoreland brothers as well as the Westmoreland cousins, who’d all been part of the wedding party, standing around talking. As she watched, she saw three of the Westmoreland brothers, Chase, Stone and Storm, exchange money.
She raised a brow wondering if they had made another wager about something. She smiled upon remembering how Stone, Chase and Storm had confessed to her the whole story, then had apologized for causing a rift between her and Thorn.
Adjusting her veil she decided to find out just what kind of a bet the brothers had made and whether the bet had once again involved her and Thorn.
Chase had just explained the bet that he, Stone and Storm had made to his cousins: Jared, Quade, Spencer, Ian, Durango and Reggie Westmoreland. He was grinning broadly, since he had won. “Hey, five hundred dollars isn’t bad for a day’s work. I told all of you that Thorn wouldn’t be able to hold off on marrying Tara until June.”
He looked at the money he’d just gotten from Stone and Storm. “And I appreciate you guys letting me take this off your hands. It will come in handy for that state-of-the-art pressure cooker I want to buy for the restaurant.”
The next thing he knew, the money was snatched out of his hand. “What the hell!”
He spun around and came face to face with his new sister-in-law’s glare. He backed up a step. “Oh, hi, Tara,” he said innocently. “I thought you and Thorn were somewhere in the back talking to the minister.”
Tara continued to glare and crossed her arms over her chest. “Thorn is the one who’s talking to the minister. And am I right in assuming the three of you made yet another bet?”
Stone, Chase and Storm looked chagrined, but Stone came to their defense and said, “Yeah, but this bet was made before we promised we wouldn’t be betting on you and Thorn again, so it doesn’t count.”
She nodded. “Well, this is a church and you shouldn’t be passing betting money around in here so I can only do one thing about it.”
Chase raised a panicky brow. “What?”
“Donate it to the church. My father is the Sunday school superintendent here and I’m sure this donation will be appreciated.” She then smiled sweetly before walking off.
“Tara?”
She turned around and met Chase