Page 46 of His Secret Betrayal (Cedarwood Valley Duology #2)

Alek

“ I s this weird for you?” I murmur softly, adjusting Luke’s tie until it’s perfect.

Unable to help myself, I hum as I run my hand down his chest. He looks delicious in a form-fitted black tuxedo.

I drink him in as my hands roam, pausing to rub my thumb around his nipples before grazing over his stomach.

There’s a hitch in his breath when my hands settle at his waist, my eyes glued to the way those trousers hug his groin.

“Feels good,” he says breathlessly, giving me an encouraging little hip thrust. “Keep going.”

I laugh quietly, shaking my head. “I meant, is it weird that your ex-girlfriend is getting married to your brother?”

His cheeks turn an adorable shade of pink as he bites his bottom lip, sending a surge of arousal through me.

A growl tumbles from my throat as I push forward, crowding him against the dressing room wall and rubbing my half-erect cock over his own.

I capture his mouth in a hard kiss, moaning in approval when his lips part to let me in.

My free hand glides down his side, squeezing one of those delectable ass cheeks.

“Stop molesting my best friend. The wedding is about to start, and they kind of need the best man!” Caleb interrupts me, having somehow entered the room without us noticing. His hand wraps around my elbow, tugging until I release Luke and step back.

“Little shit. You’re a real cock blocker, you know that?” I mutter, frowning in his direction.

He smirks.

Luke huffs out a laugh, looking dazed with his kiss-swollen lips.

He smiles at me, a happy twinkle in his eye that makes my heart skip a beat.

My eyes dip down, and I grimace when I notice how crooked his tie is.

Somehow, I got it all rumpled during our impromptu make-out session.

My hands reach out to fix it, only to be interrupted by Caleb’s hands flapping wildly and gesturing for me to step away, all while making a sort of squawking protest.

“Hands off! We don’t have time for you two to get distracted again. I’ll fix it,” he hisses.

I roll my eyes as I step away, a half-grin stretching my lips as he shoots me an indignant glare over his shoulder.

“It’s not weird,” Luke says .

I give him a blank look. “What?”

“You asked me if it was weird to have my ex-girlfriend marry my brother,” Luke reminds me.

Oh, right.

Caleb snorts.

“I mean, it’s kind of weird because sometimes people still stare at me and talk about it, ya know?

” He shrugs, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“But honestly, that feels like a lifetime ago, and I’m kinda glad it never worked out between Maddie and me.

If it had, then me and you never would have…

” His eyes heat, his eyelashes fluttering and making my pulse speed up.

“Gross,” Caleb interjects, his lips curled into a grimace as he walks out the door.

I smile, grabbing Luke around the waist before he can head out and whispering, “I’ll see you after the ceremony… Save a dance for me?”

He nods, and I take one last opportunity to squeeze those firm ass cheeks, loving the way his breath hitches.

“That’s my good boy.”

Several minutes later, I’m sitting next to Caleb in the outdoor seating area.

Pink rose petals are scattered in the space between the two aisles, a row of white, flickering candles lining the walkway.

Overhead, the twinkling fairy lights give the space a cozy ambiance, especially as the sun begins to set.

The altar is a wooden, pergola-looking structure with a white cloth wrapped around it, covered in vines and flowers.

The scene is gorgeous, breathtaking even, but I only have eyes for Luke.

A gooey warmth bursts inside my chest, admiring him as he stands near his brother.

We haven’t talked about marriage yet, but I wonder if he would ever consider it.

The idea of it hits me with an intense wave of longing, making my breath hitch and fingers clench.

I could make him my… husband.

“You’re thinking about putting a ring on it, aren’t you?” Caleb asks, grinning at me like the Cheshire cat.

I smirk. “Son, I think I’m going to make him your step—”

He gasps, a look of horror flickering across his face. “Don’t you dare say it,” he hisses.

Amusement swirls through my gut and I bark out a laugh.

I pause when the delicate, soft keys of piano music begin to drift across the open space, sending goosebumps along my arm.

A hush falls over the guests, many of us turning in our seats as the bride appears.

I smile, listening to the guests murmur their awe and appreciation.

Maddison is dressed in a form-fitting, white gown, the lacy sleeves leaving her arms bare.

The V-neck dips down between her breasts, her curly brown hair spilling down her shoulders.

She holds a simple bouquet of white flowers as she smiles, radiating pure joy.

A gasped breath, followed by a ragged sob breaks the silence.

All heads swivel toward the altar where Jax, dressed in his own black tuxedo, is swiping at his wet eyes.

His lips are trembling, and he sort of staggers, almost as if he can’t decide whether he wants to run toward her or just collapse right where he is.

Then he seems to remember himself, remaining where he is but sending Maddison an awe-filled expression as though she hung the moon and the stars in the sky just for him.

Luke smiles affectionately, stealing my attention.

“Told you he would cry,” a smug female voice whispers behind me.

Turning my head slightly, my lips twitch as a black-haired female, streaks of purple flashing under the fairy lights, holds out a palm.

The man next to her sighs, reluctantly placing a crisp-looking bill into her waiting hand.

She catches me watching, sending me a wink before stuffing the money down her bra.

I turn back to the ceremony, huffing out a quiet chuckle .

Everyone watches in quiet awe as the bride makes her way down the aisle, and then the groom is clutching her hands in his own trembling ones. They pledge their love for each other: vowing to hold, cherish, protect, and love one another until death do them part.

While everyone else’s attention is enraptured with the bride and groom, I can’t take my eyes off the best man.

“Get a room,” Caleb hisses, shooting us a disgruntled expression and sidestepping just in time to avoid the elbow I aim at his ribs.

Luke’s laughter is silent, his shoulders shaking as we sway together on the makeshift dancefloor, the moonlight making his emerald irises sparkle. “You know he’s just trying to rile you up, right?”

I grunt. “I think he outdoes you in the brat department. His future partner is going to have their hands full.”

His answering smirk is coy. “Are you saying I need to step it up?”

With a snort, I pinch his side. “I’m too old for that.”

Luke leans in, his soft lips grazing my ear. “Funny. You don’t fuck like an old man.”

My breath hitches. “Brat.”

As I tighten my arms around his waist, swaying us to the slow melody of a crooning love song, I marvel over how far he’s come now that Evelyn’s constant vitriol isn’t buzzing in his ears.

Although her behavior at the end had been a low blow, causing him to enter a brief period of grief, sometimes going quiet and getting a faraway look in his eyes, he has slowly begun to blossom again.

It’s much easier to coax a smile or laugh from him these days, and he doesn’t put himself down nearly as often.

With each day that passes, I realize Luke never needed anyone to take care of him.

He just needed someone to be there for him when he was at his lowest. I’m more than willing to help shoulder the burden, but he’s much more resilient than he gives himself credit for.

Still, I want to be the pillar he leans on—to be a part of his support system.

“I know your secret,” I hum into his ear.

His eyebrows shoot up. “What?”

“You’re not a brat. That’s a cover-up so people don’t notice how soft your heart is.”

There’s a sharp inhale before he blinks up at me, his lips wobbling. “Think you got my number, huh, big guy?”

My answering smile is affectionate. “I see you, Luke Parker.”

He makes a quiet sniffling sound before burying his face into my neck, and I don’t even call him out on it when he takes discreet little whiffs of my mahogany body wash, or when one of his palms slides down my shoulder to squeeze my forearm.

This town thinks he’s an impulsive, irresponsible party boy? They don’t give him enough credit.

His heart is so pure, he nearly broke himself into pieces for a woman who refused to love him the way he deserves.

I most certainly don’t deserve him either, but I’m keeping him anyway.

I’ll make sure he knows just how fucking perfect he is every single day.

I’ll spend the rest of my life chasing away the voices in his head that tell him he isn’t good enough, if I have to.

I’ll offer him what he has so selflessly given to me, the thing I’ve craved all my life: acceptance.

Loving Luke Parker is an honor and a privilege .

Maybe, at some point, I’ll even get the courage to tell him I love him—when he’s actually awake and not slipping in and out of consciousness in the back of an ambulance.

At forty-three, I was beginning to give up hope that I would ever get to experience this kind of love. The life-altering kind that makes even mundane experiences something special and new.

Speaking of new experiences…

I clear my throat. “Would you like to try something new?”

He lifts his head up, those inquisitive emeralds studying me. “What?”

My breath feathers over his cheek as my hand leaves his waist, my finger running along his sharp jawline. “Do you want to fuck me tonight, Luke?”

His eyes widen, his tongue darting out to lick his lip. “Is that your way of saying you want my cock?”

I nod, suddenly finding it hard to speak.

It’s not something I need . I’ve always enjoyed topping—prefer it even—but I occasionally like to bottom as well.

Although, admittingly, it’s been a while since I’ve done it.

Maybe that’s why the idea of taking his cock makes my mouth dry, a flurry of excitement and arousal swirling around my stomach.

And okay, I’m curious to see if Luke might enjoy an occasional switch-up as well.

There’s a hitch in his breathing, something that looks like intrigue and hunger crossing his features, and then his hand is palming the back of my neck and pushing me down until our lips are brushing together.

It’s a deep, passionate kiss that tells me exactly how intriguing the idea is to him.

The heat in this kiss has my body instinctively leaning forward, as if it wants to melt into him.

That gooey, tender feeling erupts inside my chest, spreading through my limbs and warming every cold part of me .

Honestly, I’m surprised that little shit—also known as my son—hasn’t interrupted us.

Luke pulls away, dragging in a lungful of air as he licks his bottom lip. There’s a dazed expression that I suspect mirrors my own. “I’ll take really good care of you,” he promises breathlessly. Then he blinks. “But you’re still going to tell me what to do, right?”

I smirk. “I knew you liked my bossy side.”

“Well, duh,” he mutters, his cheeky smile making me throw my head back and laugh.