“But?” he asked.
“Everyone’s down at the house getting ready to come uphere, so they can get everything set up.”
“And you and I will be helping them, so don’t feel guilty.”
The only thing that was already in place was the beautiful arbor that Mike and Jason had built as their wedding present to us. It was stunning, and Gus had decided it needed to be kept up here permanently. It was made of oak, and yesterday, Lilith, Nellie, and I had spent a few hours putting greenery and flowers all over it. Lilith had even made little plastic sleeves with water for the flowers, so they wouldn’t die before the wedding. It was such a great little invention they’d made that Gus was trying to urge her to mass-produce them and sell them for weddings.
After much internal debate, I’d decided to have our wedding announcement put in theRiver Falls Gazette. It wasn’t like anyone from River Falls would care if they knew about my connection to my father. And I hardly thought anyone from his team would see the announcement. It was more for the Wilde family, keeping with tradition and all.
“What are you thinking about?” Ladd asked after I set my empty dessert plate aside. He removed his white cowboy hat, which he’d been using to shade his face from the sun, then lay back on one of the pillows.
“My parents.”
He got back up on one elbow. “Do you wish they were here?”
I let out a humorless laugh. “No. Not at all. But, I will admit, a small part of me wishes that I had parents who loved me likeyourparents love you and the boys.”
He took my hand in his. “Someday, when we have kids of our own, I swear to you that I’ll love them with my whole heart.”
“I know you will.” Leaning in, I brushed a kiss across his lips. “We should pack up and head back to the house.”
Ladd groaned and dropped back onto the blanket, pulling me with him.
“We should make love.”
“Here?” I laughed.
“Why not?”
“What if someone shows up?”
It was his turn to laugh. “Like who? Everyone is at the house, and they think we’re on a romantic pre-wedding picnic. They wouldn’t dare interrupt us.”
I glanced around and back to Ladd. “We’ll have to be quick.”
He grinned, and I was once again reminded why I loved this man so much. That boyish smile, his adventure for life, and his love for me.
“I can be fast. Canyou?”
I sat up and folded my arms over my chest, eyes narrowed. “Is that a challenge?”
He waggled his brows. “There a reason you’re wearing that pretty blue dress? You know that dress brings back the best memory.”
I felt my cheeks heat. The memory of straddling Ladd in his car back in November after a long day of classes and making love to him while we were both still dressed flooded my mind.
“Are you asking for a repeat?” I purred, lifting the hem of my dress and straddling him.
“Fuck yes, I am.”
I reached down and unbuckled his belt. He suddenly lifted his hips with me still sitting on him, causing me to shriek, then laugh.
With he pushed his pants down to his thighs, I lifted my brows. “Commando, huh?”
“Maybe I hoped this would be an option after lunch?” He smirked and reached up and pulled my panties to the side before slipping his fingers inside of me. We both moaned.
“You’re so wet, Viv.”
I nodded and moved over him as he guided himself to my entrance. I slowly sank down, my hands pressed against his chest.
