Caleb's Blessing(38)

“You never have to.” Now who was reassuring whom here? “In case you missed all that or it went over your head, you look beyond amazing baby, and it’s not the dress or the jewelry either, it’s all you.”

And it was true; maybe taking her from behind in the shower had done more to relax her than I thought. Whatever the case, she was radiant, her eyes outshone her jewels they were so bright with excitement.

I couldn’t resist taking her mouth under mine even though I knew I would muss her up a little, but she didn’t even complain. I was more than a little bit tempted to take her back upstairs and say fuck it. Shit, we’d better get out of here before mom sent out a delegation after us.

“You ready tigress?” She nodded as I placed her arm through mine and led her outside to the waiting car. Mikey had wanted to get her a carriage, to make a grand entrance he said, but I figured that could wait for the wedding if she wanted to do something like that.

I held her hand the whole way there in the back of the limo, talking to her softly, never letting her forget how beautiful she was and how much I couldn’t wait for the night to be over so I could have her all to myself.

By the time we entered the melee she was so full of me that she didn’t have time to be afraid. Mom knew the deal and was on the ball from the go.

It looked as though she’d been standing at or near the door with her eyes peeled outside waiting for us. Either that or she had put one of her spies up to it.

“Hello Amanda and welcome, it’s nice to finally meet you after speaking to you on the phone.” She gave me a scolding look since I’d been the one to prevent her from coming out to the ranch. At least they’d talked on the phone so it wasn’t like I was trying to keep her to myself. Not much anyway.

“Thank you, you have a beautiful home.” Mom tried walking off with her but I kept hold of her hand. “Caleb the guys are over there holding up the wall and scaring my guests away with their faces, can you please go make them stop?”

I looked over to where the boys were standing together on the far wall with their usual faces on. They hate parties for all the reasons they’d noted earlier, but they would never disappoint mom no matter what they said.

“They’re fine, where’re you taking her?”

“Caleb you grew up in this house, do you remember ever seeing a torture chamber in it?”

“A what?” I stopped short and looked over Amanda’s head at my infuriating mother.

“You’re acting as though you think I’m going to drag her off somewhere and tie her to the wall with chains.”

“I’m acting like a man who’s staying by his woman’s side because this is unfamiliar territory for her. Now where are we going?”

“I was going to introduce her around but I guess we can do that later.” She sniffed at me but I didn’t care. I’d made a promise and I aim to keep it.

Dad was next on the list and I came damn close to breaking his arm the old flirt. “Well now Marjorie who’s this bright little blossom?” I’m pretty sure he knew exactly who she was, but if he thought I wouldn’t kick his old ass for ogling my girl he had another think coming.

“Colin behave; you know very well that this is our new daughter in law, Amanda.”

“My sons have their daddy’s taste in women and horse flesh, let me see your teeth girl.” I was about to elbow his ass but Amanda stopped me with her laughter. She actually got the old goat.

“Well now, things ought to be fun around here.” He gave me a look that I understood only too well.

“Speaking of which where’s Drake and Diane?”

“Oh you know your sister in law likes to make an entrance, I’m sure they’ll be here soon. Now Colin unhand my daughter in law and let me go introduce her to the ladies.”

“Marjorie I’m quite sure she doesn’t want to meet those old biddies, do you child? See she wants to stay with me. Hey do you like spirits?”

“Dad.”

“What I’m just asking.”

“Give her here both of you and go tend to your guests you can introduce her around later.”

“Okay but I get the second dance son.” That’s what he thinks. I walked her over to the guys who acted like proud uncles or a younger brother in Mikey’s case.

“You cleaned up real well Ms. Amanda.”

“Thanks Jonah you boys look very handsome tonight. Jonah I saw Ms. Millie over there when we came in; did you say hi?”

“Don’t you start too, Caleb’s mama already wrung my ears with her mess, bad enough I gotta wear this contraption....” He mumbled something else under his breath as he pulled at his collar.