Midnight Orchids Page 18

  “Thank you, Kitten, for trustin’ me wit’ dat.”

  “I trust you with my life, Remy,” she murmured in a sleepy voice.

  Remy wasn’t sure if she realized what she’d said so he didn’t react to it just in case. He didn’t want to upset her in any way.

  Once they were back at the compound, he kissed her gently and sent her into his house, while he headed over to Emelise and Caine’s, so he could go into the attached cottage to get Kylie’s clothes.

  “Where’s Kylie?” Emelise frowned at him.

  “Right about now she should be hoppin’ in da shower. She’s so beat I offered to fetch some clothes for her for in da mornin’.”

  “Things seem to be going really well between you since your weekend away.”

  “Dey are. On her next day off, I’m takin’ her out for a romantic dinner. I have someting very important to ask her.”

  “Well, we look forward to hearing how that goes. Just let yourself out when you’re done. Have a good night, Remy.”

  “You too, Emelise. Caine.” He nodded at them, went to Kylie’s room to get her some clothes, then returned to his own home. He’d expected to find her in the shower still but she was curled up on the bed, covers over her, and already half-asleep. He set the clothes on top of the dresser, stripped, and crawled into bed with her. He pulled her close and nuzzled into her before he followed her into slumber.

  Several hours after drifting off, Remy was awakened by the sound of whimpers. He sat up quickly and turned to find Kylie curled in a ball and the noises coming from her.

  “Kylie, Kitten, wake up,” he said softly. He didn’t want to startle her. When that had no effect he gently shook her shoulder.

  “Please stop!” Kylie’s eyes snapped open and for several seconds they were unfocused.

  “It’s okay, Kitten. It was just a bad dream. You’re safe.”

  “Oh God.”

  Remy wrapped his arms around her and when she curled into him, he tightened his hold. “Shh. It’s a’right, cher. I got you. You’re safe. No’ting and no one is ever gonna hurt you again.” Ever so slowly he felt her begin to relax and the shaking subsided. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “It was the night I left. I’d fixed dinner for us and I kept waiting for Ezra to come home. There was a rule about eating. There were rules for everything. I wasn’t allowed to eat until he came home. By midnight, I was so hungry because I hadn’t had anything to eat all day and…I gave in to the hunger. He was so angry. I’d never seen him that enraged before. He started beating me; when I fell to the floor, he started kicking me. I curled up to protect my face and stomach but he just kept kicking. Then…he grabbed my throat. I thought I was going to die. I remember whispering ‘please stop’ over and over until I couldn’t breathe. When he finally let go, he told me if I ever broke another rule he would kill me. My throat hurt so badly—God, I hurt everywhere—and like a groveling dog, I just laid there and told him I was sorry.”

  Remy closed his eyes at the images her words created in his mind. Oh how he wished he could kill the bastard all over again. “Never again, Kitten. No one will ever touch you dat way again.”

  “I know.” The smile she gave him was faint. “Because you’re a good man and you won’t let that happen.”

  “No, I won’t. I will always keep you safe, cher. Always. Try to get some more sleep. I’m right here.” He held her close, his hand rubbing small, soothing circles on her back, until she fell back to sleep. The sun was starting to lighten the sky when he finally fell back to sleep himself.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Remy

  He’d never been so nervous in his life. Not when he graduated, not when he and Gage decided to start their own business. Not even when he put in the bid for the resort hotel. No, the nervousness he felt before was nothing like what he felt now. It was Friday night and he was taking Kylie to dinner. He’d been planning this night all week; he’d been so sure of himself. Now? Not so much. What if he was moving too fast? Would she push him away and put her walls back up? Fuck. He knew he needed to get himself under control. Taking several deep, calming breaths, he let each one out slowly. There. The nerves were as settled as they were going to get.

  He’d sent Kylie a text telling her to dress up. She didn’t know it, but he was taking her to Brennan’s for dinner. Then, maybe they would go dancing or to a movie. Something. He hadn’t planned anything beyond dinner. He figured they could decide that together.

  After adjusting his tie for the umpteenth time, he finally left his house and took the short walk to his Alpha’s home to pick up his mate. With luck she would be moving in with him soon. Shit. There went the nerves again. He stopped at the front door and knocked, then waited for it to be answered.

  “Wow, don’t you look nice. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so dressed up, Remy. Come on in. Kylie is almost ready,” Emelise said, waving him into the house.

  “Thanks. I wanted to look nice for tonight.”

  “Where are you two going for dinner?”

  He grinned. “Brennan’s. I got us reservations so we won’t have to wait.”

  “That was smart thinking. Let me go see if she’s ready yet,” she said and headed to the back of the house.

  Remy stood there fidgeting while he waited.

  “You’re as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rockin’ chairs.”

  Remy glanced over at his Alpha. “Been tryin’ to stop da nerves, dey’re not listenin’.”

  “What’s got you so stirred up?”

  Remy glanced to see if Kylie was coming yet before he lowered his voice, just in case. “I’m hopin’ dat, after tonight, da only bed Kylie will be sleepin’ in is mine.”

  “You askin’ her to move in or you askin’ for someting more serious?”

  “More serious.”

  Caine nodded. “I remember dat feelin’. Dat’s about how I felt askin’ my mate to marry me. You’ll do fine.”

  “Thanks for da vote of confidence, Caine.”

  Kylie

  Kylie was a little nervous as she made her way to the main part of the house where she knew Remy waited for her. She’d had to go out and buy a dress for their dinner date, and she was second guessing the pleated chiffon halter-neck dress she’d chosen. It was a light shade of purple, almost a dark lilac, with a silver brooch in the center of the strip of material that wrapped around the waistline of the dress. She’d paired it with a pair of silver heels, and her hair was pulled to the side in a loose twist and held there by silver combs. She knew the moment Remy saw her because she heard his sharp intake of breath.

  “You look breathtaking, Kitten.”

  Kylie blushed at the compliment. “Thank you. You look very handsome tonight.” When she reached his side and he leaned down, she stood on tiptoe to meet his light kiss.

  “Ready to go, cher?”

  “I am.” She even had a small silver clutch purse that held her ID, cellphone, and wallet in it. She’d also tossed in her lipstick in case she wanted or needed to redo it.

  “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, kiddies,” Emelise called as they were leaving.

  Kylie laughed. “Oh, hell, Eme, that leaves things wide open, doesn’t it?”

  “That’s the point.”

  Kylie rolled her eyes. “Don’t wait up.”

  “Have fun, you two.”

  “Oh, I’m sure we will,” Kylie said before she stepped outside with Remy and closed the door behind them. “She is absolutely incorrigible.”

  “Dat she is. You look beautiful tonight, Kylie. More den usual, because you’re always beautiful. Dis dress is da perfect color on you.”

  “I’m glad you like it, Remy. I picked it out with you in mind. When you told me to dress up, I about panicked because I had nothing to wear. Emelise took me shopping earlier. You need to give a girl more than a couple hours’ warning next time,” she teased.

  That got a laugh from Remy. “I’ll try to remember dat, Kitten. I mak
e no promises though.”

  “Men. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” she joked. Getting into the boat in heels and a dress was a little difficult but she managed it with Remy’s help. The entire ride into New Orleans, and then the drive from the docks, she couldn’t help but wonder where he was taking her for dinner. When they finally reached their destination, she stared at him a moment. “Brennan’s? You’re taking me to Brennan’s?” Had he detected the note of longing she’d had in her voice when she’d mentioned the restaurant earlier in the week?

  “I am. Don’t you dare touch dat door,” he said and quickly got out to go around and open it for her.

  Kylie let him help her out of the truck and slipped her hand into the crook of his arm. “You are too much, Cajun. How did you know I wanted to come here?”

  “Da way you lit up talkin’ about da good tings you’ve heard about da restaurant. I knew I had to bring you to dinner here.”

  “You’re amazing, you know that? No, Remy, I mean it,” she said when he started to shake his head. “A lot of men would have walked away when I kept pushing back, trying to keep my distance. A lot of men wouldn’t have wanted to deal with the mess that is my past. I still have nightmares, Remy, you know that. I woke you up with one of them. You didn’t make me feel stupid for having nightmares about a man who is no longer able to hurt me. You just held me and chased the dark memories away.”

  “Dat’s because I love you, Kitten.”

  Kylie looked at him, stunned. “You…did I just hear you say you love me?”

  “Oui, you did, cher. You don’t…”

  She cut him off with a finger to his lips. “Don’t you dare say those words. As crazy as it seems, as scary as it is, I love you too, Remy. I never thought I could feel that way, not after the hell I went through at Ezra’s hands. I thought for sure he’d ruined me. I even told him that, while I watched the light fade from his eyes and the life leave his body. I told him he’d ruined me and I hoped he rotted in hell. But…he didn’t ruin me. He just broke me and you’ve been putting me back together, one piece at a time.”

  Remy lifted his hand to her cheek. “I’ll keep puttin’ dose pieces back together for as long as it takes for you to feel whole again, Kitten. Come on, we don’t want to be late for our reservation.”

  She leaned into his touch a moment before she nodded. “No, no we don’t. They might give our table to someone else and then we’ll have to wait.” She stayed close to Remy as they entered the restaurant and were shown to their table. The restaurant smelled divine.

  It took Kylie longer than she cared to admit to decide on what she wanted because everything sounded absolutely delicious. She started with smoked pumpkin soup, followed by roasted oysters, and for her entrée, she went with the bacon-wrapped venison backstrap which came with rutabaga puree, mustard greens, and red-currant mostarda. For dessert she had to try their Bananas Foster but she also got an order of their Crepes Fitzgerald because they sounded tasty, as well.

  Remy

  Remy watched her as she enjoyed every bite of her meal, from the first sip of her soup to the last crumb from the crepes. It wasn’t until they were sipping on a final glass of wine that he revealed the reason he’d chosen Brennan’s for their dinner.

  “Kitten, dere’s someting I need to ask you. I want you to hear me out before you say anyting. I’ve agonized over dis for days. Is it too soon? Am I rushin’ tings? I don’t know, but I hope not. You see, da ting is, Kitten, I want to spend da rest of my life wit’ you. When you decided to sleep at da cottage last night, it about killed me. I couldn’t sleep much wit’out you dere beside me. I don’t want to go through another night like dat. If it’s too soon, tell me, and I’ll accept your answer, but…Kylie Bishop, you would make me da happiest man alive if you would agree to be my wife. Will you marry me?” By the time he’d finished talking, he’d removed the ring box from his pocket and he’d knelt in front of her on one knee.

  Kneeling there, waiting for Kylie’s reply, and seeing the tears glistening in her eyes, he was terrified of what they might mean. It could go either way. The words of Kenny Chesney’s I Lost It popped into his head and the line was so true. It was the moment of truth, and he was scared to death because his life hung on what those tears meant.

  Kylie

  When Remy’d started talking, she’d set her glass down and really listened to his words. At first she thought he was going to ask her to move in with him, especially when he talked about how hard it had been for him to fall asleep without her at his side. The truth was, she’d slept fitfully without him, as well. But marriage? She hadn’t seen that one coming.

  As he knelt there in the restaurant, waiting for her answer, tears filled her eyes. This man had broken through her defenses, not with force, but with patience and tenderness, and she knew in her heart he was it for her. Not because they were mates—that was more animalistic—but because he was a good, loving, passionate man, and he moved her in ways she’d never imagined.

  “Yes, Remy. Yes. I never imagined I would ever feel this loved, this happy but I know you’re it for me. There isn’t anyone else in this world I want. There isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be than in your arms every night.”

  “Oh, Kitten, you’ve just made me da happiest man alive,” he said as he slid the ring on her hand.

  Kylie stared down at the ring. It was beautiful and unique. The rose-gold band came up at an angle on the sides and swirled around a trio of small starburst diamonds. A fourth diamond, in the same starburst design, rested above the trio, and another, larger, teardrop diamond was attached to the other side. Looking at it, the ring reminded her of her favorite fruit. “It looks a bit like a pineapple,” she said with a soft laugh.

  “Dat was da idea, Kitten. When I was havin’ it designed, I remembered you tellin’ me it was your favorite fruit. I tink da jeweler thought I was a tad crazy askin’ for it to look like dis, but I knew you’d like it.”

  “I don’t just like it, Remy, I love it. It’s beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you, Kitten.”

  The applause that surrounded them brought Kylie back to the fact they were in the restaurant surrounded by strangers. She blushed and ducked her head a moment. “Let’s go home,” she murmured near his ear.

  “Dat sounds like da perfect plan to me, Kitten.”

  She waited until he’d paid the check, then slipped her arm through his as he led her out to the truck and to the beginning of their life together.

  Epilogue

  Remy

  Remy watched as his mate moved around the field where they’d set up the reception after their wedding. They’d chosen to have the wedding at the gazebo where they’d had their first date. Their friends and family had come together to decorate the entire area for them with dark blue orchids and white baby’s breath. There were arches set up in various places, that were strung with twinkling lights, and candles, protected from the breeze by glass globes, adding to the overall romantic feel of their late summer wedding.

  Kylie had come to New Orleans only a few months ago, and yet he felt like she’d always been there, had always been a part of him. The cream dress embellished with gold and bronze beads, she’d chosen for her wedding dress, was completely unique in that it was listed as a bridesmaid dress, clung to her body, and flowed when she moved. Fuck, she was beautiful.

  “Congratulations, Remy. You know, we had a bet going on how long it would take for you to get to this point.”

  Remy cocked a brow at Declan. “Who won?”

  “I did. I knew you’d win her over before summer was over.”

  Remy chuckled. “Good to know someone had faith in me. Dere were times when I wasn’t so sure.”

  “She did make it difficult for you but like the saying goes, the best things don’t come easily. No, they come with sweat, blood, and tears, my friend.”

  “Dat dey do. I’m gonna go see if my wife needs something to drink. She’s so focused on takin’ care of
ever’one else, she forgets to take care of herself.”

  “Sounds like Lily. And Emelise. They must have rubbed off on her.”

  That made Remy laugh. “Oui, I suspect dey did. Thanks for the congratulations,” he said and made his way to Kylie’s side.

  Kylie

  Kylie couldn’t believe how quickly things had come together. When Remy proposed, she knew she didn’t want a long engagement. Four months after her arrival in New Orleans, she was now very happily married to the most amazing man she’d ever known.

  She moved around the reception area, thanking everyone for coming and making sure they got something to eat or drink. She couldn’t help it. She wanted their guests to be taken care of.

  “You’re doin’ too much, Kitten.”

  She turned and smiled up at her mate. “Hardly. I’m just making sure our guests are taken care of, like a good hostess should.”

  “You’re da bride; it’s not your place to do dat. Dat’s why we hired caterers, cher.”

  When Remy dipped his head to kiss her, she leaned up to meet his lips. “Maybe, but you know I still have to check on everyone.”

  “I do. Dat’s why I’ve brought you a plate. Sit, eat. I’ll get you some wine.”

  “Yes sir,” she said and winked at him.

  “Careful, cher. Dat might go to my head.”

  Kylie laughed. “You’re terrible. Go get me some wine, Mister.”

  Later, after the food had been eaten, the couple’d had their first dance, the sun had set, and the stars and moon shone brightly overhead, Remy stood just behind her and when he wrapped his arms around her, Kylie leaned back against his chest with a contented sigh.

  “Is it all you dreamed of, Kitten?”