Roll the Dice
Ivy
One year later…
“Lark should be doing this, not me,” Chad said while I took hold of his left arm.
“It’s you and Mom doing this. Besides, Lark’s one of the groomsmen.”
“Nope. He declined for the sake of round numbers,” Chad said.
I glanced up at him. “Nobody told me that.”
Mom weaved her arm through my left arm, careful of my bouquet. “There’s plenty of things people don’t tell the bride on her big day.”
At my feet, the photographer adjusted my dress so my toes and my blue, peek-a-boo high heels could be seen. Then she snapped another picture.
“That one will be gorgeous. The way you two love her is nearly palpable.”
Mom looked over at Chad. “We’re going slow, sir.”
I turned to her. “Have you heard the song I picked out? It’s not traditional, and it’s rather upbeat.”
Chad patted my arm, but kept his eyes on Mom. “Of course, it won’t do for the bride to twist her ankle. Though, she’s right. We’re gonna be hard pressed not to move with that upbeat jazz tune.”
“It also won’t do for the mother of the bride to trip,” Mom added.
I tilted my head up recalling how they’d encouraged me to choose a different song, but there was no way I wasn’t walking down the aisle to ‘Until I Met You’ by The Manhattan Transfer. It summed up both of us in the most bizarre way. “You won’t trip, Mom. There are brick pavers the whole way down to the river.”
“This place is gorgeous. I don’t know why you aren’t having your reception here, too,” Chad said.
Chad had yet to go to the clubhouse, so he would say that. The Azaleana Manor was incredibly beautiful and right on the river in Orange Park. However, it was located near a number of well-to-do residences, If I’d learned anything about these Riot MC men, they liked to party, they liked to get loud, and I didn’t want to court the police interrupting our reception.
I swayed into Chad just a touch. “There’s over eighty people on our guest list, and the Riot brothers chipped in to throw our reception. You’re gonna love it.”
Chad leaned toward me and lowered his voice. “Not as much as I’d love it if this were at a larger, swank hotel with another wedding happening. Wedding receptions are rife with love in the air, and there’s nobody I can hit on.”
“As dashing as you look, I’m sure you can cut out early and find a hot spot where you can work your charms,” Mom said.
“Debra! You weren’t supposed to hear that,” Chad said.
“It’s time,” an event coordinator said from down the hallway.
We walked out to the patio that led down to the river. It was a breezy, September afternoon but not gusty. The sun glinted off the river, but my eyes were fixed on my man.
“They were allowed to wear their cuts here,” I muttered.
“I told you, not everything gets relayed to the bride on her big day.”
Ryan, Killian, and Rafferty stood at the archway slash altar wearing traditional black tuxedoes. Hard for me to say if it was the unusual formal wear that made him look sexier, or if I’d find him sexy no matter what. My money was on the latter.
“That’s why Lark really bowed out, isn’t it?” I asked.
Mom giggled.
“You’ll never know,” Chad said.
“If I didn’t tell you, you’re absolutely radiant today, darlin’,” Mom said.
I smiled. “You did. Thanks, Mom.”
“I was going to add, if you don’t believe me, the way your young man looks at you right now should tell you I speak the truth.”
“You are one lucky woman, Ivy,” Chad said as we came to the end of the aisle.
An older woman named Cathy –who was married to the club’s treasurer—was our officiant. “Who presents this woman to be married?”
“Her best friend and I do,” Mom said.
Rather than allow Chad to offer my hand to him, Ryan stepped forward and wrapped an arm around my waist. He leaned in, bringing his face to mine, but I leaned back so far, I was arched over his arm.
Our guests erupted into quiet laughter, and someone let out a sharp whistle.
I grinned up at Ryan. “Don’t you dare kiss me yet. It took half an hour to do my lips. Please don’t ruin my lipstick.”
Ryan’s blue eyes blazed. “Not gonna do that right now, Trouble. Want you to know you’re fucking stunning.”
I gave a small nod.
He took my hand, and we joined Cathy under the floral arch.
***
“Do you trust me?” Lark asked.
I stood in the middle of a dance floor the brothers had erected inside the common room. Kristen and Mickayla had put the train of my gown up in a bustle so I could dance.
Lark held my hand and stared at me with questioning eyes.
I nodded. “I should be asking you that. All you told me was ‘pick a slow song’ after you agreed to dance with me.”
A sly grin spread across his face. “Yeah. Gabe told me what you chose. I vetoed it.”
“You did? But it was a Skynyrd song.”
He nodded. “Yeah, but ‘Simple Man’ is a mother-son song. Sorry, Ivy, but they don’t make a song that captures us just gettin’ to know each other over the last two years. I went with a song that captures why I donated - somewhat.”
I laughed. “They make a song about that?”
He tipped his head to concede my point. “Not really. Now, do you trust me? Because this ain’t a slow song and you’re gonna have to keep up.”
I turned my head a touch and I felt my brows draw together.
“I think that’s the cue,” Gabe, our DJ, said over the speakers.
The distinct guitar opening to ‘Call Me the Breeze’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd filled the room.
As the song got going, I found myself being whirled and twirled. Lark told no lies. I had to keep up or I was going down in my fancy blue high heels.
I would never listen to that song the same way again.
There was a split second of silence when the song ended.
“You’re dancin’ like that next week before karaoke, Lark!” Mickayla shouted from the side of the dance floor.
“Like hell, I am,” he shouted back.
The room broke into laughter.
Gabe kept everyone’s attention long enough to announce the mother-groom dance. I had a difficult time not losing it while Ryan and Victoria danced to ‘Mother’ by Sugarland. I’d never heard the song before, and it was just perfect.
Killian sidled up to me. “You should know, if my woman wants something like this – I’m dancing to a song by the same name. ‘Mother.’”
I gave him a dry look. “But it’ll be by Danzig, won’t it?”
He leaned toward me, grinning. “Yeah, but it’ll be great to needle my brother right until the big day. It’ll drive him up the wall, won’t it?”
I chuckled. “Probably.”
A stout man in his late sixties ambled up to us, holding a small plate of food. “Killian, whatever shenanigans you’re up to with her, knock it off.”
“Uncle Mick! I’m not up to anything. And my name’s Ricochet around here,” Killian said.
He waved a beefy hand at Killian. “I’m an old dog who isn’t learning any new tricks.”
The name clicked and I grinned at the man. “You’re Uncle Mick!”
He turned his head a fraction and narrowed one eye. “Yeah. Which one of them told you about me? And what’d they tell you…be specific.”
“It wasn’t me. I’m grabbin’ a beer,” Killian said.
I smiled. “It was Ryan. He told me about his politics as it were.”
He handed me the plate. “Hmph. That’s not surprising. That boy’s smart as a whip. Now you eat those bread bites. I made ‘em this morning just for this. You’re gonna love ‘em. People never think about making sure the couple of honor eats. Any time you two come out to Biloxi, and that better be more than just at the holidays, you come by the house. Me and Stella will get a batch ready.”
I popped a piece of garlic-parmesan bread in my mouth and fought rolling my eyes. I covered my mouth and said, “This is the best garlic bread bite ever.”
“You’re not scaring her off, are you?” Gamble asked as he joined the two of us.
Mick glowered at Gamble. “I’m all bark, biker. You know that.”
“Congratulations, Mrs. Garrison,” Gamble murmured.
“Thank you.”
The song ended and Ryan led Victoria to us. He exchanged a look with Gamble who nodded.
“All right. Food’s being served, but the newlyweds are cutting out early.”
My eyes got huge at Ryan. “What? We haven’t even had cake!”
Victoria grinned at me. “We’re saving the top tier for you.”
I turned to her. “But there won’t be any pictures. Maybe I had plans of dotting his nose with frosting.” I didn’t, but now that I’d said it aloud, I liked that idea.
“I tried to tell you,” Gamble muttered, his gaze on Ryan.
“Trouble, we got a reservation—”
Out of reflex, my hand went to my hip. “And we are newlyweds. I’m sure this reservation will hold.”
“One hour,” Ryan said.
“Four,” I countered.
Victoria threw her head back with a cackle.
“Two,” Ryan said.
“Three and a half,” I said.
Mick chuckled. “I love it. You need to negotiate my lease agreement.”
“You got it,” I said, keeping my eyes on Ryan.
Ryan smirked. “Two and a quarter.”
“You shouldn’t drag this out. Give your bride what she wants,” I countered.
“You don’t know where we’re going.”
“Give her three hours, Nickel. I’ll make a phone call, and everything will still be good, so you don’t sweat it,” Gamble said.
“Three, and that’s final,” my husband said.
“Thanks, honey.”
***
We cut the cake not long after Ryan and I finished our time negotiation. I shouldn’t have shared my plan to frost Ryan’s nose, he dodged my attempts like an expert.
Two and a half hours later, I was on the dance floor with Alexandra, Mickayla, and Kristen getting down to ‘Jump Around’ by House of Pain. My three friends suddenly stepped back and Ryan prowled toward me. At the last moment, he stooped low, put his shoulder to my belly and I found myself draped over him.
“What are you doing? Our three hours aren’t over. I have another half an hour, mister!”
The men were hooting and howling as Ryan carried me out of the clubhouse and onto the back patio.
“Too bad, Trouble. I’ve shared you for as long as I can. Time’s up and we’re leaving.”
“I didn’t even toss the bouquet. That’s bad luck.”
He set me on my feet with an aggrieved sigh. “You better be quick.” His eyes slid to the side and back to me. “And do not throw that thing near my sister.”
My shoulders rose up. “The bouquet goes where it goes, Ryan. It’s literally out of my hands.”
***
Ryan
“You’ve been awful quiet over there. Are you mad that Mickayla caught the flowers? I swear I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
I hadn’t been pleased about Mickayla catching the bouquet, but I was thrilled I’d skipped the tossing of Ivy’s garter. Between me and Killian, we’d lose our shit to watch someone run a garter up her leg.
“I’m not mad, Ivy,” I said.
“I’m surprised we didn’t take your bike,” she said.
“Not a chance in hell anyone’s taking that gown off you, but me.”
She giggled. “I didn’t know that mattered to you.”
I grabbed her hand and kissed it while I drove down A1A. “It does.”
The moment I saw her coming down the aisle at our ceremony, I’d nearly fallen on my knees. To my soul, I didn’t think I deserved this woman, but I’d do everything I could to be worthy of her for the rest of my life.
“But isn’t it against the biker rules to come to Daytona not on your motorcycle?”
I laughed. “No, Trouble. It isn’t. But we drove out of Daytona Beach. Now, we’re in Ponce Inlet.”
“Potato, pah-ta-toe.”
I turned into the drive of our rental house and parked. “Don’t let your boss hear you say that. It’s not very professional of a real estate agent.”
She beamed up at me. “I’m not working, so I get to be as unprofessional as I want. We should check in to this bed and breakfast. I can’t wait to see our room.”
Before she could open her door, I used my finger to turn her face to mine. “Baby, it’s a house, and it’s ours for the whole week.”
Her eyes widened, she turned her head to the house and back to me. “It’s huge! And on the beach, Ryan. This had to cost a fortune!”
I kissed her lips. “Darlin’, it wasn’t. Vamp’s dad doesn’t live far from here, and this house belongs to a buddy of his. I asked a favor, got a discount, and it’s not any more expensive than a hotel on the beach.”
She shook her head. “We don’t need this much space.”
I smirked. “Yeah, we do. But we damn sure need this much privacy because you’re loud.”
“You only have yourself to blame for that, Nickel.”
“True, but we’re gonna use every one of those rooms, baby. In a variety of ways, but first I’m carrying you over the threshold.”
***
“You have a thing for two a.m. love making,” Ivy said.
I snagged the pint of custard from her and dug out a huge spoonful. “I have a thing for you, Ivy. The time of day makes no difference. Though… I might have a thing, as you put it, for late night or early morning ice cream.”
She blushed and ate her custard. “I suppose that’s true. And it’s not like we could have done what we did on the beach during the daytime. Not without getting arrested anyway.”
A shit-eating grin curled my lips just thinking about having her on the beach. “Yeah, and that’s one thing ticked off the bucket list for good. Way too much sand in places it doesn’t belong.”
She hopped off the counter, rinsed her spoon, and put it in the dishwasher. “What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”
“Seeing as it’s our honeymoon, it should be obvious, Trouble. Eat, fuck, sleep, repeat.”
Her lips tipped up in a small smile as she shook her head, then abruptly stopped. She aimed wide eyes at me. “Crap. I didn’t take my pill before Kristen picked me up to go to the spa before the wedding this morning.” She tipped her head a touch. “Or I guess yesterday morning. As strong and pushy as you are, I’m pretty sure your sperm are gonna be the very same way.”
While planning the wedding, we’d talked about starting a family. I didn’t want to be a dad for at least another year, she wanted to wait two years, but was willing to start trying at the one-year mark because knocking her up could take a while. That conversation happened six months ago, though.
Her describing my sperm as being pushy made me grin…and what I thought I wanted six months ago, didn’t seem right anymore. Still, we had to agree about this.
“You think that’s a sign?” I asked.
One of her eyebrows lowered. “What? That your overprotective alpha-male ways are a sign of your—”
I stepped closer so we were toe-to-toe and I wrapped an arm around her waist. “You don’t forget to take that pill, Ivy. Not even when you were in the hospital after getting shot. I know we talked, but…do you think forgetting your pill is a sign?”
She put her hands on my chest and stared up at me. “What are you really asking me?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Do you want to try for a baby now instead of waiting?”
“Ryan,” she whispered.
“No pressure, baby. It’s just a thought. Now that you’re mine…” I trailed off because I could practically hear her response before I even said the words.
She slid her hands up around my neck. “Now that I’m yours, what? It’s after two in the morning I think you might be drunk on sex.”
“Now that you’re mine, I want everything that goes with that, and I don’t know. We already have the house fully renovated. You’ve settled in with a different firm. We’re both happy and being married to you only made me happier.” I blew out a breath trying to get my thoughts together. “I don’t have the patience to wait another two years to start a family. I love you so damn much, I feel like it’s a sign for us to roll the dice. But it’s your body and absolutely your call.”
She shook her head. If it weren’t for the small smile resting on her face, I’d have been more concerned.
“To clarify, you want me to take a chance – gamble if you will – with getting pregnant.”
“You could put it that way, but I think forgetting something you always do is a sign.”
Her body shook with a silent chuckle as she continued to slowly shake her head. “I never told you this at the time. But if anyone is trouble around here, it’s definitely you!”
I shrugged my shoulder. “It’s fun getting into trouble. Are you in?”
She smiled. “You’re the one who has to be ‘in,’ but yeah. Let’s roll the dice.”
With my hands on her ass, I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around me. “Excellent. Time to improve our odds.”
***
Eighteen months later…
I paced the living room wondering where my energy went. The answer was bundled in my arms. My days of surviving with just five hours of sleep were long gone. Ivy always pointed out that it was the repetition that killed us. If our daughter only woke us up in the wee hours of the morning once a week, we’d be able to handle it.
“Tonight’s lesson, Gracie, is that your mommy is always right,” I murmured to my bright-eyed little girl – though her interest was in the bottle I held for her.
“What am I right about?” Ivy asked.
I turned around to see her standing on the first step of the staircase. She wore a black sleep tank with matching shorts that she said weren’t sexy. I disagreed.
Gracie finished her bottle. I set it down on an end table. While supporting her head, I carefully moved her to my shoulder to burp her.
“When I proposed, you said our kids would be full of trouble. This little lady is only five months old, and she’s just like you – stirring up trouble.”
“She does not.”
Gracie burped and it startled me how she sounded just like a full-grown adult.
I grinned. “It’s the best kind of trouble. Just look at you, baby. You get me into trouble all the time, and I love it. Go back to bed. She’ll be sleeping again soon.”
Ivy pressed her lips together, nodded, then said, “I love you more than you’ll ever know, Nickel.”
I bit my lip. “Don’t say things like that when I can’t kiss you, baby.”
She leaned toward me and gave me a peck. “How’s that?”
“Tease,” I muttered.
“But you love it – no matter how you pretend to complain.”
“Upstairs, Ivy.”
She turned around. “Bossy.”
I enjoyed watching the sway of her ass while she climbed the stairs.
She stopped after three steps and looked down at me. “I’m going back to bed, but I’m not going to sleep. I’d rather have some fun and start a little trouble with you, instead.”
Again, she was right. Whether she was starting trouble or teasing me, I loved it all because I loved her more than she’d ever know.