Reaching For Roots: The Wedding
Can A BlooMer Keep A Secret?
Emmy bounced in the seat of her car as she drove out to the rest area nearest to Bloo Moose on the eastern highway.
From the passenger seat, Jaz LaChance laughed. “You’re going to wear out the springs on that seat soon.” He was the only BlooMer in on her secret and she was having a terrible time keeping the surprise to herself.
Of course, Ryan had figured out something was going on, but she’d told him it was a present for him and the town and begged him not to ask her any more about it. She wasn’t good at keeping secrets.
Actually, she never wanted secrets between them again. But this was a surprise, not a secret. She turned to Jaz. “He’s going to love it right? Everyone is going to love it, right? Oh god, what if they hate it? What if it’s too cheesy and silly?”
Jaz didn’t even pretend to try to stop the loud laugh or the eye roll. “You’re being ridiculous, Emmy. You know it’s fantastic. Right up there with Maple. Besides, cheesy and silly should be the town’s slogan.”
He was right. She’d never been in a place that took itself less seriously than Bloo Moose. Which made it perfect for her and her cartoon business.
Maple, the moose statue she’d designed for Jack Taylor’s Sugar Shack was a town favorite. She was thrilled to have helped Jack’s new business grow. He and Trina Volkova were always tagging her and her Moose Prints business on social media with their photos. Which had led to a wonderful steady run of orders for Maple shirts and mugs from all over the country.
This new statue wouldn’t have the benefit of Ekaterina’s social media presence, but Emmy hoped it would do some good for the town that had her back. The town that had helped her to finally set down some roots with confidence that she could stay and grow here.
When she pulled into the rest area, she immediately spotted a truck attached to a trailer with its contents covered by a huge tarp. “It’s here. They’re here.”
Her foot jerked on the gas, then slammed onto the brake before she blew out a deep breath and swung into a spot next to the truck.
“I think I should have driven, Emmy.” Jaz’s grumble was enveloped in a laugh.
“Probably. I’m too excited. You can drive on the way back.” Then she was out of the car and running to her friends.
Juan stepped out of the truck’s driver’s seat and the others piled out the other doors. Red, Randi, Eesha, and Lizzie. Her friends from the story-telling competition that had changed her life.
When she tried to hug them all at the same time, it turned into a massive group hug that felt fantastic. “I can’t believe you all came. I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for coming. And for bringing my surprise.”
They all spoke at once, catching up and laughing. Finally, Emmy remembered Jaz. She turned to find him leaning against her car and grinning at their group. “Sorry, Jaz. These are my friends.”
“I figured that much out by myself. Hi everyone. Welcome to Bloo Moose and thanks for taking care of our Emmy.”
After the introductions, she bounced back to the trailer and hopped up to peek under the tarp, but it was secured down on all sides.
Juan grinned. “We had to protect it in case of bad weather or anything flying about on the freeway.”
Red nodded. “Didn’t want any bird poop ruining it.”
Randi patted the tarp. “It’s glorious. Perfect. You’ve seen the pictures and that’ll have to do until the big reveal this afternoon.”
“But—“
They all waved her off and told her she’d have to wait along with everyone else. Which was logical and sensible, but still sucked. With a huge sigh and a pout, she agreed and hopped off the trailer.
Jaz lifted his phone. “Rayce is going to meet us at the pier with the machinery we’ll need to get it in place. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him what it is.”
An hour later, a crowd had formed around the fishing pier where they’d installed the surprise. The still covered surprise. Jaz and Rayce had called in their brother and friends. They were all going to take turns staying on the pier and making sure no one got a peek at the surprise.
Questions were flying from the gathered crowd, but no one in the know had spilled the beans yet. And they wouldn’t. The anticipation was making Emmy giddy.
Suddenly, Randi yelped and grabbed Emmy’s hand and tugged her away from the group. “I spotted DC. He can’t see you today. Not yet anyway.”
Emmy laughed but didn’t protest. Eesha grabbed her other hand and they ran through the crowd and away from her fiancé.
Is That A Moose Canoe?
Ryan kept the smile on his face as he heard the greetings of “DC!” coming from the group gathered around the fishing pier nearest Moose Prints.
At least Emmy’s friends from Red’s Diner weren’t calling out Douche Canoe. Although he was sure they’d happily explain the short form to anyone who asked.
Not that he really cared. These people had been there for Emmy when he’d screwed things up. They’d taken care of her and given him the second chance he’d so desperately needed. He would be eternally grateful to them. Grateful enough to not ruin their fun with the nickname.
As he approached the group, Juan stuck out his hand to shake it. “Congrats, man.”
Ryan grinned and shook his hand, then accepted hugs from Red and Lizzie. “Nice to see you all. We’re so glad you could make it today. Are Randi and Eesha here too?”
Red waggled her eyebrows. “Of course. Emmy wouldn’t dare get married without us. We’re her crew.”
He nodded. “You sure are. I’m surprised you’re here this early. That’s a long drive.”
They all exchanged smirks and he wondered what they were up to this time. This was a group he’d trust with Emmy’s life and maybe his own, but not with much else. They seemed to live to embarrass him.
As if reading his thoughts, Juan laughed and slapped him on the back. “No worries man. We’re not going to do anything to screw up Emmy’s big day.”
Ryan rolled his eyes at the reminder that if it was only his day, all bets would be off. Hoping to distract them, he pointed at the crowd. “What’s going on to draw the group?”
They all exchanged glances again and Ryan turned his attention to the people surrounding them. He’d noticed it before the DC calls had grabbed his attention, but hadn’t been worried. The atmosphere was happy, not something to worry about.
He might be off-duty, but he was still a cop. He’d been bouncing with nerves at home waiting for his mom to arrive and had decided to check in with Zinnia at Bloo BlooMs to make sure everything was set with the flowers. After finding out the woman had it all organized, he’d spotted the crowd.
Now he was close enough to see that out on the fishing pier, a large tarp covered something. He looked from it to Red, Lizzie, and Juan, then back again. They wouldn’t have brought a canoe and decorated it with Douche Canoe nonsense. Would they?
No. They’d just said they wouldn’t ruin Emmy’s day.
Then he noticed Gage LaChance waving off people who were trying to sneak a peek under the tarp. If he was involved, Ryan hoped it wasn’t something he had to worry about.
At least he wasn’t on duty today. Dave had told all the deputies to take the day off and he’d make sure nothing got out of control. He would only call in Vi or Scott if something fell apart. And with Vi helping Emmy get ready and Scott running the ceremony, Ryan hoped nothing went sideways.
As if the thought had conjured him up, Dave appeared in uniform to check out the scene. He checked in with Gage and then made his way over to wear Ryan stood.
Dave smiled at the trio. “You must be Emmy’s friends. Welcome to Bloo Moose. How was your trip up?”
Ryan’s phone beeped with a text from his mom. I’m at your house. Time to get ready. I’m so excited. Where are you?
Laughing, Ryan faced the others. “My mom is finally here. I’ll see you all in a bit.”
With one last look at the item on the pier, Ryan turned to head home.
Time to get ready for his bride.
Moosing Down The Aisle
Emmy hugged her friends from Red’s Diner as they all trooped out of her apartment to go to Darby’s B&B for a bit to let her get ready for her wedding.
Her wedding.
Still impossible to believe.
Emmy scooped up Moose from the window sill and danced with him into her bedroom. She and Vi had gone shopping at Bea’s Boutique for her dress. Bea had helped them scour through her supplier’s sites to find the perfect dress for a casual wedding on a fishing pier.
It was by far the prettiest thing Emmy had ever owned and just looking at it made her smile. “I’m going to be a princess, Moose. And then I’ll be a bride. Can you believe it?”
Then Vi arrived and the two of them spent the next half-hour working out hair and makeup. When she looked in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. The little girl she’d been would be happy to see the smile on her face. She also would have loved the dress. A snug bodice and swinging skirt with soft yellow ribbons forming a belt at the waist. She’d had the yellow ribbons printed with outlines of her favorite moose designs. The outline was in a deeper yellow, so it was only obvious when you looked closely.
She had the Boys in Bloo moose representing Ryan and the other officers. Girls in Bloo for Vi. BlooMer and Mooser for the entire town. A firefighter moose for Nathan. A moose reading a story to a small moose for her friends from Red’s. A couple of performing moose for her parents. A Mandy Moose for her friend. And of course, a bride and groom moose for her and Ryan.
Vi stood beside her as they looked in the mirror. “You look beautiful, Emmy. Perfect.” She fingered the ribbons. “I’m glad you thought of this. Mandy would be so happy for you and be so happy to be included.”
Nathan’s voice boomed up the stairs and helped dry the tears wanting to form. “You ladies decent?”
He strode up the stairs and his face lit up when he saw her. “You’re gorgeous, Emmy. Ryan’s going to lose the power of speech.”
She laughed and twirled in her dress, letting the skirt dance around her knees.
Then Nathan handed her a bouquet of flowers. “Ryan sent these for you.” It was a gorgeous bouquet, a banquet of white, yellow, and blue wild flowers. Tiny daisies and roses mixed with others she didn’t have a name for. They were tied together with ribbons the exact shade of blue as her Moose Prints blue.
Vi grinned and picked up a spare piece of the yellow ribbon with the cartoons. “Why don’t I add this?”
She nodded and when Vi was finished, her eyes misted. “They’re perfect.” She’d thought it was cute when Ryan insisted he wanted to be in charge of the bouquet and the other flowers, but the result was stunning. And she couldn’t wait to get married to this man who knew her so well.
She looked at her two friends. “It’s real. I’m getting married.”
Vi hugged her while Nathan laughed. “There’s still time to run for the hills, Emmy.”
That made her laugh along with him. “Not a chance. I’m here for the long haul so you’re stuck with me.”
Nathan pulled her in for a hug. “I’m glad. You’ve got a good one there, Emmy. I’m glad you’re sticking close.”
Vi looked down at her phone. “They’re ready for us at the pier. Are you all set?”
Contentment filled Emmy and she was able to answer honestly. “I’m ready. Totally and completely ready.”
Vi laughed and hugged her again. “Let’s go.”
Once they were on the pier, Vi moved ahead to blend in with the crowd. They’d decided on no attendants, just Nathan to walk with her to the pier. They’d reserved front row seats for Ryan’s mom, Nathan, Dave, Vi, and the Red’s Diner crew. The rest of the seats would be filled by anyone who wanted to come.
When she looked up, she realized that anyone who wanted to come meant pretty much the entire town. The pier and nearby boardwalk were full of smiling faces. As she and Nathan walked slowly through the crowd, people called out congratulations and best wishes to her.
Her heart swelled. Emmy had never had much of a family life and had never been surrounded by extended family or a large group of friends.
Until now.
The LaChance siblings and their partners. Megs. Mario and Antonia. Flora in white roses along with Hilde, resplendent in a stunning deep green gown. And more. So many more.
Nathan’s soft whisper reached her ears. “Thinking of running yet?”
She laughed. “Nope. Just a little overwhelmed that so many people are here.” That so many people cared about them. But she didn’t say that out loud.
As if reading her mind, Nathan patted her arm. “They’re here for you, Emmy. You’ve found your place and your people.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them back. She didn’t want to miss a moment of this day.
When they turned onto the dock leading to the pier, she realized it was lined with flowers. So many flowers. All matching her bouquet and welcoming her.
And then her eyes lifted again and she found Ryan. Gorgeous and tall in his dress uniform. Every other thought flew out of her head.
Moosey Roots
Ryan’s throat filled with emotion as Emmy and Nathan turned to walk up the pier. He’d known she was coming because the excited crowd’s greetings had been easy to hear.
They’d greeted him the same way as he’d escorted his mom to the front. Dave and Scott had walked along with them. Scott was officiating the wedding and now the two of them stood beside the wrapped tarp on the pier.
His curiosity about what was under the tarp was huge, but it was nothing next to the love he felt for the woman walking toward him along the pier. Her dress was fun and flirty and showed off her dusky skin and wide smile to perfection.
Love swamped him and he sucked in deep breaths to steady himself. This was happening. He hadn’t broken it. Hadn’t broken them.
Emmy’s step got bouncier as they approached. Nathan laughed and turned her in a twirl before stopping in front of Ryan and leaning down to give Emmy a hug. He whispered something in her ear that had her laughing.
Ryan had just enough bandwidth to shake Nathan’s hand and pull him into a hug. “Thanks for being her best friend. I’m glad you’ve always got her back.”
Nathan chuckled. “I think I’ve been relegated to the second best friend role, but I’m good with that.”
Then Nathan took his seat and Ryan took Emmy’s hands. Her smile was so wide and happy, he had to taste it. She met him halfway in a soft and tender kiss. Then she smiled with her lips still touching hers. “Hey there, handsome.”
“Hey yourself gorgeous. You ready to do this?”
“Absolutely ready.”
Exactly what he wanted to hear.
Keeping her hands in his, Ryan kissed her again quickly and then straightened to look at Scott.
Scott was grinning and shaking his head. “One day, maybe I’ll be in charge of the ceremony. Today is not the day. You guys ready to get married?”
Emmy squeezed his hand. “Totally a million percent ready.”
Laughing Scott addressed them. Someone had arranged speakers so their words could be heard by the crowd. “It’s a privilege to be marrying you two, today. You’ve both become very good friends. I’m glad Emmy’s not running and even happier that Ryan turned out to be a great guy after all the subterfuge.”
The crowd laughed behind them and Ryan heard Juan’s fake cough covering his mutter of DC.
Emmy had told him earlier, she’d prefer if he said his vows first, so when it was time, he turned to her and swallowed hard.
“It’s hard to explain how full my heart is. For a long time, I was focused only on my job. I had what I thought were good reasons for my one-track focus but now I know they were just a cover for grief.”
He took a deep breath. “When I arrived in Bloo Moose, I had a single focus. And then you flew out an empty store front and right into me. At that moment everything started to change.”
Her eyes shone with understanding.
He smiled. “You’re everything that is good in this world, Emmy. You’re sunshine and positivity. No matter the circumstances, you make people smile and see things from a new light. Even when you felt alone and broken, you found a way to impact people and bring them into your world.”
He sent a smile to the crew from Red’s then turned back to the woman he loved. “You are pure magic in a beautiful package. I wanted to be in charge of the flowers today, because I wanted you to know that I plan to plant deep roots with you here in this town. I love you. I’ll love you forever and do everything in my power to help you feel happy and safe. We’re going to grow old together, Emmy, and we’re going to have a fabulous life.”
Tears slipped down Emmy’s cheek and Ryan leaned forward to kiss them away.
Scott set a small pot filled with soil on the table and handed Ryan a small package of seeds. His friend had already opened it so he was able to keep hold of one of Emmy’s hands.
He held up the package. “These are wildflowers in shades of blue. I want to start those roots with you right now. Want to plant some roots with me, Emmy?”
Her smile glowed. “I’d love to.”
They poured the seeds into the pot and covered them with soil. “I love you Emmy. It’s going to get even better from here on out.”
Moosey Nooz
Emmy tried to stop the tears from slipping out, but Ryan’s words had melted her heart completely.
Putting down literal roots with him in the soil was perfect. As were the flowers and their symbolism. He knew how scared she’d been to stay in one place, to commit. And he was showing her in a beautiful way that he understood and would help her whenever she needed it. He would always have her back.
She managed to stop the tears as they finished planting and Scott passed them a towel to clean their hands. Then she took Ryan’s hands again to say her vows.
“You always know how to show me that you understand me and that you’ll be there for me. I love all the flowers and what they symbolize. I love you so much and want to grow here with you. Those roots we planted are going to be strong because we’ve learned to communicate so well with each other. I trust you and I love you with everything I am.”
Her voice was shaking, so she took a deep breath before she continued. “I’m not always good at saying what’s in my heart. I’m generally better at showing. Or drawing.”
He grinned at her. “Are we finally going to get to see what’s under the tarp?”
She laughed. “We are. It’s for the town as well, but know it’s for you. Because of you. It’s my pledge to prove to you that I’m not running anymore. I don’t have to, because I’ve found a place that fits and people who fit. And I’ve found you, the most important person of all. I love you so much.”
Ryan’s eyes were glistening as well as he cupped her face and leaned down to kiss her.
Scott laughed. “Here we go again. I now pronounce you husband and wife. If you can put a hold on that sometime soon, we’ve got a whole crowd here who want to know what kind of roots Emmy has planted on our pier.”
They were laughing when they broke apart and then Ryan pulled her in for a long hug. He held her tightly and whispered in her ear. “You’re amazing, Emmy. I can’t wait to see your surprise.”
She kissed him softly again and then turned to her friends from Red’s Diner. When she grinned, they all popped up from their chairs. Nathan and Scott moved the officiant’s table to the side and the LaChance men came to help with the tarp.
Emmy tugged Ryan to the middle of the pier. They might be blocking the view for other people, but if you couldn’t take center stage on your wedding day, when could you? They’d all have plenty of time to see the statue later.
With a bit of conversation, the group in front of them loosened the tarp at the back and the sides before moving to the front. Then they lifted the back straight up, still blocking the view.
Even though Emmy had designed it and knew what it was, she was bouncing with excitement as Gage and Juan pulled the tarp over the statue and brought it forward.
Scott started a countdown from ten and when he reached zero, the group snapped the tarp to the ground.
It was perfect.
Two cartoon moose were carved out of wood. The bride wore a flirty dress much like Emmy’s and had flowers in her antlers. The groom was wearing a uniform with a badge. His cop hat hung from one antler.
The moose were snuggled with their heads together and huge grins on their faces. Their front legs were twined together.
Because it was the middle of the pier, they weren’t as big as Maple. She asked Jaz to help her figure out the best size for the space and she thought they fit beautifully.
The moose couple stood on the round pedestal she’d designed, but her original design had been tweaked. Wildflowers like those in her bouquet and like the ones she’d just planted with Ryan grew all around their hooves.
Letters were carved into the base, all the way around. Tugging Ryan with her, she walked around, reading the message.
And they lived Moosily Ever After.
Em&M Designs.
Moosey Moves
Ryan struggled to keep a lid on his emotions. The carving was incredible.
Two moose in their wedding finery snuggled with each other. There were enough clues that anyone who knew him and Emmy would recognize who the moose represented.
He couldn’t believe that she’d designed it for them. For him. As proof she wasn’t going to run, that she was all in with him. That she loved him enough to believe in him. That their future was going to be full of love and fun.
He squeezed her into his side and kissed her hair. “I love it, Emmy. You’re amazing and the statue is absolutely perfect. Can you imagine how many tourists are going to want their pictures taken with these guys?”
Lil LaChance popped up. “Sounds like my cue. You two have to be the first people to pose with the Mooses.”
Lil had them posing in all kinds of positions. Sitting on the pedestal. Emmy in his lap. Each of them standing with their moose. Him cradling Emmy in his arms. Even one of Emmy on his back in a piggy-back ride.
Then group photos with all of their friends.
Dave and Jaz had offered to close off the block for the wedding and that helped keep the entire crowd off the pier. They didn’t need it collapsing under them.
Sawyer Banks and Myla Esperanza stood at the entrance. If Myla couldn’t charm someone into waiting their turn, Sawyer merely raised an eyebrow or crossed his arms over his massive chest. No one argued with the former SEAL.
It was at least an hour later when they finally managed to make their way off the pier and onto the boardwalk. They’d hired Megs, Darby, and Antonia to set up food stations for everyone who wanted to attend. They hadn’t issued formal invitations, just let the word spread. And it had.
Music played through the speakers and everywhere he looked, there were happy faces. People were dancing in several areas and he tugged Emmy to join them.
His heart was swelling and he hoped it wouldn’t leak out his eyes.
Emmy hugged him as they swayed to the music and smiled up at him. “You okay?”
That made him laugh. “Any more okay and I might explode with happiness.”
She tilted her head and waited for more.
He kissed her lightly. “My life was so narrow before. My mom tried to get me to see it, but I couldn’t. All I could see was the job.”
“Because you missed your dad. You wanted to make life better for other people. You’ve done a lot of good in your jobs. The world is a safer place because of you.”
Even though he’d put Mandy’s dad in jail, she understood the reason for his job, for his undercover work.
Emmy reached up her hand and brushed her fingers over his lips then cupped his jaw. “You’re a very good man. I think you’ve always been that. But I’m very glad your vision has expanded.” Her grin was full of fun and love. “Despite the circumstances, I’m glad you found me. I’m glad we found each other.”
“Me too.” His voice was husky and he leaned down to kiss her deeply. “You saved me Emmy. Thank you.”
Her eyes glimmered with tears. “I think we’re saving each other.”
“And we’ll keep doing that for decades to come.”
She lifted on her toes to kiss him and he lifted her up kiss her properly. He wanted to swing her up into his arms and leave the party behind. Had they stayed long enough yet?
An exaggerated cough had them breaking apart, laughing. Nathan grinned at them. “Plenty of time for that later. For now, you have to see the cake Darby made for you. She won’t let anyone cut into it until you do.”
Ryan sighed and set Emmy down on her feet, but he grabbed her hand. At the first break they’d make their getaway.
Moosily Ever After
Emmy hugged Darby hard. The cake was a perfect replica of the bride and groom moose statue she’d ordered. Apparently Jaz had snuck her a copy of the design and sworn her to secrecy. “It’s almost too perfect to cut.”
There were groans from the people around her. Darby laughed and passed her the knife. “It’s a cake. It’s for eating. You guys make the first cut together and I’ll do the rest.”
“Deal.”
They posed for more pictures then handed out pieces of cake. When they were done, Darby passed them two more plates. One of Emmy’s moose face and one of Ryan’s. She looked at Ryan in horror. “I don’t think I can eat myself.”
Ryan’s eyes sparkled in amusement and so much more. He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I like eating you up. How about we switch?”
Face flaming, she switched plates and they ate the cake without looking away from each other. She was flustered enough that she couldn’t tell if it was chocolate or lemon or vanilla, but with Ryan watching her like that, she knew it was delicious.
And suddenly she was done with the cake, done with the party, done with it all.
The answering flare in Ryan’s eyes showed he was feeling the exact same way. He grinned and took her plate then set them down on the nearest table. “I think it’s time to ditch the party.”
“I like the way you think. Can we sneak away?”
Ryan took her hand and kissed it. “We can try. Look casual.”
That had her laughing. “You’re the undercover guy. Lead the way.”
Laughing, he led her around the dessert tables and through the groups. They smiled, but didn’t stop to chat.
Of course, escape wasn’t that easy. A piercing whistle had them turning around to find Red grinning at them. She whistled again to get the attention of the entire crowd and waved. “Leaving without saying goodbye?”
Everyone had stopped talking and had turned their way.
Ryan swooped Emmy up into his arms and grinned back at Red. “Absolutely. Thanks, for everything everyone, but I want my bride to myself for a while.” He smiled down at her. “A long, long while.”
Then he turned and headed to their apartment. With a flush covering her entire body, Emmy waved at the cheering crowd as they made their way to the Moose Prints building.
Inside, Ryan jogged up the stairs and then leaned back against the door, still cradling her in his arms. “Throw that deadbolt, would you? I don’t think I trust your crew not to try something sneaky.”
Laughing, she did as he asked and then pulled his face down to kiss him. “We’re married.”
“Finally and forever. I love you Emmy.”
Her heart fluttered at all the emotion in his gruff voice. “I love you too, Ryan. So much.”
Still carrying her, he slowly walked around the apartment. “I’ve put a lot of thought into how I’m going to make love to my wife for the first time.”
The love and desire in his eyes had her heart pounding and she squirmed in his arms as heat shot straight to her core. “You have?”
His eyes sparkled as he nodded. “It’s a pretty big deal. It’s setting the tone for the rest of our lives. I want to make sure my wife feels treasured and special.”
Emmy swallowed hard. “She does.”
He smiled as he turned around in the kitchen. “I thought about the counter. Or the table.”
As he walked past them, she brushed her hands over the surfaces and watched his eyes darkened further. His voice dropped another octave when he spoke again. “Or the shower. There’s something pretty spectacular about watching bubbles slide over that incredible body.”
Her own words had dried up but she reached up to kiss his jaw and then started undoing the buttons she could reach while she kicked off her shoes.
He chuckled as he turned to the bedroom. “But I realized those options weren’t the right ones. Not for tonight. Or at least not for our first time tonight.”
Emmy managed a whisper. “I like the way you think.”
“I’m glad because I think I want to start on the bed where it’s soft like your skin. Where I can kiss every last inch and worship every single part of you like the goddess you are.”
Ryan walked into the bedroom and stood her beside the bed. “This flirty, sexy dress has been driving me out of my mind all day. It’s perfectly you, Emmy, but it’s time to see what’s underneath it.”
She kept working on the buttons of his shirt while his hands reached beneath her dress to play with the skin around her panties.
Between his touch and his whispered words of love, it wasn’t long before her knees wobbled. He lifted her and placed her gently in the middle of the bed.
He stood to shrug off his shirt and shuck his pants, shoes, and socks. “Now, how about we leave that pretty dress in place for round one?”
And then he flipped up the skirt and lowered his head. “Welcome to married life, Mrs. Rivera-Ward. Let’s see how high you can fly.”
Turned out she could soar.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this bonus scene to the Bloo Moose Romantic Suspense series!
The next book in the series, Reaching For Family spotlights Jenna and Noah.