First Class Hero (First Class Novels) (17 page)

“Relax, it’s only going to hurt for…a…moment.”

Nic bit her bottom lip as Paul thrusted inside her. She
gasped as her entire body stiffened. He held still and waited for her to
muscles to accept him once again and then he slowly withdrew only to thrust
back in.

“Okay?” he asked.

Nic nodded as she released her lip. “The pain was quick.”

Paul smiled. “And now we begin the ecstasy.”

Nic held his hips and his body thrusted and withdrew and
thrusted again. He filled her completely and the sensation was insanely good.
She felt it start. It was a tingling that began inside her; like an itch that
had
to be scratched. She lifted her hips to him and slid her knees up and planted
her feet on the bed at his thighs.

“You got it,” he growled. “Come get it.”

She rocked her hips, matching his rhythm; in and out and
around. It
was
ecstasy and her knees squeezed his hips as she arched her
back into him and plummeted over the edge into an orgasm that triggered his
own.

Paul’s body trembled as their physical union plunged into an
extraordinary, life-changing climax. Breathless, he collapsed on top of Nic and
grinned. This was by far, the best day of his life.

*****

When the sun woke Paul on Sunday morning, it was after seven
o’clock. It was highly unusual for him to sleep so late, but then he hadn’t
gone to sleep until just a few hours before. Nic was still sound asleep beside
him. Paul smiled as he watched her, a peaceful and satisfied expression on her
face. He closed his eyes and let himself doze until he felt her stir.

“Morning,” she grinned as she opened her eyes to see him
looking at her.

“Marry me.”

Nic started to stretch until her brain caught up with her
ears. “WHAT?”

“Marry me.”

She stared at him, seemingly unable to comprehend what he
was saying.

“Nic?” he chuckled.

“What?”

“Will you marry me?”

“Will I marry you?”

Paul laughed and nodded. “Will
you
marry
me
?”

A huge grin spread across her beautiful face. “Yes! Yes,
I’ll marry you!”

Nic was welcomed into the Lathem family immediately. Maureen
was overjoyed at the engagement and with the help of Father Todd, the date was
set for the following January. That meant only four months to plan.

As Nic sat with Maureen at the dining room table after the
weekly family Sunday dinner, Nic realized that she never really thought she
would get married. She hadn’t dreamed of fairy tale weddings or a happily ever
after. She figured she’d never trust a man enough to let him in; to become
emotionally attached. Heather had done her job well, so the idea of planning
her
wedding was all very strange to her. But nevertheless, she was ecstatic about
the prospect.

“You don’t know what colors you want?” Maureen asked.

Nic shook her head. “I really have no idea.”

“But every little girl plans their wedding a dozen times a
year.”

“You know I didn’t. Does that make me weird?”

“Of course not, dear,” Maureen patted her hand. “It just
means we have a bit more work to do now. Let me get the reinforcements.”

She disappeared from the table and returned a few minutes
later with Janie, Katy and Rory.

“This is not going to be a problem,” Maureen grinned.

*****

The work week just flew by. Nic loved her new school. She
loved her aide, Leah, whom she had bonded with immediately, and she truly loved
the twenty-five angels in her care.

The weekends were
always
spent with Paul. Most
Saturdays, they visited her grandparents. They were the best people she had
ever met; kind and loving and were thrilled to tell Nic all about her father.
She may never have met him, but she was getting to know him. And the Wilkins
loved Paul too. On one visit, Larry told them that they had been doubly blessed
when Nic walked into their lives because she had brought Paul with her. Irene
said they had gone from no grandchildren to two in no time at all. And Paul had
countered with, “Well hopefully you’ll get some great grandchildren real
soon.” 

Sundays were usually spent with the Lathems – ALL of them!
It was a family ritual to attend Mass together on Sunday mornings at St. Luke’s
and then enjoy family dinner together at the Lathem home. While Nic didn’t
really care for Mass, she loved spending time with her new family. She loved
them all.

During one Mass in early December, Nic sat with Ella on her
lap not really paying attention to Father Todd who was reading from the Bible.
Instead, her mind had drifted to her childhood and the desperate feeling of
loneliness she had experienced for most of it. Sadly, she had assumed that that’s
all life had to offer her and she had accepted it. She also had accepted all
her mother had told her as truth. How wrong Heather had it! Life was
full
of opportunity and happiness if you could just overcome your fear and reach out
and grab it.
Look at me!
she thought.
I am the perfect example.
She
had gone from nothing to everything all because the man sitting next to her gave
her the courage, and the desire, to take what she wanted. And she wanted him,
with all her heart. And now she not only had the love of her life, but she had
grandparents that loved and adored her, and she had the Lathems; a great big
loud loving family that accepted her into their hearts and made her one of them
instantly. She had Peter and Maureen, who loved her like their very own
daughter. She had brothers – six of them! She had sisters! She couldn’t want
for better older sisters than Janie and Katy. And she had a nephew and two
nieces. Her family had gone from Heather to this! The blessings were pouring
down on her and she was immensely grateful…for all of it.

Ella sat and fondled the gold star Nic wore around her neck,
bringing her back into the moment. Nic turned her head and gazed at the
handsome profile to her left. Then she turned to the right. Maureen sat beside
her, engrossed in the sermon. These two people had changed her life forever.
Paul seemed to sense the emotion inside her and reached for her hand, lacing
his fingers with hers. He pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her sweetly,
never taking his eyes off Father Todd.

*****

The following weeks whipped by at lightning speed. With the
new job, the new fiancé, the new grandparents, the holidays and the new
in-laws, before she knew it, New Years’ Day had come and gone and Nic stood in
the bridal boutique with Katy for the last fitting before the wedding, just
days away.

“You are positively gorgeous!” Katy gushed. “Paul is gonna
freak when he sees you.”

Nic chuckled. “Let’s hope not.”

“Well, no, probably not,” Katy agreed.

Nic had never had any close friends. Paul was her first, but
she couldn’t ask him to be a bridesmaid! Janie and Katy had welcomed her so
warmly into the family so quickly that she had asked them if they would be her
matrons of honor. They both were thrilled with the honor. And Nic’s very first
friend in New York, Ella, would be her flower girl.

Janie and Ella rushed in to the boutique. “So sorry we’re
late. Traffic is a joke in this weather!”

Ella ran to Nic and gave her a hug. They really were best
friends. After several minutes, the four of them stood together, Nic in her
wedding dress, Janie and Katy in matching dresses in deep purple and Ella in a
white flower girl dress. It was going to be perfect.

*****

The day before the wedding, Paul moved his belongings into
Nic’s apartment, well,
their
apartment. Matt and Janie had given it to
them as a wedding present. Maureen had insisted that Paul remain at her house
until they were married, although many, many nights, he didn’t come home.

As he walked into the bedroom to put his bags in the closet,
Nic was putting clean sheets on the bed.

“Can I help?” he asked.

“Absolutely,” Nic grinned.

As she unfolded them and threw the bottom sheet across the
bed, Paul tilted his head to the side as he recognized them.

“These have weird stripy purple things on them.”

“Yes they do,” she giggled.

*****

Nic stayed at the Ritz Carlton on her pre-wedding night.
Maureen had insisted, she said it was tradition, and as the Lathem’s were
paying for the wedding, she was happy to make Maureen happy. At nine o’clock,
Katy arrived to help.

“You look stunning,” Nic said as she opened the door.

“Thank you,” smiled Katy. “Let’s get you ready shall we?”

They were to leave at ten-thirty. The service began at
eleven. It was cold outside but it hadn’t snowed so the ride to the church
should be uneventful. At ten fifteen, Nic stood in front of the mirror not
believing the reflection staring back at her. Her hair fell in soft waves and
Katy had done her make-up so it didn’t look like she was even wearing any, yet
her eyes were big and bright and her cheeks held a soft glow. Her A-line wedding
gown was made of satin with three-quarter length lace sleeves and a lace train.
She wore white satin pumps on her feet and a simple lace veil. Janie had given
her the blue diamond earrings she had worn at her wedding to Matt, something
borrowed and something blue, explaining the history of Maureen’s family behind
them. Nic felt privileged to wear them, as had Janie, and Maureen, and
Maureen’s mother.

“I’m sorry your mom isn’t coming,” Katy said as she read
Nic’s expression.

“Me too,” whispered Nic. “But I’ve done all I can and I
won’t let her make me feel guilty for loving my grandparents. And I won’t let
her continue to question the validity of my relationship with Paul. These past
few months have been the best of my entire life and it’s only going to get
better. I won’t let her ruin it. I don’t want to have to make a choice between
her and my life now, but…”

“We certainly can’t replace her,” Katy frowned, “But we are
your family and we love you very much. And Paul? Well, Paul is head over heels
for you honey. There’s no doubt about that.”

“It’s mutual,” Nic grinned.

“Well, let’s go make it official, shall we?”

*****

The church was full as Larry Wilkins met his granddaughter
at the side entrance of St. Luke’s. He was dressed in a tuxedo and was beaming
with joy. As Nic walked to him, a tear fell from his eye.

“Oh Nic. You are the most beautiful bride,” he smiled.

“Thank you grandpa.”

“The only thing that would make this day any more perfect is
if your father was here to escort you down the aisle instead of me.”

Nic shook her head. “He’s here. I know he is. And there is
no other place you should be other than here next to me.” She took his hand in
hers and smiled.

“Paul is a very lucky man.”

“I’m the lucky one, grandpa.”

Another tear fell from his eye.

”You stop that or you’re gonna make me cry!” Nic scolded him
as she laughed and wiped the corner of her eye.

Janie and Ella joined them and the music in the church
began.

“Now all you have to do is walk to daddy, Ella,” Janie
instructed. “Just like we practiced, okay?”

“Got it momma,” Ella grinned and turned and walked through the
doors.

They could hear the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’ of the guests as Ella
walked down the aisle and just as Janie was getting ready to enter, everyone
heard a voice yell.

“I made it momma! It’s your turn. Come on!”

The wave of laughter filled the church as Ella sat down next
to her father. Janie shrugged her shoulders and turned back to Nic who was
laughing.

Janie made her way down the aisle, followed by Katy, and
then the wedding march began and the guests all stood and twisted around to get
a glimpse of the bride as she walked to Paul who was waiting for her, Ed
Branson proudly at his side.

Larry kissed his granddaughter as he handed her to Paul, one
of the best men he was privileged to know, a lump in his throat on a day he
never thought he would see. Nic smiled at her grandfather and kissed his cheek and
then turned to Paul and looked into the face of love, her hero.

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AJ Harmon was born and raised in Perth, Western Australia.
She currently resides in Oregon, USA, with her husband Brad. They have been
married for 28 years and have two grown children and a puppy named Max.

AJ ‘cut her teeth’ as a young girl on romance novels written
by some of the greatest women of the genre; Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters,
and Georgette Heyer just to name a few. As an adult, her list of favorite
romance authors is extensive and is humbled when readers respond to her work
with such kindness and excitement.

AJ is a new author, finding her passion in writing after her
children had left home, leaving her and her husband empty-nesters. After
completing her fourth novel, she said she ‘feels like I am finding my style and
my voice and I am thrilled that people want to read it!”

Four more books are in the works for the ‘First Class’
series, bringing the total to nine.