For Better or For Worse (Wedding Vows) Read online

  For Better or For Worse

  LeAnn Robinson

  Copyright © 2021 LeAnn Robinson

  All rights reserved

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

  Cover design by: Judy Bullard, Custom ebook Covers

  Printed in the United States of America

  To Fariba

  CHAPTER 1

  It was too bad Jason Talbot didn’t intend to get married, ever. Because laying out on the chaise lounge on the deck of his massive yacht drifting lazily in the Mediterranean, was the perfect woman.

  She looked exactly like what he would go for. Beautiful, light skin against a dark brown background of sumptuous hair, slender yet strong, and - dare he say it? – maybe even studious, a hard back book propped in her hands, reading glasses adorning her nose.

  Empty heads didn’t interest him, at least not for a companion. Maybe they were good for a quick romp, but not for anything long term. Not even short term.

  Okay, he needed to make an approach, find out if she was what she seemed. He stepped over to where she lay, taking in the soft scent of her perfume, mixed with salty air and a whiff of engine exhaust. He moved so that his frame cast a shadow over her upper body.

  She swiveled her eyes toward him, and immediately, they got a touch darker, a sure sign she had found him attractive. And why wouldn’t she? He got that reaction from three-quarters of the women he met.

  He gave her his best, winning grin “Hey.”

  She opened her mouth, then shut it again, and he couldn’t help but notice as her eyes quickly took in his body, clothed in only a swimming suit, tanned and oiled up and… yeah, she noticed that he was in good shape. This was going to be easier than he thought.

  “Mind if I sit here?” He pointed to the lounge next to hers.

  She dropped her book onto the deck. “Please do.” Her voice sounded a tad strained, reminding him that several women had been invited who usually didn’t spend time in his circles. She must be one of them. “Um, my name is Diane.”

  “Jason,” he said. “So, tell me a little about yourself.”

  Red colored her cheeks, enough to indicate that she felt warm, excited. “I’m from the United States.”

  “What a coincidence. Me too.”

  Her expression was kind and she appeared genuinely interested. But talking about himself was not the order of the day here. If he wanted to impress her, he had to show he found her fascinating. “Vacation?” he asked.

  “I’m getting ready to go into my last year before I graduate from college. Then I’ll be entering a master’s degree program. So, when I got this chance, I figured I wouldn’t have time to do anything like this for quite a while.”

  “Master’s degree. That’s impressive.”

  She shrugged. “I kind of need the degree for my career.”

  “And that is?”

  “Counselor.”

  “Like, psychologist?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Like for people who are depressed or have anger issues?”

  She chuckled softly. “You have the idea.”

  “I need to get you together with my dad.”

  She threw her head back, her chuckle turning into a full-on laugh. “It’ll be a while before I can do any counseling.”

  “You must be really smart.”

  “I’d say average.”

  Average for a college student, maybe. She obviously hadn’t factored the kind of women he most often met into that average.

  “What about you?” she said.

  “I do real estate. Nothing particularly interesting.”

  “Sounds interesting to me.”

  Okay, she was trying to get him to talk about himself, and that was not in the plan. Because long term was not on the table. Not now, not ever.

  He pointed to her book and asked about it. That led to a short conversation on the environment. Finally, it was time to make his move. “How long have you been out here? You may need to refresh your sunscreen.”

  She glanced at her arms, where perspiration beaded up into shining gems, then gave him a quick nod. “Good idea.”

  “I’ve got some high-end sunscreen,” he said. “It lasts longer than most, so you don’t have to refresh it as often. Come on, I’ll help you put it on.”

  He led the way, down the stairs to his cabin. The next fun thing would be to see her face as she surveyed the room. That was the cool thing about finding women who didn’t hang around with the rich. They usually gaped for several seconds.

  And she didn’t disappoint. “Wow. This place is incredible.” She walked to the porthole, really a large window, looking down at the placid water, the curtain made of burgundy velvet with flur-de-lis designs in gold thread. “It’s a room fit for a king.” Then her eyes flitted to the large bed, and a nervous expression crossed her face.

  Time to put her at ease. He grinned as he walked to the dresser and pulled the plastic tube of sunscreen. “Here, sit in this chair while I rub the lotion on your back.”

  She bit her lip, probably debating whether she should apologize and slip out, or let nature take its course. They were both aware what would happen if he touched her. Now, it was up to her.

  She stepped forward, then stopped. “Maybe I should apply it myself.”

  He gave her a shrug. It was important not to show any disappointment. There was still a chance here. “If that’s what you want.” He extended his arm, the tube of sunscreen out for her to take.

  When she grabbed it, the movement sent ripples down her long, dark tresses, and a shiver zipped through his gut. “What kind of real estate do you do?” she asked. “Selling?”

  “Investing.”

  “Oh.” Her dark eyes fluttered, and he got the impression she wasn’t sure exactly what that entailed. “Does it keep you busy?”

  “Sometimes.”

  She squeezed the white lotion onto her palm, then slid it up her arm and around her shoulder. Damn, that was so seductive, he was going to be showing off an arousal way before it was time. He walked to the window, to put his back to her. “Beautiful day.” Wow, was that the best he could do? He was a college graduate. He should be able to come up with something more erudite than the weather.

  “So relaxing,” she said.

  This was getting awkward. “Do you want some privacy?”

  “What? Just to put on a little sunscreen? No.” She put a foot on the chair and squeezed a mound of cream onto her thighs.

  He snatched up a purple towel he had draped over a chair earlier that day, grateful there was something near at hand. Folding it across his arm, he let it dangle in front of him, to hide the evidence. “Once you’re done, I think I’ll need a refresh, too.”

  A sly grin perked up one side of her mouth. She was thinking about it. She just needed a nudge. But it had to be soft, almost invisible. Otherwise, she was going to raise her defenses, and then it would be all over. “You want me to rub it on your back?”

  He gave her his sweetest smile. “That would be great.”

  He straddled the chair, laying the towel over his thighs.

  Her hands landed softly on his shoulders, then worked their way outward, slowly, skillfully, massaging tense muscles and moistening the dry skin.

  He rested his chin against the top of the chair back, took in a deep breath, and let it out dreamily
. “Maybe you should change your career to massage therapy.”

  She laughed, and then her hands went downward, riding over the bumps of his spine, spreading the lotion across his ribs, then around his lower back, teasing the skin around his swimming suit waistband. Then, she climbed onto the sliver of chair behind him, her thighs brushing his, her hands sliding out over the tops of his legs. She kissed the back of his neck.

  He stood and turned around as smoothly as he could, trying not to break the spell. Her hands raced up the front of his chest, fingers splayed, thumbs notching over the tiny bumps of his nipples. She licked one.

  He was going to explode right there. He took her head in his hands and lifted it, then kissed her on her swollen lips. She pressed her body against him, her firm round breasts too large to pancake, while her body gyrated. Her knee came up to the middle of his thigh, and her hands slipped down to cup his butt.

  “You sure you want this?” he whispered.

  “Please.”

  He picked her up, then gently lowered her onto the bed and climbed in beside her, straddling her. She wiggled, and then the top of her swimming suit flew to the side, landing on the floor with a plop.

  “Perfection,” he said, then moved his mouth to cover the sweet, brown areola.

  She arched her back. “Oh, my God,” she whispered. “Oh, my God, don’t stop.”

  ✽✽✽

  Diane’s skin quivered as he licked her nipples and then his tongue made laps around her sensitive breasts. Her core pulsed with desire.

  “Oh, baby, you are so delicious,” he said, then moaned with pleasure.

  She couldn’t believe this was happening. Not to her. Not to this plain young woman from a small Texas town, so naive and so not cosmopolitan she wouldn’t know which fork to use first at a formal dinner.

  But she couldn’t think about that. All she knew was that he had selected her. Out of all the lonely women here – at least eleven of them – he had chosen her to be the one to lead to his bed, to be the one he would make love to.

  It was the beginning of a glorious relationship, two people so compelled to combine that they couldn’t help themselves. Two lovers so enthralled with each other that their passion would last forever.

  She looped her hands around his neck, then ran her fingers through his hair.

  He reached down to her waistband, and she lifted her hips, allowing him to slip her bikini bottom off. His own swimming suit came off next, and then she got to see what he had been hiding with his clothes, and with that carefully placed towel. It was an imposing sight. So straight, the skin pulled tight, the head shaped like an arrow, pointing toward the core of her being.

  She lifted her knees and spread her legs. “Quickly.”

  “Just one second,” he said, reaching to the top drawer of the nearby nightstand. There, he pulled out a foil packet and tore it open, donning his protection quickly. And then he entered.

  In and out. He pumped gently, but with each stroke, the flames burned brighter. Her insides rejoiced, filled now like they had never been filled before, caressed and loved and fondled. She squeezed her pelvic muscles to give him a little hug.

  “Oh, baby!” he cried out, and his movements sped up, his face tensed, and his breathing turned labored.

  And her own extasy built higher and higher, like he was flying with her to the moon and the stars, and suddenly the closest star exploded, a supernova of delirium, a throbbing wave of rapture.

  He collapsed on top of her, strangely without pressing his weight on her, but relaxed nonetheless. “Oh, Jason, that was fabulous.”

  “You’re telling me,” he whispered. “That was the best. Ever.”

  His complement gave her a warm feeling, like she was wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, being held by someone who would always take care of her. Her lips curved into a smile as she closed her eyes.

  They lay that way for a while, soaking in the afterglow of the pleasure they had experienced. It was like he didn’t want to come out, and she didn’t want him to exit.

  She gave him another little squeeze, but his now-soft member slipped out of her grasp.

  Well, there would always be another time.

  He rolled off, the sheets rustling as he repositioned himself, the muscles in his chest rippling as he moved. Wow, how could she be so lucky?

  Then he gasped, reaching to the bed and grabbing something between her legs. “Oh, hell.”

  “What?” she said, sitting up.

  He lifted a full condom. “I knew you were wet and slippery, but…” His mouth turned down in an expression of disgust.

  Her gut clenched. “I’m sorry.”

  He stared at it for a moment, then his expression changed to one of confidence. “Looks like it caught everything.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah.” He jumped up and went to the bathroom. The toilet flushed.

  When he came back in, he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his swimming suit back on. “We should get out there,” he said, “before someone notices we’re missing.”

  Her heart thudded. He didn’t want anyone to know what they had done? He wasn’t going to announce to everyone that he had gotten himself a new girlfriend?

  Dang it. How could she have been so dumb? What idiotic hopes she’d been nursing.

  She dragged her suit back on, but now she couldn’t look at him. He was probably laughing inside. Another notch on his bed, another conquest, another stupid woman about whom he could brag when he got together with his guy friends.

  She should have known. She was a psychology student, for heaven’s sakes. She understood better than the average young woman what these kinds of transactions were usually about. And yet she had let her hopes and dreams cloud her thinking, and now look what it had gotten her.

  CHAPTER 2

  “Sit here,” Carl Talbot said, indicating a chair by the back wall of the office, his withered hand shaking with a slight palsy. Diane nervously lowered herself onto the wooden seat, into the shadows on the side of the room where all the lamps were turned off, next to the large door, everything in the room hard and spare, without humanity or beauty.

  The old man used his fist to prop himself on the desk as he walked silently around it to his seat, his shoulders hunched over, his suit coat hanging loosely over his bony frame, wrinkled and drab, gray as the clouds on a winter day, gray that brought out the sallowness and lack of tone in his skin. Gray as the permanent frown that pulled down on his thin lips.

  Maybe it was a mistake to come here. The message she had gotten was that this old man had something important to tell her regarding her pregnancy. The request came with airfare to New York, a paid night in a nice hotel, and even spending money for her spare time during her stay. She queried the messenger to find out more detail, find out what this old man had to do with her and the child she would bear in six or seven months, but she got no answers. The only way to find out anything was to go to the tall office building in Manhattan and keep her appointment with the mysterious old man.

  So now she was here, waiting for answers. “Don’t say anything,” Mr. Talbot instructed, his voice gravelly and grave.

  The door burst open, blocking her vision of who was about to enter. She smelled cologne, the delicious scent that Jason had worn that night two months ago when he had taken her to heaven. So that was it, then. Jason had been trying to find her, had realized, once they separated, that he loved her and wanted her back in his life. Her world suddenly blossomed, the gray room filled with light and color.

  Jason strutted directly up to the old man’s desk, his shoes tapping on the hard wood floor. The door remained open, leaving her feeling crowded. Thankfully, someone from the outer room reached in enough to grab the knob and pull it closed.

  “What is it this time?” Jason said.

  The old man’s eyes narrowed and his lips stretched into a line so thin they almost disappeared. “You disgust me.”

  Diane stifled a gasp, her hand coming reflexively to h
er mouth. That was no way to talk to anyone. This awful old man needed to be taught manners.

  Jason made a soft growling noise, and his body seemed to wilt, shoulders sagging like the leaves of a seedling in the hot sun. “Oh come on,” he said. “I haven’t asked for more money in a long time.”

  “This isn’t about money.” The strange old man rose from his chair, fists on his desk forming his body into a large tripod, foam collecting at the corners of his mouth. “This is about your profligate ways, your lack of responsibility, the fact that you don’t care about anyone or anything.”

  Diane closed her eyes, her body trembling, her mind unable to process what Carl was saying. Disgusting was hardly a word she would use to describe Jason. Yes, he had disappointed her when he saw her off the yacht without so much as asking what state she was from. No request for a phone number. Nothing.

  God, what a fool she’d been.

  But in spite of everything he had done, in spite of all the knowledge she supposedly had about human nature, and even though he never told her up front that it was going to be a one-off, she couldn’t bring herself to think badly of him. He was just doing what men did. She was the one who let it happen. She could have said no at any time, and he would have respected that.

  Jason let out a loud huff. “Here we go again.”

  “You think this is funny, don’t you?” Mr. Talbot said, strain causing his voice to crack. “But you won’t be laughing when I withdraw all your support.”

  “What?” Jason sputtered. “Dad, you can’t do that.”

  Diane’s heart pounded. So, Mr. Talbot wasn’t an administrator or lawyer doing another person’s bidding. He had a direct relationship to the outcome, and to her unborn child.

  “Listen to me carefully,” Mr. Talbot said. “Your carelessness has gotten a woman pregnant, and I’m not about to allow my grandchild to be left without a father.”

  “Oh?” Jason’s hands went to his narrow hips, the pose accentuating those broad shoulders. “You’re sure your spies got that right?”