Our War (The Family Book 4) Read online

  “Here you go, Mrs. Carter.” He handed her the whiskey, taking a drink of his own.

  “Well, thank you, Mr. Carter.”

  Jake held his hand out for her to take, and together, in a completely uncoordinated mess, they danced to the song, trying to copy the moves they had clearly seen in the music video.

  “You’ve got moves, Mrs. Carter.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Carter. You’re not so bad.”

  He gave her a twirl so that her back was to his, and his cock was nestled against her ass. Her body came to life at his touch.

  “You’re really not a stuck-up bitch, are you?”

  “Nope. No stuck-up bitch from me.” She turned her head, and her gaze landed on hips. She licked her own lips, wanting his kiss. Together, they dropped their glasses. Jake turned her, and then slammed his lips against hers.

  Sinking her fingers into his hair, she pressed her body against his, needing his touch. His hands moved down her back, grabbing her ass. One song changed into another, and Jake pulled away from that kiss.

  “I bet you’re wet for me, aren’t you?” he asked.

  They didn’t stop dancing, and she saw he wasn’t trying to be mean with his words. “We made a mess.”

  “I can think of many other things to do that can make a mess.”

  Emily pulled out of his hands, and rushed toward the sofa. “I’m so not allowed to do this at home. It’s completely immature, right?”

  “We can be exactly that. We can always tell your dad that we were fucking like animals.”

  She started bouncing on the sofa as Jake ran across the chairs.

  It was stupid of them, really immature, but she couldn’t help it. Just once, she wanted to act out, and on her wedding night, it seemed the most appropriate place to do it.

  Jake grabbed the bottle and started drinking straight from it. She knew she was going to hung over tomorrow, and she didn’t care. This was a much better way of spending her honeymoon than being scared of her husband’s touch.

  She loved his kisses. Just from his naked chest, she knew she loved his body as well. For the first time, she didn’t feel overly aware of her fuller, size eighteen figure.

  There was a chance that she could be friends with him, and that to her, meant more than anything else.

  She had never had a friend before, and she really did look forward to a future with him.

  Jake handed her the bottle, and he stood behind her, holding onto her hips. They swayed, and she drank deeply, not caring that her father was going to be disappointed in her. Jumping off the sofa, Jake misjudged and knocked something into the coffee table that was there, breaking the glass. They both jumped back, and then started giggling.

  “You’re not hurt, are you?” he asked.

  “No, are you?” She assessed their hands and feet. They were both clear, and neither of them had been hurt by the broken glass.

  “Whoops,” he said.

  “We’ve been a little bad.” She giggled, swigging the whiskey.

  “That we have. Nice tits,” he said.

  She glanced down and saw her breasts had popped out over the edge. “Ass.”

  “I’m not complaining. They’re damn good, and they’re all mine.” He winked at her, and she just couldn’t be mad at him.

  Chapter Four

  The following day Jake and Emily arrived on her father’s private island, and he still had a headache. They’d spent the entire night drinking whiskey, doing shots, dancing, and had passed out on the bedroom floor, curled up together.

  When they hadn’t answered the door, Bracken and Donnie had gotten the management to open it, and they had found them hung over. Jake was sure Bracken held both him and Emily over the toilet as they both vomited.

  He rubbed at his temple and moaned. “I’m never giving you whiskey again.”

  “Tell me about it. It officially sucks.” She groaned. “Dad didn’t need to yell at us.” They entered the house that was near the beach. It was so romantic, and really quiet.

  Jake dropped his bags down and went to the bed. Emily was right there beside him, and together, they dropped to the bed.

  Pulling her against him, they fell asleep. Being yelled at for having a party on his wedding night, and completely trashing the place hadn’t been how he wanted to spend the morning.

  Several hours later, Jake woke up to find Emily still in his arms, and the headache he’d been sporting during the journey on his honeymoon had gone. He was able to think straight, and as he looked around the large, decadent room, he liked it.

  Leaving Emily to sleep, he made his way out of the bedroom and finally got a good look around the luxury room. This was the island that Blacken had paid for so that his family could spend time away with no one getting to them. It was dark outside. Force of habit had Jake closing and locking the doors. He also pulled the curtains closed so they would have privacy.

  Heading into the kitchen, he turned on the lights and went straight to the fridge. His pocket vibrated, and he took it out to see Bracken calling.

  “We’re not even gone all that long and you’re calling?”

  “I’ve been calling you for a few hours. What took you so long?”

  “I got completely drunk with my wife last night, woke up way too early this morning. Moment we got here, we passed out. The last thing I thought to do was call. I’m surprised you didn’t know when we landed, and just put two and two together.” The fridge was fully stocked. He removed a bottle of water, twisted the cap, and took a healthy gulp.

  “Where is Emily?”

  “She’s still sleeping. I’m not going to wake her up.” He was going to attempt to make food instead. “You know we’re going to be fine, right?”

  “From the state of the room, I doubt it.”

  Jake laughed. “Would you believe me if I actually said to you we had fun?” It had been too long since he had been bent over laughing at being a complete goofball. Dancing, drinking, singing, it was another life for someone else.

  Emily made him feel free, and that was fucking strange, considering they were both tied to each other.

  Speaking of the devil, Emily walked into the kitchen. He handed her the bottle of water, which she took.

  “She’s now alive and awake to the world.” He pulled the phone away from his ear. “Your dad.”

  Emily took the phone and placed it on speaker. “Hey, Dad.”

  “Hey, baby. Is he treating you okay?”

  “Of course he is. You wouldn’t expect anything less, would you?” she asked. “Or are you going to admit that you made a mistake?”

  She finished the water, and Jake pulled out another one, along with the makings of a stir-fry. He held the ingredients up for her, and she nodded, giving him thumbs up.

  “No, I don’t think I made a mistake,” Bracken said. She rolled her eyes. “I want you to be happy.”

  “Dad, we’re on our honeymoon. Are you going to call every single day to check in and see how we’re doing?”

  “I worry.”

  “Let us have some fun. Now, what do we do if stocks start to run low?” she asked, finding several spices and dried herbs in the cupboard.

  “I have arranged for delivery on Thursday. There should be enough for the two of you. I love you, baby girl.”

  “Love you, too, Dad.”

  Jake took the cell phone and clicked it off. “Why did you put it on speaker?”

  “Anything he had to say to me, he could say to you. I’ve got nothing to hide.”

  He watched as she grabbed some chili, five spice, and other Chinese ingredients.

  “Stir-fry is what you’re thinking, right?” she asked.

  “Yep. It’s the only thing I know how to cook. It’s a step up from noodles.”

  She laughed. “You do know that this has noodles in it?”

  “Yep, but you can also put in as much veg as you like. I think of everything.”

  She rolled her eyes, and he found it cute.

  Emily gr
abbed a wok and a saucepan, placing them on top of the stove. She wore a white shirt, a pair of jeans, some slip-on sandals, and no makeup at all. She looked utterly beautiful. He was finding it harder to look away from her as she smiled at him.

  “Do you want to chop the peppers, onion, and garlic, or would you like the chicken?” she asked.

  “I’m a meat man. I’ll handle the chicken. I do know what I’m doing.”

  “Okay, big man. I think if we marinate the chicken first, it will give us some gutsy flavor.”

  He watched as she grabbed a bowl and started sprinkling out spices. He wasn’t going to worry. She seemed to know what she was doing, so he began to thinly slice the chicken.

  “This seems to be a very … domestic thing to be doing. I wonder how many couples are doing this right now?”

  “I don’t think a lot are. I’ve only got my friends to compare it to. Paige loves cooking for Donnie and the gang. Donnie wouldn’t be seen dead in a kitchen. He’s takeout if Paige is sick. He tried to cook her soup once. On top of her illness, she got food poisoning. She was lucky to come out of it alive. Donnie has since banned himself from cooking. Zara makes one hell of a pizza. That’s what her family used to do. They owned a pizzeria. Fantastic food, I love her pizza. Then there’s Raine, and again, she’s a good cook. You’re up against a great deal of competition.”

  “I’m not worried. My mom loved to cook, and I’ve always been in the kitchen with her.” She took the chicken from him, added it to the bowl with some minced garlic, soy, and other ingredients. “Will you mix that all together?”

  He took the bowl, got his fingers in, and mixed it all together as she chopped up vegetables.

  “I trust you and your father. You don’t need to tell me everything that he tells you,” he said.

  She shrugged. “I don’t mind. Did he moan about the state of the room?”

  “Not really. I think he did his moaning this morning.”

  Emily giggled. “It’s the first time he has ever told me that he’s disappointed in me. I didn’t care though. Does that mean I’m growing up?”

  “I have no idea. I just wanted him to shut the fuck up. His moaning was giving me a headache.”

  “I know, right? Mom told him to calm down.” She sighed and filled up a pan with water. “It was nice to be reckless. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be doing it often. The headache alone was going to kill me. It’s gone now though. I just have this need to eat, and to eat lots.”

  “I know what you mean.” For the next twenty minutes, he stood back and watched as Emily got to work, heating up a wok and cooking the chicken, followed by the vegetables. She was humming as she did.

  He liked listening to her as he got the stock she wanted from the fridge, and began to pour it into the stir-fry. She drizzled in more sauces, and it was a turn-on watching how confident she was. Next, she drained the noodles, added them to the pot, gave it a flip thing with her hand, and then decanted the food into two large bowls.

  “Dinner is served.”

  “Woman, if we weren’t already married, I would beg you to marry me,” he said, grabbing a fork.

  That first bite, and he was in love, totally besotted with his new bride.

  “This is heaven.”

  “I’m pleased you like it.”

  They took their bowls to the sitting room, and he saw there was no television. “Why don’t we have any television?” he asked.

  “Whenever Dad came here, he always wanted us to be a family. Devices were not allowed, apart from cell phones.”

  “That sucks. We could have been watching porn, got you in the mood and all that.”

  She rolled her eyes. “You’re an ass.”

  “Will I be getting sex?” he asked.

  “Not with the way you’re going.”

  “Sucks being me.” He nudged her and winked.

  ****

  Jake loved her food, and Emily was so proud of the hours she spent by her mother’s side watching her cook. She enjoyed being in the kitchen, and one of her first memories was baking cookies in the kitchen with her mother.

  Taking the bowl from Jake, she went to do the dishes, and once again hummed to herself.

  “You’re always doing that, you know,” he said.

  “What am I always doing?” she asked, cleaning away the mess.

  Jake grabbed a towel and began to dry. She was shocked that he seemed happy to do most chores. It was nice, and it was something she enjoyed seeing.

  “You’re humming.”

  “Sorry. I do that when I’m happy.”

  The smile on his face made her pause.

  “Wow, you smile.”

  “Sorry, I’ll remember to be stern. You’re happy, and that makes me so as well.”

  Pushing some hair out of her face, she stepped back and saw the kitchen was already clean. There was no television, no books. Only a few games, some cards, and each other to keep company. He put the towel down on the counter and stared at her.

  “What to do now?” he asked.

  “I think I’ve got a good idea what is going on in your head.”

  “Really? So you want to go swimming as well?”

  “Swimming?”

  “There’s a pool out back. I saw it, and I bet you and your family spent a lot of time in the water.”

  “Of course we did.” She had forgotten about the pool. It had been a long time since she had been here, a few years. Between school and commitments back in the city, coming away to the island had been something her parents did, together.

  “You weren’t thinking about the pool, were you?” he asked, taking a step toward her.

  She didn’t move back and waited for him to get close.

  “No, I wasn’t thinking about the pool.”

  “Tell me, Emily Carter, exactly what were you thinking about?”

  She tilted her head back to look at him and smiled. “That is for me to know, and you to never find out.”

  “Now you’re just teasing me.” He winked at her, and then pulled away.

  “I didn’t pack a costume.”

  “I’m going in the pool naked. We’re newlyweds, and I’m going to see you completely naked soon.”

  “But not yet.”

  “You’re not coming for a swim then?” he asked, already heading out the door. “Tell me you’re not a bit curious about all of this. You, me, what we’re doing here?”

  She kept her mouth closed.

  “Cat got your tongue?” He took a step toward her and cupped her hips, drawing her close. “Were you thinking about me touching you?”

  “Go and have your swim, Jake.”

  “Come and join me. I’ve got nothing to hide.”

  Before she could stop him, he had her hand in his and was walking toward the pool. They left the house, and the back yard had several lights outside, which showed off the pool.

  Jake released her, and she watched as he began to remove his clothes.

  When he was naked last night, she had seen the ink down his arm and on his back were the names of his friends. The four of them were written on the inside of a heart. She figured the symbol was his love of family.

  He unbuttoned his jeans and slid them off. Next, his boxer briefs, which gave him extra points as they were black, not white.

  “You’ve not looked away yet. You little perv,” he said, winking at her.

  She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “You’re horrible.”

  “Emily, look at me please.”

  Dropping her hands, she looked at him, to find him completely naked. His cock was rock hard as it pointed at her.

  “I’ve got nothing to hide from you. This is me, this is who I am.”

  “Doesn’t that hurt?” she asked.”

  “It aches. You’re safe with me. I know how to control myself.” He jumped in the pool. “Your turn. I got naked first.”

  She hesitated and looked around the garden. It was secluded, and not only that, it was a damn isla
nd.

  Removing her shirt, she didn’t look at him as she wriggled out of her jeans, toeing out of her sandals as she did. She stood in her underwear that was lacy and white.

  “Now that is pretty,” he said. “I like that color on you. Soon, that color will not match your status.”

  “Status?”

  “Married, and well fucked. You won’t be a virgin for long.”

  “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

  “Why try to pretend? We both know it’s going to happen. You couldn’t even look away from me. I bet you’re soaking wet right now.”

  She removed her bra, and with her breasts naked, that seemed to silence him, and for now, she wanted him quiet.

  He whistled. “They are perfect.”

  Her cheeks heated under his assessment.

  “You like them?”

  She wiggled out of her panties and went to the steps leading toward the pool.

  Think confidence, Emily.

  Jake walked toward the steps and took her hand, tugging her close. She hit his chest with a thump, making her gasp. He was rock hard compared to her.

  “They feel amazing,” he said. “Yes, I like them, and one day soon, you’re going to hold them closed while I fuck you between your tits.” His hand went to her back, holding her close. “I love the color of your eyes. They remind me of the ocean.”

  “You’re fanciful.”

  He shook his head. “No, I know what I like, and I like looking into your eyes.” The hand on her back moved, and both of his hands cupped her face, and she felt raw, open, exposed to his touch. “Your lips are always begging to be touched, to be kissed.”

  One of his thumbs ran across her lips, and she couldn’t look away from him. It was like he cast a spell, and that held her against him, making it impossible for her to move.

  “What are you thinking?” she asked.

  “Would she be offended if I kissed her tonight and touched her?”

  “Touched me?”

  “I won’t touch you unless you want it. I want to make you feel good, and to show you how good it could be between us.” He leaned in close and pressed his lips against her ear. “Even before we had sex, I could make it amazing for you. Make you come with my hands or my mouth. You could touch me, hold me.”