Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
After dinner, everyone left, like they knew they should leave us alone.
Balto hugged me before he stepped out with Cassini. “Welcome to the family, sis.”
“Thanks, Balto.”
He squeezed my hand before he walked out.
Damien embraced Heath with a hug instead of a handshake. “See you later.”
“Thanks.” Heath smiled as he clapped him on the back.
My dad kissed me on the cheek. “Your mother is so happy right now.” He hugged me tightly, longer than he had in recent memory. “You’re so beautiful, more beautiful than she was on our wedding day.”
“I find that hard to believe…but thank you.”
He turned to Heath next and hugged him the way he hugged my brother. “Come over whenever you get a chance. I want a rematch.”
Heath chuckled. “You got it.”
He gripped Heath by the shoulder before he walked out.
We watched them from the door, watched them get into their cars and drive away.
Heath shut the door, turning and pressing his back into it, like he wasn’t going to let anyone else back through there. His hand moved to the lock, and he flipped it, the bolt clicking into place.
I smiled at him, watching the way he looked at me, like he couldn’t wait to get this dress off me.
His eyes roamed over my body. “That dress…Jesus Christ.” He pushed off the door and scooped me into his arms, cradling me to his chest as he walked to the stairs.
My arms moved around his neck, and I kissed him as he carried me, not wanting to wait until we were in the bedroom before we got started. I couldn’t wait for this dress to slide to the floor, for my husband to look at me for the first time.
He carried me to the bedroom then set me on the bed.
I felt something against my ass, and that was when I noticed the sunflowers he’d placed there, like rose petals on a bed in the honeymoon suite. I grabbed one by the stem, brought it to my nose to smell it as I looked up at him.
He stripped off his jacket as he watched me, yanked off his tie, and destroyed his clothes in his haste like he had no intention of wearing them again. Then he lowered to his knees, his eyes level with mine. His hand moved to one foot, his fingers working the strap to get the heel off. With his eyes locked with mine, he did the other, his hands squeezing my bare feet when they were freed from the shoes.
My hands moved to his collared shirt, getting every button loose until I pushed it over his powerful shoulders, revealing the strong muscles and sexy ink underneath.
His left hand had my ring, the dark material matching the color of his tattoos. That was why I picked it, because I thought it would complement him so well.
“I want to take that dress off you.” He pressed his forehead to mine, whispering to me. “But you look so beautiful…that I never want to take it off.”
My fingers cupped his face, falling deeper in love with the most incredible man in the world. When I was in his cage, I’d never imagined anything like this would happen, that my captor was the man I would someday marry. “Then don’t.”
His hands reached under my dress and grabbed my white thong. He pulled it down once I lifted myself, getting it down my thighs and to my bare ankles. Then he looked down at my body, his eyes on my chest. “I just want to stay like this for a while…because I never want to forget this moment.”
My fingers moved into his hair as our foreheads touched, my wedding ring glittering in the darkness. “Neither do I.”
He stayed still, holding me on the bed, loving me with his touch, blanketing me with the kind of love no one else ever would. On his knees with his heart on his sleeve, he worshiped me, counted his blessings for having me, made me feel more beautiful than I’d ever had. “You’re my soul mate…”
“I know…” I cradled the back of his head as we held each other.
The minutes ticked by.
There was no rush—because we had the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
The curtains closed.
Everyone rose to their feet and clapped.
Clint sat on my lap, his feet dangling over my knees.
I grabbed his hands and smacked them together. “Clap for Mommy.” I pulled my hands away, and he did it on his own.
Marie sat on Grandpa’s lap, and she threw her arms into the air. “Yay, Mommy!”
Richard smiled as he clapped.
The lights came on, the music over the speakers started, and I held Clint’s hand as we walked down the aisle toward the entrance to the backstage area.
“I’m going to be a ballerina like Mom when I grow up,” Marie said.
“Me too,” Clint said.