Scarlett stood at the back of the church, her mind spinning with excitement and hope.
“You okay?” Sasha asked, seeing the look in Scarlett’s eyes and not sure what to make of it.
Scarlett turned and noticed four sets of eyes that were looking at her as if she might faint. “Everything is perfect,” she replied, afraid to move for fear that this was a dream and she might wake up.
The music changed and the ladies all took their places. “Well, if you’re sure you want to go through with this,” Sierra commented, as if to say Scarlett was crazy to enter into a marriage with Grayson.
Scarlett laughed. “Like you would let another woman marry your man?” she suggested.
Sierra chuckled. “Not a chance,” she replied.
“I thought so,” she said. Sierra was almost as much in love with Harrison as Scarlett was with Grayson.
“You look beautiful,” Jina said, giving Scarlett a gentle hug.
Scarlett sighed happily. “Thank you.” Her eyes once again moved to the double doors, worry coming back into their blue depths. “Is he really…?”
Sasha stepped closer. “He’s not only there, waiting for you at the front of the church, but he’s been asking the same question to the guys for the past two hours.”
Livia nodded her head. “If you don’t marry the man soon, he’s going to just pick you up and carry you off.”
Scarlett definitely wouldn’t mind that. Not one little bit!
But the sound of the music increased just as the wedding coordinator opened the double doors. One by one, the ladies stepped forward and walked down the aisle.
Finally, it was her moment. She straightened her dress and moved into place. Just as the music changed, she took a deep breath, clenched the stems of her flowers and looked up, right into the eyes of her man.
After a month of crazy meetings, fittings, making decisions about flowers, food, the cake and location, she was finally hiere, finally about to marry Grayson.
Grayson couldn’t believe how beautiful Scarlett looked. It was almost as if he could see her blue eyes even as she stared at the back of the church and his whole body puffed up with pride that this was soon to be his wife. His woman!
The past month had been furiously tedious. He didn’t understand why they couldn’t have just gotten married. But now, seeing her in the flowing, white dress, seeing the happiness he was feeling reflected in her eyes and Grayson knew that the wait was well worth it. He’d do just about anything for this woman.
He knew that he was going to do just about everything to her. As soon as he had her alone, he would start that exploration, he promised himself.
“You’re staring,” Malik teased, punching Grayson on the shoulder.
Grayson ignored him, continuing to look at his woman as she stepped closer and closer to him.
“He’s supposed to be staring, you ass,” Harrison commented. Vaguely, he heard Stefan and Damon comment about something but he ignored all of them. After all the pranks they’d played on him this month, he was ready to just tie them all up until he was properly wed to Scarlett. He didn’t trust them, not an inch, to mess things up for him.
Damn, she was beautiful, he thought. Just a few more steps.
Moving forward, he took her hand in his and pulled her closer, wanting to feel everything about her. “You look amazing,” he told her. He was rewarded for his month long wait by the smile in her eyes with his words. Never before had any woman made him wait. Not like his Scarlett. But it was all worth it.
The minister started the service and Grayson thought about his beginnings, the parents he never knew, the scholarship to the boarding school and all the fights he’d initiated or ended when the other students didn’t accept him.
But now he was standing next to the most beautiful woman in the world and she was about to become his wife. His woman! Scarlett was his, finally! After years of loving her, he would finally have her by his side.
“Do you take…” Scarlett stopped listening. Yes. The answer was always yes! When the minister paused, she smiled up at Grayson and slid the platinum ring onto his finger. “I do,” she finally said, relieved to be able to say those words.
“Do you take…” Grayson waited impatiently. But before the minister even finished, his voice rang out, “I do.” He looked down at her fingers, sliding the platinum and diamond ring down her slender fingers and then closed his own around them as if to say that she could never take the ring off.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the minister announced.
Grayson didn’t wait for permission. As soon as the words were spoken, he took Scarlett into his arms. Kissing her was better than breathing, he thought.
The music started up and he lifted his head, seeing the sparkle of tears in her eyes. “You okay?” he asked, running a finger down her soft cheek.
“Better than okay,” she replied.
Grayson squeezed her fingers, thought about kissing her once again, but knew it would be better if he could get her alone. Turning around, he faced the crowd that was already on their feet, cheering loudly. There were friends and clients and people he didn’t know or give a damn about. The only people he cared about were the ones by his side and behind him as they filed out of the church.
As soon as they were out in the narthex, he pulled Scarlett to the side and kissed her more thoroughly.
“You’re mine now,” he growled a moment before his lips covered hers.
Scarlett laughed, delighted with her handsome husband. Throwing her arms around his neck, she lifted herself up higher. “I’ve always been yours, my love.”