Twenty-nine
One year later
Natasha
“Natasha, you look beautiful,” Emma said staring at me.
“Not as beautiful as you. Aren’t I supposed to be the prettiest woman today?” I asked.
“Oh shut up. This dress is perfect for you. I just can’t believe Carter was the one that picked it out.”
“He didn’t pick it out. We simply had a conversation about outfits he liked on me, and I took all the things he likes the most and fused it into one dress. Thanks to the designer Joanna recommended. Girl has taste.”
“Well you look spectacular.”
“Thanks, Emma.”
I was standing in the mirror with my best friend as she placed her hands on my shoulders. The pale yellow dress had a satin sheen to it that cinched at her waist and fell off her shoulders. The trumpet bell fit her figure wonderfully, and the long gown would keep her warm during the cool ceremony. She had a red flower tucked behind her ear and her hair pulled into a low-lying bun at the nape of her neck.
And she had all of her jewelry matching.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” I said. “I’m getting married, Emma.”
“I can’t believe you asked me to be your maid of honor.”
“Seriously? Who in the world would I have asked?”
“I don’t know. Clara?”
“She wanted to be the ring bearer with Joshua. I promised her the prettiest dress one night, and I knew she would love coming down the aisle and running to her dad in it,” I said.
“I bet she’s going to steal the show.”
“Everyone will steal the show, I’ve got really attractive people in my life.” I winked at her.
“Hardly. Once you start walking down that aisle in this dress, no one will be able to take their eyes off you.”
It was a mindless conversation I’d had with Carter one evening. I was talking about how my body had changed with having our twins and how some fits and designs didn’t work on my body any longer. It spawned an entire conversation about what looked the best and how Carter would buy me a whole new wardrobe if I wanted. He was such a loving and giving man, but I took those talking points to heart.
I wanted to make him speechless on our wedding day.
“Let me get your veil. It’s almost time,” Emma said.
I walked from the mirror to the window and looked out over the venue. There were seventy guests getting seated in their chairs, all of whom looked ready for this show to get on the road. The rolling hills and the trees in the background were turning all sorts of colors. Greens and reds and yellows and oranges. A perfect fit for the day ahead.
Then, there was Carter.
Standing there in his tailored tuxedo with a crimson red bowtie and a white button-down shirt.
My dress wasn’t the traditional white. Instead, it was a pale champagne. With green and red and yellow beading that cascaded down the princess-style gown. The bodice of the dress was strapless, but I had the tailor add a thin, lacy cover that draped over my arms like a shawl. The neckline had a little dip in it along with a built-in bra to push up my breasts and make them look as perky as they were before I’d breastfed two children from them.
And I was in a pair of flats so I could walk easier along the green grass that hadn’t quite died yet.
Emma emerged with my veil and took to placing it over my face. It fell to my shoulders and covered up the rest of me that wasn’t already concealed with the dress. She handed me my bouquet and I sighed, my mind drifting back to the more traditional weddings.
Most women had their fathers walking them down the aisle. Or had their mothers giving them away. And while part of me had wanted Logan to give me away to Carter, he was also Carter’s best man. Carter’s mother had welcomed me into the family with open arms and Logan was as happy for me as I was, but I couldn't shake the ache in my heart that I would be walking down my wedding aisle alone.
But there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
“Ready?” Emma asked.
I turned to her and smiled before I drew in a deep breath.
“Ready,” I said.
The two of us walked down the stairs before she kissed me on the cheek. She went off to be escorted by Logan down the aisle and I stood behind a tree, shielding myself from everyone. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to quell the fear in my veins.
Then, I felt someone take my arm and slip it around theirs.
I was startled. So much so that I almost lost my balance. A strong arm caught me around my waist and, for a moment, I had no idea who was touching me. My eyes whipped open and I tried to focus my vision behind my tears. But when the face came into view, I allowed them to fall.
“Carter?” I asked.
“You all right?”
“What are you-? Shouldn’t you be-?”
“When I saw Emma walking down the aisle with Logan, I realized the decision you made. And no woman should have to walk down the aisle alone on her wedding day.”
He reached underneath my veil and dried up my tears before we started walking. Everyone stood and gasped as Carter and I came around the corner. I was clinging to him. Focusing on his strong arm supporting mine as the two of us processed down the aisle. Logan was beaming and Emma was wiping tears away. Clara was in her beautiful gown standing with Emma with Carter’s ring.
And Joshua was standing with Logan with mine.
Nathaniel had wanted to help decorate. He helped everyone place the chairs where they were supposed to be. He helped arrange the colorful leaves on the ground that paved my way up to the front of the crowd. He also helped seat everyone for the ceremony, making sure to hand out programs so everyone could be up to speed with the ceremony.
He was such a big help, and I smiled at him as Carter and I passed.
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. As I stood there, listening to the beautiful vows my husband had written specifically for me, I couldn't help the tears that streamed down my cheeks. Promises of never being alone and never walking alone again struck my heart in ways I’d never experienced. Vows of always staying true and never walking away, of never going to bed angry and always loving me through the storms. It took my breath away, listening to the perfect man for me paint the perfect picture of our lives together.
Then, it was my turn.
“Carter, when I first met you, I didn’t know what to think.”
“Don’t worry. Happens to the best of us,” Logan said with a grin.
The crowd chuckled and I stuck my tongue out at my cousin.
“But really,” I said. “I’d heard about you from Logan, but I’d never encountered you until that interview. And it had been so hard to focus. There you were, in your crisp suit and your swooped hair and your furrowed brow and your stoic form… and it was hard for me to speak. To formulate words to get through that interview.”
I drew in a deep breath as I gripped his hands tightly.
“Then there was that night that changed everything. When you kissed me just before I was leaving for the day. And my entire world shifted. Tilted off-balance and spun around faster than I could keep up. It was igniting and fiery and intoxicating, and I knew then that it would be hard to shake you. Hard to go back to the way things were after experiencing you in that fashion.”
I brought his hands to my lips to kiss before I continued on with my vows.
“I can’t promise you I’ll always be perfect, or even bearable. I can’t promise you I won’t get upset and I can’t promise that we won’t fight. I can’t even promise that when you wake up every morning you’ll be happy to see me. But I can promise you this: I’ll never leave. No matter how hard it gets and no matter how long we fight and no matter how impossible it seems. I will always reach for you, even when I don’t want to take a look at you. I’ll always cling to you, my rock.”
A breathless giggle fell from my lips before I reached behind me for Carter’s ring. I felt Clara press it into my palm and my hand began to shake.
It was time.
I was about to have a husband.
“Carter Marshall,” I said as I slipped the ring onto his finger, “with this ring, I promise to never let go. To never forsake what we have and to always cherish the moments we spend together. It won’t be perfect, and it won’t always be good, but it will be ours. Together. For as long as I live and into the next life.”
Carter flipped my veil over, his eyes catching mine. There were tears in his eyes. Tears that threatened to spill over as he gathered me in his strong embrace. Our lips collided together and everyone erupted into applause, and we were pronounced man and wife in front of God and everyone else we could have ever wanted there as witnesses.
He carried me back down the aisle, his strong arms holding me close to him as I threaded my arms around his neck. I clung to him. Pulled him as close as I could get him. He walked me all the way out to the limo where everyone waved us off, and the two of us headed to the airport for our honeymoon.
The reception was for those who had attended. A ‘thank you’ to those who had supported us.
But Carter and I? We were ready for some time alone.
Nine hours later, we were walking into our private cabana by the beach. We had our own stretch of private sand and ocean waves, and it was breathtaking. I was still in my wedding dress and he was still in his tuxedo, and he took my hand as he tugged me towards our home for the next two weeks. We dropped our bags by the door and he carried me through the threshold, then he led us straight into our bedroom.
Where we had an oceanfront view and a panoramic view of the sunset over the horizon.
“Welcome to your paradise, my bride,” Carter said.
He settled me onto the bed before taking a step back from me.
“Where are you going?” I asked. “Come lay down beside me.”
“Just watch,” he said. “I have something for you.”
I sat up in the bed, my brow furrowing with confusion. I watched as he slowly removed his tuxedo, tossing every piece of clothing onto a chair at his side. The sun was setting behind his chiseled body as every muscle was revealed to me. Every piece of strength and every sinewy tissue as his cock throbbed for my body. He was standing naked in front of me, his body drenched in the hues of the setting tropical sun.
I reached out for him, unable to contain my need for him.
I pulled him to me and he fell onto my body. His hands ran up and down my curves, removing my dress as we rolled around in bed. I couldn't kiss him enough. I couldn't get him close enough. My lips traveled up and down his neck. His chest. His cheek. I felt alive. Beautiful, for the first time since I’d given birth.
And it was all because of him.
Because of the man I called my husband.
His lips wrapped around my nipple as his cock slid into my dripping pussy. We rocked together, our arms wrapped around one another as the sun set beneath the ocean. The crashing waves could be heard through the sliding glass doors as Carter pinned me to them. Pressing me against the beautiful view we had from our cabana as his hands pinned mine above my head.
“I love you,” I said breathlessly.
My eyes fluttered open and I found his beautiful stare looking back at me.
“I love you too, Mrs. Marshall.”
A teary-eyed smile crossed my face, then his hips rolled. His thick cock pressed against my walls and my head leaned back against the glass. I could feel myself dripping down his cock. I could hear our skin slapping together as he fucked me against the glass. He took me on every surface that night. Pulling pleasures from me I didn’t think I would enjoy. He smacked my ass and nibbled on my neck. He bent me over the edge of the bed and fucked me over the balcony of our porch. He took me in the shower. On the floor. Underneath the covers and even in the hallway.
We were covered in salted sweat by the time we both collapsed.
I rolled over, my entire body throbbing with the best sort of pain. My leg draped over his hips and my cheek pressed into his chest. His fingertips ran up and down my spine as my body curled around him. I ran my hand up and down his chest, feeling his strength and allowing my fingers to rumble over his chiseled abs.
“Thank you,” I said.
“For what?” Carter asked.
I looked up at him and found his eyes as he craned his neck down to see me.
“For hiring me.”
I watched him smile as he pulled me onto his body.
“Thank you for accepting,” he said.
I gazed into the eyes of the man who held my future. I saw us growing old together. Raising grandchildren together. I saw us holding hands as we walked along the beach, our hair gray and our skin wrinkled. I saw Clara’s prom night and the twins’ first dates. I saw matching outfits and Christmas parties and birthdays filled with friends and cake and presents. I saw family vacations around the world and weekends spent lying in bed. I saw college graduations and first jobs and first heart breaks.
I saw everything in his eyes.
And I saw us tackling it all together.
I reached my lips down and encompassed his as his arms cloaked my back. My knees fell off to the side, straddling his body as his cock rose to attention. I felt my pussy already heating up against as my head tilted to the side. Our tongues collided in a fit of passion, shooting fire all the way down to my toes.
“I don’t know if I can again,” Carter said.
I shot him a devious smile as I rolled my hips.
“Then sit back and relax,” I said.
And as Carter’s hands fell to my hips and my pussy swallowed down his cock, the two of us struck up our symphony again. Our aching bodies rolled and bounced. My breasts swelled with want as he massaged them with the palms of his hands. His hips pounded into mine and my pussy fluttered around his cock. The walls of the cabana had our names memorized with how many times they dripped from our lips. My toes were curling and my eyes were rolling back. Carter’s thumb found my clit and it sent me over the edge. I dropped to his chest and curled my fingertips into his skin, leaving behind marks of love as my pussy clamped around his cock.
“I love you. I love you. I love you,” I chanted breathlessly.
“And I love you,” Carter said as I collapsed onto his body. “So much more than you will ever know.”