Chapter Nineteen

“Well, he’s a delicious specimen, isn’t he?” Rae snuck back into the little room off the back of the hospital chapel, grinning brightly. “I understand the urgency of this situation now. I wouldn’t let that one get away, either.”

Bouquet of red and orange roses in hand, Mia gave a nervous laugh. “Back off, blondie, he’s mine.”

“Oh, whatever.” Her friend sighed and fussed with the lacy bottom of Mia’s dress. “It’s probably not appropriate to say right now, but I already like him better than Ben.”

Me, too. So much so that butterflies whirled in her stomach at the thought of opening the door and seeing Reed standing at the altar. Knowing that in just a few short minutes, he’d be her husband.

“You ready to do this?” Rae nodded eagerly, her pale eyes already damp, as she squeezed Mia’s arms.

“I’ve been ready for years,” she rasped, her throat tight with emotion.

Rae gave a giddy squeal and then poked her head out into the chapel, giving a thumbs up. A moment later, soft music began to play and her friend pulled the door open wide.

Rae flashed one last smile before she began her march down the short aisle. There were only four rows of seats on each side of the chapel, so it didn’t take long for her to reach Josh, who she knew would move off to the side of the altar with her for the ceremony.

Mia didn’t see any of that happen because from the moment Josh stepped forward to take Rae’s arm, all she could see was the man standing behind him.

The man she’d loved forever.

Reed’s face lit up when he saw her and a soft, strangled sob burst from her chest, as memories came rushing in.

Reed at ten-years-old, grinning at her from the riverbank, as he held up a frog as big as both of her hands.

Reed at thirteen, grinning when handed her the bouquet of wildflowers he’d picked on his walk to their study date.

Reed at seventeen, grinning when he ran into the diner with his college acceptance letter and the scholarship offer that would change his life forever.

Reed holding her in that hotel room bed, grinning when he asked her to be his wife.

By the time she reached the altar, there was no hope for her makeup. Her cheeks were soaked, but she couldn’t even bring herself to care about how she looked or the reason the two of them were standing there.

She was about to marry her best friend, the first boy she’d ever loved and the only man she could imagine taking this leap with.

“Damn, babe,” Reed said with a low, hoarse voice after Rae stepped forward to take her flowers. “You sure know how to knock a man to his knees.”

She smiled through watery eyes. “You’re still standing.”

“I won’t be later,” he murmured, winking as the chaplain cleared his throat.

Shoulders shaking, she forced herself to look away, lest they get in trouble for acting like lovesick teenagers at their own wedding.

Her gaze fell on her parents sitting in the pew right behind them. Their hands were tangled and tears shimmered in both of their eyes, but she was positive she hadn’t seen either of them look this happy in a long time.

Pam sat beside them, her emotion a lot less constrained. She didn’t bother to hide it, either, and, when Mia blew her kiss, she cried even harder, bless her heart.

The rest of the audience consisted of Mark, Ally, Carissa and the baby, and her dad’s nurse, who sat at the back of the chapel with his wheelchair, trying to be inconspicuous, though the toothy smile on her face said she wasn’t trying that hard.

Sucking in a deep breath, she dared another glance at her future husband, finding that grin still stuck firmly to his handsome face.

“You ready?” she whispered, and he gave one sharp, determined nod.

“Hell, yes. Let’s get this show on the road.”

Laughter erupted across the chapel, and even the chaplain smirked this time.

“On that note, welcome, beloved family and friends. It is my great honor to share in your company today, as we celebrate the marriage of Malia and Reed.

“Before we proceed to the exchange of vows, I must ask who gives this bride to her groom today?”

“W-w-we do,” her father’s voice sounded behind them, and Mia bit her lips together to keep from crying out. She didn’t trust herself to look back for fear she’d fall apart, but she’d heard him loud and clear, on a day she knew was as important to him as it was to her.

The chaplain nodded. “As long as there are no objections to the procession of this ceremony, we’ll begin. Malia and Reed, please turn and join hands as you’ve joined hearts.”

This time, when her gaze fell on his, his expression was serious. Thoughtful, even. Sincere.

He wet his lips and not once while he recited his vows did he take his eyes off of hers.

“Mia, I join my life with yours. Wherever you go, I will follow; whatever you face, I will face with you. For good or ill, in happiness or sadness, come riches or poverty, I take you as my wife, and I will give myself to no other.”

Oh, God. A hard ball of emotion stuck in her chest and her entire body trembled as she forced herself to breathe. Reed squeezed her hands and she did her best to make her promise to him without falling apart.

“Reed, I join my life with yours, too. Wherever you go, I will follow; whatever you face, I will face with you. For good or ill, in happiness or sadness, come riches or poverty, I take you as my husband, and I will give myself to no other.”

On her last words, Reed leaned down, pressed his forehead to hers, and whispered, “I mean every bit of that, M.”

“I do, too.”

“From here on out, it’s you and me.”

“You and me.” She nodded, the lump in her throat building anew.

“No matter what.”

God, he was going to slay her. “No matter what.”

“Damn right.” With that, he ignored the chaplain’s not so subtle coughing, gave her a saucy wink, and did what only Reed Fletcher would do in the middle of an unfinished wedding ceremony...

He kissed the bride.

* * *

“Well, that was fun.” Reed put the car in park in front of the spa resort he and Mia would spend the next couple of days. Not quite the honeymoon he wanted for Mia, but with Jose’s health being what it was, a longer, more intimate escape wasn’t realistic. Something he planned to rectify just as soon as his new father-in-law was feeling better.

“You say that like the day is over,” Mia teased, when he helped her out and took her shoes, so she could hold the hem of her sexy-as-fuck dress.

“Babe, our day is far from over.” Pulling her close, he buried his face in her neck and groaned. “Been waiting to get you out of this dress for hours.”

“Then maybe you should give the keys to the valet and take me to our room.” She tapped him on the arm and pointed over his shoulder, where a twenty-something valet attendant smirked.

“Evening, sir. I’m, uh, happy to take care of things for you out here, if you have things to take care of inside.”

Fuck, yes, he did. He had a wife to make love to, damn it.

Tossing the kid his keys, he hurried Mia inside where the concierge waited, just like Reed had asked. Knowing himself—and knowing how badly he’d want to get Mia alone—they’d arranged an expedited check-in. He literally snagged the keycards from the guy’s hand as they walked by and within minutes, they were in their suite.

“Oh, my God, this is gorgeous. And look, there’s already champagne and strawberries.” Mia pointed to the bedside table with a giddy grin. “You took this wedding night business very seriously, Mr. Fletcher.”

“I take our entire marriage seriously, Mrs. Fletcher.” He wrapped his arms around her from behind, unable to resist the sweet curve of her neck once again. “Fuck, you smell good.”

Goose bumps lifted beneath his tongue as she tilted her head and let him take his fill. “Thank you.” Gulp. “For everything.”

“No thanks necessary.”

“Actually, that’s not true. You helped make my dad very happy today.”

His lips still on her skin. “And you helped make me happy today, too.”

“Good.” She sighed. “That’s...really good.”

Wait, what?

He turned her around so he could see her face and the uncertainty he saw in her dark eyes felt like a dagger to the heart. “Mia, I told you that I meant every one of those vows.”

She swallowed and nodded. “I know. I just—”

“No. You don’t know.” His hands lifted to her jaw. “Baby, I’m not the kind of guy to make a commitment I don’t intend to keep in every way possible.”

Her eyes blinked fast and then she closed them, trying to shut him out. 

“Mia, look at me.”

She shook her head. “Can we just forget I said anything?”

Was she serious? “Not possible, M. Open your eyes.”

With a sigh, she finally gave in. “You have to understand where I’m coming from.”

Of course, he did. He’d even admit that it was his fault she felt the way she did, because of the timing of his proposal and the overarching reason that had spurred their marriage in the first place.

But it wasn’t the only reason.

“I might have asked you to marry me under less than ideal circumstances, but don’t think for one second that I put that ring on your finger today for any other reason than the way I feel about you.”

Her fingers trembled when he lifted her hand and stroked his thumb over the rose gold and diamonds he knew were hers the moment he saw them.

“Do you know why I chose this ring, Mia?” he asked, his voice quiet, but gruff.

“It’s beautiful?”

He shook his head. “Look closer.”

She frowned but did as he said, and the light in her eyes the moment she figured it out was something he’d never forget.

Her watery eyes darted back and forth between his and she must’ve wet her lips at least ten times, trying for the right words.

“Thirty-two,” she finally said. “There are thirty-two stones.”

He gave a sharp nod. “One for every year we’ve known each other.” Then, he pointed to the stones circling the larger round diamond in the middle. “These are the twelve years we spent apart.”

She sucked in a shaky breath and, despite the tightness in his own chest, he continued on.

“All of these little stones, these years...” He traced each side of the band and then tapped the twinkling diamond in the center. “They brought us to this moment, right here, right now. You and me, together.”

“Husband and wife,” she murmured, and somehow her smile managed to be even more beautiful than the one she’d had on her face when the chaplain pronounced them husband and wife. 

He stroked his thumb across her lip and locked his gaze on hers. “I am your husband in every sense of the word, Mia. I can’t promise I’m going to be good at it, but I’m sure as hell going to try, because that’s what love is about, right?”

Her gorgeous eyes went wide and he nodded.

“Mia, I’m in love with you. Have been for years, if the ache in my chest when you’re around means anything.” He glanced down, swallowed hard, and opened himself wide. “I’ve said those words before when I didn’t mean them and, for that, I’m sorry. Because those words are yours, baby. I’m yours.”

* * *

“Reed,” she whispered, with hot, hopeful tears prickling in her eyes. She’d yearned for him to say this three little words for so long now.

“I know how badly you want to believe what I’m saying is true, but I get why you’re reluctant, too. Nothing about what we’ve done is conventional.”

To say the least. But she wouldn’t have married him if she didn’t believe he loved her on some level. To confess that he was in love...that was a surprise.

“But we’re not a conventional couple, are we?” A crooked smile lifted his lips. “Who finds their soul mate when they’re five-years-old?”

She laughed through the tears. “Us?”

“Damn right us.” He swiped his thumbs across her cheeks. “I want to hate that we spent so much time apart, but I know that we needed those years and those experiences to bring us to this moment, right now.”

Suddenly, she didn’t want to talk anymore. Suddenly, nothing mattered more than loving him without words.

“Make love to me now?” she whispered, and a wicked grin spread across his handsome face.

“Do I really get to hear you say that for the rest of my life?”

“You do,” she laughed. “Though I’d much rather show you how I feel.”

He cupped her face in his big hands and took her mouth in a kiss so slow and thorough that she swore she’d melted into a puddle on the floor. Her limbs felt heavy and loose, and it was all she could do to remember to breathe.

His tongue traced her lips, then swept inside again, dancing sweetly with hers while he lowered the zipper at the back of her dress inch by excruciating inch. At some point the dress hit the floor and he spun her around, kissing his way from the base of her neck all the way down to the small of her back. Every hot suckle of his lips and erotic sweep of his tongue felt like heaven, making her sex pulse with greedy desire.

She wanted his mouth there...and she wanted her mouth on him at the same time.

“So sexy,” he murmured when he got to her ass and the G-string that left her cheeks bare. The one he’d picked out himself. “Fuck, Mia.” He bit and played and tormented her until finally he lifted one foot and then the other out pile of fabric, carefully tossing the dress onto a nearby chair.

Left in nothing but her heels, a garter, and his handpicked lingerie, she was sure she’d never felt more beautiful in front of a man before. Then again, maybe it was the look of pure, unadulterated lust in Reed’s eyes when he turned her once again. His dark gaze was hooded and his nostrils flared, and his breath came in short, raspy gasps as he took her in from head to toe.

“You’re mine,” he growled, and she nodded, already working his tie loose.

“I’m yours.”

“Forever.”

“Forever.” She smiled and pulled the long string of satin from his collar, blindly tossing it over her shoulder before she pushed off his jacket and went to work on the buttons of his shirt.

“My wife,” he rasped, one hand on her hip while the other pulled the pins from her hair, one by one until her curls fell down around her shoulders.

“My husband,” she countered, pushing the white cotton aside so she could kiss his bare chest and work her fingers through the light dusting of hair there. “I love you.”

“Love you, too.” He groaned when she swirled her tongue around his nipple and continued kissing her way south toward his twitching abs. Together, they undid his belt and fly, and he kicked off his shoes while she rid him of his pants and boxers with his hands buried in her hair.

His cock stood up straight and proud between them, and her mouth watered. She’d never sucked him before, but the urge to know him in every way was overwhelming. Lowering to a squat in from of him, she wet her lips and wrapped her hand around his thick shaft before teasing her tongue around the wide head.

When she licked the bead of pre-cum from the tip, his head lolled back and his hands fisted tighter in her hair. “Fuck, baby.”

“Watch me,” she said, before she took him deeper, one hand on his flexed ass while the other pumped what she couldn’t take into her mouth.

He tasted amazing, but he felt even better sliding across her tongue and all the way to the back of her throat. She closed her eyes and lost herself in the moment, letting him take control and show her what he liked.

“That’s it, baby. Let me fuck that sweet mouth.” His hands softened in her hair, but his hips moved faster, gliding in and out at pace that made it hard to breathe. But hell if it wasn’t the hottest thing she’d ever felt, letting him own her body like that. Finally, he pulled back, bent, and covered her mouth with his. “God, you look gorgeous sucking my dick.”

Her cheeks went hot and she smiled. “Let me finish.”

“Not this time,” he growled, tugging her to her feet and then pushing her down onto the bed. “There’s more of you I need to have tonight.”

“Oh?” she purred, kneading her breasts while he watched with eyes so dark they looked black. “Like what?”

“You fucking know what.” He climbed onto the bed after her, covering her with his big, hard-in-all-the-right-places body.

“I’m not sure I do. Why don’t you show me?”

In one quick motion, he pinned her arms above her head and replaced her hands with his mouth. His stubble scraped across skin and she cried out, even before his lips and teeth closed around one nipple and then the other, sucking hard enough to make her entire body tremble.

“Fuck!” Her back arched as she pushed herself toward his wicked mouth, craving more of that rough friction and tantalizing torture.

She felt him grin against her before he did it again, pulling longer and harder at her hardened tips until she writhed against him, her body needing more of his kind of punishment.

Suddenly his knees were on either side of her ribcage, as he worked his cock into the deep valley between her breasts.

“Push them together for me.” He let go of her hands, so she could create the warm haven he needed, then spitting on his hand, he wet his shaft and began fucking her cleavage. “Fuck, that’s pretty,” he grunted as his hips flexed and the expression on his face alone was enough to make her pant, imaging how she must look to him and knowing it turned him on, if the new droplet of pearly white liquid gathering at the tip was any indication.

“I want to taste you,” she murmured, and he gripped her head and pushed himself all the way up to her lips, giving her just that.

He only stayed a moment though, before he slid down her body again and rubbed his shaft through her folds like he just had her breasts. Only this time, the contact with her clit had her grasping for the comforter and shaking uncontrollably.

“You want to come?” he whispered and when she nodded, he slipped inside, not stopping until she was so full of him, she could feel nothing else. Just him, buried deeper than he’d ever been before.

“Baby...” She sucked in a shaky breath as he began fucking her slow and deliberate, letting her feel every inch of him while he stroked her clit with his thumb. “So good like this.”

“Fuck, yes, it is.” He hitched one of her legs higher and drove in, somehow touching yet another undiscovered depth of her body. His eyes flashed with a masculine pride when she cried out again, knowing this part of her was his and his alone. “I’m going come,” she cried with tears slipping down her cheeks as release built hot and fast, crashing over her like waves on a rocky shore. Reed followed after, pulsing and grunting as he came, too.

It was beautiful and she felt it in every fiber of her being. His love for her. His desire. His trust and protection.

His heart.

Always.