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An uneasy bundle of nerves decided to take up residence in her lower belly. That mysterious phone call had burrowed into her brain and wouldn’t let go.
Something had gone amiss, Kayla was certain of it. Ingrid’s reaction had been slight, but it was there. Kayla clutched her bouquet and paced back and forth, bracing herself for someone to come in and tell her that her fairytale wedding wouldn’t be proceeding as planned after all.
“It is time.”
Kayla’s head snapped up at the sound of Ingrid’s voice. The tall woman seemed back to her usual efficient, unruffleable self. “Really?”
Ingrid smiled. “Yes, of course. Your prince anxiously awaits your presence.”
My prince. The thought made Kayla grin like a fool. Yes, in many ways, Spencer was her prince. Handsome and wealthy and able to make her weak in the knees with one smoldering look. Not like the kind in Disney movies, though; Kayla had no use for those golden-hearted, goody two-shoes types. No, her prince had a dark, wicked side that made her body hum and her heart scream.
“Then let’s do this.”
She waited anxiously before the doors while her attendants fluffed her veil and smoothed her gown, her heart beating wildly in her chest. Then she stepped outside and took a deep breath. Her eyes immediately searched for the only thing that could reassure her that this was really happening. She found him, standing about twenty yards ahead of her.
Her feet stumbled slightly, he looked that good. His dark tux fit him perfectly, custom fit for him and him alone. But it was the way his face lit up at the sight of her that really slammed into her chest, threatening to steal her breath completely.
In that moment, everything else faded away – the guests, the string quartet, the scents of sea and the tropical island flowers that surrounded them, and there was only him.
Maintaining an acceptable pace down the aisle was difficult when all she wanted to do was run into his arms, but Kayla knew the value of patience and discipline. She took her time, placing each step exactly, adding a slight sway to her hips as she did so. Her eyes never left his; it was impossible to look away from the heat and promise they held.
It took an eternity to get there and place herself at his side. The moment she did, he cupped her face and kissed her passionately, earning a round of chuckles from the guests.
“I had to do that,” he breathed.
“I’m so glad you did.” And she was. It was exactly the reassurance she needed. Spencer had a way of centering her. By the time he released her lips, she was calm, focused, and one hundred percent in the moment.
He entwined his fingers through hers and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as the smiling justice welcomed everyone. She squeezed back, reluctantly forcing her eyes away from the man who affected her so deeply.
The service itself was brief and to the point, which was exactly how they had wanted it. No long-winded speeches extolling the virtues of marriage; no dissertations on the binding of souls. She held her breath when the official asked if there was anyone present who objected, half expecting Spencer’s father to suddenly stand up and speak out. No one did, though, and in less than ten minutes from the time she began her walk down the “aisle”, Ms. Kayla O’Connell officially became Mrs. Spencer Dumas.
Their first kiss as husband and wife was met with applause, but no one was cheering as loudly as Kayla was on the inside. If his kiss and the extremely rigid part of him pressing against her hip were any indication, Spencer was pretty stoked, too.
She loved that Spencer didn’t let go of her once as they accepted congratulatory pleasantries from their guests, always keeping some form of direct contact between them – holding her hand, resting his hand along the curve of her back. All the while, staff swarmed quietly in the background, relocating the chairs that had been guest seating for the ceremony to the long banquet tables that had been set up. Official photographs were taken against a stunning tropical sunset backdrop.
By the time they returned, the reception was in full swing. Drinks were flowing freely, hors d’oeuvres were being offered, and people seemed to be having a good time. When their arrival was announced as “Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Dumas”, a thrill ran up and down the length of her spine.
Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Dumas. They had done it. They had really done it. It still felt surreal.
Torches had been lit along the patio; fairy lights had been strung in the palm trees, adding to the fantasy-like feel of the day. They took their place at the head table, and Spencer took a few moments to address the crowd.
“My beautiful wife - ” he grinned down at Kayla and set her heart fluttering “- and I thank you for celebrating with us today. I’ve made a lot of investments in my time, but none has ever yielded such returns.” He grinned and winked, and if Kayla had been even remotely self-conscious, she would have blushed at the wicked gleam in his eye. “Those of you who know me know I’m not fond of long speeches, so let me just say, I wish you all the same happiness I’m feeling right now.”
He raised his glass in toast and the rest of the guests followed suit. Instead of simply drinking his, however, he entwined his arm with Kayla’s and sipped from her glass. Then he gifted her with a tender kiss, tasting of champagne and promise.
“Mm, you taste good,” he hummed softly.
“Yeah? What do I taste like?”
“Mine.” That one word, combined with the heat in his eyes, made her core clench. “It’ll taste even better when I pour it between your thighs later,” he added wickedly. Just like that, she was wet and ready, wishing she could climb him right then and there to stake a more carnal claim on him than the titanium band he now wore around his finger.
“How long do you think we need to stay?”
He laughed, the sound low and deep and filled with wicked promise. “Impatient, baby?”
“You have no idea.”
Under the cover of the white linen tablecloth, Spencer guided her hand to his lap. He was thick and hard beneath the fine cloth of his pants. She grinned. “Maybe you do have some idea. Dinner, a dance, maybe a slice of wedding cake, then we are so outta here.”
“Agreed.”
There was something to be said for anticipation. Her body practically vibrated with it, enhancing her senses as she memorized every detail of her own personal fairytale. The gorgeous surroundings. The expertly prepared, seven course gourmet meal. The incredible high that came from sitting beside the man who knew how to push every one of her buttons.
“Are you happy?” Spencer whispered after yet another newlywed kiss.
“So very happy,” she answered honestly. “You?”
“Couldn’t be happier,” he grinned.
Kayla sat back and sipped her champagne, torn between enjoying every moment and moving on to Spencer’s surprise. She forced herself to live in the moment. After all, her gift was one they would be enjoying many times over, but they would only have this one wedding. Ingrid had done an amazing job, and everything had gone off without a hitch as promised.
It was only then that Kayla remembered the mysterious phone call prior to the wedding. She shifted slightly, searching out Ingrid in the crowd. She’d caught occasional glimpses of the woman throughout the dinner, no doubt ensuring all went exactly according to plan. As far as Kayla could tell, everything had. So what had the issue been?
“What are you thinking about so intensely?” Spencer murmured against her ear, giving the lobe a little nip and sending another bolt of lust from her pebbled nipples to the apex of her thighs. “Is it the surprise wedding present you’ve been hiding from me all week?”
Kayla grinned. “Now who is impatient?” She kissed him, letting her tongue linger long enough to sip the taste of champagne from his lips.
“Me. Definitely me.”
She laughed. “Actually, I was thinking of something that happened right before the service. Ingrid got a strange call and disappeared.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I thought maybe you’d gotten cold feet and decided to leave me at the altar.”
He sat back, his eyes serious and slightly hurt. “You didn’t really think that, did you?”
Kayla suddenly felt embarrassed, not only by her uncharacteristic lapse in confidence, but by a lack of faith in her new husband as well. Given her history and personal experiences, it wasn’t unexpected, though she didn’t want to taint any part of her fairytale wedding day with the practicality of hard learned life lessons.
“This – you – it all just seems too good to be true.”
“Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you,” he said, surprising her. “But you’re mine now, and I’m yours, so no more of that.” He punctuated the statement with another small nip.
The pragmatist in her wanted to point out that words spoken today would not necessarily be true tomorrow or the day after, but she squashed those thoughts ruthlessly before they could fully form. The past year had been amazing, and at that very moment, she couldn’t be happier.
“You are absolutely right.” She raised a hand and cupped his jaw, thrilled by the way he turned and kissed the center of her palm.
“Of course I am.”