Wright Kind of Love, page 14
Part of me had wanted to wear a black suit for the occasion, but I couldn’t help myself when I pulled my tuxedo out of the back of my closet. It felt right. So, I’d gone with it. Blake stood next to me in his. Though he’d grumbled when I made him get his out. He was the witness on my side.
The only other people in attendance were the rest of Blake’s siblings—Caleb, Griffin, and Ivy—a pianist, Tawa, that they kept on staff, and the officiant, Hannah, who had shown up early to review the planned ceremony with me. She’d asked if we’d written our own vows, but on short notice, there hadn’t been time. She promised that she had it all covered. Now, her hands were crossed in front of her, and she was watching the staircase in anticipation with the rest of us.
With a gesture from Ivy, Tawa shifted from the song he had been playing to another softer tune. I held my breath as Bailey appeared at the top of the staircase. She was in a knee-length black slip dress and held a small bouquet of white flowers. The salon had clearly known what they were doing because her dark hair was down past her shoulders in gentle waves, and her makeup was light with a dark pink lipstick. She smiled at me encouragingly before taking up her place on the bride’s side.
Tawa changed to Canon in D, and something in my chest tightened. The bridal march made me straighten in anticipation. Blake patted my back encouragingly. It was time.
Harley walked to the edge of the staircase, and I took her in, in all her splendor.
Her wedding dress was black.
Of course it was black. Of fucking course it was.
A laugh bubbled to the surface. I didn’t know why I’d thought anything else. In my head, I’d assumed white. Even though I’d only seen her in white a handful of times when it wasn’t also paired with black. But my little Halloween queen would have to be in black.
The bodice was a collection of black petals, handsewn to cover the corset top and then running down the full black tulle skirt. Little shimmery black beads and jewels were sewn around the petals to give it dimension. A black mesh came up to her neck, tying in a bow at the back, with matching billowy sleeves, sewn with more of the petal work. The sleeves were tight at her wrists, and I could see the black diamond I’d put on her left hand glittering in the light.
She held a large bouquet of white flowers to offset all the black and made her way down the stairs. With one perfect kick to keep the dress out from under her feet, I got a glimpse of her footwear. Doc Martens. She’d worn her Docs to the wedding. God, I fucking loved her.
Her bleached-blonde hair was down to her shoulders, but she’d had them chop her bangs into feathery wisps, framing her round face. Her makeup was natural, all except for the dark red of her lips that looked like she’d just dipped them in her favorite wine.
All in all, she was a stunning visage, and I couldn’t believe she was mine.
She passed Bailey the flowers and finally stopped in front of me. “Hi,” she whispered.
I took her hands in mine, pulling them to my lips and pressing a kiss to them. I couldn’t resist. “Hi.”
“Fancy meeting you here.”
“Your dress is black.”
She glanced down at it and then grinned back up at me. “Pretty lucky find, huh? It’s a winter dress, so it was even on sale.”
I chuckled. “I love you.”
“Convenient. I love you, too.”
Hannah cleared her throat. “Why don’t we begin?”
Harley faced the officiant, but my eyes were still only for my bride. My brilliant, fierce, loyal, incredible, stunning, opinionated bride. I couldn’t believe we were doing it. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner.
Hannah pulled out a small iPad and began to read, “We are gathered here today to join Chase and Harley in matrimony. After just a short time in their presence, I can tell that the love they share is a once-in-a-lifetime love and that this union is blessed from the start.
“Now, for the vows. Chase, repeat after me. I promise to cherish you always…”
“I promise to cherish you always,” I spoke directly to Harley. “To honor and love you, in sickness and in health, rich or poor, and all the challenges that may come. I will always be true to you until death do us part.”
Harley sniffled at the words and then repeated them back to me. My heart felt close to bursting when I heard them from her. Watching her big silvery-blue eyes fill with emotion as she told me how she was mine forever.
“You have the rings,” Hannah said.
“Rings,” Harley said, frantic for a moment.
But I’d handled this, too.
Blake reached into the pocket of his tux and pulled the bands out. Harley hadn’t seen what I’d picked for her. My ring was a standard silver band that I was going to have engraved with our wedding date when we got home. I passed the ring to her.
“A ring is a symbol of your unending union. The unbroken circle that signifies eternity for your love. You are joined together today and from this day forth with infinite love. Cherish it always as a symbol of how you feel about each other.”
Harley took my hand in hers and held the ring before my finger. “With this ring, I take you, Chase Sinclair, to be my husband with a pledge of love today, tomorrow, and for always.”
She slid the ring home with a choked gasp. Her eyes were still on mine, and I reached up and brushed a stray tear from her cheek.
“Now, Chase,” Hannah said.
I retrieved the ring from Blake, and with all the emotion still in my voice, I held it out to her hand. Her eyes found the ring as I repeated the same words to her. Her jaw dropped open at the sight of the wedding ring which was pointed in an arrow of small black diamonds on a gold band that perfectly fit against the engagement ring.
“Chase,” she whispered after I finished, “it’s perfect.”
“Just like you.”
Hannah smiled at the pair of us. “These rings are a pledge before witnesses of your commitment to one another. By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
I swept Harley into my arms, twisting her and dipping her, just as I had that fateful night all those years ago. She relaxed into my grip, our eyes locked. There was a little smirk on her lips, and I covered them with my own, claiming her as mine.
21
Harley
Bride.
Wife.
Mine.
Those were the words Chase had spoken to me. The words that we’d uttered to each other before a small audience as the sun began to sink toward the horizon. And now, we were married.
I stared down at the rings on my finger as we took the elevator up to the top floor. He knew me mind, body, and soul. Knew what I wanted more than anyone ever had. The black dress cinched around my body matched the black diamond wedding ring on my finger. The new band a mirror to the engagement ring. Somehow, he’d picked out something I wanted more than even I had imagined. I’d never even seen a black diamond until there was one on my finger.
“You’re mesmerized,” he said, loosening the bow tie at his neck.
“It’s beautiful.”
We’d spent the last couple of hours with our friends and Blake’s family. It was nontraditional and somehow utterly perfect. We all had dinner at the five-star restaurant on the property. They’d closed down for the evening just for us, and we were served personally by the chef—a native Mescalero Apache Tribesman who infused his cultural cuisine with quintessential Southwestern flavors that were to die for.
Then, Ivy brought out a cake from a local bakery. The thing was a two-tier chocolate confection that I could barely keep from stuffing my mouth full. It was divine. We were going to have to take some home because I couldn’t just eat it once.
After that, Tawa returned to the piano, and we had our first dance.
But the whole thing had been chill. No big spectacle. No bouquet toss. Nothing fancy. Which meant it was perfect in every way for us.
Now, we were headed upstairs to our honeymoon suite. Chase had the key clutched in his hand. I could tell he’d been ready to go for a while, but I’d wanted to savor the day as long as possible.
“A secret for a secret,” he asked, taking my hand in his.
“You’re my husband.”
“That’s not a secret.”
“Yes, it is,” I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Fine. I accept it.”
“What’s your secret?”
The elevator dinged open, and he lifted me off of my feet, sweeping my legs out from under me and carrying me down the hall.
“You’ll see.”
He tapped the card against the door and toed it open before carrying me across the threshold. I giggled at the symbolism behind it and pressed a kiss to his cheek, but when we were inside, my laughter faded, and awe replaced it.
“Oh my God,” I whispered as he dropped me back to my feet.
The entire room was alight with candlelight. Hundreds of candles illuminating the massive honeymoon suite. Rose petals littered the floor from the door all the way to the king-size bed. A bottle of champagne was on ice, and a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries rested next to it. Two flutes were already filled and bubbling gently.
I could hear…water coming from another room. I grabbed a glass of champagne and followed the noise to find a Jacuzzi on the balcony of the bedroom. The jets were at full blast, and across the balcony was a sign that read, Just married.
“You did this?”
Chase wrapped an arm around my waist. “I might have had some help, but yes.”
“It’s incredible.”
“As are you.”
I laughed softly. I might have made him wait for me last night, but the anticipation had only grown. Seeing him waiting for me with wide, worshipful eyes at the end of the aisle had done something to me I couldn’t explain. Hearing the words man and wife had made my insides turn to goo. And now, we were here in this huge, momentous place at this exact time, and I was…shy?
Chase pressed a kiss to my neck. “What are you thinking?”
“Nothing.”
He scoffed. “I can practically hear you thinking.”
“It’s nothing. Just, you know, the most anticipated night of sex of our lives.”
He kissed my neck again. “You were the one who made me anticipate it. We could have had sex last night.”
“Yeah, but…”
“You wanted to wait,” he finished. “That’s fine. And we don’t have to have sex right now.”
I half-turned to look at him skeptically. “Since when don’t you want to have sex with me?”
“Oh, I want to,” he said with a laugh. “And I’m going to, but we have all night. I have all night to ravish my wife.”
I shivered at that word. “Wife.”
“That’s right. You’re my wife. I want to take my time with you. I want all of you. And I don’t want any nervous anticipation. Only excited anticipation of all the screaming orgasms I’m going to give you.”
I laughed. “So sure of yourself.”
“Tell me I shouldn’t be.”
I couldn’t do that, of course. He knew exactly how to tease my body. So, I turned into him and stood on my tiptoes to claim his lips. But he wasn’t in a hurry. He stood by his words, just enjoying the taste of me. The slow tease of my tongue against his lips before he opened up and gently pressed his tongue against mine. I sighed as he moved in slow, gentle circles.
His fingers slid up my back until he found the little pearl button that held the top of my wedding dress in place. He flipped it open, breaking the kiss with a smile.
“Subtle,” I said breathlessly.
“Let me get you out of this thing.”
“It’s a feat,” I admitted. “I think it only fits because of the corset.”
“I know my way around a corset.”
I shot him a skeptical look, but he twirled his fingers until I faced away from him again. His hands went to the laces at the back. Bailey had pulled them as tight as humanly possible to fit my waist and hold the rest of the relatively heavy dress up. As soon as he plucked the bow, the whole thing began to loosen, and I took a deep breath.
“Oh,” I whispered. “That feels much better.”
“Just wait,” he said as he continued to loosen the laces.
His fingers strummed down my spine, revealing every inch of my now-exposed back.
“Do you know how beautiful you looked today?”
“Tell me.”
“Like sunlight after a year of darkness,” he confessed.
I inhaled. “In my black dress, I was sunlight?”
“Precisely. It was so very you. I like you just the way you are.”
He slipped the mesh off of my shoulders, placing a soft kiss on one side.
“I loved getting to see you in this stunning dress.”
The sleeves fell away.
“And to see you out of it.”
With the laces undone and the sleeves gone, the tulle skirt fell into a fluffy heap on the ground. I was now in nothing but my black thong and Doc Martens.
“That’s better.”
Then, he smacked my ass.
I yelped. “Chase!”
“Now, get your ass in that hot tub.”
“Here I thought, you were going to ravish me,” I teased.
“And who said I wasn’t?”
I stepped out of the dress, shucking off my shoes to the side, and headed toward the hot tub. Chase snagged my thong.
“Uh-uh,” he said. “This goes, too.”
I jerked my attention to him. “You’re still fully clothed.”
“Not for long.”
“Really? Skinny-dipping?”
“Take that thong off and show me your pretty pussy,” he commanded.
I smirked at him. He wanted a show? Fine.
I slid the thong down over my ass for his viewing pleasure. Then, when it was on the floor, I bent down and tossed it to him. He caught it in one hand, but his eyes were still on me as I turned around and strode into the heated water, giving him just a glimpse of what he wanted before it disappeared under the water.
He tucked my thong in his pocket and continued to watch me as he took the same amount of time to undress as he’d taken to undress me. Which meant I got to watch as he threw his bow tie to the side. As he undid each individual button, revealing the rippling abdominals. His jacket was tossed onto a nearby chair, and the shirt followed. My eyes scanned the strong arms and chest and then down, down, down to the V that led to one of my favorite parts of him. He popped the button of his pants and let them fall to the ground. He kicked his shiny black shoes to the side and the pants with them.
Then, he hooked his thumbs into his boxer briefs and pulled them over the full length of his cock. I salivated at the sight of him at full mast, ready and waiting for me.
The boxers disappeared entirely, and then he strode toward me, entirely unbothered by his own nakedness. And really, that was how he should be, as he was fucking gorgeous, tan and muscled from hours out on the lake and in the pool.
I had never wanted him more.
When he was finally in the hot tub, his cock disappearing beneath the bubbly water, he held his hand out for me. “Come here.”
I moved through the water, wanting nothing more than to sit in his lap and slide his cock inside of me. But he turned me around, sitting me on his knee. My legs parted to accommodate his leg until my pussy was sitting right on his leg.
His hands were moving in gentle, relaxing strokes along my back. Unperturbed by the fact that I was now straddling one powerful thigh and my pussy was pulsing to life at the friction. Or maybe he was unaware that I was turned on just from undressing. That sitting on his knee like this was sweet, blissful torture. Especially because there was a jet near enough to be aimed at where my pussy met his thigh.
I squirmed as the pressure built, barely conscious of the massage happening. I tried to focus there and not below, but it was difficult. He was rubbing my shoulders, interjecting that with long strokes up and down my back.
My nipples pebbled, pert and aching from the tension. He had to know what he was doing. The touches to my neck as he worked his wet hands along my skin. The slow move over my ass before going back up my sides, so close to my breasts and yet so tantalizing far away. I could imagine those hands on my breasts, between my legs, inside of me.
I closed my eyes, and a soft sigh escaped me. I was rocking on his knee now. Chasing that sweet friction to its inevitable end point.
“Is that what you need?” he breathed into my ear.
“Yes,” I panted.
“What else do you need?”
I didn’t stop my rocking. I just panted, “Touch me.”
So, he continued his slow perusal, moving his hands up my stomach, over my ribs, and up to my breasts. I gasped at the first tweak of my nipple with his fingers. I arched back into him, riding his knee like it was his cock, unabashedly. He moved to the other nipple, massaging it in between his thumb and forefinger.
“Oh,” I breathed.
He banded one arm around my middle, sliding me backward until my back was pressed against his chest. His cock jutted up between us, and I reached my hand backward to lazily stroke it. He let me as he used his other hand to find my clit.
“Keep riding me,” he commanded.
I tipped my head back as I did what he’d said, shameless. I wanted his cock. I wanted his fingers. I wanted his mouth. But I hadn’t realized that I would take whatever he would give me. Even this little bit of friction and his fingers on my clit to push me toward the edge.
“Please,” I gasped.
He slipped his fingers between my pussy and his leg and slid them effortlessly up into me. I gasped at the feeling of him filling me. It wasn’t enough, and yet I rode him like my life depended on it. I wanted this.
My orgasm hung like a hazy edge, just out of reach.
