Chapter 26

26

Beau

I stare at Autumn. Her words sinking in. She loves me. Just as much as I love her. How the heck did all of this happen? She said she fell for me back when we made a deal at the auction, and I admit, that's also when I began to see her in a different light. Maybe I've always had her on this pedestal and that's where I've kept her; slightly out of reach so she's untouchable. But she can't stay that way forever.

Maybe this whole arranged marriage thing was just the kick up the ass I needed to ensure that I got the girl.

Her grandmother walks toward us. She's a tiny woman, but I can tell by the look on her face and her strong stance that she's tough.

"We never meant to lie to anybody," I start, feeling as if I need to get an explanation out before she can say anything. "I convinced Autumn, so if you want to blame anyone, blame me."

Her grandmother eyes me but says nothing. Coming to a stop right where Anton was first sitting. "Please, take a seat." She's not really asking, so we sit in the replica couch opposite her, my arm still around my wife.

"Grandma," Autumn begins. "I knew you'd never approve of Beau, not when you had high hopes of me marrying some tycoon like Daddy."

She shakes her head. "You've no idea what I would approve of because you chose to be untruthful." Her words are level and I feel Autumn sag a little against my body.

"That's not true. We both fell for one another but neither of us said anything," Autumn starts, but her grandmother raises her hand to stop her.

"For some reason I'm being cast as the villain in all of this." Her lips twitch slightly. "Our family tradition has been in place for a long time, and now you're asking me to break that tradition. It's not a small thing."

"Did you love my grandpa?" Autumn asks.

"Yes, very much. But our love didn't start out that way?—"

"Neither did Beau and I. We've been friends — best friends — for years. We tell each other everything. I put him in the ‘friendzone' because I didn't think I deserved a man like him. All my life I've been taught to believe that true love is bought by money and a name, not by love. Not by friendship. Not by communication and understanding and compassion. Beau has all of those things and so much more."

"But you still agreed to marry him to claim your inheritance?"

"At first, yes." Autumn tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "But that's only because neither of us told the other how we really felt. We were both hoping that in time, our marriage would bring us closer." She turns to me. "And it did. We weren't honest with our families because we weren't being honest with each other. I don't care about the money, I don't even want it. I just want Beau."

I stroke her cheek, reaching down to kiss her nose. "You have me, Autumn Leaf. You know you have my heart and you always will."

She nods, a tear trickling down her face as I catch it with the pad of my finger.

"If you can't stand with us, then we're sorry, but it'll be your loss," I say, looking up toward the woman watching us. Autumn links her fingers through mine. "We want you to be a part of our marriage and we welcome you with open arms to celebrate our union when we make it official. I'm sorry you found out like this, and I'm sorry that we initially did the wrong thing, but it was all part of a greater plan. One we weren't even in control of. I'm not going anywhere, and I love her, so that's all there is to it."

"Those are big words," she says. "The question is, can you live up to them?"

"I can. And I'm going to spend every single day proving to my wife that I can be the husband she always wanted."

Autumn squeezes my hand. "You already do," she whispers.

"So that's it? You ride off into the sunset together and live happily ever after? What sort of plan do you have for the future?" her grandmother asks.

I shrug. "We don't have one because we don't live by anybody's rules. If you'll take me as your grandson and the husband of your grandchild, who I know you love very much, then I'd be the happiest man in the world. I won't walk away from her, no matter what happens here today."

If I'm not mistaken, a small smile forms on her lips. "You remind me of someone." The words hit me in the chest.

I blink. "I do?"

She smiles again. "My husband. He was a good man. We were lucky, when we married we didn't know one another, much like Autumn's mother and father. Our marriage, however, began much the same way; friendship. Compassion. Understanding. All the things you spoke of. You have to understand, back then, times were different. Your name was your reputation, that's all that mattered, and I was lucky. The man I married turned out to be wonderful, and I also defied my parents by marrying him."

I feel Autumn shift beside me. "What?"

As I look down, her face softens. "I had an arranged marriage to another man, but I knew of him and I didn't like him. I met your grandfather shortly after in passing, and I took one look at him and I knew. He had the same soft, magnetic gaze in his eyes that I see in Beau's. He was mesmerized by me in a way I'd never known before. I didn't want to be a prize or a possession. I wanted to be my own person, but also be respected by the man that was chosen for me. Don't ask me how, but I knew I'd have that with him, and if love never eventuated, then I was okay with that. I knew he was a good man. I took a chance. I told my parents no."

Autumn is visibly shaken; clearly this is news to her, hearing it for the first time. "You weren't meant to marry Grandpa?"

She shakes her head. "I agreed to get married, but not to the man who was my parents' first choice. Seeing how determined I was, they agreed. Looking back, I think they were afraid I'd run away." She laughs softly.

"You've never told me this." Autumn stares at her as I run my thumb over her knuckles.

"I've never told anyone, not even your mother. When she met your father, it was a match made in heaven. It was arranged, but they got to know one another before they were betrothed." She purses her lips together and I can almost see the cogs in her head turning. "I understand that times have changed, and your spirit, my darling Autumn, you get from me. So I can see why you've chosen to take this path. I understand more than you know."

Autumn's mouth is still wide open, gaping in shock at her grandmother's words, and I have to admit, it's a shock for me too. But there's some common ground now, and I see the resolve in her grandma's eyes as they're softer than before. I can tell she loves her granddaughter very much, and I'm a hundred percent sure she truly does want to see Autumn happy. "I had no idea." She tucks the loose strands of hair behind her ears. "And Mom doesn't know?"

The old woman laughs, her eyes twinkling. "Your mother is my daughter. She's set in her ways. She loves you, but she doesn't always go about showing it the right way. It's black and white to her."

Autumn shakes her head, her back perfectly straight. "No, Grandma. She wants me to marry Michael; a man who cheated on me and told me lies behind my back! The idea that she wants that kind of man for me just goes to show that she doesn't have my interests at heart. She has her own, and it always seems to be about keeping up appearances. I won't live like that. I can't live like that."

"And so you have chosen," her grandma says. "And I don't blame you. You're creating your own path, which is all I ever wanted for you. I've not seen fire behind your eyes in a very long time, if ever."

Autumn squeezes my hand. "Beau brings out the best in me." Her voice is soft, gentle and full of so much love.

My heart feels so full listening to her speak that way about us. About me. About our future together. I can't get enough of it. No matter what happens, we're heading out of here today as a real husband and wife. Nobody is going to step in our way. Nobody.

I'm done with faking everything. I'm done with pretending that I'm in love with her when I really don't have to pretend at all. Now we can just be ourselves and see where our future lies. And I'm here for her, in whatever she wants to do.

"We bring out the best in each other," I chime. I can't help the smile that stretches across my face. I glimpse over at her grandma. "I know it's a little late, but your blessing would mean the world to us."

"If you promise to love and protect her, and never douse that spirit she has inside that I've loved since the day she was born, then yes, you have my blessing."

I can't believe the words coming out of her mouth. So, we're okay?

I stare her grandma directly in the eye. "I will love and protect her for the rest of my life. And her spirit is one of the many things I love about her. The rest? I could go on for days." I see Autumn smile in my periphery.

Her grandma smiles, too. "I suppose time will tell as it does with most things. Promises are one thing, but the real tests will come when the road isn't paved with roses. There will be bumps in the road, that's when you'll need to lean on each other the most."

I bring Autumn's hand to my mouth. "We will. I'm all in." I turn to face my wife. "If you'll have me?"

Autumn's smile turns up as she cups my face. Not caring that her grandmother is watching, she kisses me. It's just a peck but it's filled with more than I could have ever dreamed. We're really doing this.

"Of course I'll have you," she whispers. "I want to make this work. I'm not afraid of bumps in the road, Beauster. That's where all the good stuff is."

The good stuff.

I smile, pulling her into my arms.

"I can't wait to get a proper wedding invitation." Her grandmother gives us both a pointed look. "And that better be soon."

??

We drive back to Stoney Creek hand in hand, Bruiser enjoying resting on Autumn's lap in the afternoon sun. We've been on cloud nine, and even though we still have the issue of Autumn's mom to contend with, in time we hope she'll come around. Until then, I want to take my wife into my bed and not worry about the world outside.

I don't just feel like the luckiest man alive; I know I am. Being one week in and us already declaring our love for each other feels like a dream come true.

"That was quite a speech today," Autumn says, her head resting on my shoulder when we make it home and we're snuggling on the couch. It's been a big day and we're both exhausted. I think Bruiser must be too as he curls up by our feet and goes straight back to sleep.

"Tell me about it. I thought your grandmother was going to smack me in the face at first."

She laughs. "She does have that scary element to her."

"She'd kick my ass."

"I have no doubt about it."

She lays in my arms and can't help but think how doing this simple thing — being together — has never felt so right. "I meant what I said," I murmur. "I wasn't just saying it in the heat of the moment or because you gave me the best night of my life last night. I mean every word. I'm going to prove to you that you made the right choice by marrying me."

She sits up, turning to face me as I gaze down at her. "I already know I did." She brushes my hair off my face with one soft hand. "We were both holding in our feelings in fear that the other may not reciprocate. I know I was. I was scared I was just imagining it and that I'd look like a fool if I told you and you didn't feel the same way."

I lean down and press a kiss to her soft lips. "We should have communicated better, and we will. From now on we say how we feel, no matter what, okay?"

"Does this mean I get another pounding from my very big husband?" She snorts a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Not with all these clothes on."

We kiss and it starts off soft and gentle. Her lips are beautiful and soft. It doesn't take too long until we're all hands and our kissing intensifies. She pulls on the hem of my t-shirt and rips hers off as I unclip her bra. Straddling me, I shove my sweats down just enough so my dick bounces free. She groans when I take a nipple into her mouth. God, I love her tits.

"I want you like this," I mutter. "Riding me. Telling me how good I make you feel."

She reaches a hand between us and massages my dick as I hiss. "I like the sound of that."

I reach for my wallet and she lays a hand on mine. "I'm on birth control, Beau. I don't want anything between us."

I groan. Bare? I can die a happy man. "You're sure?"

She nods, leaning down to bite and suck on my neck as I tug her sweatpants and panties off. I can't wait. We've been cuddling and kissing all day and my chub hasn't gone down since this morning. "I'm sure, Hubs ."

I grin, cupping her tits and squeezing them together while she grips me, using the tip of my dick to tease her clit. "Baby girl," I mutter. Her body is so perfect. She's so perfect.

"I need you inside me," she gasps.

I love it when she begs me.

"Line me up." I continue to fondle her tits, knowing how wet that gets her and she does as I say. "Good girl."

She bites down on her lip as she leans up, pushing her tits further into my face. I suck on one nipple with a groan as she slides down. Her hands press on my shoulders and I grip her ass with one hand. I ease her down the rest of the way and she cries out. I give her a second to get used to my intrusion and then I lift her off, then slam her back down again. "Oh, God, Beau…"

"Ride me," I tell her. "Ride your husband's dick, baby girl."

I'm delighted when she does, bouncing up and down as I catch her other nipple in my mouth and give it the same attention. She's so tight, and so wet.

"I'm coming," she moans and my chest puffs a little more at how fast I got her to come. But I don't relent. I ride her through it, then another quickly follows, and when I thrust up into her hot little hole, she comes again so loud and so hard her walls tug at my dick. With a loud groan I spurt inside her in record time, unable to hold back anymore.

"I'm sorry," I whisper into her hair when we still.

"What for?" she pants.

"For not making that last. It feels so good without a rubber."

She smiles down at me as I cup her face with one hand and bring my mouth down on hers. "We've got plenty of time to practice." She kisses me back, our tongues touching and just like that, I'm ready again and I've not even pulled out yet.

I grin against her mouth. "I need to fuck you in our bed."

"That is the sweetest thing I've ever heard."

And I do. All night long.