Epilogue

Ricky

She is a goddess. I smile when Caro comes towards me, the long white gown dragging on the ground and her smile so big as her eyes lock on me.

Her eyes glow like starlight and she is more beautiful than anything on this planet. Her skin glows like pearls and her cheeks are the dawn’s light.

She’s everything. And soon she’s going to be mine. Mrs. Ricky Rowe.

I plant my feet and watch her, struggling to keep from running to pick her up and make all of this go faster.

I was willing to run to Vegas but my grandmother put down her dainty little fuchsia, bedazzled tennis shoe and refused to even consider the notion.

It’s taken an entire fucking year to plan this circus and I just want it done.

But nobody says no to Margot Rowe.

Caro finally reaches me and I hold out my hand, taking hers and holding it tight. She smiles and it’s like my whole body lights up. Zaps of lightning hit my spine and lower and I cringe when I feel my dick stir in these damn dress pants.

I cannot believe that I’m popping one at my own damn wedding with all my family and friends in attendance.

But I grunt and shift my hips, subtly trying to adjust myself as Caro grins mischievously, her eyes glinting with silver sparks. Christopher cheers from the front next to granny and I grin back at him, shaking off the lust that always comes over me when Caro’s nearby.

The minister clears his throat. “We are all gathered here…”. On and on it goes and I miss every word of it, wrapped up in this gorgeous woman and the thought that she’s mine. By the end of today, she’ll have my ring on her finger and I’ll be calling her my wife.

It feels surreal. But right.

I glance over when I hear sniffling and wince when I see Margot smiling and waving a lace-edged hanky at me as she wails. I cringe and try to ignore it but then Louise, her partner in crime starts in and I groan. Christopher winces, his mouth tightening in a scowl.

“I do.” Caro says the words and I jump, my focus returning to her and the way the air blows her auburn hair around her head. She’s not even wearing a veil. Just a simple comb made out of pearls holding up her gloriously curly hair. Subtle pink gilds her soft, sweet lips and I focus my attention on that mouth because the minister smiles at me and then he says, “You may now kiss the bride.”

Hell fucking yeah! I pick her up and hold her tight, her tiny feet dangling off the ground as I seal her mouth with mine, breathing in her soft gasp.

I kiss her ruthlessly and she moans loudly. And it’s fucking perfect.

Until the swans that I told Margot I didn’t want come parading out of the side of the house and across the lawn, honking and hissing.

My new dog, Pete, notices them and it’s on. He tears off after them in a rage-fueled race and guests scream, chairs fly and people dart for their cars or the porch.

Anywhere safe.

I lean my forehead against Caro’s and she smiles at me. “Don’t tell me…Margot.”

She grins mischievously. “I tried to tell her that it wasn’t a good idea but she seems to think every good wedding needs swans.”

I nod my head. “Can we get out of here? I want to fuck you right now. The swans might actually be an inspired choice.”

She throws her head back and her hair glows with red and copper sparks. Her smile lights up my heart and my dick. Her laughter rings out amongst all the chaos and I lift her up and toss her over my shoulder when Pete flies by and the swan he’s chasing bangs into a chair near us and then in slow motion, I watch it hit the floral arch and it tips to the side. Even more screaming and scrambling as the sunny yellow and white arch falls in slow-motion before hitting the ground in an explosion of bright yellow and creamy white blooms and greenery. Christopher whips past us chasing Pete, laughing.

It’s absolute chaos around us but to me…nothing else matters but the woman I’m holding. I pull her back until she’s lying in my arms, bridal-style and I expect to see a bride in tears. But no! She’s laughing so hard that she can’t even catch her breath.

My lips tilt into a huge smile and my whole world narrows in on her even as everything around us goes to hell. Because as long as she’s happy and with me, my whole world is right.

Mrs. Caroline Rowe. My love, my partner, my wife.