Chapter 53

53

Hunter

The crowd quietens. The hair on the back of my neck prickles. I turn to find her stepping onto the aisle, and my breath catches. Goddamn, she’s a vision. A goddess come to life. I’m not sure how she managed to change outfits so quickly, but all of her efforts are worth it. The white gown covers her shoulders then dips slightly to hint at her cleavage. The fabric nips in at her waist then flares over her spectacular hips, before dropping down to her toes. The lace outlines her arms, and her gorgeous skin peeks through the netting. As Cade escorts her up the aisle, she’s breathtaking, sublime, exquisite. And I’m the luckiest man on this planet.

They reach me. Cade kisses Zara’s cheek, shakes my hand, then places her hand in mine. I kiss her fingertips, and the crowd oohs and aahs. Zara smiles up at me. I lower our arms, then both of us turn toward Edward.

He glances between us and a smile tips up his lips. I see his lips move and must make the appropriate response, as does Zara. Then, I’m turning to face her again. I pull the platinum band from my pocket and slide it onto her finger next to her engagement ring.

She does the same.

"Guess we both had the same idea, hmm?" I smirk.

She laughs. "Seems we’re finally on the same page."

"Does this mean you’re going to stop your verbal sparring?" I step closer; so does she.

"What do you think?" she murmurs.

"I think" —I wrap my arm about her waist and pull her into me— "that you’ll never stop keeping me on my toes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way."

She looks up into my eyes. Her golden eyes lighten until they resemble pools of sunlight. "I love you, husband."

My heart fills my chest. Warmth pulses through my veins. I pull her closer, then dip my head until my lips brush hers. "I love you more than myself. I promise to respect our differences. I swear I’ll put you and our family before anything else."

Her chin trembles. "Your country needs you, too."

"And I promise to serve with passion and dedication and do more than my best to steer the course of our future."

"You make me proud." She tips up her chin, and I close my mouth over hers. I kiss her deeply. She parts her lips, and I sweep my tongue over hers. I suck on her mouth, until a moan spills from her lips, until she sways into me, until she melts in my arms, and I pull her even closer into my chest. I kiss her and kiss her until, finally, the sound of clapping reaches me. Then I soften the kiss, brush my lips once, twice over hers, before I pull back. Her chest rises and falls, her skin flushed. Her breathing is ragged, and when she finally flutters her eyelids open, her eyes are more silver than gold.

"That was some kiss." She clears her throat.

"A promise. A pledge. My allegiance to you and my child you carry in your belly."

She swallows. "You’re going to make me cry."

"Only as long as they are tears of joy." I cup her face. "I love you, Zara."

A chair crashes to the ground, then, "Tiny!" a woman’s voice yells. We look up to find the Great Dane has broken free from Isla’s grasp. He’s galloping toward where the drinks are being poured at a table halfway up the garden.

"Tiny!" Isla lifts her skirts and races after him. "Tiny, stop."

The man pouring the champagne into the glass pauses midway. Then Tiny leaps onto the table, which crashes under his weight. The man jumps back. The bottle falls from his hands. Tiny snatches it out of the air, tips it upside down, and into his mouth.

"Tiny, you’re a bad boy!" Isla grabs the bottle and tugs it from Tiny’s jaws. Liam reaches her and seizes Tiny’s collar.

"Did that dog neck a bottle of champagne?" Edward asks in a dazed tone.

Zara and I share a laugh. I turn to Edward. "We have much to catch you up on."

"Does that Great Dane have a taste for champagne or am I seeing things?" Edward looks from Isla to Liam.

"It’s her mother’s dog." Liam raises his hands. As if that explains everything.

"We’re baby-sitting him, while my mother is on a trip with her knitting club." Isla explains.

"And he has a fondness for bubbles?” Edward asks in a disbelieving voice.

"From the very first time we opened a champagne bottle in front of him. And it doesn’t seem to hurt him, at all.” Isla raises a shoulder. “Occasionally, he has a hangover, which is when my mother gets really upset with him."

"He’s so cute, though." Abby bends and hugs the Great Dane. Liam’s tied Tiny’s leash to his chair, and for now, at least, the dog sits on his haunches watching the humans with a long-suffering look on his face.

"He’s a darling, except when he’s in proximity to champagne," Isla agrees.

"Not that I’m encouraging him or anything, but he can have my share, considering I’m not drinking," my wife announces.

"Oh, my god, I totally forgot to congratulate you." Solene, leans over and hugs Zara.

From across the table, Declan watches Solene with a frown on his face. The two turned up separately to the wedding, have not exchanged a word since, and are seated at opposite ends of the table. Interesting. Not that it’s my business. Still, now that I’m married, I can’t help but wish the same for my friend.

"I’m so excited for you.” Isla flashes my wife a smile. “Marriage and a baby, back-to-back. Who’d have thought you’d beat me to the baby side of things?"

"Umm, it was an accident," Zara mutters.

"But one I’m really excited about," I interject.

Isla straightens, then glances between us. "It’s going to be good for the polls as well, right?"

Zara and I look at each other. "It can’t hurt," Zara says finally.

"Actually, the coverage has been very positive." Abby waves her phone in the air. "I didn’t want to bother either of you, since this is, technically, still your wedding, but the press has lapped it up. There are already gushing accounts of the wedding and the upcoming baby. And the latest polls see elevated approval ratings for Mr. Whittington."

"Call me Hunter."

Abby flushes a little. "Yes sir, Mr. Hunter."

"Just Hunter."

"That’s what I meant. Your idea of a surprise wedding with the press invited to it is a hit. Of course, some of them are complaining that they’d have liked to have been told beforehand so they could have dressed accordingly, but other than that, it’s one big love fest."

"It’s a good way to start our honeymoon, huh?" I tuck a strand of hair behind my wife’s ear . My wife. How did I get so lucky?

"Our working honeymoon," Zara raises her sparkling juice to her lips and takes a sip. "You still have a campaign to run."

"You’re going to keep me on the straight and narrow, hmm?"

"You know that’s impossible. You have a mind of your own, baby. All I’m trying to do is give you options. I know you’ll always make up your own mind, but it’s not going to stop me from sharing my viewpoint."

I take her hand in mine and kiss her knuckles. "I want you to actively campaign with me. I want you to talk about the causes that are dear to you. I want you to head up a fund that supports the needs of the women, the vulnerable, and children with special needs."

Her features soften. "Are you sure about that?"

"More than anything in the world."

I lean in to kiss her, when someone clears their throat. I look up to find Abby standing next to us. She darts a half-smile in Zara’s direction. "Uh, I guess I’m going back to the office."

"You’re going back now?" Zara frowns.

"The campaign is still underway, and there’s a lot of follow up to be done from the coverage generated by the wedding. It’s best to do that now, while interest is high on what the two of you are going to do next. I thought I might—uh— draft a strategy to share with you."

"A strategy?" Zara lowers her chin.

Abby nods. "If that’s okay? If you don’t mind, I mean?—"

"I think it’s a great idea."

Abby’s features lighten. "You do?"

"Absolutely. I" —she looks at me— " we’d be happy to hear your thoughts on how to leverage the publicity for the campaign."

"Absolutely," I agree.

"Oh, great." Abby pulls out a phone from the pocket of her pants. "Let me call for a car pick up."

"There’s no need for that, I can drop you." Cade rises from his place on the other side of the table.

"What? No." Abby jerks her chin in his direction. "I mean, you must have had a lot of champagne to drink, so surely, you can’t drive."

"I’ve been nursing water." Cade raises his glass of water in her direction. "I’m in training, so no alcohol."

"Oh—" Abby glances to the left, then the right. "But you must be busy."

"I have nothing on for the rest of the day." He smirks.

"Surely, you have something better to do than drive me to the office."

"Actually, I can’t think of anything better than playing chauffeur."