Chapter 32
Next May…
Sydney
“You may kiss your bride.”
Colin’s prideful smile has my heart bursting with joy as he leans in to claim my lips for the first time as his wife. Wife. It blows my mind.
The kiss is tender, but it leaves me breathless.
He keeps it PG-13, even though the undertone screams how badly he wants to throw me over his shoulder and find the nearest empty room with a couch to check my garter in.
When he pulls back, the gleam in his eyes tells me I’m right.
If the girls were to take bets, I’d say there’s a fair chance this marriage will be consummated within, give or take, oh… two hours.
Colin winks, lifting my fingers wrapped in his to kiss my knuckles before raising our hands in the air announcing his victory for all the world, ahem, our little gathering, to see. He looks back over to me with a satisfied smirk.
“I love you, Mrs. Jacobsen.”
“I will never get sick of hearing that,” I giddily reply.
“Which part?”
“Both parts. I love you too, husband.”
Colin hums with approval as he wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me back in close for one more kiss. It’s our day. We can kiss as much as we want.
“Alright, alright, alright. It’s time for booze and dancing. Chop chop,” Mark cuts into our little moment, nudging Colin in the back. Never fails.
“Mark…” Colin draws out in a low warning against my lips.
“Just saying. Sooner we get this party started, the sooner you can get your bride in bed,” Mark mutters.
This has his attention. I snicker. Leave it to Mark.
“He makes an excellent point,” Colin mutters against my lips, giving me one more peck as laughter bubbles up in my chest, and he begins to lead us from the altar.
Thankfully, we only have a few more pictures to finish up before heading into the reception hall, which just so happens to be a part of this venue.
I am thankful we were able to snag a booking on such a short timeline.
“The photographer is ready for you guys by the pond,” Holly states, butting in to hand me my flowers. Ava walks up beside her with a clutch and my lipstick to touch up. They’re the best.
“Touch up, and let’s do this!” Jane saunters up beside Garrett who shakes Colin’s hand and pulls him in for a man hug. I’m so glad the guys really took a liking to him. Jane looks devastatingly gorgeous in her bridesmaid’s dress. All my girls do. “I am ready for some wine!”
“I’ll second that!” Ava chimes in.
“You need something stronger than that,” Mark snorts.
Ava glares over at him, biting her tongue while nonchalantly giving him her middle finger. Everybody laughs.
“Oh Ava, Ava, Ava…” Mark goads. “You could use a good fuck.”
“Nope. Not ever going to fucking happen. Who knows where that thing’s been.”
We all burst into laughter as Mark curses under his breath and takes off for the outdoor beer and wine garden we have open for the guests before the actual party begins.
“Thank you for not making me walk with him,” Ava mutters while she stink eyes him as he gets a round of shots for the wedding party.
Pictures went fairly smoothly after Jane and I both promised our husbands dirty wishes would be granted if they could get Mark in line for a few more minutes to finish up.
He seemed to be having a smidge of fun driving Ava up the wall tonight.
Seriously, these two hate each other so hard that sometimes I just wonder… Nah, who am I kidding?
An hour later, our party is finally being announced to the wedding guests.
The beginning beat of Usher, Lil Jon, and Ludacris’s Yeah!
starts, and Garrett and Jane whoop in excitement, leading in first with their crazy antics.
The way they bump hips and hype the crowd up with each “YEAH!” that echoes has Colin and I grinning from ear to ear.
Trystan and Ava go in second, a little more tame since Ava hasn’t loosened up with a few drinks yet.
She leads him in by his tie, and he’s got some shades on, fake checking out her ass.
The crowd roars with laughter. Mark decides to piggyback Holly in before setting her down to jam a smidge.
I seriously have the best group of friends anyone could ask for.
When the DJ announces Colin and I, the whistles, whoops, and hollers are deafening over the clapping and the sound of my blood whooshing in my ears.
He twirls me in and dips me for a slow, swoon-worthy kiss.
After a delectable dinner, Holly gives a toast that nearly has me destroying my makeup.
Mark follows up with a hilarious toast that has me flush from giggles.
Afterward, Colin grabs me by the hand and leads me onto the dance floor for our first dance.
He asked if he could surprise me and pick the song, and I hesitantly obliged him.
When the first notes of Parmalee’s Gonna Love You drift off the speakers, my eyes fill with tears as I look up at him.
The corners of his lips tip up in a warm smile, and he pulls me in close by the waist, capturing a single happy tear with his thumb as the first words “You’re never gonna be alone…
” wash over my ears. My heart swells in my chest. He sways with me and lifts my palm from his chest to kiss it before slanting his lips over mine in utter devotion.
“When I heard this song on the way home from work one evening right after we got engaged, I knew it was the song I wanted for this dance with you tonight. After all we’ve gone through in our pasts, I want you to know that, no matter what, in this moment and in our future, I’m gonna love you.
Just like the song says. With my last breath, the last beat in my chest, I’m gonna love you.
There is nothing life can throw our way that will change that for me. ”
“Best. Surprise. Ever.” I whisper, emotion choking me on every word.
“Thank you,” he says, just as breathless as I am.
“For what?”
“For helping me to dream again. For waking me up. For choosing me. For breathing new life into me.”
“Oh, Colin…” He kisses me again, and I forget anyone else in the room exists.
As we walk back to our table, I squeeze his hand tightly in mine, and he looks over to me.
“In a few minutes, you wanna escape and go make out?”
“You read my mind.”
???
Colin
I leave my bride in the bridal party’s quarters where the ladies got ready in order to freshen back up after I thoroughly ravaged her on the bridal room’s couch.
We managed to keep her hair intact, but her makeup needs a smidge of a touch up.
I straighten my tie, rather pleased with the way I made her gasp my name as I demanded she come on her husband’s cock.
The image of her riding me in her garters with her panties pulled to the side has me almost turning back for more. Shit, am I blushing?
As I make my way back into the party, I see it’s in full swing. The DJ is playing some good rock to get people out on the floor. I wish they still made music like this today.
“Where the fuck have you been?” Mark strides up, pushing a shot into one hand of mine, and a beer into the other.
“Oh, the bridal room,” I say, grinning from ear to ear.
“Nice… now we can party!” He clinks his beer to mine, and we toss back shots first, then swig. His eyes bounce around, prowling as usual.
“So, help me acquire my mission,” he states, licking his lips, and I laugh out loud.
After a few minutes of deliberation and roping Trystan in for help, he settles on a raven-haired beauty over by the bar.
He saunters off over to her, working up his mojo along the way as he loosens his tie.
It never ceases to amaze me how this goes.
He slides up next to her, signaling the bartender with a finger before doing the shy double take, like he “just” noticed her.
She peers across her bare shoulder, looking up at him with her doe eyes and smiles.
He returns it with the panty dropper grin.
Every. Damn. Time. Okay, ninety-five percent of the time. He’s at least leaving with a number.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ava’s squint and hear an audible snarl.
What?! I turn my attention fully her way.
She’s sitting at the main table to my left nursing a glass of white wine and glaring at someone.
I follow her gaze, looking for the source of her disdain.
I’m not really surprised when it lands on the spicy devil himself.
Damn, these two, they fucking live to hate each other.
I snort my amusement before waltzing over to Trystan.
He’s talking to a few of Mark and I’s college friends that decided to make the trip.
It also doesn’t surprise me when I catch the fact he has a perfect view of Brynleigh dancing from where he stands, and he coughs into his arm after choking on his drink when he sees that I notice him watching.
He knows that if I’ve noticed, it’s available for anyone to notice, especially that specific someone flirting at the bar.
The first beats of Ying Yang Twins Salt Shaker sound throughout the room, and I hear Jane holler Sydney’s name across the room.
I chuckle as I see her running for her as she hollers for Ava to get her ass up and on the floor.
Jane grabs my bride’s hand, pulling her away from her mother and stepfather toward the middle of the floor.
Holly whoops as she gives Syd’s mom, Diane, a hug and follows.
Bryn is already out there and squeals when they all congregate, a collection of “I love this song!, This is my jam!, and others I don’t catch because the song is like a freaking magnet for all the chicks.
Really. All of them. I make my way over to Diane and Jim, smiling when I realize my own parents are behind them chatting.
“There’s my boy!” My dad stands and claps my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug.
“Sorry I haven’t had the chance to chat much,” I state, feeling a bit bad that I really haven’t gotten to sit and chat with them for very long. Their flight got in late the night before rehearsal, so it’s kind of been a whirlwind. Dad waves my apology off.
“There’s never enough time to fit everyone in on the big day. Don’t worry about it. We all get it because we’ve been there. Today’s about you. If someone really needs to talk to you, they’ll find you. Have fun, enjoy your bride. That’s what really matters.”
I bend down to give my mom a kiss on the cheek, and she sighs happily before telling me she loves me. I leave them to chat and enjoy getting to know each other more. They all met over Christmas, and I’m so glad they hit it off.
I take my father’s advice and make my way to the dance floor.
Sydney’s glowing with joy, having a blast and is nicely buzzed.
I need to remember to slip her a water when she comes off the floor.
Mark and the chick from the bar, along with Garrett and Trystan, make their way out to us as well.
We spend the next couple of hours dancing and doing shots.
It’s seriously one of the best nights of life, and the night’s still young.
In an hour or so, things will start slowing down.
Then I can whisk my wife off to bed. Wife.
It’s like Sydney has a radar for when she’s on my mind because she pulls away from her friends and dances the two feet over into my arms. She wraps an arm around the back of my neck as she yanks my tie with her other hand to pull my lips down for a steamy kiss that is full of promises for later.