Chapter 25 The Wedding #3
With that, we settled into chitchat, and I was looking forward to when we got to sit down. My heels were already killing me.
When the music changed, and the staff started to guide people to the seating area, Prue and I looped arms together, and I did my best to avoid her fascinator/hat, which was wire covered in gray material wound around and around in a spiral that had a cluster of forget-me-nots in the middle.
“Is that hat Francois?” I asked.
She beamed up at me and cried, “He made it especially for me! Can you believe?”
I’d been to his shop.
I’d seen how he’d fawned all over her.
I totally believed.
“You rock it, sister.”
“It’s not too much?”
It was big, but people could see through the spirals, and she was short.
“It’s perfect,” I decreed as we got to our row and slid in.
We sat.
We waited.
Other people sat.
The parents were escorted in.
The groomsmen came out.
Once Battle got to where he’d be standing (he wasn’t the best man, he was one over), he looked for me.
When he caught my eyes, I threw him a kiss.
He smiled his sexy smile.
The bridesmaids came down the aisle.
The flower girl strewed her petals.
The music changed.
We stood.
Courtney walked down the aisle with her dad.
She looked stunning.
And very, very happy.
* * *
It was closing in on the end of the evening, and Battle and I were on the dance floor.
He’d changed into a tux, and he looked dashing.
I was wearing a flowy, long dress with big purple flowers on it. It had a feminine, frilly ruff around the neck that formed the halter, leaving my shoulders and entire back bare.
And as I swayed in Battle’s arms, he took advantage of that exposed skin by skating his fingers up and down my spine.
It was affecting, but mostly it was affectionate.
With me in my heels, we fit perfectly.
He was a good lead.
And I was so intent on being in his arms, I wasn’t even sure what song was playing.
We were very close, with Battle holding my hand to his chest, my other arm was around his shoulders, and he’d pressed his jaw to the side of my head.
Thus, I just had to adjust it slightly to whisper in his ear, “Do you wanna know something?”
“Is it about you?” he returned my whisper.
“Yes.”
“Then, yes. I want to know everything about you.”
I closed my eyes and drew in a soft breath like I was drawing in his words to hold inside me forever.
Then I shared, “I’m maybe-probably sure that I passed out the minute I saw you because you were so hot.”
His head came up so he could look down at me. “Sorry?”
“Oh. What do you all call it? Not hot. Fit,” I amended.
“I know what you mean, darling. But I’m trying to process the delightful fact you’re telling me you fainted at first sight of me because you wanted to jump me.”
I couldn’t even be annoyed at his interpretation, because it was the correct one.
Though, I gave him an alternate scenario that was definitely fantastical, and only maybe true.
“Also, there might be paranormal activity at The Downs that had me in its thrall.”
He put his jaw to my temple and said, “I prefer the other option.”
I grinned. “I bet you do.”
The music ended, a fast song came on, people who loved to dance and people who were drunk off their asses flooded the dance floor, as per protocol at a wedding reception, and Battle guided me to a chair at a table.
He didn’t sit me in it.
He sat in it and pulled me into his lap.
Definitely.
He was the best chair ever.
He wrapped his arms around me and called my name.
I looked from the dancers to him.
“The second I saw your freckles, I knew I was done for,” he shared.
My heart thudded, and I wrapped my hand along his jaw, whispering, “Baby.”
“I have to stay until the bitter end, darling, but you can go up anytime. Just don’t go to sleep.”
I touched my mouth to his and replied, “If you’re staying, I’m staying with you.”
His fingers at my hip gave me a loving squeeze.
I turned my attention back to the dance floor, but on my way, my gaze caught on Chelsea, who was staring such hate at us, it felt like acid burning my skin.
Battle must have sensed my reaction, because his arms tightened around me protectively and he asked, “What?”
When I looked down at him, I saw him staring at Chelsea.
He turned to me. “Ignore her. She’s behaved, but she’s still a bitter cow. Don’t let her shit ruin a good day.”
“All right,” I agreed.
But, Lord.
Her look of such hostile animosity, I had to admit, it shook me.
However, Battle was right.
It’d been a good day.
Rally and Courtney were happy.
We’d all had a great time.
And I was in love with a man who was in love with me.
Nothing could mess with that.
Not a thing.
* * *
Sex that night at the Lodge with Battle was unlike anything we’d done before.
And we’d pretty much explored the smorgasbord.
But fortunately, there were always new things to introduce to the menu.
Though, I knew what we had that night would always be the best dish served.
Because Battle allowed me to lavish every inch of him with everything I could: lips, fingertips, tongue, eyes.
I did suck his cock, but I didn’t suck him off.
It wasn’t a tease.
It was making love.
And eventually, when I ran the tip of my tongue along the underside of his cock, up his belly, between his pecs, up his throat and took his mouth, he rolled us so he was on top, and he slipped inside.
The touch continued on both our parts as he slowly glided in and out of me, our hands moving on each other’s skin, caressing, giving. I even used my heels to touch him, running them up and down the backs of his thighs as he moved inside me.
And we did all of this while kissing.
As much as I might want it to, it couldn’t last forever. Battle’s movements grew faster, his drives more powerful, our breaths became heavier.
In order that we could breathe, he slid his lips to my neck to nuzzle me there, and I threaded my fingers into his thick, soft hair.
It was the right time, the perfect time, and I wasn’t going to squander it.
I turned my head and whispered, “I’m in love with you, Battle Talyn.”
In response, his face came out of my neck and his mouth took mine in a branding kiss as he shifted his hips and his thrusts slammed into me.
I fisted my hand in his hair, grasped his tight clenching ass in my other, and used my heels in his thighs as leverage to lift my hips to meet his drives.
The whimper that warned of my impending climax vibrated against his tongue, he growled in return, then my moan of orgasm mingled with his groan of the same, and we came simultaneously.
Oh yes.
It was the perfect time.
He glided inside me for a while as he gentled our kiss, before he planted himself and traced his mouth to my ear.
And there, he said, “I’m in love with you too, Vivienne Dupree.”
The best part about that?
I didn’t question it.
Because I already knew it.
Undeniably.