Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Bray
Over the years, Carly has made me watch one too many romance films. And there’s usually a scene where the woman walks into a room all dressed up and the man just loses it for her. I’m pretty sure I’m living that experience right now.
If I wasn’t sure I had fallen for Carly before this very moment, there’s zero doubt any longer as she steps down the stairs in a lavender evening gown that dips in a low “v” between her breasts.
Her long hair falls around her shoulders in waves, with a little of it pulled off her face and held back with a barrette that has a diamond butterfly pattern on it.
A single matching butterfly pendant lies between her breasts on a silver chain.
She looks breathtaking. Zero trace of the marker is left.
I can tell she’s put on makeup, but it looks natural, which I love.
I like Carly just as she is. She doesn’t need to cover up her natural beauty in any way.
A second later, Ava comes flying down the steps behind her mom. Fuck. She’s growing up fast. She looks like a mini replica of Carly. She grins as she reaches me, and I put out my arms.
She jumps into them, and I spin her around while she giggles.
“You ladies look lovely,” I say as I put Ava on my hip so that I can look back at her drop-dead-gorgeous mother.
Carly’s cheeks turn pink. “Mommy is a princess and so am I,” Ava announces.
“That’s right, Peanut. You are my two princesses,” I say as I kiss the top of her head. She leans her face on my shoulder and looks up at me. Fuck, I’d do anything for this kid.
“Miss Cam says I get to wear a flower crown,” she whispers.
“I bet you do. We should head over there so you can get your crown, Princess Ava,” I whisper back, and she giggles and nods.
I set her down and take her hand in mine. She looks up at me with such trust and love that it nearly steals my breath. How did I get so lucky to be a part of her life?
“Come on, Unca Bray. Stop staring,” she says.
I look up and glance at Carly, who is wiping a tear from her eye. I give her a look, silently asking if she’s OK.
She nods and blushes. I hold out my elbow, and she walks over, slipping her arm through mine.
“I do believe I am the luckiest man alive,” I state proudly as Ava opens the door, and we step out into the heat of the afternoon.
For reasons that I’ll never understand. Cam has decided that she has to get married at exactly one eleven in the afternoon.
Apparently, it’s some angel number thing for new beginnings and also happens to be the address of our apartment building.
It’s exactly noon as we walk down the path to where the ceremony will be. The wedding party, consisting of their immediate family and Drew, is all circled around Cam.
“Fletcher wants to know if he can come out yet to see you?” Vito asks.
“Yes, I’m ready,” Cam says with excitement. The wedding is super informal, but Cam had a few specifics that were non-negotiable. And since Cam and Fletcher negotiated their nuptials at happy hour one night, we all got to hear about every single detail.
The photographer motions for Cam to stand at the end of the trail leading from the back steps of the property.
There’s a commotion in the bushes nearby, but everyone is watching the bride and groom.
Fletcher’s brothers walk him down the steps while making sure his eyes stay closed.
I’m pretty sure that Cam would murder him if he didn’t comply, so I don’t know why they keep telling him to keep his eyes closed.
When he reaches the bottom step, they leave him.
“Uh, Cam, help me out here?” Fletcher asks.
Cam giggles. “You can open your eyes,” she says as she stands there, clearly enjoying the moment. But then Drew jumps out of the bushes and steps in front of her while wearing a blow-up dinosaur costume with a wedding gown on it.
Fletcher opens one eye and starts laughing. “What the fuck?” he says as he doubles over.
“What? No kiss?” Drew asks.
Fletcher is wiping tears from his eyes. Everyone is laughing, even the videographer.
“Where’s my bride, asswipe?” Fletcher says.
“Fletcher!” his mother scolds. Fletcher waves him off as Drew steps to the side.
Suddenly, Fletcher isn’t laughing anymore as he takes in Cam. His grin widens, and now his tears seem more sentimental.
“Fuck, Camryn Tanner, you’re the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen,” he says quietly, but we can all still hear him. He steps forward and cups her face in his hands.
Suddenly, dinosaur Drew is pulling him away.
“Oh, no. No kissing yet, Romeo. We need to take a few photos, and then we can all get in our places,” Drew states as the woman who does event planning at the vineyard steps in and begins barking out directions.
The next half hour is filled with family photos, neighbor photos, wedding party photos, bride and groom photos, and a few impromptu photos with a beloved dinosaur bride.
By the end of the photoshoot, we’re all just doing silly photos, until the wedding planner claps her hands and ushers the wedding party into the main house while asking the guests to take their seats.
Family and friends sit. Carly and I sit side by side near the back. I press my leg against hers, and she looks over at me. I grin at her like an idiot in love, and she smiles back.
A moment later, a quartet begins to play, and the wedding starts.
The double doors open, and out walks Ava.
She is indeed wearing her crown of flowers, and she carries a basket full of rose petals.
She scatters them around and then does a little twirl.
Everyone laughs at her antics as she practically skips down the aisle to the front, whispering, “Hi, Mommy,” as she passes us, followed by the rest of the wedding party.
Carly laughs. I take her hand and squeeze it. I bring her hand to my lap and hold it there, not letting go as we stand when Cam walks down the aisle.
As Cam and Fletcher declare their love in front of everyone, I envision doing the same with Carly one day.
By the time they are announced man and wife and kiss passionately in front of all of us to the hooting and hollering of friends and family, I want to find a place to get Carly alone and show her exactly how much I need her.
I let go of her hand as we all clap. The next few minutes are a whirlwind as we are ushered up to the patio for cocktails.
Dinner will be this evening, along with dancing, but guests are encouraged to relax and hang out for a few hours beforehand since Cam just had to get married at a very specific time.
“Stop being so grumpy!” Carly says as we stand at a table with drinks. I realize I’m frowning because I want more distractions so I can smuggle Carly off to a corner and take that dress off her.
The kids are back to playing in the grassy area while the adults talk and visit. Cam and Fletcher visit with everyone and enjoy their time in the spotlight. After congratulating the happy couple, I grab Carly’s hand and drag her into the mansion.
“Where are we going?” she laughs as she follows me.
I take her back to the secret library and push her inside, shutting the door behind me and caging her against a nearby wall.
“What are we doing here?” she whispers as she looks around us. I take her chin in my hand and force her to meet my gaze.
“I can’t stop staring at you, Carly. I need to feel you. I need to touch you,” I say as I attempt to calm my breathing.
She blushes again, and I watch that rosy color spread across her chest. “But—” she starts, and I place a finger over her lips.
“We have time. Ava is preoccupied, along with everyone else. No one will miss us for a few minutes,” I insist as I trail my finger down the column of her throat to the top of her breasts.
Her nipples harden beneath the fabric. “You have the most gorgeous breasts,” I murmur as I trace them. Her chest heaves at my words.
“I think my lady likes dirty talk.” I grin against her cheek as I lean forward and suck on her neck. Her hands come to my shoulders as she tries to keep herself upright.
“I just want a little taste,” I assure her before dropping to my knees in front of her. She gasps.
“What are you doing? Get back up here,” she protests as I run a hand up the inside of her leg.
“I’ll come back up there in a second. But first, I want you to come on my tongue,” I insist as I pull up her dress and go beneath it.
A breathy laugh escapes her as I come face-to-face with black lace panties. Fuck, even her underwear is sexy. I kiss the inside of her thigh, and she trembles.
“Don’t be nervous, Carls. You’re perfect,” I assure her as I drag a finger along the seam of her underwear and push it to the side, revealing her to me.
I run my nose up her slit and then separate her folds with a finger, circling her engorged clit before sucking on it.
She jumps at my touch but then melts into it with a moan.
“That’s right, baby. Let me make you feel good,” I say as I begin stroking down to her entrance with my tongue while pushing a single finger inside her. Shit. She’s so tight. I replace my finger with my tongue and her body shakes.
“So fucking good,” I mutter as I continue to lap at her and then head back to her clit while pushing two fingers inside her, stretching her because there is no way I’m not getting inside this perfect pussy tonight.
I keep going until I hear her breath become ragged, and then I slowly add a third finger while flicking my tongue faster.
I feel her inner muscles convulse around me as she stifles a cry, her hands flying to my head from over the fabric of her dress.
I lap at her, tasting her until she calms, and then I slowly pull my fingers free and adjust her underwear before pulling her dress out so I can climb out from beneath the skirt.
When we’re eye level again, and I can see just how flushed she is, I suck my fingers clean while maintaining eye contact.
“So fucking good,” I repeat. She shivers and sucks in a shaky breath.
“Is it hot in here, or is it just me?” she says on a laugh.
I smirk. “You’re the only thing that’s hot in here, Carls,” I coo as I kiss her so she can taste herself. She groans into my mouth as I swipe my tongue along hers before pulling away.
“OK, I can make it through dinner now,” I announce. She looks down at my pants and raises an eyebrow.
“You sure about that?” she asks as she grips me through the fabric of my pants. I bat her hand away and adjust myself.
“Yeah, he’s not coming until he’s buried inside you,” I grumble.
She holds up her hands. “OK, OK. If you insist, but we’ll have to wait till Ava’s sleeping,” she says.
I nod. “We will. Now let's get back out there,” I say as I give her a quick kiss and lead us back outside to what will surely be the longest few hours of my life.