Chapter 57
The bridal party and the moms gathered at the Marinos’ before we all went over to the dress shop. Luca had connected the laptop to the TV and we were scrolling through options for bridesmaid and mother of the bride and groom dresses. Everyone was so excited and giggly, laughing and voting on cuts and colors. I wanted to see the girls in the dresses before I made any concrete decisions. Maybe the vision I had in my head wouldn’t even work.
Luca tiptoed in sheepishly with a hefty tray laden with cups, a pair of teapots, and a plate of cookies piled high. “Hope I’m not interrupting. I wanted to make sure you had enough fuel for the afternoon.”
I patted the empty couch arm next to me, beckoning him to sit. “You can stay if you want. Do you have any votes?”
Luca’s cheeks flushed. “Not really. Everyone’s going to look beautiful regardless.”
“Are you and Sidney hanging out today?”
“That’s the plan since he’s not allowed at dress shopping. We’ll be leaving to play golf with Dad after you ladies are all finished here.”
He got on his knees next to the coffee table and distributed the cups after filling them with the contents of the teapots, carefully arranging a container of cream and a sugar bowl, laying tidy spoons next to each cup.
“I’ll get out of your hair.”
He retreated, but not in a way that read like he was trying to get away from us. I hadn’t spent a lot of time with the youngest Marino, but he was a sweetheart through and through—respectful and helpful to a fault.
Once we had finished everything Luca brought us and narrowed down a short list of dress options, we climbed into two of the cars and made our way over to the shop.
Giddiness bubbled in my chest from the moment we walked through the door. They passed us champagne and got us all arranged in our own area. The attendants brought me a pile of gowns—satin, chiffon, taffeta, and lace nearly drowning me in the dressing room.
I tried them on one after the other, the attendant adjusting them with clips so that they fit perfectly. My friends and family oohed and aahed appropriately. Each of the gowns were beautiful in their own ways, but I knew we hadn’t hit that magic point with any of them.
It was hard for me to pick when I had no idea if I was a ballgown girly or a mermaid-style girly or something I didn’t even know about. I’d never tried on wedding dresses before, but luckily the staff were patient, and asked me a few guiding questions to figure out what to try next.
“I have a few that I think would look really nice.” One attendant disappeared into the mountains of tulle and returned with two options. The first was just as lovely as all the others, but the second…
I started crying on my way up to the dais, Mom bursting into tears, the rest of the bridal falling silent with a sweeping hush. Shimmering satin made my skin glow, the halter neck and flared bottom giving all the luxury of old Hollywood. The attendant hastily pinned up my hair and added a sparkly hair comb that had the rest of the bridal party with their hands over their mouths, eyes misty.
“I love it.” My voice cracked and I started laugh-crying as I spun in place, my fingers running over the smooth fabric.
“You look so beautiful, baby.” Mom was up out of her seat, holding my cheeks in her hands.
“Damn, girl,” Luna said with a laugh. “Nobody’s gonna be able to take their eyes off you at that wedding.”
I spun to see myself in the mirrors, imagining all the little details that would bring the whole look to absolute perfection on the actual day. Hair up to show off the neckline, earrings, but no necklace, maybe a sparkly brooch where the neckline plunged. I traced my fingertips over the tiny bit of ruching where the brooch could go. I would definitely need red nails to match the pop of my engagement ring against the white.
“Okay, well, I’m definitely going to get this. Veil or no?”
“I think a half veil would be pretty,” said Nicky.
“I think so too,” Meg added. “Try on whatever length you want, but I feel like the full-length veil might take away from some of the grandeur of the dress.”
“What about one of those cute little lace doodads they use in England?” Luna gestured at her head, wiggling her fingers.
“A fascinator?” Mom asked.
“Yeah, one of those.”
I tried on all three, and ended up with a fourth option that was similar to the fascinator in that it was a clear net with pearls, but a similar length to the half veil so it looked like they were floating around me like tiny stars.
“You look so beautiful, Allie,” Mama Marino told me, wiping a tear off her cheek. “You’re the first bride in the family and I’m so excited for your wedding.”
After a few more tears and smiles, the attendant took everything I had selected and set it aside so we could start on everyone else. The girls were way too cute, striking poses when they all emerged together in each of the options. Luca was right that they all looked beautiful in everything, but I was wiggling with excitement when they all emerged wearing the dress I had thought of from the start for them. Each of them were gowned in red, with a tea-length bell skirts, sweetheart necklines, and a delicate brocade pattern that wove over the fabric.
“Yes! Absolutely yes. You all look like princesses.” Thank goodness the dress shop had a plethora of shades of red and that there was one that actually looked good with all of their skin tones and hair. “Now it’s time for the mamas!”
The girls and I settled in with fresh glasses of champagne and sipped away until the moms found an adorable set of inverse gowns. They were black and a red similar to the bridesmaids’ but a few more shades subdued, one having a black top and red bottom, and the other with a red top and black bottom.
My cheeks hurt from smiling and I was lightheaded both from the champagne and the laughter through the day. I felt the same at our engagement party a month later, and the wedding planning when we all tucked together to work on details, and the bridal party the month after that.
The time between the engagement and our wedding disappeared in a blink. Almost a year went by in a blur of friends, family, and more blissful nights with my mate than I could count. My apartment lease had finished and I’d moved permanently into Sidney’s place.
We had just gotten another litter of pups settled with their forever homes when Sidney wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his cheek on top of my head. “Could I interest you in a camping trip?”
“I don’t know how much of a camp girly I am. Are we talking sleeping under a tarp on the ground or are we talking glamping?”
“Glamping. I know how attached you are to running water.”
“So true.”
Sidney chuckled and hugged me tighter. “I thought you might like a resurgence of the game we played last year.”
Delight sparkled up my spine, warmth pooling in my belly. “The hunting game?”
“The very one. Adds a bit more edge to it if we’re out in the woods.”
“You’re gonna go full predator on me.” The idea had heat thrumming through me from head to toe. “I could get on board with running through the trees.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing it’s a long weekend and I thought ahead to book us a secluded cabin.”
“Don’t tell me that. Now I wanna go right now.”
“Fortuitous that I already packed a bag.”
I spun around, blinking at him. “Are you serious? We could go right now?”
“We can. I thought it would be a good time since all of the babies just went to their homes and you might feel more comfortable somewhere else for a few days.”
Emotion knotted in my chest and I rose up on my toes to kiss him, flinging my arms around his neck. “How do you know me so well?”
“I just pay attention to what I love.”
“You’re getting so fucking lucky tonight. Let me do a quick check to make sure you didn’t miss any of my essentials.” I placed a quick peck onto his lips and then dashed into the bedroom, digging through the overnight bag and finding everything I needed.
I bounced in my seat the whole drive out, eager for the time away and also for the promised pleasure.
When we came to a stop in front of a lakeside cabin, I was out of the car like a flash. Sidney had picked up the key from the owner on our way in, and soon enough we were nestled inside the charming log house.
“Sexy hunt tonight or tomorrow?”
“We can do tonight if you take me on a walk so I don’t accidentally trip down a ravine or something.”
“Of course. Safety first.” His eyes gleamed as he approached me. “I selected this place in particular because of the flat terrain so you can run freely without much danger.”
I did a quick change, trading my outfit for a yellow sundress to give him easy access, and swapping my flip flops for slightly sturdier ballet flats. I tied my hair back to keep it out of the way and also provide a convenient handle for when Sidney inevitably caught me.
“You look edible,” he told me. “Let’s get you familiarized with the grounds so we can get a move on.”
Nervous excitement jumped in my belly as I followed him out. It was near sunset already, and we probably only had half an hour of light remaining, but it was enough to make a few rounds in the nearby trails and scope out any hazards.
“You’re sure this is okay?”
“Should be fine. Just go straight ahead or back the way we came instead of left or right too far. Each of the cabins has a decent amount of space and wood surrounding it. Any questions? Concerns?”
“I don’t think so. I got the basic idea of the hunt when we played at the house.”
“Perfect.” He stepped off the trail and closed his eyes. “Better run, kitten. We’ve got about two minutes before the light is gone behind those hills and that’s all the head start you’re going to get.”
I bolted down the trail as quietly as I could. There was a switchback loop about five minutes walk away where a boulder bisected the path. I figured that would be as good of a hiding place as any and then I had two routes of escape so the game wouldn’t end immediately. I hadn’t quite anticipated how much more potent this would be outdoors. My heart was kicking against my ribs, aware of both my mate ready to come for me but also any potential predators hiding in the woods. Every single prey instinct was on full alert as I trotted down the dirt path, the light disappearing with frightening speed.
Every rustle in the trees had my heart leaping into my throat, but I was pretty sure it was just a squirrel and not something much bigger that had its eye on me. The sticky heat of the summer night pressed against me, making my skin damp before I was chilled by the breeze trailing its fingers over me.
“Come out, little kitten.”
I pressed tighter to the stone with a shiver and tried to keep my breathing quiet. My ears strained, but apparently my mate had a step that was light as hell. I couldn’t tell where he might be.
“There you are.” His voice was alarmingly close and I bolted in a blind panic before he could reach me, launching with my hands in the dirt and flinging back down the path toward the lake.
I wasn’t much of a runner, but the surge of adrenaline kept me going, urging me on until I burst through the trees. The cabin was lit up like a beacon, and the moonlight reflected off the gently rippling water. I had half a mind to run around the cabin and go straight back into the woods, but the extra length of Sidney’s stride thwarted me. His weight crashed against my back and I tumbled to the sand at my feet, his arms wrapped protectively around me to soften the landing. Sidney’s hand was over my lips to silence my squawk, his body over mine in the darkness.
“Poor little kitten,” he crooned. “I thought you would give me more of a challenge.”
I squirmed in his grip, my fingers digging into the sand, but my wriggling only served to bring his cock to full attention. He growled in my ear, sending goosebumps spiraling over my skin, heat pooling at the apex of my thighs. I was too busy trying to claw my way along the sand to continue the game that I didn’t notice how quickly the skirt of my dress was flipped and his cock was freed from his pants to rock through my slick.
My core tightened and I melted instantly. My body knew what to expect, how to submit to the pleasure I knew he would give me. The fact that we were out under the moonlight where anyone who wanted to cross the property lines could see us only made my heart beat faster.
Who knew getting fucked in the sand under pale moonlight would do it for me? Sandy grit wedged beneath my nails as I dug my fingers into the damp sand.
This was what I had wanted and failed to receive from every person that wasn’t him. He let me tap into every fantasy and desire, let me play any game I pleased so I could learn about every deep and dark recess of who I was and what I wanted.
I lost my breath when he fucked into me, his fingers keeping a steady grip on my mouth, succeeding in muffling only a portion of the sounds as he rode me there on the beach. My eyes were rolled back, muscles shaking, the silent begging chant the only thought in my head as I shattered.
His grip loosened a fraction as I came. I wanted the game to continue so I took the opportunity and launched away, evading his fingertips as he reached for me. My body protested the new emptiness on the tail end of the raw pleasure, but I let the adrenaline take over and raced down the beach. The pounding of his feet against the sand triggered every primal instinct I possessed, and I pushed on, my ballet flats flinging off my feet, my bare skin cool against the dampness.
I squawked when his arm wrapped around my waist and lifted me clean off the ground to toss me over his shoulder.
“Not fast enough, kitten.”
The world tilted on its axis and I was suddenly upside down, my dress flipped and exposing my whole lower half to the night air. I nearly leapt out of my skin when Sidney’s mouth descended against my cunt, his arms holding me so tightly I could barely breathe. I squirmed uselessly, unable to gain any purchase to do more than that.
My face burned from the rush of blood as I hung there, Sidney’s cock tented behind his pants mere inches from my face. I wrapped my arms around his waist, desperate for a little more security in this position while I smothered the moans he coaxed from me. The world tilted again and he set me onto soft grass. I didn’t even have a chance to orient myself before he got his hand on my ponytail and hoisted up my hips to fuck smoothly back into me. He didn’t try to muffle my sounds this time.
I serenaded the night, my body eager to absorb every thrust from him, the slight sting on my scalp from his grip only heightening every sensation. The fabric of my dress served as a textured barrier between his sand-covered fingers and my clit, the roughness only making me vibrate with desire, coming on the beach for all our neighbors to hear.
Sidney fucked me through one more rise before he let go himself, driving deep and pinning me in place as warmth bloomed deep inside me.
“Come on, kitten.” Sidney purred, nuzzling my shoulder. “Let’s get you all tidied up so I can take you apart again in the hot tub.”
Mine.
He was all fucking mine—to love, to play with, to explore a whole lifetime together—and sooner than I could blink, we were going to declare that for the world to see.