Epilogue
Mark
It’s everything I hoped and tears tingle in my eyes.
She’s not wearing white because why would she? My little princess has her own style and the soft pink dress is perfect for her. The dress skims her lush curves and the smile on her face dazzles my poor eyes.
She’s a vision. And she’s about to be mine for the rest of our lives.
My buddy, Liam, leans over and smirks. “I see you crying. You know Chris had a bet that you would.”
“Assholes,” I mutter out of the side of my mouth.
But it doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Lily comes to stand beside me and her cinnamon eyes are so bright it’s like stars dance in them. I can’t look anywhere but at her.
“Who gives this woman to this man?”
Casey smirks. “I do. Somebody has to take care of the guy when I’m gone.”
Everyone laughs and I glare at her. “You can still be grounded, you know!”
“You know it’s true,” she sasses. And then she heads back to her seat in the front of the church. It’s only about a third full but that’s all we needed here to say our vows. Just our immediate friends and family. Just the people who matter most in our lives.
The rest of the ceremony is a blur because all I see is warm cinnamon, freckles and curves that I’m dying to get my hands on again as soon as the formalities are over.
“Pay attention,” she hisses as everybody else laughs.
The pastor is staring at us and I grimace. “I do?”
He shoots me a warning look and then turns to my bride and smiles. She doesn’t need to be told what to do or say. Her attention is focused on all of it.
But when she says “I do,” there are tears in her eyes and she moves closer to me, giving me a watery smile.
“By the power vested in me by the state of Montana, I now declare you husband and wife.”
Before he can finish, I’ve got her in my hands and my lips on hers and once again, everything’s right with my world. I’ve got my wife, my daughter and a business that’s growing by leaps and bounds.
A future that stretches out in front of us, golden and bright and hopefully, forever. Because that’s how long my love will last.
Into our next life and beyond.
She moans and clings to me and the assholes around us clap, the music changing to the one we’re supposed to walk out on but neither of us move.
Lost in our kiss, our touch and our own happiness.
This moment is special, everlasting and I never want it to end. Never want to let her go.
The world can just fucking wait. I groan into her mouth and kiss her gently, thoroughly.
Like she deserves.