19. Camryn
Nineteen
Camryn
I take a deep breath, pulling the scent of sun-warmed roses deep into my lungs.
The sun is shining, just starting to dip in the sky, and above me birds sing to each other, chirping the news that I’m about to become Mrs. Brooks.
I watch as a fuzzy bumblebee bumps lazily into the lush rose petals surrounding me, my hands a bit shaky as I adjust my grip on my bouquet.
My stomach feels fizzy, and my heart feels unsteady, like it’s still beating, but tilted at a strange angle.
I take another deep breath and peek around the corner.
My heart flops right over at the sight of Jacob, standing below a wooden arch covered in dark green ivy and white roses, his perfectly tailored suit highlighting his broad shoulders and long legs.
He turns toward the alcove where I’m hiding, and I quickly step back.
I don’t want him to see me before the wedding.
I’m not usually a superstitious person, but today, on my wedding day, maybe I am, just a little.
“Are you ready?” asks my closest friend and maid of honor, Samantha. She’s wearing a lavender hued dress that flows off of her in gauzy strips that flutter in the gentle breeze.
“I am,” I say, and despite the nerves churning through me, my voice sounds steady and sure. Because I am ready. Marrying Jacob is something that I thought I’d only ever dream about, but here we are, on a warm September afternoon, ready to commit ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives.
I peek around the edge of the hedge again, taking in the rows of white chairs filled with our closest friends and family.
My girlfriends from university, a few cousins, Jacob’s family, a handful of his closest, most trusted friends.
It’s a small, intimate gathering, and exactly what we both wanted.
We don’t need a lavish affair to declare our love for each other.
My mom isn’t here, but I can’t say I’m shocked by that.
When we first told her about our relationship, via video call, she was clearly unhappy with it, but put on her usual cold indifference.
We haven’t heard from her since she RSVP’d no to the wedding, but I’m not surprised.
My mother has never taken an interest in my life.
Why would she start now that I’m marrying her ex?
Sam moves behind me, smoothing out invisible wrinkles from my dress.
It’s an A-line style, made almost entirely of ivory lace.
The sweetheart neckline emphasizes my cleavage—in a classy way—and the material flows over my curves.
It’s light and whimsical and perfect for our little church garden wedding.
My enormous diamond engagement ring glints in the light, and I think back to the morning after the gala.
Jacob took me to the most exclusive jeweler in the city, and together we picked out my ring.
Later that night, as we lay naked and sated in each other’s arms, he’d slipped it onto my finger, whispering promises into my hair, breathing them into my skin.
The only other jewelry I’m wearing is the emerald choker around my neck, and my hair is loose, falling in soft waves around my shoulders.
It’s amazing to think that four years ago, I was humiliated and alone in the world, convinced I’d never belong anywhere.
Now, I’m about to walk down the aisle towards the man who’s always made me feel like I’m exactly who and where I’m supposed to be.
The man who saw me when no one else did.
The man who loved me even when it was wrong.
The man who let the world call him all sorts of names when our relationship and engagement became public.
The music starts and Sam gives me a brief hug, then makes her way down the petal-strewn aisle as the sound of a string quartet fills the warm air.
I take a final breath, and then emerge from behind the hedge.
There’s a whispered hush over the crowd as everyone stands, but all I can see is Jacob.
His eyes lock on mine as I start my walk down the aisle, my steps slow and sure.
I might be walking down the aisle alone, but it doesn’t bother me because I’m walking towards the man who means everything to me.
Jacob stares at me with open devotion on his face, his hands clasped in front of him. The sun glints off his dark hair, and he looks so handsome that I can’t breathe. I can’t believe he’s mine.
When I reach him, I hand my bouquet off to Sam, and he takes my hands, his thumbs brushing over my knuckles in a sweet, intimate gesture.
The officiant starts to speak, and I do my best to listen, but I’m a bit lost, staring in awe at the man who’s about to become my husband.
“Love isn’t always convenient,” he says, and that catches my attention, because he’s right. There was nothing easy or convenient about this. About us. “Sometimes, it’s messy. Sometimes, it defies expectations. But when it’s real, fighting for it, choosing it, accepting it comes naturally.”
Amen to that.
Being with Jacob is complicated, but it’s also the easiest choice I’ve ever made. And it’s not just because he has an eight inch dick and billions of dollars in the bank. It’s because of the way he loves me. The way he treats me.
When it’s time for Jacob to recite his vows, he doesn’t repeat words back to me, or read anything off a piece of paper. He holds my hands and gazes warmly into my eyes.
“Camryn, I spent years telling myself I couldn’t have you.
That wanting you was wrong. But the truth is, loving you is the only thing I’ve ever done that’s felt right.
You’re the light in my life—the warmth, the laughter, the home I didn’t know I was missing.
I don’t care what anyone else thinks. You’re mine, and I’m yours.
Today, tomorrow, forever. I promise to cherish you, to protect you, to spoil you rotten, and to remind you every single day how absolutely extraordinary you are. ”
Tears of joy spill down my quavering cheeks. I feel seen, loved, safe. I feel chosen, not in spite of who I am, but because of it.
I take a moment to gather myself, not wanting to recite the vows I’ve memorized through gushing tears.
There’s gentle laughter as Sam steps forward and hands me a tissue.
I take it with a grateful smile and cautiously blot my tears away, not wanting to smear my makeup.
The makeup smearing will come much later, when I’m alone with my husband.
I hand the tissue back and take Jacob’s hands, giving them a squeeze. He squeezes mine, smiling at me reassuringly.
“Jacob, I used to think I wasn’t enough.
That I didn’t deserve to be loved the way I dreamed of, and that happy endings were for other people, but not for me.
But you’ve never made me feel like an afterthought.
You’ve always seen the best in me, no matter the circumstances, and you’ve helped me to see the best in myself.
You’ve given me confidence, safety, and a love so fierce it makes me feel like I’m dreaming.
I don’t care about the whispers or the scandal or the people who think they know our story.
Because this is the happiest ending I could’ve ever imagined.
I promise to love you with everything I have, to stand by your side, and to never let you forget that you’re mine just as much as I’m yours. ”
Jacob’s eyes are bright with emotion, glittering with unshed tears. His grip on my hands tightens, and he mouths the words mine forever at me.
We exchange rings with trembling, eager hands, and the sight of the gold band on his finger makes glitter explode in my heart.
Once the rings are on our fingers, the officiant smiles at us.
“You may now kiss—“ He doesn’t even finish his sentence before Jacob’s kissing me like he’s been starving for me all day.
It’s not a chaste kiss, barely appropriate for a wedding.
It’s deep, and thorough, with way more tongue than we should be using in front of all of these people.
There’s a rippling gasp through the guests coupled with laughter and even a wolf whistle, and all I can do is kiss my husband back.
I fist the lapels of his jacket and hold him close as we claim each other in front of everyone.
When we finally break apart, the garden erupts into cheers. The officiant introduces us, but Jacob and I are still staring at each other, drinking in this moment that feels like both a culmination and a beginning.
“No more secrets, Mrs. Brooks,” he says. “Just us.”
“Just us,” I say, and we walk down the aisle and into the rest of our lives.
Hello gorgeous reader! Thank you so much for reading Camryn and Jacob’s slightly taboo story. If you want more Cammie and Jake, click here to download their bonus epilogue so you can find out exactly what happens on their honeymoon. (Hint: if you like breeding kink, you won’t want to miss it).
Ready for your next obsession?
He’s her most infuriating client.
Twenty-five years older.
And she just kidnapped him…
Possessive. Protective. Absolutely filthy.
Read Accidentally Kidnapping the Mountain Man, the first book in the Honey Ridge series free in KU.
“I’m going to teach you how to open up your throat and let me in,” he says tracing a finger down the front of my throat. “Teach you how nice it feels to have your little belly full of Daddy’s cum.”
“Oh, fuck,” I whisper, my pussy clenching violently at his words. I can feel how wet my panties are. They’re soaked. Absolutely soaked. I’ve never done any of this before, but with Logan, I want to. I want to learn everything. I want to give him everything.
Binge the team!
Three possessive hockey gods.
Three scorching forbidden romances.
One box set that will ruin you for real men.
Read Hat Trick: A Spicy Hockey Romance Collection for free in KU. Get all three Toronto Thunder books with one click!
“With you cheering us on, I’m sure we’ll kick some serious ass,” I tease, and she blushes.
“I’ll do my best. I’m not the loudest, but I’ll make sure to scream every time you have the puck.” Her cheeks are the sweetest shade of pink as she flirts with me.
This is the best day of my fucking life.
“Well, in that case, I’ll make sure to hog the puck all night so I can hear you screaming my name.”