I forced myself to keep my mind as pure as possible—we were in church, after all—and looked Joey in the eye. His were wet, and as I got closer, he blinked and then brought a hand up, thumb rubbing at one eye, fingers at the other. I smiled at him, full to bursting.
Daddy gave me away, Joey took my arm, and the rest of the ceremony was a blur but for the moment Joey slipped the ring on my finger. He’d wanted to surprise me, and he did—my mouth fell open and I didn’t stop staring at my hand for a full ten seconds, so long the guests began to chuckle. It was unbelievably beautiful—a large rectangular diamond surrounded by delicate filigree work in a silver band. Later he would tell me the diamond was emerald cut and the metal was platinum. The ring reminded him of me, he said—lovely and strong all at once. I had no idea how he afforded such a ring, and I never asked. Some things I just learned not to question.
We shared a chaste kiss when the priest pronounced us married, and Joey squeezed my hands. “Mrs. Lupo,” he whispered in my ear as our guests cheered.
I loved every moment of our reception—especially one particular moment when I caught Joey watching me from across the restaurant. Rather than smile, he simply locked eyes with me and jerked his head toward the kitchen. I had a feeling I knew what he meant, and my belly tightened with desire. He excused himself from whomever he was talking to with barely a glance, and he came over and grabbed my hand. Moving quickly, he pulled me through the kitchen door and we flew by the surprised staff. I laughed out loud, glad I’d already removed the veil from my head. I’d have tripped for sure.
The moment the pantry door slammed shut, he kissed me for real, wrapping his arms around me and lifting me right off the ground. “Mmmmm.” He teased my tongue with his. “I can’t wait any longer.”
“Me either,” I said. “But we can’t leave yet.”
“Who said we had to leave?” He set me down and ran his hands up my sides.
I laughed. “Joey, this dress!”
“It’s beautiful.” He kissed his way down my neck, setting my skin on fire. “You’re beyond beautiful.”
I shivered, cradling his head at my chest. “I still can’t believe it. We’re married. We’re actually married.”
“I know.” His words were muffled as he kissed my breasts through my dress. “So even if they miss us, they can’t say anything. And I can’t wait to taste you one more minute.”
He dropped to his knees, lifting the long tiers of my dress up to my waist. Holding them aloft, he pressed his lips to my thighs above the white stockings clipped by garter to my corselette. Moaning again, he brought his mouth to my center, covered by the thinnest layer of loose silk that snapped between my legs. “Back up,” he said.
I did, bracing myself against the pantry door.
“Good. Now put your leg on my shoulder.” I rested the back of one thigh on top of his shoulder, gasping as he nibbled and sucked at me through the silk. “Now the other.” His breath was hot on my skin.
Since his hands were holding up the front of my dress, only his shoulders would hold my weight. But I was so needy for him, I plastered my hands on the door next to my hips and swung my other leg up.
Sometimes being small was a blessing.
Joey easily held me suspended on his shoulders, burying his face between my legs. Unsnapping the step-in with his teeth, his magnificent mouth worked the damp silk aside and he slipped his tongue inside me, eliciting a long sigh of pleasure from deep in my throat.
Eventually he let my dress fall over his head and reached under my backside to hold me to him. I had no idea how he managed not to suffocate, but I was so deliriously aroused I didn’t give it more than a passing thought. He absolutely devoured me, licking and sucking and fucking me with his tongue until I was panting and digging my heels into his back and pounding my hands on the door behind me. When I finally came, I yelled his name so loud I was positive the entire reception heard. He moaned into my pulsing wetness, making me throw my head back, and it banged the door, hard.
I’d have a lump.
I didn’t care.
As I began to breathe again, he kissed each of my inner thighs before helping me stand. “God, I love that.” He hugged my legs from his kneeling position. “I want to do that every day. Twice a day.”
I laughed. “We’ll never leave the house.”
“Fine with me, Mrs. Lupo.”
The name sent a ripple of joy through me. I looked down at him and wished I could see his face in the dark. Smoothing my hand over his hair, I marveled at how we’d ended up here. “I love you.”
He stood and pressed his lips to my forehead before pulling me into his chest. “I love you too.”
I breathed in the scent of him, knowing how lucky I was to be in that moment. So many things could have prevented it—from outside threats to our own stubbornness. “Isn’t it amazing,” I said, “how much has changed this summer?”
“Definitely. Just think about how much you disliked me before now.”
I squeezed him tighter. “I didn’t dislike you. You just drove me crazy with all your teasing.”
“That’s how I showed I cared.”
“Well, you have better ways now.”