For the Love of Dixie (Kings of Chaos 3)

“By the power invested in me in the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you Mr. and Mrs. Joel Sherman Spencer. You may kiss your bride.”

I close my eyes and our lips meet. It’s the sweetest kiss he’s ever given me. We pull back.

“Hello, wife,” he says.

“Hello, husband.” Something warm unfurls inside of me as he takes my hand and we lace our fingers together. United, we walk down the aisle together, one for the first time. We reach the end and petals fall down on our heads. I can’t help but giggle. He spins me in a circle. I feel like a princess.

“I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I am never letting you go,” Echo says, brushing my ear with his lips.

I shiver, as we’re led over for pictures.

Too many photos later, we’re leaving the chapel with a cd of the ceremony, photos, and a license.

“How do you feel?” I ask.

“Good, finally whole,” Echo answers.

“Whole?” I repeat, hanging on to the specific word.

“While you were gone, I was acutely aware that something was missing. You balanced me. I think… You saved me from becoming my father.”

I gasp. “No, you could never be like that.”

“I wouldn’t believe it. But I was raised to be ride or die. I would’ve followed him anywhere before you and I got serious. Whether I agreed with him or not, I felt I had to be there for him. Especially after Mom left, you know? Us men needed to stick together was what he preached daily.”

“Because he knew your heart wasn’t in it,” I suggest.

“You think he knew?” Echo asks.

“I think so. I think he knew it about Charm, too, but he’d never showed him his ugliness the way he did you. So Charm was still seeing him through rose-colored glasses.”

“You’re smart as hell, you know that?”

I giggle. “Thank you.”

“What do you want to do now?” Echo asks.

“Whatever you want to do.”

His eyes darken. “I want to fuck my wife in her wedding dress. I’ve never had sinless sex.”

“Is that right?” I whisper.

“Mmm-hmm.” He nods his head.

“In that case, we need to go back to our room and test it out.”

“I think we can do better than that,” he says.

“You have something in mind?” I ask, feeling adventurous.

“Bucket list, babe, we’re in Vegas.”

My breasts swell and my core begins to heat. “Wherever you lead, I’ll follow,” I say coyly.

He grabs my hand and we hail a cab. When we’re dropped off in front of the high roller Ferris Wheel, I can’t help but laugh. It’s Vegas’ version of the mile high club. The thirty minute ride displays an amazing view of the city with its futuristic bulb like white carts with large windows. It’s a week night, luckily for us, so it’s slow.

We walk up to the ticket booth and Echo goes into action. “Hi ma’am. My wife and I just got married, and I wondered if it’d be possible to enjoy our first activity as a married couple by ourselves,” he says with an easy smile.