It’s not until the priest speaks again that we break our kiss. And he asks, “How’s the finger, wife?”
“Not bad, husband,” I tell him, drinking in his dazzling smile as though it’s all I’ll ever need to see me through life.
Chapter 43
FLEUR
We’re standing outside one of the outbuildings. It’s not cold, but the breeze is cool enough to make me shiver as it blusters through. The long veil wraps around us, and without warning, Casper begins to work it loose.
“You want to keep that on?” he asks about the tiara once he’s got the veil strewn over his shoulder.
“I think Arabella worked it into my hair so that it wouldn’t fall off.”
Casper studies it. “Why’d you let her do that?”
“Some battles aren’t worth fighting.”
He nods, taking my hand and checking my finger. He stares at it in the dim light cast from the lampposts dotted around us. Kissing it, he holds my stare.
“Blood of my blood,” he murmurs.
I bite my lip at the low gravel of his voice. My insides are still all over the place. The butterflies won’t settle. And God, I really wish that we could do more than kiss. As full as I am with all the emotions and feelings of today, I want to be filled by him.
My muscles clench south of the border, and my heart stutters as Casper trails his lips down to my wrist, pulling me closer as he lightly nips and kisses up my arm until I’m flush to him.
“I am in awe of you,” he breathes into my ear, setting off goosebumps all over my skin. “Completely and utterly in awe.”
I inhale his scent and warmth into my lungs, holding it in as I trace his jaw with my lips. Cupping his face, I touch the tip of my nose to his.
“Ditto,” I tell him, prisoning his stare.
“Close your eyes, Trouble.”
“Shouldn’t you be calling me Mrs. Trouble?” I do as he told me, dropping my hands to my waist where I clasp them over my somersaulting tummy.
“Nah-ah.” He blows over my neck as he rounds me to stand at my back. “Mrs. Gladstone, you’re just plain old trouble.”
I squirm at the sound of him addressing me with his name. He hasn’t actually done it yet, and hearing it now makes me feel giddy.
A hand wraps around my waist, holding both of mine while he walks us forward, our bodies pressed together. He opens a door, and I’m so tempted to open my eyes, but I don’t. I keep them screwed tightly shut as he guides me into the warm, floral-scented air.
There’s a sweet undertone that makes my mouth water as well as a slight tang of rosemary and sage. My tummy chooses that moment to rumble. I didn’t realise how hungry I am. My excitement today meant that I couldn’t stomach much throughout the day.
“Open.”
I don’t wait a single second. Maybe I should have because I am completely thwarted by my surroundings. It’s incredible. Small chandeliers hang from chains over one long table. A long silver silk runner trails the middle of the dark wood with several pretty flower arrangements atop, with more candles.
It’s not a polished room. The walls are chipping. The concrete floor is rough beneath the large Persian rug taking up most of the space. But it’s perfect. Like Casper. Rough, but perfect for me.
“Do you like it?” he asks.
I’m speechless as I nod up at him, grinning from ear to ear. After a beat, when composure finds me again, I ask, “Did you do all this?”
“We all did it. Arabella and Cassie had us set most of it up last night.”
“I thought you were trying to talk to Freddie.”
“Not all night.”