I capture her mouth with mine, admiring how strong she is, but the answering moan speaks to the primal part of me and I move on top of her, kissing my way down her chest, stopping at her hardened nipples and taking one into my mouth.
A sharp gasp leaves her at the sensation it elicits and I grin against her skin, flicking my tongue once more before I move over to the other one, giving it equal attention.
“Nate…” she moans again, causing me to lift my head. I swallow any doubts I had about touching her below the waist before kissing down her stomach, watching her as she watches me in fascination.
My hands move of their own accord, gliding down her thighs as I move my head, kissing my way down the inside of one. When I look up, I see her eyes turn glassy with tears and I immediately feel guilty, pushing back up toward her.
“Lia, we don’t have to do this.” My thumb brushes the apple of her cheek.
“I want to more than anything. When I’m watching it’s like I can remember what it felt like.” She lifts her hand, cupping my cheek. “I’m not upset, Nate. It’s a good thing; I promise.”
Threading her fingers through my hair, she pulls me toward her, kissing me with a passion I can’t ignore, throwing gasoline onto the roaring flame and igniting my need for her.
I place myself over the top of her completely, sliding a hand underneath her back and guiding her down until our hips are aligned. I lower myself on top of her gently before I rock forward as I enter her, a gasp leaving her mouth making me pull back, my eyes wide. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
She smiles. “I can feel you inside of me, Nate. I can feel you.”
Placing gentle kisses against her jaw, I keep a steady motion as I pull her closer, holding her to my chest as I continue my controlled thrusts, eliciting soft moans from her.
I pull back to look into her eyes, captivated by her completely. No one has ever come close to making me feel the way I do just by looking at her. She was right in front of me the whole time and it only took me being off my guard to be knocked off my feet by everything she is.
The pleasurable smile on her face is enough to send me over the edge, but I hold on a little longer, willing myself to slow down as I nip at her bottom lip.
Her fingernails dig into my shoulder blades as she whispers, “Nate… I love you.”
Capturing her mouth with mine as we both lose control, I swallow down her moans, both of us pouring our hearts and souls into this one kiss. It’s epic, the kind of epic you only read about. With this one kiss, I vow no matter what, I’ll always be there through the good times and the bad.
“I’ll love you for the rest of my life.”
I take a look in the mirror once my mom has shut the door behind her, my gaze skirting around my perfectly made-up face before landing on my blond hair that’s pinned at the base of my neck, trailing over one shoulder in soft curls.
When Nate suggested we get married quickly, I didn’t think twice about it. I know in my heart and soul he’s it for me—he owns me completely. So when we realized it was nearly our one year anniversary for our first date, we knew it was fate to get married on the exact same day.
Lifting my hand, I brush my palm over the veil Charlotte placed at the bottom of my updo, the soft, delicate material of the silk tulle flowing through my fingers.
&nb
sp; My gaze drifts lower, soaking in my beautiful dress. A dress I knew would be perfect because Charlotte made it especially for me.
The doorbell rings and I spin my chair around, moving forward and opening it up, not expecting to see Charlotte’s face beaming at me.
Her smile is spread wide, her eyes taking in the beautiful ring. She rushes forward, grasping my hand and gasping as she says, “My God, it’s beautiful.”
A grin spreads across my face when I continue to look at the Edwardian style ring: the 1.64 carat diamond is surrounded with two sharp-edged ovals filled with more diamonds on either side.
“It is,” I murmur, my voice full of fascination and awe. It’s been two days since Nate proposed and the date has already been set for nine weeks from now—the exact date we had our first date.
“We need to make you a dress that’ll do this ring justice,” she says, stepping inside fully as I wheel my chair back, a leather folder tucked under her arm as she shuts the door.
“Make me a dress?” I ask.
“Yep,” she walks over to the sofa, her heels clicking on the hardwood floor. “You didn’t think I’d let you buy an off-the-rack dress, did you?”
“Well… I… Do we have enough time?”
“We sure do!”
The dress does do the ring justice. My eyes tear up when I trail my fingers over the deep V that dips between my breasts, the skin-colored overlay holding onto the intricate lace pattern that’s been hand sewn onto the bodice. The lace flows gently over the wispy white skirt of the dress and into the split running up my left leg, giving the illusion it’s there but still having the modesty of being covered. The back dips all the way down to the bottom of my spine, showing off my whole back, lace interwoven into the small portion of my dress at the base of my neck.