When I look over at Carl, he’s smiling.
“We got married in our room?” It makes me laugh a little as I end my sentence. “Please, don’t tell me I was naked.”
He clears his throat.
“Oh my God, was I naked?”
“No, ma’am. You were not.”
“So Vaughn is in our room?” I start walking across the terrace, but Carl’s hand reaches out and stops me.
“Do you remember anything else? Your dress?”
I stare at him and then look down at my clothes. “I got married in this, didn’t I?”
He nods. “Minus the shoes. You said your dogs were barking.”
I turn away and chuckle. “I wish I had a picture.”
“Mr. Asher was afraid the media would get a hold of them. But he said, if you want, he can arrange it for tonight.” Carl pauses to see if I’ll answer him. “Would you like pictures of tonight?”
“Are we getting married?”
“I think that’s up to you.”
“Is he waiting in the room?”
“Yes, he is. But he wanted me to ask if you’d like a real dress this time. I’ve got the shops open for you and a selection of dresses waiting for your choosing.”
Do I want a dress? “No. I don’t want a dress. Like it or not, this was my wedding dress.”
“I understand.” And then he offers me his arm again. “Shall we go upstairs?”
I only vaguely remember nodding my head and letting him lead me away. My stomach flutters inside and I feel a little lightheaded.
Vaughn Asher is waiting for me. He’s waiting to marry me. He flew me here on his private jet and he’s trying to recreate our wedding night. Good God, he is the perfect man.
When we get off the elevator on our floor, Carl leans into my ear. “I’m going to wait here until you’re ready. Do you remember your vows?”
“Vows?”
He smiles at me and urges me to walk forward to the Grand Lakeview Suite that we were in back in September. “Don’t worry, ma’am. It will come back to you.”
I walk forward, trying to put that last question out of my head. And when I reach the door, I notice that it’s propped open with the swing-latch. I push the heavy door open, step inside, and then let it fall closed behind me.
I can see him standing at the end of the long hallway, backlit by the spectacular Bellagio fountains. He’s got on a black tux. Maybe even the one he was wearing that night because it was the premiere for Invisible Man 2. His hands are folded in front of him, and he’s smiling so wide I can’t help but smile back.
“Mrs. Asher.”
“Mr. Asher.”
He steps forward and meets me halfway, then takes my hand and leads me over to the dining table where there’s a spectacular array of fruits and bite-sized morsels. “You liked this part, right?”
I nod as I stare up at his blue eyes. “I did.”
And then he points down to the sheepskin rug. “And that as well, correct?”
I sigh as I think about lying on the rug with him that night. I was drunk. The room was spinning a bit. But this fur felt so damn good I did not care about anything else but lying down on it. “The sheepskin rug makes everything better.”
“I love that you love it.”
I bend my knee to lower myself down on the rug, but he pulls me back up. “No, sweets. You misunderstand.” And then he guides me to the chair. “It’s your turn to sit and my turn to kneel.”
I think I might cry as he urges me to sit and then I cover my mouth with my hand as he gets down on one knee and presents me with a turquoise blue box.
“Grace Kinsella. I didn’t do this right the first time. I never asked you properly.”
He’s spinning me around the terrace and I’m laughing. Partly because I’m drunk and partly because it feels so good to be happy. He makes me so damn happy.
“Why are you smiling?” he asks, stopping the twirl to pull me towards him. My hands go to his hard chest, pressing up against his muscles like they want to ward him off. But I don’t want to ward him off at all. I want him to hold me close.
“Because I’m happy.”
“I love to make you happy. I could make you happy forever, you know. I could be your prince.”
“I think you could too.”
He unleashes a dimpled smile that stuns me silent. “I think you should make me legally required to make you happy, Kinsella.”
“How does one go about doing that, Asher?”
“One makes it legally binding though a very special happiness ceremony. I promise to make you happy and you promise to let me.”
“Hmmm.” I laugh. “I like that promise.”
“So say yes.”
“Yes.”
“No,” he says frowning a little. “I mean, really say yes.”
“Yes, Mr. Asher, I will marry you. That is what you meant, right?”
“That’s what I meant. I’m in more than like with you, Grace. I’m in love. I’m so fucking in love with you. I want you more than anything. I want to keep you forever and never let you go. I might want to make you have my babies and be my best friend, too.”
My shoulders relax. Like every bit of stress in my life evaporates in that instant as I listen to him. The fountains are still putting on their show behind him. The horns are honking on the Strip. And the wind is gently blowing my hair so it drags across my face.