When the ceremony started, I didn’t even try to pay attention. I stared into Tucker’s gray eyes, and he stared back. The only time we broke the connection was when Nash told us it was time for the rings and vows. I laughed when I looked over to see Patty holding Mr. Pootie. He had a black harness on to match his little tux, and knowing Tucker made sure he was a part of today had me getting even more emotional than I already was.
I somehow managed to get through the vows, slip the ring on Tucker’s finger, and stay upright when the pastor told Tucker to kiss me. Because kiss me, he did. I don’t think I’d ever been kissed like that in such a public display of his affection and when he pulled back, I grabbed his jacket and pulled him back for more.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. and Mrs. Tucker Middleton.”
Tucker and I raised up our hands as our friends and family yelled and cheered.
We didn’t have a reception afterward; we stood on the rooftop, the pink-and-orange glow of the setting sun fading off to close out the day, with glasses of champagne in our hands. We
ll, everyone but Lily. She had water.
“To Tucker and Charlie,” Nash started, his glass raised. “An example of true love and the testimony that love can overcome anything.”
“Here, here!” was called out around us.
“To happily ever after!” Terri added as we all clinked glasses and drank.
Tucker’s arm wrapped around my waist, keeping me close to him as everyone chatted about how amazing the ceremony was and they couldn’t believe Tucker pulled it all together in one afternoon. It was a reminder of why I left work in the first place. My body was hungry, and it didn’t want food. It was hungry for the man standing next to me. The man in the tux who looked hot as hell. The man I needed to have inside of me before I imploded.
Sensing my desire, Tucker leaned down and whispered against my ear, “I promise I’m going to take care of you later.”
My knees trembled and my lower stomach pulsed with desire. When Patty informed everyone that she had a catering company setting up food downstairs, I almost wanted to cry. I loved being with my friends and Patty. Loved that I just had the most romantic wedding I could have ever had dreamed up, but I was horny and needed my husband to be all over me.
Everyone started to head toward the steps to head back to my place, but Tucker kept me behind. The glow of the white lights lit up his face, and I was struck again by how incredibly handsome my … husband … really was. He smiled and my stomach flipped. The dimple on the side of his cheek always made my stomach jump, but now that I knew this man was mine, it did something even more.
“I love you so much, Tucker. This day started out to be a pretty messed-up day, and you turned it completely around and gave me the most breathtaking wedding I could have ever asked for or dreamed of. Everything was perfect.”
“Not too simple?” he asked with a wink.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I reached up and brushed my lips across his. “Not at all. It was beyond perfect. Did you time it with the sunset?”
He laughed. “Nope. That was pure fucking luck!”
I joined in on the laughter as he pressed his mouth to mine, kissing me like he had something to prove. He had nothing to prove. He loved me, and that was made so very clear by what he did for me today.
When our kiss broke apart, Tucker placed his head on my forehead. “I forgot some things. Like a photographer. A marriage license. And a wedding band.”
Smiling, I let out a contented sigh. “Nash was taking pictures with his camera. We can get the license tomorrow, and I don’t need a wedding band to tell me that I’m yours.”
“God, do you have any idea how happy you make me? We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?”
“And it’s only just the beginning.”
With a sexy smile, Tucker took a few steps away, keeping my hands in his.
“I’m going to seduce the fuck out of you tonight.”
My breath caught in my throat, and the only thing I could do was let out a moan and count down the minutes.
STANDING IN THE kitchen, I forced a smile as I listened to Blake talk about some caving adventure he was about to go on. Blake had always been interested in caves—both unexplored and explored—and it was usually pretty interesting stuff. Right now though, I just wanted to take my wife into my arms.
My wife.
Holy shit, that sounded crazy. It had me thinking about all the times over the years I had wished Charlie was mine, and now she was.
“Tucker, did you even hear a word a said?”
Drifting my gaze over to Blake, I frowned. “What was that?”