Sun-Kissed (Love In All Seasons 1)

She takes her place at the front, and I smile, grateful to have such a perfect fucking view. Fuck the mountains and the ocean and everyone else here.

My eyes, they are on Alice alone.

The ceremony begins... and that is when I fall deeper into my desire for her.

Before the vows, Alice makes her way to a stool center stage, her father next to her, and they both take hold of cellos.

And then they begin to play.

I don’t know all of the history between these two, but as they play, I swear to God something moves inside of them. Shifts.

I don’t recognize the piece they play--but it’s beautiful. Alice is breathtaking, the music is moving.

And seeing her up there shows me how incredibly talented she is. I’m in awe, and when they finish everyone around me is crying--it’s that amazing.

I don’t know everything that has gone down between Alice and her father, but when they stand after playing, it’s clear something has changed between them. They embrace and he whispers something in her ear. She wipes her eyes as she steps away, and returns to stand next to her sister for the rest of the ceremony.

I remember Alice saying her sister wanted her to wear an ugly, boring dress so that no one would upstage her-- but she should never have asked Alice to play if that was what she was worried about.

Because there is no wedding dress in the world that would be more beautiful than what we just witnessed.After the ceremony, I find Alice at the reception. She rushes over and wraps her arms around me.

I admit to loving the way she so unabashedly greets me. I honestly didn’t know if she would be timid and shy.

She presses her face against my chest and whispers, “I was scared you weren’t gonna come. I’m just so glad to see you, Aiden.”

It’s like we’re real friends, old lovers. Because with her in my arms, it feels like no time has passed. It feels like the future is ours for the taking.

“You’ll never believe it, but my parents invited Peter after all. He sat next to me at the rehearsal dinner. I’m only telling you as a warning… he’s jealous and territorial.”

“Should I be worried?”

She shakes her head. “Not even a little.”

I grin, taking Alice’s hand and planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Baby, no one is gonna give me any hassle. I’ll stare down any that try.”

A waiter walks by and hands us glasses of champagne. We clink our flutes together, and I down mine quickly.

“Do you need a stiffer drink?” she asks.

“What do you think?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. “How hard is this crowd?”

“Very. Just be ready. I think people were taking bets on if you’d show. And now that you have... looking like a mountain man model,” she says circling her finger around my suit, “everyone’s going to have questions.”

“Alice, you are trouble,” I say, shaking my head, unable to resist pulling her in for a kiss.

The kiss is hot, and the past few weeks evaporate as our lips collide. It’s like we’re back on my boat, in one another’s arms. The world around us disappears and all I see and feel and need is her.

Alice.

She leans in, and I pull her waist to me, needing her body on my body. She’s warm and soft and the woman I want to keep on holding forever. She is more than a fling, or make-believe anything--our kiss tells me everything we share is fucking real.

When she pulls back, her lips are full and her eyes are wanting.

“You’re the person who’s trouble,” she whispers. “Everyone here thinks I’m a good girl.”

“But they don’t know you like I do, do they?” I say.

I’d say more, but we’re swept into the reception, introduced to people making small talk for the next two hours. Alice’s mother looks me up and down scowling, I don’t get a chance to meet her father beyond a brief exchange of ‘hellos’, and her sister has a fake smile plastered on her face when I tell her congratulations.

“So you’re real,” she says, pursing her lips together. She looks me over with a fine tooth comb, and then I see her glance over at her new husband. I see her give a little humph, and I know she realizes her man can’t compare to the likes of a mountain man like me.

“Well, it’s nice you came all this way, but Alice already has a date.” She smiles smugly, trying to hit me where it hurts. I follow her eyes over to a douchebag at the bar I immediately know is Peter Gunheight. He has slicked back blond hair, a smile as fake as a politician and I know in a flash he is all wrong for Alice.

I run my hand over my beard, smirking at Anna. “You think I’m intimidated by that boy?”