Owning Beauty (Taking Beauty Trilogy 3)

“I do,” Bear replied, his voice a low growl that shot right through me.

“Being assured that your love and your choice of each other as lifelong companions is in God’s will and that you have your families’ blessings, I now ask: Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

Mom stepped forward, looking absolutely loving in her burgundy dress.

“I do.”

“Thank you,” he said. “Do you have the rings?”

Max stepped forward, holding out the two wedding bands that Bear and I had spent an afternoon picking out last week. They sparkled under the lights, as brightly as the stars overhead. The priest took them and handed Bear’s ring to me.

With trembling fingers, I slid it onto his fingertip.

“Repeat after me, please, Chloe,” the priest began again.

“I, Chloe…”

“I, Chloe,” I said, my voice trembling as much as my fingers. It was really happening…

“Take Bear, as my lawfully wedded husband…”

“Take Bear,” my voice strengthening, “as my lawfully wedded husband.”

I lifted my chin, pride rushing through my veins.

“To have and to hold, from this day forward…”

“To have and to hold,” I nodded, “from this day forward…”

“For better or for worse…”

“For better or for worse,” I whispered as tears stung my eyes.

“For richer or for poorer…”

“For richer or for poorer,” I whispered, my heart racing.

“In sickness and in health…”

“In sickness and in health,” I said, slipping the ring further on his finger.

“Until death do us part…”

“Until death do us part,” I said, my voice breathless with emotion.

I took a deep breath and slid the ring on completely. I looked down at his hand and then back at up his beaming eyes.

“Very good,” the priest said. “Bear, repeat after me, please…”

“I, Bear…”

“I, Bear,” he said, my head swimming as he peered into my eyes.

“Take Chloe, as my lawfully wedded wife…”

“Take Chloe,” he growled with fierce determination, sliding the ring on my finger, “as my lawfully wedded wife.”

My chest heaved with excitement, my heart fluttering wildly.

“To have and to hold, from this day forward…”

“To have and to hold from this day forward.” My heart melted, my legs threatening to buckle below me, my fingers shaking like leaves.

“For better or for worse…”

“For better or for worse,” he whispered.

“For richer or for poorer…”

“For richer or for poorer,”

“In sickness and in health…”

“In sickness and in health,” he said, his words catching in his throat. I knew he was thinking of Bruce and my heart swelled even more, threatening to burst with love.

“Until death do us part…”

“Until death do us part,” he said, sliding the ring on all the way.

He looked straight into my soul, his words a vow on the lips of the gods, a promise of never-ending love, a light so bright it dug into the dark places, healing the past and illuminating our future.

“By the power vested in me by the State of New York, I now grant you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

His lips crashed into mine, a crescendo of emotion that didn’t need fireworks, it didn’t need confetti or balloons, or handfuls of rice thrown by large throngs of people.

It was quiet, intensely beautiful and perfectly pure…

Bear

I was riding a roller-coaster of emotion.

Elation and grief and lust and love swirled around inside of me until I thought I might burst. I kept it all hidden, kept my armor up and stayed focused on the good parts.

How could I not?

I left the grief pushed far away and vowed to thoroughly enjoy my wedding night with the most beautiful woman in the world. Everything else could be addressed later.

No matter what happened to Bruce, there was nothing I could do to change it. And I knew if I didn’t let it all go for tonight, I would regret it later.

I wanted tonight to be magical.

I’d booked us the penthouse suite at the Four Seasons. It was the most expensive room in North America, and I’d stayed there a few times already. I knew that Chloe would love it. And at forty-five grand a night, I knew the staff would ensure every detail was carried out perfectly.

I couldn’t wait for her to see it.

“Dinner was lovely, wasn’t it?” Chloe asked me, as Max drove us around Central Park to the hotel.

“It was perfect,” I said.

“I feel bad leaving Marie in the city alone,” she said.

“It’s your wedding night, Chloe, don’t feel bad. Besides, it’s only one night, since she has to get back to work. She’s a big girl, she’ll be fine.”

“Yes, you’re right,” she said, snuggling into my side.

We were both a little buzzed from the champagne at dinner and yet I felt like I was drunk. I couldn’t look at her without my heart speeding up and touching her only made me want to rip her clothes off.

Yes, dinner had been lovely, but it had only prolonged my yearning for what I really wanted—needed—to do. As soon as the priest pronounced us husband and wife, I felt the urgent need to grab Chloe’s hand and escape somewhere with her—anywhere—so that we could be alone.

I needed to touch her. To kiss her.

But more than that, I needed to be inside of her.

And she knew it.

We’d danced a few songs after dinner, much to my dismay and frustration, but she’d felt it then. Her eyes flashed up at me, reflecting the hunger I was feeling and to her credit, she gracefully sped things up and got us out of there.

I’d let her call the shots completely for the wedding. I let her make all the decisions, choose every flower and dish and wine and cake. As far as I was concerned, it was her day.

But tonight? Well, just like I’d claimed her as mine, I’d claimed tonight as mine too. I’d told her as much weeks ago when we were discussing all the work involved in planning the wedding.

“Leave the evening up to me.” I’d promised her a memorable night and I was going to give it to her.

After saying goodbye to Max, we checked in and boarded the elevator. I was disappointed to see the bell boy get on with us, but it was probably best that I wait to devour my new bride in private.

Chloe smiled over at me and I winked, hoping she knew how much I wanted her. My cock twitched in my pants as I realized that I would be inside of her in mere moments. I’d been waiting all day, and that was way too long for me to wait for something I wanted.

The doors finally opened and we stepped out into a lobby with white lacquered walls and mother of pearl inlays. The bellboy left our luggage and I tipped him. When the elevator doors closed behind him I turned to Chloe.

“This is incredible,” she cried, her eyes wide.

“Nothing but the best for you, darling,” I said, pulling her into my arms and kissing her gently. She pulled back, staring into my eyes.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” I said, my cock begging for attention. She sensed my urgency and pulled away, smiling coyly.

“Slow down!” she said. “I want to look around.”

I growled, silently following her as she ooh’d and ahh’d around the penthouse.

“How many terraces are there?” she asked.

“Four,” I said. “You have a three hundred and sixty degree view of the city,” I said. We entered into a white carpeted living room with a fire roaring in the fireplace. A huge smile spread across Chloe’s face as she kept walking through the rooms.

A large library with glowing amber colored wooden walls flowed into a dining room with a table set

up in an alcove against the floor-to-ceiling windows, a four foot tall, cut glass chandelier sparkling overhead.

The city stretched out forever in the distance.

“I can see our building from here,” she said, pointing over the tops of the trees in Central Park.