“Just tired.”
“I’ll let Ethan know we’re staying in tonight. Besides, we have a big day tomorrow.” I text Davenport, letting him know that we’ll see him tomorrow, and set my phone on the nightstand before reassuming my position behind Ainsley. My hand rests on her belly, and the kicking starts. It feels harder now than it has the past few days.
“Are they hurting you?” I ask, as I press my lips to her shoulder.
“Today, yes.
They’re growing so much.”
“I’m so sorry.” I continue to kiss her until she turns and meets her lips with mine. It doesn’t take long for things to get heated and for clothes to be shed. Sex, as of late, has been interesting, as we find positions that work and keep me off her midsection. Creativity has been an adventure. My new favorite position is spooning.
“You feel so good.” The words tumble out of my mouth as I enter her, pushing her bended leg forward with my hips. I’ll take this over the Starlight Parade any day. I make love to Ainsley, slow and with as much emotion as I can pour into us. The only time I’m not looking in her eyes is when I’m kissing her, and I hope that she knows how much I love her.
“I love you, Cooper.” Her words are my undoing.
* * *
It’s a little-known fact that you can get married in front of Cinderella’s Castle if you’re in Florida, but when you’re in Anaheim, you get married in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.
When I suggested to Ainsley that we visit Disney with the Davenports, there was a twinkle in her eye that I hadn’t seen before. We hadn’t discussed a date, let alone set one, so I did some research and found the best place to hold a small ceremony. However, nothing I saw online is what I wanted to give to her. So after a few phone calls and a lot of name dropping, and with the promise of being able to use my image for promotional pieces, I was told we could get them to agree to close Sleeping Beauty’s Castle for a little while so we can get married in front of our friends and family today.
Even though I thought this would be intimate, it’s anything but. Once people figured out who we were after staring at Ethan and me for a bit, they quickly realized something was about to happen and started gathering. The fans are even asking us questions, which go unanswered. They want to know what we’re doing here. In hindsight, I should’ve planned it better, but I didn’t want a quickie wedding at the Justice of the Peace; I wanted to make this one memorable. We’ve talked about having another ceremony after the twins are born and she’s comfortable fitting into a wedding dress.
As we wait for Ainsley and Wes to show up by horse-drawn carriage, Ethan and I stand here in casual wear. She didn’t want anything fancy and balked at the carriage, but I asked her to appease her inner princess and take it for a ride. Besides, Shea was excited to get dressed up like Cinderella and ride in it, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.
I stand tall when I hear the clip-clopping of the horse hooves and see the carriage come into sight. This is just like the movies with the coachman on the back. Once the horses stop, he jumps to help Ainsley out of the carriage. Daisy, Shea, and Wes get off first before Ainsley comes into view. By all accounts, Stella should be here, but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity came up, and Ainsley didn’t want her to miss it. I suggested we postpone and wait until after the babies arrive, but both women were adamant that we be married before their birth.
I didn’t know what she’d wear, and now I feel underdressed. I expected a dress, but she looks radiant in the white summer gown that is flowing in the small breeze. Her bouquet is white and pink, while Daisy and Shea carry pink flowers.
Shea walks in front of her, followed by Daisy, who is filling in for her best friend Stella, with Wes walking Ainsley up the makeshift aisle to meet me. The cameras from the onlookers are snapping away, and they will undoubtedly provide us with enough photos on the web that we won’t have to post any of our own.
“This is really over the top,” she says when she reaches me.
“It’s fun, and we’re making memories. Besides, how many people can say they were married at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know. Not many, I suppose, since I thought this was Cinderella’s.”
“It’ll be something to laugh about with the kids when we bring them here.” I wink, hoping to ease the tension.
The minister starts in on his spiel, noting that we’re giving ourselves to only each other, and that by joining in marriage, we’re promising that we’ll be true to our solemn vow.
“Do you, Ainsley Burke, promise to love, honor, and cherish Cooper until death do you part?”
“I do,” she says with a smile on her face.
“Do you, Cooper Bailey, promise to love, honor, cherish, and obey Ainsley until death do you part?”
My brows furrow as I look him, but he shrugs and nods toward Ainsley. When I look at her, she’s beaming.
“Obey, huh? You want to boss me around?”
“Just a little.”
I shake my head, unable to contain my grin. “I do.”
“By the power vested in me by the great state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I scoop her up and twirl her around, much to the delight of the crowd.