After the Rain

by De Jong, Lisa

Today is also our last day in Carrington before we head back to college, and I plan on taking Kate to the lake one last time before we leave. We’ve been there almost every day this summer so it seems right to say goodbye.

  “You ready to go?” I whisper in her ear, wrapping my arms around her from behind.

  “Yep, let me grab the cooler, and I’ll meet you outside.”

  I kiss her cheek and when she looks back over her shoulder, I loosen my grip, resting my hands on her hips. “Don’t take too long, beautiful. I can’t wait to see you in that new blue bikini.”

  “Beau.”

  “Yeah?”

  “The quicker you let me go, the quicker you get your wish.” She smiles and tries to move away from me, but I pull her back.

  “One more kiss,” I say, spinning her around to face me. Not giving her time to answer, I press my lips to hers and envelop her in my arms. I start slow and gentle at first before pulling her lower lip between my teeth. The soft moan that escapes her just makes me crave more. Her heart races against my chest, and I know if I don’t stop now, we’re not going to make it to the lake. Just as her arms snake around my neck, I pull back and say, “Hurry up, and we’ll finish that when we get there.”

  She bites her lower lip, knowing how fucking crazy it makes me. When I try to pull her into my arms again, she steps back. “Go wait in the truck.”

  “You better hurry,” I growl, playfully smacking her ass before walking backward toward the door.

  As I step outside, I realize that the most gorgeous girl in the world is in that house, and she’s all mine. We all find people in this world who we are attracted to because of their beauty, but with Kate, that beauty shines on the inside and out. My only job is to make sure she always sparkles, even on our darkest days.

  I climb into my truck and roll my window down to let some of the stale, warm air out. After I turn on some country music, I sit back and watch the door, waiting for her to come out. When the door finally opens, I can’t keep my eyes off her. It feels like an eternity before she’s finally in my truck.

  “It’s about time,” I say as she climbs in.

  “Beau.”

  “Yes, beautiful?”

  “Just drive.” She smiles, waving her hand out the window.

  The short drive to the lake is quiet. There’s nothing better than having the fresh summer air whipping through your hair as you drive, listening to guys croon about the women they love. It’s my idea of heaven, really, especially with Kate here.

  As I pull into the parking lot by the beach, her face lights up. I know she loves this place just as much as I do.

  “What are you waiting for?” I ask, running my thumb along her cheekbone.

  “I was just thinking about how much I love this place,” she smiles, looking over at me.

  “It holds a lot of memories,” I say, tucking a few strands of loose hair behind her ear.

  “That it does. Let’s go make new ones.” She gives me the seductive grin that brings my cock to life. She’s told me a few times that she thinks she’s an amateur at seduction, but I know she’s wrong; she gets me every time.

  As we drive closer to the lake, my nerves start to boil over. Today is going to be a big day for me, and I hope that it’s just as big for Kate. I think I’ve known this day would come for years now, but we hit a few bumps along the way that made me doubt everything I thought I wanted. Sometimes, though, life takes us on a wild journey to force us to appreciate more what we’re given. Now, I have to work hard to never lose it.

  When we stop next to the lake, she jumps out of the truck and waits for me to grab the cooler from the back. We make our way to a little clearing in the tall grass that has become our spot and lay down an old flannel blanket. She doesn’t waste a second before pulling her shirt over her head, revealing her new bikini top. She starts unbuttoning her shorts and slowly slides them down her legs. Damn, I am one lucky guy.

  “Come here,” I demand.

  She does as I ask, but moves slowly, making my need to have her near me so much stronger. When I’m finally close enough that I can touch her, I grab her hand and pull her body to mine. This time I skip anything slow and press my tongue past her lips. As she wraps her arms around my neck, I completely get lost in her and the kiss. It doesn’t matter how warm it is from the hot sun, because the blood that runs through my veins is scorching.

  Words can never express how much this girl means to me.

  As my tongue continues to tangle with hers, my hands run up the length of her smooth back. My body completely ignites when she pulls my hair between her fingers. My thumbs instinctively run over her nipples, causing her to pull even harder.

  Just as I’m about to lay her down, a few drops of water fall from the sky, and when I look up, I see a lone storm cloud over our heads. A laugh escapes her lips as she fingers the umbrella around her neck.

  “Thank you,” she mouths before letting her eyes connect with mine again.

  I pick her up off the ground and spin her around, kissing her again while the rain starts to pour down.

  “I love you so fucking much,” I say, resting my forehead against hers.

  “I love you, too,” she says, pulling me in for another kiss.

  I didn’t anticipate the rain today, but in a way it makes this moment so much more perfect. It’s the type of shower that falls from one cloud in a mostly blue sky, and with any luck, a rainbow will follow it.

  My original plan was to have a picnic, but I don’t think Kate’s going to be too excited to sit on the wet ground. Improvising, I grab her hand and pull her toward our favorite spot on the beach. I don’t miss the way her damp swimsuit clings to her body when I glance back at her.

  “This is the spot,” I say, looking down at her. She’s gorgeous with water dripping off her long lashes. The contrast highlights her amazing green eyes.

  “It’s not really the right weather for laying on the beach today,” she replies, wrapping her hands around my upper arms.

  “No one is going to be lying on the beach. I have something I want to give you.” I nervously remove one of my hands from her body and reach into my pocket to pull out the little black box.

  Her eyes focus in on my hand, and as I open my fingers, her mouth hangs open. “Beau,” she says with a shaky voice. “What are you doing?”

  I kneel down in front of her, slowly opening the box to reveal what’s inside. “There’s this girl I’ve loved for a really long time. Every day she makes me want to be a better man. She holds my entire heart in her hands, and I never want her to let go of it. I know we’re still young, but there’s nothing in this world that can change the way I feel about you. Whether it’s next year or five years from now, I want to be the guy watching you walk down the aisle in a white dress. Kate Alexander, will you marry me?”

  Her hand covers her mouth as she stares at me then the ring I hold in my hand. “Beau, stand up,” she finally says.

  I comply, anxious to hear her answer. I debated on whether or not this was the right timing for this, and everything inside of me told me it was. I’ve seen what can happen when I don’t act on my feelings for her, and I’ll never make that mistake again. I’m scared as hell that she’s going to say no, though. I don’t think I’ll be able to cope.

  I already know she’s it for me.

  “Kate,” I whisper, running my thumb over her cheek. What follows is probably the longest thirty seconds of my life. Our eyes are locked, but all I can read in her sea of green is shock.

  “Yes,” she answers as she wraps her arms around my neck. “Yes, yes, yes,” she repeats against my neck.

  Lifting her off the ground, I spin her around in a circle. The sound of her laughter plays in my ears. This is most of the dreams I’ve ever had coming true.

  “Let’s get this on your finger then,” I say, lowering her to the ground. “Then there won’t be any confusion about who you belong to.”

  I open the box to showcase the princess cut diamond that I wo
rked all summer for. It’s not huge by any means, but it’s perfect for her delicate little fingers.

  “It’s gorgeous,” she squeals when she gets her first glimpse.

  I slip it on her finger just as the rain stops, and after taking a few seconds to admire the beautiful expression on my future wife’s face, I hug her, resting my chin on her head.

  For the first time, I see a rainbow has formed over the lake. Life’s most beautiful moments come after the rain.

  Three Years Later

  I’VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS MOMENT many times before, but as I stand here watching my dream girl walk down the red carpeted aisle toward me, it’s better than anything I’ve ever imagined.

  Fourteen months of planning, and more money than I can count, and it’s everything Kate wanted.

  I’m more than happy to give it to her.

  My eyes well up a little more with each step she takes toward me. She’s the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen—inside and out—and I can’t wait for her to be mine forever. Not that she wasn’t already, but this makes it official.

  We’ve lived our lives together. I’ve seen her best moments and her worst, and she’s seen mine. We’ve weathered the sun and the storm, the light and the dark, and we’re stronger because of it.

  Her eyes glisten as she stops in front of me with Daniel at her side. I thought he was going to jump out of his seat when she asked him to walk her down the aisle, but he played it cool. The unshed tears in his eyes show just how much this moment means to him. He’ll never get to watch his own son get married, but if it weren’t for Asher Hunt, I wouldn’t be standing here right now.

  “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” the preacher asks.

  “Her mother and I,” Daniel answers. As he releases her arm, I grab her hands in mine. I probably have the biggest grin I’ve ever had on my face, even with the tears that fill my eyes.

  The whole ceremony is a blur because I can’t concentrate on anything but her. I met her almost eighteen years ago. I fell in love with her at about the same time, and I know I’ll love her until the day I die. I’m memorizing the way her eyes sparkle when I recite my vows, the way she smiles when I slip that ring on her finger, and the way she runs her thumb across the top of my hand while our song plays.

  But what I’ll remember most about this day is the way her eyes watched my lips when the preacher said, “You may now kiss your bride.” It’s been exactly three years since I put that ring on her finger, and every one of those days I thought about this kiss.

  The wait ends now.

  Cupping her face in my hands, I run my thumbs along her cheekbones as my lips descend on hers. A few people in the crowd whistle as I kiss Kate Alexander like she’s never been kissed.

  As we make our way up the aisle, all I can think about is how long we have to stay at the reception so we don’t piss everyone off. My family and friends mean everything to me, but right now, all I want to do is make love to my wife.

  … after I carry her over the threshold.

  Life has taken me on a crazy ride down Lombard Street, but I can’t complain about where it stopped. Some people wouldn’t consider me lucky, but I am. I’ve loved. I’ve lost. And through it all, I found a better appreciation for what I have … mainly the man holding me tightly in his arms for our first dance as husband and wife.

  I think I know how Cinderella felt when the prince danced with her that first night at the ball. Drew and fear were my wicked stepsisters, but I found my glass slipper. Beau had it in his hands the whole time.

  “What are you thinking about right now?” he asks, holding one of my hands in his with the other pressed into my lower back.

  “My prince.”

  “Yeah,” he whispers, his warm breath hitting my cheek. “Tell me about this prince.”

  I smile, even though I know he can’t see it. “Well, he’s handsome with his dark hair and green eyes. And he’s not a bad kisser either. You should have seen how he kissed me a couple hours ago.” I stop, closing my eyes as I remember that moment at the end of the ceremony. It’s one I’ll never forget.

  “Go on,” he says, spinning me around.

  “Well, he’s also very sweet and protective. He’s smart and knows when to pick his battles. He’s patient.”

  “He almost sounds perfect.”

  “He is,” I say, pressing my cheek against his. The song is about to end, but I’m not ready. This is another one of those moments I want to put into a snow globe and remember forever.

  “You’re not thinking of leaving me for him, are you?” he teases, turning us around slowly.

  I laugh, trying to come up with a witty comeback. “Nah, perfect is boring. Why would I want that?”

  His chest vibrates against mine, and I know he’s laughing right along with me. “I’m going to show you just how imperfect I am as soon as we get out of here.”

  “I can’t wait.” He still won’t tell me where we’re going for our honeymoon, but I know we’re spending tonight in the small cabin he took me to three summers ago.

  He bought it a while back, and we’ve been enjoying many weekends by the lake, staring at the stars.

  The next song starts to play as our wedding party joins us on the dance floor. Having Emery and Rachel here in Carrington made this day so much easier. To say we’re inseparable would be an understatement.

  Each of us has had our ups and downs, but it binds us. I didn’t know if Emery would ever return to school, but she did, and she wasn’t alone. As I watch her dance with the man she loves, I remember everything they overcame to get to this point. And Rachel, she’s been on a crazy ride the last couple years, but things are looking up for her. Hopefully together, we’ll just keep getting stronger.

  Right when the song ends, Beau pulls me from the dance floor. “What are you doing?” I ask.

  He keeps walking, moving quickly through the crowd. “We’re going to cut the cake.”

  “Now?”

  “Yes, now. That’s the last thing we have to do before we can leave, right?” He stops, smiling back at me.

  “And thank our guests.”

  After we have everyone’s attention, we cut into the simple three-tier white wedding cake. I’d asked the baker to only add a few fresh lilies going down one side because I wanted it to be like us … understated and beautiful. Not to my surprise, Beau is sweet, putting a small delicate bite against my lips. I open my mouth to the sweet buttercream and savor every morsel. When it’s my turn, I do the same to him, but he uses the tip of his tongue to taste the amazing sweetness that lingers on my finger as I pull my hand away.

  We announce that we’re leaving and say goodbye to all of our guests. I’m sad to leave them, but I’m ready to start this next phase in life with the man standing beside me.

  “Ready?” Beau asks, grabbing my hand tightly in his again.

  “Yes.” I bite my lower lip.

  Beau groans. “Let’s get out of here.”

  We make our way through a wall of bubbles being blown by our guests and climb into Beau’s truck. We could have rented a limo or some other fancy car, but the truck is part of what makes us us. It holds so many memories.

  “How are you doing, Mrs. Bennett?”

  “I couldn’t be better.”

  “We’ll see about that.”

  We make our way to the cabin with our hands linked between us. It’s a calm summer night. No breeze. The only sound we hear is the soft country song playing on the radio. This is what life is about … being with the one you love in the place you love.

  As we pull onto the long drive that leads to the small cabin, I notice a glow coming from inside and look over at Beau. The grin on his face tells me he’s up to something.

  “Beau Bennett, what did you do?”

  Bringing the top of my hand to his lips, he says, “You’ll see.”

  After he shuts off the engine, he quickly jumps out to open my door for me. Surprising me, he pulls me up into his arms as soon as I
step out. “What are you doing?”

  “Carrying you over the threshold,” he whispers, leaning in to kiss my lips.

  “You’ve been dying to do this, haven’t you?”

  He laughs. “You have no idea.”

  Using the hand wrapped under my thighs, he opens the door and carries me inside. What I see makes the tears build in my eyes again. There’s a path of rose petals and candles leading to our bedroom, and through the open door, I see the white comforter covered in the red petals.

  “When did you have time to do all this?” I whisper, looking up at him. The huge grin on his face shows just how proud he is.

  He leans down to kiss my lips. “I had some help.”

  “It’s beautiful.”

  We make our way to the bedroom, me still wrapped in his arms. The light scent of lavender fills my senses … I don’t know if I’ve ever been more relaxed in my entire life.

  “I’m going to set you down now, baby.”

  The backs of my legs brush against the mattress as he sets me down on my feet. He uses his hands on my hips to turn me so my back is to his chest.

  “I love this dress, but it’s time for it to come off,” he whispers, his warm breath against my ear. A tingle runs down my spine as he slowly unzips me. I don’t know if he’s afraid of ruining my white, mermaid style dress or if he’s trying to torture me, but I’ve never been more eager to get my clothes off.

  As soon as the dress slides down my body, I face him, making quick work of his silver tie. Beau Bennett isn’t the type to get all dressed up in a suit, and I should be savoring this, but I need to feel is skin against mine. When my fingers touch the top button of his dress shirt, I glance up at his face. He’s taking in my bare breasts and my blue lace panties I bought just for this.

  “You look nervous, Mr. Bennett,” I say as my fingers continue to free his buttons one by one.

  His voice shakes when he responds. “It’s my first time making love to my wife, and I want to make sure it’s perfect.”

  “It’s already perfect,” I reply, softly kissing his lips.

  “Yeah?”