Emery inhaled a long breath, letting it go through his nose before he dropped his hold on my legs, and turned until I was cradled in his arms, our noses just inches apart. “Well, first of all, you should know by now that I’m an idiot and you shouldn’t listen to me.”
I snorted.
“But you’re right, I did say those things. And I believed them. Then.” He smiled, shaking his head like I’d missed something so obvious. “But I don’t believe them now.”
I sniffed. “You don’t?”
“You know, you remembered everything I said against love in that car. But I remember everything you said, too. I remember the sparkle in your eyes as you told me the kind of love you wanted, how you dreamed of someone to go on adventures with, to be there to celebrate the amazing times and to hold you in the tough times.” He squeezed his arms around me at that, and I smiled. “And I thought it was nonsense,” he confessed. “But, I also thought it was beautiful. And admirable. And deep down, I knew I wished for those things, too. I just never honestly thought I would find them.”
“I don’t think I ever really thought I would, either.”
“But we did.”
I smiled wider, eyes still watering. “We did, didn’t we?”
Emery looked up at the sky above us, his brows tugging together and eyes closing. “I want that kind of love that leaves you breathless when it hits you, and makes you want to throw up at the thought of losing it,” he said, eyes fluttering open as he looked at me again. My heart stopped in my chest before kicking back to life again so hard I thought I’d tumble off the edge of the Earth. “The kind that makes you so happy that it hurts at the same time, like it’s painful to think that out of all the people in the world, you somehow found the one meant for you.”
“That’s literally exactly what I said,” I marveled, hands reaching out to trace the edges of his jaw. “You remembered.”
“I remembered,” he agreed. “And I know it’s scary, Little Penny. I know neither of us saw love in our life, not the way we imagined it could be. You still thought it was possible where I shoved it into the box of other shit that I thought was fake. But when I met you, everything changed.”
I slid my hands up into his hair, leaning my forehead against his.
“We’re not your parents, or Lily’s parents, or my parents. We’re not anyone but us. And I can’t promise there won’t be days that hurt, or days that this is harder than we ever imagined,” he said, pulling back to look in my eyes once more. “But I can promise that if you make the last of this hike with me, if we climb this mountain together, I will marry the fuck out of you.”
I choked out a laugh over the sob building in my throat.
“I will,” he said, smiling. “And I’ll protect you and love you and laugh with you and probably be the biggest pain in your ass, but damn it, I’ll be there.” He swallowed. “But you have to be there, too.”
I nodded before he even finished speaking, pulling him into me and pressing my lips to his. More tears slipped down my cheeks, but Emery wiped them away, cradling my face in his hands and kissing me until I had to pull back for a breath.
“Will you do one more thing with me before we go?”
I nodded.
Emery moved until he was seated next to me, and by his posture, I knew he was setting up to meditate. I followed suit, mirroring his stance and thinking of the first time I got him to practice with me — the first time he asked me to practice together. We were on the edge of a cliff that lined the Pacific Coast Highway, our mats turned toward the water, the sun rising from behind us as we moved together.
Once we were seated, Emery reached over, wrapping his hand over where mine rested on my knee. And for ten minutes, we just sat there — breathing, touching, existing. I focused on our breaths, our heartbeats, and every other thought, fear, and anxiety washed out of me.
All my life, I’d dreamed of finding someone who would trust me to heal their scars, just as I would trust them to heal mine. And with my heart in my future husband’s hands, I knew I’d finally found him.
I’d found my one.
And I couldn’t wait to make it official.
The death-defying trek through the chained part of Angel’s Landing was worth it.
Standing at the top, looking back on all we’d achieved, all we’d conquered to reach that point — it was absolutely breathtaking. The sun spread out over half the valley below, casting the cliffs and mountains in a warm glow. The water below was still in the shade, flowing out into the unknown, and the sheer height we’d climb took my breath away.
But all of that was nothing compared to when I saw Emery in his tuxedo.
Glen and Nora had packed a changing tent for each of us, and once we’d arrived at the top, we slipped away from each other and into the tents to change. Lily worked on my makeup while Tammy pinned my long, blonde locks into my classic side braid. She slipped little flowers between the folds and framed them around my face in a sort of crown, too. Nora tried not to cry when she saw the final product, which in turn made Tammy yell at her because if she started crying, Tammy would surely follow suit.
In the end, the four of us were clinging to each other in the tent, a mess of tears that Lily cursed because she’d have to touch up my makeup again.
“I can’t imagine my life without you three in it,” I whispered as she touched up my mascara. “I didn’t have a mother to look up to, but I had a best friend, and a diner mom, and a road trip mom. I had more than I could have asked for. And I’m so thankful you all are here with me today.”
Tammy blotted under her eyes. “Oh, God, please stop before I hike down this damn mountain by myself.”
We all laughed, exchanging one last hug before they slipped out ahead of me to finish setting up the space we’d get married. Tammy was our officiant, and I heard her outside the tent running over her lines.
My heart beat thunderously in my chest, and when Nora came to give me the signal that it was time, I couldn’t be sure it was actually my feet carrying me forward, out of the tent, one hand sweeping the flap of it back before sunlight splayed over my skin. I was on the back edge of the outlook, and when I rounded the tent, I’d be face to face with everyone waiting at the opposite end — the one that overlooked the canyon below.
I took a soothing breath, closing my eyes and forcing a deep inhale through my nose and back out. My hands smoothed over the gentle lace of my long, delicate dress. The lace was cream, the fabric beneath it a soft rose gold. The lace was even finer above the sweetheart cut of the bust, breaking away from the fabric beneath to hug my neck. The back dipped low, exposing more skin than I would have ever been comfortable with before I met Emery. He helped me find beauty in everything about me.
The fabric hugged my waist, my hips, my thighs, expanding just above the knee and flowing out naturally. The train wasn’t too long, but it dragged behind me as I took the first step around the tent, and then another, and another. When I was out from behind the tent and could finally see where everyone waited for me, my feet stopped working just like I thought they would.
All the people we loved were gathered at the edge of that cliff, the gorgeous, otherworldly views of Zion spreading out behind them. But it wasn’t the gasp of Emery’s mother when she saw me or the way Nora began to cry once more that made me stop in my tracks. It wasn’t the chorus of sighs and wow’s or the stunning way the sun slipped behind a cloud, leaving us in the perfect shade of light, the small crystals dotting the lace of my dress sparking to life. And as much as I loved her, it wasn’t even my perfect, adorable dog, straining against her leash that Lily held in an attempt to get to me, her little tail wagging, tongue flopping out.
It was the man at the end of our makeshift aisle, at the edge of that cliff, waiting for me to join him, that truly stole my breath.
It was the man I saved once, and who saved me, in return.
Emery wore a cream tuxedo, the fabric a blushing beige that complemented the lace covering my dress.
A crisp white undershirt peeked out from beneath the lapels, a rose gold bow tie and pocket square bringing the look together. But it wasn’t what he wore, or even the confident way he stood there, like he’d been standing at that exact spot his entire life, just waiting for this moment.
It was the unforgettable look of awe and wonder in his eyes when they connected with my own.
His hair was softly tussled, his honey eyes set ablaze with all the golds and creams in his suit. His skin was gloriously tanned, and set against the vibrant reds and greens and golds of Zion, he looked like a god.
Maybe he was.
My legs were still shaking as I finally took another step forward, carefully making my way over the rocky plateau to where he stood waiting for me to join him. I wore the same wedges I’d purchased in Vegas the night we’d stayed there, the first night he’d taken me, and a shiver ran up my spine at the thought of him making me his again tonight.
This time, for good.
He smiled, nose flaring and brows furrowing the closer I got, like I was the most beautiful, most unique thing he’d ever seen. And when I was just shy of twenty feet away, he shook his head and let it fall. He pinched the bridge of his nose, shoulders shaking a little as he cried, and my heart swelled to the size of the sun above us as I watched my fiancé weep at the sight of me.
Emery lifted his head when I was a few steps away, forcing a calming breath as he wiped at the tears left on his cheeks.
I smiled.
He smiled.
We both laughed a little as he took my hands in his, facing me with his eyes still shimmering in the soft sunlight peeking out from the cloud above.
“You ready?” he whispered.
“To marry the fuck out of you?”
A loud, barrel-chested laugh left his lips, and Tammy was close enough to us that she heard and chuckled, too.
“Yeah,” he answered. “You ready for that?”
I nodded, tears blurring my eyes a bit. “I’ve been waiting my entire life for this moment.”
Emery sobered, brows pinching together as he squeezed my hands in his. “I’m sorry it took me so long.”
“Good thing you have forever to make it up to me,” I reminded him.
“I don’t think it’ll be enough.”
“Then you can have every day after forever, too.”
He smiled, leaning in to kiss me before it was time — against Tammy’s outcry and playful swat on his arm — and whispering the sweetest word against my lips.
“Deal.”
After dinner and a celebration at one of the local Zion restaurants, Emery and I slipped away, retreating back to our glamping tent. Everyone else stayed back to continue the party, but neither of us minded missing out. As soon as we were in the limo Emery’s parents had reserved for us, Emery’s hand was in mine, my head on his shoulder, both of us surrendering to the sweet silence of the short car ride.
He held the door open for me when we arrived, tipping the driver before we walked hand in hand up to the entrance of our tent. Emery unzipped it, folding one flap back and fastening it with a tie before he turned to me. I went to move past him into the tent, but he stopped me, one hand splayed over my stomach.
“Um, excuse me,” he said, voice low, but firm. “If you think there’s any way in hell I’m not carrying you across this threshold, you’ve lost your mind.”
I raised a brow. “That’s very traditional of you.”
He shrugged. “So you’ve turned me into a romantic. Sue me.”
And without another word, Emery swept me into his arms.
I wrapped my own around his neck, laughing a little as he dipped us inside the tent, depositing my feet back on the floor once we were inside. In a regular tent, I would have touched only a thin layer of fabric covering the dirt. But in our luxurious tent, it was hardwood floor, warm from the fire I assumed Emery had someone from the glamping company come out and get started for us. It burned in the small stove at the corner of the tent, the vents on the door open just enough to let some light in. It cast our plush bed in a warm glow, and my stomach tightened, anticipation swirling through me as Emery zipped the door closed behind us.
He turned, sliding his hands into the pockets of his hiking shorts as his eyes found mine. For what felt like an eternity, he didn’t say a word or move a single muscle. He just looked at me, eyes trailing over every inch of me like I was still in my wedding dress and not in sweaty hiking clothes. My hair was still pinned in the braid Tammy had tied, little flowers weaved throughout, and my makeup looked just as flawless as when Lily applied it.
But I knew even without all of that, he would have looked at me the same.
I watched the bob of his Adam’s apple as he shook his head, meeting my gaze once more. “You are beautiful, Mrs. Reed.”
I flushed at my new name, crossing the space between us until I was in his arms. “I’m also very, very dirty.”
Emery chuckled, but when I lowered my lips to his neck, biting the skin tenderly, he growled, hands fastening tight around my hips.
“Shower with me?” I asked, and without needing an answer, I pulled his hand, guiding him toward the bathroom in the corner of our room.
Emery stopped me at the edge of the bed, helping me undress and unbraiding my hair before he bent and offered his shoulders for me to hold onto while he carefully removed my leg — just like he had so many nights before. He was my human crutch once it was off, guiding me over to the shower.
It was impossible not to laugh, the two of us taking turns holding the handle down that released the water as the other washed and rinsed beneath it. It was still camping, after all, and the company we’d booked with wanted to conserve water. We were both shivering by the time we finished, wrapping each other in towels and smiling like fools as we watched each other dry off.
“C’mere,” Emery said, opening his towel to welcome me inside it with him.
For a moment, I couldn’t do anything but stare. Even now, years after the first time I’d seen his glorious, naked body, it still made me tremble. Yoga had leaned him even more, exaggerating the muscles in his abdomen, strengthening his arms. I let my eyes trail down to where he was already hard and ready to be inside me, swallowing before I dropped my own towel to the floor and stepped forward into his, using his arms for support.
He wrapped those arms around me as soon as I was flush against him, the towel following suit before he bent his forehead to mine. We both sighed at the warmth, and Emery swayed me in his arms, a tiny curl of a smile on his lips.
“Mrs. Reed,” he said again. “God, I love the sound of that.”
“Does that mean Little Penny is retired?”
He scoffed. “Never.”
“Good,” I said, kissing his neck before I leaned my head on his chest. “Because it’s my favorite.”
“You’re my favorite.”
I smiled. “Good thing you’ve got me forever, then.”
“And every day after. Don’t forget that part.”
For a while we just swayed, breathing and sighing and touching and kissing. But eventually, the small, loving kisses turned darker, deeper, laced with a fiery passion I’d never known existed before Emery Reed came into my life. His lips captured mine in a mixture of possession and reverence, greed and selflessness, and he dropped the towel that shielded us, bringing his hands up to cup my modest breasts.
I gasped, leaning into the touch, my knees already shaking from the exhilarating feeling that always pulsed through me with his hands on my skin. Emery tugged at my nipples, puckering them as I moaned into his mouth, and then he swept me into his arms just like he had outside the tent, carrying me to the bed and laying me in the sheets.
My damp hair fanned out over the pillow, and Emery wrapped his hands in it as he nestled between my legs, kissing my lips, my chin, my jaw, my neck, my collarbone and back up to repeat the cycle again. I squirmed beneath his touch, flashes of so many other nights hitting me with every kiss.
That first
night he touched me in Vegas.
The night he made love to me after we soaked in the hot springs at Big Sur.
The late evening after he chose to live, after he chose me, when we both made love and then cried in each other’s arms.
There were so many nights and mornings and afternoons since then that jumped out at me, surrounded me, and just as quickly as they had come, they were gone again, making room for this moment.
This beautiful, perfect moment.
Emery kissed his way down, stopping to pull each nipple between his teeth before he continued his descent. His lips took their time on my navel, my inner thighs, and when I was writhing so much I thought I’d make us both fall off the bed, he snaked his tongue out for one, teasing lash against my clit.
I arched off the bed, fisting the sheets in my hands and sighing at the glorious feel of my husband between my legs. He knew every button to push now, every inch of skin to touch, every flick of his tongue that would send me flying into ecstasy. He was so close to sending me over that edge when I reached down, tugging on his hair to guide him back up.
“What?” he asked when he hovered above me once more. “Can’t I make my wife come on our wedding night?”
A shiver ran down my spine, and I nodded, capturing his mouth with mine. His tongue tasted a little like wedding cake and a little like me.
“You can,” I whispered, bucking my hips. “But you have to do it while you’re inside me.”
Emery groaned, leaning his forehead against mine before he kissed me again. One hand slipped between us, positioning him at my entrance, and when he slid inside, we both gasped, moaning into each other’s mouths, my nails digging into his shoulders.
“How is it possible that you feel even more amazing after all this time?” he asked, withdrawing his hips before he flexed them forward again, sliding in a little deeper.
“I hope it will always be like this,” I whispered.
Emery paused, stilling inside me and balancing on his elbows as he swept my hair from my face. “It won’t be,” he said, eyes soft and almost sad. But then, he smirked, bending to kiss me hard before he finished. “It’ll be even better.”
Summer Romance Box Set: 3 Bestselling Stand-Alone Romances: Weightless, Revelry, and On the Way to You Page 90
