‘O God, Mia,’ he groaned as he really started to power into me. I shattered completely, and screamed as tears rolled down my cheeks, my body trembling below his. The force of my orgasm was so strong that he yelled as I clenched him and mashed his lips against mine, kissing me furiously as he groaned my name and I felt his heat bathe me internally before he collapsed on top of me and buried his face in my neck. I kept my arms and legs tightly around him, not wanting to let him go. The weight of his body was so comforting, like I was cocooned, and I knew with him I didn’t need to be scared anymore. He’d protect me with his life, just like I would him.
‘I love you.’ I kissed his ear and gently tugged on the lobe with my teeth.
‘And I love you, fiancée,’ he smiled as he raised his head to look at me. ‘Are you really ok?’
‘I’m more than ok,’ I nodded. ‘I have my man back and had a seriously intense orgasm that I’d really like to repeat when you’re feeling up to it.’
‘I hope you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight,’ he grinned and I giggled happily.
Scotland
‘Stop it,’ I screamed with laughter. ‘I don’t want to hear about Mum’s sex life thank you, it’s disturbing enough at your age without the whole “mother” part of it. Plus, trust me, I don’t need the mother daughter birds and the bee’s talk, you’re a bit late.’
‘I’m only forty-four Mia, I have plenty of years of sex left in me.’
‘It’s the years of what you’ve already had in you that’s freaking me out,’ I giggled.
‘Ewwww, even I wasn’t going to go there,’ laughed Lexi.
‘So come on Mia, Gabe seriously wasn’t your first was he?’ Georgie asked as she topped up my champagne. I felt myself blush and looked down through the water of the hot tub as I adjusted my bikini.
‘Yes,’ I nodded.
‘She was a late starter at nearly nineteen,’ chuckled Lexi.
‘Well, I’m proud of her for having waited. I was sixteen and always regretted it,’ sighed Mum.
‘With Dad?’ Georgie asked.
‘Actually no, I didn’t meet him until I was twenty. My first time was with Kevin Baxter, the local butchers son, and trust me, getting free sausage and bacon for the short time I dated him didn’t compensate for his lack of skills in bed.’ She laughed as Georgie and I cringed.
‘Well, I was a very late starter at twenty-two,’ advised Sofia. ‘Jason, my ex-husband, was my first after college, I think you call it University?’ We all nodded. ‘He swept me off my feet with his money and lifestyle, but the sex was … bad,’ she laughed as she pulled a face.
‘Then why did you marry him?’ asked Lexi.
‘Well, Robert is only my second lover, I had nothing to compare Jason to and thought sex with him was good. Boy do I know now that I was wrong,’ she smiled.
‘See Mia, you need to try someone else,’ Lexi chuckled with an elbow to my ribs.
‘Sex with Gabe is not bad, far from it and it’s a bit late to even think about it when I’m getting married tomorrow. Anyway, do we have to have this discussion? It’s bad enough with Mum in the hot tub with us, but my sister and potential mother-in-law as well?’
‘You’re going to marry Mr. A?’ Lexi gasped.
‘Well, he’s not asked Lexi,’ Sofia replied with a hint of a flush herself.
‘But if he did?’ I questioned.
‘I’d love to. He’s such a wonderful man, and so giving, sexually.’
‘Sssshhhh please,’ I cringed. ‘If you insist on the sex talk please go and join Nana, Mrs. Darby and Doug’s mum in the bar, I can’t take anymore.’
‘I think Nana or Mrs. Darby would have a heart attack if they could hear the conversation we’ve been having in here for the last hour,’ Mum laughed.
‘I don’t know. Didn’t you see that documentary on pensioners having sex for cash to top up their state pensions?’ I giggled.
‘They’re not pensioners yet Mia, Nana’s only sixty-six and I’d say Mrs. Darby’s only in her late fifties,’ Mum objected.
‘Well, that woman on the documentary was in her eighties and going at it with seriously young guys,’ I nodded.
‘Ok that’s it, I’m out of here. Seriously old pensioner sex is a topic too far,’ announced Lexi as she stood up. ‘Besides, as someone’s getting married tomorrow, on her birthday, I think she needs some beauty sleep before all the excitement begins.’
‘Nonsense, no beauty sleep required, my baby is going to make a beautiful bride.’
‘Steady on Mum, we don’t have any tissues in the water,’ I laughed. ‘Are you guys all turning in?’
‘No way. Champagne in a hot tub with a moonlight view over a magnificent loch? I’m staying put. See you in the morning, Sis.’ Georgie pursed her lips for a kiss and I did the rounds before Lexi and I hopped out and wrapped our dressing gowns around us and headed back up to the suite we were sharing.
The men had flown up last night, Gabe wanting to make sure that all the arrangements were in place for our day, so the eight of us girls had arrived just in time to join them here for lunch today. It was a gorgeous boutique hotel, that looked like a mini castle, in the middle of nowhere overlooking the most beautiful loch set into a valley with mountains each side covered in forests and stunning purple heather. Well, I’d been told it was stunning purple heather. Everything was covered in a thick blanket of snow, but the view as you looked up was amazing. The lack of city street lights meant that the stars shone so brightly, it reminded me of our star lit ceiling in our bedroom at home. Gabe wanted to be traditional and not see me the night before the wedding, so the men had all been ferried by Land Rover down to the local village pub and us girls had all had a meal in the hotel and had taken over the spa for the evening. Doug’s girlfriend Sarah had apologised profusely, but didn’t want to be away from her family for Christmas so had declined the invitation, which I didn’t mind, plus Sam couldn’t get away for the day so it meant that there were only sixteen of us for the ceremony, which was perfect.
‘So what’s the plan for the morning?’ Lexi asked as she emerged from the shower to find me already tucked up in bed after mine.
‘Gabe’s organised breakfast in bed for us so I don’t see him. Then we’re having our facials and mani-pedi’s and massages in the spa, along with a light lunch. Then everyone’s coming to the suite for hair and makeup, ready for the ceremony at six, and dinner after.’
‘I can’t wait for you to see everything, it looks stunning,’ grinned Lexi as she snuggled down next to me. Gabe was sharing a twin room with Doug tonight, but had booked the double suite for Lexi and I to share.
‘He’s not gone crazy has he?’ I sighed. I’d not been left alone for a second today, to make sure that I couldn’t sneak off and explore to get any hints of what was being planned.
‘Well, not unless you forget about the dancing elephants, performing dolphins, a ceiling made up of love birds in cages and a floor of slowly moving tortoises to glide you up the aisle.’
‘Stop,’ I giggled. ‘It had better not be a live animal themed day.’
‘It’s so good to see you happy again,’ she sighed as she took hold of my hand. ‘I’ve been so worried about you these last few weeks.’
‘I am happy. I still get moments, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to think about what happened to him without …’ I blew out as I felt my eyes filling up again.
‘Shit, don’t cry, you were all happy and I’ve made you cry. You can’t have Voldemort eyes on your wedding day. If Milo really loved you he’d have wanted you to be happy Mia, and Gabe makes you happy. Got to say I wasn’t convinced you were going to make it for a while, but look at you both. You’ve battled your illness, Gabe’s accident, his PTSD, and everything else that’s been thrown in your path. You’re meant to be and I might even cry tomorrow.’
‘You’d better cry,’ I sniffed as I wiped my eyes. ‘I’d cry at your wedding.’
‘Yeah right, like I’m ever getting mar
ried.’
‘You said you didn’t do sexy and you did sexy on Valentines night in that dress.’
‘I did, didn’t I?’ she grinned. ‘God, I wish Sam had been free to accept your invite to come and bloody Sarah cancelling hasn’t helped. It’s going to be so hard to have a few drinks and be around Doug tomorrow night without anyone else to distract me.’
‘Well, I’ll keep my eye on you. Besides, Doug’s too nice to cheat, so even if you have no will power, he will. I don’t understand why you didn’t want Dan to come?’
‘He’s starting to get a bit clingy and I’m not feeling it, so it’s time to call it a day on that arrangement. Right, come on, sleep. No one wants mardy Mia on display tomorrow.’
‘Mardy Mia? You’ve got a nerve. I’m telling you other than Gabe not showing up tomorrow, nothing will have me mardy.’ I waited until she was asleep and grabbed my phone. Texting him wasn’t seeing him, that wasn’t breaking any rules.
Can’t wait for tomorrow. I miss you so much, please can we never be apart for this long again? I’m looking forward to being Mrs. Gabriel Austin. All my love, your forever girl, Mia xxx
I ran my finger over the picture of him on my iPhone. It was the shot of him sleeping with his arm around big boy, my cuddly panda. He looked so peaceful in it. I smiled as a text came straight in.
God, I miss you so much too. Dad and Doug had to restrain me from coming up to see you earlier. We’re never going to be apart again baby, you’re stuck with me for life future Mrs. Gabriel Austin. I love that! I love you, so much. Your engine Gabe <3 xx PS Go to sleep. I don’t want you tired tomorrow, a husband has certain needs that will need to be met ;-)
Think I’m up to the challenge?
You’re definitely the woman to fill that role x
Sorry what was that? You’re going to fill my hole? :-O Shocked! x
Don’t send smiley faces like that, it makes me think of your succulent mouth around my cock and I can hardly see to myself with Doug in the bed next to me x
You’re sharing a bed??? ;-)
You know what I meant! We’re no Mia and Lexi, thank you. Go to sleep please x
I’m thinking of some girl girl action before I’m sworn off sex with another living being for the rest of my life!
GO TO SLEEP! x
Bossy!
Baby, I’m impatient enough as it is. The faster I go to sleep the sooner I get to wake up and see you again. Love you Mia Page xx
Love you Gabe Austin xx PS You’re the sweetest xx
No you are xx
No you are xx
Do I need to come up and spank you?
Now you’re talking! Ok, message received and understood. See you in my dreams x
God, I love you. See you in mine, night xx
I stood alone in the suite, having asked for five minutes on my own to prepare myself mentally, but I didn’t actually need five minutes. I barely needed thirty seconds. Mia Page, are you really ready for this? To commit to Gabe for the rest of your life? I’d asked myself, and the answer was an instant resounding yes. I took a deep breath of air as I looked at myself in the full length mirror and had to bite my lip to stop myself from crying. My dress was everything that I’d hoped it would be, the gold jewels reflecting the light beautifully. My hair had been perfectly styled into a sexy up do of tumbling curls with tiny crystals pinned through them. Mum had handed me a yellow gold diamond tennis bracelet, which my late Grandma had worn on her wedding day and had handed to Mum for hers, and now it was temporarily mine, so that acted as my something borrowed as well as my something old. Lexi had given me a gold Annie Haak Santinee bracelet with a lucky Buddha as my something new, and Sofia a blue lace garter to complete the conventional something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.
I’d refused to have my makeup done by the beauty team, I wanted to look as natural as possible, to be someone that Gabe would recognise and for us to be able to look at our wedding pictures and not think, who’s that stranger? Doug had only just left my suite, he was acting as our official wedding photographer and had been taking candid shots of me getting ready all afternoon, before running off to get changed and go and support Gabe in his role as best man. My face was radiance personified. I’d put on a special beauty balm for that effect, my touché éclat to highlight my cupids bow, cheekbones and under the arches of my brows and some lengthening mascara and eyeliner and my daily staple of Vaseline on the lips. I was wearing Sofia’s gold stud earrings, no necklace so as not to ruin the stunning neckline and bodice of my dress, and had on Lexi and Gabe’s yellow gold bracelets as well as Grandma’s and my yellow gold diamond heart ring.
‘O my God Princess, just look at you,’ Gerry sighed as he came in behind Lexi and Georgie.
‘Do I pass?’ I asked as I spun around for him.’
‘You certainly do. You look so like your mum did on our wedding day,’ he sniffed as he wiped his eyes.
‘Dad don’t start, I’m not going to cry today or I’ll mess up my eyes.’ I went to him for a cuddle.
‘Happy birthday sweetheart.’
‘I can’t believe I’m getting married on my birthday. I mean, the three of the most important dates in my social calendar, birthday, Christmas and now my wedding anniversary are all going to be within two days of each other.’
‘Then he’d better stick to those vows Mia, if he doesn’t and he makes you miserable over your favourite time of year I’ll kick his arse.’
‘Dad,’ I giggled.
‘Come on, it’s time and you don’t want to be late to your own wedding, you know how Gabe is with punctuality,’ Lexi interrupted.
‘Is he already waiting?’ I asked as I dabbed the corner of my eye.
‘Hello?! This is Gabe we’re talking about. I sneaked a peak in the room earlier before I got changed and he’s been pacing down there for over an hour. I’ve never seen him look so nervous.’
‘Nervous?’ I looked at her horrified.
‘That you won’t show, not about getting married. He’s panicking that you’re going to change your mind. Doug said he’s been a ball of stress all night.’
‘Then let’s do this, I can’t have my man all stressed out, not today.’
‘You look stunning, Sis,’ sniffed Georgie as she handed me my hand tied bouquet of calla lilies.
‘Christ, don’t you start too,’ I laughed as Gerry held the door open for me. I was surprised when he led me to one of the exit doors from the hotel and gasped and had to bit my lip really hard to stop myself from breaking my promise not to cry. A path had been cut through the snow and was lined with candle bags that were all gently glowing, which lead down to the small wooden lake house on the shore line. There were Christmas icicle lights hanging from the roof and it looked so pretty.
‘Ready Princess?’ asked Gerry as we stood outside the latched entrance door. I registered that you could see the steam coming out of everyone’s mouths as they breathed, but I wasn’t feeling the cold, I just couldn’t wait to see Gabe. It had been over forty-eight hours and I’d missed him terribly.
‘Ready,’ I smiled and Georgie opened the doors as the sound of Handel’s “The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba” filled the air and I smiled. The only thing I’d asked Gabe, other than to not go crazily over the top, was to not have the traditional wedding march music, I hated it. As Georgie and Lexi walked up the short walkway, I took a moment to take in the sight in front of me. The whole wooden house had been filled with tall white rose bushes, flickering fairy lights and candles and on the left wall, which was made of stone, was a roaring log fire. Next to it in the corner was a large round table, filled with candles and gold Christmas decorations and crystal glasses ready for our meal after. But much as I wanted to take all of that in, my eyes were drawn back to the view in front of me. Everyone was seated on white painted chairs and the glass bi-fold doors had been pushed back, the celebrant, Gabe and Doug were standing on the balcony which jutted out over the moonlight loch, sparking light
s wrapped all around the bannisters and more candle bags on the floor. Doug was facing me, taking pictures and winked at me before whispering in Gabe’s ear, but he didn’t look around.
As Gerry started walking us the short distance toward him and we passed our few guests I had to look up at the ceiling and take a gulp. All the women had already started crying and even Robert was dabbing his eyes. Do not cry Mia Page, you will not cry, I ordered myself. It was a stupid promise to have even thought of trying to keep to myself. As soon as Lexi took my flowers off me and Gerry kissed me before leaving me standing next to Gabe I felt my eyes start to water. That was before we even turned to look at each other and both took in a gasp at the same time.
‘Mia … I … wow … you look … so … damn it, I can’t talk again,’ he laughed as his eyes filled up with emotion and tears. ‘You’re stunning,’ he sighed as he took my right hand and squeezed it hard. He gently cupped my face with his other hand and leaned in and planted a tender kiss on my lips, and I let out a soft moan to feel him so close, to smell him again. He chuckled as he straightened up and I shook my left hand at Lexi who immediately handed me a tissue.
‘I wasn’t going to cry,’ I moaned as I dabbed my eyes delicately. He was in a black suit with tails, with a white shirt, gold waistcoat and cravat and looked so dashing. The most handsome groom that ever walked the earth.
‘Me neither,’ he nodded as he wiped his eyes and scanned me again. ‘Amazing dress, baby.’
‘Thank you,’ I giggled as I recognised the look in his eye as he discreetly eyed up my cleavage. I felt him nudge my fingers apart as he laced his between and we never let go all through the service, not until after we’d completed our legal vows and were allowed to say our personal ones and exchange rings.
‘Mianna Page,’ Gabe said with his face and voice full of emotion. He stalled and held the outer corner of his eyes as he tried to compose himself, before looking deeply into my eyes as he put my delicate platinum band on my finger. ‘The sun rises and sets with you and you’re the moon and star light in that void between. You’re the air in my lungs, you control my breathing, the blood in my veins which gives me life and purpose, you power the beat of my heart. You’re the marrow in my bones which helps me stand and make it through the time that we’re apart, and you’re the joy in my soul which makes me love you, and my life with you, more and more each day. I intend to devote every moment of my life making you as happy as you make me. I’m going to love you, cherish you and protect you for the rest of your life, you’re my everything baby, my forever.’ He whispered the last part and I had to wipe my own eyes as his words wrapped around my heart and squeezed it, reminding me just how much this wonderful man loved me and would do anything to make me happy. And he did.
Infinite Love (The Austin Series) Page 10
