by Emma Nichols
Leo blew out a breath. “I’m so happy to hear you say that. We’d never discussed it, but the idea of Hudson growing up an only child worried me. I did that. It was pretty lonely.”
“Me too. Big loving family for the win?” I joked.
“Definitely for the win.” Leo visibly relaxed then and I had no idea he’d even been tense. “Now, if you want any jewelry, let me know. I need to buy you a wedding present.”
“I thought you were the present. So, now I need to shop for you too.” I gnawed on my cheek. “It’s not the money. I’m doing great financially. It’s…what do you buy for the man who has everything?”
“Nothing. After the ceremony tonight, I’ll truly have everything I’ve ever wanted.” He chuckled. “But I’m still buying you jewelry.”
We’d pulled up in front of the hotel and parked. “Why are we back here?” I asked quietly.
Leo pointed. When I followed his gaze, I realized Avery and DeSean were joining us. Laughing, I murmured, “Yeah. I totally forgot.”
They joined us in the car and we took off. Thanks to nerves, I had no words. Avery seemed to understand. From the back seat, she reached forward and placed her hand on my shoulder. I covered it with mine and we simply stared at each other a moment.
When we reached the boutique, Leo murmured, “We’ll be next door at the tuxedo shop. I don’t want to see you in the dress until the wedding. In fact, once we return to the hotel, we’re all having a light meal, then getting ready. I’ll go to DeSean’s room. You and Avery get our suite. Okay?”
I nodded numbly.
“Oh, and here.” He passed me his black American Express card. Looking at Avery, he pleaded, “Make sure she uses it, please.”
We disappeared into the shop. “I don’t have time to try on a bunch of gowns. Or for anything that requires fittings and alterations. I’m getting married in five hours.” I inhaled sharply.
“Breathe, girl. We got this,” Avery assured me.
My measurements were taken and before the saleswoman disappeared, she asked, “What do you like? I’ll narrow it down for you.”
When was the last time I went to a wedding? What did I know about bridal wear? I rubbed my face. “All I can think of is the royal wedding,” I murmured in shame.
“The second gown, right?” The lady grinned.
“Yeah. That.” Before she wandered into the back, I added, “And we need something for her in purple.”
An hour later, after trying on just two gowns, we were leaving the boutique. “You’re going to look amazing,” Avery announced.
“It’s not supposed to be this easy.” I frowned. “I keep waiting for the bottom to fall out.”
Avery laughed. “I did the same thing. I’ve come to believe that when it’s right, everything falls into place.” She leaned in and whispered, “And this is right.”
I nodded a few times, then we joined the guys in the car and, after the dresses were carefully laid over the back seat, we drove back to the hotel. Only after we dropped the dresses off did I finally realize how hungry I was, but I almost feared eating. I feared blinking. I worried most of all that this was a dream I was going to wake up from, miserably disappointed as I had been before.
Leo walked up behind me and grabbed my butt. “It’s real,” he joked.
“How did you know?” I smiled up at him.
“I’ve seen that look on your face before. From now on, when I do, I’m just going to grab your ass and remind you this is your new life Elizabeth Prescott almost-Ward.” He kissed my cheek.
“Take out the almost and that will be my new name. Nice ring to it, I think.” I laughed quietly and wrapped my arms around my body a second before letting them fall to my sides again.
“Agreed. Come on. Everyone’s waiting for us.” And he tugged on my hand to lead me toward the seafood restaurant on the premises.
“God, you know all my weaknesses. We’re doomed.” I shook my head.
“Liz, this is a good thing. I also know all your strengths.” He lifted my chin. “Your grace, intelligence, and charm won me over long ago. Your beauty, inside and out, was the cherry on top.”
We ate. I distinctly remember ordering sushi. I have no idea how it happened, but Avery and I returned to the room. I stared down at my ring finger. Still engaged. And once inside the room, my dress hanging up in the closet had me quivering with excitement. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Well, since you’re getting married in a little over an hour, you could try getting ready,” she teased.
There was a knock on the door. When I opened it, I found room service delivering champagne. “From Mr. Ward. He wanted you two to relax.” The man turned and motioned to people I hadn’t noticed in the hall. “Hair and makeup artists have arrived.”
The man poured each of us a flute while the women hired to make us look good set up. “Enjoy.” He bowed and exited the room.
“What shall we toast to?” I asked Avery.
“How about happily ever afters? We both found ours.” She sighed. “And remember, I can only have a sip.”
“No worries. I shouldn’t drink much either.” I giggled. “The last thing I need is to go stumbling down the aisle.”
The photographer showed up next to start taking pictures. “Just act natural. Those are my favorite images. Be yourself. I’ll capture the evening for you.”
Despite all the activity around me, I could actually feel myself relaxing. By the time I donned the dress, I felt ready. Avery and I made our way downstairs and out to the gardens. We’d passed the pool area and peeked in to discover it was being prepared already. There were giant balloons floating on the water in purple and white. The outdoor lighting would be perfect once the sun had finished setting. By the time the wedding started, it should be done.
My father met us at the door to the gardens. “You look beautiful, baby girl,” he murmured. “May you and Leo have the same loving marriage your mother and I have had. You ready?”
“Yes. I’ve wanted to be with Leo for a really long time. You ready to hand me off to my forever?” I beamed at my father.
The music began and Avery started walking down the aisle, carrying the sunflower and purple bouquet. I’d struggled with which one to carry, so the stylist helped me create one combining some champagne roses, calla lilies, and peonies. She’d wrapped it with white ribbon and pearls. In that moment, everything felt perfect and I was suddenly and inexplicably calm.
14
Leo
* * *
The wedding location couldn’t have been more perfect. By the time the event began, the fairy lights were on, the sun was setting, and the huge fountain behind us made the most relaxing white noise. Avery made her way down the aisle and stepped to the other side of the fountain to watch for Liz.
Immediately, I was glad I’d waited to see her. My heart filled with such awe at the beauty I was about to marry. Then our eyes met and about knocked the air from my lungs. How had I managed to get so lucky? Liz was everything I’d ever wanted in a wife and so much more. A lifetime with her would never be long enough.
“Hold it together, buddy,” DeSean murmured. “You look like you’re about to jump out of your skin.”
I chuckled. “I’ve never felt like this before. Damn, I love that woman.”
“Then you in the right place. You get to marry her,” he joked.
Seconds later, Liz stood before me and her father prepared to hand her off to me, a man he barely knew. Determined to reassure him, I leaned close as we shook hands. “I promise to love her with all my heart and treasure her always.”
Mr. Prescott nodded and clapped my shoulder. “I know you will, son. And…if you’d like, you can call me Dad.”
Inhaling sharply, I nodded. “Thank you…Dad.” I thought it’d feel strange on my lips, but this was a good man. He was entrusting me with his daughter. And I knew we were going to be happy. We already were.
Liz passed Avery her bouquet so we could hold hands.
<
br /> I smirked. “You have a way of making everything better, Liz. Just like that bouquet.”
She squeezed my hands and then I lost myself in her eyes, her touch, her beauty and the miracle of this moment. I don’t remember the vows. I can’t remember the music. All I recall is staring into Liz’s eyes and seeing the love, envisioning our future, and wanting the moment to never end.
“You may now kiss your bride.”
Then in front of our closest friends and family, I pulled her into my arms and leaned down to match my lips to hers. The moment we connected, warmth spread through me. As we ended our PG version of a kiss, I realized her eyes had popped open and I knew precisely what she was thinking. “This is real,” I whispered. “I love you, Elizabeth Prescott Ward.”
Her cheeks warmed. “I love you, too, Leo Ward.”
The officiant announced us. Our friends rushed to hug and congratulate us. And then, while everyone else moved to the reception, we were pulled aside by the officiant. “I’ll handle filing this, but I need your signatures,” he explained.
He passed me the pen and I signed first. Then I handed it to Liz while joking, “We’ll make this nice and legal.”
After she signed, she stared at me numbly for a moment.
I frowned. “What are you thinking?”
“Oh, I’m just creating a mental list of everything I need to do. There will be packing and moving. I’ll have to give notice at the apartment complex. The post office…change of address. The DMV. The Social Security Office for the name change.” She blew out a breath and I could feel the scary party of reality infringing on our joyous occasion.
“Stop it, beautiful. You don’t have to do it all on your own anymore. We’ll manage everything together.” I held her close until I could feel her relaxing.
“How do you do it?” she asked while shaking her head in wonder.
I waggled my brows. “You know the answer to that. After all, you insisted on a test drive.” I snickered. “Now, you sign the papers.”
“What’s that mean?” Liz asked with a smirk.
“Oh, you know, just that starting tonight, you can really break me in.” I laughed.
“I like the sounds of that.” She took my hand and we started to enter the hotel. Only when we reached the hall to the pool area, she pulled me toward the elevator instead.
“Wait. Our friends…” I glanced and pointed.
“No one expects us to show up immediately, right?” Liz licked her lips. “I need a moment with my mister.”
“Anything to keep the missus happy.” I bent and scooped her up in my arms as I rushed us to the elevator.
We rode up to the penthouse suite and I held her the entire time. Finally, when we reached our floor and the doors opened, I strode confidently to our door, unlocked it, and took a deep breath before carrying her over the threshold. “I mean it,” I whispered. “Every bit of it.”
She nodded, her eyes filled with passion. “Me, too.”
I set her on the edge of the bed and squatted in front of her. “I have something for you. I wanted you to understand how serious I am.”
“You know, I’ve picked right up on that.” Liz giggled. “Come here! Everyone is waiting on us for food.”
“They have free drinks. We can take a minute.” I chuckled. “I wanted to give you this.” I turned around, opened the drawer in the dresser and pulled out a weekender bag. “This is nothing fancy, but I thought it might be a nice start.”
Her brow furrowed until she saw the bag was monogrammed with our initials. “I love it! This is perfect.”
“Open it up,” I suggested. “I’ll pour us a drink.” Then I stood and popped a bottle of sparkling wine. While I poured it, she unzipped the bag. I grinned when she gasped.
“A monogrammed bathrobe!” She giggled. “Thank you.”
“Keep going.” I passed her a flute.
“Crystal? Engraved?” She shook her head. “You went crazy.”
“Did you look in the bag?” I sank down on the bed beside her.
She pulled out a monogrammed cosmetic bag. “You spoil me, Leo.”
“Well, I couldn’t find any jewelry I wanted. And then I saw all this. I was so excited about the wedding, I wanted to get a few necessities.” I shrugged. “If you look inside, you’ll realize I’m practical.”
Liz slowly unzipped it and pulled out the keychain. “Mrs.” She sniffled. “And the keys?”
“Well, our house, my car, your car.” I waited for her to process what I’d said.
“These are both for a Mercedes. I have a Honda.” She frowned and I watched as she finally looked up and met my gaze. “A new car? You bought me a new car? Is this one of the necessities?”
“If you hate it, we can return it or exchange it, or whatever.” I shrugged. “I want you to be happy and safe. Your car was…old.”
“Well, student loans are a thing.” Liz sighed. “Priorities.”
“Money is no longer an issue.” I moved to sit on the bed beside her.
“No financial woes? No more poring over my monthly budget and trying to figure out how to make ends meet? Whatever will I do with all that extra time?” Liz giggled and then stood in front of me and turned her back my direction. “Zipper,” she murmured.
“We still have the reception,” I reminded her.
She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Yeah. And first, I get to show you how I plan to spend my extra time.”
“I like the way you think, Mrs. Ward,” I murmured as I grasped the zipper and began to tug it toward her beautiful curvy ass. As the straps slid off her shoulders, I leaned in and kissed the exposed skin.
“I like the way you make me feel,” she whispered as she turned to face me.
“Oh, Liz, I’m just getting started.” I grinned as I cupped her cheek. “We’re just getting started.” I pressed my lips to hers, the welcome stirring in my groin as anticipation grew. I’d barely begun to deepen the kiss and wrapped my arms around her body when there was a knock at the door.
Liz started to push on my chest.
“Ignore it,” I urged. “They’ll go away.”
The knock this time was more insistent. Her eyes widened. “It could be important,” she suggested.
I shook my head. “Nothing that can’t wait. This is our time.”
“Lizzie, Leo!” DeSean called.
“Oh, hell,” I grumbled, knowing somehow this was going to end up resulting in some coitus interruptus. Then I zipped up Liz and strode over to the door. Flinging it open, I exhaled to stay calm. “This better be important.”
“Well, buddy, it’s not my fault you hired Lauryn for your wedding.” DeSean raised a brown in challenge.
I frowned. “She came with the hotel. She works here.”
“Cool. So, Tradd saw her. And shit’s about to get crazy. You better come quick.” He gestured for me to follow him.
“You’re security. Isn’t this more your area?” I frowned.
“Yes, but this is your wedding. And judging by the way they’re glaring at each other, it could turn into a funeral.” He leaned into the room. “Sorry, Lizzie.”
“No problem.” She came, stood beside me, and wrapped an arm around my waist. “We have the rest of our lives for this. Let’s go save the reception.”
I smiled down at her. “You’re taking this remarkably well.”
Lizzie laughed. “That’s because I took you forever.”
About Emma Nichols
What made her decide to be a romance author?
Simple.
How else was she going to parlay her two favorite past times into a career?
Emma is single and loving it. Like her first character, Alysin, Sin for short, she doesn't believe in settling or in settling down. She loves to indulge in her passions whenever the mood strikes and enjoys keeping all of life's cliché moments spicy.
Known for her sense of humor, Emma surrounds herself with friends whose antics often become the source of book fodder. Her ideal si
tuation would be to explore the Caribbean while writing. She pursues that dream daily.
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Books by Emma Nichols:
Series:
Sin at Sea (The Sinful Series, 1)
Vixen in Vegas (The Sinful Series, 2)
Heaven in Hedonism (The Sinful Series, 3)
The Sinful Series Boxed Set
Hiding Out (The Davenport Agency, 1)
Finally Found (The Davenport Agency, 2)
The Davenport Agency Boxed Set
Under Umbrellas (New Hope, 1)
Tempest Torn (New Hope, 2)
Stormy Surrender (New Hope 3)
New Hope Boxed Set
First A Dream (Dreams Come True, 1)
Second Chances (Dreams Come True, 2)
Three Wishes (Dreams Come True, 3)
Dreams Come True Boxed Set
The Bet (The Players Series, 1)
The Mark (The Players Series, 2)
The Gamble (The Players Series, 3)
The Players Series Boxed Set
