She unpacked and put her clothes away. Her throat tightened remembering the wonderful times she'd spent as a child in this room. The digital clock on the nightstand showed 6:30. This was going to be her home away from home for the next few days. The realization of becoming Mrs. Gaulle hit her with the force of a mallet. She bit back a groan at the thought of Sebastian and their earlier encounter. He was the most amazing man who'd ever lived, at least in her eyes. And now, this amazing man would become her husband. She took another quick look around and ran out the door. Her friends were waiting downstairs.
Chapter 21
ON THE DAY OF her wedding, Arielle woke up late. The morning sunlight slipping through the sliver between the curtain and the window edge shot bright light on her face. Her eyes fluttered and opened slightly. How odd that she would oversleep on a day like this, but then not so odd after celebrating with her friends until the morning hours. Her head pounded and the effects of that tugged at her eyelids. She pulled the covers over her head. One more minute! She thought.
She finally flung the covers away and slowly sat up cross-legged in the middle of her huge bed. With a soft sigh she dropped her chin onto her hands, and closed her eyes. Her foggy mind instantly came alive. I’m getting married today! She giggled blissfully. Just the thought of Sebastian, and the very concept of marriage, made her body tense. She felt giddy, reeling from the warm sensation that erupted inside her. The sheer notion that tonight she would be sharing a bed with her husband sent delicious shivers down her spine. The word husband was a seductive murmur that rippled across her body and settled in the depths of her marrow.
Less than twenty minutes later she'd showered, dressed, and made her way downstairs to look for her parents. She entered the kitchen and found her mum preparing breakfast.
“Something smells good,” she called joyfully.
“There you are,” her mother said turning to face her. “Did you sleep good, darling?”
“Yes, thank you, Mum,” she replied with a soft yawn. Closing the distance between them, she fell into her mother’s open arms.
“Today's the big day!” her mother chuckled. “You’ll be the prettiest bride ever,” she choked tears as she held her tightly.
“I love you, mummy,” Arielle whispered.
Her mum clear her throat, drew a tight breath unable to disguise her emotions. “Would you like something to eat?”
“Yes, please, I'm famished.”
“How about some eggs and bacon?”
“Mmmm, that sounds wonderful,” Arielle said. “Where's daddy?”
“He’s in his study reading the newspaper. His breakfast will be ready shortly so please go and get him.”
Arielle turned on her heels, walked across the hall and into her father’s study. He was sprawled in his favorite chair, his face buried in the newspaper.
“Good morning, Daddy!” she called out happily.
Slowly he lowered the paper and looked at Arielle warmly. “Good morning, pumpkin.” He scooted over in the big chair, and gestured with his hand for her to sit next to him. Her hesitation amused him. “Come on, you haven't grown that much. We can still fit in here just as we always did,” he said and taking her hand, he drew her down on the chair with a chuckle.
Arielle squeezed in the big chair, falling into his embrace, and laid her head on his shoulder.
“I’m so proud of you, little girl,” her father whispered, his voice breaking with emotion. “It'll be hard to give you up, but at least I know Sebastian is a good man, and he loves you very much.”
Arielle watched the emotions swirl in her father’s eyes and a lump rose to her throat. “Daddy, I’m not going anywhere. I’m still here, and you're still my number one guy.”
Her father gave her a tight squeeze and she giggled. “You're marrying a wonderful man who loves you very much. I couldn’t be any more proud of you,” he said again. His eyes misted and he reached in his pocket for his handkerchief.
“I am a bit nervous, daddy,” she murmured.
“There is nothing to be nervous about, pumpkin.”
“I know, but…” her voice trailed. She sighed inwardly. “I can’t believe I’m getting married.”
“Breakfast!” her mother called before he had a chance to comment.
“We better go,” her father chuckled. “You know your mother.”
They rose and Arielle slipped her hand in her father’s as they walked together to the breakfast room.
Five more hours before she would set her eyes on the man who'd turned her life into a wonderful, magical dream. Sebastian had text each and every day. Always the same text that made Arielle chuckle. “I love you, I can’t wait to marry you, please miss me.”
***
It was now 4:00, the house was a bustle of excitement, and her parents were blissful. The wedding was scheduled for 6:00. Arielle had arranged to meet Eva, Gabby, and Loren at the church at 4:30. They'd reserved a special room to get ready. The guys would be there a little earlier in a different part of the church so they wouldn’t run into each other before the ceremony.
Sebastian entered first followed by Troy, Ian, and Paul. He heard swishing and soft whispering, but he didn’t look at the guests. He took his place on the right hand side to the left of the altar. Troy, Ian and Paul stood next to him. He finally looked up. His gaze swept the front pew and saw all his immortal friends, including his mother and father. On the other side of the aisle he saw Arielle’s mother, the Taylors, and Mrs. Winters.
The bridal music sounded and every eye in the church turned to look down the aisle. The silence was broken by happy whispers. Gabrielle walked in first, Arielle came in hanging on her proud father’s arm and Eva and Loren borne the long train of her beautiful veil. Her father supported her as she walked nervously down the aisle. Arielle’s mother started to cry at the sight of her daughter in her wedding dress. She looked absolutely stunning.
Her dress was of rich white satin trimmed with appliquéd flower blossoms. The bodice was fitted and strapless, trimmed with small diamonds around the edges. The pure white satin had been imported from the Far East and manufactured in Paris with a magnificent spray of brilliant stones all over the skirt. The design had been drawn expressly for her wedding and surpassed her expectations. The headdress was a gorgeous tiara trimmed with diamonds and the veil was of Honiton lace.
Gabrielle, Eva, and Loren wore emerald green brocade with satin trim and brilliant diamonds throughout the material, giving it a 16th century look. The color of their dresses had been Arielle’s choice, to reflect the color of Sebastian’s eyes.
Bouquets of freshly cut flowers adorned the aisles, filling the air with a breathtaking aroma.
Arielle’s eyes fell on the man who'd made her dreams come true. A knot tightened in the pit of Arielle’s stomach. He was stunningly beautiful. He looked so dignified, tall, with broad shoulders, long muscular legs and an aura of elegance and utter masculine beauty. She drank him in with her eyes.
At the sight of Arielle, Sebastian couldn’t breathe or pull his gaze away from her. She was a vision to make any man lose control of his wits. Her veil covered her beautiful shoulder-length brown hair. Behind the veil, her sapphire eyes glowed with passion. He was lost in desire. He'd never seen another woman so utterly beautiful. And she was all his.
He drew a breath as she approached. He was aware that all eyes were on her. She was stunningly beautiful. Sebastian struggled to breathe as he vaguely heard the priest’s voice.
“Who gives this woman away?”
“I do,” her father replied and placed her hand into Sebastian’s. Soft warm fingers gripped his hand and he looked down into her eyes. A dazzling smile painted her luscious lips and in a daze he smiled back.
They turned to face the priest and Sebastian kept her hand protectively in his. Shifting his grip he weaved their fingers.
Still in a haze he repeated after the priest the required phrases. Then Arielle took Sebastian’s ring from Gabby and taking his han
d in hers, slid the ring on his finger as she spoke her vows.
“I, Arielle, take you, Sebastian, to share my life, to be my husband, my lover and my friend in the presence of God, our families and friends. I offer you my heart, my soul and solemn vow to be faithful and be yours in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, regardless of the obstacles we may face together, to support you, to honor you and respect you, to comfort you. You have brought pure joy into my life and I can’t be if you are not with me. You are the most wonderful, generous, and unselfish man and I’ll love you for eternity.”
Troy handed Sebastian Arielle’s ring and he turned to her. She extended her hand and he closed his fingers about hers. He slid the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. He looked down into her eyes and their gazes locked. Passion scorched. He was now ready to vow his love and promise to her.
I, Sebastian, take you, Arielle, to be my wife, my best friend and my lover. My life didn’t begin until I met you, the sun didn’t shine until I looked in your eyes and the stars didn’t come out at night until your smile appeared in front of me. I can’t breathe if you are not with me and I can’t imagine life without you. You're enchanting, funny, sensual and affectionate and you make the earth rotate, you bring the sunshine and the world feels right when you're next to me. I promise to love you, to protect you, to support your goals and to make you utterly happy with all the power I hold. I couldn’t wait for this day and now here I stand in front of you ready to give you my very soul and I feel complete.
Their gazes remained locked and they stood unmoved as if time had stopped.
“And now, by the grace vested in me, I pronounce you man and wife.” The priest’s voice was loud enough for everyone at the church to hear, snapping Sebastian and Arielle out of their dazes. Both turned to face the altar.
The priest smiled kindly. “You many now kiss your bride.”
Sebastian stepped closer, slid his hand about her waist, and drew her to him. Lifting her eyes she met his gaze. He raised her veil and drew her lips to his. It should've been a gentle kiss, after all they were standing in front of a crowded congregation, but it wasn't. It turned passionate and the weeklong separation made it powerful.
The priest cleared his throat, reminding them that they were still standing at the altar. Embarrassed, they pulled apart though everything inside them screamed against ending the kiss. Soft laughter and enthusiastic clapping filled the church as they turned to face the crowed.
Hand-in-hand, Sebastian and Arielle walked back up the aisle, smiling at the warm wishes from their friends and family.
Sebastian leaned close and murmured, “You look stunning. I missed you desperately and you're in deep trouble.”
Arielle blushed at his words. “I missed you, too,” she murmured.
He pulled her closer to his side. They were still breathless from the kiss.
At the reception hall, they greeted their guests as they came into the room. They had some of the most delightful moments with everyone before departing for their honeymoon.
Once in the back seat of the limo, Sebastian gave instructions to the driver. He then leaned back on the leather seat, pressed a button and closed the partition, separating the back seat from the driver. He then turned, pulled Arielle hard against him and, parting her lips with his tongue, plundered deep and hard. Their breathing increased, and her perfume of freesia dragged at his sense. His desire was barely restrained. He heard her soft sigh and drew a deep breath. Her warm breath brushed his skin, driving him crazy.
“I can’t wait to take my wife to bed, and show her how much I love her,” he chuckled.
Her gaze fell on the firm beautiful curve of his mouth and her breath hitched. “Oh! Is she waiting for you at the airport?”
With a low growl he leaned in and crushed his mouth on hers. “You're absolutely beautiful. I promise that I will take you to the moon and back, slowly and passionately,” he breathed against her lips, shifting his hand to her thigh. “You're now mine, completely mine,” he said a wicked smile on his face.
“We're going to the moon?” She feigned shock. “Don’t tell me there's a spaceship at the airport, ready for the long journey.” She was unable to wipe the grin off of her face.
Sebastian laughed out loud and dropped a kiss on her lips. “One thing I can promise you, it'll be a very long…and pleasurable journey for both of us,” he murmured seductively.
“Oh, my!” she breathed, as she read the raw hunger in his emerald eyes. He held her in his arms all the way to the airport. His private jet was on the tarmac, the pilot standing by the steps waiting for the Limo to pull up. It wasn't long before the plane took off for their final destination. Sebastian unbuckled her seatbelt, pulled her up from her seat, and led her to the bedroom. Arielle’s heart skipped several beats and her breath caught at the sizzling look in his eyes.
“Is this where you're going to take me on that long journey?” she giggled.
Sebastian rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “No, this is going to be a short stop before the long journey,” he replied. He stood behind her and slowly unbuttoned her wedding gown. He pushed it off of her shoulders and let it pool on the floor. Arielle stepped out of the dress and into his warm embrace. He set his lips on her neck, nibbling and suckling until he reached the back of her ear. His tongue circled the soft earlobe and Arielle moved suggestively against him. A low growl left his lips. He unclipped her bra and his arms came around cupping her breasts in his hands, kneading, rubbing and squeezing. His thumbs brushed across the hard nipples and Arielle whimpered. Sebastian picked her up and set her in the middle of the bed. He removed his clothes feverishly and slipped beside her. His arms wrapped around her, cupped her breasts again and tortured them for a while, before his palms moved sluggishly over her abdomen and lower until he reached the very center of her world. He slipped one finger inside as his lips trailed hot kissed across her collarbone. Arielle squirmed with anticipation, and when a second finger slipped inside the intensity was toe-curling. She cried out his name, pleasure burning deep in her core.
“What do you want, love?” he whispered against her ear.
“I want you,” she whimpered. “I missed you, Sebastian, and I need you now.”
“Patience my love. This'll be a short journey, but not that short,” he chuckled. He pushed her on her back, lowered his head and removing his fingers he claimed her center with his mouth. The pleasure was indescribable. His guttural groan set Arielle’s body on fire. Passion burned as his tongue swirled spreading heat like wildfire across every nerve in her body. Her climax was powerful and shuddering. Her heart pounded, her body trembled and she held onto him, breathless. The sensual torture continued as he took her taut nipples between his thumbs and his forefingers and squeezed, sending liquid flames through her veins.
He lifted his head and slowly moved up, covering her perfect body, setting his hot mouth on one hard nipple. He laved at it, took it between his teeth and nibbled before drawing it entirely into his hot mouth as he worshiped the other breast with his hand. Arielle moaned. Sebastian claimed her mouth in a devouring kiss. Her nails scraped his muscled back and dug deep into the planes of his shoulders as he spread her thighs. With one powerful thrust he buried himself inside of her to the hilt. He felt a frenzied orgasm brewing as her muscles tightened around him. He stilled. He was hoping he could prolong this amazing encounter.
Arielle arched her back. “What're you doing?” she whimpered.
“Please, baby, stop moving.” The expression on his face was a mix lust and torment.
“Why?”
“Because I want to prolong the pleasure for you. If you keep moving I won't be able to stop.”
Panting, Sebastian drew a few deep breaths. He was insanely in love with her, and his desire was beyond anything he'd ever felt in his five hundred plus years on this planet. He took her mouth into a scorching kiss. His tongue slipped between her lush lips and plundered the softness of her mouth with unrestraine
d passion, tasting and exploring. He finally moved again and soon they caught the perfect rhythm. Arielle pushed her hips against his and soon his thrusts became stronger more powerful, pushing her higher and higher and Arielle cried out with a savage groan that sent them both over the edge and they shuddered into an explosive release. They remained in each other’s arms until they reclaimed their senses. He rolled onto his back, taking her with him, resting his head on her chest.
“I love you, my Lizzy,” he murmured.
“I love you too, Darcy,” she mumbled, overtaken by exhaustion.
He set his mouth at the pulse throbbing at the base of her throat. This was his favorite spot of her body. His heart had stopped beating five hundred years ago, and her pulse had become his. She was his lifeline.
Arielle fell asleep in his warm embrace and he stayed awake watching her sleep. He was overwhelmed with passion and love. She was his wife, the woman he loved more than anything and anyone in this world. She was his to protect.
The captain’s voice brought him back from his haze. They were nearing their destination. He shook Arielle lightly and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
“Wake up, baby,” he murmured. “We’re almost there.”
Arielle blinked her eyes open. “Where is ‘almost there’?”
“You better get up and dressed, if you don’t want the captain to find us in bed,” he chuckled.
She stretched and giggled blissfully. “I want to stay here in bed with you.”
“I know, but we need to get up, love.” He pressed a soft kiss on her lips. Arielle’s arms came around his neck and she pulled him down to her, deepening the kiss. Sebastian moaned.
Arielle Immortal Resolve (The Immortal Rapture Series Book 8) Page 28
