“Well, you won’t have to wait it out anymore.” Madison gazed at the sparkle in her ring, then looked up at his face. “I can’t wait to become your wife.”
“So let’s not wait. Why don’t we make it happen as soon as possible?”
“Meaning?” She met his eyes.
“We can get married at city hall next week and start to live our lives as newlyweds.”
“But what about family, friends, planning, my wedding dress, etcetera?” Madison asked. “Would we live here, buy a place of our own...?”
“We can have a big reception later and invite the whole world, if you want,” Stuart told her. “All we need to tie the knot is each other, the girls and maybe Chad and Jacinta, if you’d like, as witnesses. As for a wedding dress, you would look stunning in any dress. But if you insist on one, I’m sure there’s enough time to get something that you love. And it doesn’t matter to me if we live here, somewhere new—hell, we can even move to your town house if you want. I just want to be with you.”
Madison chuckled at the idea of moving from this grand old Victorian to her much smaller town house. She gave him a steady look. “Hmm... You’re really serious, aren’t you?”
He nodded. “I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. Making you my lawfully wedded wife means more to me than I could say. I’m sure the girls would be just as enthusiastic to have you as their mom.”
The idea was starting to grow on Madison. She loved Stuart so much and the kids, too, so why should they wait to make their family official?
“Well, if Dottie and Carrie are truly on board with it, then I say let’s do it,” Madison declared.
“Yeah, let’s,” Stuart agreed. He was confident they would have the full support of his daughters. He wrapped his arms around Madison, then tilted her and laid a big kiss on her lips. “I love you.”
“Wow, with a kiss like that, you must!” she joked. “I love you, too. Now let’s go see what Carrie and Dottie have to say about all this.”
Stuart took her hand. They headed upstairs and found the girls in Dottie’s room, waiting in anticipation.
“What do you think of the room?” Dottie asked Madison anxiously.
Madison looked around at the rearranged furnishings. “I think it’s great,” she said. She could imagine living there herself, in their perfect house with their perfect children.
Dottie looked up at her. “Really?”
“Yes, really.” Madison smiled at her. “I love the way you changed it.”
Dottie blushed and glanced at Stuart, who was pleased that Madison’s opinion had become so important to them. She would definitely do wonders in their family.
Carrie took her hand. “Come and see my room.”
Madison was led to her room and saw similar changes. “It’s wonderful,” she told her. “It’s good to know you both put so much work into turning your rooms into little palaces.”
“Thanks,” Carrie said with a bright smile.
“And you probably had a little help from your dad.”
“Actually, they did it all by themselves,” Stuart said proudly. “But they might need a woman’s touch the next time around.”
“We would,” Dottie told her emphatically.
Madison smiled. “I’ll be happy to help out whenever you need me.”
“Does that mean you’re going to be around a lot?” Carrie asked hopefully.
Madison turned to Stuart. “Well, that’s the plan....” She left it up to him to take it from there.
With that cue, Stuart grabbed her hand and showed them the ring. “We have some news for you....”
The girls gathered around them before Dottie said, “We know you asked Madison to marry you.”
He cocked a brow and grinned. “How did you know?”
“We figured you would get around to it sooner or later.” She giggled. “Sooner was better.”
Carrie touched the ring on Madison’s finger. “You must have said yes.”
“I did.” A smile played on Madison’s lips. “But before we make it official, we wanted to make sure that this was something you guys wanted as much as we do.”
The girls looked at each other, then they both took Madison’s hands. “Of course it is,” Carrie said.
“We’d really love for you to be our new mom,” Dottie added enthusiastically.
Madison choked up and tried to keep from bawling. “And I’d love nothing more than to be your new mom and your dad’s new wife.”
Stuart joined them in a group hug. “Then it’s settled. We’re about to become a family.” Stuart couldn’t be happier. He gave Madison a kiss to punctuate their official engagement.
Madison couldn’t help but cry for the moment. Stuart and the girls had come to mean so much to her, and she was ready to make their happy family official.
* * *
Two weeks after getting married, Madison and Stuart enjoyed their honeymoon in Las Vegas, staying in an elegant suite at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. Bianca had suggested that the place was an ideal romantic getaway for two lovebirds. The newlyweds marveled at the hotel’s 541-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower as they took the glass elevator to the top.
“I’ve always wanted to go to Paris,” Madison told Stuart. “I’d say this is a step in the right direction.”
On the observation deck, Stuart wrapped his arm around Madison’s waist and held her close as they took in the amazing lights of the city at night.
“It’s wonderful,” cooed Madison. “Especially when I’m experiencing it with my handsome husband.”
“It’s just as wonderful as you are,” he said. He turned her around and planted a kiss solidly on her mouth.
Madison was breathless as she kissed him back fervently, caught up in the glamour of the surroundings and the love she felt for this man. She had never been happier, and she was sure it showed.
Back in their room, they stripped off their clothes and made passionate love as though it were the first time. Stuart wedged himself deep inside Madison as she lay beneath him, her legs wrapped firmly around his back. She urged him on with each stroke.
Madison’s nipples ached with raw pleasure as Stuart’s hard chest stimulated them torturously. She peppered his mouth with kisses, slipping her tongue inside to taste him.
Before long, Madison had moved on top while Stuart remained deep inside her, his fullness exciting her. Their hearts raced like never before. She held his broad shoulders and moved up and down him fluidly, basking in the scent of their sex and the ecstasy of their love.
When the time came to climax, they did so together, as their breathing quickened and their bodies shook. The moment had all the power of ultimate fulfillment that came with being husband and wife for a lifetime.
* * * * *
We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin ebook. Connect with us for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!
Subscribe to our newsletter: Harlequin.com/newsletters
Visit Harlequin.com
We like you—why not like us on Facebook: Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Follow us on Twitter: Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
Read our blog for all the latest news on our authors and books: HarlequinBlog.com
ISBN: 9781460310236
SAY IT WITH ROSES
Copyright © by R. Barri Flowers
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invente
d, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
Say It with Roses Page 16
