Still, he made a withered heart beat red.
Woke it from dead.
揧es,?she said.
She wasn抰 hunting for a wedding night.
She抯 afraid to take flight.
But she owes him her life.
And he cherishes a wife.
Play with magic.
Dance with fire.
You must pay.
A lesson that slowly burns.
Burns who? Burns what?
Burns, me.
Burns, we?
Both of us, Burns be.?
Fucking floored.
It抯 a small miracle I抦 still standing.
Without thinking, I reach out and cup Dakota抯 face, guiding her closer.
I can抰 wait. I bring her lips to mine, kissing her like I抳e wanted to ever since she sent the first draft of that poem. The words have changed a lot, but somehow without the sex, it抯 even hotter.
Her flowers brush my back, skimming over my suit抯 fabric with a whoosh as they hit the floor.
A throat clears somewhere.
I抦 too preoccupied to care.
揥e usually exchange the rings before the kiss, but go ahead,?the judge says.
I pull away from her.
揝orry,?I whisper.
揑抦 not,?she says intently.
God. This woman drives me certifiably insane even when she抯 completely innocent.
揈xchange rings,?the judge urges.
I turn to Wyatt, who hands me the ring.
Dakota takes the ring from a grinning, teary-eyed Eliza and slides it on my finger.
I push Dakota抯 ring on her hand, then bring it to my mouth and kiss gingerly. Even her little finger feels more precious than gold.
揟his is where I抎 normally say 'kiss the bride,' but we抳e already done that part. I now pronounce you man and wife!?the judge says.
With applause bursting around us, I clasp my wife by the hand and march forward.
I lead her down the patio pavilion where the reception will be with a bigger group of our family and friends. It抯 in a massive heated yurt tent thrown up to dampen the winter chill.
The sun slips toward the horizon as we come up to the patio, glowing with twinkling lights.
揝ee? I told you this was the perfect time of day for a wedding,?she says.
揌ell, marrying you would抳e been perfect at three a.m.?I tighten my hold on her fingers.
She wraps her arms around my neck. 揧ou抳e been very sweet today.?
揥hat? I抦 always sweet. You just got yourself a husband without going to pieces. I抦 proud it抯 me, Nevermore,?I whisper, stopping to steal a kiss.
When we resume walking, I see her wipe away a glorious tear.
When we arrive, the first thing I see is a massive three-tier cake. It抯 white and decorated with a nearly life-sized black raven perched on a black tree that spirals down all three tiers. The groom抯 cake is decorated with photos of us posing for the Haughty But Nice wedding line.
Eliza runs up later, holding Dakota抯 bouquet. 揑 think you forgot this!?
Nevermore takes it. 揟hanks, lady.?
揕ook who I found.?Wyatt appears next with Meadow clutching his arm, her worn flannel and jeans traded for a sleek purple dress that accents her slender frame. Emory looks like he could have her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I抦 sure they抣l be ducking out early.
揑 rode over with Dakota抯 family. I didn抰 want to crash your special time,?she explains.
Mom runs toward us with her arms outstretched. I move to hug her, but she closes Dakota in her arms. 揧ou抮e sooo gorgeous! The daughter I always dreamed of.?
揑 don抰 know,?my mother-in-law says. 揝he was grounded her entire tenth grade year.?
揙h??I pull my wife closer to me. 揑 knew Nevermore had a naughty streak, but now I have to hear this story.?
揑 do not!?Dakota lets out a mortified laugh. 揂nd no, you don抰。？
揟hat抯 nothing. She cost me two thousand dollars in ER bills after she jumped out of a second-story window,?her dad says.
I look at her.
揑 wanted to go to a party. He was like a prison guard.?
I plant a kiss in her hair. 揝urely, you could have let her go to a party.?
揂 frat boy came home for the summer. It was his party and everyone there was older than twenty, not that she made it there,?her father explains.
揙h, let抯 just get through this reception, so you two birds can take off.?Mom grabs Dakota抯 hand. 揂s soon as you抮e sick of this, you guys should go and we抣l handle the rest.?Ma leans in, never one to be shy. 揚lus, I need grandbabies, Lincoln, and I抦 not going to get them with you here gabbing.?
Goddamn, she抯 not subtle.
Dakota overhears and turns bright red.
揗a!?I whip out.
揙h, sorry.?
It抯 an interesting night. Mother keeps trying to shoo us off to make her a grandkid ASAP.
Meadow and Wyatt make out in a corner, while Eliza fights three other women out of the way and grabs the bouquet at the toss.
揑抎 better be next now that Dakota abandoned me,?she says.
I抦 just glad when it抯 over and I finally get to have my wife alone.
Three Days Later
We sit on the patio together, exhausted after two sleepless nights wearing each other out and then the world抯 longest flight.
Damn if it isn抰 worth it, though.
Crystal blue water washes over our feet, ripples back, and repeats.
揑抳e never seen water so blue,?she whispers with awe.
揟he Maldives is a special place. I抣l show you around tomorrow. You抮e going to love it,?I say, smiling because it抯 only my third time here.
揑抦 sure I will.?She yawns, covering her mouth with one hand as she stands. 揑抦 going to go get ready for bed.?
I stand and draw her to me. 揑抣l be inside soon.?
I kiss her cheek and then her lips, tugging her close.
揑 love you,?she says with a parting squeeze.
Nevermore heads in while I linger outside, watching the waves swirl like they抮e carrying away the last of our old lives.
Good fucking riddance.
I glance down at the simple solid gold band on my finger and grin.
Until I met this blond pixie, I never thought marriage was for me.
Now, I don抰 want to know what my life would be without the other half of my soul.
The waves must hold my attention longer than I think with a lukewarm beer in my hand, because the next thing I know, a soft voice behind me says, 揕incoln.?
I look over my shoulder.
My wife stands in the doorway, wearing nothing but a soft blue bathrobe that barely covers her chest. She抯 left it loose deliberately. There抯 a body made for sin that抯 ready for me, and I抦 already aching.
I swallow the last dregs of my beer, stand, and draw her to me at the door.
My lips find hers like starving wolves.
She slides her tongue in my mouth, just as eager, her earlier tiredness gone.
I fall into the kiss, sucking and stroking, reminding us both that this is real.
This is mine.
This is us.
Dakota moans, thick and honey-sweet, without breaking the kiss.
When her leg goes around me, I move my hands under her ass and lift her.
Our bodies align perfectly.
Tongue to tongue, chest to chest, her all malleable softness while I抦 so fucking hard I think I have a lethal weapon attached to my body.
With a growl caught in my throat, I throw her down on the bed.
She giggles as I tear her robe shell loose, hurling it to the floor, baring her like the delicate flower she is.
This may technically be the third day we抳e fucked since saying our vows.
I don抰 care.
With this woman, every time is just as electric as the first time, and as soulful as the last.
She looks up, her eyes wide, yanking my swim trunks away.
Once I抦 free, she traces my shaft with one finger, gliding it up my length in a slow, teasing stroke.