Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 133138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
I look over at him, taking a slow sip of my scotch. “Watch it,” I tease. We’ve made peace, with each other and our pasts, not letting them affect our futures. In fact, Tristan is doing much better now, working an apprenticeship in home construction with plans to become a project manager one day.
He grins back. “What can you tell me about her?”
I follow his line of sight and chuckle when I see Claire from the coffee shop that Autumn prefers. Autumn insisted that we fly Claire to France for the wedding. “Good luck. Just don’t fuck it up, or that one will eat you alive.”
“That sounds exciting,” he replies, one brow lifting as he takes Claire’s measure in her blood red dress and black Dr. Martens boots.
“The folly of youth,” I intone, holding my glass up. “I wish you much luck in your trials.”
Tristan clinks his glass against mine and then walks away, heading straight for Claire. And his likely demise.
The other guys I worked with and befriended at the orphanage are here too, home from university or out of school for winter break. We stay in touch, messaging each other, video chatting, and even playing video games together long-distance. They’re all doing well, with Samuel planning to go into television, Raphael wanting to become a sports coach and teacher, Theodore studying business, and Claude wanting to become a social worker so he can return to the orphanage to help other children like him.
Even beyond the boys’ growing up, truly, everything has come together brilliantly. Autumn and I are wed, Xerxes has finally decided that Autumn is an acceptable addition to his food-givers rotation, Tobias is in New York with me, and he is happy with Clay. Jacqueline is leading House Corbin into new territories with Beatrice’s influence, whom my aunt has truly taken under her wing. The other designers are doing well with their own work. Nora and her husband had their little one, an adorable cherub named Kayleigh who makes me want a miniature version of Autumn so desperately that I’ve already asked when she’ll be ready to stop her birth control so we can have one of our own. And I know that would make Autumn’s mother blissfully happy.
In fact, I think it’s about time we get started on that.
I wave at the wedding planner and ask, “Can we get out of here soon?”
“Oh, Mr. Corbin . . . uhm, we have about thirty more minutes until the send-off,” she answers.
“Make it fifteen, please.” Autumn must feel my eyes on her because she smiles at me from the dance floor. And like the flirty minx she can be, she gives me her back, drops down to put her hands on her knees, and does a little twerking dance with her round ass. “Actually, make it five.”
The wedding planner must work miracles because ten minutes later, Autumn and I are in the back of a limousine, heading for the hotel where we’re staying tonight before leaving for our honeymoon tomorrow.
I take her hand and lay a soft kiss on her knuckles. Looking up into her eyes, I confess, “I want you now. Here. But I refuse for the first time I have you as my wife to be in the back of a rented car. When we get to the hotel, though, I want you naked on the bed.”
Autumn’s eyes are alight. “And what if I want you naked on the bed so I can ride you into our forever, Mr. Corbin?”
“Then we’ll do that first.”
“Oh! Not fully naked, though. Rings on, necklaces on, and . . .” She smiles at me like she has a secret. One I’ll definitely enjoy. “I might have a surprise for you under my dress.”
I move to crawl under her dress right here in the car, and she laughs, pushing me away. “Wait, wait. You’ll see soon enough.”
I catch her smile with a kiss, wanting to taste her happiness. “I love you, my wife. My bride.”
“I love you too, husband.”
I go rock-hard in an instant and she knows it. “Ooh, I think you like that, don’t ya?”
I growl, kissing along her neck and praying the drive to the hotel is quick. Against the tender skin of her neck, I whisper, “I think you do too, wife.”
A shiver works through her body, and when I kiss over the pulse in her neck, I can feel it racing against my lips.
We continue kissing and whispering sweet promises to one another, all the way to the hotel room.
“Let me take this off,” Autumn tells me, pointing at her dress.
I grin wolfishly. “Need help?”
She shoves me toward the bed. “No, you’ll end up ripping it off, and it’s too special for that. You get naked and lie down while I get naked.”
She disappears into the bathroom, and I’ve half a mind to follow her, but in the end, I do as she orders, liking this game we play as much as when she gives me control. And she’s right, once I start undoing her dress, I will likely lose control and tear it from her, and I don’t want to start my wedding night with an upset bride.