Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 65116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65116 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 326(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 217(@300wpm)
A small smile was still on my lips. “Yeah…I know.”
“You were moody, argumentative, and just a jackass. Anytime I tried to start a conversation, you were so cold. It made me feel so isolated when I had no one for comfort. But then all of that started to change when you showed your true colors. You were my rock when the worst things happened to me. You were my voice when I couldn’t speak, my legs when I couldn’t walk. You got me through my darkest hour. You became my closest friend. I never thought I would actually start to like my husband, but as time passed…I slowly fell in love with you. With every passing day, that feeling became stronger and stronger. Then I was so desperately in love with you that I couldn’t imagine loving another man all my life. You weren’t what I pictured in a husband, but you’re exactly what I want. I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else, couldn’t imagine having children with anyone else. You’re all that I’ll ever need, Maverick. I feel so lucky to be Mrs. DeVille.”
The avalanche of compliments crushed me, and I couldn’t believe the source was her beautiful mouth. This woman loved me despite my flaws, forgave me despite my sins. She loved me for me…and that meant the world to me. I was a difficult man who had mood swings that could be triggered at any moment, but she was patient and understanding. She saw the good in all the bad.
The priest finished the ceremony. “Maverick, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife—”
“I do.” I blurted out the answer before he could even finish. I didn’t want to waste another second holding my breath when I wanted to release the truth into the sky.
She smiled, her eyes still wet.
“And do you, Arwen, take this man—”
“I do.”
I smiled in return.
“Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife.”
Kent and my father applauded while Lily threw rose petals into the air.
My arms circled Arwen’s waist, and I pulled her close to me so I could kiss her as my wife, to kiss her the way I should have on our wedding day. My arms locked around her back, and I crushed her into my chest, never wanting to let her go. My mouth found hers, and I kissed my wife, our lips landing like two sets of pillows. Soft and sexy, her mouth was the perfect oasis for my tongue. I kissed her with more passion than our last ceremony, my hand sliding into her hair as I disregarded the people staring at us. I kissed my wife how I wanted to because she was my wife…and I could do whatever I wanted.
Her returned affection was just as magical.
When I found the courage to pull away, I rested my forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. It was my job to take care of her, but she was the one who took care of me. She was the one who brought out the best in me, made me realize I was a good man after all. We would balance each other until time ran out. “Are you ready for our honeymoon?”
“You know I packed three days ago.”
I grabbed her hand and turned to my family. “Thanks for coming…but we have somewhere to be.”
“What?” Kent asked. “We aren’t going to cut some cake? Dance a little?”
“Pictures?” Lily asked.
“No.” I shook my father’s hand then hugged my sister. “We have enough wedding pictures.” I turned to Kent and shook his hand.
He waggled his eyebrows at me. “Have fun on your honeymoon. Hopefully, you come back.”
I smiled. “I might not. And that would be okay because I hate your ugly face.”
“Whoa…that’s how you talk to your best man?”
“It is when you won’t stop checking out my wife.”
He shrugged. “Good point.”
When I turned back to my wife, I saw her hugging my father.
I hadn’t seen my father hug anyone besides my mother…and that was two years ago. Stunned, I watched him embrace her then whisper something in her ear. When they broke apart, he patted her shoulder and gave her a slight smile.
Did that just happen?
Arwen came back to me and grabbed my hand. “Alright, I’m ready to go. When does our flight leave?”
Hand in hand, we walked back to the house. “I can’t believe my father hugged you.”
“Before you freak out, just remember he’s a lot like you. He’s rough around the edges but soft on the inside. He’s like a caramel chocolate.”
“What did he say to you?”
She looked at me, a knowing smile on her lips. “That’s between me and my father-in-law.”
“You really aren’t going to share?” I asked, surprised she would keep such a secret from me.
“I’ll tell you on our honeymoon. How about that?”