by Wanda Amard
When I pass by the bedroom doorway, Vinn’s on his side of the bed undoing his thick work boots. When he texted to tell me he had to go in for a few hours, I thought he would wear jeans and a t-shirt, but he put on the entire uniform.
He looks up, shocked to see I’ve already taken off my shirt. My pink colored bra is the only thing covering my breasts.
“This won’t distract me,” he says. We’ll see.
I step closer unbuttoning the top of my jeans. “I’m not distracting you.”
It’s not a full lie. I’m just guaranteeing he’ll like what I’m about to say.
He leans back, allowing me to straddle him after my pants fall to the floor. “Tell me about the wedding, Kimber. How much is this gonna cost me?”
I smile. “Twenty dollars.”
His eyes narrow as he considers my words, and I stick my boobs in his face. His tongue licks his top lip, but he controls himself.
It’s a pity.
“Tell me.” Now I’ve got him.
I cross my arms, blocking his view of my chest. “Fine. Hunter and Emily are fighting so horribly. My dad was drunk at the wedding. It’s been a huge nightmare.” Hunter is miserable even if he won’t say it. A wedding shouldn’t bring out the worst in people.
He nods his head, as if he was there for it too.
“I say skip the whole thing.”
“You don’t want to marry me?” he asks, clearly hurt, as if it’s the worst thing anyone has ever said. He tries to stand up but I hold him down, making myself heavier by going slack.
“Just the opposite. I say we get a marriage license and have it at the courthouse.” I know he’ll see the genius in my plan.
“The marriage license costs twenty dollars?”
Actually, only sixteen, but better safe than short. I nod enthusiastically.
Vinn smiles, sticking his face to my chest and licking the crevice between my breasts. “I agree. Let’s go do it today.”
I tug on his shoulder, pushing myself back. He needs to keep his reason with him a little longer. “Vinn, it’s Sunday. Plus, there’s a three-day waiting period. We apply for the license and then go back to get married later.” Three days later.
“Great, we’ll go tomorrow morning.”
“Really?” I ask. Monday sounds perfect to me.
“Unless you want to wait, but I don’t see why. I’ll marry you as fast as possible.”
He lifts me up, my body sliding against his as he twirls and tosses me onto the bed. He lands on top of me and intertwines his legs with mine.
“I want to marry you as soon as possible, Kimber. So you’re officially mine, forever.”
Chapter Five
Vinn
Vinn tugs on my hand, and the two of us stand in our small private corner down the long hallway in the courthouse. He tucks a piece of my hair back, sliding it behind my ear.
“Are you sure about this, Kimber?”
I hope he hasn’t gotten cold feet. I cross to my toes Vinn hasn’t changed his mind.
I nod. “There’s nothing I want more than to marry you.”
“Oh, you’re gonna marry me. I just want to make sure you won’t regret not having the big wedding.”
I struggle with the ends of my white dress. It’s crazy hard to find a dress in Michigan this time of year, but with a few internet searches, I had one shipped to the local dress shop. The dress isn’t big, fluffy, and filled with tulle, but the white fabric falls to the perfect place on the floor and the sleeves help to hold it up. It’s a simple wedding dress, but perfect.
“If you want the big wedding with flowers and a cake with a hundred people, I will do that for you.”
He’s made the same promise fifty times. After realizing I wanted at least the white dress, we had to push the wedding back a couple of days to get it ordered. But now we’re here and this is what I want. Monday, December 3 will forever be the day I married the man of my dreams.
I don’t need a lot of flowers or a huge cake or the big dress. I just need him. This is the best way to ensure our wedding day is unmarred by black spots from the actions of my family.
I don’t care if Vinn can’t give me the world or exotic vacations. I don’t need any of that to be happy. After living with my parents, who don’t see the recklessness that tore them apart, the only thing I need is a man who loves me. Together our determination will be enough to get us through anything life throws our direction.
“Vinn, I don’t need any of that. I just need you,” I say drawing him down closer and kissing him on the lips. The faster we get married the faster I can prove how much I mean every word.
Rubi sighs beside us and I twist around, confused I missed my friends walking the remainder of the hallway and catching up. “How adorable are they?” she asks, pushing on our best friend Jefferson’s shoulder.
Our two witnesses. The court said they’d provide them for us, but I wanted my own. Vinn did not have a friend he wanted to get married with, but I knew if I could invite anyone to our wedding, it had to be these two.
“Vinn was making sure I wouldn’t regret the courthouse wedding thing.”
“I, for one, will miss the wedding part because Kimber said she’d make Jefferson a bridesmaid. I wanted to see him wear a dress.”
Jefferson rolls his eyes and steps back annoyed by Rubi. “I wasn’t going to be a bridesmaid.”
Rubi laughs at his outlandish expression. The thought of Jefferson wearing a dress was one of the worst things he’d imagined.
“Green and Thrower,” a woman holding a clipboard yells in the hallway.
I perk up and drag Vinn to her location. “Here,” I say as if I’m still in school.
She nods. “The judge can see you now.” A set of large double doors opens behind her with the flick of her wrist, and the four of us walk in together — a unified team helping to keep my butterflies at bay but doing a shit job at it.
After a few formalities, the judge has Vinn and me stand facing one another in a position that resembles how my brother and Emily stood for their own wedding.
I smile when the judge gets to the part about commitment and quickly say, “I do.” There’s no hesitation in my voice as we both agree to be forever linked to one another.
The wedding vows end and the judge even says, “This is the part where you can kiss although it’s not required.”
Vinn reaches over and hauls me to him, our lives connecting fast and hard as his tongue slips into my mouth. My feet dangle from the floor and I wrap my arms around his neck, not only to study myself, but to make sure he doesn’t pull away too soon.
A wolf whistle circles the room, which could only be from Jefferson, and someone standing close by sniffles. When Vinn places me back to the floor, I turn and embrace my friend in a hug as she wipes away tears.
“It was so beautiful,” she says staring at the two of us lovingly.
Jefferson rolls his eyes. “And indecent. Thank God you weren’t in a church.”
Vinn laughs, choking and hitting himself on the chest.
“The two people you have to sign the marriage certificate?” the judge asks, gesturing for both Jefferson and Rubi step forward. Everything is complete in life. I get a fresh start with Vinn, the most perfect man I can imagine, and my two best friends shared it. Regardless of what we face in the future together, we will handle it.
Do I have a little more of Rubi’s optimism than I thought?
Chapter Six
Kimber
I know it’s true, but for some reason I can’t believe it. My mind refuses to wrap around the fact Vinn and I are married. Husband and wife. It happened so fast. Not just the proposal and engagement, but the wedding itself. Where did the time go?
I thought my brother and Emily’s nuptials were quick, but my wedding happened in a snap. I barely remember saying, “I do.” Not that I wouldn’t have. I would say “I do” to Vinn every single day again for the rest of my life. If given the choice between him and any other man in th
e history of the world, it will always be him.
We may have had our differences and worked through things in the beginning of our relationship, but Vinn is the man for me. He’s the one I want to wake up with every single morning, to have children with and one day grandchildren.
We both come from broken pasts, but together we’re determined to forge ahead and make a solid future — not only for us but the generations to come after.
“What are you thinking about?” Vinn asks as he closes the car door after making sure my feet are tucked in safely.
When did we get in his car? Where are Rubi and Jefferson?
No sooner do I ask the question in my brain and Rubi taps on the other side of the window to get my attention, smiling like a moron. “We’ll see you there, bitch. Congratulations.”
She’s never one to hold in her affections.
“Where are we going?” I ask Vinn, not answering his earlier question.
He shakes his head at me smiling and leans across the middle console to place a kiss against my lips. “We, my dear wife,” his smile grows, “are going to your favorite restaurant for our reception.”
“My favorite restaurant?” Most nights I cook at home, but I guess when given the option to eat out, I usually try something local. Vinn isn’t a funny guy or stupid. There’s no way he would be taking me to McDonald’s for a wedding reception.
Would he?
No. Not Vinn.
“Where are we going?” I ask again as Vinn turns on to Grand River with Rubi and Jefferson right behind us in Jefferson’s truck.
“I’m seriously disappointed in you, Jailbait,” Vinn says clicking his tongue. “You’re always talking about the pasta.”
Immediately I pick up on what he’s talking about and I can’t hide my excitement. “Olive Garden?” He’s taking me to my favorite restaurant in the entire world. Not only is it more expensive than what we normally afford, but it’s also all the way over on the other side of the county.
“One day I’m going to take you to better places than fucking Olive Garden.”
“Okay, Vinn, but for right now Olive Garden is great.” I mean, the pasta.
He laughs and I stare out the window, deciding which entrée I’ll order when we get there. Normally I order something from the specials to keep the price down since everything is so expensive, but this is my wedding day and we’re going to Olive Garden. I’m totally getting the stuffed chicken Marcella. And a pop.
Damn thing about getting married before you’re twenty-one. No liquor.
My dress is simple and white so we don’t even appear out of place when we stroll into the restaurant arm in arm with Rubi and Jefferson behind us. The only thing that gives away today could be special is the smile I can’t stop. I’ve never seen Vinn so happy either, even considering the day he brought home a wad of cash and threw it on the bed making the dirty money even dirtier after we had sex on it.
There’s something to be said about new beginnings and fresh starts and that’s exactly what we’re getting today.
“Just four today?” the hostess asks as she leads us to the right side of the dining room.
Vinn waits until we’re seated and the hostess has left before leaning across the table to address Rubi and Jefferson. “Whatever you guys order is on me and don’t give a shit about it.”
“Are you sure?” Rubi asks but Vinn just rolls his eyes.
“I heard the lobster here is good,” Jefferson says smiling as he looks at Vinn for a reaction.
Vinn just throws a shoulder up to his ears in a sappy shrug. “Order whatever you want. Today I tied myself to a ball and chain and we’re celebrating.”
“Hey,” I say hitting him on the arm slightly. “I’m not a ball and chain.” That’s not even a funny joke. We haven’t been married long enough. That’s a fifteen years married comment.
Vinn kisses me sweetly on the lips, his tongue tracing the lower one. “You’re the most beautiful ball and chain anyone has ever seen.”
Well, if he’s gonna put it that way. There’s not a lot I can do to argue.
“But whatever you do, we need to do it fast because Kimber and I must get home.”
Rubi laughs, the outburst loud so a couple on the other side the dining room turn to check. She puts a hand over her mouth forcing her words to be punctuated by giggles. “Yeah, we know what that means.”
My face reddens but Vinn isn’t concerned at all. “It is what it is.”
“You get it, man,” Jefferson says giving Vinn a fist bump across the table. My word, what is it about men that turns them into twelve-year-olds at any mention of sex? And at Olive Garden.
We each study our menus, the four of us discussing the endless options, but I’ve already made up my mind. My mouth waters at the picture of the two chicken breasts smothered in cheese and mushrooms. My skin pebbles at the thought of cheese as a long finger from Vinn travels up my leg, lifting my dress along the way but barely distracting me from the delicious goodness.
I give him a look from across my seat, silently telling him to be good, but he only smiles and inches his finger higher until he finds my underwear.
“Vinn,” I say his name hard as a second warning. “Don’t you think we should get drinks?”
“I think you’re too young to drink,” Vinn scowls, raising my dress higher.
“I meant non-alcoholic.” My word, the man does not listen.
“There are many things we can do, Kimber, but drinking here isn’t one of them.” He laughs with a deep smile, knowing exactly what I’m saying and not caring at all.
“Is that so?” I ask, my hand settling on top of his pants in the middle of his legs where I find a bulge ready and waiting. I run my open palm over the material a few times, feeling it grow harder with my light touch.
“What can I get you to drink this afternoon?” a bright and bubbly waitress asks from the end of the table, startling me with her words. I whip my hand away from Vinn’s dick, pretending I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Vinn doesn’t do the same. His fingers slip under my panties, rubbing a circle at the top of my freshly waxed mound — a special gift for him he wasn’t supposed to unwrap until later tonight.
Chapter Seven
Vinn
I hold my lips tightly against Kimber’s ear to ensure no one else hears. Not that I care, but if I let the whole table in on my thoughts, she’ll get flustered and I’ll never get to see what she has hidden under her dress. My fingers touched bare skin, but I need to confirm with my own eyes before I come in my pants from sheer excitement.
“Tell your friends to chew faster.”
Her eyes are wide when she turns and gives me her very best “what the hell” expression. I nod trying to hurry her along and prompt the eat-faster-bitches-I’ve-got-a-pussy-to-look-at conversation.
“I can’t do that,” she whispers back. Obviously Kimber is not as concerned with my visual conquest as she should be in the particular moment.
“Can’t do what?” Rubi asks, before shoving another piece of stuffed ravioli in her mouth. Kimber always said Rubi was the pretty friend, but I do not see it. I like a girl who can eat, but without so much sass.
Kimber laughs, her face turning a deep red, and she closes her legs tightly, crushing two of my fingers. “Nothing.”
I don’t correct her. I’m too busy wiggling my digits deeper in her crevice to see how far her pussy is bare. If it’s the whole thing, I’ll never make it home. We’ll do it on the table. Screw everyone else. They can watch. Her dress will hide everything.
“I was just telling Kimber how nice her dress looks.”
Their friend Jefferson raises one eyebrow, but Rubi stares at me with stars in her eyes. How does a woman like Rubi grow up in the Fabulous Acres Trailer park and believe the shit that comes out of any man’s mouth? Somehow her parents sheltered that girl. She wouldn’t make it in a family like mine or Kimber’s.
“Isn’t it gorgeous? And to think we found it on the rack in Okemos.” Rubi
blabbers on about the dress and how wonderful it looks on Kimber for an on-line purchase. The entire time she’s gabbing she’s not chewing. And Kimber still hasn’t told her to hurry the fuck up. What is she waiting for? My body itches with excitement waiting to see my prize under this dress.
I smile and nod from my side of the table like I give a shit, but every few sentences Jefferson and I share a look of male companionship. He’s as done with dress talk as I am. Maybe he’s not such a bad fuck. He could come around more. Watch a game. Drink a beer.
“Rubi, eat your meal before it gets cold,” Jefferson scolds and I refrain from reaching across the table and fist bumping him again. Sadly, the encouragement does little to persuade Rubi to make a dent in her meal. Less than two bites later, she and Kimber are comparing hair styles and whether Kimber can ever learn to braid her own hair. Is this really the shit women worry about when they’re together? I thought it was naked pillow fights and tampon talk.
The thought brings more questions to my mind and I stick my lips against Kimber’s ear again. “Who cleared the bush down below?” This wedding day surprise of hers wasn’t mentioned before and I want to know who dared touch my woman. That’s a place only I should visit.
Just as her face had cooled, it heats again. “Rubi,” she says back smiling at her friend as if she’s just addressed her.
I stare at the redhead across the table, seeing her with new eyes. She’s seen Kimber’s most intimate place and I don’t like it, but for the end result I won’t complain. I guess. Kimber’s hand sweeps across the lap of my pants and my dick instantly rises to the occasion. Thoughts of Rubi touching what’s mine are lost to all the fantasies yet to come.
Enough of this, I can’t wait anymore. With the way Rubi is chomping her slow ass time through her bowl of ravioli, we’ll be here all afternoon. “Meet me in the bathroom in five minutes.” It’s said as a whisper, but not a request.