Elias paused halfway across the parlor to take in the sight. She was beautiful bathed in sunlight with a touch of pink on her cheeks. As for the painting she worked on—well, he wasn’t quite sure what it was supposed to be. The session was all part of Thane’s distraction technique and it had worked perfectly.
“We have the next Monet in the making,” he said, breaking the silence.
Inari gasped, tossed down the palette and paintbrush, and hurried across the room. On her way, she peeled off the smock and threw it over a chair, leaving her in a plain but pretty beige shirt.
“Elias! When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” she asked as she leapt the last few feet and threw herself into his arms.
He laughed, caught her around the waist, and kissed her soundly. First things first. She tasted like strawberries and smelled like heaven. “Because I wanted to surprise you. And it seems I’ve succeeded.”
Inari chased down another kiss before she bothered to reply. “You did! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. Or that someone didn’t mention you were flying over.” A suspicious gleam entered her eyes a moment later. “Wait. There’s no way someone here didn’t know you were coming, which means you all kept it a secret from me.”
Elias laughed and turned a circle with her still in his arms. “Nothing much gets by you, does it?”
“My father is in on this, isn’t he? You two are incorrigible.” She laughed with delight.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, obviously teasing. He kissed her again and finally let her feet slide to the floor. “I thought we could sit out in the garden for a little while.”
“Of course. Would you like something to drink?” she asked, clasping her hand with his before leading him through the room toward a double set of French doors.
“No, thanks. I had something on the flight over.” He stepped outside into an enclosed garden. Stone pathways wound through a medium-sized space partitioned off by fountains, plants, seats, and several small trees. Flowers had started to bloom with the change from spring to summer. He let her lead him along the pathway, in no hurry to get where they were going.
“How are things at Kallaster?” she asked.
“Going well. Pop’s healing nicely and Mom has been helping to arrange a schedule for the new vetting process they plan to use. It’s going to take a while to bounce back from the devastation of winter, though, as well as the attacks out near the hinterlands.”
“Same here. We were hit so hard with both. It makes my heart hurt every time I think about how many people we lost over winter.”
When she squeezed his hand, he squeezed hers in return. He knew how hard it had been on all the countries affected. “I heard that you were instrumental in winning the battle for Somero. Your dad told me that it was your idea to activate a citizen army just before communications went down. I have no doubt that it was a deciding factor in how many of your people lived or died.”
“It seemed the reasonable thing to do. We knew it would take a while to spread out our military, so it helped to have the citizens acting on their own behalf. I think, given the choice, people will want to help defend their life and property.”
“I think so, too.” He took a seat next to Inari on a bench she chose with a view of a fountain. Water bubbled out of an angel’s vase to another angel’s lily pad and onward into a large pool at the bottom. He kept her hand in his, fingers laced through her own. “There’s another reason I’m here.”
“Oh? Something else going on at Kallaster?” she asked with a touch of concern.
“Something’s going on, all right, but it’s not anything bad. A bit of good news, which we all so desperately need.”
Inari’s brows arched. “What good news?”
“I came to ask if you’d like to accompany me to my father and mother’s wedding. They’re going to renew their vows.” He couldn’t help but smile when she laughed with delight and pleasure.
“Of course. I’d love to attend. When will it be and where? Are they doing a big church thing?”
His shoulders shook with amusement at the barrage of questions. “They’re going to keep it small, actually. At first, they wanted to return to the original church they married in. But after all this they decided to have it at the beach house on Pallan Island. They’re doing some touch-ups on the inside. The ceremony will be in a few weeks. Then they’ll be taking a vacation on their bedroom balcony or something, I don’t know. They don’t feel it’s appropriate to fly off to exotic locations after everything that happened.”
“Their bedroom balcony,” Inari parroted, laughing. “I don’t blame them, though, for not wanting to leave the country just yet.”
“Things are still too tenuous. Maybe next year, if all stabilizes and calms down, they can get away somewhere.”
“They deserve it. They don’t get away nearly enough. I know it’s been years since they’ve had a proper vacation.”
“You know them. Workaholics.” He couldn’t deny it.
“So will it be dressy or a casual ceremony or what? I need to know what to wear.”
“Wear what you’d normally wear to any other wedding. Although it’ll be small, they’re going to do it up right. Tuxedo, wedding dress, the whole thing.”
“Perfect. I have ideas already.” She rested her cheek on his shoulder.
Elias allowed the silence to stretch. It was a comfortable companionship he and Inari shared, and there had been too few moments like these lately. He appreciated the burbling fountain for some time, thumb cruising over the side of Inari’s hand. When he’d gathered his thoughts, he said, “I think we should consider a vacation of our own. Maybe next year.”
Her head came up immediately.
“Really? Where? I’d love a tropical island getaway,” she replied.
He smiled at the excitement in her voice. “We can do a tropical island. Maybe the Seychelles or something.”
“Oh, that sounds excellent! Summertime?” she asked.
“Summer is probably good. I mean, if that gives you enough time.” Elias eased his fingers from Inari’s. He watched her expression grow puzzled.
“Time to plan a vacation? Elias, I’m not that slow.”
He laughed and rose from the bench. In a smooth turn, he faced her and sank to a knee. “Packing for vacation isn’t what I meant. Planning for a wedding, however . . .”
The small box he’d been carrying in his pocket appeared in his hand, the lid raised to expose a glittering diamond ring. As Inari’s bemusement turned to shock, he said, “I can’t imagine living my life without you, Inari Ascher. You’ve stood by me through some trying times and never gave up on me, or on us. There’s no one else I want at my side as we take our respective thrones and rule our countries. The future is ours. Will you marry me?”
Inari’s fingers shook as she covered her lips, eyes wide with surprise. Clearly, he’d caught her off guard. She looked from his face to the ring and back again. A sudden peal of laughter coupled with a sob preceded her surge off the bench into his arms.
“Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you!”
He laughed and caught her, rising to full height so he could swing her in a circle. She kissed him while laughing, which amused him further. Everything about the moment felt right. She felt right. He knew in his heart that he’d made the right decision, that this was the woman for him. She was strong and resilient and dedicated, not just to her country and her title, but to him.
Elias set her down, finally, after another flurry of kisses.
“Here, let’s see if it fits.” He pulled the ring from its velvet nest, put the box in his pocket, and reached for Inari’s left hand. The ring slid over her slender finger and rested prettily against her skin. A perfect fit.
“It’s beautiful. I love it. Look how it sparkles in the sun.” She turned her hand this way and that, tears rolling down her cheeks.
“I’m glad you like it.” Elias cut a look toward the garden p
ath, where Inari’s sister Lisbet stood with a camera. He’d brought her in on the secret so that she could take pictures of the event. “Face this way a moment, Inari, so Lisbet can get a straight-on shot.”
“Lisbet! I didn’t even see you there!”
“You weren’t supposed to,” Elias said. He sounded smug even to his own ears.
“Oh, I see how it is,” Inari said with a laugh. “You’re going to be the sneaky, sly kind of husband.”
“That’s right. Now smile for the camera.”
Epilogue
The beach house that sat on the shores of Pallan Island had been converted into a whimsical wonderland. Ivy wandered the stone walls of the exterior while bougainvillea added pops of color, and large floral arrangements situated in baroque urns flanked the entrance. Creamy white roses and stargazer lilies made up the bulk of the flowers, with smaller wildflowers and sprigs of wisteria worked in. The interior resembled a quaint mix of castle archways, mini lights draped along the ceiling, and swags of chiffon decorating the main great room.
Sander stood in front of an upstairs window overlooking the shoreline. It was late afternoon, pushing toward sunset, which cast the ocean and sand into peachy golden hues. Chey had wanted their ceremony later in the day so their beach photos would reflect the stunning sunset sky.
Of course he’d granted her wish.
Anything to make her happy.
Instead of revisiting the church they’d gotten married in, they’d decided to hold the ceremony at the beach house, closer to Kallaster and closer to the sea. They were also honeymooning there, four whole days of nothing but sand and skin and privacy. It allowed them to be close to home in case of an emergency, but also allowed them the feel of a vacation.
In the months since the attack, Sander had been busy getting his kingdom back to working order. It had involved early mornings and late evenings, and sometimes a few trips to the mainland.
Chey hadn’t complained once. She’d been resolute in helping create a new system for electing councilmen and advisors while also planning for their ceremony. She’d bloomed under the workload, which also included all her other obligations: charity functions, visits to orphanages, running the free photography schools for children on the mainland, and everything else required of her as queen: foreign correspondence with other wives of state, planning events and meetings, and securing a more personal affiliation with Imatra and Somero. Sometimes she got up earlier than he did and came to bed after. She was tireless, driven, motivated.
He could not have asked for a better partner in life.
Today he meant to promise her all over again that he was hers forever.
A hand landed on his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts. He’d been so engrossed he hadn’t heard anyone enter the room.
“Man, I could have been an assassin and you would have been done for. Reflecting on your vows?” Leander asked.
“Reflecting on life,” Sander replied. “And if you didn’t move like a ghost, even in your advanced years, I would have heard you just fine.”
Leander laughed. “You’re just getting hard of hearing, that’s all. I’m happy to say that I hear perfectly.”
“There’s time to give you a fat lip before you stand up with me as my best man,” Sander quipped.
“You wouldn’t dare. You want today to be as perfect as Chey does. I saw her, by the way.”
“How does she look?”
“Exquisite. Our wives look half their ages. I’m not sure what happened to you and me,” Leander said with a laugh.
“Speak for yourself. I don’t look a day over thirty-five.” Sander knew he didn’t look to be in his middle fifties, either, but thirty-five was pushing it. Leander snorted, a sign he wasn’t buying it.
“Well, it’d be nice to stand here and stare at the view, but there are people waiting downstairs. They sent me up to tell you it’s time,” Leander said after a moment.
“I’m ready.” Sander cut Leander a quick smile, then stepped in front of the full-length mirror to check his suit. The silvery-gray tuxedo, with its patterned vest and crisp white shirt, fit him to a tee. He adjusted the black tie at his throat, which matched the polished boots on his feet. Because he’d wanted something different, he hadn’t drawn his hair back or shaved his whiskers. He resembled a bit of a rogue, which brought a smile to the corner of his mouth.
Chey would love it.
Once done, he accompanied Leander into the hall and down the stairs. They entered the great room and walked down the small aisle created by sets of chairs positioned on each side. Close family and friends turned to smile as he and Leander made their way to the front of the assembly.
Mattias and his wife were in attendance, as well as Gunnar and Natalia. Emily, Eliana, and Erick sat in the frontmost seats, all wearing broad smiles. Inari was present, along with a select few others.
Sander took his place at the front of the room with Leander at his side. From hidden speakers, a string quartet began the wedding march. A sweet, airy symphony perfect for such a private occasion. Dusky rays of sunset streamed through a set of windows along one side of the room, creating an almost renaissance tableau of the flowers, swags, and guests. A tall archway full of more flowers sat behind the man officiating the ceremony.
Everything was ready.
It was time.
Chey’s best friend—and Leander’s wife—appeared in the archway first. Wynn wore a delicate dress of champagne satin and carried a small bouquet of white roses in her hands. The short bob of her dark hair framed a face that showed the passage of time with faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and her mouth. She winked at a few guests as she made her way to the front of the room.
Chey appeared next, one hand resting under the crook of Elias’s elbow.
Sander felt like he’d been punched in the gut. Chey took his breath away. The champagne-colored gown fell in tiers from her small waist, with hints of pink and peach in the fabric rosettes scattered along the skirt. The snug sweetheart bodice framed her figure to perfection, but it was the elegant upswept hairstyle and Chey’s stunning face that captivated him most. She looked like something out of a fairy tale. He realized as she began the slow walk toward him that he was as in love with her now as he’d been in their youth. Nothing had changed in almost thirty years.
When she caught his eye and smiled, he had to remind himself to breathe.
She was his past, his present, his future.
After Elias handed her off and she passed her bouquet to Wynn, Sander took Chey’s hands in his own. He gently squeezed her fingers and stared into her eyes.
“Are you breathing?” she whispered.
“Barely,” he admitted.
“That’s okay. I can’t breathe either.”
“Is it my tux?”
“It’s your everything.”
“Even my whiskers?” he whispered.
“Especially your whiskers.”
“Are you thinking about later, when they’ll be rubbing the insides of your thighs raw?”
“Sander Darrion Ahtissari.”
The clerk cleared his throat. “Now then. Are we ready to begin?”
* * *
The End
About the Author
Born and raised in Corona California, Danielle now resides in Texas with her husband and two sons. She has been writing for as long as she can remember, penning works in a number of genres. To date, she has published over 30 novels and nine short stories. Her interests vary wildly: reading, traveling, photography, graphic art and baking, among others.
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www.daniellebourdon.com
Books by Danielle Bourdon
The Latvala Royals
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Heir Untamed (Royals Series 1)
King and Kingdom (Royals Series 2)
Heir in Exile (Royals Book 3)
; The King Takes a Bride (Royals Book 4)
The Wrath of the King (Royals Book 5)
A Royal Legacy (Royals Book 6)
A King’s Crusade (Royals Book 7)
Latvala Royals: Bloodlines (Royals Book 8)
Memoirs of a King: A companion Novella (Royals Book 9)
Latvala Royals: Sacrifices (Royals Book 10)
Latvala Royals: Darkest Hours (Royals Book 11)
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The Royal Elite
Mattias
Ahsan
Chayton
Leander
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Romantic Suspense
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Escaping Vegas (Book 1)
Rendezvous in Rio (Book 2)
A Dangerous Tryst (Book 3)
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Contemporary Romance
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I’ll Say Anything (Book 1)
I’ll Do Anything (Book 2)
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Superstar
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Fantasy/Romantic Suspense
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Sin and Sacrifice (Daughters of Eve 1)
Templar's Creed (Daughters of Eve 2)
The Seven Seals (Daughters of Eve 3)
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Thriller Suspense
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Society of the Nines (Society Series 1)
Latvala Royals: Darkest Hours Page 14