Nate and Skye: A Fortis Wedding Novella

by Wade, Maddie

  She sat with Emme as Shane raced to get her some water. Uncle Reg appeared beside her and took her hand in his, a look of worry etched on his weathered face. He sat beside her and faced her as she took a sip of the water Shane handed her. Mimi and David appeared beside her looking worried. She had told them what was happening, knowing that if anyone ever kept it from her as a mother, she would go wild. Mimi reached out and took her hand, squeezing it tight in a show of support that she had never had from her own mother.

  “You okay, girl?”

  “I don’t know, I just felt strange and then faint, but I feel okay now.”

  “Thank God,” he whispered. “Yes, yes and thank you, Tilly.”

  Skye looked at him his words not making sense to her but knowing he was speaking to his dead wife, Tilly. “What do you mean, Uncle Reg?” she asked.

  “You’ll see, but rest assured your husband is safe and sound, look,” he said pointing behind her. She spun her head and saw her gorgeous Nate striding towards her with such determination. People moved out of the way as he walked across the room, looking dusty and more breathtakingly handsome than she had ever seen him.

  Skye stood as he neared but Nate didn’t slow he just swept her into his arms and held her so tight, she could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He buried his head in her neck and just held on, and she let him. She knew he would tell her what he needed to in good time.

  Finally, he raised his head, and she saw tears in his eyes.

  “Nate?” she asked suddenly worried for Lacey.

  “Lacey is fine. I just…” He stopped as she dropped her eyes to his chest and saw the rip in his waistcoat and shirt that had to have been made by a bullet, the edges frayed.

  “Jesus Christ what happened?”

  “Reg saved me,” he said, his voice gruff.

  “I don’t understand,” she replied confused but so grateful he was standing there.

  Nate raised his hand and in it was a St Georges Cross Medal. “Reg gave me this before we left the house this morning. He insisted I wear it in my inside pocket on my left side, said it would make him proud to know I wore it when I married you.”

  The medal had a huge dent, and suddenly realisation dawned. “It stopped a bullet that would have killed you,” she said slapping her hand over her mouth as a wave of light-headedness hit her.

  Nate nodded as his eyes caught Reg’s. “Thank you,” he said as he raised his hand to Reg to shake.

  “You just make my girl happy, and we can call it quits,” he said his voice gruff.

  “Easiest promise I ever made,” Nate said and dropped his head to kiss Skye on the temple. Mimi kissed the cross at her neck and then kissed her son’s cheek as David laid a hand on his shoulder.

  “Proud of you, Son, so damn proud,” he said as he took his wife’s arm and led her to the dance floor where Shane and Emme danced as if they were the only people in the room.

  Skye followed her in-laws with her eyes as Mimi looked up at her husband, tears on her cheeks as they danced before she laid her head on his chest and he rested his head against her hair. It was a scene so profound with love that she couldn’t look away, caught up in it and knowing that she had that with Nate.

  Noah ran up to them breaking her thoughts away from the older couple. Nate bent down to lift him into the family hug without having let Skye go.

  “Having a good time, buddy?” he asked as Skye watched, feeling more grateful than ever before to have this man at her side for all time.

  “Yes, but Natalia and Katarina keep trying to get me to dance, and I don’t want to.”

  “Why not, bud?”

  “’Cos dancing is for girls,” he responded.

  “Well, I’m going to dance with your mum in a minute, so maybe I’m a girl?”

  “You’re silly, Daddy. You’re a man—a big strong man.”

  “There you go then, it isn’t only for girls is it?” he said with a raised eyebrow as he set his son down. Noah seemed to consider this for a second before he ran towards the girls as Skye rolled her eyes.

  Reg walked back towards the bar, and she saw her father stop him with a hand on his arm, but she decided not to give it any thought. The relationship between her uncle and her father had always been troublesome, and it was not for her to get involved in.

  “What happened?” she asked as Dane, Lauren, Lucy and Jace, and Zack and Ava crowded in.

  “Carmine was arrested and is being taken into custody as we speak. Nobody else was hurt although Lacey will need to be seen by a doctor,” he said his eyes going dark with a tormented expression. Skye felt sick and fought nausea down. “He hurt her sweetheart. It looks like it’s been going on a long time. Carmine Russo is a violent scum bag who gets off on hurting women. But she was brave, and she walked away despite the fear. She will get through it, she has us now,” he finished with finality, and once again she fell in love with him. Her husband who had the biggest heart.

  “Absolutely, and she has us too,” agreed Ava and Lauren.

  “He won’t get away with it,” Lucy said as she let her anger show towards the man who had hurt Lacey.

  “Always taking in waifs and strays,” Skye said remembering how they had taken her in and shown her love and friendship when she had needed it most.

  “Not waifs and strays Skye—family,” Zack said with a hand on her shoulder. He turned to Nate with a sincere look on his face. “I know I can’t give you medals, the private sector doesn’t work that way, but I can tell you how honoured I am to have you by my side at Fortis.”

  “Thank you, Zack, but anyone would have done it,” Nate replied.

  “No, Nate, they wouldn’t, but the fact that you think that shows the calibre of the man you are. I hope you two have a lifetime of happiness and blessings,” he said as he looked at Ava with all the love he felt for her on his face.

  “Now to the bar,” he said. Ava quirked an elegant eyebrow and shook her head. Skye watched their friends walk away chatting, and stopped to take it all in.

  Everyone was having a good time, Celeste sat on Zin’s lap while they chatted with Daniel and Megan. Drew and Will were at the bar chatting like old women The kids were all having fun on the bounce house set up in the other room with Colin watching over them all. Even Jack, Decker, and Alex seemed to be having fun as they stood talking to Simon, Ice, and Stoner.

  This room was filled with love and friendship, and she knew that surrounded by that they would help Lacey get through the ordeal she had endured.

  “How about you show me this secret wedding cake,” Nate said, breaking into her thoughts.

  “Okay let’s do this,” she replied with a radiant smile. Her heart was breaking for her friend, but Nate was right, they would help her through this.

  Walking hand in hand to the table that was hidden behind a screen, they stood and waited for the guests to get in place to take pictures, the official photographer snapping away.

  “I can’t wait to see what is behind here, but I can’t wait to see what’s under here even more,” he whispered in her ear as he caressed her ass so that nobody could see.

  Skye looked at him and rolled her eyes. “We’re married now, and married people don’t do that,” she teased, watching his kissable lips.

  “Newsflash, yes they do.” He replied with a laugh as he swooped in for a hot, mind-blowing kiss that had people hooting and hollering by the time he let her up for air. “Unless you want it that way?” he asked as he placed his thumb over her thudding pulse.

  “Not on your nelly,” she laughed.

  “We all ready?” Dane called as he and Zin lifted the screen away to reveal the cake she had spent hours on.

  Wedding cakes were always her favourite, and she wanted hers to symbolise more than just the day she wanted it to be about them as a family. People gasped, and she studied Nates face as he looked at it before looking at her with awe on his face.

  “Wow. It’s… I have no words. You are such a talent,” he said as he wrap
ped her in his arms.

  “Do you really like it?”

  “Are you nuts? I love it. It has Lego Batman on it,” he said as if that explained everything.

  The cake had taken her weeks and was four tiers high. Half of the cake was in traditional white fondant icing with fondant swags and intricate detailed pink roses cascading down one side, the other side was multi-coloured Lego bricks made from fondant with all the characters from the game Nate and Noah played. It was worth it all to see the look on his face.

  “What flavour is it?” he asked thinking with his stomach and making her smile.

  “The bottom layer is vanilla, second is salted caramel, third is lemon, and the top tier is carrot and walnut.”

  “You’ve outdone yourself,” he said with pure pride in his voice. “Let’s cut this baby up and have some cake.” They grasped the knife and cut the cake while everyone took pictures. He then lifted some and fed her while she tried to do the same while trying not to get it down her cleavage.

  Nate watched as a crumb disappeared down her dress and smiled a saucy smile at her. “Snacks for later, I like how you think,” he winked, and she laughed again.

  “I see how it’s going to be. You’re going to be a pain in my ass now that you have the ball and chain on me,” she said in mock anger.

  “I’m going to worship the ground you walk on now I have the ball and chain on you,” he said as he hooked her around her waist and bent her back to kiss her softly.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you more.” She said, and he chuckled as he stood her up.

  “Not possible.”

  Their conversation was interrupted by Dane who had commandeered the microphone and was tapping it. “Okay, listen up. It’s time for the first dance, so get your phones ready because Nate dancing is priceless,” he said with a finger pointed their way.

  Nate turned to her and held out his hand for her. “Shall we, Mrs Jones?”

  Skye placed her hand in his with a smile that was only for him. “Let’s,” she said as he led her onto the dance floor as the first strains of A Thousand Years by Christina Perri began to play.

  Nate took her into his arms holding her close making her feel safe and loved in a way she never had before. He was her rock, her best friend, the person she had looked for her entire life and as they looked into each other’s eyes, she saw in the depth and emotion of his that he felt the same.

  “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I will love you until the earth stops spinning, Skye,” he said as he leaned his head against hers and they swayed to the beautiful words.

  “I love so much, Nate, more than you will ever know.”

  “I know, baby, I know.” He smiled as he spun her out and back in, making her laugh.

  “I can’t believe we’re really married. It feels like you’ve always been with me even when you weren’t. The day we met, it was like everything clicked, like a lost piece was found.”

  “I know, I won’t ever forget how it felt to see your big brown eyes wet with tears. I swear I felt like dropping to my knees and begging you to be mine,” Nate said, and she stroked his face.

  “You and me against the world.”

  “Forever, baby,” he replied, and he kissed her softly, moulding her lips to his in a slow kiss that mirrored the way their hearts felt.

  The rest of the couples started to join them on the dance floor as the song ended and Songbird by Eva Cassidy began to play. They were surrounded by all their friends and family. Mimi and David, Lauren and Dane, Lucy and Jace—who were sharing a private joke that put the most significant look of love of Lucy’s face. Zin and Celeste were dancing, as was Alex and one of Nate’s single cousins, near Blake and Chloe—one of the nurses who had looked after Noah. Daniel was on the floor with Megan and was stroking his hand over her small baby bump next to Ava and Zack.

  Even her parents had joined them on the floor. They were looking at each other, and it shocked her to see the love on their faces for each other as they danced. Her parents had never been openly affectionate, and there was no getting away from the fact that they were not nice people but what was obvious now, was how they felt about each other.

  Her mind was brought back to Nate as he nudged her and pointed behind her with his chin, a grin on his face. Twirling her so she could see what he was looking at she felt her heart burst with hope as she saw one of her most beloved friends dancing with the man who was as broken as she was.

  Smithy took Lizzie in his arms, and Skye thought she might cry with the emotion of seeing two people who had been so hurt cling to one another. She had known in her heart that there was something between them. She just didn’t know if either was brave enough to explore it after what they had been through.

  Smithy was a good man who had been as much of a victim as Lizzie—he just didn’t see it, but if anyone could make him see it was her beautiful, strong friend.

  “I really hope they can find a way out. They deserve to be happy.”

  She smiled as Nate shook his head. “You going to be setting up all our friends now?”

  “Maybe,” she replied with a tilt of her lips.

  “Maybe we should start a book on them all?”

  “Don’t you dare.”

  “Fine,” he chuckled as he buried his head in her neck and kissed her making her shiver. When he raised his head again, it was with heat in his eyes. “Time to go?”

  “Time to go,” she replied.

  They said goodnight to all their guests and thanked everyone for coming, hugs and kisses were given then it was time to say goodnight to Noah who was staying with Mimi and David at the Estate.

  “Be good for Nanna and Grandpa,” Skye said as she hugged him tightly, his arms around her waist.

  “I will, Mum.”

  “We’ll see you early in the morning so make sure you get to bed so Santa Claus can come to leave your presents,” Nate said as Noah wrapped his small arms around Nate’s massive shoulders.

  “I will, and you’ll be there for breakfast, right?”

  “Yes, we will be there. We wouldn’t want to miss it,” Nate said kissing Noah’s head and ruffling his hair.

  Nate and Skye watched hand in hand as Mimi, David, and Noah got into the car with Zack and Ava. They waved as the car drove away and then Skye shivered in delight at the thought of her wedding night.

  Chapter 12

  They reached the honeymoon suite where they would spend their first night as husband and wife, and Skye gasped when Nate swept her into his arms.

  “Nate.” She said with a smile on her lips as she locked her arms around his neck and gazed at his gorgeous, familiar face.

  “What? It’s tradition,” he said as he unlocked the door with the card and stepped into the room.

  The suite had a four-poster bed with ornate scrollwork in brushed black metal. The bed was covered with snow-white covers, and a red chenille throw was folded on the bottom. Large sumptuous pillows covered the top of the bed and Skye smiled thinking how Nate would throw them on the floor, hating having so many pillows on the bed.

  Her eyes caught on the hundreds of tiny red rose petals that were scattered over the bed and on the floor throughout the room. Small battery operated tealight candles gave the place a magical romantic feel which made her tummy flop. She wanted to bottle this feeling so she could take it out whenever she chose. But in her heart, she knew she would never forget a second of that day, or the night they were about to have together. It would be etched in her heart like a magical embrace.

  “Oh, Nate, it is so beautiful,” she breathed.

  “Yes, it is,” he replied, but as she turned to him, she saw that he only had eyes for her.

  He set her down and with his arm on her lower back led her to the table that was set with a Champagne bottle and two flutes. Pouring her one, he handed it to her and they clinked glasses as they watched snow fall on the silent Christmas Eve night.

  “Cheers.”

  “To us,”
he answered as they each took a sip. Taking the glass from her, he pulled her towards the bed and sat, pulling her to stand between his legs. He looked up at her from where he sat, his hand still holding hers, his eyes a cacophony of emotions. It was one of the many things she loved about this man, he never tried to hide his feelings from her, always willing to lay himself bare for her, trusting her to guard his heart as he guarded hers.

  “When I got hit this afternoon, one of my biggest regrets was that I would never get to make love to you as my wife. To show you how much I love you,” he said his voice gruff with emotion.

  Skye stroked his raspy face with her palm, letting everything she felt for him show, her heart served up to him on a platter.

  “Every day is a gift. If I learned anything about life when Noah was sick, it was that.”

  Nate placed his hands at her hips and bent his head into her belly as she stroked his hair, the soft strands falling through her fingers. It was hard to put into words how much she loved this man, and today with the way he had stepped up for her friend cemented it.

  When he looked up, she bent her head towards him and found herself being pulled sideways onto the bed. Her husband lay on his side as she laughed at his antics. Her soul was bursting with happiness. She watched as his eyes travelled over her, the pupils almost black with desire for her. Skye lifted her hand and brushed it over the tear in his shirt trying to block out the fear of what if. What if he hadn’t had the medal? What if it had been higher? What if he had been taken from her?

  Nate caught her hand and kissed each finger, taking away the need for thought as it was replaced by sensation. He slowly sucked each digit into his mouth in an erotic move that made her womb ache to feel him, and her legs clench as pulses of need hit her. Letting her hand go, he dipped his head and took her mouth, slowly licking at her lips as she opened under him, the slow, languid strokes making her body cry for more.

  When his tongue touched hers, she felt his hand on her face as he stroked the other down her side as they kissed and explored as if they had all the time in the world. It felt delicious and decadent just making out. It was one of her favourite things to do, but she wanted more, she wanted it all tonight.