Always You

by Stephanie Rose

“I actually have my own if that’s okay.” He turned to me and smiled. His own vows, I had nothing prepared or even thought about. The fun of not knowing anything about today had ran out. I wanted to kiss him and kill him at the same time.

  “A little shy of two years ago, I asked an old friend to meet me for a drink. I remembered her as a beautiful girl, smart and sweet—but was completely unprepared for the gorgeous woman who was waiting for me. She smiled at me, and I was ruined for anyone else. I fell in love—crazy, head over heels in love—and never looked back.

  It hasn’t been the easiest road to get to where we are now. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you for giving me a second chance to love you. I know, without a doubt, we were meant to be. Today is the happiest day of my life, because I finally get to marry you. I don’t think I could have waited another second.”

  I closed my eyes, and let the tears fall. There was no way I would have lasted through that without weeping. I had nothing prepared, but my heart was ready to burst.

  “I don’t have anything prepared, so I’m going to wing it. Bear with me … A little over a decade ago, I was captivated by the most beautiful man I’d ever seen. He was not only handsome, but also kind, and smart, and just amazing. I admired him from a distance, because I thought someone like him was out of my reach. When I saw him again years later, I realized why no one else ever measured up. Lucas, you’re the love of my life, my hero, and today you’re my husband. You gave me the courage to fight for what I wanted, and I never wanted anything more than you. Always you.”

  Lucas let out a deep breath, pulled me into his arms and kissed me.

  “There’s children here, you two.” Daina yelled from where she was sitting.

  “They kiss all the time.” I heard Bella answer and laughed against Lucas’s lips.

  “You still have rings …” The judge or whoever was marrying us looked at us with a smirk.

  We broke apart and my cheeks got hot. Nothing like pawing each other in front of friends and family.

  “Sorry, sir. I got a little carried away.” Lucas kept his eyes on mine as he slipped the ring on my finger.

  “With this ring, I promise you all that I am, and all that I have, for the rest of my life.”

  I managed to place the ring on Lucas’s finger and repeat the words without crying. I was Mrs. Lucas Hunter—finally.

  “By the power vested in me by the State of New York … “

  Lucas grabbed my waist and crashed his lips onto mine. I laughed at his eagerness before I melted into his arms.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You can keep kissing the bride.”

  Everyone behind us clapped and cheered, but I wasn’t done kissing my husband. I didn’t know how long we stood there, but when it’s the best moment of your life—you should never rush it.

  Despite the location and elaborate decorations, the reception was a small affair. There were a few small tables of close friends and family surrounding a small dance floor and DJ. Lucas, Bella, and I had our own table. Not that Bella sat with us much since she didn’t stop dancing all night—she loved twirling around to watch her butterflies fly. The three of us were happy—truly and purely happy. Lucas was right; it wasn’t easy getting here, but the bumpy ride made it that much sweeter.

  “So, I did good?” Lucas whispered in my ear, making me jump. We sat at our table alone, watching the party going on around us. I turned my head and ran my hand down his cheek.

  “Very, very good. Nice cover with saying this was a “loft” not a penthouse. Still not sure how you pulled it off all by yourself.” I gave him a kiss on the cheek.

  “I had a little bit of help. There’s a coordinator they use for events. I just said what I wanted and they took care of the rest. I knew you’d think a penthouse was too much, but I told you, I’m planning to spoil you fucking rotten. This is only the beginning.” Lucas pulled me closer until I was almost on his lap.

  “Hey Luc, congratulations!” I recognized Derek, Lucas’s friend from his college days. I wondered if Jason had noticed him yet, since that was his big college crush. Derek was still great looking; like Lucas he only got better with age.

  “Thanks, man! And thanks for putting this on hold for me. I know you have a big waiting list for this place.”

  “Wait a minute! Derek is the friend who owns this place?” I looked between them and Derek smiled at me and nodded his head.

  “I am. You guys have a great time and let me know if you need anything.”

  As Derek strode away, Jason rushed up to our table.

  “Congratulations, O’Rourke.” Jason gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek.

  “I think it’s Hunter now.” Lucas gave me a wink. “Let me go mingle a little. Be right back.” He kissed me on the forehead and scooted away.

  “You look amazing today. Not being married to a jackass looks good on you. Talk about trading up.” I laughed and hit his arm. Felt good not being married to a jackass, too. It was still a little surreal that I was married to Lucas now.

  “So was that …”

  “Derek, yes. Turns out he owns this place. And I didn’t see a ring on his finger. You should go say hi.”

  “Owns the place? No shit? Maybe I will say hi. Be right back. You owe me a dance, O’Rourke. Oh sorry, Hunter.” I laughed and shook my head.

  One of my barrettes got loose and broke, and I snuck over to the dressing room to fix my hair with the extra pins I brought. Before I left the room, I looked for Bella, and found her sitting on my mom’s lap, looking as if she’d lost a little steam. No one would miss me for very long.

  I ran in, fixed my hair and makeup, and was about to leave when the door closed behind me. I turned to find my sexy husband with a devious grin. Lucas reached behind him to lock the door, trouble written all over his face.

  “Babe, as much as I want to rip that tuxedo off you, we have a party going on in the next room. You know we can’t—” Lucas’s eyes raked over my body and made me forget my words. My mouth went dry as my heart pounded in my chest.

  “I’ve been staring at my gorgeous wife in a beautiful dress, and I’ve held out as long as I could.” He took off his jacket and threw it over one of the couches as he traipsed over to where I stood. When he reached me, he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me closer. He had a predatory gaze in his eyes as he backed me against the vanity table and cocked an eyebrow at me as he bunched up the skirt of my dress and slipped his hand underneath.

  I ran my hand down his chest. Lucas in a tuxedo was temptation personified, especially when he used the word ‘wife.’

  “You just said you wanted to rip my clothes off. You’re still my bad girl from last night.” He trailed light kisses from behind my ear and down my collarbone, then changed to lingering with an open mouth when he got to the tops of my breasts. A moan escaped me as I went limp in his arms.

  “Now you’re the one not playing fair.” My voice was husky and my head dropped back to give Lucas better access.

  “You’re my wife. All fucking mine. You have no idea what that does to me. I can’t help myself, Mrs. Hunter.” He put his hand inside my white lace thong and my legs opened wide. As usual, hearing him call me ‘Mrs. Hunter’ sent me halfway over the edge.

  “Holy shit, have you been this wet all day?” He inserted two fingers and I gasped, trying my damnedest not to scream as he drove them in and out.

  “My husband is really hot, especially in a tuxedo. What did you expect?”

  Lucas growled and attacked my mouth with his. “Say it again,” Lucas murmured against my lips as his fingers kept moving. He was out of control with need, and it was infectious. I managed to forget about the small group of family and friends in the next room, and only thought of ways to relieve the throbbing ache between my legs.

  I pulled back from Lucas’s lips and gave him a big smile. “I said my husband is really hot.” I grabbed his very hard cock and stroked him through his pants.

  Lucas moaned and buried his face
in my neck. He lifted his head and looked at me with hooded eyes.

  “That has to be one of the sexiest things to ever come out of your mouth. We have to be quick.” I nodded. I was mortified five minutes ago but completely onboard now.

  Lucas unbuckled his pants and moved my panties to the side. He entered me hard and quick, drawing me closer as he started to move. I pulled on Lucas’s hair as his mouth covered mine. Who knew being married would be such a turn on for both of us? I hoped we had another fifty years of this to look forward to.

  It was difficult not to make any noise. When we finished, we were breathing heavy and clutching onto each other so tightly I was sure we’d go back into the reception with bruises.

  I glanced up at Lucas and ran my fingers through his hair.

  “Did I ever tell you how much I loved being claimed?” Lucas chuckled and kissed my forehead.

  “You’re in luck, I plan to claim you every single chance I get—Mrs. Hunter.” He went in for another kiss and I shook my head.

  “No more ‘Mrs. Hunter’. You and I won’t leave this room for the rest of the night—and we have a party going on, remember?” Lucas narrowed his eyes and backed away to pull up his pants when we heard the door jiggle.

  “Ah, the door was stuck. Jess, you can get changed in—oh my god! Seriously? You guys couldn’t wait?” Daina took in the sight of my dress up to my waist and Lucas’s pants around his knees and her mouth fell open so wide it almost touched the floor.

  “And you can’t knock on a locked door? Jesus, Daina!” Lucas yelled back. I gave him credit; it was hard to be indignant with your pants half off, but he was doing a great job.

  “I’ll let you two get dressed—” Daina collapsed into giggles and I heard Jessica ask her what was going on as she shut the door. I dropped my face into my hands. I had no idea how I would face them for the rest of the night.

  “Hey.” Lucas pulled my hands from my face and placed my arms around his neck. “Don’t you dare be embarrassed! My nosey cousin will get over it.” Lucas shrugged and gave me a soft peck on my lips.

  Lucas finished buckling his pants and grabbed his jacket. He pulled me by the waist and gave me a passionate kiss.

  “I love you. So much. Let’s finish this party so we can start the rest of our lives together.”

  “I love you, too. Sounds good to me! Let me …” I motioned with my hand to the bathroom in the corner.

  Lucas nodded and kissed my forehead. “Don’t take too long, wife.” He smacked me on the ass and sauntered out the door.

  I looked at myself in the mirror. Other than the flush in my cheeks, I didn’t look too disheveled. I cleaned myself up and smoothed down my dress—hoping the wrinkles weren’t too noticeable. I fixed my makeup along with a couple of hair pins that were out of place and marched back outside. I tried my best to not be embarrassed about getting caught. We’d look back on today with nothing but good memories.

  I went back out to our little reception and mingled with some of my friends and family. I looked over at the dance floor and found Lucas dancing with Bella. She yawned in his arms as he held her. Frank Sinatra was singing The Way You Look Tonight as Bella giggled at Lucas. I couldn’t tell what he was saying to her.

  I never got to do the ‘father/daughter’ dance at any event, and had always felt cheated. Looking at Lucas and Bella together healed me. She would finally have the right kind of dad—one who spoiled her, worried when she was sick, and scared the crap out of any guy who tried to take her out. It didn’t matter that she didn’t have his blood or his last name. She had his heart.

  At the end of the song, Lucas pointed to his cheek and she gave him a kiss. He carried her back over to my mother as the beginning of John Legend’s You and I started to play.

  Lucas spotted me across the room and held out his hand. I marched over to my husband on the dance floor and he pulled me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest as we swayed to the music. When he sang you’re all mine in my ear, I laughed and flung my arms around his neck.

  I still felt at times that it was all a dream. I never knew what happiness felt like, or if it was even in the cards for me, until Lucas. He was more than just a crush, or the man of my dreams. He was the other half of my soul, my Superman who would always rescue me—even from myself. I looked into my husband’s eyes, and realized why I’d never felt whole before. He completed me in every way possible.

  “I love you, Lucas.” I held on even tighter, tears slipping down my face once again.

  He smiled and gave me a soft kiss.

  “I love you too, Sam. Always you.”

  Three Years later

  I usually did a good job—with a few exceptions—of putting on a poker face when I was freaked out, but this time I couldn’t fake it. I stood behind the sheet in the delivery room, holding Sam’s hand and reassuring us both that everything was fine and an emergency C-section was really no big deal. But sweat poured down my face from beneath my scrubs.

  Nothing about Joseph Kellan Hunter’s entrance into this world had been easy. After two years of trying to get pregnant and then one month of bed rest for Sam, we couldn’t wait for it to be over and have him with us. Now that the moment was here, I was scared out of my mind for both of them.

  Things were momentarily quiet until a screaming baby broke the silence. Hearing the sound of my baby’s strong cry was the best moment of my life, other than falling in love and marrying his mother.

  Sam nudged me to go make sure he was okay. I watched as they cleaned him up—trying my best to ignore what he was covered in—weighed him, took his footprint, and spread some kind of ointment over his eyes. The nurse wrapped him up in a blanket and handed him to me. My son’s eyes were wide open, and he looked at right at me—like he knew me. He relaxed in my arms and seemed to be saying, “Hi, Daddy.” I saw Sam’s lips, my dad’s eyes, and my sister’s chin. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to speak to my son for the first time.

  “Hi Joey! Glad you’re finally here. Wait until you see how pretty Mommy is.”

  Joey completely agreed. When I handed him to Sam, he melted into her arms, camped at her breast and stayed there for hours. Like father, like son.

  Grace and Bella came to the hospital after Sam and Joey were settled into their own room. We set Bella up in the chair next to Sam’s bed and showed her how to hold Joey. After reminding her for the tenth time to support Joey’s head, I gently placed him in Bella’s lap.

  “He’s so strong for a little guy.” Bella giggled as he wrapped his little hand around her finger. He didn’t fuss at all, and seemed to take an instant liking to his sister. She glanced between Joey and me, and her face fell. She’d been so excited to be a big sister, I couldn’t imagine what was bothering her.

  I took Joey out of Bella’s arms and handed him back to Sam. Sam seemed tired and her eyes were getting heavy, but even right after having a baby, she was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. It was time to go so she could get a little rest.

  Sam leaned over to kiss Bella good night as she fed Joey. “Good night, baby. Be good for Daddy and Grandma, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Bella nodded and lowered her gaze to the floor before joining her grandmother in the hallway. I sat at the edge of her hospital bed as I gazed at my wife and my son—life didn’t get much better than this.

  Sam winked at me. “Good night, Daddy.” I bent down to give her a soft kiss and whispered in her ear.

  “Stop trying to turn me on. You know I have to wait six weeks.” She hit me in the arm, and pulled me in for another kiss.

  Joey was still nursing, but he looked up to tell his old man good night.

  “Bella was never like this. He dove right in and hasn’t come up for air.” Sam smiled as she stroked the wispy sandy brown hair on his head.

  “He gets that from me. Why I’m almost late for work some days.” I kissed Sam again as she laughed.

  “See, big guy, we’re already a team! You take care of Mommy, and I’ll take care o
f Bella. ” I kissed the soft skin on his forehead. “Sorry about your middle name, buddy. Mommy’s a sap.” I turned to Sam. “Did Kellan sparkle, too?”

  “No, smartass, he was a rock star.”

  “Hmm, another one. See, Joey. That’s why Mommy’s not allowed to go to concerts.”

  “Go.” Sam pushed my shoulder. “You can bust my chops more tomorrow. Get some sleep, babe.”

  “Okay, okay. Good night. I love you.” I gave my wife and son one last kiss and backed out of the room slowly. I was stalling. I already missed them both.

  “I love you, too. Talk to Bella, make sure she’s okay.”

  I could have spent the night with Sam and Joey, but we didn’t want Bella to be without either of us for a night. She had been great throughout her mother’s pregnancy, and was excited to have a little brother, but we didn’t want her to think we left her for the new baby. I was especially glad we made that decision after seeing her with Joey tonight.

  Home was still in Queens. I wanted to move us out of there to start over, but Sam and Bella were happy there. I didn’t want to be the selfish prick who moved his family away just for his own benefit. Even though I made Sam go through listing after listing, I managed to find a great house just around the corner. I convinced Bella easily enough with the huge yard and the possibility of a swimming pool, but Sam still didn’t want to leave her old house. I told her I would have the kitchen at the new house totally redone—complete with the marble top island that Rachael Ray has on her show, and that seemed to seal the deal. Maybe I was being a little petty, but when I put the key in the door, this was my house—not Marc’s old house. To me, that was worth the time and expense.

  “Hey Butterfly, can I come in?” I inched the door open in Bella’s room. She was sitting up in bed watching TV, and nodded when she saw me.

  Bella hadn’t seen nor heard from Marc since he moved to Chicago three years ago, though she still saw her grandparents from time to time. Marc’s mother had a much more accommodating attitude now, as if she realized if she pissed us off that would be the last she saw of her granddaughter. I would’ve loved to adopt Bella, but Marc would never sign over his rights. Not because he wanted them, but because his mother would flip at their only connection to Bella being severed.