“Wow. I never missed them. Guess I only had eyes for you,” she replied demurely.
Luke smiled and leaned over, kissing her gently. “Okay, let’s eat!”
They dug into the cheese and crackers, feeding each other along the way. Madison could feel her stomach settling with the food and she was getting eager to get out of her long gown. “I’ve had enough,” she remarked. “How about you?”
“Me, too. I’ll just put the rest of the cold stuff in the fridge.”
Madison began heading for the bathroom to change, reaching up in back to try to unzip her gown as she neared the door. Although she could touch the zipper pull, she couldn’t get a hold of it. “Can you help me?” she asked over her shoulder.
“I’d be happy to,” he replied.
Madison could feel Luke’s hands shake a little as he started opening the zipper. Rather than reaching back to take over, she just stood there and let him keep unzipping. Their playful mood changed instantly, and Madison felt a surge of emotion as he reached the small of her back. Turning around, she faced him and as she kissed him, she let the dress fall to the floor. Their lips never parted as Luke drew her close, his breathing changing along with hers as his hands nervously unhooked her bra and began to gently explore her body.
Not once did she think of Miles.
After a night of tender lovemaking, Madison felt she was finally home in the arms of the man God had created just for her.
The next morning, Madison awoke with her head on Luke’s chest and his arms cradling her. His rhythmic breathing told her he was still asleep. She tried to lie still, soaking in the memories of the past twenty-four hours. Tears filled her eyes as she thought of God’s grace and mercy in her life. He’d faithfully taken her through the heartaches of adolescence and into a marriage with the man of her dreams. Now, here they were, under the covers together completely naked and yet without any shame. She would have stayed right there forever, if she could.
Nestling in even closer, she felt Luke start to stir.
“Mmmmm…I like waking up to you,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
She looked up and smiled. “Good thing ‘cause you’re stuck with me now!” she replied.
He pulled her close. “I think I can get used to that,” he said.
Soon they were lost in each other’s arms again, learning everything they could about each other and developing new levels of intimacy as they submitted to their love and the passion it evoked. An hour later, resting nestled together once again, Luke noticed Madison’s tears welling up. “Are you okay?” he asked softly, his face full of concern.
She nodded and smiled. “I just never imagined I could be this happy.”
He kissed her and held her close. “Me, too.”
They both drifted off to sleep for a while and awoke hungry. Luke ordered room service, and soon they were feasting on eggs, sausage, and waffles with blueberries. Glancing over at the clock, he said, “We’d better call downstairs for a late check out.” The front desk was very accommodating and they were given an extra hour and a half to finish eating and pack.
By two o’clock they were on the road headed north with passers-by honking and waving in response to their decorated car. Logan and Caleb had painted “Just Married” on the rear window and the side windows in the back seat. The car had cans strung to the tail bumper, which Luke removed before they headed out of town. But he left the white streamers and balloons that would follow them all the way up the coastline into the Olympic peninsula.
They had reservations at three bed and breakfasts—all with specially designed romantic rooms for honeymooners. With only a couple of weeks before their departure to the mission field, they were determined to soak in the seven days they had alone, just the two of them, before returning home to open gifts, pack, and say their goodbyes.
All three stops proved delightful. Their first room was in a renovated Victorian mansion overlooking a meadow surrounded by beautiful pine trees. It had a claw-footed tub, which they managed to squeeze into together for their first bubble bath as a couple. Afterward they nestled in the white terrycloth robes provided by the inn, as they kept warm by the fireplace across from the foot of the big four-poster bed.
Dropping their robes and slipping under the covers, Madison felt like she was floating in a cloud. “I’m liking this featherbed,” she murmured as Luke propped himself up on his side to look at her.
“We just might have to get one of these when we get our own home,” he replied with a nod.
Their second stop was a barn that had been converted into an inn. Their room was upstairs in what had once been the loft. It looked out over fields of crops and rolling hills. With beautifully crafted natural wood walls, floors, and ceilings, and country décor, their room was both spacious and inviting. Illuminated by a wall of large multi-paned windows, they could enjoy breezes from the nearby coastal area during the afternoon and then snuggle by the potbellied stove at night. Not wanting to be apart for a moment, they enjoyed the oversized double shower and scrubbing each other’s backs.
During the following day, they took a hayride out to pick berries, and then had a relaxing few hours in town strolling through antique shops and enjoying lunch at a barbeque restaurant.
The final destination of their trip was a majestic glass and cedar home on a cliff overlooking the sea. They spent their last few nights there. Nights they would remember fondly when they were landlocked in China, and the sound of the ocean was far away. It seemed as though they couldn’t get enough of each other the entire week. Not only were they becoming one flesh in their most intimate moments, but they were becoming one heart and soul as well. Madison found herself keenly aware of Luke’s needs and feelings, not just physically, but emotionally, too. And she noticed how he was cueing in on her.
“I never realized this is what God meant when He said the two shall become one,” she remarked to Luke one night as they were resting in each other’s arms. “Every part of me feels connected to you in ways I’ve never felt with anyone before.”
He nodded. “It’s amazing, isn’t it? How in one week, we’ve changed so much. I’ll never be the same.”
“Me neither,” she replied, as a feeling of complete peace washed over her.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Are you ready, babe?” Luke asked as they rolled their suitcases out to the car.
“For?”
“For our happily ever after?” he replied with a wink.
“Yep,” she answered. “I’m ready to go wherever you do.”
“Okay, then off we go. First stop, Sandy Cove. Then the great adventure—China.”
She laughed. Nothing he could say or do at this point would seem daunting to her as long as she was at his side.
It was a six-hour drive back to Sandy Cove. Luke played some soft contemporary Christian worship music as they traveled south, and Madison found herself dozing off once, forcing herself back awake to keep him company and help him stay alert.
They stopped for a late lunch at two-thirty and rolled into town just in time for dinner, arriving at Maddie’s parents’ house at half past six. She and Luke would be staying there for the final week before their trip to China. A twinge of anxiety bit Madison as she thought about them staying in her bedroom. Would memories of Miles invade their privacy? She shuddered at the thought.
As they pulled into the driveway, Michelle and Steve came out to greet them. “Welcome home, sweetheart,” her dad said as he took Madison into his embrace.
Home. It would never be the same. She felt like a lifetime had passed since she’d slept here just one week before. Now home was in Luke’s arms. But she just smiled up at her father and nodded. “Thanks, Dad. And thanks for everything. The wedding, the reception, everything,” she added, planting a kiss on his cheek.
“Anything for my girl,” he replied, giving her a squeeze before he turned to embrace Luke. “You, too, son. Welcome home.”
Just then, Luke’s parents dr
ove up with a car full of family. “Sorry we’re a little late,” Kelly said as she climbed out of the passenger seat up front. “My potatoes were taking longer than I expected.” She clasped in her hands a basket with a covered glass baking dish inside.
“No problem,” Michelle replied, walking to her friend to help. “The kids just got here, so your timing is perfect.”
“Hey, guys!” Lucy called out as she hurried over to greet Luke and Maddie. “Did you like the special hotel décor?” she asked with a sly smile.
“Loved it!” Maddie exclaimed. “I can’t believe you managed all of that during your lunch time. You were hardly gone an hour!”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” she said. “Did my brother take good care of you?”
Madison looked over at Luke and they made eye contact and smiled at each other. “Yep,” she replied.
“Well, let’s all go inside,” Michelle said. Turning to Steve and Ben who were talking off to the side, she added, “Honey, would you help me get the roast out of the oven?”
“Duty calls,” Steve told his friend as he followed Michelle into the house.
“Where’s Caleb?” Luke asked once they were all seated for dinner.
“He had his karate class tonight,” Steve said. “I tried to get him to skip it, but he was pretty adamant about going.”
Madison flashed to her brother and his current obsession with knowing his biological father. A dark cloud of worry threatened to settle over her, until Steve asked Luke to lead them in a blessing. As her husband began to pray, he reached over and took her hand, and Madison’s anxieties seemed to dissolve.
As the karate class was ending, Caleb walked up to Adam. He knew he should be getting home to see Madison and Luke, but he wanted to try to at least talk to Adam one-on-one before leaving. “Do you have a minute?” he asked as he approached the instructor.
“Not really. I’ve got a private lesson about to start,” Adam replied. “What did you need?”
Private lesson! Great idea, Caleb thought to himself. “Actually, I was wondering if I could maybe set up a private lesson with you.”
“Sure. Talk to them at the front counter. They’ll give you my schedule.” Adam turned and started walking away. Then he paused and looked back over his shoulder. “If you want to wait until after this guy’s lesson, I can give you a few pointers to work on.”
Caleb hesitated. He really should be getting home. “Sure,” he replied. “I’ll just hang back in the bleachers and watch.”
A few minutes later, the girl up front came back and said, “Adam, your private lesson just cancelled.”
Caleb heard him curse under his breath.
“This is the second time that guy’s bailed on me,” Adam told her. “Next time he asks to schedule a lesson, have him come and talk to me in person.”
“Will do,” she promised, heading back to her spot at the front counter.
“So, do you want to take his place?” Adam asked Caleb.
“Okay, sure,” Caleb replied.
“Go settle up with Amy. She’ll collect the fee and then we’ll get started.”
“Oh, man,” Caleb said as he opened his wallet. “I’m out of cash. Can I bring it next time?”
Adam hesitated. “Let’s wait until you’ve got the money. I’ve been stiffed too many times lately.”
Probably for the best, Caleb thought, already feeling guilty about not being home for dinner. “Okay. I’ll bring the money next time,” he replied. Adam was already walking out the door. He just lifted his hand without turning around.
Madison and Luke were just getting settled into the living room to open their gifts in front of their families when Caleb walked in. “Hi everybody,” he said with a wave and a smile. “Hold off for a sec and I’ll go change out of my ghee.”
Logan popped up off the floor and followed him. “So, how’d it go?” he asked once they were out of earshot.
“I actually almost took a private lesson from him after class,” Caleb said. “But he wanted me to pay up front, and I didn’t have any money with me.”
“Seems crazy to pay him for a lesson just so you can talk to him,” Logan remarked. “Maybe you could just hang out for a while after class and get to know him that way.”
“He’s not going to hang around and socialize, Logan. He pretty much leaves right away unless he has another class or private lesson.”
“Caleb? Are you guys coming?” his sister’s voice came from downstairs.
Caleb leaned out the door as he grabbed a tee shirt from on top of his dresser. “On our way,” he called back down.
After the newlyweds had finished opening all their wedding gifts, Ben and Kelly rounded up their kids and headed home. Caleb flipped on the television and started watching a game with his dad and Luke, as Madison and her mom cleaned up the last of the wrapping paper and took the dessert plates to the kitchen.
“Everything’s all set for you two in your bedroom,” Michelle said. “I put clean sheets on the bed, along with an extra pillow. There are clean towels stacked on the bathroom counter, too.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Maddie replied. She felt like a guest in her own house. It seemed so surreal to have her mother prepping the room for their weeklong stay. Plunking herself down beside Luke on the couch, she began to feel the weight of exhaustion from the busy week they’d just had. Resting her hand on his knee, she said softly, “I think I’ll go get ready for bed.”
Luke turned from the game and looked at her. “I’ll be up in a minute.”
“What was that?!” Caleb exclaimed at the home plate umpire in disgust. “That guy needs glasses,” he muttered.
Luke’s head pivoted back to the television. “He’s out?”
“Yeah, thanks to the blind ump,” Caleb replied.
Madison shook her head. She’d never understand how these guys could get so emotional about a game on television. They didn’t even know any of the players. At least when she went to Caleb’s games, they knew most of the kids on his team. She sighed and said, “Well, I’ll leave you guys to your blind ump. See you in the morning.”
As she stood, Luke grabbed her hand and pulled her back for a kiss. “Be right up.”
Walking into her bedroom, Madison was surprised how orderly and immaculate it looked. When she’d left here the morning of her wedding day, it had been strewn with clutter from one end to the other. Now everything was in its place and the bed was made and turned down with two pillows propped against the headboard side-by-side.
She tried to picture Luke climbing into her bed. And waking up in the morning with him here beside her. This is really weird, she thought. Even though she’d had Miles up here when her parents weren’t home, they’d never gotten into her bed. Their passion had been spent on the floor instead.
And Luke had never even sat down in here, always opting to stand at the door to flee all appearances of impropriety.
Unzipping her suitcase, she looked through the lingerie she’d taken on their honeymoon. What had seemed fun and pretty in their B & B’s, suddenly seemed too sexy for her bedroom in her parents’ house.
Turning to the closet, she rifled through her nightgowns hanging in there and chose a football jersey looking sleep shirt to wear instead. As she slipped out of her clothes and into it, she heard a soft knocking on the door. “Can I come in?” Luke asked.
She walked over and opened it. “Sure, make yourself at home,” she replied, hoping she sounded relaxed and casual in spite of her sudden nervousness.
He closed the door behind himself and leaned against it. “You look cute,” he said, smiling.
“I just felt a little, I don’t know, kind of, funny,” she stammered, “you know, wearing those here,” she added gesturing to the open suitcase with the lingerie peeking out.
Luke laughed. “I get it,” he replied, coming over and taking her in his arms. “We’ll just have to be very quiet,” he added in a whisper.
Madison willed herself to relax into
his embrace. “I’m actually kind of tired tonight,” she said.
He pulled back a little and studied her for a moment. “But we’re okay, right?”
“Of course,” she replied, reaching up and cupping his face in her hands as she kissed him.
That night, as they slept in each other’s arms, she dreamed they were making love but when she looked into his face, he turned into Miles.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The week slipped by quickly. Madison was caught in a whirlwind of emotions. She was relieved to be leaving behind her memories of Miles, but was sad to be going so far from her family. It would be several months before they came home, and she knew they were very blessed to even have that opportunity to look forward to.
As she finished her final packing and awaited Luke’s return from his house, where he, too, was packing up his things for their trip, Madison prayed for strength—strength to say goodbye, to travel to a distant country, and to serve God alongside her new husband.
Her mom peeked her head into the bedroom. “Are you about ready, honey?” she asked. “Luke just pulled up out front with his parents, and we’ll need to leave for the airport in about thirty minutes.”
One last look around her room, and Madison was on her way. After saying their goodbyes to Caleb and Luke’s family with some tearful hugs, Madison and Luke were off to Portland with her parents to catch the flight that would take them to Beijing.
Steve insisted on parking the car rather than dropping them at the curb. The lines for checking their luggage were surprisingly short, and soon Madison found herself in her mom and dad’s embraces as she prepared to leave them for three months. Her mother was first, reminding her to email and call “at least a few times a week!” When her dad wrapped his arms around her, she suddenly felt the impact of their upcoming separation.
Above All Else (Sandy Cove Series Book 7) Page 15