Evenings With Bryson

by Tina Martin

  EPILOGUE

  Two Months Later

  Every one of her married children had exchanged vows at their waterfront home in Wilmington, North Carolina and, sticking to tradition, Theodore and Elowyn had prepared the beach for yet another Blackstone wedding, and today, a beautiful, flawless, sunny day in September, Bryson and Kalina stood at the altar, holding hands and repeating vows.

  “You may now kiss the bride.”

  Bryson released Kalina’s hands, brushed tears away from her eyes with his thumbs and holding her head between his strong hands, he pressed his lips against hers, taking his time to seal this moment in their minds. Even among the applause, cheers and whistles, he kept on kissing his beautiful bride, deepening the kiss when he slipped his tongue inside her mouth and greedily kissed her, listening to the slightest whimpers escape her throat.

  “Ahem,” Barringer said, clearing his throat, signaling Bryson to end the kiss.

  Bryson pulled away from Kalina and whispered, “I love you, Mrs. Blackstone.”

  “I love you, Mr. Blackstone.”

  Bryson took her hand again and they turned to look at the guests – close to a hundred family and friends, all gathered to see two people in love declare it before God.

  The minister said, “I present to you Bryson and Kalina Blackstone.”

  More cheers and whistles roared from the ecstatic crowd as Bryson and Kalina walked down the aisle again, this time as husband and wife.

  Round tables covered with white tablecloths and candles were strategically set up around a wide open space for dancing. After they ate dinner together, Bryson took Kalina by the hand and said, “It’s time for our dance, my lady.”

  Kalina took his hand and he led her to the dance floor as the area cleared for them. The DJ announced that it was time for the couple to share a dance and then he played their song – All of Me, by John Legend. With their hands interlocked, they swayed to the music while Bryson softly sung the song to her.

  Beautiful.

  When the song was over, the crowd applauded and he whispered, “I will always love you, Kalina.”

  “And I will always love you, Bryson.”

  Next came the cutting of the cake. Kalina cut a small piece of vanilla cake with buttercream frosting, picked it up with her fingers and held it in front of Bryson’s mouth.

  Bryson opened his mouth wide, taking the piece of cake and her fingers along with it, licking frosting from her fingers. And when he gave her a piece, she did the same and he kissed her, tasting frosting on her tongue.

  “Let’s sit down for a moment,” Bryson said, taking her hand and sitting at the head table. Once they were seated, he said, “I hope you’re not overwhelmed by all of this. My mother likes to throw big weddings.”

  “It’s fine, Bryson. Elowyn warned me during the planning stages of the wedding that she liked to go all-out for family.”

  “And she was not lying. There were over six-hundred people at Everson’s wedding.”

  “Six hundred?”

  “Yep, but that’s partially because no one could believe he was actually getting married. He was Mr.-Player-For-Life until he met June.”

  “Aw…she’s a good person. He definitely settled down with a winner.”

  Bryson nodded, then saw Vivienne on the floor trying to dance. “Vivienne looks like she can go in labor any minute now.”

  Kalina smiled, watching Garrison place his hands on Vivienne’s stomach as they danced. “She does, and that’s going to one gorgeous little boy.”

  “Yeah. We’re going to have some beautiful children, too,” Bryson said, then kissed her lips briefly.

  “Yes we are,” Kalina responded, “Although, we never said how many.”

  “I don’t think we should put a number on it. Let’s just see what happens.”

  Kalina nodded. “I like that idea.” After noticing Calista sitting alone, while Barringer stood near the bar with a drink, she asked, “Hey, what’s going on with Calista and Barringer?”

  “Barringer says Calista is ready to have a baby but he was having second thoughts about children and—”

  Kalina looked at Bryson with a wide-opened mouth. “Oh my God…the email! I bet it was from Calista.”

  “What email, baby?”

  “You remember…the one I told you to answer when we met. It was the first email you ever answered for me. The woman asked if she should give her husband an ultimatum…”

  “Oh, I remember. You’re right. It could’ve been from Calista.”

  “You don’t think she’ll actually leave him do you?”

  Bryson looked across the room at Calista. “I don’t know. She certainly doesn’t look too happy right now. I’m going to have a conversation with Barringer real soon.”

  Kalina took a sip of champagne, noticing Rexford and Colton by the bar. “Hey, Bryson, take a look at your cousins.”

  Bryson grinned. “They do this at every wedding...stand back and check out the single ladies.”

  “I better tell Lizette to watch out,” Kalina said, then laughed. “And who is that talking to Candice?”

  Bryson frowned. “I don’t know, but I’m definitely going to find out before this night is over.”

  Kalina found his overprotectiveness endearing. “You love your little sister, don’t you?”

  “I do, and I tend to be very protective of the people I love.”

  “I like that about you.” She kissed him on the lips again, smiling at how good it felt to do so.

  “I’m glad Edith was able to make it,” Bryson said.

  “I am too. She seems happy for us.”

  “Well, she is the reason we got together, right?”

  “Yes. That is right. Even after everything she’s done, I can still be grateful to her for introducing me to my best friend.”

  Bryson locked eyes with Kalina and stared. “Keep talking like that and we’re going to go on home and really get this party started.”

  Kalina giggled. “Hey, I’m down for that. Most of the guests have already left anyway.”

  Bryson stood up, took Kalina by the hands again and said, “Then let’s go home, baby.”

  “Let’s.”

  Hand-in-hand he walked with her to the limo and, after they got inside, Bryson gave the driver his address. Then, he took Kalina in his arms, and they kissed all the way home.

  * ~ *

  Enjoyed, Evenings With Bryson? Keep reading for a BONUS chapter, After The Wedding, beginning on the next page!

  Don’t forget to leave a review on Amazon. Also, look for book two in the Blackstone Family Series titled, Leaving Barringer, which will tell the story of Barringer and Calista Blackstone. All books in the Blackstone Family Series are standalone books and can be read in any order. Visit my website for regular updates and, while you’re there, subscribe to my newsletter.

  Evenings With Bryson, Book Extra

  After The Wedding…

  Bryson scooped Kalina up – her and all of her dress – carrying her inside of the house.

  “I’m so glad we decided to spend a week here instead of rushing off to Maldives right away,” Kalina said.

  “Me too,” Bryson told her. “It’ll give you a chance to familiarize yourself with every aspect of our home, especially since we didn’t live together pre-marriage.”

  Kalina nodded. She was glad Bryson didn’t pressure her into moving in with him or do anything else to make her feel uncomfortable. He was a true gentleman.

  Standing in front of her, he stared in awe, remembering the time they’d spent together in the past and how quickly he’d fallen in love with her.

  “You look like you’re in love,” Kalina said. “I see a sparkle in your eye.”

  “You learned that in college, or by the way I put these lips on you?” Bryson asked, but not waiting for a reply. He pressed his lips against hers and savored the feeling of being in love again.

  When they parted, he picked her up again, carried her up the stairs and into the maste
r bedroom. His phobia of sleeping there had been resolved. This time, he knew he had the right woman by his side.

  Bryson lowered her to the bed, watching her fall back, her face towards the ceiling.

  “Finally, we’re home,” she said. “It’s 3:00 a.m., but we’re home.”

  “Yes we are, baby. We are home.” Bryson loosened his bow tie and unbuttoned his shirt.

  Kalina kicked off her shoes and said, “It was truly the happiest day of my life.”

  “Mine too, and I’m looking forward to creating even more happy days with you.”

  Kalina sat up on the bed and that’s when she saw he’d taken off his shirt. It was the first time she’d ever laid eyes on him, shirtless, his chocolate abs exposed for eyes only.

  “Something wrong?” he asked.

  “No. Um…no, everything’s…fine.”

  He grinned. “I know you well, Kalina. Very well.” He sat next to her on the bed and continued, “Baby, we do not have to make love tonight or, shall I say, this morning. Don’t worry.”

  “That’s not what I was thinking, Bryson.”

  “Then why did you look so nervous all of a sudden?”

  Kalina giggled. “I wasn’t nervous…I was in awe. You do realize this is the first time I’ve seen you without a shirt on.”

  “Then don’t let the six pack scare you, baby. I’m a gentle giant.” He smiled.

  So did she.

  “Seriously though, sweetheart…I know you’re tired. So, what I would like to do is get some rest, talk each other to sleep and hold you in my arms. That’s what I want to do more than anything.”

  “Okay,” Kalina said. “I’m going to step in the bathroom and get out of this dress.”

  “Alright, baby.”

  After taking off the beautiful gown, she kept on the slip she wore underneath. Tonight, it would have to suffice as her nightgown since she had no other clothes at Bryson’s house. She washed makeup from her face and pulled the hairpins out of her hair, letting curls bounce all over.

  When she stepped back inside of the bedroom, Bryson had since turned off the primary light source in the room, settling for the natural light of the moon illuminating through the bedroom windows. He almost lost his breath when he saw Kalina emerge from the bathroom in a thin gown. He lifted the covers and said, “I have a spot right here waiting for you.”

  “Perfect,” she said, playfully jumping in bed, sliding closer to him.

  “Hey, baby,” Bryson said, taking a kiss from her lips.

  “Hey, you.” She slid a leg between his powerfully strong thighs and rubbed her fingertips across his head. “This is nice.”

  “It is nice…and to think you were giving me such a hard time when we met.”

  Kalina smiled. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m just teasing you, sweetheart,” he said, finding her hand and interlocking their fingers.

  “I never told you this, Bryson, but that week I went without you, the week after my mom died…it was horrible.”

  Bryson brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. “It was for me, too.”

  “I wanted to feel your arms around me…consoling me,” Kalina said. “No matter how bad things were for me, you were there and I’d never had that before you…never gave anyone a chance to be there for me. Only you. That’s how I knew we were meant to be together. That you were the man I was meant to be with. That I will love forever.”

  Bryson gently rolled against her, slowly maneuvering his body underneath the covers so he could cover her like a blanket. He lowered his lips to hers, took a tender kiss before leaving a kiss on her nose. On her cheeks. Her chin. Her forehead.

  “Bryson?”

  “Yes, sweetheart.”

  “There’s something else I want you to know.”

  “What’s that, baby?” he asked before dipping his head and kissing her neck, feeling her body jerk.

  “I want you to know that I will never betray your love. I promise to always be true to you and our marriage. I will never hurt you, or give you a reason to believe I would because I love you too much to ever cause you pain.”

  “I love you the same, Kalina,” Bryson said before taking more kisses, from her lips this time, feeling his body yearn for her. He knew he said they would rest, but now, rest was the furthest thing from his mind. He wanted to make love to her.

  Kalina closed her eyes when she felt the warmness of his breath, his lips around her neck. He kissed her tenderly, leaving trails of his lips, marking his territory.

  “I know I’m kissing you, baby, but I meant what I said. We don’t have to make love.”

  “I want to,” Kalina whispered into the darkness.

  And he wanted her too, as evident by how quickly he’d helped her out of her slip. With their souls, skin-to-skin a sensation neither of them had felt with each other before, Bryson took his time analyzing her body, every inch of it, touching her soft skin until he needed something else – until he needed to connect their souls and truly make her his. But first, he whispered, “If I’m going to be your first, I’m going to be your last.” Then he slowly introduced his body to hers, inviting her into a world of passion she had yet to experience with anyone. She would experience it with him – only him. He would be the only man to ever make love to her.

  Slowly descending, he listened while moans escaped her lips and when he’d nestled comfortably he looked at her. Studied her. He wanted to know if she was okay. Her needs, her feelings, her desires would always come before his.

  “Kalina,” his said softly until he saw her open her eyes, a hint of despair on her face.

  “Yes, Bryson?” she whispered in a lingering moan.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yes. I’m okay,” she replied, her fingertips stroking his back.

  “Alright, baby,” Bryson said, kissing her again, submerging his hands in her hair, making love to her slowly. Passionately. Purposefully. She needed to know what this was like…what it felt like to truly be loved. She’d had enough pain and heartache in her life from parents who didn’t accept her – a father who deserted her and a mother who didn’t claim her. She had a right to be skeptical about love, but now that she’d taken the leap of faith and fully committed herself to him, Bryson was intent on showing her exactly what love felt like in its expressive, physical form. When he felt her body quiver underneath him, he knew he was doing just that.

  “Look at me, baby,” he told her.

  She opened her eyes, holding his gaze for as long as she could until she had to close them again, belting out sweet sounds of ecstasy.

  “Oh, Kalina. I love you,” Bryson said, before he soared off into a lover’s abyss, plummeting to depths unknown, then rising again before falling once more. He leaned his head down to capture her lips, completely enamored, in love, intoxicated and obsessed with his Kalina.

  “I love you, too, Bryson Blackstone.”

  Completely spent, Kalina rested against his chest, feeling his arms tight around her. She thought about how they’d met, fallen in love and had gotten married. She smiled, thinking how ironic it was that something they both didn’t want ended up being the very thing they needed – love, happiness and a wonderful marriage. All those evenings they’d spent together at the café had led to this, marital bliss, and she looked forward to spending not just evenings, but mornings, afternoons, nights – every single day of her life, with Bryson.

  * ~ *

  Discover other books by Tina Martin at Smashwords!

  For more information about the author and upcoming releases, visit her website at www.tinamartin.net.

 

 

 
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