“By the powers vested in me by the state of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Weston, you may kiss your bride.”
I released Lyra’s hand and framed Emilia’s face. “I will love you all the days of my life.” I brought my lips to hers and kissed my wife.
“I will love you through all eternity,” she whispered against my lips when I pulled away.
Leslie handed Emilia her bouquet and I scooped Lyra into my arms. For the first time, the world greeted us as the Carter family.
* * *
The deck had been transformed into a beautiful reception hall. Christmas lights were strung above like twinkling stars, and a few round tables were scattered about the make–shift dance floor. A jazz band began to play as I brought Emilia to the center of the dance floor.
I cupped her face. “You make me so happy, Mrs. Carter.”
“Hmm,” she moaned when I kissed her lips. “I really like the sound of that.”
I pulled her closer to me and she whimpered. “Are you in any pain?”
“No.” She smiled up at me. “I just can’t believe I’m hugging my sexy husband.” She pushed up on her tippy toes and kissed me, running her hands up my body and lacing them around my neck. Her mouth opened and her tongue invaded my mouth. Hungry for her, I deepened the kiss.
“Are you two going to dance or make out the whole time?” Axel shouted.
Our lips pulled away from each other and we turned to look at him. Emilia laughed and rested her head on my shoulder. As the band sang Frank Sinatra’s ‘The Way You Look Tonight,’ I held her close as our bodies swayed to the music.
* * *
Our guests danced, the food was impeccable, and Emilia laughed non–stop throughout the evening. As the night grew on—our wedding night—I fell more in love with her. I didn’t think that could be possible, but it was.
I was standing by the bar with Cinthia, her former boss, and her husband, Scott, when Emilia wrapped her arms around me. “Mr. Carter,” she whispered in my ear. I turned and draped my arms over her.
“Mrs. Carter.” I pulled her close and pressed my lips to hers.
“The love you two have is so beautiful.” Cinthia put her hands over her heart. “And to think I was there at the very beginning.”
Emilia tucked into my side and laughed. “Yes, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.” Her gaze looked up at me. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”
“Excuse us.” I followed Emilia across the room and inside the house. “Is everything okay?” I asked.
She stopped and turned to face me. “I want to consummate our marriage.” Her hands ran down my face.
“Emilia . . .” I shook my head slowly. “Our reception is in mid–swing.”
“Come on. Please?” She bit her bottom lip and gave me the most irresistible and devious grin.
“Now?”
“Right now.” She giggled and tugged on me to follow her. “I told Leslie I was feeling a bit tired and I was going to have you bring me to bed. She said she would handle the guests and Lyra.”
I chuckled. “What if they hear us?”
“We’re husband and wife. I hope they hear us.”
In one quick movement, I swooped Emilia into my arms and carried her to bed. If we were going to consummate our marriage, we were doing it the right way. Emilia’s giggles echoed through the house as I kicked open the bedroom door. Roses were scattered around, and bedroom candles had been lit, making the room glow.
“I guess Leslie knows what I wanted.” She looked at the room and then over at me. Kissing her tenderly, I stepped over the threshold and into our bedroom. Gently, I placed her on the floor and stared at my beautiful wife.
She went to remove the crown of flowers on her head when I stopped her. “Let me.” My fingers ran up and down the side of her body. The soft lace of her dress brushed against my skin. I lowered her zipper, the soft cream material falling from her body and pooling on the floor at her feet. I took a second to admire her beautiful body. Her white bra and matching panties had little blue bows in the center. Emilia bit her lower lip and looked aside bashfully. Cupping her face, I placed feather–like kisses along her chin, down her neck, and over her collarbone.
Her skin was warm under my touch, but goosebumps popped up all over her body. I unclasped her bra and let it join her dress at her feet. Without any force, I scooped Emilia into my arms and placed her gently on the bed. I tossed my jacket to the ground and loosened my tie. Towering over her, I kissed around her port and down to her breast as Emilia attempted to unbutton my shirt. She stopped when I captured each nipple between my lips. I pressed a trail of soft kisses down to the scar on her abdomen.
“Weston,” Emilia moaned.
My fingers coiled around the sides of her panties, and slowly pulled them off. I was desperate to be inside her. Discarding my pants and boxers, I positioned myself between her legs. Emilia held onto me. Our bodies pressed against each other, and I slowly pushed inside her.
Her body hugged mine as I, ever so slowly, made love to wife.
* * *
The following morning, I woke to Emilia stretching on her side of the bed. Rose petals were stuck to our bodies, and I picked a few that were stuck to her skin.
“Morning, my sexy husband.” She reached across and ran her hands up my chest.
“I like the sound of that.” I kissed the top of her head.
“I can’t believe we are going to spend a week in Hawaii!” Her eyes beamed up at me.
“Just me and you.”
“Hmmm.” She moaned and hugged me tighter. I shifted on the bed until her back was facing me. My lips grazed her neck and over her shoulder. Emilia bent her neck forward, giving me more skin to kiss. “Weston,” she moaned louder and I understood what she needed.
I reached around her body and cupped her breasts. Kneading them softly, I bit down on her shoulder, my erection pressing against her lower back. Emilia reached behind me and stroked it. Shifting her body, she aligned me at her entrance and pushed back. I filled her with every inch. Slow and steady, I held her close to me.
When we were finished in our bedroom, we showered and joined the real world. Lyra sat in the kitchen with my mother. “Morning, sweet pea.” Emilia leaned forward and kissed Lyra’s forehead.
“You look very beautiful, Lyra,” I said. She was dressed in a Disney princess dress.
I want to look like Mommy did yesterday.” Lyra looked over at Emilia. “You looked like a real life princess.”
Emilia smiled and tickled Lyra.
“Are you guys all packed?” my mother asked.
“Yes.” Emilia looked over at me. “Surprisingly, I packed less than he did.”
“Whatever.” I pulled mugs out for coffee. “My clothes are bigger than yours.”
I’m going to miss you, Mommy.” Lyra turned and hugged Emilia.
“I know, I’ll miss you too. But I promise I’ll bring you something back. Mommy will find something special just for you.”
* * *
Emilia and I sat in the first class section of Hawaiian Airlines. My hand laced with hers as we waited for takeoff and I twirled her wedding band, loving how it fit so delicately on her small finger.
She turned and peered up at me. “Are you nervous about leaving Lyra?”
I shrugged. “I feel a little guilty for leaving her. But with what I have planned for you, that guilt is growing smaller by the second.” I winked at her.
“I do want to enjoy my husband.” She ran her free hand over my face and winked.
The six hour flight from LAX to Maui was peaceful. Emilia sat back, enjoying a book she had picked up at the airport store. I asked her to join the mile high club with me, but she slapped my arm and went back to reading, so I took the time to read emails. Pointless Statement had worked on some music for our next album, but nothing was set in stone. With Emilia’s health improving, I needed to get back in the studio. I sent an email out to the guys setting up a few studio dates f
or when I returned.
We were greeted with leis once we landed, and Emilia pulled out her camera to capture the scenery as we drove to the hotel. Emilia and I checked in to the luxurious Grand Wailea Resort. Emilia entered our suite, and her hands trailed over the mahogany furniture as she moved further into the room. I dropped my carry–on on the bed and tipped the bellhop. The bedroom lanai overlooked the crystal blue water and the white sandy beach. Emilia stood behind the railing, looking out at the horizon. Coming up behind her, I kissed her neck and pressed my body against her.
“I want to have you right here,” I whispered in her ear.
Emilia moaned and reached behind me, grabbing my growing erection. “You can have me anywhere you want.” She released her grip and turned to face me. “But first can we go find some food?” A smile grew on her face. “I’m starving.”
I kissed the tip of her button nose.
Each day was an adventure we enjoyed together, in and out of the bedroom. On our first full day, we had a local take us to a private waterfall. It took longer than usual as we hiked up the mountain since Emilia needed to stop periodically to rest. When we reached the top of the cliff, Emilia reached for me. She stood tall, but her hand was over her heart as she tried to catch her breath.
“This is beautiful!” she exclaimed as she panted and heaved.
I brought her into my arms and kissed her neck. “Are you okay?”
She inhaled slowly and pulled away. “Yeah.”
The dark green mountains were to our backs. If you closed your eyes, you could hear the birds singing and the rapid rushing water that slid down the mountainside.
Emilia looked down at the cliff and noticed the small natural pool that had formed down below. “I want to go swimming.” Her smile grew on her face. She never let the remnants of her cancer define who she was.
A makeshift path led from above down to the water. Walking carefully in front of Emilia, I stopped when I was about five feet from the pond. I kissed her hand dramatically and dove off the cliff. Emilia squealed, her laughter ricocheting off the mountains. When I came up for air, Emilia was standing on the same cliff, nibbling on her fingernail.
“Jump!” I shouted to her.
“I’m scared!” She paced back and forth.
“You’ve been through worse shit! More terrifying shit!”
Emilia took a step back and then ran off the ledge. Her scream was so loud I was sure it could be heard for miles. I swam over to her so she didn’t have to swim alone and use up more energy.
She gasped when she came up for air. “Holy crap, that was scary!”
I kissed her wet lips. “Come on, let’s head back to the hotel. I don’t want you to be late to your spa appointment.”
The day after our hike, Emilia and I kept it low key, spending most of the day out by the pool. She was trying to be strong and said that she was fine, but I knew she was exhausted and hadn’t recouped.
On our fourth day, when she insisted we do something fun, I rented a Moped so we could explore the island on our own. We traveled along the beach and stopped at little huts and shops to try the local food and do some shopping. Emilia had promised Lyra she would bring her something special.
We stopped at a boutique that specialized in handmade jewelry using stones found on the island. Emilia perused the glass case looking for a special necklace for Lyra. I turned to the man sitting behind the register.
“Hey, man.”
“Aloha.”
I smiled. “Aloha, do you know of a good spot to see the sun set?”
“Yes.” He pulled out a piece of paper and began to draw me a map.
When Emilia was done shopping and had found the perfect necklace with a turtle pendant for Lyra, we sat at a picnic bench and chatted with the locals before heading back on the road.
I soon parked the Moped and we walked hand–in–hand toward the crashing waves. The sun was low on the horizon, the sky painted dark purple with pink clouds. The tide was stronger on this side of the beach but the way the sun colored the dark sea made it appear calm. The crashing waves told a different story as they collided against the sea wall.
I sat on the white sand and brought Emilia to my lap. ”What do you think?”
She shook her head slowly, not believing what she was seeing. “It looks like a painting.” She inhaled the salty mist of the ocean. “I never want to forget this sunset.”
“It’s one of many we will share together in our lifetime together, Em.” I brought my face to the crook of her neck.
Emilia reached for my hand and coiled our fingers together. She brought the back of my hand to her mouth, kissed it, and placed it over her heart. “I want to spend eternity with you.”
“We will, babe. Our souls will always be entwined. In past lives, this one, and every one going forward. You’re my soulmate and I will continue to find you in every life.”
Emilia leaned her head against mine. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
* * *
On our last night on the island, Emilia went to bed early. I talked on the phone with Axel, going over my schedule, and didn’t notice until I hung up that I had been on the phone for twenty minutes. I had told Emilia it would take five. I shut my laptop and left it on the table in the living room. Emilia had left the balcony door cracked, letting the salty sea mist linger in the bedroom. The room was backlit by moonlight that reflected off the ocean, and the musical crashing of nearby waves must have soothed Emilia to sleep.
Discarding my clothes, I lifted the blanket to crawl into bed. To my surprise, Emilia was under the covers naked. Her hands ran up my bare chest.
“Hi,” she whispered. She brought her lips to mine.
My hands caressed her skin as she crawled up my body. Deepening our kiss, I bit down on her plump lips, which caused her to whimper. She pulled away, her lips swollen and her breathing heavy. I sat up on the bed so my face was close to her breasts. My lips trailed across her nipples, flicking the tips with my tongue.
“You are driving me insane,” I whispered, and pressed her breasts together.
“I need you deep inside me,” she moaned.
With one swift movement, I had her underneath me. My hands locked with hers over her head. I kissed her mouth, her neck, and began to lower myself down her body. Her skin was warm on my lips as I continued to place a trail of kisses downward. I slowed down, not wanting to rush our time together. I wanted to savor my wife.
“You are beautiful, Emilia. I love you,” I whispered, looking up at her. “I love every single part of you, inside and out.” I pushed her legs apart and lowered my mouth to her core. “Every edge, curve, scar and dent. I love all of you.”
I brought my lips to her sensitive bud. When her hips began to shake and her whimpers grew louder, I gently sucked on her clit until she begged me to stop.
Sated with desire, Emilia lay on the bed, a grin wide on her face. “You are so good at that.”
I positioned myself at her opening and smiled against her lips. “I can do this every night if you want me to.”
“Mmmm,” she moaned and wrapped her legs around my waist. “You make me feel so loved, so alive. I’m lucky to have you.”
“You were made for me, Em. You can’t deny fate.” I kissed her gently once again before I deepened the kiss and slid inside of her.
19
Early November.
Emilia and I had been living together as husband and wife for over a month.
When you don’t know if you’re going to live, you begin to count the time and you also make those days count. Each day she was getting stronger—and she was becoming the Emilia that I had known. Wanting to get back to her regular life, she had volunteered to work two days a week at Lyra’s school as the class mom. It was little steps, but they were steps forward.
Leaving Emilia at home, I headed toward my meeting with SoCal. Emilia had decided to hang back. After Hawaii, I moved in with her fully. I sold my house and filled her garage
with boxes that I had yet to sort through. Emilia had taken that task on as a project and while I was at SoCal she was home shifting though them. It was weird to walk through the halls knowing that I wouldn’t see Emilia. When we had left London and Axel let it slip that Emilia worked at SoCal, I’d personally called Brian and specifically asked for her. I would find any excuse to see her and remind her what it was to be with me. It was my big plan to win her back.
It wasn’t the best plan.
“Hey, Stace,” I said and tapped on her door frame.
Stacey’s career had developed with the band. She was first hired as Emilia’s assistant when I’d demanded extra work so I could see Emilia. Once I found out about Lyra, Stacey took over so there wouldn’t be a conflict of interest.
“Hey, stranger!” She jumped out of her seat and walked around the table to hug me. “How’s Emilia? Lyra?”
“They’re both really good.” I walked further into her office.
She took a seat and got down to business. “We need to get you guys back out there. Axel’s ready to get back on the road now that Edward’s a little older, Travis has finished his bucket list and stopped climbing mountains, and Emilia is healthy.” She beamed. “It’s time we start creating a buzz and start talking about the new album.”
“Works for me.”
“Friday night you’ll be on the late show with Tom Sloan. Since you’re the face of the band, he asked personally for you. He has a special taping in Chicago. He’ll ask you questions about your personal life, what the band has been up to, and you can announce the new album. It tapes earlier in the day so you have to be in Chicago by noon, or you can fly in the night before. Just let me know what works best for you and I’ll have it set up.”
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