Lucas cut to the left. I tried to keep up with him as he swam much quicker than I was used to. We came to a halt again, at a spire of violet and venetian red coral. It was beautiful. Tears started to well in my eyes as I looked upon it, knowing that soon we would be exploring it.
He waved again, and I followed closely this time, then overtook him. I dipped lower to be flat with the coral as hiding fish scattered. I reached out, running my fingers over it, surprised by the roughness, since it looked so beautiful.
Lucas took my hand. I was unsure where he would take me. Why did it seem like he knew this place already? He swam with such confidence.
We crossed over the top of the coral and then rounded the spire. On its opposite side, there was a small resting place in the shape of a heart. I squeezed his hand tightly as I peered down at it, unsure if my eyes were screwing with me, because I could’ve sworn that there was something resting in the indentation.
Violet anemones swayed around us as I unlatched myself from him. I reached down and took that shining object out from the heart shaped hole in the coral. The box was covered with shining black and silver paint, and it looked highly out of place. My suspicion was that Lucas had planted it.
I didn’t want to rush to conclusions. I held it out in my palms for Lucas to see. Was this a present for me? I saw his chest rock with laughter.
So...he did plant the box.
I started to fuss with it, turning it over, trying to discover how to open it, but then I noticed the lock, and when I picked my head up, Lucas was shaking his head. There was no way I would open it without a key.
I poked at his chest, the only place where I could where I wasn’t afraid of messing up all the important tubes. He swam back, avoiding my jabs, then shrugged and threw up his arms. There was no way I was going to keep swimming around with this mystery box in my hands.
We needed to head up. Right away.
When I pointed to the surface, I expected Lucas to stop me. Except he took off, launching himself up with a well-placed kick, not before taking my hand. I kept the box pressed to my chest and allowed him to do most of the work, my feet paddling steadily to help us break the surface.
The crew helped us on board the ship. With my mask off, I didn’t wait long to scream at Lucas, asking him what on Earth he’d done.
He stood over me holding a brass key. He must’ve had it sitting nearby, or maybe one of the crew members hid it for him.
I stood up on unsteady legs. I clutched the box, tears blurring my vision. I had hopes, but I didn’t want to run wild with them, otherwise my disappointment might destroy me.
“Go on, open it,” he said, flashing me his wide, white grin. I didn’t like the look of that.
“Lucas, what did you do?” I asked him, almost sternly. I fiddled with the box. My fingers were shaking as I popped the key in.
“Just open it. Then you can scream at me.”
And I did. I screamed.
“What is this?” I asked him, over and over. I held up a ring. An engagement ring? I wasn’t sure, but I wanted to believe. It was giant, a big block of diamonds that must’ve cost a fortune.
I rushed him and tackled him in an embrace. Lucas remained firm as he tilted my chin up to look at him, with tears streaming down my eyes, I could hardly trace my thoughts or my movements or anything going on around me, it was all a whirlwind.
When I came back from my stupor, I remembered my lips blabbering. And then I heard my words. I’d been asking the same thing, over and over, “What is this? Lucas, what is this?”
Lucas dropped to his knees.
That’s when I wanted to bawl my eyes out, but I remained firm, not wanting to ruin it by exploding into tears—even if they were tears of joy.
“Tia, will you marry me?”
“Yes, Lucas, yes!”
He got to his feet, and I embraced him again. I couldn’t peel myself from his chest, but he did instead, lifting me off my feet, spinning me in the air, then landing me down with a passionate, lingering kiss.
I realized what he’d been planning all along. Why he’d been dragging himself around on no sleep. To set everything up for me. To make everything right.
“Lucas, yes, I’ll marry you,” I repeated again, overjoyed at the words, and I wrapped my arms around him, never wanting to let go until the date.
Chapter 19
We were married on the beach. Not long after we came back from Costa Rica, we went back again, this time with all of our friends and family. We didn’t have much family to bring, but that was okay. A small wedding would suit me just fine, and the friends I did invite were able to make it.
Lucas wanted the ceremony to move fast. He didn’t like to waste time. I was fine with that as well. The sooner we were married and bound together forever, the better.
Of course, he offered to pay for the wedding. I argued, but he didn’t want to hear it. He told me that I brought enough to the table, so I didn’t argue that the wedding was too extravagant, and I didn’t argue when he tried to pay for everyone’s plane tickets.
“I’m a billionaire. Let me be one for once. At least, I’ll be doing something good with it,” he told me, and I allowed him, this time.
I wanted my mother to have the trip of her life. She’d never left America and we feared she wouldn’t make it with her injuries, but I went with her and helped her the whole way, acting like a veteran traveler now. Lucas stayed with me, and he clicked instantly with my mother, who heard way too many good things about him and pretty much had her mind made up already.
The ceremony didn’t last long. It was to the point, and it was beautiful.
“Tia, I promise to protect and care for you until the end of our days. I promise that whenever you need me, I’ll be there. You are the light in my life, and I will never leave your side. Forever, and always, it’s us. Nothing, could, or will ever, stop our love.”
My vows weren’t quite as elaborate, but Lucas didn’t care. His eyes were lustful, his confidence peaking as he snatched me up and then rushed in for a kiss. He tangled my tongue with his, then bound me to him. This wasn’t some meek kiss at the end of the ceremony, this was a ravishing, in true Lucas fashion.
He unbound me, and I laughed drunkenly. We threw up our clasped hands as he took me down the aisle to be congratulated.
It was time for the festivities to be begin.
Lucas and I danced on the beach with the rest of our guests. I spent most of the time cradled in his arms for the slow dances. We would depart and meet up with the rest of the guests, most of them drinking near the resort’s bar, right on the beach. Everyone had a wonderful time, and some of the girls from the competition—most notably Nicole and Cara, were invited to join in on the festivities.
They were in good spirits, and they kept ragging on me and Lucas about how the game had been rigged from the get go. It was all good-natured fun. They weren’t my competition now. They never were. They knew it, and they were there to honestly congratulate me. Plus, I figured, to take advantage of the beautiful beach, which I certainly didn’t blame them for.
“I wish my father would’ve come. I think he would really like you, if he got to know you,” Lucas whispered to me when we were slow dancing.
I knew it was a painful subject. But I told him, “It’s okay. He’ll eventually come around.”
He brightened. “I think you’re right.”
The rest of the song was magical. Lucas kept me close. We swayed as night began to fall, casting a star filled glow over the crystal clear waters. He rubbed his chin against my neck, I cooed, and he brushed further, rubbing his lips against my earlobes.
“Lucas, don’t do that,” I warned him.
“Why not?” He grinned.
“Because…”
“Because why?”
No one else was paying attention. They were matched up with their own partners, or in conversation, or drunk off the never ending bar.
“Because...you’re getting me excited.”
/> He gripped my plentiful hips. His fingers curved inward, something which they should not be doing in public.
“You know, I always wanted kids, a family. But I never met the right woman.”
“Did you meet her?” I kept swaying, slowly, trying not to urge his fingers inward.
“Yes, I think I did. And I’m...a little too excited myself, I think. Because ever since we started dancing, getting so close, I’ve wanted to tear her dress off, and make that baby.”
He floored me. Lucas had never talked about having a family before, not like this. We’d fucked without a condom the night before he proposed, but I thought that was an anomaly. The whole time, had he wanted this, but been afraid of scaring me away?
“We’re going to be alone soon,” he reminded me.
“I know. Not soon enough.”
“I can arrange that,” he said, and with that he attempted to scoop my ass up. He might’ve been a little tipsy at this point.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, just ready,” he said, his gaze fixed on me. I believed him. I hadn't seen him have that much to drink.
I stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Let’s go right now, if you’re ready.”
“You didn’t let me pick you up.” He winked, then motioned to pick up my thigh.
“You’re not going to carry me all the way up to our room, are you?”
“I planned on it.”
“I want to get there right now, Lucas.” I looked around, scanning the crowd. It all seemed to be slowing down. “Do you think we could run away with no one noticing us?”
“This is all for us, babe. We call the shots. If we want to go fuck and make some babies, no one is going to stop us. Hell, they’ll likely applaud us for it.”
“Okay,” I said, as he placed me behind him and addressed the crowd.
“Thank you all for coming. We’re off to consummate our marriage,” Lucas cried out, then we vanished as I laughed to myself, trying to keep up with his long strides. We moved as a single blur past the pool, up the cobbled path to the hotel.
We had the penthouse suite that overlooked the ocean. There were multiple rooms, but the room that mattered was the bedroom, with the sprawling mattress and its sturdy headboard. In the elevator, Lucas couldn’t hold back. His hands roamed underneath my wedding dress. His lips curved across my neck to my shoulders. I was panting, pressed against the wall.
“Lucas…” I moaned. I pushed him back a little.
But he was irresistible.
I did it for my own sake. My sex was pounding so hard, that I knew I wouldn’t last long. Soon, I would have Lucas raw, and he would fuck me hard and deep and then slow and sensual, all of it passionate, as we connected, and he planted his seed inside of me again…
Fuck, that was hot. And I didn’t peg Lucas for a guy who would want to do that. To jump into it. I expected years of me trying to persuade him to change his mind, instead I’d been met with this.
My feet were moving on their own. I was suddenly in front of his door. He slid his keycard in and thrust it open. I walked in, and while the expansive, decadent space would usually take my breath away, it didn’t this time. I tossed myself on the bed, my dress flying around me and then settling, showing off the length of my thighs and the hint of my sheer panties.
Lucas strode in while unbuckling his belt. Whipping it to the floor, he then shoved the curtains closed.
“Tia, you’re fucking unbelievable. Get over here, my love.”
I dropped to my knees. Then I practically crawled over to him. My hands pressed against his thighs, with his muscles rippling at the sight of me, my tongue rolled against my lips, then I stuck it out, waiting for his hard cock.
He pushed his black pants down. Lucas wrapped his fingers through my hair, steadying me to be taken. I didn’t think he was drunk, neither was I, telling from the amount of alcohol we had, but it sure felt like it.
I lovingly swirled my tongue around his tip. I opened wider, letting him plunge past my lips, which cherished him, wrapping around him, like my pussy desperately wanted. I dug my fingernails into his thighs as I did a slight nod to tell him to go ahead use me, take me, take everything.
“Mine, all mine. Finally, mine.”
The blowjob wasn’t satisfactory for either of us. We both wanted the mattress, to entangle on the bed, and to make this even more real. He lifted me up quite easily, then dropped me down onto the bed.
I remembered my hesitation before, how I might ask, “Are you sure?” No, I didn’t do that now. We were both sure. This was fate, unstoppable, and I wasn’t going to question it. I’d been a fool to question it before.
His muscled flesh collided with my softness. We bounced on the mattress, and then he pushed more weight onto me, pinning me, kissing me, exploring lower with his hands. Lucas rounded circles on my thighs, then with a sure fire grin, he lowered and caught both of them, so he could eat me out and not be interrupted by my involuntary trembling.
“Yes,” I cried.
“Already slick, already wanting, I could shove myself into you already…” He flicked his tongue across my slit, tempting me. “But I like your taste.”
I clenched. My pussy ached for Lucas to go deeper.
He swirled his tongue. Then he delved in, thrusting his tongue in like a cock. Feasting on me, once he was done, he pulled away and let me pant and open my eyes.
Lucas was on me. Then inside of me. I clawed the sheets, but they weren’t enough. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and with an escaping breath, as he pushed inside of me, I told him, “I love you.”
A part of me wanted to try to explain it away, but that was futile. This man loved me. And I loved him.
“I love you,” he said. “Tia, I fucking love you.”
I was glad he didn’t go on about how he loved my pussy, like usual. No, he loved me. All of me. And I looked forward to hearing those sweet words a lot more.
Wedding dress pushed up, my legs almost over head, my pussy wide for him, I was in heaven. Lucas slipped in and kissed me in between his long, sensual strokes. Each time, his filling cock caressed my insides and pushed me even closer to the edge.
I clenched, I heated up, I screamed wildly for him to keep going.
“I love you,” he said again, this time, crashing himself into me as he said it.
He kept repeating it, each time, pummeling me into the mattress even more. His cock stuffed me each time, and I stretched, trying to take it.
“That hot pussy wants my cum so badly. I can feel it... Fuck, it’s too fucking good. I’m going to come.”
“Yes, yes,” I pleaded now.
A baby, a house, a happy life with Lucas, hell yes, I wanted all of it.
“Give it to me,” I screamed.
He snatched my jaw and then planted a kiss on my lips. After he broke away, he ravaged me, sliding his slick cock madly into me as he neared his peak.
“Fuck,” he yelled.
And then unloaded.
“Fuck, I’m coming,” he yelled again. He collapsed onto me. When he did, he buried his cock even deeper, and my pussy spread, and I leaned back, trying to get him even closer to my womb.
It was like we became one in that moment. I came, and he came, and we clashed together, forming a real bond that would never be broken.
“Fuck,” he moaned again. “Tia,” he said, and clasped my face between his palms. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I said, but not convincingly. “How are you?”
“Just fine.” Lucas groaned. A long, satisfied groan. He started to pull back, but he was merely leaning out, to try to disperse some of that high.
“Just...fine,” he groaned again. I entwined my fingers with his, to keep him braced against my chest.
We would remain in that position until he broke out of his daze.
Then we went at it again.
Not because he wanted to make sure that he’d done the deed, but because he couldn’t help himself. Lucas fo
und me irresistible.
I might’ve questioning it before, but now? No. Hell no.
I lived it up. We made good use of that penthouse suite.
Chapter 20
Five months later
I pulled up to our house in the car I’d gotten through Lucas, who had given me a check for my past troubles. I didn’t want to accept it. It didn’t seem right. But he told me after what his uncle had done and his company’s involvement in the case, that I deserved every penny. My mother’s hospital bills should’ve been paid for.
I refused. But he wouldn’t let me. So I took it. With one stipulation, that I would eventually pay him back.
It still seemed strange to call this my house. We shared accounts now. Hell, I advised Lucas not to do it, but he wouldn’t listen.
“There’s no one else,” he said after I brought it up. If I was a financial advisor, I wouldn’t do it. I still had some debt from dropped college classes.
Again, he wouldn’t hear it.
With the money, I helped my mother get better rehabilitation. Then I put the rest of the money toward my new business, animal rehabilitation. My husband also offered some invaluable instructions on how to set it up and turn a profit.
My husband, a billionaire genius...I must’ve fallen into some alternate reality where everything right happened.
It was that golden hour, just before sunset, when I almost rapped on Lucas’s front door, expecting to spend the night there. Then I stopped myself from acting on muscle memory and simply entered my front door.
Lucas came out to welcome me. He’d always seemed on edge before. Now, he had a pleasant glow that permeated his being.
“Let me check for the kick.” Lucas placed his hand on my baby bump. The baby moved a little, and he got all misty.
Who knew Lucas would be such a family man?
“I’ve got something for you,” I said, all business. Oh, how times had changed. I pulled out a check from my purse and placed it in Lucas’s open palm.
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