I will walk down that aisle.
Out of nowhere the organ sounds, deep from the corner. Grant hurries past him to meet up with Natalie half way. She takes his arm and smiles softly. In that dress, she looks lovely. Matt nods at her, with a raised brow, making her blush. He glances up and smiles, as Kyla grabs onto his brother’s arm and stomps past him, dragging Carter toward the small group of family seated closest to the altar.
A gust of cold air rushes by him, as Kyla swoops past. When he glances to the back of the room, he has to gasp for a breath. Felicia looks stunning in a dress of gold and diamonds. Her hair is swept up and a soft color stains those perfect lips. The front of her dress dips provocatively beyond her bust line, but still maintains an air of sophistication. The wispy fabric drapes delicately from a perfect frame.
There is a reason why she appears to him as an angel in his dreams. She is too good to be true.
Nerves knot in his gut as she draws nearer with every step. He holds out his elbow to her, but as she reaches for it, he drops his cane. It is not an accident. He has no intention of using it.
“Oh!” She leans forward and drops to her knees to retrieve it.
He can’t help but growl when she looks up from her position on the floor. Many memories flash between them, which he can tell from the flicker in her eyes.
“Leave it,” he tells her.
She lifts herself up and holds it out to him. “No. Take it.”
Matt shakes his head, but he takes the cane, only to lean it against a pew. “I’m going to walk, with or without you. Your choice.”
She huffs, but gently takes his arm. The first few steps are easy. Even the fourth one is surprisingly normal. But with the next step his bad leg seizes in pain. He looks up and catches the way his father snarls at him, as his good knee buckles, sending him crashing to the floor.
Chapter 16: Mortified
Felicia is very conscious of the strong arm beneath her fingers and the sheer pain he suffers just to walk. This man is determined to do this. She huffs at him, but decides that if that’s what he wants, then that’s what he gets. It feels like he might actually do this, for a minute. Then everything turns horribly wrong.
Matt falls, pulling away from her arm and dropping to the floor. He doesn’t land on his knee and it is not pretty. He crashes to his side and lies there with his eyes closed like he’s suffering a heart attack. She feels horrified, like it’s somehow her fault. She’s scared that he’s hurt. She drops to her knees beside him, with tears dragging mascara from her eyes.
His eyes pop open and he glances up at her. “What are you doing?”
“Helping you,” she answers with an emotion-filled voice.
He manages a smile. “I’m sorry to say this, but seeing you on your knees is of no help to me. He rubs his bad leg and waves off his mother. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“Matt, everyone is staring,” Felicia whispers.
“You think that changes anything?” He cups her cheek and smears away a tear with his thumb. “You’re wrong.”
What is going on?
A flock of birds take flight in her chest. She’s scared, worried, and intrigued all at once. She regains her feet and steps backward—not because she wants to, but because she feels the need to give him the space he needs to regain his independence.
He pulls himself to his feet and steps closer to her. He takes her hand and squeezes it. “See? I’m fine.”
Everyone’s still staring, wondering when they’re going to get this show back on the road. Destiny has yet to take to the aisle; her father is the only reason she isn’t at his side.
Felicia licks at her lips. “You don’t have to do this, Matt.”
“Oh, but I do.” He smirks at her and holds out his arm.
She huffs but she takes it with the same hand that holds her bouquet. He surprises her by leaving their hands linked together. They exchange a glance as she swallows the lump that has formed in the back of her throat. Everyone watches them, but she only sees him.
"Lean on me," she whispers through a smile. She knows he’s struggling, but he refuses to give up.
He ignores her. He’s so stubborn! But he’s totally cute. He tries to hide the determination from his face, but it can’t be missed. Matt leads her proudly down the aisle. He moves slowly and she tries to keep a straight smile, but she’s very conscious of the strong fingers clasping her hand and the sheer willpower he uses to remain upright without relying on her.
When they reach the end of the aisle, everyone claps. Matt looks ashamed but he shares a hug with Skylar, as Destiny appears at the back of the room and steals all the attention away from them.
Carter leans forward to whisper something rude in Matt’s ear. “It’s about time you get up here.” Carter catches Felicia staring at them and winks at her.
She can see what it does to Matt. Their eyes catch for a second and her heart flutters rapidly, but she quickly redirects her attention to Destiny. She’s going to try to keep the end in mind and quit worrying about peripheral things.
Destiny looks stunning in her shimmery ivory dress. The fact that she chose flats means the dress pools at the floor, in a magical collection of lace and silk.
This wedding is turning out to be what dreams are made of. Destiny glides down the aisle and her father kisses her cheek before offering her hand to Skylar. There’s not a woman with a dry eye in the place.
Matt continues to watch Felicia through it all and it helps to scare off her tears. The electricity between them seems to spark alive from across the room. She tries to focus on the beautiful words being shared between Skylar and Destiny but she can’t get past the desperate plea she sees in Matt’s expression. She wonders if his body hurts as much as her heart.
Just the memory of what could have been has tears springing to her eyes. When she sniffles, she finds a golden tissue being reached out to her.
Her eyes grow wide. “What are you doing? This is a wedding.”
Mortification has her cheeks warming. Although she tries to remain calm, her voice hits a high register and echoes through the church when she realizes that Matt has crossed the aisle for her.
“Do you have respect for anyone besides yourself?” she gasps animatedly.
He takes his handkerchief back and raises his eyebrows at her, moving uncomfortably close to her face. “I do what I want. Maybe you should listen to yourself and ask that same question.” He inches back to his place beside Skylar and nods at the couple. “I apologize for the interruption.”
Felicia cringes through the rest of the vows. Skylar lifts the veil and kisses his bride. Everyone claps and even Matt smiles. But not Felicia.
She’s always saying the wrong things to Matt. He gets her all worked up and she overreacts. Offering her the tissue was a sweet gesture, but in front of the entire crowd? She was mortified. Her cheeks warm again, remembering the way he makes her feel.
Before she realizes it, Matt is again offering her his arm. He doesn’t take her hand and he doesn’t meet her eyes. In fact, he embraces the epitome of icy. She knows that she makes him this way. He has every right to be obtuse with her. She deserves it.
They move surprisingly fast down the aisle this time. They walk no slower than any of the other couples following them. He probably pushes himself in order to put distance between them, but first he has to finish his duty of delivering her to the back door of the church.
To add salt to his wounds, Matt reaches the end of the aisle on his feet and she has done an amazing job of quashing all joy from that moment. Just as she suspects, the moment they reach Skylar and Destiny he releases her without saying a word. A ghastly feeling swirls in the pit of her stomach as Matt regains her attention.
“Don’t worry. I get it now. I’ve obviously misunderstood what’s going on here.”
“Have you?” she asks, barely capable of getting the words out.
“I hate to put anyone in such discomfort, but you’ll have to put up with me a lit
tle longer. After that you can leave me in the dust and go see your boyfriend.”
She doesn’t mean to, but she scowls at him. He knows her date is not her boyfriend. “That works for me.” She refuses to let him see her sweat.
Matt sears her with a smile. They’re arguing again. They have done a lot of that since they met, but even more when they first met. Every time they’ve had a disagreement, it ends with hot and sticky sex. She knows that’s exactly what he is thinking now.
She involuntarily fans herself.
Matt smirks again, latching onto her eyes. “If you’re getting that hot and bothered over a memory, imagine how good it would be in the flesh.”
Her own flesh disowns her and warms at the thought.
Oh, he’s good.
Destiny doesn’t share her enthusiasm at the moment. She hikes her skirt up and stalks over to them. "Can you two get along for five minutes? The photographer says she doesn’t have a single photo with you two looking toward the camera. Please?” she begs.
Destiny huffs. “If you don't think you can, fake it. I'm sure there's something there from before that you can draw from. I know you're still attracted to him, Felicia. Look at him. His arms are even thicker now than they were then. You love that. Admit it.”
Destiny turns back to her husband who is waiting patiently for her to return to save him from the photographer. She turns back to Matt and Felicia. "Admit it." Then she walks away, the length of her dress splaying out behind her like a meandering river of silk and lace.
"Yeah, Felicia. Admit it. You're still attracted to me." Matt is amused.
Felicia narrows her eyes at him. “Just because I think you're hot doesn't mean I like your big-mouthed face.”
If anything, that only makes him smile harder with that big, sexy mouth. "Oh, you like it. I know a few other things you like too. Maybe later I can show you.”
Her face flames red. "Matt!" she scorns, ordering him to stop.
But he can't stop smiling. He can't wait for her to try and fake it for Destiny. She knows she never has to fake it with him. She can see it in his eyes that he knows it too.
Yes, she's attracted to him. In her eyes, he's the most attractive man for miles. She may even like his potty mouth. But is she ready to tell him that?
No!
She pastes on a real smile and gazes toward the photographer as Matt pulls her in close.
“How am I doing?” she asks through a mouthful of teeth.
"I like it.” He brushes the back of his hand down a smiling cheek. “Every minute you’re looking more and more like the beautiful angel I remember.”
The smile washes off her face and she gives him a short-lived glimpse at her fear. He doesn't stop smiling. She smirks again, as if that comment hasn't jump-started her heart.
Matt draws the back of his finger down her jaw and tilts her head up until she gazes into his eyes. “Cheer up, buttercup. It could have been a lot worse.”
The smile returns to her eyes as he continues to intimately stroke her face. They both turn to smile for the camera.
“Enjoy this, Matt,” she says behind her breath. “Because this won't happen again after today.”
“Then, for today,” he agrees, “you're mine.”
Felicia refuses to answer with words, but she shrugs a single shoulder indifferently as she turns away to do as the photographer asks.
Matt closes both of his hands around her arms just below her shoulders and tilts his head, his voice whispering past the small locks of hair brushing over her shoulder. “All mine. Don’t you forget it.”
As she parts her lips for a breath, the camera flashes, causing them both to scowl at the person behind the lens.
"I'm sorry, but you two can be quite intense. It makes for a good photograph. Keep it up."
Felicia and Matt connect with a brief glance. Neither of them intended to make spectacles of themselves, but if Felicia can give Destiny a few good wedding photos out of the deal, she’ll do it.
She raises a brow. “For old time's sake?”
He pulls out a hand and shakes hers, but he doesn't stop there. His thumb caresses the top of her hand and then he kisses her there. “For old time's sake,” he agrees.
“Okay, lovebirds,” Destiny calls. “Get over here and get in some of these pictures, will you?”
Matt glances down at their linked fingers.
Felicia’s smile falters. “I'm sorry. My hands are freezing.”
He bundles them inside his. “Cold hands, warm heart,” he says with a wink.
She smiles warmly at him as a chill skips across her body. "Thank you.”
He always finds the right thing to say to drive her out of a funk. He also manages to shock the shit out of her with his sweetness.
Matt covers her lips with his for a chaste kiss that makes her heart skip a beat. He doesn't let go of her hand and she's afraid that he can feel the way her body reacts to his touch, even in the slightest of ways. He is so in tune with her body, even after all the time they’ve been apart. But is she prepared to be this close to him? She doesn’t know how long she can keep it up without telling him everything.
Chapter 17: Radiant
Matt loves how Felicia reacts to him. She can’t even help it. Her body stiffens, her breaths become labored and her heart rate goes through the roof.
“I’m just warming up,” he whispers, his lips teasing against her ear.
He’ll give her a little space for a little while, but he refuses to let her forget. They place nice for the cameras and give Destiny the photos that she might pull out once every decade to remind her of the fond memories of this day. He continues to make small gestures to make her aware of his closeness whenever it is warranted. She needs to know that he remembers how good it feels to be with her. He needs to remind her of how much she enjoys it too.
His hand lingers on the curve of her lower back, as a token of their partnership. His lips skip across her bare shoulder when he waits for the photographers to situate themselves. He can’t stop himself even if he wants to. Her body is so kissable. He loves the feel of her beneath his lips.
Matt’s thumb softly brushes across her back, right where the fabric dips unbelievably low, just above her ass. She shivers with awareness every time he does, and every time he rests his hand against her skin to soothe the sensation.
Not once has she asked him to stop. She loves the attention, loves the way he makes her feel. When she turns to face him, he smiles at her and sweeps a ringlet away from that beautiful face. Every time their eyes meet she smiles, and every time his body tightens when her skin flushes red.
Before too long, the wedding party breaks out the wine and they share a toast in the gardens, to new beginnings among other cliché well wishes. Matt can’t keep his eyes off Felicia. She’s smiling and happy, just gorgeous. He feels like a stalker. His eyes assault her, taking in all that radiance and exploiting it every chance he gets. They don’t exchange any more words, but she knows he watches her. And yet she still ignores him.
That is exactly what keeps him planted firmly on his feet, with a glass of whiskey in hand. He swirls what’s left of the liquid in the bottom of the glass and makes it disappear in one swallow. He slams the glass onto the makeshift bar, which announces to everyone that he is done. The floosy who’s been following him around all day slides up behind him without notice and suddenly the blond man has an arm wrapped around Felicia’s waist.
The fury that unravels within Matt’s chest is monstrous, just begging to be released, but he harnesses it and glances away. Felicia told him it is nothing and he believes it. He smiles with the knowledge that the only shivering she does in that guy’s presence is with repulsion.
“Matthew Knight, are you hiding from me?” Destiny’s cousin asks him.
Matt looks around dramatically. “There’s hardly anywhere for me to hide around here.” He wishes there were. The girl is good looking, but she can’t take a hint. “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was
again?”
“Krystle.”
“Right. How could I forget?” He smiles at her but quickly looks for an exit.
He prays for someone to save him before this woman ruins all chances of talking to Felicia. “Oh, look. Here comes the event planner,” Matt announces, with the tone of his voice expressing his sudden enthusiasm.
Natalie hurries to meet up with the woman and then waves everyone over. “It’s time for us to go back inside,” she shouts excitedly.
It’s like a higher power is watching over him because within a matter of seconds, the wedding party is dragged off to a special entrance and the rest of the guests, Krystle included, have to return to the party room. The way Felicia watches Matt suddenly tells him she has no idea that Krystle is not his type at all. That makes him smile. Felicia’s almost making this too easy.
As they congregate at the doors to the party room and wait for their respective introductions, he catches Felicia smiling at him. He pulls himself to his feet and reaches his elbow out to her, completely prepared to cross the room on his feet, with the least amount of limping, even if it kills him.
“Are you ready for this, doll?” Matt asks Felicia.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.” Her voice seduces him even when she’s not trying. “But Matty . . .”—she pushes him gently into his chair—“you’re not walking this time. How are you going to dance with me later if you use all your energy on this?”
She makes a damn good point and so he doesn’t argue. She slides her hand over his chest and then squeezes his shoulder before pushing the wheelchair into the party room. As she directs him to the head table, she is the only one in his eyes. She’s been the only one on his mind for many, many months now and he is dead-set on doing everything necessary to make her realize that tonight.
Chapter 18: Cherry Kisses
Felicia needs to get laid. It’s been too long and Matt has her too wound up to wait any longer. They have issues. They can’t even talk about the accident, their weekend together, or anything else that links to that time without exploding on each other.
Beautifully Broken Page 12