by Harlow Layne
Jessica applied her red lipstick with perfection in front of the mirror. “Maybe she’s offended that you said she stinks.”
Stella’s mouth hung open for a moment. “I didn’t say she stinks. I said we all do.”
“It’s still offensive,” Jessica deadpanned.
“Well, we’ll all smell like roses and she’ll smell like a dead pig,” Stella sneered before a big smile came over her face as she cheered. “Here it is.”
Before any of us could say anything, Stella started to spray her perfume throughout the room. I knew something was wrong the instant my eyes started to burn and water profusely. Darting for the door, I heard the others start to cough and gag.
“What the fuck?” Gabi questioned as I stumbled out the door. “Why are you crying?”
“Stella,” I coughed out. “Oh my God that wasn’t perfume. I think it was pepper spray.” I tried to look around to find a chair to sit but couldn’t see. “I need something to wipe my eyes.” I croaked out as one after the other they came spilling out of the bathroom.
“Stella are you trying to fuck us?” Jessica shrieked.
Someone bumped into me causing me to trip and almost fall, but Gabi grabbed onto me and waited until I was steady.
“Oh my God, I think it’s coming out here,” Gabi coughed. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. Can we get some towels to wipe our faces? I don’t know what to do? Do they need to be wet?” My shoulders dropped in defeat as I tried to clear my watery eyes with my arm. “What they hell are we supposed to do?”
“I think we need to wash our faces and anything else that the spray’s on with soap.”
What a pain in the ass.
“Gabi,” I felt around until I caught an arm hoping it was hers. “Can you take us back to our rooms so that we can get cleaned up? And maybe call it a night.”
“A little pepper spray is not ending our night,” Taylor laughed then let out a hacking cough. “We’ll just move the party to your room. The night’s not over yet.”
“We can’t even see,” I whined. “How is the night not already over?”
“Because we got you a stripper, and he’s not here yet. We can’t get our deposit back.”
“I’ll pay you back if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Honey,” Taylor called from somewhere close by. “Trust me when I say you’ll want this stripper.”
“Why would I want a stripper when I’m about to marry the hottest guy in the world tomorrow?” I asked exasperated.
“You just do.” She chuckled, looking over at Anna. “Now, let’s go get cleaned up before he gets here. Hey, bartender? Can you tell the stripper that we’re up in the room when he gets here and send up another pitcher of those drinks?”
“Um… sure.” He replied as we started to walk out of the bar.
24
“Why are we still doing this? I didn’t want some stripper to begin with and now I look all blotchy from scrubbing my face free of pepper spray.” I whined to Gabi walking out of the bathroom.
“Fuck if I know. You’d think the rest of them had never seen a naked man before with how badly they want that stripper to show up.”
It was weird. I mean, Anna had her very own heartthrob with an amazing body.
I spoke quietly as I watched Taylor and Anna walk in, so they wouldn’t hear me. “Maybe I’ll push the stripper off on them when he gets here.”
“Do you think Luke will care that you have a stripper?” Gina asked out the side of her mouth.
“He wouldn’t care unless something happened.”
“Would you care if the guys got him one?”
Would I? A feeling of jealousy surged through my body.
“Kind of.” I shrugged. “I don’t think he’d do anything, but I don’t know how to explain it. It makes no sense when he has to be intimate with some of the most beautiful women, but it does.”
Gina rolled her head toward me with a slight frown. “You can’t help what you feel.”
“Why are you in your yoga pants?” Anna asked with a laugh, plopping down in a chair across from me.
“Because I had to take a shower to get all the damn pepper spray off me. I didn’t think we were planning to go out again. Are we?” I looked from Taylor to Anna, and then to Gina sitting beside me on the couch.
“No, we’re staying here, but I thought you might want to look nice for the stripper.” She bit her lips in an attempt not to smile.
“I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t care about the stripper,” I replied bluntly.
“Look who I found out in the hall. The stripper,” Jessica laughed maniacally as she stepped into the room. In truth it scared me a little.
“Unless you got me Superman or Thor, I don’t care. I hate to be a party pooper, but my eyes are still burning, and I just want to chill.”
“What’s this about Superman?” A familiar voice asked.
Luke stepped into the room with the rest of the guys trailing behind him. Colt had a boombox that he placed on the table.
A smile stretched across my face. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled back at me devilishly. “I’m your stripper.”
My eyebrows rose. “Really?” I asked excitedly.
“She said she didn’t want a stripper,” Gina crowed from her spot on the couch.
“Oh, I’ll take this one.” I held out my arms, but Luke shook his head at me.
“All good things come to those who wait.”
“Is sex included in this strip-tease? Because I am not waiting until tomorrow night if I have to sit here and watch you strip for me.”
“She just said that out loud,” Jason barked out.
“Do you have underwear on? You can’t be stripping in front of everyone if you don’t have underwear on.” No way in hell were they all seeing the goods.
“Oh… my… God.” Jenner laughed and shook his head.
Luke headed to the radio, looking over his shoulder at me. “I have underwear on. Do you?”
“No,” I laughed, shaking my head. “I’ve got yoga pants on.”
His brow furrowed. “I noticed. What happened? You all changed.”
“What happened?” I laughed out. “Your sister sprayed the bathroom with pepper spray and we all almost died.”
“You didn’t almost die,” Stella retorted.
Luke started to head back to me, his eyes turned worried. “Shit are you okay?”
I heard in the background Anna, Taylor, and Jessica all answer their husband’s that they were fine.
“I’m fine. My eyes are just a little irritated. I told them I wasn’t going to get dressed back up for a stripper I didn’t want, but now I’m thinking I should have.”
His eyes softened. “You look beautiful. I’ll strip for you no matter what you wear.”
“I have a feeling this isn’t the first time.” One of the guys murmured.
“Are you really going to do this?”
A wicked smile grew across his handsome face. “Of course, I need to make your bachelorette party memorable.”
A rush of warmth fell over me. “You already make my life memorable, but I’ll happily take a strip tease from you as long as touching is allowed.”
His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “I’ll make an exception just for you.”
Colt stood from his spot beside Anna making his way over to the boombox and hit play.
My eyes widened as Luke took his first step toward me. It wasn’t his usual long stride. Each step he made dripped sex. I couldn’t believe they’d planned this, and Luke went along with it.
A sexy smirk graced his lips as he stalked toward me. With every step, he swiveled his hips in a movement that I was all too acquainted with. Stopping before me, he turned and shook his delectable ass in my face. My hands had a mind of their own as they reached out and squeezed each firm ass cheek before smacking one side.
Luke jumped away, turned, and started to slowly unbutton his shirt. Each
button undone with the beat of the song.
“I can’t believe he’s doing this.” Jack grumbled from the other side of the room.
Josh laughed into his hand. “I don’t know why not? If I wasn’t pudgy around the middle I’d do it too.”
“No one wants to see you strip, not even your own girlfriend,” Cory retorted.
“Shut up.” I looked around Luke to scowl at them. “You’re ruining my strip tease.”
“I think she’s enjoying it.” One of the guys said with a laugh.
“I’m enjoying it.” Both Gina and Taylor said at the same time and started laughing. Taylor fell into her husband and continued to giggle into his shoulder. I had a feeling she was taking advantage of finally being able to drink and was beyond a little tipsy.
Luke grinned as he slowly slid his shirt from his sculpted torso.
Each thrust of his hips brought him closer and closer to my chair until he stood directly in front of me. I ran my hands up his thighs until I reached the edge of his jeans. I was ready to unbuckle his belt and take him into the other room, but Luke had other plans.
Turning around, he slowly lowered himself until he was grinding the tops of my legs.
“Take it off,” Gina catcalled.
“Is that what you want, Alex?” Luke asked from over his shoulder, his voice low and gruff, and sexy as hell.
“Yes,” I answered breathlessly.
He gyrated his hips one more time before he stood in front of me and made slow work of undoing his button and zipper, driving me mad with want.
He knew what he was doing to me and I didn’t care that I was ready to jump him in front of all our friends.
Slowly he dragged each leg of his dark jeans down his legs and stepped out of them to be left in only a pair of male teal bikini briefs.
Stella said something in what I assumed was Swedish before she left the room with her hand over her eyes.
Leaning forward, each hand took hold of his ass as I pulled him to me. “Where did you get those?”
Lifting an eyebrow, he asked. “Do you like?”
I eyed his package that was already at half-mast. Definitely not appropriate for our audience. “I prefer you without, but I do like them.”
He bent down until his lips caressed the shell of my ear with each word. “I made a pit stop on my way back to the hotel after the guys asked me to do this impromptu strip tease.” He bit the shell of my ear. “I think it’s time we take this somewhere private.”
“I agree.” I motioned him to move closer. “Don’t mind us, but we’re taking this party into the other room.”
Wrapping my legs around his waist. Luke stood with me, grinding against my core.
“Oh, shit this is where it stops being PG.”
“And that’s when all the fun begins,” Jason whooped.
“Don’t be pervs and listen. It’s time for you to all go back to your own rooms,” I hollered back at them before I squeezed my legs tighter around Luke’s waist and crashed my lips to his.
25
With purpose I walked down the rose path that led to my destiny. I briefly glimpsed at our friends and family, but I couldn’t stop taking in the man who waited for me.
Dressed in white linen and barefoot, Luke smiled softly at me. Each step, I felt my smile grow until I reached him, beaming up at him.
Taking a step closer, Luke grasped my hands, smiling down at me.
"Welcome everyone. Lukas Theo Sandström and Alexandra Scarlett Sloane have chosen you, those special and important to them, to witness and celebrate the beginning of their life together. Today, as they join in marriage, they also create a new bond and a new sense of family - one that will undoubtedly include all who are present here today."
I had no idea what the officiant said after that as we stood there lost in each other’s eyes. My only thought was that I was marrying the man of my dreams. I had never known love that transcended all else. Luke’s thumbs rubbed back and forth across the tops of my hands in a loving and soothing manner.
My thoughts were interrupted as the officiant said. “Luke and Alex have both written vows to each other. Luke you may start.”
“Alex, I promise that every day for the rest of our lives I’m going to make you feel beautiful.
To make you smile and laugh.
To dance whenever and wherever the song takes us.
To be there to lift you up every time you fall and wipe away the tears.
To love Mason as if he were my own.
To fall more in love with you each day that I have with you.
I love you, Alex. Forever and always.”
Luke
Wiping the few tears that trailed down her cheek with my thumb, I gave her an encouraging nod. With each word of my vows, I watched as her eyes brimmed with tears and eventually slip down her golden cheeks.
I couldn’t believe that in only a few short minutes she’d be my wife. Clearing her throat, she gazed up at me with so much love in her eyes, my entire body pulsed with emotion.
“Long ago I gave up the little girl’s dream of her fairytale life until you walked into my life.
You’ve given me everything that I never knew I wanted and more.
You’ve shown me what love really is.
That it’s okay to let your guard down.
To trust.
To cry.
And to love.
Every day, I promise to show you how much you’re loved.
How honored I am that out of everyone you chose me, love me, and never fail to make me feel treasured.
You are my forever. I love you, Luke.”
Every word she spoke from her heart. Her love shining bright and true through her eyes. I had never loved her more than in that moment.
"Do you Lukas Sandström, accept Alexandra Sloane as your life mate and one true love, promising to share in all that life offers and suffers, to be there for her in times of plenty, as well as times of need, to soothe her in times of pain, and to support her in all endeavors, big and small, for as long as you both shall live?"
“I do,” I vowed proudly.
Never taking my eyes off Alex, nothing else existed but her. For the next week she was all mine, and I was going to ravish and spoil her. After our honeymoon, she’d never have a doubt in her mind how special she was to me.
“Luke, I give you this ring as a symbol of my love. As it encircles your finger, may it remind you always that you are surrounded by my enduring love. "
"And now, by the power vested in me by the State of Hawaii, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."
Everyone cheered and clapped. I only had eyes for my bride as I swept her up in my arms and our lips melded together. Her mouth opened as I dipped her, my tongue stroked against hers. It was easy to get lost in Alex, but I had to keep some composure and not ravish her in front of everyone.
Standing up, I stood her on her feet. Her eyes glazed over in lust and love. “Let’s do this.”
Alex
“This is beautiful. You and the wedding planner did a great job with everything.” Luke murmured against my ear. The hand resting on my shoulder pulled me closer to his side.
We were outside with fairy lights twinkling and candles lit everywhere as we overlooked the ocean. Off to the side we could see the gauzy material that made up the tent our guests sat under during the ceremony at sunset as we said our vows.
“Have I told you how absolutely stunning you look tonight?”
My ever-present smile stretched further as I nuzzled his neck. “Only half a dozen times or so.”
“Have I told you how hot you look with that ring on your finger?” I wasn’t sure what it was, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off his left hand. His long tan fingers curling around his champagne flute or the way they brushed across my skin, his ring glinting in the light. Seeing Luke with a wedding band on made me want to do dirty things to him.
“How much longer do we have to stay here?”
“Eager to leave?” I whispered into his neck. His only response was a playful growl.
“I’d like to say goodbye to everyone, but after that…” Luke stood and pulled me up with him causing me to laugh. “Okay, let’s go say goodbye.”
Pulling me to a stop in the middle of the dance floor, Luke beamed down at me. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“I thought we were getting out of here?” I whisper-yelled as I took in the crowd that had started to surround us.
“We will, I promise, but first we have to dance as husband and wife. One last dream fulfilled.”
“What?” Tears filled my eyes as I watched Gabi step onto the stage and take the microphone in hand.
Wrapping his arm around my waist, Luke leaned down. “You’ll find out in just a moment.”
“Hello, everyone. I’m Gabi, Luke and Alex’s friend. It’s been an honor getting to know them in the short amount of time since we met back in March.” Turning to look at us, Gabi smiled sweetly. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the original band so I’m going to sing. I hope I do your song justice and make this part of your night as special as the two of you are. Watching the two of you, I dream to one day find a love like yours. Ladies and gentlemen, Luke and Alex Sandström dancing their first dance as husband and wife.”
The intro of Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls started and Luke wrapping me tightly in his arms. “You didn’t want to miss this did you?”
I could only shake my head as I fought the tears that threatened to spill. Resting my head on his shoulder, I took in a shuddering breath as I tried to contain the emotions that were swirling inside me. Luke cupped my head with one hand, his other on the small of my back as we swayed to the beat.
For as long as I could remember I’d loved this song. There were times when it would put a smile on my face and make me happy, and other times when I wasn’t in a good place that it would make the tears flow in sadness. Even when I was down, I loved it no matter what.