by Jessa James
“Ladies, it’s time,” Marilee’s voice trilled through the door.
Ashleigh’s heart skipped several beats and she felt her chest flush as it always did when she was nervous.
“It’s okay, Ash,” Shelby assured her as she gathered the train of Ashleigh’s dress, ready to help her down the stairs. “Just remember who you’re going to. That’s Walker out there waiting for you. Just focus on him, no one else matters.”
As soon as the words were out of Shelby’s mouth, Ashleigh’s heart rate calmed and she suddenly wanted nothing more than to sprint to him.
The ceremony was being held in the Roman’s backyard, which of course opened up to the beautiful green pastures beyond. The aisle was a red carpet that started on the patio and led all the way to a gazebo covered in thousands upon thousands of fragrant seasonal flowers that had been set up right at the edge of the yard.
The girls helped her maneuver down the stairs, which was far more difficult than it should have been and had them giggling more than once at her apparent inability to move gracefully in her heels, and into the living room they were using as the holding area.
The processional music started playing as soon they were all in their places, and the notes seemed to reach deep into her heart to imprint this moment there forever.
Shiloh, dressed in a suit and a cowboy hat that he refused to remove of late unless he was sleeping, took his cue from Eulah, his grandmother, and accepted the sign that she held out to him. He shot Ashleigh a smile and quick thumbs up before a serious expression settled on his gorgeous little face as he held his hand out to his sister.
Remy edged Harper on and she disappeared down the aisle side by side with Shiloh, who was proudly displaying the sign that read ‘Uncle Walker, your bride is coming!’
Remy, Rose and Shelby followed and before she knew it, the opening bars of the bridal march started playing. Her heart stammered at the enormity of the moment and she knew that if it had been anyone else waiting for her at the end of the aisle, she wouldn’t have been able to move a muscle.
“But it’s not anyone else, Doll. It’s him,” she breathed softly as she took a deep breath and stepped through the patio doors, ready to start her brand new life as Ashleigh Roman.
Her eyes zeroed in on Walker waiting under the gazebo and everyone and everything else seemed to fade away, even Sawyer and Colt standing right there with him.
There was only him, devastatingly handsome in his wedding suit, shoulders squared and a strange twitch in his jaw as he drank her in, doing a clear double take.
His eyes remained fixed on hers as she approached, careful to walk slowly to the music as Shelby had coached her to do, even though she wanted to run to him and fling herself into his strong arms.
Once she was close enough, she could see the heat in his eyes, but she could also see the pure and complete bliss and overwhelming love that she was feeling reflected there.
He broke into a wide grin when she finally reached him, grasped her hand and brought it to his mouth to place a soft kiss on her palm as his eyes burned into her.
He brought his hands up then and lifted her veil. For just a moment, Ashleigh could’ve sworn there were tears in his eyes, but he blinked hard and the maybe tears were gone.
Ashleigh’s eyes, on the other hand, were brimming with unshed tears and her heart had swelled to such epic proportions that she was entirely certain it was about to explode. She’d never imagined this was what it would feel like to walk down the aisle and see the love of your life waiting there for you, waiting to claim you as his wife. It was the most indescribable feeling she’d ever had. Ecstasy didn’t even begin to do it justice.
Pastor Jim started the service, which they’d asked him to keep short and sweet.
“You wrote your own vows, I believe. So Walker, let’s start with yours,” he directed.
Walker cleared his throat and gathered both her hands in his as they turned to face one another.
“I’m usually not a man of many words,” he started, giving a little smirk as some of the guests chuckled. “And yet I find myself having so much to say to you right now, as I always seem to with only you, Ashleigh. I don’t know if I have the right words to say it all, but here goes. You transformed my life the minute you stepped foot in it, you brought me back to life when I had given up a long time ago and you did it without batting an eye. You brought a warmth to my home and then to my heart I never could’ve have imagined possible, that I never would have believed could feel the way that you have made me feel. You have made me a better man and I want to keep becoming a better man so that maybe one day, I can be the man that you truly deserve. So today, in front of the Lord, family and friends, I make the following vow to you. I, Walker Roman, will love you, honor you and cherish you. I will adore you and protect you, though I might not always obey you. I give myself to you Ashleigh, spirit, body and soul, everything I have and everything I am now and ever will be is yours. For as long as I live, I am yours.”
Someone stuffed a tissue in Ashleigh’s hand and she dabbed gently at the tears streaming down her face.
He squeezed the hand he was still holding, and held her gaze. She was captivated as she drank in his words and the fierce, yet tender expression that he’d had on his face the entire time he was reciting his vows to her.
Pastor Jim cleared his throat to get their attention, and then nodded at Ashleigh when she finally managed to look anywhere but at Walker.
She gave him an answering nod and then tried to steady herself by grasping onto both of his strong hands and meeting his warm gaze once more. She found her strength in him, and was finally able to form the words she needed as if his confidence and strength were flowing into her from their joined hands.
“I’ve never been a woman of many words, because there was never really anyone who wanted to listen to what I might have wanted to say and eventually, I honestly believed that what I wanted to say didn’t matter anyway. Until I met you, Walker. From the very first day you not only listened, but you really heard what I was saying. You not only listened, but you encouraged me to talk, you made me feel like what I was saying really did matter, that I mattered. You brought me back to life, then you figuratively and even literally saved it time and time again. You have taught me the meaning of unconditional love and you have shown me that somehow, you have it for me. I will spend every day for the rest of my life showing you that I have it for you. So today, in front of the Lord, family and friends, I make the following vow to you. I, Ashleigh Walsh, will love you, honor you and cherish you. I will adore you and protect you, though I might not always obey you. I give myself to you Walker, spirit, body and soul, everything I have and everything I am now and ever will be is yours. For as long as I live, I am yours.”
As she spoke the words that she borrowed from him because she couldn’t think of a single better way to say it, she saw a single tear roll down his cheek and smiled the widest, most genuine smile she had ever seen anyone wear.
There was a hush amongst the small crowd as they exchanged rings, but she heard Remy sniff quietly beside her and saw Colt and Sawyer beaming at them over Walker’s shoulder.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Walker, you may kiss your bride.”
“Finally!” Walker cheered, setting off another round of chuckles as he pulled her close and crushed his lips to hers, dipping her low and holding her there as he devoured her mouth like a man dying of hunger.
When their kiss finally broke, Ashleigh was breathless and only his arm around her waist kept her from melting into a puddle of pure delight and unbelievable happiness.
“Have I mentioned that you look exquisite, Mrs. Roman?” he asked as his lips brushed against her ear when the congregation leaped to their feet and cheered.
Sawyer, Colt and Carter wolf-whistled and the girls descended on them, pulling them into tight hugs and yelling congratulations in their ears.
Soon, it was all Ashleigh could do to hang on to Walker as a see
mingly endless stream of people hugged them and congratulated them -- even The Colonel seemed happy and at peace as he hugged her.
The reception was set to take place under a tent that had been set up outside the barn, where Noir and Aislyn were waiting with gleaming coats to take them off to various parts of the ranch where they wanted to have photos taken.
Okay and maybe they had also planned it that way so that they could have some peace and quiet with just each other after the ceremony, so they’d opted out of having the photographer come with them. Instead, Walker had ordered a flexible portable tripod and had stashed it in his saddlebag with his digital camera.
Hours later, the photos had been taken, the delicious food devoured and her feet were aching from dancing more than she ever had when she felt his strong arms wrap around her and his voice in her ear just as she returned from the bathroom with Shelby. She turned in the circle of his arms, and he drew her in for a long, deep kiss.
“You ready to get out of here, Mrs. Roman?”
“As long as you’re coming with me, Mr. Roman.”
“Oh, I’ll come with you alright, but you’re coming first.” Walker smirked as he placed a palm on her lower back and guided her to their home.
26
One Year Later
* * *
Ashleigh’s eyes swept the room, and her heart felt like it was bursting with pride as she surveyed her handiwork. She’d been working nonstop for weeks on making this gala into the best the county had ever seen and looking around the room now, it had been worth every single minute of work she had put into it.
Her eyes glistened as she remembered reading a quote once about how it was a beautiful thing when a career and a passion came together and in that very moment, she wholeheartedly agreed. It truly was a most beautiful thing.
When she’d read the quote for the first time, she’d rolled her eyes and scoffed at the idea that she could ever be passionate about her work, without even getting started on it being beautiful. Although it wasn’t a huge surprise that she’d never believed it, given the stark lack of passion or beauty in her life then.
Now, however, her life was filled with passion and beauty and love and it made her feel like she was walking on sunshine every damn day. Sometimes she still wondered if she would blink one day and it would all be gone, but one look at Walker immediately obliterated those thoughts.
For his part, Walker was still hot as hell, but he was so much more than that. He managed to take her breath away on a daily basis some way or another, and it continued to amaze her that she woke up each morning loving him more than she had the morning before. Between her husband and her passion for the work she was doing, she felt like a different person than she had been when she’d first met him in that dark and smoky club almost two years ago.
She grinned as she spotted Annie, one of the new women at the center, shyly make her way toward her, giving her an uncertain smile as she approached. Ashleigh had been trying to get a smile out of her for days, but Annie had seemed so disconnected from the world when she’d first arrived at the center that they’d been worried that she’d never be able to even start working through the trauma she had endured.
While the smile that she wore now remained uncertain, it was the most encouraging thing Ashleigh had seen in a while and she returned it with a genuine smile of her own, gesturing for Annie to join her in her people-watching corner.
The event tonight was a fundraising gala for the group she’d found to work with that was focused on supporting women who had escaped the sex workers industry. Women like Annie and herself.
“You look beautiful, Annie,” she said warmly as Annie reached her side, her slender figure wrapped in the purple sheath dress that Rose had lent to Ashleigh for Annie to wear this evening. It was a little baggy but it fit her well enough, especially now that she’d filled out some since first arriving at the center.
“Thank you, so do you,” Annie returned the compliment, but her eyes kept darting around the room and she looked poised to run even as she flashed Ashleigh another smile.
Ashleigh remembered the feeling far too well as she reached out to give Annie’s hand a gentle squeeze. “You’re safe, now. I know exactly how hard that is to believe, but it’s true. No one here is going to hurt you.”
Annie cautiously met Ashleigh’s eyes, relief evident on her face as she nodded. “I know, it’s just going to take some getting used to, I guess.”
“I know, it’s completely natural to feel that way though. I still do, sometimes.” Ashleigh confessed, being completely honest about her feelings as the therapist at the center had advised her to be when confronted with situations like this.
Annie bit her lip and regarded Ashleigh for a moment, seemingly searching her eyes for the truth. Yet another feeling Ashleigh remembered all too well. She thought back at how Walker had simply kept repeating the words she needed to hear most and followed his example, because he had been the only person who had really made her believe it.
“I really do know and you really are safe now, I promise,” Ashleigh repeated as she spotted Remy and Rose dancing toward them, dressed to the nines and giggling amongst themselves.
A smile played on her lips as her sisters-in-law approached and she wondered what mischief they were giggling about this time, knowing they would let her in on whatever it was in no time. They’d become even closer over the last year, and Ashleigh truly felt like one of the Romans. These girls were her sisters in every way that mattered.
Annie, on the other hand, tensed as they approached and Ashleigh reached a hand out to steady her. “They’re my sisters,” she explained. “Well, sisters-in-law, but the in-law part has gotten lost somewhere.”
“There you are!” Rose exclaimed and made a sweeping motion toward the ballroom. “This place looks incredible. Hard work pays off, huh?”
“Yeah, it does look pretty damn amazing. The whole team worked their butts off, but this is beyond worth it.” She smiled. “Speaking of the team, this is Annie. Annie, this is Rose and Remy.”
Remy stepped forward first and characteristically pulled Annie into a tight hug. Rose smiled as Annie visibly stiffened, and she reached out to pat Remy’s shoulder.
“Rem, maybe a warning next time,” she teased, but Remy clearly heard the undertone in her voice.
She looked confused for a second as her eyes flitted between Ashleigh and Rose, then lit up in understanding.
“Of course, I’m sorry Annie. I’m Remy and I think what Rose is trying to say is that I have to work on my hugging problem.”
“No, no. It’s okay. It’s really not a problem, I was just surprised,” Annie stammered, a flush spreading over her cheeks.
“Nevertheless, a warning was in order.” Remy smiled, but rolled her eyes good-naturedly at Rose.
Rose stepped up to Annie, careful to keep a bit of distance between them, which admittedly wasn’t difficult given the size that her baby bump had grown to. “I’m Rose. It’s nice to meet you. That dress looks wonderful on you.”
The flush on Annie’s cheeks deepened. It was clear that she wasn’t used to compliments, much less kindness from other women. “Thank you,” she mumbled, averting her eyes.
“How far along are you?” Annie asked softly, gesturing toward Rose’s stomach before her eyes shot open in horror. “I’m so sorry. You’re not supposed to ask that, are you! I’ve never…” Her voice trailed off, but Rose fixed her with a gentle smile.
“It’s okay, really, I am very obviously very pregnant!” She giggled. “I feel about ten months pregnant, but I still have a couple to go.”
“I remember the feeling so well,” Remy sighed in solidarity with Rose, but then shot Ashleigh a smirk. “Speaking of which, happy anniversary. Shiloh and Harper would love some more cousins, you know.”
A deep flush spread across Ashleigh’s cheeks and down her neck to her chest.
“Wait a second!” Rose exclaimed as her eyes swept Ashleigh’s face, causing her heart
to hammer in her chest.
Thankfully, at that moment, every hair on her body stood at attention as if a magnetic force had entered the room. And it had. Walker stood still in the doorway to the ballroom for just a second before his eyes sought her out and he strode over to her, pulling her in for a kiss that had every nerve in her body on fire.
Saved by the husband, she thought as she breathed a sigh of relief.
“Ladies,” he nodded at them, but barely looked their way as his gaze fixed on her and the flush on her cheeks and chest.
“Happy anniversary,” Rose sang out with an innocent-looking smile that didn’t fool Ashleigh about what she had just figured out.
Before she could reply though, Walker whispered in her ear, “It’s about to be even happier. We just need to get you out of that dress first.”
“Thanks,” he said to Rose, giving her another nod as he pulled on Ashleigh’s hand. “I have to borrow my beautiful wife here for a sec, though.”
“More like for sex,” Remy smirked under her breath as Walker led Ashleigh toward a door. Under normal circumstances, she would have been mortified, but her nipples were already beaded hard as rocks and her sex ached in anticipation at his simple touch.
Stupid pregnancy hormones! she cursed as she followed up the stairs of the hotel that they were hosting the fundraiser in.
She was constantly unbearably horny these days and Walker was taking full advantage of this particular side-effect of her pregnancy, claiming that he had to make up for the weeks after childbirth that he had read about where he would be unable to touch her.
They had only found out about three weeks ago that they were going to become parents, but he had already read two books about pregnancy and parenting cover to cover and was planning for the baby’s arrival with the precision of a military operation. She had heard that these things couldn’t truly ever be planned to such an extent and that children blew through even the most carefully laid plans, but she also knew that Walker couldn’t and wouldn’t be swayed. Just as she knew that she couldn’t sway him from sneaking away from the fundraiser right now, not that she planned on trying.