by V. Vaughn
My heart melts. “As long as we’re together, I don’t care what you do for work. You don’t even have to work. You can be my kept man, waiting at home for me when I come home from the diner.” I laugh.
But Alec doesn’t. He says, “I’d do it. I’d do whatever you asked of me. I’ll do whatever it takes to spend the rest of my life with you.”
“Oh, Alec,” I’m filled with so much joy I feel like I could explode. I’ve really got him back, and like he told me yesterday, I’m all in.
Chapter 37
ALEC
I get up from my chair and drop to one knee in front of Hillary. I can’t believe I chose to do this now, without a ring or any clothes, but I’m not going to wait any longer to claim the woman I love. I look up into Hillary’s face, memorizing every detail of it, and know that this, she, is my true dream.
“When I woke up this morning, I didn’t imagine that I’d be naked and down on one knee in your kitchen.”
She worries at her bottom lip. “Are you—? Oh, god.” She places her hand on her chest. “Do you want some pants? Because I’m not telling our kids you proposed naked. I’m sure I can find a pair of shorts or something.”
“Nah, I’m good.” I chuckle. “We’ll just leave that detail out. I’m already down here and I’m not getting up again until I’ve done what I need to do.”
Tears well in her eyes, and she fans herself as if she can stop them. “Okay.”
“I love you more than anything in the world. I’ll get any job, open any business, I don’t care what I need to do, I just need know that you feel the same way.”
“I do feel the same. I love you so much, Alec.”
“I want everything with you. I want to mate with you and bite you to claim you forever.” I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it. “I want to have tons and tons of babies, because that’s what bunny shifters do.”
She chuckles and nods, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.
I hold her hand in both of my trembling ones and look deep into her eyes. I see all I need to know she is my everything; she is my forever.
“Hillary Raz, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” she blurts out as if she’s been holding that in for hours. “Yes! Oh my god, yes!”
Laughing, I push up from the floor, grab her around the waist, and lift her up. I spin her around while kissing her. She giggles as she tries to kiss me back. It isn’t working so well, so I set her down so we can have a proper kiss.
When we pull back, I say, “I’m sorry I didn’t bring a ring.”
She looks me up and down and smirks at me. “Where would you have put it?”
I laugh. This woman. She makes me so damn happy.
“I don’t need a ring to know I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” Hillary wraps her arms around me again. “I’d even be willing to leave Heartland to have a second chance at forever love with you.”
“Oh, hell no, baby, we’re not leaving. This is our home, and we’ll find a way to make it all work. I’m never leaving Heartland again. Well, except for maybe our honeymoon. How does Morocco sound?”
“Sounds perfect.”
“You know what else is perfect?”
“What?”
“You.” And she is. From the top her blond head to the very tips of her cute little toes. She’s everything I could ever desire in a woman, a partner, and a mate.
Finally! My bear says. It took you long enough.
I must be making a face, because Hillary asks, “What’s he saying?”
“He says it took me long enough.”
She laughs. “My bunny is saying the same thing.”
Kiss her, fool! She wants you to kiss her. Do you know anything about how to love your mate properly?
I ignore him, because I see the flush on her cheeks. “What else is your bunny saying?”
“That we should just stop talking and start making ba—love.”
“Babies it is. Wouldn’t want to disappoint our animals, now would we?”
She shakes her head as she slides a hand down my stomach. “Nope.”
I’m already aroused, which Hillary can tell when she grips my cock. I grab her and start removing her clothing. First her shirt comes off, and I find she’s not wearing a bra, which gets me every time. Then I yank her shorts down to her knees. She shimmies them the rest of the way down to her feet and kicks them away, which leaves her standing in just a pale-green pair of silky panties, and my mouth waters.
Taking my time, I look her up and down. “You are the most stunning creature God’s ever created.”
She eyes me in the same way, and my insides heat up with desire for her. She says, “You’re not so bad yourself.”
“You know what’s wrong with this picture?”
“Nope, what?”
“Your panties. They have to go.”
Her whole body flushes, and I can hardly stand it. I want to touch her everywhere all at the same time.
She bites her lower lip and says, “Then come take them off.”
I love a good dare. I move toward her, but she takes off running toward the bedroom. And I’m in hot pursuit. I’m really beginning to like this chasing thing we’ve started doing.
When we get to her room, I catch her around the waist and lift her up to toss her onto the mattress. She squeals and then giggles as I jump onto the mattress next to her. I crawl over to her, pushing her down onto the bed to capture her mouth with mine. Her moans make me as hard as steel.
I slide my hands everywhere. I want to touch every part of her body. Every crevice, every slope. Her pale skin is soft and silky under my fingers. I trail my fingers down her torso to her hips, where I curl my fingers into the waistband of her panties and pull them down her slender legs. With my mouth I follow the same trail until I’m kissing and licking her belly, her hips, and the ticklish spot just above her pubic mound. As I lave my tongue over her skin there, she giggles.
I press my lips to her thighs, eager to get in between them and pleasure her with my tongue and fingers.
“Bite me,” she says.
I pause and look up at her face. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, I want to do the biting ceremony with you.”
My heart nearly explodes as my bear roars with joy. “There’s nothing I’d like more.”
Chapter 38
HILLARY
I want to scream with my happiness. I’m marrying Alec Thompson! And I want to make it official. I see no reason to wait.
“Claim me, Alec. Make me yours forever.”
He raises his eyebrows at me before moving between my legs, and when he laps at my pussy, I grab his head and squirm with the pleasure he gives me. But as much as I love him eating me out, I’m impatient to claim each other and gently push him away.
“I need you inside me, Alec.”
“Are you sure? Because I heard about this alphabet thing.”
“What?” I laugh. “I’m sure that’s something I want to know about, but—” I sober. “Come here and kiss me.”
He gets serious too as he hovers over me, and I say, “I need to claim you. To be claimed.”
His brow knits, and I wonder if he thinks I still don’t trust him. “Alec, I don’t need this as proof. I need to do this to prove to you I’ll never doubt our love again.”
I reach down and grip his cock, and his nostrils flare as he helps me guide himself into me. He moves slowly, and I flex around him, drawing him into my body and further into my heart.
“Hillary,” he let out a breath of air as he withdraws with the same slow pace. “Oh, baby. I love you so much.”
“I know, Alec.” I grab his ass to pull him back down and whisper in his ear. “Right now, though, I need you to fuck me.”
He lets out a small gasp of surprise at my dirty talk, and I say, “Hard, baby. Mark me inside and out.”
Got to love a man who takes orders well. Alec begins to pump hard, and the bed thumps against the wall when he rams into me,
rutting like a wild animal. My primal side comes out too, and I meet his thrusts with a fierceness of my own, even drawing blood when I scrape my nails down his back.
Sweat is slick on our skin, and we both pant between our moans. My ecstasy is reaching a feverish state, and I arch up with my impending release. I thrust my neck out. “Now, Alec.”
He doesn’t hesitate, and in a flash his bear teeth plunge into my tender flesh, bringing white-hot pain that makes my climax nearly explode out of me. Sweet bliss takes over, and I cry out as my body writhes with the most intense orgasm I’ve ever experienced.
As much as I want to ride the wave as long as I can, a greater need fills me. With strength that surprises both of us, I flip Alec over and ride him with the same fervor he had. He watches my breasts bounce as he grips my hips, and when his eyelids flutter, I know he’s close.
I call on my rabbit to prepare for the bite, and when Alec lifts his shoulders up to offer me his neck, I sink my teeth into his skin. The metallic flavor of his blood coats my tongue as he begins to thrash with an orgasm that sends him through the stratosphere.
As he comes back down to earth he clutches me tightly to his chest. “Holy crap, baby.”
I chuckle. “I know. Makes me wish we could do that every time.”
His chest shakes beneath me as he laughs. “I don’t know. I was a little afraid of you for a moment.”
“What?” I lift up to gaze down at him.
“Your little bunny has a fierce rabbit side.”
I give him a smirk. “You better remember that.”
“Actually, what I’m going to remember most is the way you asked me to fuck you. Hillary, just so you know, that’s the hottest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Really?”
“Really. And you have to know I’m going to be looking at my sweet little bunny, whom everyone sees as a good girl, and know how bad you can be.”
I grin with pride as my mind wanders to other naughty things I’d like to try. “Good, because I’ve got plans to shock you a hundred more ways to Sunday.”
Alec flips me over onto my back and growls. “I can hardly wait.” He gazes down at where he bit me and leans in close to lap at it gently. “I can’t believe you’re finally mine.”
I thread my fingers through his silky locks as he moves down to kiss my breasts, and he pauses to look up at me. “How many babies do we get to make?”
“As many as you’ll let me.”
He pumps his eyebrows at me. “Sweet. Now about that alphabet.” He dives between my legs, and I let out squeal before I lose myself in the pleasures my newly bonded mate can bring.
Chapter 39
HILLARY
My mom hugs me tight. “I’m so happy for you darling.”
“Thank you. I’m so happy you two could make it back to Heartland.”
“Of course, we wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
My dad nudges Mom aside so he can hug me as well. “Thanks to Alec we were able to fly first class at the last minute.”
I don’t think my smile can get any bigger. I’m so happy to have my parents with me on this day. I wasn’t sure they were going to be able to make it, considering everything was planned so quickly. Seven days ago, Alec proposed, and now I’m waiting to walk down the aisle at my wedding to marry the man of my dreams.
“Okay, it’s going to start.” Mom kisses my cheek, and then wipes her lipstick away. “I’ll go sit.”
My Dad excuses himself for a moment, and Mandy and Lexi come up to me, both looking gorgeous in teal dresses.
Mandy asks, “Are you ready?”
I nod, beyond ready, even if my belly is doing little flip flops.
“Were you nervous for your wedding?” I ask Lexi. “I remember you looking so calm.”
“Heck, yes.” She laughs. “My knees were knocking. How are you doing? You nervous?”
I shake my head. “Nope, I’m just raring to go.”
“All right, I’ll tell them to start the music.” Mandy ducks into the park.
Lexi hugs me tight. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
She adjusts my veil as my Dad returns, and then she gets in line in front of me. Mandy comes back to stand in front of Lexi. When the cello and violin begin to play, Mandy waits a few seconds before she starts to walk with Lexi behind her.
“You look beautiful, darling,” my father says as I look up into his blue eyes that are the same color as mine.
“Thanks, Dad. You ready for this?”
He smiles. “I believe I’m supposed to ask you that question. So, are you?”
I nod as a grin covers my face. “I am, Dad.”
I notice Lexi disappears around the tall hedge that surrounds the park, and that’s our cue. I take the arm my father offers me, and we walk into the park.
There have to be no less than a hundred people standing in rows turned toward me as I walk down the aisle. Old friends from school, regular customers from the diner, all my cousins and neighbors. Everyone I know and love is here to watch me marry the love of my life. It’s everything I ever dreamed about since I was a little girl.
Teal and white streamers line the bushes, and white roses fill baskets all around the fountain. An arch with tiny white roses winding up the sides stands at the end of the aisle. And underneath I see Alec with his brother Bruce by his side. The man I’ve waited for six years to come home to marry me smiles with the love I hoped to see.
Dressed in a black tux with a teal bowtie, Alec is the most handsome man to ever exist. I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with him making memories and lots and lots of babies.
When I finally reach him, I kiss my dad on the cheek and turn to Alec. He takes my hand and kisses it. “I’ve been waiting forever for you.”
“Well, I’m here now, baby.”
Clutching hands, we turn toward Jane, the mayor, who insisted on marrying us today. She says, “Friends and family, we are gathered here today to join Hillary Raz and Alec Thompson in marriage.”
I don’t hear the rest of what she says over the thumping of my heart as I stare at the man whom I love more than anything in the world. It was a long and painful journey to get here, but it was worth it. We’ve both grown and changed to become the people we needed to be. Fate works in weird ways, but in the end, she gets it right.
Alec turns to me and speaks his vows. “From this day forward, I promise you these things: I will laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow. I will share in your dreams and support you as you strive to achieve your goals. I will listen to you with compassion and understanding and speak to you with encouragement. I will help you when you need it and step aside when you don’t. I will remain faithful to you for better or worse, in times of sickness and health. You are my best friend, my lover, and my mate, and I will love and respect you always.”
Tears run down my cheeks, threatening to ruin the perfect makeup Lexi applied for me, but I don’t care. This is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life. My beautiful Alec to love, respect, and cherish me forever. I don’t know if he can ever know how much I love him, but I hope to spend the rest of my days showing him.
When the formal service is over and we are pronounced husband and wife, I get ready to toss my bouquet. All the single ladies line up in front, jostling for position to catch it. I smile as I recall I was one of those ladies lined up not even a year ago at Lexi’s wedding, secretly hoping to catch the bouquet and bring Alec back in my life.
I turn my back to the crowd and toss my flowers. Squeals makes me turn around to see the chaos that ensues. Some women are serious about getting the bouquet, and there might be a little blood drawn. Just when I’m afraid there’s going to be a brawl, a victor emerges. Jessica, who I went to school with, holds up the clutch of white roses victoriously. I laugh at the appropriateness and wonder what brave man will step up to court her.
With the traditional stuff over with, the party ramps up to a ten
on the Richter scale. Music the DJ spins blasts from the speakers, and people get out on the makeshift dance floor to shake their butts. Even my parents take a turn and show how it’s done.
Alec swings an arm around my shoulders. “Well, Mrs. Thompson, what do you think? Is this one hell of a party or what?”
I smile up at him. “It’s the best party.”
He cups my neck with his hand and pulls me close so he can kiss me until I’m dizzy. He pulls back and lets out a sigh, making me think he wishes he could do more than kiss me right now. He says, “I’m going to go get us drinks.”
I watch him strut across the grass toward the bar set up near the dance floor. People stop him to shake his hand or give him a hug. His smile nearly splits his face. He looks so happy and content with his life. And I’m proud to say that I had a big part in getting him there.
I glance around at the people who came to support me and Alec. The people of Heartland. Wonderful, kind people with big hearts and even bigger smiles.
I spot Lexi and Tristan talking and laughing just off to the side of the dance floor. Tristan sets his hand on her stomach, and she places her hand over his and gazes up at him. My heart leaps as I suspect Lexi is pregnant. I couldn’t be happier for them. It didn’t happen quickly, and I know Lexi has been frustrated by that.
On the other side of the gazebo, I spot Mandy playing with her son Daniel. She’s such a good mom. I hope to be as loving, kind, and patient as she is. And I hope one day she finds the perfect mate and the same kind of love that I share with Alec. I hate seeing the sadness that clouds her eyes so often.
Alec returns to my side with a glass of champagne for me. “Here you are, my beautiful wife.”
“Thank you.” I hold it up. “What should we toast to?”
His brow knits while he thinks. “How about love, life, good food, and great sex.” He grins, and it sends my hormones into overdrive.
My bunny hops to attention, but I tell her to relax. We’ve got the rest of our lives ahead of us. We can wait a few hours before we escape to go home and, well, screw like rabbits.