Broken Hero
Page 34
“Okay fine,” Isla laughs. “I’m the only idiot not in the know.”
“Well, now that you put it that way – yeah,” I say and give her a little grin.
“Well, I should probably go take up my post,” Walt says.
“Yeah, thanks for lobbing that grenade in here and running,” I reply.
He gives me a grin. “That is what I do, kid,” he says. “That is what I do.”
He leaves the room and closes the door softly behind him, leaving me with my beautiful, blushing bride. I take her by the shoulders and look her up and down, stunned by her beauty even still.
“You are absolutely radiant, Isla,” I say. “Gorgeous beyond words.”
“You think saying something sweet is going to get you out of the dog house?”
“Couldn’t hurt,” I grin.
We laugh softly together and as much as I want to kiss her – or just tear her clothes off and ravish her – I reel it in. At least for now. I know she spent a lot of time on her hair and makeup and she’d have my balls in a sling in the blink of an eye. As I’ve come to learn, Isla is not somebody to mess with. Especially not now that she’s been taking Krav Maga classes.
She straightens my jacket and picks a couple pieces of lint off the lapel. She looks me up and down, the light of absolute love in her eyes never more clear. She looks at me with such trust and love that it makes my heart swell up to the point I’m positive it will burst like an overfilled water balloon.
“Yeah, I guess you’ll do,” she says and gives me a wink.
“What a ringing endorsement,” I reply. “Listen, if you’re not satisfied with the merchandise, I thought one of your bridesmaids –”
She squeals with laughter and slaps me in the chest playfully. We stand together for a long moment, just holding on to one another and enjoy the sense of closeness.
“Been a long, crazy road to get here,” I murmur.
She nods. “Yes, it has.”
“Any regrets?”
“Only that it didn’t happen sooner,” she tells me.
I lean forward and give her a peck on the cheek. When I pull back, I look deep into those vibrant green eyes of hers.
“I never thought I could be this happy. I never really thought I deserved to be this happy.”
“That makes two of us, baby.”
“You have made my entire world better,” I tell her. “You make me want to be a better person.”
“I don’t know that you can be a better person if you tried, Baker,” she says softly.
We stare at each other for a long moment, simply basking in the warm glow of our love. She is truly the most unique and genuine person I’ve ever met.
“I want to say thank you,” Isla says, her voice barely more than a whisper.
I cock my head. “You have nothing to thank me for.”
She shakes her head. “I do. You saved my life, Baker. A thousand times over you saved my life,” she says. “It wasn’t your duty; it wasn’t your job. And yet, despite that, you stepped in when I needed help the most. You cared for me. Nurtured me. Loved me – even knowing I was carrying somebody else’s child. I’m alive today because of you. Our baby girl is alive today because of you.”
“Sweetheart, you saved my life in more ways than I can even count,” I say. “Before you, I was pretty much a shell of a man. You fill my life with meaning. With joy. With love. You’ve given me your beautiful heart and a beautiful family. I can’t possibly ever thank you enough for all you’ve given me – all you will give me.”
She laughs, and a devious little smirk crosses her lips. “I’m not giving you a blow job right now if that’s where you’re going.”
“Can’t blame a boy for trying.”
We stand in silence for a few moments, just absorbing each other’s words. We both know everything the other said is true. Every last word of it. And I truly do feel like the luckiest man on the planet. I really do feel there is nothing I can’t do – nothing I can’t survive – with her by my side.
There’s a knock on the door, and Walt sticks his head in. He gives us both a wicked grin.
“It’s usually considered traditional to wait until after the ceremony for that, you know,” he says.
“Well, don’t drink too much, Walt,” Isla says, her eyes never leaving mine. “I want a steady hand on the camera when we bang the night away.”
Walt clears his throat, and his face turns red. “They’re ready for you.”
He quickly slips out and closes the door, leaving us to laugh after him.
“You would have thought by now, he’d learn that you are a master of turning anything and everything into a sexual innuendo,” I say.
“You would have thought so,” she replies. “But he walks into it every damn time.”
“Uncle Walt,” I say, giving her a shrug.
“Uncle Walt.”
We laugh as I hold the door open for her. I follow her through and close it behind me again. She looks at me with love on her face – a love I’m sure is reflected in my own. Hand in hand, we walk to the door that will lead us down the aisle. I hold up my hand to have the doorman pause before opening it to give us just a minute.
True to our unorthodox way of being, our wedding is a little bit different. We’ve bucked a lot of traditions, choosing to let our wedding reflect who we really are as people. The result is a much more casual, laid back wedding. Some people are in tuxedos, some in suits, and hell, some people are in shorts and flip-flops. It doesn’t really matter. We’re not here to celebrate tradition. We’re here to celebrate love.
To that end, rather than having somebody give her away, we opted to walk hand in hand down the aisle. Together. Just like the way we’ll be spending our life – as equals. Partners in crime. Friends. Lovers. And everything in between. Our linked hands signify the linked nature of our being now and forever.
I turn to her and give her a smile, then lean forward and place a kiss on her smooth, alabaster-colored cheek.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
“I’ve been ready for you my whole life,” she replies.
“Good answer.”
THE END
The Secret Baby (Sneak Peek)
I hooked up with a sexy masked stranger...
And he turned out to be my enemy!
The worst part?
I'm now carrying a BIG secret.
If only I could blame it on the alcohol.
But what happened at the ball can't stay at the ball.
Because we're living under the same roof.
He's staying at my B&B.
And the uptight jerk is set on driving me crazy.
I thought all the madness would come to an end.
Instead, I fell for the cocky Casanova.
And he's carrying a secret of his own.
Falling for your nemesis is one thing.
But when I find out his huge royal secret...
The world is about to turn upside down.
I wonder if now's a good time to tell him about our baby?
Click here to read The Secret Baby now.
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