Wiggling his eyebrows up and down, Emmit winked and my stomach clenched with desire as my lips parted and I was pretty sure I made some sort of moaning noise.
The pastor cleared his throat and began with the ceremony. My mind was going off in a million directions. Emmit stood before me gazing at me with such adoration, I almost wanted to cry. I’d never been so happy in my entire life. I pictured us walking along the beach with a little girl between us as we swung her while she cried out for us to do it again. My lips pressed together in an effort to keep my tears at bay.
“Emmit will now say his vows.”
The pastor’s voice pulled me away from my thoughts as I focused back in on Emmit.
Clearing his throat, Emmit smiled and the entire world around us ceased to exist. Taking my hand in his, Emmit began talking as his eyes pierced mine.
“Addie, when I woke up this morning, the first thing I did was fall on my knees and thank God for bringing you back into my life. Then I asked him why I couldn’t for the life of me write out my vows.”
Everyone’s laughter rode along the sound of the waves as I felt a tear slide down my cheek.
“Then I realized something when you walked toward me just now. One, you left me speechless with your beauty, and the second thing, I could stand here and profess all these amazing things to you, but all I really need to tell you is one thing.”
I fought like hell to keep from crying as my eyes searched Emmit’s face.
“I will love you and cherish you until the day I die. If there was ever anything I believed with my whole being, it is that statement. You can take everything else away—the racecars, the big fancy houses, the money . . . all of it, and I’d be perfectly fine. But if you were to be taken away from me—” Emmit’s voice cracked as he closed his eyes briefly before opening them and whispering, “I wouldn’t be able to breathe without you.”
The moment I saw a single tear fall from his eye, a small sob escaped from my lips.
Emmit lifted his hand and placed it gently on the side of my face as he smiled brighter than I’ve ever seen him smile before. The force of his touch raced through my body as I stood there trying not to let my legs give out.
“I can just see our future now, Addie. You pregnant with our first child and both of us scared as hell. The first day we drop her off at Kindergarten, then high school, and then college. Me draping a string of pearls around your neck on their wedding day.” Emmit closed his eyes as I leaned my face into his hand. Opening his eyes, he slowly shook his head. “The two of us walking hand-in-hand on some walking path as our grandchildren race by us on bikes. I want it all, and I don’t want it with anyone but you, Addie.”
Tears fell freely from my eyes as I placed my hand over Emmit’s. Closing my eyes, I shook my head. Everything I had wanted to say to him slipped from my mind. I barely said, “Emmit,” as I walked to him and he held me. “How am I going to top that?” I asked into his chest. My body shook as he laughed and held me tighter to him.
Pulling back, Emmit wiped my tears from my face. “Just tell me you love me and you’re forever mine, Addie. That’s all I’ve ever needed to hear.”
I lifted my hand and wiped across my nose in the most unladylike fashion as I captured his eyes with mine. “I love you so much, and I’ve been yours since the first time you smiled at me. I gave you my heart back then, and you’ve held it ever since. I will forever be yours.”
Emmit placed his finger on my chin and lifted my mouth to his. He was about to kiss it when the pastor talked.
“Oh, we aren’t at that part yet.”
The naughty smile that spread across Emmit’s face caused me to giggle. “Hurry it up, pastor. I want to kiss my wife.”
I didn’t hear a word that was spoken from that point on. The only thing I for sure heard was the pastor saying, “You may now kiss your bride.”
Emmit pulled my body to his as he kissed me like I’d never been kissed before. Something beautiful and amazing was shared between our bodies and I never wanted to leave that moment. It was exactly how I felt this morning when we were connected as one.
When our lips finally broke, Emmit whispered, “You’re mine.”
With a smile, I bit into my lower lip and slowly released it as I softly spoke. “Yours forever.”
I COULDN’T BELIEVE HOW INCREDIBLY happy I was as I sat in a chair and watched Adaline dance with my brother. The night had been more amazing than I could have ever dreamed of.
Adaline was mine. Mrs. Emmit Lewis.
Smiling, I shook my head and looked around. We had moved the party into the bar, and I loved that the other guests were helping us celebrate our marriage. I silently prayed that I would always be able to make Adaline smile like she was right now.
“She certainly looks beautiful.”
I lifted my eyes to see my sister standing next to me. Motioning for her to sit, I took another drink of my beer as I nodded my head and said, “She most certainly is.”