Dakota抯 first poetry book is already racking up acclaim with the critics. I don抰 want to go after her since it抣l be a tough act to follow.
揝weetheart, let me,?I whisper, taking her hand in mine as she nods.
I抦 grateful it抯 a small audience now.
The entire world seems to shrink and fall silent, condensing around us in this weird, remarkable bubble that抯 just her drumming heart and mine.
揇akota Poe, I never knew I needed anyone else in my life until the day you refused to give up a cinnamon roll棓
She giggles, so does everyone else.
揧ou were beautiful and feisty and strong. I never expected to see you again after our run-in. Then you danced into my office and wrapped my staff around your little finger. You made me think. You opened my eyes. You rocked my entire world. I love you more than life because you made me whole, and you still do every single day we抮e together. I know better than anyone that I抦 a work in progress. You, sweetheart, are my muse. Will you be my forever??
She smiles and nods vigorously with a heavy tear shining in her eye.
揧es,?she says breathlessly.
Then she pulls her hand from mine and finds a folded piece of paper inside the bouquet she抯 still holding.
揑抦 not done...?I remind her.
Though I wish I were because then I wouldn抰 be rendered nearly speechless. Her soft smile becomes a wide grin, and those dazzling emerald eyes stare up at me.
揊rom today forward, we抣l love with a love that抯 more than love.?
Her smile deepens, even as she looks a bit puzzled at how I抳e butchered Edgar Allan抯 line from 揂nnabel Lee.?
I don抰 think that抯 how it goes, her eyes say.
揌ad to tweak it,?I tell her, leaning in to meet her eyes. 揥ith us, it抣l never be past tense.?
I抦 not quiet enough. Mom laughs, and our entire wedding party beams at us.
揑 love you,?she whispers, looking down at the piece of paper in her hand. 揑抳e never been good at big speeches, but I did write this...?
She clears her throat and begins to read her latest epic while I stand there like a stone, listening.
揝he lives between the black of night and shades of grey.
Then comes an ivory Adonis, all spinning light.
He, who woke a heart from cold dead.
Her white knight.
Her heaven thread.
He made a withered heart beat red,
Terrified, she curled in dread.
揟his is no game,?he said.
揚lease take my name.?
Fear begs, 揃ut what if you change your mind?
Change your life? Leave me behind??
揘evermore, get a clue.
I can抰 live without you.?
揟his is no game,?he said.
揚lease take my name.?
He抯 a white knight, but she抯 not hunting for a wedding night.
Still, he made a withered heart beat red.
Woke it from dead.
揧es,?she said.
She wasn抰 hunting for a wedding night.
She抯 afraid to take flight.
But she owes him her life.
And he cherishes a wife.
Play with magic.
Dance with fire.
You must pay.
A lesson that slowly burns.
Burns who? Burns what?
Burns, me.
Burns, we?
Both of us, Burns be.?
Fucking floored.
It抯 a small miracle I抦 still standing.
Without thinking, I reach out and cup Dakota抯 face, guiding her closer.
I can抰 wait. I bring her lips to mine, kissing her like I抳e wanted to ever since she sent the first draft of that poem. The words have changed a lot, but somehow without the sex, it抯 even hotter.
Her flowers brush my back, skimming over my suit抯 fabric with a whoosh as they hit the floor.
A throat clears somewhere.
I抦 too preoccupied to care.
揥e usually exchange the rings before the kiss, but go ahead,?the judge says.
I pull away from her.
揝orry,?I whisper.
揑抦 not,?she says intently.
God. This woman drives me certifiably insane even when she抯 completely innocent.
揈xchange rings,?the judge urges.
I turn to Wyatt, who hands me the ring.
Dakota takes the ring from a grinning, teary-eyed Eliza and slides it on my finger.
I push Dakota抯 ring on her hand, then bring it to my mouth and kiss gingerly. Even her little finger feels more precious than gold.
揟his is where I抎 normally say 'kiss the bride,' but we抳e already done that part. I now pronounce you man and wife!?the judge says.
With applause bursting around us, I clasp my wife by the hand and march forward.
I lead her down the patio pavilion where the reception will be with a bigger group of our family and friends. It抯 in a massive heated yurt tent thrown up to dampen the winter chill.
The sun slips toward the horizon as we come up to the patio, glowing with twinkling lights.
揝ee? I told you this was the perfect time of day for a wedding,?she says.
揌ell, marrying you would抳e been perfect at three a.m.?I tighten my hold on her fingers.
She wraps her arms around my neck. 揧ou抳e been very sweet today.?
揥hat? I抦 always sweet. You just got yourself a husband without going to pieces. I抦 proud it抯 me, Nevermore,?I whisper, stopping to steal a kiss.
When we resume walking, I see her wipe away a glorious tear.
When we arrive, the first thing I see is a massive three-tier cake. It抯 white and decorated with a nearly life-sized black raven perched on a black tree that spirals down all three tiers. The groom抯 cake is decorated with photos of us posing for the Haughty But Nice wedding line.
Eliza runs up later, holding Dakota抯 bouquet. 揑 think you forgot this!?
Nevermore takes it. 揟hanks, lady.?
揕ook who I found.?Wyatt appears next with Meadow clutching his arm, her worn flannel and jeans traded for a sleek purple dress that accents her slender frame. Emory looks like he could have her for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I抦 sure they抣l be ducking out early.
揑 rode over with Dakota抯 family. I didn抰 want to crash your special time,?she explains.
Mom runs toward us with her arms outstretched. I move to hug her, but she closes Dakota in her arms. 揧ou抮e sooo gorgeous! The daughter I always dreamed of.?
揑 don抰 know,?my mother-in-law says. 揝he was grounded her entire tenth grade year.?
揙h??I pull my wife closer to me. 揑 knew Nevermore had a naughty streak, but now I have to hear this story.?
揑 do not!?Dakota lets out a mortified laugh. 揂nd no, you don抰.?
揟hat抯 nothing. She cost me two thousand dollars in ER bills after she jumped out of a second-story window,?her dad says.
I look at her.
揑 wanted to go to a party. He was like a prison guard.?
I plant a kiss in her hair. 揝urely, you could have let her go to a party.?
揂 frat boy came home for the summer. It was his party and everyone there was older than twenty, not that she made it there,?her father explains.
揙h, let抯 just get through this reception, so you two birds can take off.?Mom grabs Dakota抯 hand. 揂s soon as you抮e sick of this, you guys should go and we抣l handle the rest.?Ma leans in, never one to be shy. 揚lus, I need grandbabies, Lincoln, and I抦 not going to get them with you here gabbing.?
Goddamn, she抯 not subtle.
Dakota overhears and turns bright red.
揗a!?I whip out.
揙h, sorry.?
It抯 an interesting night. Mother keeps trying to shoo us off to make her a grandkid ASAP.
Meadow and Wyatt make out in a corner, while Eliza fights three other women out of the way and grabs the bouquet at the toss.
揑抎 better be next now that Dakota abandoned me,?she says.
I抦 just glad when it抯 over and I finally get to have my wife alone.
Three Days Later
We sit on the patio together, exhausted after two sleepless nights wearing each other out and then the world抯 longest flight.
Damn if it isn抰 worth it, though.
Crystal blue water washes over our feet, ripples back, and repeats.
揑抳e never seen water so blue,?she whispers with awe.
揟he Maldives is a special place. I抣l show you around tomorrow. You抮e going to love it,?I say, smiling because it抯 only my third time here.
揑抦 sure I will.?She yawns, covering her mouth with one hand as she stands. 揑抦 going to go get ready for bed.?
I stand and draw her to me. 揑抣l be inside soon.?
I kiss her cheek and then her lips, tugging her close.