‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ he said in between delicate presses of his lips to hers.
‘I thought you might not come.’
‘I will always come for you.’ He whispered the vow into her ear and her heart.
* * *
Theo pulled her close to him, her heart beating against his, through the layers of clothing and skin. Only then did he allow himself to breathe. He had returned to his mother’s house only the day before, and listened to the message Sofia had left on his voicemail and left almost immediately, breaking every speed-limit law in two countries to get to his future bride.
The wild beating of his heart, caused from his desperate run to the church, showed no signs of slowing. And he knew that nothing would prevent it other than the words of love he longed to hear from Sofia in person.
For the second time that day the church’s doors were thrown open and Sebastian launched himself through the doors, to find the entire church staring at him. With a half laugh, half gasp, he bent double, his hands on his knees, dragging in giant lungful’s of air into his chest, causing even more laughter amongst the guests than the kiss Theo had shared with Sofia.
‘We would have been here sooner, but it seems there is a no-fly zone over the church and we had to leave the helicopter about a mile away.’
‘Two miles,’ groaned Sebastian as he came to join them at the top of the aisle.
As the priest called for silence and calm, drew the guests to their role of witnesses to the marriage between Sofia and Theo, neither the bride nor groom paid heed to the ceremony, lost to each other and the love that shimmered between them. But before the priest began the vows, Sofia interrupted him.
‘I have my own vows,’ she whispered to the priest. ‘If that is okay?’ He gestured for her to continue.
Sofia took Theo’s hand in hers.
‘Theo, when we first met, you didn’t know my title, you didn’t know me as a princess, you simply knew me. You loved that person and gave her a happiness, joy and love that she had never known before. I lost a little of myself when I—’ she nodded, holding back the tears ‘—when I left you that day ten years ago. A piece that I never thought I would get back. But in the last few weeks you uncovered that lost part of me, you showed me that I could be and have both parts of the life I so desperately wanted. And that piece was you. You were the first man I ever loved, and will be the last and only man I want by my side, whatever comes next. I want to share my joys, my heartaches and my future with you, every day.
‘There are promises that I could make, some that I could struggle to keep, but the only important one is that, although I might be Queen one day, and although I will wear the crown and must think of my country first...it is our love that I will put first, because that is what gives me the strength to be Queen, to be me to the best of my ability. My love for you. My heart has, and always will be, yours.’
* * *
And as she spoke the words of her heart, Theo felt a rightness settle about his shoulders. And for the first time in so many years he finally felt whole, just as she had described.
‘Sofia, you know better than most how hard the past ten years have been for me. I used to wish it had been another way. An easier way. But a very wise woman recently told me that nothing in life that is meaningful is easy. And now I wouldn’t take each and every one of those hard days back for the world. Because they led me to you.
‘I don’t have fancy words to describe my love for you. I have only the truth in my heart, that lets me know that you are, and always have been, the only woman I would give everything for. The hard days and the good. Because you have always seen me, the truth of me, and loved me in spite of my flaws, in spite of my actions and in spite of the consequences. And I promise you here today, with eight hundred witnesses—’ Theo paused, letting the gentle laughter of the congregation flow over the outpouring of love he felt for Sofia in his heart, before he continued ‘—I promise to love you, to hold you to me when things are not easy, to hold you to me when you need strength and when I do, and to hold you when we need nothing more than each other. Because you are my strength, my love and my heart.’
The truth of his words settled into the tears that pressed against his eyelids, and barely had the words left the priest’s mouth declaring that he could finally, finally, kiss his wife, he poured his heart and soul into the kiss that would seal their marriage.
* * *
That evening, Sofia and Theo danced their first dance as man and wife to ‘At Last’ in front of the guests gathered for the evening’s reception. The words of the song wound around their hearts as the cheers and joy of the entire room welled up around them. That night they made love, so heartfelt and poignant it felt like a dream, and it was the night they conceived their first child. Through the years to come, there would be tears of joy at the birth of their daughter, and later their son. There would be sleepless nights as Iondorra weathered the difficult revelation of Sofia’s father’s dementia, but there were early nights when as a family they came together to share their love. There would be tears of grief and sadness as their parents passed, but throughout it all they held each other close, whispering words of love and comfort that settled the beating of their hearts each and every single day they would share together.
* * *
If you enjoyed Virgin Princess’s Marriage Debt you’re sure to enjoy these other stories by Pippa Roscoe!
Conquering His Virgin Queen
A Ring to Take His Revenge
Claimed for the Greek’s Child
Reclaimed by the Powerful Sheikh
Available now
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Innocent’s Emergency Wedding by Natalie Anderson.
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