My father catches it with his thumb and wipes it away. He smiles at me, and pulls my arm through his, cupping my hand tightly. “You know, I never understood what it meant when my mother used to tell me I would always be her baby no matter how old I got. But I get it now. I see you in this dress, with your hair and makeup done, and you've grown into such a beautiful woman. But I can still see my little girl. The little girl who helped me build the tree house in the backyard, and who liked to put on my work boots and shuffle around the house.”
I give him a loving smile. “I'm so happy you're here, Dad.”
“Me too, Lyl, me too.”
The doors open and as I look into the room, I'm overwhelmed with joy. Our friends and family are all standing as my mother goes in and takes her seat in the front pew. Bright red roses decorate the end of each pew, all tied up with a silky white bow.
My father takes the first step forward, pulling me with him. I glance around at the faces we pass, smiling and nodding. When I face straight, my breath is taken away instantly and everyone else in the room disappears.
Doug is in a white tuxedo with a red bow tie. His hair is tousled to perfection, his jaw clean shaven and sharp as diamond. Our eyes connect and he gives me a big smile. I see tears growing, bubbling over the surface the closer I get to him.
He shakes my father's hand and then my mother's, as both my parents give me away. The priest begins our ceremony, but his voice is in the background, drowned out by my beating heart.
Our eyes are locked on each other. Doug squeezes my hands as we take our vows. The priest smiles as he looks at me. “Lyllian, do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?”
“I do.”
“And do you, Douglas, take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?”
“I do,” he says firmly.
“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Doug wraps his arm around my waist and dips me low as he kisses me. The room erupts with applause and cheers. He stands me back up, and we hold up our arms as we make our way back down the aisle.
People are throwing rose petals at us as they follow us outside to where the limo is waiting to take us to the reception. Doug opens the door and helps bundle up the train on my dress as I climb inside.
He pulls the door shut, dulling the sounds of voices outside. “Wow,” he says as he looks at me. “We did it.”
“We did.” I kiss him again. I can't stop smiling. “I'm officially Mrs. Lyllian Meyers.”
“Yes, you are. I love the way that sounds. Say it again.”
“Mrs. Lyllian Meyers.”
His body trembles from head to toe. “It's magic to my ears. I've said it over and over in my head over the years, but to hear you say it out loud, and for it be true, it's surreal.”
“I know, I can't believe it.”
“You know what I can't believe?” he asks, then says, “How damn hot you look in this dress.” His hands slip across my belly, and he palms my breasts.
“Yeah? You like it?”
“I love it.” He kisses the side of my neck, his lips moving up the curve of my jaw. “I don't think I'm ready to go to the reception just yet.”
“Oh really? So, what do you want to do?”
“I want to have my wife for the first time.”
I giggle as he nibbles the skin right behind my ear. “How? The reception starts in twenty minutes.”
“That's where you're wrong, love. The reception can't start until the bride and groom are there.” Doug rolls down the window between the driver and us. “Take us the extreme long way to the reception.”
“Extreme long way?” the chauffeur asks as he looks back at us through the rear view mirror.
“Yeah, and by that I mean, don't go there until I tell you it's time. You can do that for us, can't you?”
“Absolutely, I get paid by the hour.” He laughs and winks.
Doug grins as he rolls the dark tinted window back up. We're all alone in the back. And I know exactly where he's going with this.
He turns his attention back to me, stroking his fingers across the top of my breasts and up the side of my face. His touch is gentle, soft, like a feather on my skin. My body shivers, the sensation moving outward in all directions.
“Now I have you all to myself,” he says, placing his lips against my forehead to kiss me lightly. “I don't want to wait until we get home to have my wife for the first time. I want you here, I want you now.”