Fox and Atlas made their way up the porch stairs, wearing matching suits. Atlas smiled and Fox whistled.
“Do I look okay?” she asked shakily.
“Gorgeous.” Fox kissed her cheek.
“Luke is a lucky man,” Atlas agreed. “You ready?”
After Luke had proposed, appallingly, in marker on her ass, his cousins had asked her if they could do the honor of walking her down the aisle. She wished her dad was there, but Atlas and Fox were like family now, and aside from her dad, there was no one better.
Ophelia took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “Yes, I’m ready.”
Fox signaled toward the beach and bagpipes started to play. The sound echoed across the lake, dragging everyone’s attention. It was so beautiful her eyes started to well up.
“Don’t cry,” Priya said, clucking her tongue. “You’ll ruin your makeup.”
“Come on.” Chloe took her friend’s hand and dragged her toward the beach. Their friends and family formed two lines to make an aisle leading to Luke and the officiant.
Fox took one arm and Atlas took her other.
She walked, on shaky legs, to her future.
Luke looked up and their gazes locked. His jaw dropped for a moment before he recovered his composure. His lips curved into a wide grin.
They joined hands at the edge of the water and happy tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn’t find it in her to care about makeup. She was overwhelmed with joy.
Luke wiped the tears from her eyes.
“Sorry, I’m a mess,” she whispered, half chuckling, before the ceremony had a chance to begin.
“Don’t apologize.” He gazed down at her as though she were his entire world. “You’re perfect.”
The elderly officiant, who’d been a joker through the whole rehearsal the night before, cleared his throat and smiled. “No kissing until we get through the rest of this, you two.”
“Of course not,” Luke murmured. “What kind of man do you take me for?”
Ophelia swallowed a laugh, trying not to feel like a fraud standing there with a white dress covering the teeth marks Luke had left on her ass. He’d snuck into her room that morning and accosted her in the shower, but had supposedly kept his eyes closed so he didn’t see her before the wedding. She was pretty sure he’d peeked, the bastard.
The officiant read through their vows for them as they silently flirted, and then finally it was Luke’s turn to say “I do.” Rather than answer, he grabbed her and kissed her, long and deep, making Ophelia’s knees wobble.
“Forever,” he whispered in her ear as their guests laughed. “I do,” he said, in a voice much louder and more enthusiastic than strictly necessary.
The officiant shook his head at Luke in mock exasperation.
Ophelia kept trying to fight down nervous laughter as the ceremony continued and she waited for her turn. When the time came, she paused and grinned at Luke mischievously. She let her answer wait just long enough to let him know she was messing with him, so she could get the “you’re in trouble, young lady” eyebrow.
“I do!” she finally said, blushing hard.
Her husband’s dark eyes were full of affection and the sexiest of threats.
She was so in for it later tonight.
With any luck, she’d be in for it every night from this man for the rest of their lives.
Keep reading for a preview of
PUSHING HER LIMITS
Coming soon from InterMix