A genuine smile spread across my face as I placed my hand in the crook of Ian’s arm. Miss Guidry followed, appointing herself in charge of the trains. The one on the veil and the one on the dress came together beautifully. Together, the three of us walked down a long hallway. I had known from Rett’s and my dinner outings that the journey from the new suite wasn’t as complicated with as many turns as the journey from the third floor.
As we came to a stop at the top of the main staircase, I had the sensation I’d been here before. What I’d missed with my eyes covered was the majesty of the beauty before me. Down a dozen or more stairs was a landing, the place where the staircase changed direction. At that spot, the ceiling went up to the second story and in the far wall was a spectacular stained-glass window filled with reds and gold. I stood for a moment, taking in the Ramses family crest. It was the same as the courtyard, made out of intricate craftsmanship.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered.
Ian smiled my direction. “Mr. Ramses will be pleased that you approve.”
My heart raced as we began to descend the first half of the staircase. As if on cue, outside lights beyond the window illuminated, sending colorful projections through the air. Colors danced before our eyes and upon the plastered and paneled walls and onto the rug below, as if we were walking through a kaleidoscope.
Ian stepped deliberately, careful to avoid the wide skirt while helping me navigate the beautiful dark wood staircase. We came to a stop at the landing, turned toward the final staircase, and my breath caught at the sight of the man below.
An hour ago, Rett had said this was a simply a legality, basically the signing of a paper. And now, he was dressed in a formal tuxedo, standing at the bottom of the staircase with one hand behind his back, and his dark gaze only on me.
With each passing second, I sensed the way he scanned me, viewing the lovely dress Miss Guidry had provided—his mother’s dress—while also seeing beneath it, to the me underneath. I could now do the same thing of him, strip away the custom-fitted tuxedo and picture every indentation and muscle, knowing the way they felt over me and against me, as well as the way each one strained when he found his own pleasure.
I basked in Rett’s change of apparel and appearance, from his gelled, combed-back and wavy dark mane and freshly shaved cheeks, all the way to his shiny Italian loafers. In between, the black tuxedo accentuated his toned torso and wide shoulders. With a white shirt, his white bow tie was undoubtedly meant to match my dress.
The beauty of the home around me and the grandeur of the foyer, tall front doors with leaded glass, the wooden arched entrances to other rooms, and the ornate large crystal light fixture all disappeared as I focused only on Rett.
Once Ian and I reached the bottom of the stairs, Rett smiled as he bowed our direction. Bringing his hidden hand forward, my fiancé presented me with a small bouquet of white gardenias, their stems secured with a light blue cloth. It took me a moment to realize the cloth was the blindfold from our first dinner. I lifted the bouquet to my nose, inhaling their intoxicating aroma that blended with my perfume and Rett’s cologne.
I looked up at the man who had provided me with the real wedding he’d said wasn’t necessary. “Thank you.”
As Rett extended his arm, I moved the bouquet to my left hand and placed my right on his lower arm. Lowering his volume, Rett spoke as he led me down a hallway beside the stairs and away from the front of the house. “You are stunning. One day, I’ll give you the ceremony you deserve.”
Two members of Rett’s staff opened the solid double doors leading to the courtyard. As it had been the first night we’d dined, the trees glistened with small twinkling lights, soft music filled the air, and the fountain’s illumination reflected off the pebblestone paths, filling the space with colors.
I turned to Rett. “I don’t need another ceremony. This is amazing.”
My response was genuine. What had been created in a short time was so much more than I imagined an hour earlier...ever.
Rett lifted my hand from his arm and kissed my knuckles before placing it back in the crook of his elbow. When his dark eyes met mine and his lips curled into a smile, I believed the fairy tale. It was the one that little girls tell themselves only to grow up and discover they were only stories. Except at this second, it wasn’t fiction. It was real. I saw the promise of forever reflecting in his brown orbs. The agreement we’d made had developed into more than a deal with a man who claimed he was the devil. It surpassed his facade. I wasn’t marrying the devil but the man I’d come to know Everett Ramses to be.
While Rett was the man who brought me into a world I didn’t know existed, he was also the one who saved me when I faltered and the one who understood my needs. That wasn’t only sexual; it was emotional and mental. Rett knew what I needed to once again feel safe and to restore my belief in all he’d promised to provide. The Rett I’d come to know made me smile at the sound of his deep voice and brought me pleasure that was beyond anything I’d ever imagined. He also accepted my imperfections while pushing me to try new things and extolling my strengths when I did.
Following the pathway around the greenery, the fountain came into view. Standing before it was an older gentleman, tall, much like Rett, with thinning white hair and a lean stature. As Rett and I came to a stop before him, I had no misgivings about what we were about to do.
“Emma,” Rett said, “this is the honorable Judge McBride of the New Orleans parish. While I’d originally asked him here to simply witness the two of us sign the marriage certificate, he’s agreed to provide us with more of a ceremony.”
“Thank you,” I said to the older gentleman.
“It’s my pleasure.” Small lines formed around his eyes as his warm smile grew. “Your future husband can be quite persuasive.”
Grinning, I looked up at Rett and back to Judge McBride. “I have to agree.”
“Before we start,” the judge said, “I feel that I have to ask a few questions.”
There was no reason for his prelude to make me nervous, yet it did.
“Go ahead,” Rett said, giving his approval.
“While I’ve known Mr. Ramses for most of his life,” the judge began, “you, Emma are new to New Orleans. I feel the need to ask if you have any misgivings or reasons for not wanting this legal union to proceed.”
Tears teetered on my lids as I looked around at the sparkling lights and down at my hand on Rett’s arm. Shaking my head, I met the judge’s stare and replied, “None at all, Judge McBride. I couldn’t be happier to marry Rett...Everett Ramses.”
The judge lifted a small card. “I see here on your ID...”
My eyes opened wider. I hadn’t laid eyes on my ID since the night at the restaurant when I showed it to a waiter to get a Hurricane.