Yes, she would have.
A knock on the door had them both pausing, before a familiar head of dark hair quickly peeked around it and he snuck in.
“James! You cannot be in here!” Margaret screeched, trying to block his view.
“You really think you can stop me, runt?” he poked at her, and she could only imagine the scowl Margaret was giving him. For a woman that claimed to love James for her, the two bickered a lot.
“Ugh, whatever.” Margaret stomped off, and she heard the door slam as she turned around and got her first look at her future husband.
In the four years that they had been together, she had seen James in a lot of different ways. Anything from jeans and a t-shirt to the suit that he had worn to their prom. Her favorite had always been when he first got up in the morning, with sleep tousled hair, his sleep shorts riding low on his hips and no shirt on.
That had, and always would be, her favorite.
But seeing him all decked out, with the small wildflower corsage pinned on his jacket, that look would always stick with her.
“God, baby, you look soo….” He stopped and swallowed, then seemed to pull himself together. “You look beautiful.”
The way those words washed over her was like any other time, but more.
“Thank you.”
“I had to come steal a kiss, but now seeing you… in that dress… God, baby.” He groaned and reached up to mess with his tie.
She stepped forward and swatted his hand away, straightening the plain black tie and smoothing it out for him.
“It’s crooked,” she said softly, gazing up at him.
He was staring into her eyes with a look on his face that she had only seen a couple of times. Once was the first time they had ever made love.
The next was the day that she had said she loved him.
The last time was the day she had said she would marry him.
“I love you, you know that?” he murmured huskily, his hand sliding around her waist and fisting like it always did. As if he was holding on till he got the answer that he wanted.
He may be her high school sweetheart, but he was also the other half of her soul.
“I love you too.” She reached up, intent on kissing his chin, when he shifted and claimed her lips instead.
Pressing in deep and accepting nothing less than total surrender, that’s how he kissed her. His lips caressing, teeth nibbling, and his tongue sweeping in to play with hers.
A quick tap on the door had them pulling apart, leaving her dazed, right before Margaret slid back inside.
“It’s a good thing that we haven’t done her lipstick yet. But if we don’t finish, she isn’t going to be at the altar.”
James rolled his eyes, but still didn’t make a move to step back.
Instead, he leaned forward and grabbed her chin, rubbing his nose against hers before leaving a kiss on it.
“You ready to do this, baby.”
God, yes, she was.
CHAPTER3
JAMES
PRESENT