“What? And miss fucking my bride on our wedding day?” I swivel my hips to keep her mind on the task at hand.
She clenches her teeth and her eyes close when she gets there. Her pussy clamps around my cock so tightly I can’t help but let go. I spurt inside her forever before I, too, become a satiated noodle and collapse next to her in my childhood bed.
“Your entire family heard us,” Alex admonishes. “It’s not like I can stop coming when you do that thing to me. How am I going to face your mom?”
I pull her against me and kiss her nose. “Worth it.”
The entire clan is in town for our wedding. The band. My family. Alex’s. In a few short hours, we’ll get married in the grand ballroom here, in Jace’s parent’s house. Sure, Valentine’s Day is generally a stupid holiday to get married. Then again, we’re already married so when Lena picked the day, how could we say no?
“How was Ronni?” I pull on my joggers when I get out of bed.
Alex pulls the covers up to her neck. “You’d never know anything was wrong.”
“Connor still won’t talk about it.” I grab my socks and T-shirt off the ground. “We all tried to get it out of him. Nothing.”
“Will it affect anything?”
I shrug.
“Well, today’s going to be epic. Did you see my dress?” She points to a garment bag hanging on the back of the door. “You might as well take a look. You’ve already fucked your bride.”
I pretend to unzip the bag and Alex comes flying at me. “I was just kidding!” I laugh.
“This came out amazing.” She traces my fresh ink, courtesy of my sister, Jordan. A Sleipnir, or eight-legged horse in Norse mythology, is thought to transport souls into the afterlife. It’s fitting because the Sleipnir is most meaningful to travelers and athletes—equestrians, especially—as well as those who have lost loved ones.
My tribute to the baby we lost and to the life we’ve built spans shoulder blade to shoulder blade.
I spin her around and pull her hair up. Alex has a smaller Sleipnir inked at the base of her neck. “My sister doesn’t win all those awards for nothing.”
“Well, now I’m addicted.” Alex rolls her eyes.
I open the door to leave. “I have no problem with that.”
Two hours later, I stand in my black tux watching my beautiful bride descend the ballroom stairs in a white slip dress adorned with giant watercolor poppies. Her hair flows in long waves down her back. Lena, who’s wearing a matching dress, holds her mother’s hand as they walk toward me. My bandmates are my groomsmen. Zoey and all of our sisters are Alex’s bridesmaids.
Just over a hundred of our closest friends and family attend our ceremony in my parents’ opulent home.
No one knows about our secret wedding, the one Alex and I had just for ourselves in Italy. That day was just for us. To help us heal. To cement our commitment. It’s a sacred day, and I’m quite sure we’ll take it to the grave.
Today’s wedding is for everyone whom we love. For everyone who’s supported us. And it’s a glorious day.
Later, after eating the feast prepared by Fiona and Ty, dancing until our feet hurt, cutting the ten-tiered cake, Alex and I are ready for our honeymoon.
What nobody knows quite yet, it’s also going to be our babymoon.
Our baby is due in three days. We’ll be there for the birth. Before Alex had her initial surgery, Dr. Madison extracted some viable eggs. Just as a precaution. When the unthinkable happened, it was the one hopeful thing that got us through. Gave us strength to face the tragedy. Blessedly, it didn’t take long before we found the perfect surrogate.
“Are you ready?” Alex’s eyes dance with excitement. “I’m so excited, I can hardly stand it.”
I look at the woman for whom my love has no limits. No boundaries. No restrictions. I hold out my hand to her. “I’ve never been readier. Now, Poppy. Love of my life. Let’s go meet our son.”
Holy moly!
This was quite a journey. Alex and Jace are such a special couple, and they were very closed lipped about their story. I had to prod and cajole it out of them.
After all they’re private people, right?
I’ll let you in on a little secret. I always knew I would be writing these Encore books, and in my mind Jace and Alex’s story was in the can. I knew EXACTLY what they were going to face and how they’d meet the challenge.