I grab my bouquet of white Calla Lillies, and follow Quinn outside into the warm summer sun. Kyler and I decided to get married in his parents’ backyard. I’ve always dreamed of a small, white wedding, somewhere green and lush. And Kyler gave it to me. I walk down the deck stairs and hook my arm through Quinn’s as we make our way to the isle of rose petrels leading me to Kyler. There’s a small quartet band, playing soft music to the side. There’s no need for chairs, but at the end of the aisle is a small arch, decorated in white flowers. I smile at Kyler’s mother who wipes a stray tear rolling down her cheek. Jarred is standing next to her, holding his and Quinn’s daughter, Amelia. When my gaze finally falls on Kyler, my heart stops, and stumbles over itself before picking up again. He looks amazing in his black suit. His smile is blinding and my body is giddy with excitement.
“Who gives this woman away?” the priest asks as Quinn and I come to a stop in front of him and Kyler.
“I do,” Quinn says. She smiles and I see her eyes glaze over. She kisses my cheek, whispers ‘I love you, sis’, and goes to join Jarred. It’s just the five of us, including little Amelia, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. As Kyler and I say our vows and promise our lives and hearts to each other, I think about how quickly time has gone by. Kyler successfully took over Knight Media after his father’s passing, and soon after that, I was made a publisher, the youngest Knight Media had ever promoted. We’d shared moments of love, passion, lust, pain, sorrow, forgiveness, and anger, and through all of it we always found our way back to the beginning.
“You may kiss the bride,” the priest says. Kyler steps forward and cups my face in his palms. His blue eyes shine bright and fierce, and in them I find the same peace he gives me.
“I love you, Mrs. Knight,” he whispers against my mouth. Hearing my new name sets butterflies off in my belly, and I grin.
“I love you, too, Mr. Knight.”
Quinn and Jarred both clap, while Kyler’s mother comes to hug us. “I’m so happy for both of you,” she says with a sniffle. I know today is bittersweet, for both Kyler and his mother, but we know his father is still here, watching us, celebrating with us.
After having dinner, we say our goodbyes and Kyler takes me to our apartment. We leave for our honeymoon tomorrow, but the stubborn man won’t tell me where we’re going. Instead, he simply said, “Don’t pack any clothes. We’ll be naked for a week.” The anticipation made me shiver, but now I really do need to pack something. Kyler opens the door and then bends to pick me up. He carries me inside, and as soon as I take in what his apartment looks like, my breath catches in my throat. There are small candles on every surface, lighting up the space magnificently.
“Kyler,” I sigh. “This is beautiful.”
“Welcome home, Mrs. Knight,” he says, grinning. My heart hums in my chest. Kyler walks down the hallway into our bedroom, and puts me down. The bed is covered in rose petals, and my eyes well with tears, knowing he did all of this for me. Kyler pulls me into his chest and kisses my shoulder before moving his hand to the zip of my dress. His hands come around to my torso and he slips the dress down my body. I hear him suck in a ragged breath and smile in satisfaction. I turn to face him, and take a step back until the back of my legs hit the bed. Kyler’s eyes travel the length of my body and I see his want swirling in his blue eyes. I’m wearing a white lace bustier with a plunging neckline and a matching garter belt.
“Damn,” Kyler exhales harshly. “My wife is gorgeous. Are you trying to kill me, baby?”
I shrug, “Maybe.”
Kyler closes the gap between us, and after I remove his suit jacket, I sit down on the bed and crawl backwards until I’m in the center.
Kyler joins me, covering me with his muscular body. He sears me with his gaze, and leans in to press our lips together. As his mouth seduces mine in a gentle, yet commanding caress, I realize that this moment, with me and Kyler, was inevitable. It was never my choice. I was always destined to fall…
The End