Page 44 of Puck Blocked
“Montana, I have loved you for my entire life. I have been in love with you for almost just as long. I don’t want one lifetime with you. I want a million lifetimes with you. I promise to always put you above anything else. I promise to cherish you. To not only be your husband but also your best friend. Forever. I promise to give you a life filled with happiness, love, friendship. But most of all, safety. I will always be your biggest fan. Whatever you want to do, whatever you want to achieve, I’ll be right behind you supporting you how ever I can. I don’t need to promise to love you forever, because that’s a given.”
“Montana, is there anything you’d like to say to Luke?” Elvis asks.
“Yes.” Montana takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, then opens them again. “Luke, I don’t know what I would do without you. You are my everything. You give me strength when I don’t have any. You love me even when I don’t feel worthy of that love. You are my best friend. You are the love of my life, and that’s something no one can ever take away. Each moment I spend with you, I can feel myself coming back to life. I can’t wait to spend every day in this lifetime and the next with you. I love you. I don’t know the right words to express that, but know that I do.”
Everything else happens fast. Rings are slid onto fingers. And more words are exchanged until the one sentence I’ve waited so long to hear resonates louder than all the rest.
“I now pronounce you… man and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
My arms immediately wrap around Montana as I pick her up and slam my lips onto hers before spinning her around. “Mrs. Jameson, I fucking love you,” I tell her as I set her feet on the ground.
“I love you too.” She smiles up at me.
We walk out of the chapel and the flashes of light momentarily blind me. Multiple flashes. Over and over again. Montana shrinks behind me and I circle an arm around her shoulder. I do my best to block her, hide her face from all the cameras.
Where the fuck did they even come from?
Ignoring the flurry of questions being tossed my way, I walk down the street and into the first open hotel I see. It’s not the one we’re staying at, but it’ll do. The paps can’t follow us in here.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Oh my god. What on earth is happening? There are cameras, so many cameras. My face is going to be plastered all over the tabloids. I was just photographed walking arm in arm out of a wedding chapel with Luke Jameson. The NHL’s number one bachelor.
Shit. What do I do? I don’t know what to do. I need to fix this. He’s going to see it. He’s going to find me.
“Tanna, calm down. It’s going to be okay. Count with me: one, two, three, four, five…” Luke says, and I try to focus on his words instead of the mess inside my head. When he gets to the number six, he starts back at one again.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” I tell him.
“It’s okay. I don’t know how they knew we were there.” He sighs while raking a hand over his face. “But it’s going to be okay.”
“No, it’s not.” I can feel the tears running down my cheeks but there’s nothing I can do to stop them. “He’s going to see it, the pictures. He’s going to know. He’s going to find me.” I heave in a breath. My chest is heavy, weighed down by that feeling of being held under water. I’m struggling to breathe.
“I won’t let anyone hurt you, Tanna. I promise.” Luke kisses the top of my forehead.
“I’m not worried about what he’ll do to me, Luke. He’s going to go after you. He warned me what would happen if I talked to you. And I didn’t just talk to you. I married you.”
“I know. And there are no take backs, Tanna. You’re my wife. And you know what? The world needs to know that. We’ll increase security, but don’t worry about me, babe. I’m a big boy.”
“I can’t lose you, Luke. I can’t.”
“You won’t ever lose me. I’m yours, always,” he says while wrapping his arms around me again.
The weight on my chest starts to seep away. Slowly. Very slowly. I cling to him like my life depends on it, though. I don’t want to let him go. And Luke? He just stands here, holding me, ensuring I’m the first to break away. He never rushes me. He’s so damn patient, so damn perfect. And so mine. I won’t let anyone take this from me now. I’ve just got him back and I’m not giving him up without a fight.
“What do we do now?” I ask, looking towards the door. I can’t go back out there into that shitstorm.
“We’re going to get a room and consummate this marriage. All of this…” He gestures to the door and the chaos just outside. “... can wait until tomorrow.”
With my hand clasped firmly in his, Luke leads me up to the reception desk. He requests their best room and hands over his credit card. I don’t listen to whatever else is said. I’m too busy taking in the environment and recalling the vows we just exchanged.
Well, that and trying to tamp down the building anticipation for what the rest of the night entails. My thighs press together. It’s probably a bit messed up that I can go from having a mild panic attack to being a wanton, horny mess in a matter of minutes.
Maybe I should bring this up with Dr. West. I wonder what she’ll say about my sudden nuptials?
But I’m not worried about what people will think about our spur-of-the-moment decision. I know I love Luke and I know he loves me too. I just never want to put him in a position where he’ll have to choose between me and someone else he loves.
Shit, his parents.
