Page 39 of The Virgin's Chosen Dragon

“At first, I was just trying to figure out a way to get our parents to leave us alone, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it because this is the perfect place to pledge our love to each other,” he said. “I was so scared you were going to tell me that you weren’t ready, that your mother got to you.”

“Not in a million years,” she said. “I love you, Theo and nothing is going to change that, not time, not my mother, not anything in the world.”

“I love you too, Eden,” he said. “Let’s go get married.”

“Now, hold on, if you think I’m going to let my best friend get married dressed like that, you are crazy,” Barbie said, interrupting them. “Come with me, Eden. We have a little work to do, and it wouldn’t hurt you to clean yourself up a little, Theo.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, releasing her with a kiss. “But don’t take too long, I’ve been waiting my whole life for this day.”

“Gross,” Barbie said, but there was a smile on her face. “If I’d known I was going to have to listen to that, I might have stayed home.”

Barbie pulled her away from the waterfall to the far side of the clearing, shoved her into a little tent, grabbed a bag, and shoved it into her arms. “Put this on while I figure out what we’re going to do with your hair,” Barbie said. “I bought that the day we went shopping. When I got it home, I couldn’t remember why, but now I know. It wasn’t for me; it was for you.”

She pulled a white bikini and an almost transparent cover-up studded with tiny sequins out of the bag and held it up. “It’s a wedding swimming suit,” she said. “But I couldn’t wear this, could I?”

“Come on, Eden, you’re getting married in front of a waterfall on a tropical island,” Barbie said, rolling her eyes. “What could be more perfect? You’re going to look amazing in that, and Theo won’t be able to keep his hands off you.”

She felt herself blushing, then quickly put the suit on, then slipped the cover-up over her head, and stood back to let Barbie look at her. “I knew it would be perfect,” she said, clapping her hands. “You look like a bride now; I just have to do something with your hair. Turn around.”

Barbie pulled and tugged, poked her head twice with a bobby pin, then declared her ready to be married. “I wish we had a mirror,” she said. “I want to see what I look like.”

“Who needs a mirror,” Barbie said, producing her cell phone and snapping a couple of pictures. “You didn’t think I’d let the day go by without taking a million pictures, did you?”

She gave Barbie a hug “Thank you for everything you’ve done,” she said. “This wouldn’t have been the same without you I’m lucky to have a friend like you.”

Theo was waiting for her when she walked out of the tent. He was dressed in a pair of black swimming trunks, his chest bare, except for a black tie, and she couldn’t help but laugh when she saw him. A wave of love swept through her, and she knew in that instant that nothing would ever come between them; that no matter what challenges they faced, they’d find their way through them together.

With bold steps she joined Theo in front of Mateo, took his hand when he offered it, and pledged her heart and soul to him, knowing the whole time that she’d given them to him long before. Theo had tears in his eyes when he said thewords back to her, and the kiss he gave her when the ceremony was over was full of so much promise, she found herself fighting back tears of happiness as well.

When they’d been hugged by everyone, they all sat down and ate the feast Max’s employees had provided, then swam in the warm water of the pool and played in the spray from the waterfall. The sun was just beginning to sink in the sky when their friends began packing up to go home, and she knew that it would be a day she would never forget.

“I wish we didn’t have to go back,” she said, taking the towel Theo offered her. “It all went by too quickly.”

“I thought we might spend the night here,” he said, pulling her into his arms. “As long as that’s okay with you, Mrs. Mayhew.”

She shivered a little when he called her that. “That sounds wonderful, Mr. Mayhew,” she said, grinning up at him. “Just you and me and all that wonderful water.”

By the time they were alone, the sun was just sinking below the horizon, and the moon had started to rise. Theo pulled her into his arms. “Looks like we’re going to have a full moon tonight,” he said. “Maybe I should get the fire started before it gets dark.”

She ran her hands up and down his chest. “That can wait. It’s going to be a warm night,” she said. “I’ve been waiting to get you alone all day. Let’s go swimming.”

Before he could answer, she slipped out his arms and started slipping out of her bikini, throwing the pieces at him as she walked away. “Are you coming?” she called. “The water feels wonderful.”

“You might be right,” Theo said, his voice husky with desire. “The fire can wait.”

CHAPTER 23

***THEO***

Eden splashed into the water and swam away before he could get to her, then lay floating in the gentle current from the waterfall, and he froze, unable to move as his body slowly came to life. Her generous breasts were covered in droplets of water and her nipples hardened in the breeze, sending waves of desire shooting through him. Desperate to get his hands on her, he dove into the water and swam over to her, came up out of the water right next to her, and stood looking up and down her naked body, intentionally driving himself a little crazy.

Just as he reached for her, Eden slipped out of his hands with a giggle, swam away, then came up out of the water, a grin on her face. “I bet you can’t catch me,” she taunted. “I think I’m a better swimmer than you are.”

“Hmmm……I don’t think so, I’m sure I can catch you,” he said, his voice husky with need. “What do I get if I do?”

“Anything you want,” she said, her eyes locked on his.

“Then you’re on,” he said, diving for her.

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