Page 22 of The Throwback

“You good?” he asks, kissing the side of my head.

“Mhmm,” I hum, snuggling into him. Everything about him makes me feel safe and cherished, from the smell of his cologne to the warmth that radiates from his firm body. He really does feel like home.

The doors open and Grace comes into view, slowly making her way past the handful of people in attendance. And although she’s stunning, I’m not looking at her. I’m too busy focusing on the man up front. Tanner sucks in a deep breath, and I watch his eyes fill with tears as she walks toward him, until he’s so overcome with emotion that he drops his head into his hands. His shoulders shake as he sobs, and I can confidently say I’ve never witnessed a love so beautiful in my entire life. Even through all the hard times and the years that separated them, they made it. And that gives me hope for my own future.

We sit through the ceremony, watching as the two soulmates vow to love one another forever. Surrounded by so much support, it warms my heart to see how the Boston Blizzard family is there for each other. I’m lucky to be a part of it.

Elvis pronounces them husband and wife, introducing them as the new Mr. and Mrs. Tanner Lake while the crowd claps and cheers loudly. The happy couple makes their way out of the chapel, leading the guests to the reception room to continue the celebration. We’re the last to stand, and when I begin to walktoward the door, Jett stops me with an arm around my waist.

“Hold on,” he says, spinning me to face him and taking my mouth in a deep kiss. I’m caught off guard at first, but quickly melt into it as he parts my lips with his tongue and plunges inside. I moan quietly, feeling the dull throb of arousal as it blooms to life between my legs. My entire body hums with electricity, like a live wire, as he kisses me, and all I want is to abandon this entire night and get him alone.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” a frail voice says from behind us, causing us to break apart. A gray-haired woman with two champagne glasses stands in the doorway, holding them up in explanation. “The newlyweds are getting ready to toast, and we were looking for the owners of these extra glasses. They checked IDs at the door, but if I could just see yours, I can give you these and leave you to…finish.”

Jett goes first, removing his wallet from his pocket and giving her his driver’s license. She checks it and gives it back as I reach into my clutch, fishing mine out before handing it to her. “Goodness!” she says, a bright smile stretching across her face. “Happy birthday, Bailey!” I internally cringe.

Jett whips his head toward me. “It’s your birthday? Why didn’t you tell me?” The woman sets our drinks down on a chair and leaves the room as he stares at me with a confused look on his face.

I shrug. “It was a big week for you. I didn’t want to ruin it by making it about me. It’s no big deal. I’m just?—”

“Twenty-five,” he whispers, cutting me off.

I look up at him, realization hitting me like a speeding truck as his gaze burns into mine. “Twenty-five.”

He smiles softly as he intertwines our fingers, pulling me to the altar. Standing in front of me, he encases my hands in his and speaks. “When I was twelve years old, I made a promise to you. I may not have been the smartest kid, but in that moment, I knew exactly what I was doing. Even at such a young age, I didn’t have a single doubt in my mind that I hated the thought of you marrying anyone but me. So I decided right then and there that, when the time came, it had to be us. We may have lost each other for thirteen years, but I still feel the same as I did that day. It’s always been you for me.

“So, Bailey Hart, I take you as my not-technically-legal-yet wife. I promise to hold your hand in the dark and find the smoothest rocks for you to rub. To carry you home when you get hurt, and to kiss you whenever you want. To care for you and give you everything you could ever dream of, until my very last breath, if you’ll let me. What do you say?”

Tears stream down my face and I give him a watery smile, nodding my head rapidly becauseof fucking course I want him. But my silence isn’t enough. He raises his brows, waiting for the words.

“I do,” I say, crashing my lips to his. I don’t even realize we’ve drawn a crowd until our friends start cheering loudly from the back of the room. The girls run over and wrap me in a hug, as the guys give Jettcongratulatory high-fives and fist bumps. Even though it isn’t a legally binding marriage and we haven’t discussed what things will look like going forward as we navigate a new relationship, I know everything has changed. A week ago, we were strangers. Tonight, I’m fully confident that he’s it for me. I’ve belonged to Jett James Kingsley since I was twelve years old, and now he’s mine forever.

“What a day!” Mads says, practically blinding me with her giant engagement ring. “I’m so happy for you!”

“I’m so happy for all of us!” I reply as we grab our guys and continue celebrating the overabundance of love we’ve been given.

FOURTEEN

JETT

“Fuck, I want you so bad,”I say against Bailey’s lips, shoving her against the hotel room wall and kissing her while she moans into my mouth. We stayed at the chapel and danced until we couldn’t take it anymore. Then, I threw her over my shoulder and brought her back here, where I plan on making her scream for me until they kick us out.

“Then have me,” she replies, pushing herself into my hardening cock. I’m throbbing for her. I have been all night. Maybe it was the three days away, or maybe it was the way our relationship shifted at the chapel while we stood at the altar. Either way, I’m desperate to get inside her.

I reach around, lifting under her ass and carrying her to the bed without breaking our connection, swallowing her sweet sounds like they’re my lifeline. My heart pounds a heavy cadence behind my rib cage as I slowly lower her to the mattress and stand, looking down at the most perfect human being I’ve ever seen.Her lips are swollen, and her chest is heaving, showing me that she’s just as desperate as I am.

“You’re too fucking beautiful,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief as I reach down and pull her tight black dress over her head. I toss it to the floor, returning my gaze to where Bailey lies on the bed, wearing nothing but an ice blue lace thong and bra. Seeing her in my jersey tonight was unreal, but knowing that she probably had this on underneath makes me wish I hadn’t waited so long to get her here. She obviously put a lot of thought into her choice of lingerie, considering it’s my team colors hugging her curves.

“This for me?” I say, dragging the backs of my knuckles across the fabric covering her nipple.

“Mhmm,” she hums, smiling at my reaction. “The girls and I thought it would be fun to match your uniforms under our outfits. Do you like it?” She brings her hands up to her tits, squeezing them together.

I bite my fist to keep from groaning out loud. “Like it?” I reply. “Baby, I love it. I’m so fucking hard just looking at you.”

She smirks. “Well, what are you waiting for, Kingsley? Fuck me.”

I huff a laugh, a devious grin pulling at the corners of my mouth. “Oh, I plan to. Over and over…and over again, until you can’t take the pleasure anymore and beg me to stop.” Sliding my hand under her back, I carefully unclasp the bra, pulling it away. Her nipples are hard and desperate, begging to be taken into my mouth. But I don’t—not yet. I want this night to last, so I’m moving as slowly as I can bear. I press a soft kiss between her breasts, reaching down and wrapping my fingers around the sides of her panties before pulling them down her smooth legs. I can smell her arousal from here, and I know it’s only a matter of time before I give in and give us what we both want more than our next breaths.

“Look at you,” I praise, making her squirm against the soft sheets with anticipation as I ghost my hand across her stomach. “So fucking perfect. You were made to be mine, Bailey. Made to be fucked and loved by me.”

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