Page 163 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

“Repeat after me, Daddy Logan. I, James Logan, take you, Emily Martin, to be my lawfully wedded wife. To command andto hold, to love and to cherish, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward. You are mine. You live in my heart and soul forever.”

Daddy repeats each word, his voice breaking when he says “mine.”

“Repeat after me, Emmy,” Master Javier says. “I, Emily Martin, take you, James Logan, to be my lawfully wedded husband. To obey and to hold, to love and to cherish, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, from this day forward. I am yours. You live in my heart and soul forever.”

I whisper each word raggedly.

“Please exchange rings as a symbol of your infinite and unending love, faith, and loyalty to each other.”

Bren pulls a red velvet box out of her basket. Mac fishes its mate out of his jacket pocket. I asked for simple rings to go with the slight ostentation of my pink diamond engagement ring.

Daddy’s idea of simple isn’t really the same as mine.

They’re gold, his thicker than mine. A gemstone band runs through the middle of each ring. Daddy’s band is dark opal, flashing with deep blues and greens. My band is pink opal. I didn’t even know pink opal was a thing until Daddy showed it to me on the internet before we commissioned the rings. When we picked up the rings and I saw how mine looked against my diamond, I cried for an hour.

Pretty sure I’m going to cry for longer today. I can’t stop the tears. They drip off my chin. Daddy gently wipes them away, then licks my body’s salt off his fingers. “Happy tears?” he whispers.

“The happiest,” I promise him.

“Do I get a ring?” he asks.

I nod but I can’t remember a word of the ceremony we wrote. “Help me, please?”

“Of course, sweetheart. ‘Daddy, with this ring, I thee wed’.”

Once he starts me off, I remember the rest. I take his ring from Brenna and say, “Daddy, with this ring, I thee wed. I offer my heart and soul to you, for you to keep safe alongside your heart and soul, because they are joined forever. Wherever you go, please take me with you. Wherever I go, I’ll know you’re with me. As long as we both shall live.”

I slide the band onto his offered finger and stare at it there. It doesn’t feel real. Or maybe it’s too real. Surreal. Good surreal but surreal.

“You with me, baby?” Daddy whispers.

I nod, not wanting to ruin the moment.

Daddy picks up my ring out of the box Mac is holding. He takes my left hand and gently slides off my engagement ring.

“Emmy, my baby doll, with this ring, I thee wed. I accept responsibility for your heart and soul. I will do everything in my power to keep them safe, alongside my heart and soul, because they are joined forever. Wherever I go, you are with me. Wherever you go, I am with you. As long as we both shall live.”

He slides my wedding band and engagement ring back onto my finger.

Everything snaps into place. We’re married. I’m Daddy’s little wife and Daddy’s ... Daddy’s my Daddy.

That thought settles me more than my mantra ever did. Daddy’s my Daddy. He always has been. He always will be. I beam up at him.

He smiles back at me. “There you are, wife.”

“Hi, Daddy. Is it time for the kiss yet?”

There are chuckles all around us.

“I think Bald Elvis has to say something first,” Daddy responds.

Master Javier clears his throat. “By the power vested in me by the State of Nevada, I am delighted to pronounce you husband and wife. Please kiss the bride before I do.”

Laughing, Daddy sweeps me up into his arms. I wind my arms around his neck as he lifts me off my feet. He rubs noses with me as we look into each other’s eyes. “First kiss of the rest of our lives together, baby.”

“Lay it on me, Daddy.”

His laughter buzzes against my teeth as he seals our mouths together. He runs his tongue along the ridge of my teeth before lapping against my tongue. Breaking the kiss, he smiles into my eyes again before taking another, even deeper kiss.

---