Page 59 of It Had to be You

He looked at her, smiling. "You're never going to regret falling in love with me, Tatum."

She lifted her left hand and touched her fingers to his lips and trailed them down to his chin until he could see his grandmother's ring on her finger. The jewels shone with light as if they too had come alive with love. "I still can't believe that out of all the people in the world," she sighed softly, "you chose me."

"Of course, I did. I would have been a fool to ignore the beautiful, talented and caring woman that Martina put in my path. And as lonely as I've been up until that cruise, I'm not a fool."

She smiled at him and leaned her head on his shoulder as he carried her into the bedroom, her body cradled in his arms. Humming slightly, he rocked her in his arms, remembering the music that the band had played for them in the restaurant that night.

"And I know the perfect song for the band to play for our first dance on our wedding night."

He set her down beside the bed and his breath caught as she turned her back to him. He saw her turn her head to look back at him as he drew her zipper down her back.

It killed him that he found bare skin under her dress from the middle of her back to silken panties that sat low on her spine.

"Alex?"

Her soft voice was near breathless as she said his name and he had to stop his hands from shaking as she slowly dropped her dress from her shoulders and her dress slid down her body,catching for a moment at her hips before it fell to the floor, puddling around her bare feet.

He'd never been so aroused in his life. So alive. So in love.

"Alex?"

"Hmm?" He put his hands on her shoulders and slowly traced a path down her arms until their fingers folded together. He leaned in until his chest was pressed lightly against her bare back. "What is it?"

"The song," she sighed and leaned back against him, laying her head against his shoulder, "what song do you want us to dance to at our wedding?"

He smiled and felt his heart beat even stronger with her there, leaning against him.

"It had to be you, Tatum. Because it's true."

She sighed and he saw the wonder in her gaze. "Wonderful you," she sang softly.

He touched his cheek to her temple and sang the last line back to the love of his life. "It had to be you."

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