Page 15 of Kissed in the Dark

“So don’t be cruel and love each other and never let each other go. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride, un-uh.” The man’s hips rotate and I cringe back but Heather grabs me and smirks. “Kiss me, husband. Don’t be cruel.”

I snort and lean down, my lips finding hers, our kiss tender and long and perfect. Her lips cling to mine and her nails dig into my biceps and I think I’ve never been happier.

Cheers ring out and Heather pulls back, her cheeks flushed and the smile on her full lips so big that it almost reaches her ears. “I have the pleasure of introducing Mr. and Mrs. McHenry for the first time. Congratulations!”

We walk down the aisle and my chest is so puffed out it’s a wonder that I don’t trip over something.

“I love you, Red. I’m gonna make you so fucking happy. I’m sorry I hurt you that first time but I promise never again. We don’t even have to make love tonight. Not until you’re ready. I’m just happy to know that you love me and you want to be with me.”

She glares at me and pulls me over to the vestibule where we’re signing the papers. “You didn’t hurt me that first time…I was so happy I was crying, you idiot. And then I woke up to find you gone. Now that hurt.”

“I promise. I’ll never leave you again.”

“Good. Because we’re married now and I’ll hunt you down this time and make you come home to me.”

“You won’t have to. I’ll always come home to you.”

“Then we’ll be fine. But I can tell you one thing…” She leans over and whispers in my ear, “if you think that we’re not making love tonight, you’re out of your head. I’ve been waiting for you for almost twenty years. I intend to make up for all those times. And soon.”

I throw my head back and laugh, stunned. I’ve got the woman of my dreams and she wants me so much she was willing to throw a surprise wedding with all our friends and family and then threaten me if I didn’t make love to her.

Dreams do come true in Vegas, people! They really do!

EPILOGUE: THE WEDDING NIGHT: JUDE

My new bride is dancing on tables and smiling at perfect strangers. She already blew a thousand dollars at the blackjack table and I don’t give a damn. I’ve got her and that’s all I need.

My eyes drift over to Christ who’s hunched over a glass of red wine and glaring at the sister of his runaway bride. My good mood sours a little.

I’m in love and I want my friend to be happy and in love too. Is that too much to ask?

But if Chris’s face is anything to go by he’s too pissed to be happy right now.

I pull Heather down from the table and point at him. “You think he’s alright to leave alone? He looks like he’s gonna slug someone.”

She nods her head and then her little hands twine into my shirt and she pulls me closer. “I think he’ll be fine. I also think it’s about time you take me upstairs and make good on all that dirty talk from earlier. Or I’m going to be very disappointed.”

I grin down at her and tug her along behind me. “Well, we can’t have that for your wedding night, Red. Come on, then.”

I grab her and throw her over my shoulder when she’s too slow and she laughs like wind chimes, giggling and pounding on my back.

“Jude! What are you doing? Put me down!”

“Nope! I need to get you upstairs and naked as fast as possible and you’re taking too long, Red. I think you’re trying to torture me.”

I can’t help but smile when she giggles again. Fuck, I love this woman.

I get to my room which I’d upgraded to the bridal suite and slam the door shut, letting her slide down my body. “I fucking love you, Mrs. McHenry.”

“I love you too, Jude. So much. So much that it hurts. I’m sorry that I thought you left me and I got so mad. I should have known that there was something more.”

Her pretty smile and bright eyes warm my heart. “I never should have let you get away with walking away. And I shouldn’t have told your brother that I love you before I told you.”

She laughs and swats at my chest, her joyous smile almost too bright to look at. “Yeah. You shouldn’t have. But I’m glad you did. Because that made me look harder at what happened and how things had gone. I knew that if you loved me like you said, there’s no way that you’d want to hurt me by leaving me like that unless there was something really wrong. I should have known it was all about what you said after we made love. That you thought you hurt me.”

“I can’t even bear that thought. It breaks me in ways that you just can’t imagine. It would kill me if I hurt you.”

She smiles and her soft little hand cradles my cheek. “I know that you’d never do a damn thing to hurt me. You’re the love of my life. I trust you with every piece of me. The only thing that bothers me is that it took this long when we’ve loved each other all our lives.”

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