Page 57 of Deviant

I’d be hiswife.

Society wouldn’t understand our union. They’d only see the criminal and the accuser.

None of that mattered. I pushed those thoughts out of my head because on this day nothing should be wrong. This was the day I’d waited for, had dreamed of for years, never believing it would come to fruition.

But it had, and now I stood in front of Rafe, passing my bouquet of calla lilies to Angel before lacing my fingers with his.

“I have no words, Alex. You are…stunning.” His voice broke as he brought his hand to my face and cupped my cheek, fingers trembling. Our interlocked hands tightened.

He’d never looked sexier in clothes. Naked Rafe would always be my favorite sight, but seeing him in slacks and a dress shirt, a tie neatly knotted at his throat, was drool-worthy.

I didn’t know how long we stood like that, his hand cradling my face as we eye-fucked each other on the proverbial altar. If the silence was uncomfortable, we didn’t care.

The officiant cleared his throat, and the ceremony began. We went through the motions, repeating the customary words, conforming to society’s expectations. But our bodies would speak the real vows in the bedroom tonight, infusing our union with the intensity that flowed between us when we came together.

Only tonight, we’d do it for the first time as husband and wife.

Rafe took my left hand in his and slid the ring onto my finger, this time for good. “With this ring, I pledge my love to you.”

A smile tilted my lips at the perfect irony; the ring he’d chosen nearly matched my mother’s necklace.

The only true family heirloom I had from my past life.

My turn arrived, and I squeezed his hand, drawing strength from him as I pushed a simple gold band onto his finger. “With this ring,” I said, my voice little more than a whisper as I met his eyes, “I pledge my love to you.”

We were both grinning like fools when those magical words were uttered in the same sentence.

Husband and wife.

The next instant, Rafe’s mouth was on mine.

27. A Gift to Remember - Alex

After a close-knit celebratory evening of food, drinks, and so much happiness, I feared it was all a fluke, Rafe tucked me into a boat and carted me off to the island. Once we reached the dock, he took my hand and helped me out of the craft, his grip strong and reassuring.

My white sneakers had barely touched the wooden planks before he swept me off my feet.

“Rafe!” I laughed, arms winding around his neck.

“I want to carry my bride to my lair.”

He was a little tipsy, and smiling when our mouths crashed together, hungry to mate, same as our bodies. Same as our souls.

“Mmm,” he moaned, breaking the kiss. “I’m tempted to spread you out here and have my way with you.”

“Right here on the dock?”

“Imagine the show we’d put on.” Shooting me a teasing grin, he started toward the cabin, feet thumping on the dock.

I liked him this way, armed with champagne and happiness. He was far from drunk though, his footfalls steady on the path that led to the cabin. He’d consumed just enough bubbly not to notice that I’d only taken a sip for the toast.

Jax, on the other hand, had sent questioning looks in my direction all night, and at one point while he was talking to Rafe, the two of them standing off by themselves in semi-privacy, I’d been certain he was outing me.

But Rafe had returned to my side, mood unchanged, apparently still oblivious to the miracle growing inside me. Whatever the two of them had talked about, it hadn’t included the secret I was keeping.

The secret I’d have to tell him soon.

The cloud of my pregnancy threatened to hover, but I warded it off at the first up-close sight of our new home. The cabin was an A-frame with an oblong porch spanning the length of the front. It was too dark to make out details though I spied a hammock at one end of the porch as Rafe carried me over the threshold.

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