Page 124 of Touch Me Not

His hand was a little sweaty, but she didn’t mind. It just meant he was as nervous as she was.

But it was the sheer love shining out of those black eyes of his that gave her the strength to stand here before God, their families, and their friends without falling apart.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hi back.” Nikoli placed a kiss across her knuckles.

“None of that, young man,” the priest, Father Stephens, admonished. “Save that for the end.”

“Sorry, Father.”

Lily smiled at how contrite he looked. Nik might not show it, but he took his religion seriously.

Father Stephens cleared his throat. “We shall begin with the Liturgy of the Word.” He went on to read passages from both the New and Old Testament, but Lily paid him no mind. She zoned him out a little, and her only thoughts were of Nikoli.

She remembered the first time he’d touched her. It wasn’t that night in his apartment. It was that first day when he’d taken her hand and pulled her away from what she knew, what was comfortable. The sensations his fingers burned into her very being were something she’d remember until the day she died.

He was special. He made her feel things no one had, and it was the beginning of the end for her. Her manwhore had givenher back her life, and that was more precious than anything he could ever give her.

She loved him.

Music started, and singing commenced. The hymn. She tried to sing along, but her focus wasn’t there. It was on her memories.

He’d been so arrogant that day in the cafeteria, and then when he scrambled after her, demanding dinner, she’d found him charming despite what she knew of him.

And she’d had fun on their first date. Even if Adam showed up and tried to ruin it. Another shock on both fronts.

She smiled as she thought of the look on his face when she’d told everyone they had a bet on his car. Ellie. She thought he might have a stroke then and there.

Father Stephens began his talk on the importance of marriage.

She thought of all the times they’d lain on the couch watching Netflix. Then there were all the crazy places he’d taken her to eat. He was so sweet. Most people didn’t know how sweet of a man he could be. He needed to let more people see that side of him. Then they might understand why she loved him so much.

“And now for the vows. Lily and Nikoli have decided to add their own words to the traditional vows. Nikoli, you may begin.”

Lily blinked, coming out of her memories at Father Stephens’s words. Vows. Yes. She remembered her vows. She hoped.

“Sometimes the most beautiful things are born of the most broken things. Sometimes we’re too blind or too scared to recognize it, but sometimes we’re brave enough to understand what we’ve been given, and we hold on tight.”

Lily’s breath caught at his words. They were beautiful. Janet was going to murder her because she couldn’t hold back her tears no matter what.

“When I met you, I had no idea what you were about to do to me. But you showed me I could love someone and that they could love me back just for me. You gave me peace, Lily.”

She was a blubbering mess. It was like his words were an arrow with a direct path to her heart.

“And so, I, Nikoli, take you Lily, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you, Lily, and honor you all the days of my life.”

How was she supposed to follow that up?

“And now Lily will speak her vows.”

She sniffed.

“I was broken when you found me. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to let anyone touch me ever again. I didn’t think I was worth being loved because I destroyed the things I loved the most. When you met me, that’s who I was.”

Nikoli’s heart broke when he heard her speak, her tears evident.

“Then you barreled into my life and refused to let me hide from you or myself. You took all the broken and jagged pieces of my soul and put them back together. You showed me what love really was with your kindness and your gentle touch. You gave me back my life, Nikoli Kincaid, and I will love you and only you all the days of my life.”

---