Page 97 of Vicious Seduction

“Fuck, I love you, too.” I pulled her luscious body against mine and kissed her with every ounce of passion she inspired in me. I wanted her to feel as breathless as she made me. When I finally pulled back, her dilated eyes and pink cheeks told me I’d been successful.

“Oran, people are looking,” she whispered, eyes cutting to the side.

My answering grin was positively diabolical. “Good. No reason the whole world shouldn’t know that you’re mine.”

She grinned shyly. “You could always rent a billboard.”

“What makes you think I haven’t?” I said with absolute seriousness.

Her smile faltered before she shook her head in mock exasperation. “Good grief. What have I gotten myself into?”

I winked. “At least you’ll never be bored.”

“Heaven forbid.”

“That’s enough out of you.” I swatted her backside playfully. “Let’s get to our seats before we miss the show.”

She yipped and hurried forward, shooting a glare over her shoulder. It was a nice try, but she couldn’t completely hide the smirk that teased the corner of her lips.

The show was excellent that night. Amelie never missed a beat, and I’d never been so goddamn happy in my life. I wasn’t exactly a fan of musicals, but that didn’t matter. So long as I had Lina by my side, life was good.

EPILOGUE

LINA

“Lina, this place is incredible.”Amelie leaned toward the car window as we drove up to the Chinese Scholar Garden within Snug Harbor.

“Isn’t it? The first time I came, I never wanted to leave.” Predicting the exact date of the cherry blossom bloom was impossible, and while we ended up on the tail end, it was still gorgeous.

We scheduled the ceremony for early afternoon to take full advantage of the daylight and the warmth. Early April in New York was just tiptoeing into spring. Planning an outdoor wedding during that time was risky, but the results seemed to be paying off. A layer of soft gray cloudsblanketed the sky, laying a peaceful backdrop for an unforgettable day in the gardens.

“I mentioned this place to Oran when we first got together.”

“When he blackmailed you?” She shot me a teasing look.

“Yeah.” I sighed, smiling. “I never imagined he had paid attention or would remember months later. When he told me he’d reserved the place, I hadn’t believed him. This is peak cherry blossom season, and at the time, the wedding was less than two months away. Yet he’d somehow made it happen.” A part of me still hadn’t believed it until now.

The driver parked, helping Amelie and me out of the car. We’d been waiting for our designated time to arrive at one of the on-site buildings. And this was it. The flowers I’d selected adorned the gated entrance to the garden, and just beyond the row of hedges, the most incredible man I’d ever met waited for me.

All of it seemed surreal.

After months of crippling fear that I’d never see Amelie again, not only was she alive, but she was here sharing the happiest day of my life with me. So much had changed in such a short span of time, and I had Oran to thank for all of it.

The thought made me miss him even more. I’d stayed with Amelie the night before, which was such a treat, but I’d quickly gotten used to having Oran around. Fortunately, we’d been busy enough that I hadn’t had time to dwell on his absence. Amelie and I spent all morning at a salon getting ready. She was my maid of honor, and I couldn’t believe how grown up she looked in the dress I’d designed for her. I designed my own gown as well. I’d never really thought much about my wedding, but Oran had a way of inspiring me. Once I started sketching, the dress had practically designed itself.

Now, I was in that dress and practically giddy to set my eyes on Oran in his suit.

“Gloria!” Mellie called.

I turned to see the wedding coordinator round the corner with Mama G on her arm. When it came time to choose someone to walk me down the aisle, Mama G was the obvious choice.

“Lina, you look like a princess.” She looked me up and down, her eyes glistening.

“Don’t you start crying,” I chided her, my lip quivering. “The mascara’s waterproof, but that won’t stop my eyes from puffing up if the waterworks start.”

“Don’t be silly. I’m not crying;you’recrying,” she teased through her tears.

I laughed and hugged her, taking several deep breaths to stave away the emotions.

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