Page 29 of Bound

“Is this the bride’s room?” I heard a small voice ask as she entered with a friend.

“Claire.”

“Hi. Hey, Olivia.”

“Nice to see you again,” Olivia told her with a small hug. For some reason, I sensed a little jealousy between the two but I wasn’t sure.

Claire rushed over to give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Wow. You are really popping there, mama. This is my friend Anna, who is gonna do your hair.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m so glad you told me you did makeup when we had that dinner and you had a friend to do my hair.”

“I just do it for extra money here and there. I don’t do it professionally, but we were talking about starting our own business to do weddings and other special occasions.”

“You should do it,” I encouraged while she got started on my makeup.

***

Rose, Olivia, and I were both ready with our makeup and hair done. Olivia was wearing a baby pink-knee-length dress and she helped me into my gown. She assisted with the zipper in the back and I stood in front of the floor length mirror.

“Wow. This is really real now.”

“It is. And just as I expected, you look stunning,” Olivia admired me in the mirror.

“Oh, I forgot, I got you a gift,” I told her. “For standing up there with me. And just for being a constant in my life ever since we met.” I went over to grab the gift bag out of my packed bag. “Here.”

She smiled while she opened the small bag. “You got me something from Tiffany’s?” Instead of answering her, I watched as she pulled out a small blue box. Opening it, her mouth fell open. “Kara. These earrings are stunning.”

“I didn’t want to do the typical diamonds because I’m leaving that to Matteo.” The earrings were a simple drop earring with a pearl at the end.

“These are gorgeous. Thank you so much.” She reached her arms around me to hug me and my eyes watered.

“You’re welcome. And my man Matteo better be proposing to you soon,” I told her.

“I think he will. Let’s finish your look because you have a groom waiting downstairs for you.”

At the top of the landing of the stairs, the wedding planner handed me a rose bouquet to carry in my hands. The smell of the fresh flowers calmed me. Talking a deep breath, I made my way down the stairs. When we reached the bottom, I nodded to Olivia that it was okay for her to go ahead with Rose. The coordinator straightened out my dress so it flowed perfectly.

The wedding march played, and I made my way down the aisle to my groom. Making eye contact with Damon, he was wiping tears from his eyes.

As I tried to keep it together myself, I reached him and couldn’t help the smile on my face.

“You take my breath away,” he said, taking my hand in his.

“You look handsome yourself,” I told him while I passed my bouquet to Olivia.

I couldn’t focus on anyone who was in the room, except Damon. He wasn’t the only one that had their breath stolen from them. He constantly left me breathless by his kindness, how sexy he was, and how much he had changed over the course of our relationship. And he adored me.

We repeated the vows after the minister instructed. Then we wanted to read our own vows. I was nervous to read mine.

“Damon. In the beginning of our relationship, it was mostly one-sided.” The guests laughed but they didn’t really know how we really met.

“But you worked your way breaking down my defenses until all I could do was give in. You have shown me the life we share is not perfect, but it’s our perfect. And I know with each passing day, I continue to love you more. I’m not sure how that is possible, but you surprised me with the love you’ve shown me, the love you have shown for your daughter as well as the baby I am carrying. I really couldn’t ask for a better man to stand beside and grow old with.”

Damon cleared his throat before he started. “Kara. You broke down my barriers and showed me how to love and to love so completely, that I would die without you in my life. I don’t remember the life I had before you came into it, I only remember after. You are my soul mate, my equal, the mother to my children…” He paused to wipe the tears from his eyes, which caused me to cry even harder. He took a moment to compose himself. “I’m looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you, to love you, and make you feel like a queen everyday because you deserve nothing less.”

“Wow,” was all I could squeak out.

“You may now kiss your bride,” the minister said.

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