His eyes twinkled and she couldn’t help but laugh. When it was her turn, she deliberately brushed the piece of cake against his chin, dabbing a little frosting on him in the process. The spectators hooted, albeit slightly disappointed.
Landry laughed too, but before he wiped his chin she leaned in and licked the frosting off, prompting a pleased round of cheers from the others.
Before she could step back he kissed her again, the taste of cake fresh on his lips.
“We should have bought extra frosting,” she joked. “For later.”
He grinned. “You’re my kind of girl.”
“I’d better be your only girl.”
Landry set a small piece of cake and a fork on the floor next to Cris. Then Ross stood to give the toast.
He smiled at Tilly. “Most of you here know how special a friend Tilly is to my wife and myself,” he said. “Loren and I love her like part of our family, more than just a friend.” He grinned at Landry. “You’re a lucky guy to have her, and I suspect she won’t have any trouble keeping you in line.”
“None at all,” Landry agreed with a grin.
Ross’ face softened. “You deserve the best, Tilly. You’re a brilliant woman and have come a long way in the past several years. I know the two of you have a little bit of a challenge ahead of you, but Landry, you’ve picked the best damn woman—besides my own Loren,” he clarified, “to walk this journey with you.” He lifted his cup. “Here’s to happiness, a complete recovery for you, Landry, and hopefully some vicariously enjoyable hell for someone else that we can all witness on a frequent basis.”
Tilly laughed, forcing her eyes to stay on Landry’s face and not drop to Cris on his other side.
With plastic cups instead of real glasses to clink, everyone started pounding on their tables for another kiss from the newlyweds.
With a wink Landry leaned in and kissed her, long and slow and leaving her body sizzling in his wake. With their audience loudly hooting their approval, he whispered, “Let’s hurry this up so we can finish with them and get down to what we really want to do.”
Unfortunately, Loren had hired a DJ. They had to have a few dances, and more pictures, before Loren was happy she’d thrown Tilly a proper wedding. As they stepped into the middle of the dungeon for their first dance, where all the benches and other equipment had been pushed out of the way for clearance, Landry took her into his arms and led her around the floor. As they turned she again caught sight of Cris kneeling beside Landry’s empty chair. Except for the empty plate next to him, it didn’t look like he’d moved, his head bowed, hair hiding his face.
Landry turned them so they faced the other way. “Focus on us, love,” he whispered. “Not him.
Don’t let him spoil your day.”
“You’re fucking spooky.”
He chuckled as he nuzzled her ear. “No, I’m possessive. I want your mind on me, not him. And on what I plan on doing to you later.” The sensual dance soon took her mind off everything else as she looked into his eyes and saw her own passion mirrored there.
At one point he ground his hips against hers and she felt his stiff cock through his trousers.
“That’s for you later, love,” he promised with a playful smirk.
“I’m glad you’re flexible.”
“That makes two of us.”
She rested her head against his chest as they finished the dance. Even despite the circumstances she couldn’t say she didn’t feel special. She felt safe with him, definitely. She sensed he was a man of his word who wouldn’t hurt her. She already felt cherished.
When the song ended, everyone applauded before pounding on their tables again and chanting, “Kiss! Kiss!”
One corner of his mouth slid up in a sexy smirk. “How about it, Mrs. LaCroux?”
Heat flared deep within her belly as she draped her arms around him and gave him a long, sensual kiss. His hands cupped her ass and he ground his hips against hers as they embraced until finally he lifted his mouth and broke their kiss.
“I think I love you, Madame,” he said with a smile.
She returned his smile. “I think I love you, too.”
Tilly wanted to stay and help clean up, but Loren waved her off. “No, you’re going to go have fun.” She hugged her, then Landry. “Go do whatever it is you vanilla, non-kinky couples do,” she teased.
“Who said we’re vanilla and not kinky?” Tilly protested with a laugh. “That’s a dirty thing to call me after all the years we’ve known each other.”
“Well if he’s not your Dom, and you’re not his Domme, what the hell else is there?”
Landry pulled Tilly to him, taking her by surprise and making her squeal as he nipped her neck.
“I’m sure we’ll think of plenty of things to do.”
Tilly swatted him on the ass. “I’m sure we will.”
Loren pointed at Cris. “Oh, you. Asshole. Come here.”
Landry laughed as he unsnapped the leash and removed the clip holding his wrist cuffs together.
“Better go with her.”
All Loren needed was his signature on the marriage certificate as witness, yet another indignity.
Loren smiled as she looked at where he’d signed. “How’s it feel to know you helped marry her off, asshole?”
Cris didn’t respond even though Tilly noticed how his body tensed. Tilly felt another round of sympathy for him. “Okay, enough torture,” Tilly said. “I want to get going.”
Loren stuck her tongue out at her. “Landry’s right, you are a spoilsport.”
Others would stay and play. Landry sent Cris out to the limo first, instructing him to get in the back compartment, but to sit all the way at the front. Everyone else gave the newlyweds a birdseed shower as they ran for the car and jumped in. Ross had already made sure Tilly’s things were transferred to the limo.
Landry pulled Tilly across his lap as the limo driver shut the door before they pulled away.
“Now, home.”
“Home.” She ignored Cris’ silent presence at the front of the passenger compartment. Instead, she ran her hands through Landry’s hair. “You sure can wear a suit well. You look damn good in that thing. Even better than you did at the store.”
“I like finely-tailored clothes. You should see my wardrobe. I’ll have to take over a closet in one of the other rooms. I believe I have more than you do.” He looked up at Cris. “Isn’t that right, slave?”
Cris nodded.
He returned his attention to her and dropped his voice low enough Cris couldn’t hear. “Are you ready for tonight, love?”
“Yeah.” She snuggled closer. “Very ready.”
It seemed as if his expression softened, saddened as his eyes roamed her face. “I promise I will never leave you, Tilly. Not unless you tell me to go.”
Emotion threatened to swamp her. “Please don’t say that.”
He frowned. “Why not? I mean it.”
She struggled not to cry and finally succeeded in keeping her tears in check. “Don’t make me promises you might not be able to keep.” She didn’t want to ruin her wedding night thinking about the possibility that his treatment might not beat the cancer back this time.
Or that he might choose to leave one day.
Apparently sensing her distress, he slowly nodded and caressed her cheek, cradling her face in his palm. “I promise, with every fiber of my being, to the deepest corners of my soul, that I will fight to stay with you until the very last breath leaves my body.”
She gasped, unable to respond.
“Does that settle your heart, love?”
She nodded, feeling the prickle of tears in her eyes. “Yeah.” Pulling his head down to hers, she kissed him, long and deep and enjoying the feel of his hands on her, his arms around her. She wanted to cry and didn’t know if he’d understand, didn’t want to let go in front of Cris, either.