“You come up here.” I laughed. “When do we ever jump on the bed naked? Then we can say, ‘Hey, remember the morning of our wedding, we were jumping on the bed naked?’”
“Fine.” He laughed with me and stood with his semi-erect cock finding a home between my legs.
“Good morning.” I winked.
“Kiss me,” he demanded, and as I did, I felt that semi go straight up hard, and it was awesome. In fact, so awesome, I’d completely forgotten about the pounding on the front door.
Holst had both hands gripped tight on my ass, kissing me deep. I had one hand on his ass, the other one between us around his shaft when I heard the voice of Cam say, “I brought you guys doughnuts and coffee, and, by the way, Kath…we’ll call this even. See you in three hours.”
“Lock the door and pocket that key,” I yelled out.
“If I don’t get my dick inside you right now, I’m gonna come on your thighs.”
“Awesome,” I said, and as soon as the front door closed, my fiancé backed up, still standing on the bed with the support of the wall, and slid inside of me.
“Put your foot on the headboard, baby.”
“Oh, this is fantastic,” I murmured and did as I was told. I closed my eyes as he thrust up and deep at the new angle. “So fantastic,” I repeated.
“Rub your clit. I’m gonna be quick.”
“Why?” I breathed. “Why quick?”
He stopped, planted inside me. Both of us panting in the heated moment. “That was Cam. My mom and your mom will be here any minute…and they both have a key,” he reminded.
“Yeah, quick, fuck me, quick.” I laughed.
And not long after, just as I cried out and came, Holst followed, and so did a hearty knock at our front door.
***
I stood, staring out the window of a Sunday school room, surrounded by women. My mother, my future mother-in-law, Becky, Tori, Dee, and Ruby. Ruby arranged for everyone to have champagne cocktails, and when a knock came at the door, I was calm as can be. We had only five or ten minutes until go-time, but I was Zen-bride. As my mother carefully opened the door, Cam stepped inside.
He looked so handsome. He was always good-looking, and there was a time when I would have loved nothing more than to take him home and keep him as a sex slave for a while. But, thankfully at that time, he was married, and when he wasn’t, he only had eyes for Tori…because, well, that would be awkward.
I asked Tori to be my matron-of-honor, but I had no other bridesmaids. I wanted everyone to have a good time, relax, eat, drink, and be freaking merry without the pressures of being a part of the bridal entourage. I had another reason for doing this though: Holst had asked Frodo to be his best man. I felt that, by releasing Dee from any bridesmaid duties, she wasn’t being constantly pushed in his direction, and later, when I told her that Frodo was best man, she thanked me. I was feeling guilty about it, not wanting to spell my reasons out, but she understood.
But Cam…he was dressed in a tuxedo. Black on black with a thin, gold tie and a cream rose in his lapel. He matched Holst and Frodo and carried a cake box from Shebang Meringue.
“Whatever’s in there is gonna be so damn good,” I said.
“Kath?” he said. “Would you do me the honor of allowing me to walk you down the aisle?”
My mom burst into tears. Loudly.
Tori shouted to her husband, also crying, “Love you so much right now, Brawny!”
I stared at Cam, his scruffy hot-guy look totally working for him with the tux. “I did not see this coming,” I whispered.
He raised one eyebrow and, with a smirk, asked, “Is that a yes?”
“Totally,” I replied. But I didn’t cry. I could not start crying now. “Dee? It’s time, babe.”
Lark made stunning accessories to match the gowns she designed. Tori’s wedding dress was phenomenal. No one had ever seen anything like it, because it was a bright, flamingo pink that started dark and lightened…like the petals of a rose, Cam had said. I loved her dress. It was totally her. But my dress was totally me. I wondered if Lark had some kind of crystal ball, but I knew for a fact she was a gun when it came to these accessories. She made cuffs that went around the stems of the bridal bouquet called cluster corsets. I ordered three: one for my bouquet of creamy roses and two for each wrist. I let the skin breath as long as I could, and now…
It was time.
Dee laced up each wrist corset, hand-embroidered with gold floral details. One cuff had a cursive H the other a cursive K. The very last thing to do was place a gold filigree crown on top of my head. The box of little cakes forgotten, it was Cam who pulled the parchment-colored tulle with golden sheen and stitching over my face and little crown. The gold pearl-drop earrings my mother bought were the final accessory. I’d almost forgotten them until she stepped up and lifted the veil so I could put them on.
“There,” she said, tears in her eyes. “Perfect.”
Then, I thought it was as good a time as any. “Mom…” I began.
“Nope. No way. I’m happy I’m here and a part of your life, finally. Go, Katherine…and be happy,” she said.
I turned to Tori, Dee, and Ruby. “Am I good?”
“Dude,” Tori whispered.
I smiled back and turned to Cam with a wink. “I’m good.”
He offered his bent arm, and I took it. The glimmering fabric with its golden tulle beneath whooshed as I walked. And out of the corner of my eye, I spied the lacy, golden top as it caught the afternoon sunlight and reflected on the windows of the hallway.
When the woman in charge gave the signal, we were ushered outside the church, around the back, and entered the front doors. A fussy baby girl, Nico’s daughter, Maree, was being rocked back and forth by him.
“It’s all arranged,” he told me covertly. “Truck is packed up. Lark and Teensy took care of everything. My neighbor’ll have it all ready for you guys.”
“Thank you, Nico. So, so much,” I told him.
The music started, and Tori took her place in front of me, wearing a beautiful gold satin A-line dress with the same shimmery tulle underneath. Her hair was up in big curls, and, with red lips, she looked like a million bucks.
I turned to Nico, who was rocking back and forth from one foot to the other, and asked, “I heard there was a story about that cabin. Can you tell me about it? I have about two minutes.” I laughed.
“Yeah.” He grinned. “I had a friend, a man. He saved me after someone beat the fuck out of me… Long story.” He smiled. “But he came to see me, and something about him, we just had a connection. He and his wife lost a son, and they owned that cabin. He left it to me before he died, with one condition…‘only bring your forever girl there.’ You’ll see what I mean, babe. It’s the kind of place you go to share with someone who has your heart.”
“Thanks, Nico,” I whispered, trying to contain my emotions.
“You’re up.” He nodded toward the door.
Cam held me tight and proud, and we began our ascent as the organ swelled. “This is a practice run for you. One day, you’ll be walking Lana up the aisle.”
“I hear she’s marrying a younger man,” he said.
I glanced over briefly to see his smile. I just tried not to fall, and focused on one step at a time, because, right there, not far from me, was Holst. Dapper didn’t even begin to describe how incredibly handsome he looked.
“Her marriage is already arranged?” I giggled.
“I was told by your soon to be husband the man’s name is Jack Ryan Rutherford? Did I get that right?”
I nodded and whispered, “Baby badass.”
Cam took my hand and gave it to Holst, who stood, stunned, not moving.
“You’re freaking me out,” I told him as quietly as I could.
“Please be seated,” the minister said to the congregation. “Sir?” he asked, shaking Holst from his stupor.
Then Holst came close to my ear and whispered, “The day in the bridal shop, I wanted this, Katherine. I could picture you standing here, but I never imagined you could be any more beautiful than you were that day, and yet…here you are.”