Eve savored the feel of his thighs against her. Again and again she reared back, urging him to thrust home hard and complete this mating ritual. Over and over he penetrated her, her inner muscles clenching around him like an iron glove. Eve felt each thrust all the way down to her toes.
"Come, fly with me now," Adam said. He felt his climax building. Deep in her honeyed warmth, he knew he'd found paradise.
Eve's muscles clenched violently around him. Once again, she was thrust high into the heavens. She screamed his name.
Her shout drove Adam crazy. "I love you, only you, always you," he whispered. Liquid warmth gushed down and around his member, and for a moment he thought he might actually expire from their passion. Being inside her and watching himself thrust over and over into her was his undoing. As she found fulfillment, he gave over to the most powerful climax of his life. It went on and on until Adam was boneless, and he collapsed beside her and kissed her neck. Some moments later, he managed to curve his arms around her, to hold her gently. "This settles it. We'll marry in three days' time."
Eyes still hazy with passion, Eve whispered, "But we're already married."
"No, Eve, you made that part up."
Thoroughly exhausted, Eve was more than a little foggy. But at last Adam's words made sense. "Argh, you're right. I did. But if we get married now, people will know I lied."
Putting a finger to her lips, he smoothed out her frown. "We'll say we're renewing our vows, since I was gone for so long a time. Everyone will be delighted—especially your father. He'll think you're the cleverest Bluebeard ever to stop sailing the seven seas."
She laughed. "That I am. And you can begin your psychologist training with me! I kept my university texts, as well as all the monthly Psychology Journals on the Supernaturally Insane."
"I'd like that. I enjoy helping the patients. It gives me a purpose in life that I haven't found in all my wanderings."
She kissed his cheek then caressed it with her fingers. "You have great instincts, and you've been a great help already, but think what you can do with more knowledge. You'll rival Dr. Sigmund himself!"
"I live to rival Dr. Sigmund," he said as he nuzzled her neck. "In matters psychological. But now let me show you where my real expertise lies." His eyes glinted with mischief.
Eve, the prominent and very rational psychologist, giggled like a schoolgirl. She soon agreed that in Adam's specialized field he was an unqualified expert, and he quite drove her mad.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
A Bluebeard of Happiness
A rainbow graced Adam and Eve's wedding, and everyone who was connected with the Towers knew that somewhere over it, bluebirds were gloriously flying—and a crusty little leprechaun was looking for pots of gold. The guests watched Adam and Eve make their solemn vows. When the minister declared the bemused couple "man and wife," the rafters shook with cheers. Even Captain Bluebeard, for all his blustery ways, had a tear in his eye.
With the maddening din of good wishes ringing in their ears, Adam and Eve adjourned to the main portion of the asylum for the reception. Eve stood tall in the receiving line, her smile blinding, revealing to all the happiness that she was feeling. In this unstable and sometimes cruel world, such love as her husband's was as rare as a unicorn.
Yes, she was blessed. This man who had been a stranger to her so short a time ago was now the center of her life, filling a part of her she had never known was empty. He could fly her to the moon—or to the very heavens themselves.
"I'll never forget this night," she whispered. "Our wedding night. It's like a fairy tale."
"I doubt our patients or staff will forget it, either," Adam said. They both glanced around at the crowd of frolicking and laughing well-wishers.
Eve noted several of her father's crew talking with Major Gallant. The complex Napoleon wanna-be was standing against a column, hand in his stiff coat, and she heard a few of his louder remarks. Something about the rotten English. Her father's first mate, a true Frenchman—one who had seen the real Napoleon—listened impassively, a slight smirk on his face.
"I hope the major is content merely to plan a victory against Wellington and not enact it," she said. "It's too crowded on the stairs tonight."
Adam nodded and greeted another guest.
Sighing in deep contentment, Eve breathed in the fragrant scent of gardenias, orange blossoms, and roses. Tonight the asylum was filled with a plethora of flowers, their sweet scents filling the air. Eve's lips twitched into a smile. So far Jack the Rip, though foxed, was behaving himself. The man was otherwise occupied, flirting outrageously with one of the guests who happened to be wearing a very fetching bonnet with lush red roses placed around the brim. Pavlov, who was standing near the couple, gave Eve a nod, letting her know that he had his eye on things. Junger lay beside his master, and appeared to be hugely interested in the wedding cake. He was clearly waiting for the bell of the ball.
Teeter, beaming happily, approached with a tray of champagne in hand. "May I say the madhouse has never looked better?"
"Yes, it's breathtaking," Eve replied. "You've all done a fine job, and I thank you for pitching in to help." Everyone at the Towers had shown their support. Early this afternoon Fester had generously gifted them with three pots of gold. Eve had cried in joy, and Adam had slapped the crusty little man on the back. Even Teeter had unbent a bit, and praised Fester for his generosity.
"The leprechaun cleans up well." The butler sniffed.
Eve smiled and glanced over to where Fester was standing. With his newly acquired wealth, he was now dressed to the nines in a velvet jacket of emerald green. Diamonds winked from his cuff links, and the diamond on his stickpin was as big as his thumb. He wore a black top hat and looked rather debonair as he argued with her father about some supposed triangle in the Caribbean where ships disappeared and were never seen again.
"That he does," she agreed.
"Of course, he would have done better to be less vulgar in his display of good fortune," Teeter remarked.
"I think he looks in fine feathers," Adam spoke up. "Besides, the old codger deserves to enjoy his spoils. He's waited a long time for them."
Frederick Frankenstein approached, with his escort—Miss Beal! Wearing a stupid grin on his face, the gentle giant congratulated the happy couple, followed by Lady Jane and the Earl of Wolverton, and all their other friends.
The newly married couple accepted all congratulations with happy smiles, though both were secretly wishing to be alone. They finally found their wish granted, as they stood off to the side by a large group of lush green ferns, just the two of them.
Adam smiled down at Eve, his arm about her waist. "You are the loveliest thing I have ever seen. When you walked down that aisle tonight, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. You looked like an angel. You don't know how proud I was to stand beside you and pledge my troth. Nothing will ever tear us apart." He quickly sent a swift but fervent look of thanks to the Almighty, who watches over the sparrow as well as the hawk, and who loves all things great and small. "God truly must love man. He must truly love me. I must say, he's a fine judge of character."
Eve cocked her head, curious. "Why?"
"He gave man woman, and he gave me you. I am the luckiest creature on earth."
Blinking back the tears that suddenly formed in her eyes, she replied softly, "No. I'm the fortunate one." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "You do realize, don't you, that most men would quake in fear of what you have committed yourself to." Taking her gaze off Adam, she glanced around the asylum. "When you took me on, you took on a daunting task. Many a sane man wouldn't want this bunch of lunatics."