Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Pride burns inside me. “Better?”
She nods. “So much.”
I kiss her bare shoulder and then her neck before I hug her tightly from behind. “You good? Ready to head in? We’re late.”
She leans her head into mine and kisses my cheek. “I want to marry you.”
I grin, my heart kicking up in speed. “I’ll push Ciaran and Lou off the mountain, and we can hijack this wedding.”
She snorts, smacking the arm that holds her. “No need. Our time will come.”
“Soon?”
“Soon,” she agrees as she turns in my arms and kisses my lips. I want to draw out the kiss, but we’re interrupted by Clara.
“Hey, lovebirds, come on! We’re waiting on you two.”
Elliot flashes me a wide grin, and I swear, it hits me dead center in the chest. I kiss her nose then wrap my arm around her as we head to the little white chapel that overlooks the most beautiful view of Gatlinburg. The sky is a gorgeous shade of blue, the clouds bright and fluffy as a nice, warm breeze blows. It’s the perfect day for a wedding.
I hold Elliot close as we head around the chapel to where the gazebo sits, covered in white and light-blue flowers. Ciaran stands in front of the gazebo next to the minister under the book arch that took an hour to make. Along with the books, we added more flowers, and I have to admit, they look great and pop against the white gazebo. Austen, Clara, and Eliza stand on the opposite side from Ciaran, and sitting down are Dimitri Titov and Coleson Katz, who is in a full leg brace. I feel for the dude; the injury he sustained was brutal.
But he’s fighting back.
I walk Elliot down the aisle, and when she looks up at me, I would commit murder to marry her right now. She looks so damn beautiful, her hair in a high bun with little curls falling every which way. The light-blue dress hugs her huge breasts and makes her hazel eyes appear bluer than I’m used to. It also shows off her strong shoulders, which I want to nibble on. She’s breathtaking—and all mine.
I guide her beside Clara and kiss her lips. She leans into my kiss, cupping my jaw, and I know I need to pull back before everyone gets another show. I kiss her top lip, rub her belly, and then head to stand beside Ciaran.
I look around, noticing someone is missing. “Coach didn’t come?”
Ciaran shakes his head, disappointment outlining his features. “Something came up.”
I don’t know why, but my gaze falls on Clara. Instantly, she looks away, looking mortified as hell. Not sure what that’s about, but I bet it has something to do with the fact that she hooked up with my surly Highlander. Though, I’m surprised he missed Ciaran’s wedding because of a drunken one-night stand that happened a month ago and only I know about.
Well, I told Eliott.
Of course.
But since he’s not here, I wonder if it was more… I should ask.
It makes me sad I won’t be able to drive him crazy anymore.
Eh, I can FaceTime him.
Once we’re all ready, Ciaran nods to a violinist, and she starts to play a soft melody. Instead of looking at Louisa, who I know is a gorgeous bride, I look over at Elliot to watch her face. I knew it was going to be a stunning sight. Her mouth parts, her eyes widening as tears fall quickly down her cheeks. Love burns in her eyes as she watches her sister, and I adore that gobsmacked look on her face. I can’t wait until she’s walking down the aisle toward me.
I can’t look away even as the wedding begins. She’s just so unbelievably beautiful. As the minister talks about finding true love, Elliot cradles her stomach while she shifts her hips side to side. I’m entranced by the way she moves, and I wish I were behind her, feeling that sweet ass as I hold my son to help her with some of the weight. It’s crazy how much her body has changed. Everything has swelled, and it makes my mouth water. My son made his presence known, and I’m beyond ready to meet him.
To love him.
To be there for him.
To break the generational curse of not being a father to a child.
My dad’s dad wasn’t there for him, nor was his dad’s dad.
That ends with me.
I will be there for my son and for his mother. I will love them more than I love anything in this world, and in doing so, we’ll be happy. It won’t be easy, not by a long shot, but we won’t give up.
It’s not in us to do so.
I’m thankful I’m staring a hole into Elliot, because if I weren’t, I would have missed the grimace of pain and the way she clutches her stomach as she hisses out a breath. Her eyes widen, her mouth parts, and then her gaze is on me. Pure fear fills her eyes, and she doesn’t have to speak for me to know she needs help. I bring in my brows just as her eyes well with tears, and then I’m moving. I jump over the rail of the gazebo, then the other rail, before coming up behind her. I wrap my arms around her, and once I press myself into her, I feel the wetness.