Everyone’s laughter rode along the sound of the waves as I felt a tear slide down my cheek.

“Then I realized something when you walked toward me just now. One, you left me speechless with your beauty, and the second thing, I could stand here and profess all these amazing things to you, but all I really need to tell you is one thing.”

I fought like hell to keep from crying as my eyes searched Emmit’s face.

“I will love you and cherish you until the day I die. If there was ever anything I believed with my whole being, it is that statement. You can take everything else away—the racecars, the big fancy houses, the money . . . all of it, and I’d be perfectly fine. But if you were to be taken away from me—” Emmit’s voice cracked as he closed his eyes briefly before opening them and whispering, “I wouldn’t be able to breathe without you.”

The moment I saw a single tear fall from his eye, a small sob escaped from my lips.

Emmit lifted his hand and placed it gently on the side of my face as he smiled brighter than I’ve ever seen him smile before. The force of his touch raced through my body as I stood there trying not to let my legs give out.

“I can just see our future now, Addie. You pregnant with our first child and both of us scared as hell. The first day we drop her off at Kindergarten, then high school, and then college. Me draping a string of pearls around your neck on their wedding day.” Emmit closed his eyes as I leaned my face into his hand. Opening his eyes, he slowly shook his head. “The two of us walking hand-in-hand on some walking path as our grandchildren race by us on bikes. I want it all, and I don’t want it with anyone but you, Addie.”

Tears fell freely from my eyes as I placed my hand over Emmit’s. Closing my eyes, I shook my head. Everything I had wanted to say to him slipped from my mind. I barely said, “Emmit,” as I walked to him and he held me. “How am I going to top that?” I asked into his chest. My body shook as he laughed and held me tighter to him.

Pulling back, Emmit wiped my tears from my face. “Just tell me you love me and you’re forever mine, Addie. That’s all I’ve ever needed to hear.”

I lifted my hand and wiped across my nose in the most unladylike fashion as I captured his eyes with mine. “I love you so much, and I’ve been yours since the first time you smiled at me. I gave you my heart back then, and you’ve held it ever since. I will forever be yours.”

Emmit placed his finger on my chin and lifted my mouth to his. He was about to kiss it when the pastor talked.

“Oh, we aren’t at that part yet.”

The naughty smile that spread across Emmit’s face caused me to giggle. “Hurry it up, pastor. I want to kiss my wife.”

I didn’t hear a word that was spoken from that point on. The only thing I for sure heard was the pastor saying, “You may now kiss your bride.”

Emmit pulled my body to his as he kissed me like I’d never been kissed before. Something beautiful and amazing was shared between our bodies and I never wanted to leave that moment. It was exactly how I felt this morning when we were connected as one.

When our lips finally broke, Emmit whispered, “You’re mine.”

With a smile, I bit into my lower lip and slowly released it as I softly spoke. “Yours forever.”

I COULDN’T BELIEVE HOW INCREDIBLY happy I was as I sat in a chair and watched Adaline dance with my brother. The night had been more amazing than I could have ever dreamed of.

Adaline was mine. Mrs. Emmit Lewis.

Smiling, I shook my head and looked around. We had moved the party into the bar, and I loved that the other guests were helping us celebrate our marriage. I silently prayed that I would always be able to make Adaline smile like she was right now.

“She certainly looks beautiful.”

I lifted my eyes to see my sister standing next to me. Motioning for her to sit, I took another drink of my beer as I nodded my head and said, “She most certainly is.”

Ashley bumped me with her arm as she asked, “Does it feel different? Being married?”

As I glanced back out to the dance floor, I let the moments of today run through my mind. “I feel complete. That’s the only way I know how to explain it.”

Ashley sighed next to me as she wrapped her arm around mine. “I hope I meet a guy like you someday, Emmit.”

I shook my head and laughed. “No one will ever be good enough for you. I pity the fool who breaks your heart.”

Laughter shook Ashley’s body. “I’m afraid that’s already happened.”

Pulling back, I looked at my sister. “What? Who? When did this happen? I’ll kill the little fucker.”

Ashley hit my chest lightly and shook her head. “Stop it. It was awhile back and doesn’t matter anymore. After these last few weeks of being able to spend time with you and Adaline, I see what real love is. The way you look at Adaline when she walks into a room; it’s as if she lit the entire room up. You can almost feel your love for her.”

Ashley looked into my eyes and smiled weakly. “I want that, Emmit.”

I placed my hand on the back of her neck and pulled her closer to me. With a gently kiss on her forehead, I said, “Wait for it, Ashley. I promise you it will come when you least expect it to.”

“How will I know?”

Smiling, I lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. “Trust me, you’ll know.”

Ashley settled more into my side as she lifted her feet onto the chair. “Mom said y’all are leaving tomorrow.”

“Yeah, with everything that happened and the idea of Stephanie lurking around, I think it’s best if we go somewhere else.”

“Let me know when you get there okay? You don't have to tell me where you are, just that you arrived safely.”

“I promise I will, Ashley.”

The music changed and Adaline turned to face me. Using her fingers, she motioned for me to join her.

“Sorry, baby sister, but my beautiful bride wants to flirt with me.”

Ashley laughed and pushed me away toward Adaline as she stood up with me.

The music was sexy and the way Adaline moved her body was even sexier. I walked up to her and pulled her to me as she exhaled a breath of air. My lips quickly found the sensitive area under her ear as she grabbed onto my shirt and fisted her hands.

“I want to peel this fucking dress off of you right here, Addie.”

Her body shuddered as she grabbed tighter onto my shirt. The way her chest moved up and down with each labored breath had my dick growing harder by the moment.

My lips caressed her skin as I moved along her neck. “Emmit,” she panted as I pressed my dick into her stomach.

I’d never wanted her as much as I did right now. If I didn’t push myself into her soon, I was going to explode. Pulling my head back some, I searched for Todd. He was standing off to the corner and when my eyes found his, he nodded and mouthed, “It’s ready.”

With a quick smile, I nodded back that I understood. My hand moved lightly down Adaline’s body until I took her hand in mine. “We’re leaving.”

“Are we going to our cottage?”

I could hear the concern in Adaline’s voice. Chris and the hotel security had done an entire sweep of the room but I still didn’t trust that someone would be watching us.

With a quick wink, I shook my head and led Adaline off the dance floor. “No, to the private plane I rented to take us on our honeymoon.”

Adaline stopped walking, pulling me to a stop. “What?” With a small chuckle, Adaline looked around and then back at me. “Emmit, this is where we’re spending our honeymoon.”

As I took a step closer to her, my eyes fell to those soft lips that were begging to be kissed. “There’s been a change of plans, baby. We’re leaving now to go somewhere new.”

Fire danced in Adaline’s eyes. “Really?” I lifted my hand and pushed a piece of her brown hair behind her ear and smiled. “Yeah baby. No one knows where we are going but me and the pilot.”