Once inside, Grace is ushered into a small dressing room while I’m guided to the front pew. The attendant grins like he knows my life has changed forever.
A man in a rhinestone-covered white jumpsuit appears. Not just any Elvis. This is quite the impersonator. If the singer hadn’t been dead for decades, I’d have thought he was living out his later years here. The celebrity look-a-like is wearing the gold belt, the white cape, and has the perfect pompadour. His sunglasses are tilted low. This whole thing is completely surreal.
He points at me. “You ready, brother?”
I chuckle. “I’ve never been more ready for anything.”
The lights dim. A live guitarist strums the opening chords of “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”
The doors open. And Grace steps out holding a bouquet of red roses. Her silver dress catches the fluorescent light. Her golden hair is loose around her shoulders. Her bright blue eyes are shining.
I forget how to breathe.
When she reaches me, Grace slides her fingers into mine, and I swear my heart actually free falls. That helicopter ride earlier has nothing on this moment.
Elvis clears his throat. “We are gathered here tonight…”
Smiling down at my bride to be I realize with dizzying certainty my life will never be the same.
We returnto the hotel room in uncomfortable silence. It’s honestly a bit awkward. Is she wondering what on earth she just did? Marrying me on a whim?
She lays her bouquet of roses on the table, and I try not to stare. I don’t want to make her embarrassed. Instead, I twirl the cheap goldband on my finger the Uber driver located for us at a pawn shop down the road from the licensing board.
Yes, I somehow lost my mind between Hanover and Las Vegas.
When I look up, I notice Grace’s eyes are trained on my fingers, where they play with my ring. What is she thinking? Has the reality of what we’ve done finally sunk in? Is she regretting what just happened? Have I added untoward more stress to this sweet girl’s life?
She walks slowly toward me, her expression unreadable. Once she’s standing toe to toe, I’m tempted to pull her into me. But I need a moment to discern what’s going through that pretty little head of hers.
Then, as if someone shot off a gun to mark the start of a race, we’re both on each other, pulling at each other’s hair and devouring the other’s lips. There’s no more soft and sweet from earlier in the day. This is pent-up attraction that is impossible to tamp down.
“Grace. I want you. God, how I want you.” I breathe into her neck before dragging my tongue along the soft slope of her throat to her collarbone.
“Yes.”
“Please. I’ll beg. Can I make love to you?”
“You don’t have to beg. I’ve been dreaming of this for so long.”
I step back, shocked to hear these words fall from her lips. “You have?”
“Yes.”
“Thank god. I’m praying you’re a forgiving person. Because I’m terrified, I’m going to humiliate myself when I only last two minutes. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this my whole damn life.” I bury my face in her hair as I grip her ass with my hands and pull her perfect body against mine.
“Then stop talking and take my clothes off.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She spins, presenting her back to me. My hands shake under the force of my greedy anticipation as I lower her zipper. Her smooth skin comes into view, and I immediately discover she isn’t wearing abra. I catch Grace looking over her shoulder at me in confusion. “What’s the matter?”
“I can’t believe I’m finally going to see you naked.”
Her face contorts in shock. “But didn’t you already see me? In that magazine?” Her previously radiant glow clouds under a fog of shame. I can’t wait until the day that awful experience is nothing more than a distant memory for her.
“No, babe. I’d never disrespect you like that.”
She takes a stunned step back. “What? But you said you and your friend managed to track down all of the magazines and destroyed them. I thought for sure?—”
