It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her she’s beautiful, but I don’t think she needs to hear that word right now. I didn’t realize just how desensitized shewas. It’s not that she didn’t know she was beautiful. She did, because her mother never let her forget it. It’s what her entire identity as a child was about.
“I love you,” I whisper instead, because I don’t think she’s heard that enough.
“I know,” she replies. “I love you.”
“I know.”
Epilogue
Ihaven’t told Charlotte or Rachel about Laura, about the fact I had a twin sister and Emmanuel was in love with her first. I’m not sure if I will. I don’t want anyone else’s doubt creeping into my mind.
I’m probably clinically insane. Seeing my mother again has made me realize it’s also probably genetic. She’s worse than she was even back then. Or I’ve justbeen out of that inner circle for so long now I forgot how bad it was to be in it.
I know Emmanuel loves me. I believe him when he tells me it’s not her he sees. He’s right. They were sixteen, puppy love. What we have is different. It goes beyond looks, beyond money. It’s real. I feel it right down to my core. It terrifies me, because I don’t know what will happen to me if I lose him.
When the priest says, “You may now kiss the bride,” Emmanuel doesn’t waste any time. His lips are pressed against mine.
“Fucking finally,” he grunts. “I’ve been waiting for you to be my wife for weeks.”
“Me too,” I tell him.
“Let’s get out of here. The things I want to do to you are not very holy.” He smirks.
As soon as we’re enclosed in a car, alone, he’s on me.
“Fuck me, I need you now,” he says. The divider screen is up, separating us from the driver.
My dress is long, form-fitting silk. I inch it up my legs and straddle him. I’m not wearing panties. I didn’t want the lines to show. “I’m ready,” I tell him.
Emmanuel unbuckles his belt and then his pants. I take hold of his cock. He might need me right now, but I need him more.
I line him up with my entrance and slide down. “Oh god.”
“How?” he asks, his hands cupping my face. “How does it get better every fucking time?”
“I don’t know,” I moan as I move up and then fall back down on him. “But I’m going to spend a lifetime fucking you, E, so you better like it.”
“This lifetime and the next.” His hands move down to my hips, holding me still as he thrusts upwards, setting the pace as he fucks me. “Mrs. Lopez, I fucking love you.”
“I love you.” I moan as an orgasm rips through me. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. “I love you,” I repeat.
“I know,” Emmanuel says, thrusting into me one, two, three more times.
THREE MONTHS LATER
“Are you ready?” Emmanuel asks.
“No.” I shake my head from side to side. How did I let myself get in this predicament? Then I look at my husband.That’s how.“This is your fault, you know. If you weren’t so damn sexy, I’d be able tokeep my hands off you and we wouldn’t be here right now.”
He smirks. “Whatever it says, we are in this together. You aren’t alone, Evie.”
“I know.” I take a huge breath. “Okay.” Picking up the stick on the counter, I turn it over. The wordpregnantflashes back at me.
Emmanuel smiles. “We’re pregnant,” he says in awe.
“How?”
“Really, Evie, I think you know how. It’s because you can’t keep your hands off me.” He grins.
