“I’m not allowed. What Icantell you is that your husband is waiting for you on the upper deck, and we can’t keep the man waiting.”
Half an hour later, I emerge onto a massive deck on the cliffside with a glass railing looking out over the water. There’s a huge square arch covered in white roses. Standing underneath it is a man I don’t recognize and a man I do. Griffin.
He’s wearing a matching tan suit to my father’s, and his hair is down in loose waves around his shoulders. God, he’s beautiful.
That’s not all.
There’s a line of chairs on either side forming a center aisle, each one occupied by someone with the last name Hayes. Evelyn and Russell, Olivia and Wilder, Callie and Jaxon, and all of the kids are here. Caroline and Shawn are seated in the front row, too, and the latter has Jessie perched on her lap wearing an adorable white chiffon tutu dress with puff sleeves.
There’s only one person missing, but I know she’d be standing at the altar as my maid of honor if she could.
Butterflies take up residence in my stomach as I stare at my husband waiting for me at the end of the short walk to the edge of the cliffside. Our love feels infinite—an inevitabilitythat neither of us could’ve fought. Still, I would’ve chosen him anyway if it meant we’d end up here.
My chin quivers, and I blow out a quick breath to stop the overwhelming emotions from spilling out of me.
Mom kisses my cheek and strides down the aisle to take her seat at the front beside Caroline, and my dad slides my hand into the crook of his arm.
“Been waiting a lifetime for the chance to walk you down the aisle, stella mia. Are you ready?” His eyes are glassy, but he doesn’t waver.
My throat tightens, and it’s all I can do to nod.
Griffin
She’s fucking breathtaking.
Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t Cry.
When she takes the first step, I lose the battle.
Chapter 40
The Heels Stay On
? Lose Control - Teddy Swims
Griffin
I couldn’t have pulledoff the surprise without Selena’s help. She did the bulk of the planning, down to selecting a gown and a wedding venue. It’s been in the works for months now, and everything went off without a hitch.
After the wedding ceremony, we pose for photos, then we join my family back on the cliffside terrace for a fully catered meal. Good food and good company, as my father so often says in his toasts.
As the night winds down, we share our first dance in front of the glass railing where we said, ‘I do,’ the sunset sky casting my wife in an ethereal light.
Halfway through, I motion for Mama to bring Jessie over, and we finish the dance together as a family. There isn’t a single thing I would’ve done differently, except maybe marry her six years sooner.
I give a short speech to thank everyone for coming, and wehead back to our suite for a repeat honeymoon that we’ll both remember this time. We’ll see everyone again tomorrow. Angie doesn’t know it yet, but I extended our stay to make the trip worthwhile for my family. For now, I’m itching to strip my wife out of her dress and have my way with her.
I carry Angelina bridal style into the suite, not stopping until we reach the balcony. She laughs as I set her down on her feet.
“You know there’s a perfectly good bedroom in there, right?” Her voice is quiet and sultry as she slides her hands beneath the lapels of my jacket to push it off my shoulders and down my arms.
“We’ll get there later,” I murmur, fingering the ends of her silky dark hair. “First, I’m going to take you right here like I did that night in Vegas, and I’m going to make sure you remember it tomorrow and every goddamn day after that.”
Her fingers move to the buttons on my dress shirt as I cup her face in my palm, kissing her roughly. Her tongue tangles with mine, frantic and so goddamn delicious. I drop my arms so she can tug it all of the way off, never breaking the kiss.
Once my arms are free, I grip her hips and whirl her around to face the wall that serves as a balcony railing. “That sexy little slit in your dress has been taunting me all goddamn night.”
She rests her palms on the edge as I work at the corset laces, keeping her body hidden from view. It takes far too long, and my patience is wearing thin. I let out a low groan as the gown pools at her feet, leaving her in nothing but a lacy white thong and a pair of white high heels that tie around her ankles. “Fucking hell. The heels stay on.”
