A Cold Dark Promise (Cold Justice #8.5)(41)
She closed her eyes and when she opened them again they were full of unshed tears. “I’m going to buy you a new watch for Christmas, Alex.”
He grinned and went to stand next to Frazer again. He’d made it. He could barely believe he’d made it. Jane Sanders caught his eye, and she sent him a grateful smile as she slipped into a chair at the back of the congregation. Reilly gripped her hand, and she held onto Taylor’s. Alex wasn’t sure she’d ever let the kid go again, but that was their problem. At least Ahmed Masook was permanently out of the picture.
The string quartet started playing the wedding march, and Alex felt a nervous flutter inside his chest cavity like bird’s wings unfolding against his ribs. He was never nervous, but today he was. Nervous that Mallory might hate and despise him. Nervous that she might change her mind.
There was a flash of movement near the hotel doors.
“Face front, Parker,” Frazer ordered.
For once, Alex did as he was told.
He stared at the minister who was giving him a look that spoke of a possible case of indigestion.
The bridesmaids came first, peeling off to stand on his left.
He heard people gasping and wondered if Mallory had taken him at his word and shown up naked, painted green. He wouldn’t care. He squared his shoulders as he sensed her coming up the aisle and turned to face her.
Their gazes met, and the wind was knocked out of his chest. Instead of angry and accusing, those whiskey eyes of hers were soft and full of love.
She looked so beautiful. Tall, slender—from the front anyway—dark hair gleaming with pretty flowers. Her dress made his mouth go dry. She looked like a princess, like a nymph or a goddess.
She arrived at his side, and the scent of her and the bouquet hit him in a wave of something fresh and exquisite. He loved everything about her. She was all he’d ever wanted and rather than being here for her, he’d let her down.
Her father placed her hand over his. Her fingers were warm, her grip firm. He couldn’t stop looking at her.
Slowly she smiled and then turned away to face the minister, and he followed her lead.
He spoke the words that would bind them in the eyes of the law and the people around them, but he knew they were already bound, as if they’d been destined for one another and maybe lived out this connection before. Because a love this big, a romance this earth-shattering couldn’t be satisfied with just one lifetime.
Death do us part seemed too short a time to pledge his love, but he didn’t want to go off script.
Frazer handed him the rings, and his hands shook when he placed one on Mallory’s finger and she on his. Wedded for life. Bound for eternity.
He leaned down and captured her mouth with his.
“I’ll never leave you again,” he whispered in her ear.
She smiled into his eyes. “Yes, you will. But as long as we both come back to one another, that’s all that matters.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
The air felt cooler here after being in the south of France for a week, but smelled so sweetly of spring, so perfectly of home that Reilly preferred it a thousand times over to the dry, arid heat of the Mediterranean.
They’d broken a few of the laws of physics to get here, but they could relax now. The sun shone brightly and birds sang gaily as if celebrating with the happy couple. It wasn’t like him to get all hearts and roses, but apparently, after thirty-eight years on this earth, it was finally his turn.
Izzy Campbell had provided a pale-blue, knee-length dress, white cardigan and sandals for Jane to wear, and a floral dress with a pretty headband for Taylor. Everything fit perfectly, even the shoes. Reilly could barely keep his eyes off the woman at his side, but forced himself to stop staring.
He faced forward.
The bride looked beautiful, elegant and regal. Alex looked stunned.
Reilly knew how the guy felt. He glanced at Jane again. He knew exactly how Alex felt.
It was probably dumb to fall so hard and fast, but he hadn’t had much choice in the matter. The more time he’d spent with Jane the more time he’d wanted to spend with her. There’d been no way he was abandoning her on that boat. Anthrax or no damn anthrax.
Her fingers rested on his thigh, and he took her hand in his. Even here, surrounded by hundreds of people, his body reacted to her presence.
They hadn’t been alone much over the last few days, and Reilly hadn’t even kissed her yet. The timing had been wrong. The place had been wrong.
She glanced over at him and blushed prettily when she caught him staring. He grinned. At least this attraction wasn’t all one sided. But he wanted more than a physical relationship. More than a hard fuck against the nearest wall—although that would be good, too.
He rubbed his thumb over the smooth skin of the back of her hand as Alex and Mallory exchanged promises to love and honor one another. They skipped the “obey” part of the vows.
Spoilsports.
Taylor was watching the proceedings with awe. Reilly leaned toward Jane and waited for her to turn to face him, a question in her eyes. He slowly lowered his head and watched her breath hitch before she opened her mouth slightly. He took it as an invitation and pressed a gentle kiss on her lips, tasting what she offered. Then he pulled away and leaned back to watch the rest of the ceremony, clasping her hand tightly in his.
He needed to be careful not to freak her out after her last awful experience with love, but Reilly knew this was the real thing. Something that would last. Something that would grow into a shared home and shared family. He wouldn’t rush it, in fact he was going to do his damnedest to court Jane the old-fashioned way for as long as his weak body could hold out.