Heart-Shaped Hack(89)
The faint notes of the wedding march filled the air, and Kate and Steve walked slowly down the aisle. When they reached the end, Steve bent down and whispered something in Kate’s ear. Ian hoped it wasn’t a last-minute plea for her to run, but he wouldn’t be at all surprised if it was. Steve kissed his daughter, and then he and Ian shared a look. An unspoken agreement passed between them: You will not hurt my daughter again. You will not put her in harm’s way. Earning Steve’s trust would take time, and Ian would be on probation with him for a long time, maybe forever. The reasons were justified.
Diane had convinced them to write their own vows. After the wedding officiant welcomed everyone and completed the invocation, he nodded at Ian. Phillip handed him a folded sheet of paper, and Ian recited the words he’d written.
“I love you, Kate. You’re beautiful and kind, and from this day forward I vow to be your partner, your lover, and your friend. I will be faithful, devoted, open, and honest. I will cherish you, I will keep you safe, and I will provide for you. I will never hurt you, and I will do everything I can to show you that you made the right decision when you chose me. I promise that life with me will never be boring. You mean the world to me, and my love for you will never waver.”
Her big brown eyes were swimming in tears by then, but the smile never left her face.
Now it was Kate’s turn. She gave her bouquet to Chad in exchange for her vows. “I love you, Ian. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. I promise to be your faithful partner no matter what life throws at us. I want you to know that I love you just the way you are because it’s part of what makes you special to me. I promise to always believe in you and support you and love you. I trust you and will stand proudly by your side. You are my one true love, and from this day forward, and all the days of our lives, you will have my heart.”
A tear ran down her face, and he let go of her hands just long enough to wipe it away. The sound of Diane, Susan, and Kristin sniffling could be heard as they proceeded to the exchange of rings.
“Kate, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment,” Ian said as he slid the diamond-encrusted wedding band Phillip handed him onto her finger.
Chad gave Ian’s ring to Kate.
“Ian, I give you this ring as a sign of my love and commitment.” She slid the matching platinum band onto his finger.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Ian leaned down and whispered in Kate’s ear. “This is our first kiss as husband and wife, and it will forever be known as the number eight.”
He held her face gently in his hands and gave her a deep openmouthed kiss with tongue. But he dipped her at the end, just so she wouldn’t confuse it with the number five.
She loved that.
Their guests applauded loudly.
He had never been so happy in his life.
They moved inside to the comfort of an air-conditioned reception room where they dined on fresh seafood and beef medallions. After a few drinks, Chad announced he was going to give a speech.
“Oh no, here it comes,” Kate said softly.
Ian laughed and put his arm around her.
They were sitting at a long table set for eight. Chad was sitting next to Kate, and he stood and cleared his throat. “First of all, on behalf of Kristin and myself, I’d like to congratulate Kate and Ian on their special day. May you have many years of wedded bliss. To my little sister, Kate: I love you and I wish you a lifetime of happiness with Ian. Clearly, you love this guy a lot. To my new brother-in-law: you have impeccable taste in both automobiles and women. You’ve brought excitement to the Watts family, the most we’ve seen in a long time. Or ever, for that matter. Something tells me there’s more to come, and I’m okay with that as long as Kate is. It’s kind of cool having a hacker in the family, even if you are a bit of a wild card, and I look forward to getting to know you better. Take good care of my little sister.”
Ian smiled, nodded once, and raised his glass. Chad leaned down and clinked it with his.
Kristin clapped her hands together and laughed. “Okay, let’s wrap it up.”
After dinner, there was dancing. Kate and her dad shared a father-daughter dance. Steve was actually smiling as he and Kate swayed to the music, so maybe he hadn’t drawn up the rough draft of an annulment just yet. Then Ian and Kate shared their first dance—and several slow, deep kisses.
“Have I told you how beautiful you look?”
“More than once,” she said, and that earned him another kiss.
He ran his hands down the soft silk of her wedding gown until they rested on the small of her back. He loved Kate’s body. Naked, she was truly a sight to behold. But there was something about seeing her covered in bits of tulle and lace that drove him wild. He knew what it was hiding. Knew what was waiting there for him and how it would feel.
Her soft skin.
Her warmest places.
“I can’t wait to see you in your lingerie.” Kate had insisted that he not see her in her wedding gown until right before the ceremony, which meant he hadn’t been around to see how she looked in what was underneath it.
“You really outdid yourself this time. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
He’d given her La Perla again. The bustier was the same off-white color and tea rose pattern as the Chantilly lace babydoll nightie he’d given her for Christmas, and the Brazilian lace thong was likely going to drive him out of his mind. He’d also included a tulle garter with a silk-and-satin ribbon that he pictured encircling her long, slim thigh. When he took everything off later, he was going to leave that on.