Page 60 of Richard
“Fire away.”
“When you were talking to my sister–”
“Collette–”
“No.” She shook her head as she looked at him. “This is not jealousy talking. I know enough to realize that there is nothing to fear. You love me.” She fought the tears and realized that they had been coming constantly. “I saw the look on her face. Recognized it for what it was.
She tried to hide it, but I know her too well. She was jealous and tried to hide it. And I saw the way she was staring at you, it was the same way she looked at Trevor, that come hither look that made it plain that she was available, and she was better than I was. That she would do things I would never do.
But you kept looking at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world, and I cannot fathom the kind of love we have that you have introduced me to.” Her throat worked furiously as she swallowed. “I keep asking myself what on earth does he see in me, and I am yet to come up with the answer.”
He whisked the tears away with his thumbs, his touch gentle.
“I wish you could see what I do. You are indeed the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. You have this light inside you that seems to shine out of your beautiful eyes. You are the embodiment of all that I have been searching for and never found until now.’
His voice thickened significantly. “I want to cherish you until you realize how valuable you are. You will always be the most important person in my life. Nothing comes before you. Is that understood?”
Taking his hand, she opened it and pressed her lips against his palm, sending jolts of awareness through his body.
“Oh baby,” he whispered hoarsely. “Bear in mind that I am not a young man, and all these bedroom marathons will be the end of me.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
He dragged her on top of him and, in one swift movement, drove into her. “Is this explanation enough?” he asked.
She arched her back and gave him unlimited access to her breasts. “Yes. Don’t stop, please.” He was adoring her nipples, suckling them ardently, his body driving upward and touching her deep. “Never.”
*****
The morning of the wedding dawned cold and was perfect. Her dress, a champagne-colored sheath that looked deceptively simply until she put it on, was perfect. Ruth had insisted that she and Janice spent the night at her place, overriding her son’s strenuous protest.
“You will both appreciate the wedding night that much more after the separation. Besides, I want to treat all of us women to the full spa experience. You don’t want to see your bride the next morning looking tired and worn out, do you?”
He had reluctantly agreed.
They had spent the afternoon and night with a team of people giving them a full body massage, taking care of their skins until they were all dewy fresh. And refreshments had been provided with glasses of expensive champagne.
Now standing in front of the mirror in the lilac-colored guest room, Collette stared at herself in the mirror and could scarcely believe it was her.
Her hair was loose because Richard loved it that way. It had been shampooed and deep conditioned and looked like glorious silk. Barry had added some blonde highlights as well and the resultwas stunning. Her makeup was flawless, the nude mascara and eyeshadow making her eyes appear larger.
Diamonds were at her lobes, a gift from her very generous fiancé. The something borrowed and blue was a sapphire brooch from Ruth.
“You look unbelievable.”
She turned at the sound of her sister’s voice in the doorway. The sapphire blue dress she had chosen suited her slight frame, and her thick dark brown hair was coiled into an elegant chignon at the nape of her neck. They had talked last night, and Janice had accepted the gift of Collette’s house with tearful gratitude.
“You deserve all of this, and I hated that I was envious. I wronged you so much in the past, and I am sorry. I want us to start all over.”
“You don’t look too shabby yourself.” Collette sniffed as she tried to keep the tears from falling.
“We need to get going. Oh my darling!” Ruth, wearing a sleek emerald green dress to match her eyes, rushed in and enfolded her warmly. “You are the most beautiful bride I have ever seen, and my son is going to be blown away.”
And he was. Standing in the simple and official courtroom at precisely ten A.M., Richard Ian McBride felt as if he was about to burst from the joy blazing inside his chest and making its way through every part of his body. His bride was radiant. Bride!
He still could not fathom that he was marrying the love of his life. The vows were traditional and older than time itself. Other couples had uttered them over the years, but to the couple standing before the officiant, it was personal, not just something said by rote. Not just words they were asked to repeat.
Each one uttered was a promise, a vow that was going to be honored until they drew their last breath.