AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Would you do me the honor,” he said tenderly. “Daphne, would you marry me again? Here and now? Let’s exchange our vows, our promises to each other, and…”
“Yes,” she breathed, sniffing back tears as his smile was everything. His hands were trembling almost as much as hers.
“I, Max Joseph Collins, give you my heart,” he uttered, not holding back, and she knew it, letting out a tearful laugh of joy as he said the words both had been so afraid to speak aloud. “I give you my heart, my soul, my very being, along with my name. I want so much to make you smile, to be a part of everything thought in your clever mind, and for you to reach for me at night.”
“I, DaphneCollins,” she smiled, using her new name deliberately, treasuring his grin as he wiped his eyes for a moment before putting his hand back in hers.
“Max,” she hesitated emotionally, overcome, and spoke despite the tears choking her. “I give you my heart, my soul, my very being. I want to walk with you, share moments with you, and make you laugh from your very core. Everything we do, we do it together in love, support, and shared adventures.”
“I’m sorry I don’t have a wedding ring for you,” Max began. “But I promise I will get you one that will…”
“I don’t want a ring,” Daphne interrupted and saw the confusion on his face, chuckling. “I wantyou. I wantthis, to share our thoughts, our hearts, to have that moment where youclaim meas your wife to others, to have our wedding cake, and have the memories of our vows…”
“Oh, Daphne… honey, I’ve been wanting to tell you how much I love you for a while now,” he whispered. “We’ll go to the justice of the peace and…”
“Max, you are promising yourself to menow– and that’s all I’ve ever wanted,” she said softly, holding his hands. “Icherishbeing your partner, your wife, but I guess every little girl wants to hear words of love…”
“I’ll fill your ears with them every day, I swear it,” he promised emotionally, unwrapping the paper on the counter – and she gasped. “Give me your hand, my love…”
She did and watched as he slid a large metal cuff inlaid with stones and glittering pieces of colored glass along her forearm before closing it and meeting her eyes.
“There’s a tribe in Afghanistan that makes these cuffs, and they are worn at weddings,” he whispered hoarsely. “While I don’t have a ring for you, would you accept this token of my love?”
This bridal cuff was perfect and very much them. Unique, different, rebelling against the ‘norm’ to do what they wanted, and treasuring those differences in a way no one else would imagine or understand. This heavy cuff was better than any ring, and she never wanted to take it off.
She nodded, sobbing, and threw her arms around his shoulders before kissing him. Max was her heart, her soul, her everything she could have ever wished for, and while this wasn’t a normal wedding – it was one straight from their hearts and a moment she would cherish forever.
His lips took hers, tasting her, and she treasured the way he would worship her in just a kiss. He would take his time, making sure she was emotionally and mentally there with him, loving her and holding her close, before ever becoming intimate together – and when Max made love to her?
It waseverything.
“Coffee and sweets…?” he whispered, breaking the kiss for the briefest moment to remind her of the customs they were trying to recreate there in the cabin before kissing her again.
“Later,” she muttered, reaching for his shirt buttons, needing to hold him close and show him just how much she loved him.
“Daphne,” he whispered, breaking the kiss and staring at her, his eyes searching as he waited there. “I know I’m not perfect, but I will always love you for as long as I live. I’ve waited a lifetime for someone like you…” he choked emotionally, cradling her cheek in his palm as his thumb caressed her skin. “You are my everything.”
“You are perfect for me,” she breathed tearfully, realizing her sweet soft man needed to get this out of him, needed to say the words aloud between them, to hear them. “You are my other half, my soulmate, and…”
It was too much.
She saw it in his eyes, the rush of love and passion as it consumed him only seconds before he silenced her words, drawing her into his arms again, kissing her with everything he had before suddenly letting out a small, awkward laugh that turned into a larger one against her lips, interrupting them.
“What’s so funny?” she laughed.
“These stupid crutches really put a cramp in the whole ‘romance thing’I’m trying to create,” he admitted shyly. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to walk over to the pullout bed without having to stop kissing you – and well – while I’d rather hold onto you than those stupid things… they are kinda a necessity.”
“All you had to do was say the word,” she beckoned in understanding, realizing it took a lot for him to admit it aloud. He trusted her, opened himself to her, and she was here for it. Moving backward away from him, his hungry eyes stared at her in awareness the moment she sat down on the edge of the bed. “Drop the crutches on your side of the bed so you have them for later, and let’s celebrate our marriage together, husband.”
Max flung the crutches down carelessly and hopped three steps toward her, laughing ignobly before he plopped down on the bed beside her. His enthusiasm was contagious and endearing.
“Hi,” he said cheekily before winking at her. “You new around here, Sexy?”
Daphne laughed throatily and pulled him to her, both of them grinning at this sudden easy playfulness and glow of love they shared. He rubbed his nose tenderly against hers before kissing her and hesitated.
“We should probably remove the green thing…” he whispered. “I don’t want it to tear or rip because we’re doing this all over again on our anniversary next year.”
“The bracelet stays on,” she negotiated, not backing down and smiling at him.
