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JADA
The morning after the vow renewal is set to be a lazy but fulfilling one. Carter wakes me up with kisses all over my face, continuing to attack me with love until I push his face away with a giggle. The two of us playfully fight over who gets to pick the breakfast spot of the day with pillow tossing and wrestling on the bed.
“You should be letting me win,” I say, holding a pillow out threateningly. “I’m your dear wife.”
“That’s exactly why you should be letting me win, as your beloved husband,” Carter responds, grinning at me from his side of the bed.
His tendency to spoil gets the better of him, though, especially when I shoot pouty glances at him while we brush our teeth. He sighs, completely over exaggerated since I’m sure he was going to pick the same place I wanted to, anyway. Then he presses a defeated kiss to the top of my head.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” he says, fondness encompassing his voice.
Watching him watch me in the mirror makes me feel like I’m in a fairytale. His eyes soften every time, and his posture seems relaxed and content. He ghosts his fingers over my shoulders in a caress that makes me feel delicate, and when he cups my chin to make me look up at him, I know I look just as smitten as he does.
“I love you,” he murmurs against my lips when he kisses me, and I can’t help but throw my arms around his neck and pull him closer.
By the time we actually leave our room and get breakfast, it’s closer to noon. The plan was to take it easy today and let our feet take us wherever they wanted. No commitments, no stress, just us. We even agreed to set aside any of the more social activities the resort had to offer aside so we can live in our own little bubble.
“We should relax for a bit before we head to the beach,” Carter reasons after swallowing down a gulp of coffee. “That way we don’t have to keep going back and forth from taking showers and waiting to dry if we want to go somewhere inside.”
“Sounds reasonable to me.” I pop a piece of my croissant in my mouth and chew thoughtfully. “I kind of just wanna lay and graze somewhere.”
Carter raises an eyebrow, amused. “What, like cows?”
“Maybe! Maybe that’d be good for us. Two cows just munching on grass and looking at the sky or something,”
He hums, swirling the last dregs of his coffee. “I have an idea then, if you’ll indulge.”
“Always.”
After paying for our late breakfast Carter leads me toward the beach. All the while, we walk and swing our hands back and forth together with our steps. Every time I squeeze his hand, overcome with affection for this tall, white man, he squeezes back.
“I thought we weren’t going swimming yet?” I ask once the beach comes into view.
“We’re not, not unless you want to.” I look up to find Carter smiling, completely serene. “This is purely for lazing and grazing.”
Our travels end at the base of two trees with a hammock hanging between them. Hammocks are scattered around the beachfront, I know. But this area feels special, and is fairly secluded yet still close enough to the beach that I can hear the waves and the calls of the seagulls.
“What d’you think?” Carter asks, nudging my shoulder with his. “Fit what you wanted?”
“That and then some.” I let go of Carter’s hand momentarily to walk forward and run a hand down the hammock. It’s sturdy, and I spot two pillows resting in it now that I’m closer. “This is the perfect place to relax.”
“I thought so too.” I hear Carter coming up behind me and he presses a soft hand at the small of my back. “Ready to relax?”
I look up to him and nod, a smile stretched across my face. I see him grin wickedly before I feel myself getting picked up. I’m glad no one is in the vicinity to hear my surprised squeak as Carter turns with me in his arms and falls backward into the hammock.
“You’re the worst,” I snark, even as I wiggle in the hammock to use Carter as a giant pillow. “Absolute wretch. Slime. You dare do this to your poor wife who's been nothing but lovely to you.” My words get muffled as I turn around so I can press my face against Carter’s chest. “You deserve jail time.”
“I know, I know.” From my position I feel more than hear the rumble of his voice. “Absolutely criminal of me.”
I smile against his chest, and he tightens his grip on me. I can hear the affection oozing out of his words. His steady heartbeat is loud in my ears, and I wonder if we could just never move on from this moment. I move with Carter when he shifts to get himself comfortable, and I feel as if I could purr when he runs his hand up and down my back to soothe me.
The waves crash onto the beach in the distance, and I feel my eyes close. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be in this moment, and that safety has provided me with the best bed and pillow the world could offer. I fall asleep to Carter’s whispered affections, content with the world.
Carter’s awake when I return from dreamland, either not having slept at all or waking up before me. He smiles at me when I push myself up to look at him.
“Have a good rest, my dear?” he asks, one hand caressing the side of my cheek. He looks lovely, even with his messed-up hair and rumpled clothes.
“Definitely, you make a fantastic pillow.”
