AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her legs were locked around his waist.
Sweat was running down his back when he heard her gasp. When he felt her tense, he opened his eyes. She was looking at him, her gaze locked on his face as the climax washed over her. He saw her pupils dilate, then contract before she closed her eyes in silent ecstasy. He let go and came inside her.
When Cameron’s heartbeat finally leveled, he rolled over onto his back, taking her with him.
“I will never take this or you for granted. You…Faith Caldwell, I adore. You, I honor. You, I love. We may be making this legal today, but I’ve been yours since the first time I laid eyes on you.”
Rusty cupped his cheek, feeling the stubble of black whiskers beneath her palm. “After you were gone, all I did was pray you would live to come home. I never imagined I would see you again…or that you would become my anchor, and the love of my life. Fate led me straight to your door, but you’re the one who kept me. And while this was a glorious way to wake up, we have stuff to do. Are you sure Ghost will be okay here on his own this afternoon?”
“Absolutely. He’ll get a bone to chew on and his bed to wallow in. And when I tell him to stay, he stays. He’s done it plenty of times before. Besides, since we’re honeymooning at home, we’ll be back before dark.”
***
The ballroom had been set up like a church, with chairs in rows like pews and a podium for Brother Farley, the preacher who would be performing the service. He was the pastor of the Church in the Wildwood, the only church on the mountain. It had served the people in the hills since the early 1900s, and Farley was the latest in a long line of preachers who’d gone before him. He’d met with Cameron and Rusty more than once and, at their request, agreed to come down the mountain just for them to perform this ceremony.
There was a backdrop of leafy greenery in the ballroom that had been set up on either side of the pulpit. And baskets of flowers in abundance—all in blue, white, and spring greens, the bride’s chosen colors.
The aisle they’d created between the seating was covered in a long carpet of green, with standing baskets of flowers in the bride’s colors on either side of the doorway where the guests would enter.
Leslie Morgan was manning the table with the guest book. She’d been seated just outside the ballroom doors and was excited to be participating in the event.
The wedding was Rusty’s gift from Ray and Patricia, and her aunt had been in her element with planning and designing, leaving Liz and her boss in charge of the setup and the party afterward.
Guests had begun arriving just after one thirty, and the seating in the ballroom was filling up. One side was reserved for Cameron’s family, with overflow to be seated in the back rows on the bride’s side.
Michael Devon was there as Liz’s date and was seated on the bride’s side of the aisle.
Cameron and his entourage had dressed in a hotel meeting room just off the ballroom, while Rusty was dressing in the penthouse, unaware Cameron had asked Special Agents Howard and Pickard to let her fellow agents know she was getting married and to RSVP to him with a head count.
As of today, thirty-four federal agents from both DC and Frankfort would be in attendance on her behalf.
It was a surprise he couldn’t wait to reveal.
***
Patricia had teared up a dozen times while helping Rusty and Liz get ready and finally pulled herself together with a shot of whiskey.
“You were a beautiful baby, and you’re an equally beautiful bride,” Patricia said. “I love your dress. It’s siren sexy, yet equal parts traditional and daring…just like you. Not a lot of lace. A neckline to die for, and a slightly naughty slit on the skirt, but not too high. Just enough to make a man wonder.”
Rusty laughed. “I love you, Aunt Pat.”
Patricia grinned. “I love you, too. Now let’s get this veil pinned somewhere within those glorious curls and we’ll be finished, and none too soon. We need to head downstairs.”
As if on cue, Liz came out of her bedroom. “Mom, please zip me up.”
Patricia fastened her daughter’s dress, too, and then gave her a quick hug.
“You look beautiful. Both of you. And as I just told Rusty, I love these slim, fitted dresses. No lace and ruffles. No petticoats to fluff. Now…do we have everything? What about the flowers?”
Liz waved her mother out the door. “The florist is waiting downstairs with everything. You go ahead and take Daddy with you. He’s in the living room, pacing. An usher will seat you, and Daddy will stay out in the hall to wait for Rusty, like we practiced.”
“Okay, okay. Love you both,” Patricia said, and left the room.
Liz reached for Rusty’s hands and gave them a quick squeeze.
“I am sorry it took an accident to get you back in our lives, but I’ll be forever grateful you found your forever man waiting for you here.”
“Cousins by blood. Sisters of the heart,” Rusty said. “Let’s do this.”
