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It sets off Ella’s release. She throws back her head, moaning loudly as she lets go. Writhing above me, she rides out her pleasure, and I watch her in awe as her face relaxes.
“You’re fucking perfect,” I tell her. “And fucking mine.”
Chapter Eight
Gualtiero
We’restillinthebathtub, and Ella is once more snuggled against my chest. The bubbles are long gone, and so are the candles, their flames having carved hollows within them.
We’ve drained the water twice to replenish it with more warmth. Sated and happy, my angel almost purrs as I stroke her back.
“Has it only been this morning you suggested to get married in the next few days? It seemed impossible, but look at how far we got in a single day.”
She lifts her head to gaze at me.
“Marriage license procedure started: check.” She draws a tick onto my wet chest.
“Marriage officiant: check.” I pull her back against me and smile into her hair.
Having Claudette marry us is bound to be an unforgettable experience. Of that I’m sure.
Ella’s psychic friend is unpredictable at best. God knows what her ceremony will look like. We tried to talk with her about it, but she put up her hands and told us to trust her.
To my surprise, Ella agreed. It means a lot to her that her friend is doing this for us.
At the end of the day, I just want to be married to her. How it comes about is irrelevant.
If I had a choice, I’d get married right here and now in this bathtub, with the lit candles around us and the starry Alaskan sky as a backdrop.
“Bridesmaid and witnesses: check.”
Arranging Rhia and Lex to come was a spur-of-the-moment decision five days ago.
I overheard Ella talking to Claudette about her long-standing Christmas traditions, all of which included her best friend. So what is a man utterly in love with his woman to do?
I got a message to Lex and proposed an Alaskan winter vacation to him. Having recently helped Freemont and Interpol, they owed me one.
And Rhia must have been suffering the loss of contact with Ella badly, because Lex immediately agreed. They flew into Atlanta from Dublin, and from there, he took one of the Freemont planes.
Being a pilot gives him a lot of freedom. Perhaps I should get my own license. It would be useful when we get our private island.
“Wedding dress: check.” Ella’s voice brings me back. Then there’s silence, and her fingers tap out a steady rhythm on my heart—a clear sign that her thoughts have wandered. I lift her chin to me and study her. Her eyes have gone glassy, unshed tears threatening to fall.
“What’s going on?” I ask her gently.
She shakes her head as if to clear it.
“It probably sounds absurd to you, but I feel that my mother played a role in leading Claudette to discover that dress. I’m sure all our parents are watching on from wherever they are, but wearing that dress will bring ma closer to me on our special day. I’m so grateful for that!”A lone tear escapes her eye and rolls down her cheek. I wipe it away with the pad of my thumb and kiss her forehead.
“It doesn’t sound absurd, cuore mio. I, too, have been feeling papà’s presence lately. I dreamed of him the other night,” I admit.
“Oh? Was it a good dream?”
“Sì, mostly. He seemed happy and carefree… like he was before mama died. We were fishing at our pond and he clapped me on the shoulder and said how proud he was of me.”
Ella’s eyes soften and new tears form.
“I wish I could have met him… and your mother too,” she whispers, laying her head back onto my chest, the air now heavy with memories of the ones we’ve lost.
