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When he stopped and took her in his arms, he turned her toward a big flatscreen on a stand behind the string quartet. The musicians were at rest for this first very special dance between the bride and groom.
The screen lit up with photos, and music began to play through speakers scattered around the tent.
She gasped and a hand fluttered to her chest. “Julius! What did you do?”
He held her close. “Just watch.”
The slideshow had been his own idea, and one he was pretty proud of. Images of her stepping out of a limousine with her hand in his. Julius guiding her through a massive crowd, his hand on her spine, each snapshot in time set to the song that she’d sung live for him.
More and more photos of him right behind her, protecting her always. And that switched to their stolen moment where he dropped a kiss to her forehead to comfort her.
Projecting through the speakers, her voice was poignant with the lyrics of her song that talked about discovery and surging hearts and a bond of the soul…
Photos slid by faster now, moments caught in time of them staring at each other from across the room at the press conference. When he’d seen that photo, he’d almost lost it.She was looking at him like…
Well, like she could love him too.
Like this might not all be fake.
He took her in his arms and began to sway to the music. She twisted in his hold to keep watching the slideshow of their engagement, so he twirled her into a position so she could see.
When the final notes of the song vibrated through the tent, the photo of her face as she sang this very song for him filled the screen…followed byhisexpression of sheer desire as he moved forward to lead her offstage at the very end.
She sniffled.
He ducked his head to see her face. “Are you crying?”
She buried her face against his chest for a moment before lifting her head to meet his gaze. “I don’t cry.”
His lips quirked up. “Of course not. What are you thinking right now?”
Her eyes sparkled in the twinkle lights and candles burning in the tent. “This is my first best night.”
His smile widened. “What’s your second?”
“The engagement. Of course.”
He was stunned. Not the night she won a Grammy. Nor when she signed a deal with her label.
Her best nights were the moments she’d spent with him.
From the corner of his eye, he caught movement and spun Avalynn again so he could see what was going on. He might be her husband—for now—but he was still her bodyguard, and protecting her was his top priority.
When he caught sight of Clay widening his stance and folding his arms over his broad chest, he arched a brow at his boss. Was he trying to catch Julius’s gaze to send him a warning?
Clay’s pointed look in return definitely seemed like a warning to keep his distance from the woman in his arms. His attempt to remind Julius that he shouldn’t get too close or make this marriage real in any way came through loud and clear.
Julius had no damn intention of listening to him. The minute he could make his getaway with Avalynn, he was going to whisk her away to their suite, wrap his arms around her hips and pull her against him while whispering dirty promises of their night to come.
All propriety ended now, because from this moment forward, they were on their honeymoon.
* * * * *
Julius led Avalynn out of the tent. Two men from Sentry were already there, flanking them for added safety as they strolled from the tent to the beautiful quarters where they were staying.
A crescent moon hung as a sliver in the deep black velvet sky, and the air was scented with the tang of earth and grapes. The soft strains of the concerto that the string quartet played drifted on the light breeze teasing her loose tendrils of hair.
Julius walked slowly and supported her with an arm around her waist to keep her steady, on her spike heels, over the uneven ground. She drew in a deep breath of fresh air and let it trickle out in a happy sigh.
