AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Like a white knight, you rushed in and became my savior. But even more so, you showed me something that I didn’t believe existed. It was surreal and hard for me to accept at first. I knew you had the power to break me if I let myself fall, but I was powerless to resist your allure and the magnetic draw between us.” I pause, swallowing the lump in my throat, images of that first weekend we spent together whirling through my mind.
“But you persisted, steadily scaling my walls, then once inside, you removed them, piece-by-piece, showing me it was okay to be vulnerable. And I started falling harder and faster for you, because of the safety and security I felt every time I was in your presence. You made me believe that I could trust, depend on someone, and love again.”
Max squeezes my hands, then gently removes one hand from mine, his thumbs wiping away my tears. I turn my face into his hand, kissing it gently, my gaze locking on his, drawing from his strength.
“You make me stronger, you support my goals and dreams, and you are my biggest supporter, confidant, and lover, all wrapped up in one person. And as much as you want to protect me, I want to do the same for you. Because I love you with every damn formerly broken piece of me that you repaired and restored. My heart is complete because of you, my soul mate, and the love of my life.” Tears fall faster as I wrap up. “I love you, Max Devlin. You are my world.” I squeeze his hand, then whisper, “We are two halves of one soul, destined to be joined together.” Tears blur my vision and I feel weightless and lighter than I have in my life as I stare at the face of the man who claimed my heart and soul. “Our forever begins now.”
His hands cup my face, wiping the wetness that covers my cheeks.
My fingers wipe the tears he’s shedding away as he smiles at me.
When he begins reciting his vows, I know I made the right choice to go first. The best words I’ve ever heard in my life have come from the man standing in front of me, speaking from his heart. His words leave me speechless as happiness bubbles through me, making my hands tingle. There is a lightness in my limbs, and I’m weightless from the euphoria spreading through me.
I manage to find my voice when he’s finished, repeating after the minister as we exchange rings. It’s all a blur until I hear the minister pronounce us husband and wife.
Max already has his arms wrapped around me, and spins me, dipping me toward the patio floor as the minister says, “You may now kiss your bride.” As his warm lips cover mine, he kisses me like he’s never kissed me before, putting every ounce of his love into me, pledging to love me more and more every day.
My arms hold him tightly as my lips move against his, everything I’m feeling but cannot say flowing between our mouths, our breaths mixing and colliding as our hearts and souls glow from the light of our love.
When he finally brings me back up, spinning me slowly so that I stand beside him, facing our guests, my face turns to his. “That was some kiss, Mr. Devlin.”
He winks at me. “There’s plenty more where that came from, Mrs. Devlin.”
Everything is such a blur after that. My face hurts from smiling so hard and I swear, our photographer has taken more pictures than I ever thought possible. But the highlight of the reception is Grandma Lucinda, offering sexual and marriage advice via a book she plans to have Vanessa write.
She gives us a preview of it by making up song lyrics about blowjobs and sex being the key to a happy marriage as she, Vanessa, and Darin throw their arms around one another, singing and kicking their legs, making everyone howl with laughter. The three of them end by singing, “Sexual Healing,” with my grandma gyrating her hips around like Elvis, causing my grandfather to yell, “Don’t break a hip, Lucille. We don’t need to go to the hospital and try explaining this one to them.”
I’m barely composed as Max whispers that he has a surprise for me. My head turns as a white screen comes down, and suddenly, I hear the song “Between the Raindrops” by Lifehouse playing, images interspersed with videos of Max and me together filling the screen, showcasing our beautiful love story.
Sobs choke me as I stare, wide-eyed, at the video playing on the screen. Blinking rapidly, I look around the reception. There isn’t a dry eye in the room.
Meeting William’s light blue eyes, he has a soft smile on his face. He gives me a wink and I know he helped Max with this. It’s confirmed when I see their eyes lock and Max mouths, “Thank you.” William nods and mouths back, “Anytime.”
An hour later, Max and I are swaying together on the dance floor, completely lost in our own world. His lips are against my ear as he whispers, “I have another surprise for you.”
My face turns up to his and I nod, excitement in my gaze.
Good. Because I have one for him.
Tugging on my hand, he pulls me through the crowd of people on the dance floor and over to a door I’d never seen before. I’m confused as to where he is taking me as he starts guiding me up a narrow flight of stairs.
He holds the door open as the warm June air caresses our skin. I step onto a huge balcony, the air leaving my lungs as I look out at the breathtaking view of the world below us. A gasp comes from me as the overwhelming beauty takes over my senses.
It feels like we are standing on top of the world.
Max’s fingers gently turn my face to his. “Although you find beauty in the scars on my chest, I wanted to do something to keep you always next to my heart, since you occupy it.” He removes his jacket, then slowly unbuttons his shirt, pushing it from his shoulders. I gasp when I see the large, red roses tattooed on his chest. My fingers touch his warm skin, tracing over our initials, then over the thorns, and finally to the blood-red petals over his heart.
“The thorns are there for everything in our past that made us cut and bleed, but could never sever the bond between us.” His soft eyes glow as I turn my face up to his. “And the roses remind me of you. Soft and beautiful, forever brightening my world with color.”
Tears flow down my cheeks as I slowly shake my head in awe and amazement. “It’s ironic. Because I have a gift for you. And I think it perfectly symbolizes the love and connection we share that defies logic.”
When I show him, the expression on his face says it all, as he sucks in a breath, his mouth dropping open.
We embrace, our heads turning at the same time as the sun slips over the horizon, bathing the sky in fiery reds and deep shades of violet.
“I love you, now and forever, Maxwell Hugh Devlin.”
“And I love you, always, Irelynn Rose Devlin.”
