AllFreeNovel
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Always together, halves of one, longing and bound.
Through joy and through trials, hand in hand, courageous and strong.
You are my home, and to you only I will always belong.
Our kiss deepens but loses the playfulness, shifting into a more anticipating mood.
“We’re married.” Laurel’s gaze is full of astonishment as if it’s only now that she’s grasping the meaning of what happened.
“We are.”
Married. The word is too clunky for what Laurel and I have. Committed, unified, together. They all fit us. Some of our friends scoffed.You don’t need signatures or rings to be happy.I lift my hand to examine my simple gold band one more time. They’re right. We don’t need any symbols to mark our love, but I love to have them anyway.
I also love riling Laurel with out-of-nowhere tickle attacks, so I give her one. She jumps and giggles and tries to tickle me back. I cheat—I use kung fu to keep her hands away. I’m gentle. She won’t have a single bruise from me resisting, but it’s buckets of fun to pretend to fight, slap each others’ hands, and eventually fall onto the bed.
Laurel spreads out on her back, her loose hair a river of fire above her shoulder. I roll onto my side and, scooting closer, prop myself on my elbow. “I love you,” I say.
She smiles and watches me, but she doesn’t answer.
“Did you run out of I-love-yous for me back at the reception?” I tease her.
“No. I love you too. I just… You’re so confident, outgoing, and kind of tough, my mind always breaks a little when you say that you love me.”
“Always? So every time I’ve said that, you didn’t believe me? That hurts.”
She wraps her arms around my torso. “I do believe you, but—”
“Please don’t say anything along the lines of,But a girl like me couldn’t possibly win you over. You are incredible. You outshine me in every way.”
“I wouldn’t be able to fight gangsters on the street, and I’m still amazed you’re mine. Is that okay?”
“Yes.” I kiss her again, savoring, allowing my hand to drop to her hip and stay there. “I am all yours.”
Some hours later, after showers have happened and we have ravaged half the food the housekeeper left for us for the night, Laurel and I snuggle on a cushy settee on the balcony under the cover of the night and several waffle-knit blankets. Stars sparkle in the sky, and a mild yellow glow seeps onto the balcony from the candles flickering in the room.
I sigh, full of contentment.
Laurel looks up from her phone and strokes my cheek. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I was just thinking— Well, no. I wasn’t thinking much at all, and that’s nice, you know?” I trace the lacy strap of her “pajamas” peeking through the opening in the blankets. “It’s you and me and none of the show biz.”
Laurel mock gasps. “But you love the show biz.”
When our eyes meet again, I discover a slight, tender nervousness in her eyes. I press my fingers to her cheeks, and sure enough, they’re warm. She’s blushing. “I love you more,” I murmur in her ear, then nibble the edge of it.
Laurel giggles. “As you should, but you know what? I’m looking forward to doing that video with you that Shane is planning for our guitar series.”
Yes. Our series. Foxmore. I didn’t agree on the name, but Laurel loves it. Anyway.
“You are aware he scheduled it for the day after we come back, right?” That jerkface.
“Ah, let him have fun. He’s so adorable about his business.”
“He’s not adorable.” I take her chin and turn her face toward me.
“I don’t think you’ve had enough to eat.” She picks up a strawberry from a tray on the low table nearby and brings it to my lips. “Besides, aren’t you two buddies now?”
