My father’s booming voice cut us off. “I’m happy to present Mr. and Mrs. Jake Slater!”
Applause cut through the air as everyone rose out of the chairs. The quartet struck up the Bridal March as I took my bouquet back from Allison. With my cheeks stinging from smiling so broadly, I slipped my arm through Jake’s, and we started down the aisle as man and wife. As corny as it sounds, it felt just like I was walking on air. I couldn’t remember a time when I had felt such joy, such love, and such contentment.
Chapter Five
After an evening filled with dinner and dancing, I stood on the dock with Abby as we waved good-bye to the last of our wedding party. With one arm wrapped securely around Abby’s waist, she snuggled tighter against my side. We watched the lights of the catamaran get further and further away. Finally, we were alone. Just us. With an entire island all to ourselves.
Gazing down at her, I smiled. “Man, I thought they’d never leave.”
She giggled. “I know. I thought we were going to just have to go up to the house and leave them all down here.”
“The sad fact is it’s only midnight.”
Abby’s brows shot up in surprise. “Seriously? I thought it was at least three am.”
I laughed. “No, the last boat for the shore leaves at midnight. If we hadn’t got their asses on there, we would have had a full house for our honeymoon.”
Abby’s nose wrinkled. “That would have been a nightmare.”
“Anxious to have me all to yourself, huh?”
“Mmm, hmm,” she replied before yawning.
“Are you tired, Mrs. Slater?”
“Just a little,” she admitted sheepishly.
“I kept you up too late last night.”
She shook her head. “I don’t regret one moment of that.”
“That’s my girl.” Leaning over, I cupped my arms beneath her knees and swept her off her feet.
Her eyes widened. “Jake, what are you doing?” she demanded.
“You said you were tired, so I’m going to carry you back to the house like a good husband.”
Abby snorted as I started trudging across the cold, wet sand. “This is really chivalrous of you, but you’re going to strain yourself.”
I cut my eyes over to hers. “Are you insinuating that I’m not manly enough to carry you across this beach?”
“Come on, Jake. This is silly. Put me down.”
“All right. Fine. But don’t try to say later on that I never did anything romantic for you.” With her still in my arms, I sank to my knees. She squealed when I pitched her forward onto the sand.
“What are—?”
With a shrug, I replied, “You wanted me to put you down, so I was just obliging you.”
She glared up at me in the moonlight. “Now I have a wet and cold ass, thanks to you.”
“Hmm, we can’t have that now, can we?” Looming over her, I nudged her onto her back, which was what I had planned on when I let her down. “Let me warm you up.” I leaned in to bring my lips to hers when someone cleared her throat above me. Glancing up from Abby, I saw the wedding coordinator smiling apologetically at me. “Yes?”
“I just wanted to let you know that everything is ready for you at the house. It should only be another thirty minutes for the catering crew to break everything down. Then you’ll have the island to yourselves.”
“Thank you.”
With a curt nod, she turned and started high tailing it away from us. “Glad she’s gone. Now where were we?”
“The part where you get off me, so we can go to the house and have our well-needed privacy?”
I groaned. “No, not that part. I wanted the part where I made love to you in the moonlight with the waves crashing over us.”
Abby laughed. “That sounds wonderful, but not when we have a potential audience. You can take me in a hundred different ways all over this beach tomorrow when we’re alone.”
“Damn, is that a promise?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Hmm, okay then.” In a fluid motion, I rose to my feet and then extended my hand to her. When she slipped hers inside mine, I pulled her off the sand. Keeping her hand in mine, we started walking up the beach to the house.
As we went by the bustling caters, they kept their heads down and tried to be invisible to us. “Thank you all, again. Everything was just wonderful,” Abby gushed.
A few “You’re Welcomes” were said while they kept working. “You’re too sweet for your own good, you know that?” I asked, as we walked up the stairs.
“It doesn’t hurt to say thank you and show your gratitude for a good job,” Abby countered.
“A lot of people wouldn’t. You’ve never let your stardom or fame go to your head. It’s just one of the million things I love about you.”
“I’ll be sure to say thank you for the amazing orgasms you’re going to give me tonight,” she said, with a little smirk.
My brows rose as I thought about her cocky little response. She was betting on some orgasms, and I sure as hell intended on giving them to her. “Oh, you’re going to pay for that one, Miss Sassy,” I said, reaching out for her. She squealed and ran ahead of me into the house. When I caught up with her, I started to grab her but then stopped. She stood stock still in the middle of the living room. With her back to me, she stared straight ahead. I knew she was taking in the flickering candles and rose petals that led down the hallway.