I take my phone out and check the time. It’s only been a few minutes. Knowing I have at least a half hour to kill, I decide to text my team.

  To Antonio: *Your location? *

  * Vegas. Heading over to the architects now. *

  * Meet me at the warehouse tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.*

  * Roger that. Ciao. *

  To Quintus: * Your location? *

  * Vegas. At the apartment. Sweet! *

  * Are you with Kip? *

  * Yes. He says to tell you, Bianca will forgive you now.... Whatever that means. *

  I chuckle. *Yeah. You’ll find out when you meet her. Be at the warehouse tomorrow at 2:30 p.m.*

  * Will do. *

  To Angelo: *Your location? *

  * Rome. *

  * Arrival? *

  * Tomorrow at 2 p.m. Vegas time. *

  * You ok? *

  * Yes. Ready to get the hell out of here. Mia is making my life miserable since she found out I’m coming to Vegas with you, and she’s being left behind. *

  I chuckle at that too. * Go straight to the warehouse when you arrive. *

  * Roger, boss. *

  To Maria: *I’m in Vegas. If you are still my private chef, I would love my favorite tonight, but you’ll need to cook a little extra. Siri is with me. *

  I set my phone down, and begin to change, thinking it will take Maria some time to respond, but I’m wrong. She texts right back.

  * Yes, I’m still your private chef. I won’t have anyone else feeding you, you sexy beast! Shall I cook it live and serve you two a romantic dinner, complete with candles, soft music, wine, etc.? *

  I laugh. *I prefer you prepare it and put it in the fridge. *

  * Dammit man! Ok. I will go over now and cook it. I’m meeting Trent later anyway. *

  * Can you meet me at my warehouse on Foster Street tomorrow around 2:30 p.m? I want to run a business proposition by you. *

  * Sure. I’ll see you there. *

  * Thanks. *

  * You bet. *

  I walk to the closet and remove my tuxedo. The last time I had this on, I was waiting for Siri to join me. I quickly change, then walk to the full-length mirror to tie the bow tie. Then I pull the front of the jacket down and push the tails off my ass. Time to seal the deal for real this time.

  I exit into the hall and make my way to Chapel #9.

  Pushing the heavy door open, I walk in to find the only two other people who will be attending, already present; the man sealing the deal and the witness to the deed. I’m vaguely aware of the arched ceiling, the stained-glass windows and the pews lining the walk down. I shake hands with him, nod to her and take up post to wait for my girl.

  Siri:

  Barbara peers at me over her fingers then claps her hands slowly as I twirl around for her. "Exquisite. The way the light plays with the fabric." Then she sighs. "Let me tell Jackie you are ready for makeup and hair."

  I smile and thank her, then wait for Jackie too. When she comes in, she takes one look at me and says. "Seary?"

  "Oh Hi, Jacqueline."

  "Girl! What are you doing here?" Then she rolls her own eyes and says. "Duh! But wow!"

  I giggle and hold my pinky out to her. She giggles too and hooks it with her own. We say together. "SHH! Secrets. Everyone has them."

  Jacqueline used to work for the dancers at Been Jammin’ but she got married and needed to work days.

  "I know you don’t want much makeup, but let’s put just a little bit on to enhance your features on your special day." She coaxes me.

  "Just a little." I agree.

  "Now what to do with your hair? Up or down? How does your man like it?"

  "He likes it the way it is now. Full and wild."

  "Yes." She smirks. "He wants to harness your wild side, but not tame you. Let’s weave some little flowers in it."

  While she works, we catch up and I tell her about my new gig.

  "You do have a beautiful voice and if you’ve found someone, it’s time to stop stripping. Trust me on that piece of advice." She says as she works. "Tell me about this man of yours."

  "Holy Hades, Jacqueline, I met him in Alabama while I was home," I tell her, and proceed to explain how he was so fucking hot, I couldn’t think of anything else, how he moved onto my floor and how he slowly seduced me. When she spins me around so I can see myself in the mirror on the wall in front of me. I’m surprised by my own face. I look like a beautiful doll. She has taken a perfect color of peach pink and dusted my cheekbones, creating a hint of a healthy shadow, sculpted the hallow of my eyes with a slightly darker shade, highlighted the brow line with a pale shimmering pink, outlined my dark eyelashes with pure black, applied black mascara, and outlined my lips with a darker, brighter shade of the peach, but left my lips free of goo.

  "Wow! I look...." I pause and she adds.

  "Perfect. Now let’s make this hair perfect too." She quickly braids a few, very thin strands with tiny white roses buds and gold leaves. When she is finished, she compliments herself. "Perfection." Then she holds a mirror behind my head so I can see it.

  "I fucking love it! Oh my gosh!" I look up at her reflection and make a decision. Standing up, I turn to face her, eye to eye, woman to woman. "Jacqueline, I want you to come work for me. Just me. Not as my show makeup artist, but as my normal everyday girl makeup and hair artist. With this new gig, I’ll be going out a lot and highly visible. I’m going to need someone who can keep me true to myself. Please, please say you will consider it?"

  "I’m flattered and hell yeah, I’ll consider it." She starts to hug me, then rethinks it, making me laugh. "But this isn’t the time to be thinking about that. When you get back in the groove, if your offer still stands, I’ll be right here." She tells me. "Now, go to your man. He’s been waiting long enough."

  I spin around and face the door. Suddenly butterflies the size of birds start to fly around my gut and I stare at it.

  Barbara comes back in and I can feel them exchanging a look. "Oh! My dear, you are looking more like a golden goddess now than when I left." She walks between me and the door, smiling, then reaches for it and pulls it open. "Come now. Your Golden God is waiting for you." And she walks out.

  I turn to look at Jacqueline.

  "Would you like me to walk with you?" She asks, gently.

  For some reason, I have no spit, so I nod.

  The three of us walk in silence down the hall. Barbara turns to me and says. "You are in Chapel #9."

  "Number 9?"

  "Yes."

  Ah, Karma. You are truly amazing.

  We stop outside the double doors with the gold #9 on them. Barbara says. "I really think you should sing that song you were humming. Your voice is beautiful."

  "I’m not sure I can." I smile. "I have cottonmouth."

  Jacqueline offers. "Hold on." She hunts in her big bag slung over her shoulder. "I have a bottle of water right here." Grinning, she twists the top off and hands it to me. Barbara opens the first door wide, hooks it, then swings the other open and repeats the process. I take a big healthy mouthful, swish it around in my mouth and swallow those butterfly birds.

  I grin at Jacqueline as I hand the bottle back. "See. You would be perfect for this."

  She reaches over and gives me a quick hug, adjusts a few strands of my hair and backs away. I focus my eyes on the floor, knowing when I lift them and find Aurei’s, his will hit me hard, and deep, and pierce my soul. My wildness will leap to meet his thunder and this time.... This time I will give it up to be tamed.

  I step out of the shadows and into the middle of the doorway. I hear his words and I smile. "Breathe, baby. Breathe with me, My Sweet Wild Every Thang."

  I rehearse my lines for the last time. I’ve opened my soul to you and today I deliver it to you, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse. Knowing how the words will make him feel, I grin wickedly at the floor. Concise communication delivered straight line without any curves will speak louder that all the fluffy, fancy words could ever hope to. He taught me that. He will absofuckinglutely love what I will say.

  I lift my eyes to be possessed by him.

  Looking down the aisle, I absorb what I see before our boom stuns me, and what I see makes the butterflies vanish. Standing tall and proud, watching me, like the hunter with his eye on the prey, is my man. My beautiful man. He is completely relaxed, but his face thunders to me to come to him with that intense look he has for only me.

  Without a doubt, that is the most handsome face on the most beautiful man I have ever laid eyes on. His golden blonde hair, with the freshly bleached streaks from this past weekend spent in the sun on the white sand of Panama City Beach, in Florida, confirm again that he IS a Golden God! Ah! He has the most beautiful smile on his face. His white teeth radiate and he very dashing in his tailored tuxedo, custom cut to accentuate his muscular build, small waist, and straight legs. The man of my dreams, my Soulmate, my hero is about to officially be all mine!

  Calm settles over me like a warm security blanket. "I do know exactly what I’m doing. I’m becoming Mrs. Maximus Aurelius Moore."

  Our eyes lock. His gorgeous emerald green gaze pierces me and as I take the first steps to him, I begin to sing.

  Two Hundred Forty

  Aurei:

  The door opens and my heart stops. A big woman steps in. It skips a few beats, then resumes its nervous pounding in my chest. Watching her as she pushes the door open wide and locks it, it stops beating again. It’s time. I can hear my breath in my ears as I breathe in, then out in a rhythmic, hypnotic pace. Watching the big woman move across my line of sight to secure the second door, my eyes adjust themselves to the low light in the hallway, and I spot her. My bride. Waiting just outside the threshold in the shadow. My Miss Wright is about to become My Mrs. Moore.

  Standing still as a statue, my bride shimmers perfection in her wedding gown. I knew the moment I saw this unique fabric in Rome that Siri had to be wrapped in it. She was so patient, letting every angle of her body be measured. Any other woman would have been uncomfortable or difficult. But not Siri. She stood with bold confidence in her beauty and respectful for the professional eye of the tailor. Clueless why, but not needing to know more than the simple fact that I wanted her to. She's such a unique find. My goddess in her goddess gown. She is stunning, simply stunning!

  I watch her take a bottle from the woman standing with her. I smirk. She doesn't realize I can see her. She sucks the water from it, then moves the liquid around in her mouth, pushing her cheeks out and in, then swallowing all of it in one giant gulp. My cock thumps, knowing how that feels. I look away to regain control and when I look back, she has stepped into the light.

  She stands in the middle of the doorway looking down at her feet. She looks pure, demure in the white gown. My Good Girl Goddess. The most beautiful woman in the world, and by far, the sweetest one. She lifts her eyes and I feel the raw emotion that only she stirs within me, that she calls my thunder. I feel it spread through me until it consumes all of me and I know that I will not live another day without her. She is truly My Every Thang. When she sees me, I can’t help but smile. Clay was right. I am the luckiest bloke in the world. She smiles back, and I see calmness fall over her demeanor. I read her lips and her words vanquish any and all demons of doubt hovering in the back of my mind. Our eyes lock and I command her crystal green, breathtaking eyes to come to my side where she belongs.

  She begins to sing as she steps with the timed step of the wedding march. The gold threads in her gown and in her hair shimmer and catch the lights. She is perfection in both beauty and motion. Her voice truly angelic. Her eyes are honed in on mine and force me to focus on the song she has chosen to mark our union. It’s "The Rose," by Bette Midler. A knot forms in my throat as the meaning of what she is singing to me sinks in.

  In her line of work, she’s seen people without hope, and they believe love is harsh like a drowning river, a cutting razor, or an aching hunger. She’s seen those hopeless souls who are afraid to dance, to take a chance, to give and to live. She’s heard their excuses, 'I’m not lucky. I’m not strong.' And through it all, she’s tried to give them hope that love will find them and love will rescue them, believing in the unstoppable power of love. When she finally steps up to me, she sings that the warm light of the sun has brought forth from the cold darkness a beautiful "Rose."

  Studying her standing in front of me, I see the small white rosebuds threaded in her hair along with the single strains of gold threads and I remember the very first time I laid eyes on her. She was wrapped in tiny gold chains and my soul was lost in a cold dark place. The moment I saw her fire burning on the stage, she rescued me. She stirred within me a lust for love and gave me hope that I could, and would, find it. I didn’t know at the time it would be with her, but I knew at the time I had to have her. My eyes smile into hers. God, I love this woman. She’s so remarkable. She is wise beyond her years, cares beyond her calling, and loves more people, more deeply than anyone I’ve ever known. My thunder is roaring with every ounce of my being and my soul is shaken to my core with my love for this petite fireball, who has taken my breath away in so many ways, on so many levels.

  I hear the minister say a few words about the sanctity of marriage, then he tells us. "I understand you have prepared your own affirmations." She closes her eyes, then turns her face to him. I watch as she listens careful to his instructions, and realize she is quivering. "Siri Wright, please give yourself to Maximus Aurelius Moore."

  She nods, smiles at him, then looks back to me and opens her eyes. I feel the "Boom" that is our love the instant we connect. There is only us. Her lips part and she tries to say something, but no sound comes out. Then she drags her teeth across her bottom lip and my smile falls off my face. I feel my thunder soar inside and I hope I can resist the urge to throw her down right here and fuck her hard right now.

  I know she knows what I’m thinking when she smiles embarrassed then clears her throat. Her eyes start to dance. I know that look. I better get my shit together, or I might. Ha! It would make for one helluva story. I smirk and take a deep breath, hold it, then let it fall out slow and measured. I give her a wink. My thunder rages for you, but I’ve got it under control.

  Her tongue sneaks out and touches her bottom lip. My eyes drop to watch it drag spit across, moistening them. Damn! My cock thumps, knowing how that feels too. My eyes lock her down. Hurry, Sexy Thang. We need to fuck!

  Siri:

  I nod my head. Fuck! I love his choice of words, "...give yourself...." but they made my mouth dry again. I slowly turn back to Aurei and open my eyes to look into his.

  "Boom!" He takes a step closer and towers over me. Commanding and demanding, but so fucking delicious! His musk fills my mind and his heat saturates my senses. There is only Aurei. I try to swallow, but my throat sticks together. I try to find the words I had rehearsed, but they vanished with the thunderous Golden God bearing down on me. Fuck! He has that same intensity he had the day of the cookie eating contest, and all I can think of now is, whether he can wait or if he will throw me down right here on the chapel floor and take his wife like the beast he is, turning our ceremony into a fucking exhibition. That would be so fucking hot!

  I feel the dampness between my legs, preparing for his pounding. I shift my stance and clear my throat. His eyes dance with mine, then I watch him take a deep breath, hold it, then let it out slow and controlled. He winks that killer wink at me. Fucking hell! He knows that I know that he IS thinking that and I know that he knows that I might be down for it.

  My mouth waters with that and I swallow, then lick my dry lips. I look back up into my hunks eyes and I see my hero fighting his beastly urge to touch me with all his willpower. His eyes bore into mine with torturous need. I see you working hard. I wink back and grin at him. His eyes narrow then he grins a truly wicked grin. I can hear his thoughts as clearly as if he were whispering them in my ear. 'Wild Thang, get ready for a mind-blowing fuck and if you don’t hurry it’s gonna happen right here, right now!'

  I smirk as my eyes drop down to his cock in all it’s glory on full display, hard, and throbbing against his tight pants.

  I’m such a naughty tease.

  Two days ago:

  "What? Why?" Aurei asked me.

  "Superstition."

  "I didn’t know you were superstitious."

  "I’m not usually, but this is important to get right the first time."

  He rolled his eyes. "What if I don’t want to."

  "You will because I want to."

  He tilted his head, knowing he couldn’t argue with that. I smirk, knowing he wouldn't either.

  "Trickster." He accused me.

  I busted out laughing. "It’s just 24 hours. How hard can it be?"

  He turns the corners of his smile down and playfully frowns for me.

  I giggle. "If I can, you can."

  "Are you challenging my manhood?" I laughed as he puffed out his chest. His eyes twinkling at me.

  "No. If I were challenging that, I would be counting how many I could give you." I tilt my head, look up at nothing and give him a quirky smirk. "Honeymoon challenge?"

  He plopped down on the couch next to me and snuggled. "If you promise that challenge, I’ll agree to this one."

  I kissed his cheek. "Deal."

  "But let’s be clear on the what and the how. What exactly does it entail and how exactly does the superstition benefit us if we manage?"

  "It’s simple. Not having sex for 24 hours before the ceremony brings good luck on the marriage, plus it ensures the honeymoon sex will be mind-blowing."

  He laughs, "But the sex is already mind-blowing, how is that beneficial?"

  I crawled in his lap and straddled him, hugged his face between my arms and put my nose on his. "I’m just saying...."

 

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