Bunny and the Beast(Divine Creek Ranch 22)(92)

She’d done her own makeup with a little help from Lucy Carter and her sister-in-law, Maizy Welsh, giggling so much it was a wonder they’d gotten done in time.

And then Violet had helped her with the dress. Made of pale beige lace overlaying nude tulle, the dress was a bit of an optical illusion, making it appear that she was naked beneath the lace. It had a side split reaching to mid-thigh and a chapel-length train.

Her favorite part of the dress was that, although it offered a relatively modest bodice with a sweetheart neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves, the dress was sheer in the back, nearly all the way to her tailbone. She was betting Joseph would appreciate the contrasts.

She did a full turn at their request, and Grace and Rachel nudged each other, and Rachel smiled.

“What?” Bunny asked, beginning to worry maybe the dress wasn’t right on her short frame. “It’s not right?”

“Oh, no,” Rachel said with a chuckle. “We just can’t wait to see the look on Joseph’s face.”

Gwen Alvarez nodded in agreement as she nursed her baby, which was bound to her torso in a really cool sling. “I know exactly what Chris would say, y’all. He’d adopt that ‘family’ accent of his and say, “You are sooo beyootiful! He’s gonna take one look at you, an’ he’s gonna die!” she said with a grand swipe of her hand. All the ladies chuckled and congratulated Gwen on her perfect impersonation of her lovable husband. Gwen was married to not one but two totally hot cowboys, a popular concept in Divine which Bunny was still wrapping her mind around.

There were sniffles around the room as the ladies hugged her and left to give her a few minutes alone.

Violet fluffed her hair one last time. “You okay, sweetie?”

Bunny gazed in the mirror at the woman looking back at her, and felt beautiful. And it had nothing to do with the dress, or the pearl earrings dangling from her ears, or the bracelet made of three rows of matching pearls worn on her wrist, both gifts from Joseph. On the other wrist she wore a cuff he’d had made especially for her.

At first glance, it looked plain, but upon closer inspection, Joseph’s thumbprint was placed at regular intervals all the way around it, and the inscription on the inside read fiammetta nel mio cuore. Little flame in my heart.

She stroked the faint fingerprint ridges of his beautiful gift to her, given the night she formally agreed to be his submissive. To learn from him. To explore her own submission. The recent memory made her smile. “I’m just perfect. I have a favor to ask of you, Violet.”

Five minutes later, she stood against the wall beside the door to their suite, listening as Joseph’s footsteps, muffled slightly by the oriental carpet in the corridor, came to a stop, and he tapped softly.

“Bunny, are you there?” he said, without entering. They were following tradition so he couldn’t see her dress yet.

“I’m here, Sir,” she said, sliding her trembling fingers around the doorjamb. His hand was wonderfully warm as he squeezed hers and stroked her palm.

“Are you nervous?”

“No. I’m excited,” she said, sighing with pleasure as she felt his lips on her knuckles. “I have something for you, Sir. I…I wanted us to start out on the right foot, and I thought you might need this.” She slipped the tiny packaged, wrapped in tissue and a red ribbon, through the opening in the doorway. “You should open it now. It’s good to be prepared.”

He cleared his throat as he unwrapped it and then chuckled. “What am I going to do with you, Bunny?”

“I dunno. Love me maybe?”

“Absolutely. Why do I need a handheld tally counter?”

“To help you keep track. You’re gonna need it, Beastly. I’m sure.”

Click.

He reached a hand into the doorway. Without him asking, she cupped it to her cheek and then kissed his palm. “I love you, Sir.”

“I love you, too, fiammetta.”

“Is Samson downstairs making goo-goo eyes at Cassie?’

He snorted in amusement. “Yes. He says she’s avoiding him.”

“And Tristan?”

“He’s waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He’s sweating bullets, afraid he’s going to trip you or mess up, poor guy. Are you ready?”

“Am I ever, Sir. Let’s get this party started.”

Tristan did a marvelous job of walking her down the aisle, stopping only once to hug Miss Louisa, who was standing, sobbing into her hankie while Jesse patted her back. It was the most gorgeous of weddings, set on the back veranda as the sun set.

Joseph was so ruffled up with pride and emotion when he saw her, he looked as though he might bust out of his jacket. Hector presided over the service with Juno looking on from nearby, holding their tiny infant son in her arms, born a couple of weeks early, but just in time to be the youngest wedding guest.