I run my thumb over her shaking hand and reach up to wipe away the tear slipping down her cheek.
"I will always love you, Violet. I won't ever be perfect, and I'll make mistakes, and I'll definitely say things that will make you angry, but I promise to tell you every day, not just with words, but with actions, that you are the center of my universe. You're the sun in my sky and the breath in my lungs. I promise to be yours for every second of this existence, and to cherish every moment of that love with you."
Violet takes a deep, unsteady breath and sticks her finger in her cleavage. When she looks up, she's panicked.
"I have them!" Charlene rushes over and hands Violet cue cards.
Violet puts her hand to her heart and heaves a sigh of relief. She looks down at them, then back up at me. "Maybe I should've gone first. Mine aren't as nice as yours," she whispers.
I skim her cheek with gentle fingers and follow a trail down to her chest where I rest my hand. "They'll be perfect because they're from here."
"From my boob?"
I laugh. "From your heart, Violet."
"Oh! Duh." She rolls her eyes. "I'm so nervous." After several more deep breaths, she nods. "Okay. I'm ready." She glances down at the cards and then back up at me. "I, Violet Marie Hall, take you, Alex Robert Waters, to be my husband." She looks up and bites her lip, like she likes the way that sounds as much as I do. "To have as the most important person in my life, to hold whenever we're sleeping." She pauses and looks up at me. "At least until you turn into a radioactive furnace, and then I have to take a break, but you always end up wrapped around me later, so … " She looks around, like she realizes she's started rambling and consults her cue cards again. "I promise to love you, all of you, your best parts, and the other ones, too."
Red blotches form on her chest and start spreading up her neck. I'm worried for her. Maybe we should've gone with the traditional vows.
She mutters, "Screw it," and drops the cards on the floor. This could go really well or really badly. Thankfully it's just our closest friends and family here, and Randy can edit the video he's making if he needs to.
"I love you, Alex Waters. I think I started loving you when you sent me that silly stuffed beaver, or maybe even before that. Maybe it was the moment you smashed into the plexiglas and scared the crap out of me. But after that moment, you were always with me. And then we had … Well, anyway, after the night I met you, you stayed in my head, and then you started stalking my emails and my text messages. You tried so hard.
"I love so many things about you. But your perseverance and your tenacity, that's how you won your way into my heart. I promise I'll keep you there forever.
"I want all the things with you, Alex. I want the tears and the laughter, but more laughter than tears. I want the downs so I can appreciate the ups even more. I will try to be the best version of me, so I deserve the best version of you for the rest of my life."
After a brief pause she finishes with, "The end."
Everyone chuckles, and Violet's face turns red.
We exchange rings. Violet drops mine and almost head-butts me in the dick trying to pick it up off the floor. Lance manages to get it for her, and she slips it on to my finger.
I can't take my eyes off her as Lance rambles on with the rest of the ceremony, and then he pronounces us husband and wife.
Violet throws her arms around me, and I lift her off her feet to kiss her.
"I love you."
"Forever," she whispers.
-&-
After the ceremony, we go out to eat. I keep a close eye on the time, because we have a flight to catch. I can't wait to surprise Violet with our honeymoon. It's the one thing I've kept secret.
We've been drinking champagne most of the afternoon. Violet has such a low tolerance that we have to start switching out her drinks for non-alcoholic versions.
After our meal, we have exactly enough time to get back to the room, throw all our things into our bags, rush through goodbyes, and catch our limo to the airport.
"Where're you taking me?" Violet's changed into a pair of leggings and one of those long shirts that's too short to be a dress because it barely skims the bottom of her ass.
"You'll see when we get to the airport."
"Are we gonna join the mile-high club?"
"No."
She pouts.
"Do you really want the first time we have sex after we're married to be in a bathroom on an airplane?"
-&-
Violet's been in the bathroom-and not the airplane bathroom-for a long time. I assume she's getting ready for me, because it's the first place she went as soon as we arrived at our villa in Hawaii. I don't know what could possibly be taking so long. I've had my face between her legs recently, and I'm highly aware of how nice and smooth things are down there, so I'm concerned about what's happening behind that closed door.
After another ten minutes, I start to get impatient. She went in there with an entire bag of things. We've been married for almost twenty-four hours, and we have yet to consummate.
I roll off the bed and pad to the bathroom. Salty ocean air fills my lungs, and a warm breeze blows through the open curtains. I'm not worried about anyone hearing Violet when we finally get to having sex. Our little villa is nicely buffered from the ones surrounding it. The view from our deck is stunning. White sand turns into blue water and in the distance are green mountains rising from the ocean. Later, once we've had time to enjoy each other, we can go for a swim, and then come back and enjoy each other some more.
I put my ear against the door. I can't hear anything but water running and Violet mumbling.
"You coming out soon?" I tap with a knuckle.
"One more minute. I'm almost ready!"
I don't go back to the bed. Instead, I put a hand on either side of the jamb and wait.
It's another two minutes before the door swings open. Violet jumps and screams. "Jesus, Alex! You ruined my entrance! Go lie down and let me do this again."
She shoves on my chest and tries to close the door, but I'm not inclined to move. Violet looks like the bridal version of Little Red Riding Hood.
She's wearing her veil. But that's not all. A white lace bra cups her boobs, and my gaze gets stuck there before I can check out the rest of her as she slams the door in my face.
"Baby, come on out." I try the handle, but she's locked it. Smart woman.
"Not until you lie down."
"Okay." I'm not about to argue with her. Obviously she has a plan. If allowing her to execute it will get me inside her sooner, I'll do whatever she wants.
I lie back down on the massive bed with its gauzy curtains. The setting is perfectly romantic. I'm spending an obscene amount for us to be here, but I only get one honeymoon with Violet, so it's worth the expense.
A minute later the door opens an inch, and Violet's eye appears in the crack. When she sees me lying on the bed in my boxers that say "Just Married" across the front, she opens it wider.
Now I have a fantastic view of the entire package. Sweet fucking Christ, my wife is hot. In addition to the veil and bra, she's wearing garters, and I think a lacy pair of panties. She's clutching what seems to be a picnic basket. And she's wearing red heels. Not super-high ones, but heels nonetheless.
My dick is punching at the release hatch of my boxers with urgency. Violet carefully saunters over.
"Gimme a little spin, please." I twirl my finger in the air. "I wanna see what that looks like from the back."
She does as I ask, her heels clicking on the floor as she gives me her backside. The ribbon edging the veil skims the curve of her ass. Which appears to be bare. I don't think she's wearing panties after all.
"You look incredible, wife."
She turns around again, her smile as shy as it is coy. "Thanks, husband. I thought you might like the virginal slutty look."
"I love the virginal slutty look." She knows me so well.
Violet places the basket, which I hope is full of fun, on the end of the bed. When I sit up and reach for it, she smacks my hand away. "Nuh-uh." She wags her perfectly manicured finger. "You have to wait for that. I have some special surprises planned."
I raise my hands in supplication and lie back again, watching as she crawls over to me on her knees. Her bra is covered in crystals, and it shimmers in the light. I take in the rest of her, appreciating the dip in her waist and the lace band of the garters as they draw my eye down.