Eric doesn’t wait for Pastor Ted to declare us husband and wife. He leans in, capturing my lips eagerly, without inhibition. Someone whistles loudly, but he doesn’t stop, and I can’t resist as my hands land on his broad shoulders, pulling him closer to me. People are starting to whisper, and Pastor Ted coughs, trying to get our attention, but all we want right now is each other.
I know how Eric can get carried away, that I’m going to have to be the one to stop this. But he feels so good I don’t want to let him go, even with everyone watching. I allow him to go on for a few seconds more before I find the strength to push him away, gasping for breath as I hold on to his biceps. He’s breathing heavily as he rests his forehead against mine, a hint of a smile on his face.
“Well, I’ve never seen that before,” Pastor Ted remarks, awkwardly shuffling his Bible from hand to hand as we hear Will groan in the background. “Are you folks ready to continue now?”
“Uh huh,” Eric grunts, and I wish my hair were down so it could shield my face from view as I watch his chest heave beneath his shirt.
“I think we can make short work of this,” Pastor Ted remarks, giving us a reprieve. “By the power vested in me by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
A cheer goes up as Eric nuzzles my nose before standing and turning my wheelchair to face them.
“I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Eric Young,” Pastor Ted exclaims, and I savor every syllable of that sentence.
I’m finally Mrs. Eric Young, the one and only. In that moment, random images flash through my mind—Cassidy and Eric’s engagement picture, Lauren kissing him at the gala. At one time or another, they both wanted to be where I am, and now they’re both gone. I let myself reflect on that for a second, realizing how much I have to be thankful for. I’m alive. I’m here. I’m Eric’s wife, and no one can take that away from me. Not now, not ever.
I beam up at Eric as he pushes me forward, and he bends down to give me another quick kiss. I expect him to stop and mingle with our guests, but he keeps going straight out the door. I don’t have to ask where we’re headed. I already know.
He hits the button for the elevator as it slides open. The hospital is practically deserted, and there’s no one inside as he wheels me over the grate. We have it all to ourselves. He punches the number for the NICU floor and steps back, examining me, a look of indecision on his handsome face.
“What?” I prompt him, as the elevator starts to rise.
Without another thought, he jabs the emergency stop button with his thumb and we jerk to a halt. Before I can blink, he’s tugging his shirt over his head and dropping to his knees before me. I press against the footrests of the wheelchair, leaning back as his lips explore my neck and a moan issues from my mouth. Encouraged by my response, he takes more liberties, his hands cupping my backside as he guides me toward him, his fingers deftly loosening the straps of my hospital gown.
I shiver as it falls off my shoulders on account of the chilly air temperature and from what he’s doing to me. Immediately, he presses me against the warmth of his chest, his large, strong hands spanning my back. The heat from his skin is all I need as I wrap myself around him. I’m too sore to do anything more than spread my legs apart, and he moves in between them. He doesn’t push it as my nipples chafe against him. I’m still heavily padded down below, so I’m not surprised when he leaves me sitting in the wheelchair instead of picking me up and kissing me against the elevator wall.
And while that would be majorly hot, we’re not there yet.
I don’t exactly feel sexy right now. My breasts are tender after leaking milk most of the day, and I wish I could hide the stretch marks on my stomach since they don’t make me feel particularly desirable. But when Eric’s tongue starts softly probing the inside of my mouth, he makes me feel as alluring as ever. In terms of a wedding night, this is all we’re going to get, and I intend to make the most of it.
His hands hold me in place as he deepens the kiss. He wants me to let go, urging me to be in the moment with him and get out of my head. And that’s what I want to do as I stroke the hair at the nape of his neck, knowing how that drives him wild. He groans against my mouth, and I use the opportunity to glide my teeth along his bottom lip, teasing him as I nibble on the corner. I feel his ribs expand and contract in a faster rhythm as I pick up the pace, diving my tongue back into his mouth, causing his hips to involuntarily move against me.
I tremble when I feel his wedding band move across the small of my back. It’s as good as I hoped it would be…and more. I lower my hands to the dip in his pelvic muscle and trace the deep lines leading into his jeans. He shudders, and I feel it all the way through my body. We’re getting to the limit of what we can do as the elevator console begins to buzz.