Beth followed behind her sister.
“He’s there,” Willa whispered, seeing Lucky waiting for her beside the podium.
“Was there any doubt?” Angus asked.
Curling her arm through his, she didn’t take her eyes off Lucky. “None at all.” She crossed two of her fingers that were holding the bouquet. “None at all.”
Willa paced back and forth in the small bathroom, knowing Lucky had to be wondering what was taking her so long. She sat down on the edge of the tub, feeling as if she were hyperventilating.
“He wouldn’t use his knives on our wedding night,” Willa whispered out loud to give herself courage.
“Did you say something, Willa?” Lucky’s voice from the other side of the door had her jumping to her feet, double-checking that the door was locked.
“I said I’ll be right out!”
They had decided to stay at her house tonight then leave for their honeymoon to Jamaica tomorrow afternoon.
She took another glance at herself in the mirror. The black, baby doll gown came to her knees, and the bodice dipped between her breasts, giving a generous view. The gown was daring for her, but it didn’t scream ‘come and get me’, either. Willa wished she had been more adventuresome when she had picked her lingerie for her honeymoon. The prices on those flimsy bits of material had been hard to talk herself into, though. She thought the one she had on was seductive, and the best part was she had found it for thirty percent off in the expensive store.
The most expensive one had been a present from Sex Piston, and she had packed it in her suitcase, but she was seriously debating taking it back for a refund. There was no way she could ever envision herself wearing the minuscule bra and panty set.
Her hand went to the doorknob. She could do this. Lucky had shown her twice what kind of pleasure came from being with him. He wasn’t going to hurt her. She wanted him so badly her mother would be ashamed of her, because a good, Christian girl never let her body’s needs control her.
She turned the lock, twisting the door handle then gradually opening the door. She didn’t know what she had expected, but seeing Lucky sitting on her bed, playing PS4 wasn’t one of them.
Travis had left Charlie’s behind, explaining he had several at his ranch for the ranch hands to use and that Charlie would have it here for when he visited.
“Wanna play?” Lucky threw her a quick glance. “I’m winning.”
“That’s a real shocker.” Willa tentatively sat down on the bed next to him.
He was only wearing a pair of shorts, and her eyes traced down the tattoos on his legs. Most of them were religious. The one on his thigh made her want to trace the outline of Mary to give her the courage she had always wanted. The sad look on her face and the tear rolling down her cheek touched Willa. She wondered what had made Lucky pick the ones he had inked on his body.
She placed her pillow against the headboard, giving herself an unrestricted view of the ones on his back without him knowing she was staring. They were different, not religious. They were symbols of violence and destruction.
The center was a Navy Seal insignia with a snake wrapped around it from the bottom up, leaving the face of the snake glaring back. Objects surrounded the insignia: two revolvers with a metal chain wrapped around the barrels of the gun, linking them together; brass knuckles; a hand of cards; and a razor knife. The whole tattoo had a layer of shadows, giving it an eerie effect.
She didn’t want to know why he had chosen those. She shivered as she reached out to trace the hand of cards. Then her eyes went to the horseshoe on his shoulder, seeing the scarred flesh beneath, the ridges giving the horseshoe a more realistic appearance. The four leaf clover hid what looked like another scar. The largest scar was covered by an elephant with its trunk up. Her fingers traced each of the symbols.#p#分页标题#e#
“Why did you get the rainbow?”
“Because of God’s promise in the Old Testament after the flood.”
“Oh.”
Lucky threw down the controller and, picking up the remote, he turned the television off. He turned, scooting down slightly on the bed, and then flipped onto his stomach with his head at her waist.
“The dolphin?”
“Protection.”
“Is that one a cricket?”
“Yes, crickets alert you to danger. They stop chirping when someone gets near.”
“Good luck symbols don’t go against your religious beliefs?”
“God created them all,” he said simply. “Besides, I don’t put my faith in them; I put my faith in Him.”
“A little extra luck never hurts.” Willa smiled, running her hand over his shoulder.