The Billionaire Boss's Innocent Bride(31)

But there would be ways, she thought, and wished suddenly she weren't so   completely inexperienced, ways to provide relief for him at least. She   got up slowly and went to find him.

He was standing on the jetty staring out over the dark waters and the   rhythmically flashing green lights of the Aldershots channel.

She hesitated, then went up to him and slipped her arm around his waist. 'Max-'

her voice was husky and a little uncertain but she persevered '-is there   anything I could do to help? I know how you must be feeling.'

She felt him stiffen in surprise, then he put his arm round her   shoulders. 'I can't thank you enough for that, Alex,' he said, 'but no.   It wouldn't do anything for you and we're in this together. I can  wait.'  He dropped a light kiss on her hair. And even after he was able  to cope  without the brace and he was pronounced back to normal and was   experiencing no more back pain, and there were still two weeks to go  the  wedding, he was content to wait.

'Has it occurred to you we might be the most old-fashioned couple around, Alex?' he said.

'Yes.'

'Are you happy about that?'

She looked into his dark blue eyes. 'Yes,' she said honestly. 'I've   loved our engagement. I've loved really getting to know you. I'm not   saying I wouldn't love to go to bed with you, but-it will be something   very special when it's on our wedding night.'

'So be it.'

Finally, the day dawned.

Once again the Tuscan villa was the venue and it went through another of its amazing transformations.

The theme colour was ecru and the soft sage-green of wattle leaves   dotted with tiny yellow powder-puff flowers filled the standard vases   and transformed the terrace into a bower.

The cake was three-tiered and decorated with icing wattle leaves and   flowers. The bride wore a long, slim, strapless white dress with a filmy   overdress exquisitely self-embroidered. Her veil was antique lace and   had been handed down to Goodwin brides from Max's grandmother, the   daughter of the Italian count. The old lady was present at the wedding.   Alex had already met her, and been told not to delay starting a family   because the younger you were, the better it was!

Mrs Mills was there, as well as Jake and Stan, all having been relieved   of their usual duties. Margaret was there, beaming with happiness.  Simon  had brought his wife, Rosanna, but left his three-week-old twin  sons  with his in-laws. He still looked stunned by the news of Alex's   marriage. Even Mr Li was there, along with many distinguished guests.

Patti was there and she'd brought Josie. Alex had given her the little   dog, although with a lump in her throat. But Patti had been almost   tearfully grateful, since, as she'd said, she was losing Alex.

Cathy and Nicky were there.

Only family and closest friends and staff had attended the church service, which had been deeply moving.

Alex had been attended by Olivia's son and daughter, and Nicky, and   she'd entered the church on Sir Michael's arm. She'd never forget, she   knew, the moment when Max had turned and seen her walking down the aisle   towards him, never forget the slightly stunned look in his eyes.

Nor would she forget the moment when he'd put back her veil and she'd   seen so much love in his blue eyes in the moment before he'd bent his   head to kiss her. And many guests, Olivia, Mrs Mills, Margaret and Patti   quite openly, had been dabbing their eyes as they'd walked down the   aisle as man and wife. The reception passed in something of a blur with   cutting the cake, throwing her bouquet being amongst the highlights,  and  everyone agreeing it was a lovely, lovely wedding.

They spent their wedding night in the penthouse; they were due to fly out on an extended honeymoon the next morning.

They were lying side by side on a sumptuous bed in the master bedroom, all cream on the colour of rose gold.                       
       
           



       

They'd behaved with conspicuous decorum on the trip up from the Coast in   the Bentley-after they'd stopped to brush off most of the rose petals   and confetti that had been thrown over the car as they'd driven off.

They'd taken the lift and not said a word to each other as they'd   ascended to the thirty-fifth floor. They'd stepped into the foyer,   looked into each other's eyes for a long, burning moment, and decorum   had fled from them …

Alex stirred on the bed, and smiled.

'What, my love?' he enquired, and drew his fingers down her slim, sated body.

'I think we may have left a trail of clothing almost from the lift.'

'I think we may have,' he agreed. 'It doesn't matter-we're alone. How   was that?' He propped his head on his elbow and watched her.

Alex looked back at their love-making and trembled inwardly. 'Honestly?'

'Honestly.' But he looked faintly alarmed.

'It was-almost indescribable. It was hot and sweet and gentle, then   astonishingly beautiful … ' She was lost for words for a moment. 'It was   everything I've thought it would be but didn't really know, it was more,   it was very, very special.' She turned to face him and for a moment  her  eyes gleamed with unshed tears at the power of her emotions. 'Thank   you.'

He relaxed and pulled her close. 'Don't thank me. It was us. You're so   lovely, my sweet Alex, and, not only that, I can now die a happy man.'

Alex lifted her head. 'Don't you dare!' she remonstrated and they both subsided laughing. 'What do you mean, though?' she asked.

'I had this fantasy that one day I would make you gasp with a desire   you'd never known, and focus those beautiful eyes solely on me. It   happened just now.'

Then he added, 'Know something?' He didn't wait for her to answer. 'I've   never felt like this before in my entire life. I always assumed I was   pretty much OK, but now I know I've never felt so much peace, so much   pure pleasure and pride, so much-' he paused and looked deeply into her   eyes '-confidence in the future, so much love.'

'It's been like a miracle for me too,' she murmured and held him close. 'I love you.'