Shane grinned. “You chose to. I would have happily done it if you’d let me. I kept the spirit of our agreement intact.”
Feigning considering the matter, and quite enjoying the shocked expression of the women pretending not to listen to their conversation, she finally nodded. “Well, all right. In that case, I’ll marry you tonight, but only if these ladies can make a dress I love.”
“That won’t be a problem, miss,” the oldest one assured, looking nervous. Perhaps she was afraid Mia and Shane would kill her if she displeased them with the wrong wedding gown.
Mia had to struggle not to laugh at that thought. It was kind of fun to be seen as a badass killer, though she had no stomach to repeat the task. She knew her short foray into violence had begun and ended with taking Aldo’s worthless life. Thanks to Mr. Murphy’s benevolence, Shane’s life of violent activity was also behind him. They would be able to settle into a life of normality, which might be a bit boring, but she was ready for a break from the rollercoaster adrenaline ride that was part of mafia life.
Shane left them, and she browsed the books. The secret of their quick production was clear when one of the women produced a rack of basic dresses ready for alterations and additions. Despite the whole process taking less than three hours, Mia was pleased with the result.
Four hours later, near midnight, Mia walked down the small aisle in the modest chapel he had reserved for their ceremony. It was elegant and filled with white roses illuminated by hundreds of candles. There was no tacky Elvis standing beside Shane when she reached his side. Instead, a bald man in a dark suit conducted the ceremony.
In her princess gown, with its sweetheart neckline, and standing beside her tuxedo-clad groom, Mia felt like a queen. Not the queen of the underworld or the horrible position as Aldo’s queen, just like a protected, cherished, and worshiped woman. That Shane was her only subject pleased her, and she spoke her vows without reservation or hesitation.
They signed licenses, posed for pictures, and returned to their suite in less than an hour. A small white cake and a bucket of champagne awaited them. Mia took the flute he offered after popping the cork, clinking it against his. “To the future,” she said.
“To the thought of taking you to bed in a few minutes.” His expression clouded. “Did the doctor give you permission?”
She giggled, both from the champagne tickling her nose and his phrasing. “To be honest, I didn’t ask him if it was okay to make love with my husband, but he cleared me for all physical activity, with the caveat that I need to take frequent rest breaks.”
“Hmm.” He sipped his champagne before coming closer. “I guess you’ll need to spend a lot of time in bed.”
Mia nodded, not protesting when he took the glass from her to put beside his on the room service trolley. “Probably so.”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against his stomach. “Do you think you’ll get bored?”
“Um, maybe, unless you want to keep me company?” Mia gasped softly when he trailed his lips up her neck, revealed by her up-do, before pausing to nip the sensitive spot that made her squirm.
“I think that could be arranged. What kind of husband would leave his wife alone on their honeymoon?”
“Indeed.” Mia melted against him when he cupped her breasts through the satin and lace of her bodice. His thumbs worked doggedly to coax her nipples to maximum tautness, and she arched her back. “I’ve missed this so much, Shane.”
“Me, too.” He nipped the spot on her neck again and squeezed her breasts a little more than gently. “I’ve missed making love to you, and I’ve missed fucking you. I want to be sweet and tender, and I want to just take you until you’re screaming for mercy. You twist me inside out, baby girl.”
“You do the same to me, Shane.” Mia pulled away slightly to allow enough room to turn around in his arms. Her surgical incision tugged when she lifted her arms to put around his neck, but she ignored the twinge of pain. “You turn me inside out and make me want things I never thought I would. You’re nothing like what I thought I wanted, but you’re everything I need.”
“Same here, baby.” Shane cupped her chin to tip it up, his mouth meeting hers in a slow, drugging kiss. Warmth spread through her as she curved into his body. The kiss was sweet and demanding all at once. He was marking her as his, but she was just as quick to claim him with a sharp nip on his lower lip.
He growled at her, and the zipper on her dress was down in a flash. The fabric pooled around her waist, and she gasped with a tiny dart of regret when he ripped the delicate slip underneath. The garment was soon forgotten as Shane bent down to take one of her nipples into his mouth. He sucked forcefully enough to make her wince, and it was the perfect amount of pressure.
“You know just what I need, babe,” she whispered, not worried about increasing his massive ego in the heat of the moment.
He swirled his tongue over her nipple as his hands busied themselves pushing down her dress and torn slip to pool around her white heels. A pleased moan escaped him when his hand cupped her mound and encountered satin and lace. Lifting his head, he looked down at her with naked lust. “That is the kind of bridal wear a man dreams of, baby girl.”
Mia purred with satisfaction when he caressed her slit. “You like?”
“I like.” He cupped her again, squeezing her through the tiny panties before trailing his fingers across the white lace garter and down her stockings. “I like very fucking much, Mrs. O’Mara.”
Hiding her grin, she said, “We never discussed me taking your name, Shane.”
He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the huge bed. Shane dropped her with the appearance of roughness but was actually gentle in setting her on the mattress. “You belong to me, and that means you’ll take my name, Mia.”
“What if I want you to take mine, Shane? You belong to me, too.”
He smirked. “True, but I don’t think either of us wants Kasilli’s name, huh, baby girl?”
Giving up her teasing, she shook her head. “Not at all. I’m glad to be rid of it.”
“You know what else we need to get rid of?” As he asked, he pulled on her panties, making a pleased sound when he discovered the bows at the hips holding them on. “I thought I might have to rip them off since I want you to keep on the garter belt and stockings.”
