Her lips transform into a hint of a smile. “I’ll see you in two weeks,” she says, closing the door.
I start walking away but turn quickly when I hear the door to her apartment opening. “I love you too, Mav,” she calls out before blowing me a kiss.
I smile and wink, thinking this is a day I’ll never forget.
One
Mia
Ican’t believe Elvis is officiating my wedding. Not the real Elvis, of course, but one of those impersonators in Las Vegas. At least this guy looks half-way decent, dressed in a white jumpsuit accented with glittering jewels, and the trademark oversized gold sunglasses.
The Chapel of Burning Love is not what I expected, or even planned, for my wedding. I was supposed to get married in a stunning winery in Napa Valley. So much time and effort were spent putting together the perfect day, but Maverick turned those dreams into nightmares when he ended things a month before the big day.
When he showed up at my door, begging forgiveness, I wasn’t ready, but I also couldn’t just give up on him either. We’d been together far too long to simply call it quits. So, when he offered to do anything, I took a leap of faith. Some might call me stupid, and I probably am, but I spent weeks after our break-up wishing and hoping he’d come back. And he did. Forgiveness comes with time, and to me, we’d already wasted far too much.
After Elvis finished his rendition of “It’s Now or Never,” he cleared his throat and began our vows.
“Do you, Maverick, take Mia, to be your wife? Do you promise to love her tender? Love her sweet? And never let her go?”
Maverick’s blue eyes are glassy with unshed tears and a sweet smile spreads across his lips. “I do.”
I let out a shuddering sigh. Two weeks ago, I didn’t think this would ever happen. A single tear slips down my cheek.
“Do you, Mia, take Maverick to be your husband? Do you promise to love him tender? To love him true and fulfill all of his dreams?” Elvis almost croons.
“I do,” I whisper, as another tear slides down my cheek.
“Then by the power vested in me by the State of Nevada and by the King himself, Elvis Aaron Presley, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may seal your marriage with a kiss.”
Maverick seems to hesitate for a moment before he reaches out, grabs me around the waist, and smashes his lips against mine. His kiss takes my breath away and makes my knees tremble. My arms wrap around his neck as he lifts me, never breaking the kiss until Elvis politely clears his throat.
We both grin before turning to walk down the pink carpeted aisle as “Burning Love” plays over the chapel’s speakers. A laugh escapes my lips because the whole ceremony was absurd but also, perfect. There will always be time for a gorgeous vineyard wedding with our family and friends, but this day was only for us.
“I can’t believe we’re actually married,” I tell him with a sigh as we settle into the back of the limo waiting in front of the chapel.
I glance over at Maverick who looks handsome in his fitted black tuxedo. It’s tailored perfectly to his broad chest and shoulders, hiding all the muscles beneath it. Muscles I haven’t touched in more than a month. My pulse throbs between my legs with anticipation.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t have the wedding you wanted or even go on a proper honeymoon,” he says. “But I can at least give you a wedding night to remember.”
Maverick wiggles his eyebrows and I laugh, knowing I wasn’t alone in my thoughts. I lean toward him, pressing one hand on his chest where his heart beats against my palm, and kiss him softly.
“I’m going to hold you to that,” I tell him.
He reaches for the hem of my dress and lifts it to my knee before slipping his hand beneath the fabric. My body reacts with a shudder the moment his fingers brush against the lace of my panties. “Then I better get started.”
When he removes his teasing fingers, I whimper, eager for him to make good on his promise. Instead of pleasing me, he scoots across the limo, toward the driver and speaks to him. I have no idea what Maverick tells him, only that the driver nods with understanding and then the partition glass glides up, giving us a bit more privacy.
Maverick returns to his place next to me with a determined look in his eye. I’ve seen this look before; it’s how he looks when he’s focused on a game, on throwing the game-winning touchdown, on studying footage from a game he lost.
“What did you tell the driver?” I ask, watching him move to the floor of the limo.
“Don’t worry, Mia. All you need to do is spread your legs for me and enjoy the ride.”
His hands push the skirt of my wedding dress up my thighs and my legs stretch, opening wide for him. He licks his lips like a king ready to feast before pressing his nose against the center of my body. He inhales and groans, turning his head to place fluttering kisses along my inner thigh. His hot breath tickles my skin, setting me on edge. He likes to tease me, to prolong the inevitable. A month without him seemed like eternity and now that we’ve reconciled, I don’t want to wait another moment to truly reconnect.
“Maverick,” I whisper. “Stop teasing me.”
“You’re always impatient.”
