“Kate,” He whispers. “You can’t bendover, no panties.”
“Oh, holy moly. Thanks, babe. But now youhave to take my heels off.” He kneels down, taking my Jimmy Choos off. I try totake them but he holds them out of my reach. “I’ve got them.” Cole wraps an armaround me as I tuck myself into his side.
“Instead of going to Crystal Falls to getmarried…” I glance up at Cole. “Let’s elope.”
“Cookie,” Cole growls.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN
“Kate,” Cole whispers in my ear, shakingme gently. “It’s time to get up.” I groan, rolling away from him. I try to saysomething but my mouth feels like it’s stuffed with cotton, and some tinycreature has crawled into my head and is hitting it repeatedly with a hammer.Cole grabs my hip, rolling me back towards him, picking me up.
“Ouch, everything hurts, even my teeth,”I grumble.
Cole sits me on the vanity. I glance downat myself. “Am I still wearing my dress?”
“Yes, you wouldn’t let me take it off ofyou last night, and it didn’t help that you were only partially coherent.” Hechuckles.
“That drink was really strong.”
“Just that drink?”
“Well no. I drank a lot last night. I hadsomewhat sobered up after we had sex in your office. Why don’t your teethhurt?” I groan. That’s not what I mean, but it’s certainly what I feel. “Imean…well you get it. Right?”
“I have a high tolerance for alcohol.I’ve been drinking since I was in college. Here.” Cole takes my hand, puttingtwo little white pills in it and then hands me a can of diet soda. “Drink up,it will help get rid of the creature in your head pounding the hammer.”
“Ugh, did I say that out loud?”
“Yes, you did. It was cute.”
I take the pills, taking a couple oflarge gulps of the soda. “Will you take my dress off?” I turn on the vanity,letting my feet rest in the sink.
“Oh, now I can take it off?”
“I didn’t want you to get a bighead.Taking my dress off twice in the same night.” I shrug.
“Oh, Cookie.” I look Cole over. He’salready showered and dressed.
“You’re not going to shower with me?” Ipout.
“I tried to wake you up an hour and ahalf ago and all you did was groan, even when I tried to lift you up.” Coleundoes the last hook on my dress. He runs his fingers down my bare back,placing a kiss at the base of my spine. “Raise your arms, Cookie.” I lift themwillingly and the dress comes up over my head. “There are a few last-minutethings I need to get done before we leave. We won’t be back in Vegas for twoweeks.”
“Are you going into the office?”
“No, I just need to make a few a phonecalls, and there are some papers that need to be signed. Plus, I need to finishpacking.”
“I’ve done most of it.”
“I saw.” He unclasps my bra and mybreasts come free, puckering from the chill in the air.
“This is really happening, isn’t it?”
Cole helps me stand and then wraps me inhis arms, pulling me close. “You mean, are we finally starting our lifetogether, having a real wedding and going on a honeymoon?”
“Yes that.” I stand on my tippy toes,kissing him.
“Yes baby, it’s really happening.” Hekisses me tenderly on the lips. “Okay, take a shower, but not too long. We needto leave in an hour.” I nod, walking into the hot shower, letting the waterpelt on my back. I put shampoo in my hair but then realize it’s still braidedand pinned. Oh man, I don’t think I’ve ever been that drunk in my life. Wellmaybe I’ve been that drunk, but not for long because it all usually comes backup. I hurry as fast as I can, which isn’t very fast, but the aspirin andcaffeine kick in and help ease the creature with the hammer, and I dry my hair.I pull on a pair of jeans and a button down yellow cotton shirt with littlewhite flowers on it.
I sit down on the bench at theend of the bed, still feeling tired and a bit overwhelmed. This really ishappening, Cole and I are starting our life together, without fuss or muss, areal wedding. I can’t seem to get Cole’s words out of my head about arealwedding.Does he think the way we were really married doesn’t count, or that it wasn’t goodenough? I hope he doesn’t because I love the way we fell in love and gotmarried.
