Love Me One More Time by Laura Burton
Chapter 17
The ocean rolls in and out, leaving trails of foam and froth in its wake. The night is so clear, thousands of twinkling stars are visible in our blanket of sky.
At least fifty flaming torches light the path to a white archway decorated with all kinds of flowers.
There’s a hush in the air as my mom and I approach the scene, arm in arm. I squeeze her when we reach the aisle and I catch sight of Carter; he’s standing in a crisp white shirt and a pair of tan shorts, waiting for me.
The cool sea breeze floats over me and makes my satin dress ripple.
Carter’s eyes sparkle; he’s looking at me.
My mom grins and walks me toward Carter. My heart rate picks up as I look around at the whole family. I feel like a princess.
Carter’s uncle officiates, and we stand barefoot on the sand to exchange our vows. The tide rolls in over our feet.
It’s quiet and calm. No one takes a single picture.
There are no speeches or dancing… And certainly no hot dog eating contest. There isn’t even a cake. But everything is exactly the way I want it to be.
Carter’s grandma arranged for a simple wedding ceremony on the beach. The staff has set up the conference hall for an after-party when the wedding is over. Carter and I have been excused from that, as we’ll be starting our honeymoon immediately.
When Carter kissed me for the very first time as my husband, my foot went up into the air. The family applauded like they were watching the end of a romance movie.
My mom cried. But of course, Redford was right there beside her. Seeing him take care of her like that makes me confident he’ll do a great job of distracting her later tonight.
After the short ceremony, Carter and I walked past his mom. He kissed her on the cheek, and for the first time, her small smile reached her eyes.
“If I have to have a daughter-in-law, I’m glad it’s you,” she says, her eyes shining like two moons. “And for what it’s worth, I think you two have a good chance of making it work.”
It’s the closest thing to a compliment I’ve ever had from her. I smile appreciatively, then Carter walks me further up the beach toward the resort.
When we reach the hall outside our room, Carter picks me up in his arms and kicks the door open. I throw my head back and laugh as he steps over the threshold and shuts the door with his foot.
“Now then, Mrs. Black, where will you be the most comfortable?” Carter asks, grinning at me. I hum in thought. “How about the shower?”
Carter’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. “As you wish, my dear. But I really think I ought to join you, just in case you get dizzy or your shoulder starts playing up again.”
He takes me into the luxurious bathroom and I catch a glimpse of us in the wall of mirrors. Carter has me cradled in his arms and my satin ivory gown is floating down like a waterfall. I turn back to look at Carter.
“That seems wise,” I say, forcing myself to look serious.
Carter lowers me to the tile floor, and kisses the back of my neck as he wraps his arms around my waist. I watch our reflections in the mirror and everything tingles as his fingers slide up to my neck. He unties the halter neck of my dress, and the material falls to my waist. I swivel around to face him and rise on tiptoes to give him a tender kiss.
“I love you, Carter.”
I unbutton his shirt, and Carter’s eyes grow hungry. He cups my face in his hands and he presses his lips to mine with so much tenderness, it makes me weak at the knees. Then he whispers into my ear, “I love you more.”