The Law of Desire (18 page)

“Y
ou may now kiss your bride.”

Lawrence’s brother, Joel, didn’t seem like he had to be told twice. His head was already bent and he was swooping in before the minister finished the word
bride
.

Minerva turned her gaze away from the smooching couple and took note of her handsome man, standing there at his brother’s side, looking as good as he wanted to look in his tuxedo. He certainly was the best man, even if she was just a
tad
bit biased.

He winked as he smiled at her and she winked back as the goose bumps popped all over her body and the butterflies danced and fluttered in her belly.

She didn’t know if it was the beautifully decorated church, all done up in rustic flowers that belied the ending of fall, or the beautiful rust gowns that the bridesmaids wore, but she could feel love all around her. And after the death and loss that had haunted her the past few months, it felt good.

The flowing cream gown Samantha wore looked like something right out of a fairy tale. The color contrast between the gown and her smooth chocolate skin was breathtaking. The strapless dress had intricate beadwork on its bodice and layers and layers of raw silk on the skirt. Her jet-black natural hair was swept up in a sparkling tiara. She looked gorgeous, and Minerva couldn’t help wondering if she would look half as pretty on her own wedding day.

The wedding reception was held in a posh hotel ballroom and the entire décor epitomized elegance. The same rustic floral arrangements from the church graced the ballroom and the color scheme of rust and the most majestic-looking purple she’d ever seen took shape in layers of silk and crepe. It looked like royalty was getting married and it was a sight to behold.

Dressed in her own stunning red backless gown, Minerva felt like royalty herself as Lawrence swept her around the dance floor. The bride and groom had shared their special dance and the dance floor was now crowded with guests. No matter how many people surrounded them, she couldn’t take her eyes off Lawrence.

“You look beautiful.” He bent down and brushed her lips with his. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. More than you’ll ever know.” She couldn’t believe just how easy it was to express how she felt about this man. She didn’t think she would ever get tired of telling him she loved him.

They danced just about every dance together. Close. Connected. One. Neither of them wanted to part when it came time for the single men and women to do the age-old garter and bouquet catch. But no one in the family would let them sit it out.

Minerva stood in the circle of women not really trying to catch anything. She smiled when Samantha looked back and winked at her before tossing the beautiful flowers. They landed right in her arms and she clutched them tight to her chest just in time to stop this really mean-looking sister from snatching them away.

She watched as they literally dragged all the single men onto the floor and noticed that Lawrence’s older brother Patrick was oddly missing.

None of the men seemed to be focused on Joel. In fact, they seemed to be doing their best not to pay attention to Joel or where he aimed the frilly blue lace garter. The only one who looked like he was waiting to catch the thing was Lawrence. And catch it he did.

Before she knew it, she was being swept onto the middle of the floor and plopped unto a chair. She held her breath as Lawrence slipped the garter belt up her thigh in an achingly slow manner. The “coincidence” of her catching Samantha’s bridal bouquet and Lawrence catching the garter belt no longer took center stage in her mind. She wasn’t even thinking about the crowd of people standing around them in the posh ballroom. They might have been the center of attention at the moment. But all she could think about was Lawrence’s hand caressing her thigh as he put the garter in place.

She stared at him as he kneeled on one knee in front of her. He gazed up at her with an intensity that made her breath catch in her throat and her heart thud with the force of a thunderstorm. She opened her mouth and closed it.

“Are you done?” Her question came out in a soft panting whisper.

He shook his head before responding. “No.” He reached for her hand and led her away from the dance floor. They walked in silence out onto the balcony.

He bent down and covered her mouth with his. The kiss was the perfect mix of gentle and all-consuming. The teasing nibbles of his teeth and flicks of his tongue turned her inside out and back again.

She gulped and traced his loving mouth as if she were trying to commit the shape and frame to sensory memory.

“I could kiss you all day.” He caressed the side of her face and trailed down to the base of her neck as he stopped the kiss and pulled away.

She smiled because he hadn’t said anything she didn’t feel ten times over.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. “I’ve been waiting for the right time to do this. And now seems like the perfect time.”

“Lawrence?” This couldn’t be what she thought it was. Could it? He couldn’t be asking her to marry him.

She wasn’t pregnant. They had gotten proof of that the morning after they confessed their love for each other. If he was asking her to marry him, it wasn’t because he felt obligated. He must really want to.

“I love you with all my heart and soul, Minerva Jones. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to be there beside you when you accomplish all the amazing goals you have for your life. I want you to be the mother of my children. I want you to stay with me, forever. Loving you has made me a better man than I ever could have dreamed of being. I trust you with my life, with my heart. I said you wouldn’t be a kept woman because I already knew that you would be my wife. Please help me to be an honest man and say you’ll be my wife. Will you marry me, Minerva?”

He opened the box and the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen glimmered inside. The emerald-cut diamond sparkled so brightly it sent rays of sunlight through its prisms.

He loved her and he wanted to marry her. Her heart felt so full it threatened to burst wide open.

“I love you, Lawrence. And I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than be your wife. Yes. I’ll marry you. You sure about this, Detective? I plan on making this a life sentence for you with no possibility for parole. You’ll be stuck with me.” She gazed lovingly in his eyes.

“That’s exactly what I was hoping for. Anything else would be criminal. Punishable to the full extent of the law, baby.”

“Really, the law, huh? Well since I’m living crime-free these days, I wouldn’t want to do anything to get me in trouble with the law. What law would I be breaking by the way?”

He grinned before standing and swooping her up. “The law of desire, baby.” Then he covered her lips in a searing kiss.