White (14 page)

He was stunning—his dark hair pushed back smartly, a crisp black tux, and one sexy flash of red at his pocket. I wanted to run to him, kiss him like no one was watching, and thank him for loving me. For loving all of us. My eyes cast over the two young men at his side, Mason and Grant, my other brothers. They looked handsome as ever, and more uncomfortable than ever, waiting for me to arrive. I smiled brighter, seeing them standing there, representing all the love in my life on this special day.
 

I knew instinctively I should be smiling and acknowledging everyone in the chairs as I passed, but I couldn't peel my eyes from the man who would soon be my husband. Most of these were Asher’s friends anyway, a few distant family members, a small group of fewer than thirty people. I had who I cared about—not another person on the planet mattered to me more than the men right here with me.

I felt tears climbing up my throat and threatening to overflow before I heard Jenna’s nagging voice in my head reminding me not to cry today for fear of raccoon eyes.
 

With a final few steps, my eyes locked with Asher’s. Julian held out his elbow, and I unhooked myself from him and connected with Asher’s waiting palm. With that simple touch, I connected myself to him for an eternity.

“Finally,” Asher whispered softly when I was close enough to hear, his lips placing a delicate kiss at my neck before my happiness overtook all else, my smile so big it might crack my cheeks, my heart so full I didn’t think anything better could exist. I was wrong. There was so much more to come, and life with Asher would only get bigger, and so much better.

***

Asher

With the ceremony and photography session over, and the guests filtering back to the house to celebrate with wine and hors d’oeuvres, I snagged my girl by the hand and walked her to the shoreline. “Okay, angel?” I pulled her down with me onto the small bench. I needed a moment with her. There may be one thousand more in my future, but I needed this one.
 

“I’m so much more than okay,” she murmured. “I didn’t think I could be this happy. Thank you for giving me such a magical day.” Her eyes finally turned, and the water hovering at her eyelids nearly undid me on the spot. I had so much love for this woman it couldn’t be expressed with words.
 

“You're as stunning and pure as the driven snow, Eve White. My life was messy and dirty before you. You are like that snow, landing in my life and making it a wonder. Because of you, I know that the future is bright for both of us.”

My wife. How had I ever gotten so lucky? I’d thought I’d have to lock her into a contract for two years to work on her, get her to hear me out and understand that I needed her like air to breathe. “After that first weekend with you…” I trailed off as my thoughts lingered on all those months ago. “You changed everything. You’re the wild card I didn’t see coming. My life is so much fuller with you in it, and
all
your baggage,” I teased and watched as her eyes lit with laughter. “I love making you laugh. I hope I never stop.” My eyes softened again. “I love waking up to you in the morning.” I planted a soft kiss on her lips. “And I love listening to you sing in the shower.” I snagged another kiss as she rolled her beautiful eyes. “Thank you for marrying me.”
 

She hummed against my lips as my palms trailed down to her waist, imagining the vibrant tiny heartbeat I knew to be there.
 

“So when are we going to tell them?” I asked, referring to the guests back in the house.
 

“An announcement during your toast would be fun,” she answered as light reflected off her dark curls. She looked so damn happy today. Radiant.
 

“Maybe I’m not ready to share you just yet.” I smoothed a palm over her belly, only gently protruding and hidden beneath layers of lace and satin.
 

Four months pregnant.
 

It’d been confirmed just last week. We’d both been late to spot the symptoms, chalking much of it up to stress on her system. And then I’d come home to a positive pregnancy test perched perfectly on top of my pillow.
 

I’d nearly tackled her in joy. So unexpected, so welcome. There would be no shortage of love in this home.
 

“Maybe once we find out if it’s a girl or boy,” Eve said as she placed her palms over my own, encircling her abdomen and our baby.
 

“Definitely a boy,” I said, bending my head to place a proud kiss there.
 

“There are enough boys around here! I want pigtails and princesses!” she laughed as her fingertips dusted across the nape of my neck and sent my system into overdrive. I gritted my teeth, thinking I only had a few more hours of playing pretend before I could bring her upstairs and unwrap her like my own priceless gift.

I grunted and then took her lips in a more promising kiss. “I’ve got plans for you tonight.” I dragged my teeth across the plump flesh of her bottom lip. “I can’t wait to get inside you.”

“Oh?” She sighed and shifted, lust glazing her eyes as her palm went to my crotch, feeling the rock-hard steel between my thighs.
 

“I was hard all through that ceremony. I wanted to tell the pastor to hurry the fuck up so I could get you alone and see what’s under this dress.” My hands played with the fabric, trying to pull it up to reveal her legs, but only finding more fabric and less flesh.

Her laugh echoed in the chilled air around us as the sun glinted vibrantly off the lake. “You’ll never find anything under there as long as I’m wearing this.” She gestured at the dress. “But wait till you see what I bought for tonight.” Her eyes shone with mischief. She stood and pulled me up by my hand. I rose, cupping her cheeks in my palms and planting a long, slow kiss across her mouth.

I loved this woman more than I loved myself. She meant more, she cared more, she loved harder, and she loved me.
 

“You just made me the luckiest man alive,” I murmured against her lips, our foreheads resting together, endless love pulsing with every heartbeat between us. When I’d finally found her, I’d found myself.
 

***

Eve

I hooked the spaghetti straps of the expensive lingerie over my shoulders and then did a little twirl in the master bathroom. Asher was waiting out there, my new husband. My stomach rattled with butterflies as I took in the full, overflowing D-cups in the mirror, the generous curves that would only grow fuller with pregnancy, and my long dark hair trailing across one shoulder.
 

I hoped he loved it.
 

I sighed, turning to my profile and admiring the small bump that was slowly popping. Our child. I’d been shocked to discover I was pregnant, but from the first moment, my mothering instincts had kicked in, and I wanted nothing more than to raise a happy, healthy child that would never want for love a single day of its life. If I had it my way, our family would grow bigger with every passing year.
 

“Okay in there?” Asher rapped on the door, and I smiled.
 

“I’m coming,” I sang softly, adoring the sound of my husband’s voice. The comfort it brought. The love and protection I’d so desperately needed, now given to me by one of the most beautiful men I’d ever met, inside and out. He’d embraced me and my makeshift family without hesitation, and that had said much more than flowery words ever could.
 

I heard Asher clear his voice, no doubt anxious for my entrance after I’d teased him earlier about my purchase. This season’s La Perla, the price tag had been hefty, but Jenna had assured me it was worth the sticker shock just to see Asher’s reaction.
 

I was about to find out.
 

I turned the knob and stepped into the bedroom, my eyes instantly finding the man I loved.
 

He sat back on the bed, his tie and shirt collar loose and hanging haphazardly, his shirt untucked, the dark slacks of his suit unzipped and unbuttoned, hanging open and waiting for me.
 

I instantly wanted to crawl up his body, unbutton those pearly white buttons with my teeth, then lick every square inch of his hard, beautiful body.
 

“Jesus, Eve.” His low growl floated on the air between us and turned my knees to jelly. My husband was calling.
 

A half smile turned my lips as I did my best to walk seductively like Jenna and I had practiced one night over bridal magazines. “What are you doing to me, angel?” Asher’s palm slid down the front of his pants, and I watched in lustful fascination as he squeezed his thick length through the fabric.
 

“Oh, God,” A moan slipped out when I reached the edge of the bed. Asher’s eyes flared as his gaze trailed up and down my body. “You’re so beautiful. Everything about you makes me want to cover you with my lips. I want to be buried inside you until it feels so good neither one of us can think straight.”

His words urged me on, and I crawled on all fours across the bed, reaching his legs and yanking his dark pants. He grunted and lifted his hips from the bed. When his pants were at his ankles, I was shocked to discover he wasn’t wearing undergarments. He’d been commando all day, for our wedding.
 

I licked my lips and continued my crawl, finding the crisp white hem of his shirt, fingering the buttons and popping them one by one until his rigid washboard stomach was on display. Tearing the cotton from his shoulders, I tossed it to the floor. I straddled his thighs and rubbed the silky cotton of my thong against his length until his eyes fell back, his fists clenching the pillows around him. I dove in, attacking his strained neck with my lips and tongue, rubbing and grinding against his length until I felt my arousal and beads of pre-cum mixing and dampening my panties.
 

“Need you now,” he groaned as a hand went to my hair and he stilled me. “You look too fucking good. I want to unwrap you like a present and make you come with my tongue.” He peeled the satin off, appreciating each step with eager eyes. His lips latched onto each nipple as they were revealed to him, his palms covering the fleshy weight of my breasts as I moaned and continued to rock against his chiseled body.

“So sweet and so ready.” Asher slid a palm between us and hooked his thumb in the flimsy strap of my thong. He dragged it down my thighs for a moment before forgoing polite manners and roughly pulling the tender threads from my body. “Sweet girl.” His thumb slid through the slick depths between my legs and worked at my clit until I was trembling on top of him.
 

“We’re keeping these,” he chuckled when he snapped at one garter that attached at my waist, only an obscenely short skirt covering my now bare bottom.
 

“Ride me. I want you to lead tonight,” he instructed, and then suddenly I felt his thick length pushing through sensitive flesh and breaching my entrance. I pressed my lips to his, taking him in a long, drawn-out kiss, shedding my fear and my pain and my past in favor of our future together.
 

“Yes, Asher,” I breathed and nipped at one lip before I sank down on his hard length and felt the world spin wildly out of control. That was Asher’s effect on me. He sent me reeling and kept me safe all in the same breath.

“Eve,” he moaned gutturally as his muscles began to quake and buck with aroused tension. “Eve, my beautiful wife,” he said as his fingers swirled and my own body tightened as an orgasm built between my legs.
 

“Asher, I love you so much.” Tears squeezed from my eyelids as my release tumbled through me, running from my toes to the nerves at the back of my neck, sending me into another time and place. Asher’s own release followed mine almost instantly, and I relished the touch of his hands at the flesh of my ass cheeks, digging in and allowing me to feel every single shockwave while I rode him.

“Taking my time with you tonight,” Asher huffed. “Taking my time with you every night for the rest of my life.” He nuzzled against my neck. “You’ve always been the only one for me.”
 

I collapsed against the wall of his broad chest, my heart hammering with everything he’d given me, from the very beginning, to this day now, and the next we’d have in five months when we’d welcome a little dark-haired girl or boy into our world.
 

My Prince Charming had given me my future and then the world on top of it. He’d washed me clean of all the sorrow and made me pure again. Like the snow outside our window, our love ran fiercely and cleanly through our veins, allowing us to overcome anything, and washing us with the snow-white purity and safety we both desperately needed.
 

Asher had given me the love I’d craved my whole life, and even more than that, he’d given me back me.
 

My charming, handsome Asher Strong. The man of my sweetest fairy tales.
 

THE END.

Need more? Turn the page to read
Swan,
a sexy, sweet modern spin on the Ugly Duckling available free for a limited time with White.
 

Or check out the never-before-released cover of
Scarlet,
releasing late-June at the end of this book!