Light in Mourning (Mourning, #2) (27 page)

“
Ho Hey
by The Lumineers rang through the dress shop and Drew fumbled for her phone. “I have to take this, it’s the officiant. But that’s the dress. He’s going to be hard for you all through the ceremony.” She winked.
 

“Drew.” I laughed before looking in the mirror again.
 

“And don't forget we have to swing by the town clerk's office for a marriage license. You're going to be Georgia Howell,” Drew sang, answering her phone.
 

“She’s right. You're stunning, love.” Silas stepped onto the pedestal with me and wrapped his arms around my waist, setting his chin on my shoulder.
 

We locked eyes in the mirror. “I love you, Silas. For everything. For being there for me, for being you, for making me laugh, for telling me how it is when I don’t want to hear it.”

“I love you too, Georgia.” He swiped tears from his eyes. “Enough with the sappy shit. We’ve got a wedding to plan.”
 

“Okay.” I smiled softly. “Silas?”
 

“Yeah, love?” He turned to look back at me.
 

“Do you like him?” I whispered, my eyes searching his bright blue ones.
 

“I love him, Georgia. And more importantly, you love him. I can see it every time you look at him, and every time he looks at you. Even with everything going on, I knew you'd get through it. Do you think I’d let you marry just anyone?”

“No.” I smiled and wiped a tear from my eyes.
 

“So why the sad face?” My best friend held my cheeks in his palms.
 

“It's just . . .the way we started . . .” I stopped as more tears slid down my face.
 

“Hey, hey. Just because you started off ugly, doesn’t mean you can't have a marriage that's just as strong and beautiful as everyone else's. Okay, love?”
 

I nodded as his words eased the fear in my heart.
 

“Good. Plus, he’s nice to look at. I don’t mind sharing holidays with that face.”

“Silas, you’re a married man.” I sniffed the last of my tears away.
 

“You think Justin doesn’t agree with me? We’ve got our list. We get a pass with anyone on our list, and your boy, if he ever goes bi, is on my list.” Silas winked.
 

“Silas. Fuck, seriously? That’s my future husband.”
 

“I know.” He shrugged.
 

“Would you really?” I arched a concerned eyebrow.
 

“Not for a minute. I’m just teasing you, love. But if I would have gotten hold of him a year ago . . .”
 

“Oh my God.” I giggled and smacked him on the cheek. “You’ll never change.”

“You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Not for a second.” I pecked him on the lips.
 

“Go change. We have to go to the flower shop and then Drew has big plans for us at home.” He passed me a loving smile.
 

“I need to see her.” I heard Tristan growl from the other side of the door.
 

“You can’t see her before the wedding,” Drew’s voice replied, anger seething in every word.
 

“I don’t care. I need to see her.” I heard a scuffle.
 

“Tristan. You fucking caveman.” I heard a thud and imagined it was Drew’s fist meeting Tristan’s solid chest.
 

“Babe?” A soft knock hit the door.
 

“Yeah?” I whispered.

“Can I come in?”
 

I licked my lips. I knew Drew was going to be pissed. We were less than a half hour away from the ceremony, my hair and makeup were done, and I was trussed up in a backless lace corset and garters, the last step before putting on my dress.
 

“Just a sec.” I scurried, dress in hand, to hang it in the bathroom before closing the door so he wouldn’t see it. “’Kay,” I whispered as I stood in the middle of the room, waiting for him.
 

“Georgia,” Drew shrieked. Tristan opened the door, ducking his head in, blond waves falling over his eyes. He was dressed in charcoal slacks and a white shirt, untucked but buttoned, a beautiful grey blue tie hanging loose around his neck.
 

“Five minutes,” Drew ordered before Tristan shut the door in her face.
 

“Hey.” His eyes held mine, his gaze hot and fierce. Passion simmered just beneath their emerald depths.
 

“Hey,” I murmured. His eyes flicked down my body, over the lace hoisting my breasts to my chin, the boning whittling my waist, the scrap of lace panties and the garters attached at my thighs. He inhaled a sharp breath. I pressed my lips together nervously.
 

“Are you good?” he muttered as he stepped closer, taking my face in both of his hands.
 

“So good,” I answered, never breaking his intense gaze.

“’Kay.” He pressed his lips to mine in a kiss that meant so much more than just our lips pressed together. It conveyed his longing for me and anxiety that I still might run. I wouldn't run. Truth be told, I was surprised how calm I was. If anything, I was afraid he would cave, decide he wasn't ready after all.

“Are you good?” I pulled away and searched his face. His eyes flicked down to my lips, swollen from his kiss.
 

“I’m so fucking good.” He pulled me to his lips again. One hand smoothed down my ribcage and held me tight to him at the waist. I snaked a hand around his hips and held him to me.
 

“I love you,” I murmured as I rested my head on his shoulder and took a hit of my favorite scent. That ocean fresh scent that calmed me, soothed my nerves, made me feel at home.
 

“I love you too, baby. More and more every day.” He threaded his fingers through the loose waves that trailed over one shoulder. “You look beautiful.” He lifted my head and dusted his nose along mine.

“Thanks.” I closed my eyes and enjoyed this moment before we got married. Our last
single
moment together. My mind ran through the last year and a half remembering the instant he stepped into the beach house kitchen last summer, and tipped his head at me, his eyes taking me in. Then he'd helped me cook dinner and swiped a blob of paint off my temple. He took my breath away then and he was still doing it now.
 

“Time’s up.” Drew knocked on the door.
 

“See you in twenty?” He pulled away from me, worry dancing in his eyes, his full bottom lip sucked between his teeth.

“I’ll be the one in white.” I grinned and traced my thumb along his upper lip before freeing the bottom one from his grasp.
 

“Can’t wait.” He sighed before leaning down to capture my lips with his own. He held my cheeks firmly in his hands, his thumbs resting on my cheekbones, holding my face while he took my lips, something he’d been doing since the beginning of us. He owned me with that kiss. Possessing me, reassuring me, reassuring himself.
 

“See you, beautiful.” He pulled away, bringing my hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss on my knuckles.
 

“See you,” I breathed. His lips turned up in his beautiful, lopsided grin before he turned and whisked out of the room. He past Drew, and she gave him an angry glare. He only winked as he passed her.
 

“Stubborn bastard,” she murmured before stepping in and heading for the bathroom for my dress. I laughed as butterflies danced in my stomach. He was my stubborn bastard and I loved every single bit of him.

I held her hand firmly in my own as we sat at the table. Every moment of today, she’d taken my breath away.
 

When she’d walked down the makeshift aisle in the sand lined with petals to meet me at the end,
 

when she'd told me she promised to love me forever and said, “I do,” and
 

when she kissed me, she left me breathless.
 

But it shouldn’t have been a surprise, because every day since she’d entered my life a year ago, she'd been stealing my breath.
 

Now we sat outside at the table Drew had set up, covered in white linen, champagne glasses half full, candles flickering in the evening light. I had finally married the girl that had been stealing my breath from day one.
 

My fingertips worked small circles, fingering the satin of her dress high on her thigh. Seeing her in that white dress, walking toward me, I'd closed my eyes because she was the most stunning fucking thing I’d ever seen. I’d never imagined my wedding day, never thought I would get married, never cared to, but seeing her walk toward me, watching her give her life to me, promising to love me and let me take care of her, wake up with her every morning—the enormity of the moment nearly stopped my heart.
 

“I can’t wait to peel this dress off you,” I leaned into her neck and whispered in her ear.
 

“Tristan.” She looked up at me with hooded eyes, biting her bottom lip. I knew that look. That was the look that told me she wanted me. She squirmed and pressed her thighs together. Another one of her signals. White dress or not, she always looked better naked, and we’d been putting on appearances all fucking day. The minute her lips locked with mine after we'd said, “I do,” I had wanted her. I wanted to consummate our love. Show her she was mine and I was abso-fucking-lutely hers. Every inch of me, every beat of my heart belonged to her.
 

“Let’s duck out of here. They won’t mind,” I murmured as I traced a fingertip up her thigh. “You look gorgeous, but I like you better naked,” I growled. She turned me into an animal.
 

“Yes.” I could see her chest heaving with labored pants.
 

“Fuck, you’re wet already, aren’t you?” I nipped at her earlobe as a small moan escaped her throat.
 

“Come on.” Gavin threw his cloth napkin at me. “Like we don’t know what the fuck you’re doing, man.” He laughed as Drew shook her head and ducked under his arm, snuggling up close.
 

“I can’t help it if I want to get this dress off her.” I ran my nose up the delicate line of her neck and felt her shuddering beneath my breath.
 

“Remember how we were, honey? You can’t blame them.” Justin passed Silas a knowing look.
 

“Jesus, spare me the details,” Drew groaned before she tipped the glass of champagne to her lips.
 

“All night.” Silas grinned and then pressed a deep kiss to Justin’s lips. A smile lit my face because I loved it when Silas fucked with Drew.
 

“Can we call it a night? I want to get my wife in bed,” I murmured, swallowing the last of the champagne in my glass.
 

“Tristan,” she chided.
 

I shrugged. “You guys are staying in the beach house, right?”
 

“Yep. Go on. We’ll take these few things in so you guys can get started on your wedding night.” Drew winked at Georgia.
 

“I can help.” Georgia stood and I whipped my head around to look at her. I couldn’t stand another minute. I’d been suffering with a tent in my pants all through dinner.