Chapter Thirteen

Stephen

The day before our wedding is here, and everyone keeps asking if I’m jittery.

~Not even a bit!~

I’m eager to call Trinity my wife. I’m excited to spend the rest of my life with her.

We’re in our room, packing for the ceremony tomorrow. We’re staying at the Herrington Inn and Spa tonight, which is about thirty minutes from the winery.

We’ll spend tomorrow night there too, in the bridal suite, before heading home the next day to prepare for our honeymoon.

“Honey,” I glance at Trinity, “do you want me to take your dress to the car as well?”

I already know her answer, but I enjoy teasing her.

“Absolutely ~not~!” she exclaims. “If you lay a finger on that dress, you’re in for it.”

I sneak up behind her in our closet, massaging her beautiful backside with my hands before leaning over and giving it a playful bite.

~I adore that ass.~

She squeals when she feels my teeth on her skin and swats me away, while I chuckle.

“Oh, what kind of trouble?” I ask.

She spins around and trails her hand down my stomach, past my waistband, and down to my throbbing cock. She grips my balls firmly.

“The kind where these won’t be of any use tomorrow night, so you better drop the idea right now,” she growls.

I straighten up and clear my throat. “Yes, dear.”

Now she's the one laughing. I know when I’m beaten, so I back down quickly.

We finish packing and head downstairs where Clint and Mia are waiting.

Luke and Todd, Dave and Felicity are all meeting us at the inn later tonight. We load up the cars and, not trusting me, my darling puts her dress in Clint and Mia's car.

“So, no peeking at all, huh?” I ask.

“None whatsoever,” she retorts.

“Understood.” I reply.

“Also, remember we’re sleeping in separate rooms tonight,” she says.

“What?” I freeze.

She can't be serious. I haven't slept without her in so long, I wouldn't know how to.

“Those are the rules, sweetheart,” she purrs. She leans over while I’m driving and starts licking my neck, her hand inching dangerously close up my thigh.

“Besides, won't it be more exciting when you go to bed tonight knowing the next time you see me, I’ll be walking down the aisle to become your wife?”

“No,” I grumble, “what’s better is going to bed with you in my arms every night and waking up with you like we always do.”

“But darling, don't you want to do this for me?”

I quickly glance over and see her giving me those big doe eyes she knows I can't resist.

“You know I would do anything for you, sweetheart.”

“And I, you,” she says softly.

“So you will stay with me tonight, then?”

“No.”

We both laugh and I grab her hand, holding it tightly in mine. I can't believe that by this time tomorrow, she will finally be my wife.

***

We arrive at the Herrington Inn and check in, and of course, we get separate rooms like she wanted.

Once everyone is settled, the girls head off for a relaxing massage and Clint and I go over to the winery to ensure everything is ready for tomorrow.

It looks breathtaking, just as I imagined it would be.

I know she is going to love it as much as I do.

Clint and I return and enjoy a beer in the bar while the girls are getting pampered.

Before long, the others arrive. They check in and soon after, the girls return from their spa day.

We spend the afternoon enjoying drinks and sharing laughs before heading up to freshen up before dinner. I get ready and then head over to my sweetheart’s room to escort her downstairs.

I knock on the door and she calls out for me to come in as she’s in the bathroom finishing getting ready.

When I walk in, my breath catches in my throat.

“How is it that every time I see you, you take my breath away, time and time again?”

Trinity blushes beautifully. “How did I get so lucky with you?”

I wrap my arms around her and pull her into me, turning her to face me. “I’m the lucky one.”

“I don't think I tell you enough, but thank you,” I say. “Thank you for loving me for who I am and never trying to change me.”

“Thank you for being my partner and equal in life and making me want to be a better man for you. I was lost until you came into my life and you took my heart and soul without me even realizing it.”

“I was a shell of a man until you showed up. I adore you and I would give you my last breath if it meant keeping you safe.”

“With you, I could never want for anything more because I have everything I want right here. I love you, thank you for making me whole, angel.”

I see the tears welling in her eyes and softly spilling over. I lean down and kiss her tears gently as I cradle her head in my hands.

“Don't cry, please baby,” I whisper. “My heart aches to see your beautiful face with anything but a smile.”

“Oh, sweetheart I’m not sad,” she giggles through her tears. “I’m just so happy. You make me feel so happy and loved and for that, I give you all the love I have in return.”

“My life is nothing without you, and with you, I feel like we can do anything and overcome anything this life throws at us.”

“Thank you for loving me as you do and making me realize how lucky I am every single day,” she says.

We kiss softly and tenderly and after a few minutes, I gently tap her backside.

“Come on beautiful, our friends are waiting for us.”

We both head down and meet our friends in the restaurant. They all stand and hug us and congratulate us.

Seeing how excited they all are for us for tomorrow warms my heart.

The meal is served so I grab a glass and ask everyone to raise a toast with me.

“I’m grateful to each of you for being here. You all mean the world to Trinity and me. You’re proof that family isn’t just about blood, it’s about love. And we love each of you like family.”

“Thanks for being part of this special moment in our lives. We love you all and hope you find the same kind of happiness and love that we’ve been lucky enough to find.”

I turn to Trinity. “And to my queen, thank you for agreeing to be my wife, for loving me in a way no one else ever has, and for putting up with me when most wouldn’t.”

Everyone chuckles.

“You’re my everything, Trinity.”

We clink our glasses and start eating. I sit back, soaking in the laughter and conversation of our friends, savoring every moment.

I never want to forget this.

After dinner, we open a few more bottles of wine. I slide my arm around the back of Trinity’s chair, pulling her closer. She leans into me and I take her hand, resting it in her lap.

I lean over and whisper, “I can’t tell you enough how much I love you.”

She looks up at me, her hand gently cupping my face, her fingers softly stroking my hair. She looks so deeply into my eyes that I’m lost in her gaze. I don’t even realize a tear has slipped down my cheek until she wipes it away and kisses me gently.

“I will always love you with all I am,” she whispers.

We hold each other close, watching our friends laugh and reminisce about the good times we’ve shared. Clint, as always, is the clown of the group.

“Okay,” Luke sits up straight and clears his throat. “So, are we taking bets on how long before Trin's pregnant?”

“I’m in,” Clint says.

“Me too!” Mia adds.

“Mia!” Trinity exclaims. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

“Hey, this is a good bet. I can easily beat these two clowns.” Mia winks and we all laugh.

“Well, I guess I missed out on making some money by betting on you, huh?” Trinity teases.

I catch a sly glance between Clint and Mia. It’s a look that would go unnoticed by anyone who didn’t know them well.

“What was that?” I ask, pointing between them.

“Wh-what was what?” Mia stammers, pretending to be clueless.

“Don’t play dumb,” I say, pointing again. “I know you two too well. And you never stutter unless you’re hiding something.”

I think Trinity finally catches on as Mia’s face starts to turn red. “~OH MY GOD~, are you two…”

“Yes, we’re expecting,” Clint says.

He and Mia smile at each other and we all cheer and clap. The girls all hug and shed a few tears.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Trinity asks.

“Babe, this is your day. We didn’t want to steal your thunder,” Mia explains. “We only found out a few days ago and it’s still early, so we were going to wait until after the wedding to tell you.”

“I’m so glad you did tell us. This makes it even more special!” Trinity says. “I love you guys. I’m so happy for you.”

Clint and I hug and I congratulate him. Even though he’s a bit of a man-child, I know he’ll be a great dad. They’ll both be great parents.

Dave clears his throat. “Well, since we’re all sharing news tonight…”

“Oh my God,” Trinity gasps. “Don’t tell me you two are pregnant too?”

We all laugh as Felicity quickly assures us she’s definitely ~not~.

“No, not as exciting as Clint and Mia, but still good news,” Dave says. He looks at Felicity. “Do you want to tell them, babe?”

“Dave and I found a house last week and we’re moving in together!”

Everyone congratulates them.

Felicity is a great girl and she’s perfect for Dave. I’m happy for him. He deserves this.

“Well, since everyone else has news, it's our turn,” Todd says.

Everyone laughs, except for Luke who looks nervous. “Babe, let's wait on that one.”

Todd pouts. “Really?”

“I think that might ~definitely~ be classified as stealing someone's thunder,” Luke says.

“Luke William, ~I~ will decide on that, considering it’s ~my~ wedding day tomorrow!” Trinity says.

I reach over and tickle her ribs.

“Okay, okay, sorry. That was a little Bridezilla. I’ll correct myself; ~our~ wedding day. Now share the good news. It’s the perfect time for it!”

Luke looks at Todd and nods, giving him the go-ahead.

“Luke proposed and I said yes! We’re getting married!”

Trinity starts crying and I pull her close. I see Luke get up and walk over to her.

“Babes, talk to me,” he says, his face full of concern.

“I-I’m so happy for you. You’re my best friend and I-I love you more than most people in this world. I only say most because if I didn’t love Stephen a little more, he might get jealous.”

She laughs through her tears and I smile at her.

“After seeing you lose Chris and how his family treated you, I’m so happy Todd came into your life. You deserve this second chance at love. I love you, Luke. Congratulations!”

They hug tightly as I gently stroke her back.

“I love you, babes,” Luke says. “I’m happy you two found each other. I can’t wait to see the beautiful babies you two are going to make. Hell, I might even ask you guys to make us one!”

We all crack up when my girl playfully smacks him on the arm.

After the wave of good news, we decide to call it a night and head to our rooms. I want to be fresh and alert to soak in every detail of tomorrow.

We bid goodnight to the others and I accompany my girl to her room.

As we reach her door, I gently spin her around by her hip and press her against the wall next to her door. I prop my arm against the wall, leaning into her while still holding her hip firmly.

“Hey there, beautiful,” I murmur.

“Hey yourself, handsome.”

“So, feel like inviting me in?”

She blushes at my words and reaches up to loop her hands around my neck. “You know I always do, but not tonight.”

I let out a soft groan. “I can't believe the next time I see you, you’ll be walking towards me to become my wife.”

“I can't wait to be your wife, to know that you’re mine for the rest of our lives.”

I lean into her, kissing her gently, enveloping her in my arms. There’s nothing hurried about this kiss, no hint of anything more. It’s just a soft, intimate moment between me and the woman I love.

I gently coax her lips open and my tongue slides into her velvety mouth, entwining with her tongue in a dance as intimate as lovemaking.

She rises on her tiptoes, pressing herself into me as I gently stroke her back and neck, holding her close to me, savoring this moment.

After several minutes, we slow down and I gently kiss her lips a few more times before pulling away.

“Goodnight, baby,” I whisper. “I love you.”

“I love you too, darling. Sweet dreams.”

“Indeed, dreams of seeing my beautiful wife tomorrow.”

I wait until she’s safely in her room before crossing the hall to my own. I get ready for bed and decide to send her a quick message before trying to get some sleep.

Stephen

I absolutely adore you, you’re my everything, my love.

Trinity

You complete me. I love you with all I am.