Page 70 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 2

He lowered his eyebrows.

"Because I've always known why you push me away. Deep down that fear was always there. I understand. But you're wrong, James. You're always right about everything else, but you're so wrong about this. Becausethisis love." I put my hand on his chest. "This is all consuming, terrifying, heart stopping love. It's the greatest kind of love. And I'm going to spend my whole life proving to you that that's what this is. And how good and honest and full of light you are."

A single tear slid down his left cheek.

"Forever and always, James." I reached up and ran my fingers across his cheek, wiping away his tears. "There is no me without you. I want you to protect me and cherish me and whatever else normal vows say."

He smiled.

"I want it all with you. And only you. I love the way we met. I would never change a thing. And I love the way we've grown together. As long as you're by my side, I'm not scared of thefuture. Because I've always known what I wanted." I touched the side of his face. "You. You're all that I've ever wanted, James."

"You're all that I've ever wanted." He pulled me against him and kissed me. I knew it wasn't time. We hadn't said our 'I do's.' But we had said everything that we needed to. We were now one. Nothing would ever come between us again.

The pastor cleared his throat.

James removed his lips from mine, but he kept me in his arms. "Penny, this is the best day of my life."

I smiled up at him. "Mine too."

"James, do you take Penny to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold until death do you part?" the pastor said quickly.

James smiled down at me. The playful smile. The one I wished he always had. One not tortured by his past or his fears for the future. "I do."

"Penny, do you take James to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Then by the power vested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You maynowkiss the bride," he said with a smile.

James laughed and leaned down to kiss me again. Etiquette be damned. This was my first kiss with my husband. I was going to make it count. I grabbed the lapel of his jacket to deepen our kiss as his hands slid dangerously close to my ass.

Someone whistled. But nothing else mattered. Just us. I was drunk on him. I had been since the day we met. I pulled back and looked up into his eyes.

"James, we're married."

He shook his head like he couldn't believe it. "We're married." He bent down and scooped me up in his arms.

I laughed as he carried me down the aisle in his arms. Everyone around us stood up and cheered. I heard laughter and knew that the groomsmen were most likely giving the bridesmaids piggyback rides, much to Justin's horror. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

James carried me through the doors of the restaurant and into the room he must have been in with his groomsmen. "This dress? Really?" He set me down on my feet and pushed my back against the wall. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Does that mean you like it?"

"Especially this part," he said and trailed his fingers down the V in the front. "You are the most beautiful bride. And officially all mine." His index finger stopped its descent when he hit the lacy fabric again.

"I've always been yours."

"Not like this." He leaned down and kissed me softly. "Not as my wife." He kissed the side of my neck. "Not with my last name." He kissed between my breasts. "You look so beautiful, but all I want to do is rip this off of you." He kissed between my breasts again.

I heard Rob's unmistakable laugh.

James' head was between my breasts. I immediately pushed on his shoulders. He stood up and put his hands on either side of me, effectively sandwiching me between him and the wall. "We need a minute," he said to Rob while still staring at me.

"I'd say," Rob said and laughed again. "I was told to fetch you for pictures. I'll say I haven't found you yet. It'll look suspicious if you're more than a few minutes, though." He winked and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

James leaned forward and pressed his forehead against mine. "I meant what I said, Penny. This is the best day of my life."

I put my hands on either side of his face. "I meant it too." We stood there for a second, breathing in each other's breaths. It felt like something was passing between us. Some unspoken connection. I didn't think the words 'I do' could make me feel any closer to him, but they did. After everything we'd been through, this moment was pure perfection.