Page 18 of Masked
But where my eyes are glued to the stone, the expensive ring is nowhere near the cause of my disbelief.
“You better start, Baby Doll,” Rickon whispers at my side, before slipping his hand into mine. “’cause you just signed a deal with the devil, and I’m not one to let those slide.”
“Settle down, Cowboy,” I’m giggling frantically at his response. “We’re still in God’s house, y’know?”
“Oh, sure I do,” Rickon tilts his head down to look at me. “But if the big guy really is everywhere at all times, I’m pretty sure he’s seen us do a lot worse than joke about devils.”
My cheeks instantly set ablaze. “Okay, you’ve got me there.”
“And I’ll be having you our whole damn honeymoon too,” Rickon winks. “Now, are you ready to do this thing?”
I nod.
Rickon reaches for the doorknob, but before he opens it I stop him. He turns to me confused, but it’s quickly halted as I throw myself into him for a kiss. A small taste of what’s to come.
And when the door opens and the sun shines in, a wave of noise hits us from the delighted crowd who came out to celebrate our wedding day. They’re lined in rows to our left and right, friends and family from both our sides, chanting, cheering and whooping as we step out of the church and into the light as wife and husband.
In the front, my parents stand together, smiling and clapping like the rest of the crowd. It took some convincing to dispel their concerns about our relationship. Dad in particular wanted nothing to do with the man I chose to be with . . . for at least one very good reason, obviously.
But with Rickon’s cancellation of the debt, and proving more than once that he would do anything to protect me – even if it means physically placing himself in danger – my parents got on board. Hell, I’ve even seen Rickon and Dad laughing together at stupid jokes while watching their football games.
With my hand in his, Rickon leads me through the crowd to a black Mercedes-Benz. It’s decorated with balloons and a signreading JUST MARRIED. A cliché to some, but deep down I know it’s Rickon’s way of telling the world to back off.
I’m his and he isn’t afraid to prove it.
As we say our farewells with kisses, handshakes and high fives and arrive at the waiting car, I’m smiling. Brighter and wider than I’ve ever smiled before.
Rickon stops there, turning back to the crowd, then to me.
“I love you, Taylor,” he says.
And as he leans in to give the crowd a show of one more kiss, I say. “I love you too, Cowboy. “
“It’s bareback all the way, baby-doll”, he whispers in his drawl, as we slam the door closed.“Now let’s get the hell out of here . . .” I pause, fighting the urge to laugh to myself in anticipation of the next silly line about to leave my lips. “There’s a horse in your pants, Cowboy, and it ain’t gonna ride itself.”
The End