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JACKSON – TEN MONTHS LATER

I can say without a shred of doubt that asking Izzie Bennet to be my wife was the best decision I’ve ever made. We’ve been living together for a year, and every day, my adoration for her grows. I love her passion, her tenacity, and the care she shows for all her patients. She even won over Aunt Catherine, despite her tendency to curse like a sailor when she’s cheering for the Lions.

As I look over all the guests filling this church in Seville, it’s hard not to become overwhelmed by emotions. I never thought I’d get married in a church. Honestly, all the statues creep me out. But for Izzie, I’ll do anything. Mrs. Bennet finally got her wish.

The music changes, signaling that Izzie is about to make her entrance. I swallow hard, getting hit with a full blast of nervousness. My pulse is pounding loudly, and my stomach feels funny—I suppose I have butterflies in it.

Chad shuffles closer and whispers. “You got this.”

I nod, unable to utter a word. I’d better get my tongue working for the vow exchange though. I suddenly panic, remembering my butchered proposal to Izzie. I couldn’t say the speech when it was only the two of us. How am I going to do it in front of all our friends and family?

I feel sick, but then Izzie enters the aisle accompanied by her father, and my panic attack stops as fast as it came. My heart is still beating at breakneck speed, but serenity washes over me. She’s a vision, an ethereal beauty who steals all the air from my lungs. I had no idea what kind of dress she picked, but I’m fucking glad she went with a traditional flamenco style dress—my favorite.

I can’t keep my eyes off her as she walks slowly toward me. By the time she finishes walking down the aisle, my eyes are filled with tears. There’s a betting pool among my teammates to guess how long it’d take for me to cry. I wonder who won.

Mr. Bennet steps aside, and I take Izzie’s arm. “Hi,” I say, all choked up. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. So do you.” She reaches over and wipes my cheeks. “It didn’t take long, did it?”

“Nope.”

We face the priest. The first thing I noticed about him when we first met was his age. He’s young, probably not even thirty yet. He was the only one who could conduct the ceremony in English. I’ve been taking Spanish lessons, but I’m nowhere near fluent. Most of our guests don’t speak Spanish either.

In the end, it wouldn’t have mattered what language he spoke. I space out during his sermon. The only thing running through my head are my vows. When it’s time to say them out loud, I get that same blank moment again. Jesus, what’s wrong with me?

Izzie squeezes my hands. “Do you want me to go first?”

And just like that, I remember every word I want to say. “It’s okay, my love.” I chuckle. “ My love . Who would have thought, huh?”

“Not me.” She grins.

“Last year, I had one goal—take my team to the Stanley Cup final and win. I thought that would make me the happiest man on Earth. It didn’t.”

I hear laughter, and I’m sure it came from the section where my teammates are. I glance in their direction. “Don’t get me wrong, it was awesome.”

More laughter.

I face Izzie again. “I couldn’t have foreseen that I’d win something far more precious. You, Izzie Bennet. You came into my life like a force of nature. You challenged me and pissed me off while captivating me in a way no other person on this planet had ever done before. Before I knew it, you were my everything, and I can’t imagine my life without you in it.”

Tears well up in Izzie’s eyes. She purses her lips, trying to keep it together. If she starts to cry, I’ll lose it too. I’d better wrap things up before we’re both sobbing messes. I turn to Chad, and he promptly hands over the ring.

Taking a deep breath to steady my pulse, I lift Izzie’s hand. “My dear Izzie, thank you for allowing me to love you. I vow to never stop, even if you douse me in IPA.”

She laughs. “No more beer showers, I promise.”

I slide the ring down her finger, then I kiss her hand.

Now it’s her turn. Chad hands her the ring without being asked.

“Jackson, when I first met you, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized by your presence. Then you opened your mouth…”

Soft chuckles come from the crowd. I smile too.

“… and thus, our feud began. I was never a hopeless romantic, but if I’d ever entertained the idea of getting married one day, you’d have been the last man on Earth I’d consider.”

“Ouch,” I say.

Her eyes twinkle with amusement. “But once you let your barriers down and allowed me to see the other side of you, I couldn’t help but fall hopelessly in love with you.”

She slides the ring down my finger. “I promise to always be by your side on your good and bad days. You have my love forever.”

“I love you,” I whisper.

“I love you too.”

I frame Izzie’s face between my hands and kiss her, forgetting I was supposed to wait for the priest to pronounce us as husband and wife.

The priest laughs. “We have an eager one.”

I step back. “Oops.”

He does his thing, and says, “You may kiss the bride again .”

No need to tell me twice. I kiss Izzie until my friends start whistling. I’m fairly certain our behavior is completely inappropriate, but as long as Izzie isn’t complaining, then I’m good.

* * *

IZZIE

What a night. I’m glad my mother insisted on having a wedding in Seville, because the evening was magical, and I never wanted it to end. But unfortunately, we can’t stop time, and at the crack of dawn, Jackson and I finally make it to our suite. We’re spending the night at a hotel in Seville, and tomorrow, we’re going to Italy for our honeymoon.

The wedding reception was held at a hacienda forty-five minutes from the city. We chartered several buses so our guests wouldn’t have to drive anywhere. The last bus to leave the hacienda was ours, and it carried our favorite people in the world—our closest friends. Then we went to a night club and partied until they kicked us out.

Jackson and I are both drunk, but he’s far worse than me. I have to use my hotel key, because he keeps trying to open the door using his credit card. But when I finally unlock the door, he stops me from getting into our room. “I need to carry you inside,” he slurs. “It’s tradition.”

“You can barely stand straight. I’m not gonna risk a broken limb.”

“Trust your husband, wifey. I can carry you.” He tries to stare me down, but with his unfocused eyes, all he does is make me laugh.

Taking advantage of my distraction, he lifts me into his arms and strides into the room. “I told you.”

“Okay, okay. You’ve proved your point. You can put me down now.”

“I’ll put you down when I’m good and ready.”

No sooner does he say that, than he trips and staggers forward. He has good reflexes, but he can’t find his balance, and we end up falling forward. Thank God the bed was right in front of us.

“Jacks!” I blurt out through laughter.

“What? This happened exactly as I planned. Now, how do I get you out of this dress?”

I changed out of the wedding dress before we headed to the club, and what I’m wearing now is short with an open back.

“The zipper is on the side.”

Jackson turns my body from one side to the other as if I were a doll. His movements are clumsy and hilarious. “Where is it?”

“It’s invisible.”

He gives me a droll look. “How am I supposed to find it then?”

“Oh my God. Let me do it.” I push him to the side so I can sit up, and unzip the dress myself.

But if I thought he’d keep his hands to himself, I was wrong. He runs his fingers down my back while his other hand slips under my dress. I’ve been horny for hours, but out of respect for our friends and family, I didn’t kidnap my husband for a quickie in the bathroom.

“You’re such a good wife, all wet for me already,” he whispers in my ear.

“Hmmm… yes, but I can be bad too.” I slide off the bed and turn around, kneeling in front of him.

His eyes become hooded. “Oh yeah? Show me.”

Keeping my eyes locked with his, I open his fly and free his cock from his briefs. “I’ve been dying to taste you, husband.”

He hisses when I lick his length from bottom to top, and then he reaches for my hair, twisting a lock around his fist. “I love your mouth on me, gorgeous.”

I know you do, my love.

I can taste his arousal on my tongue. As I work his cock, alternating between sucking and licking, he grows harder, and his face flushes. His muscles get all tense whenever he’s close to an orgasm and doesn’t want to come yet. I regret not making him get rid of his shirt. I love Jackson’s taut abs.

He groans, tightening his hold on my hair. I use my hand and tongue faster, determined to push Jackson to the edge.

“God damnit!” He pulls out before I can finish my job. “I don’t want to come in your mouth.”

I want to ask why not, but he lifts me from my crouched position, flips me over the mattress, and enters me with a hard push, scrambling my thoughts.

I gasp, arching my back, and Jackson covers my mouth with his, kissing me with the same intensity as he fucks me. I forget everything I know. The world ceases to exist. Jackson is the only thing I’m aware of, the only thing that matters. He pounds into me, lost in a frenzy of lust, which is fine by me because I’ve surrendered to it too.

I scratch his back and his ass; I want to leave my mark everywhere on this body. He’s branding me too with ferocious kisses, and hell, I don’t want this moment to end.

No sooner does the thought crosses my mind, than my body betrays me, and I shatter into a million pieces. I moan against his lips as my body shakes under his. Not much later, Jackson follows me, grunting loudly as he climaxes.

I’ve never been with any man who could perform well in bed while completely inebriated, but Jackson is a machine no matter his state.

His hips jerk against mine one more time before he rolls off and collapses next to me. Breathlessly, he asks, “How was that for our first time as husband and wife?”

My eyes are still closed when I reply, “I’ll tell you once the room stops spinning.”

His throaty chuckle makes my skin tingle. I can’t believe this man is mine.

“If I made the world go off-kilter for you, then I’d say that was a good start.”

I turn my head and look at him. “You made my world go off-kilter a long time ago, Jacks.”

His face splits into a broad smile that makes my heart skip a beat. “And I plan to keep doing it until the end of time. I’ll love you forever and a day.”

Oh my God. My husband is so corny, but he makes me laugh. “Okay, Bon Jovi.”

His brows shoot up. “Oh, I’m Bon Jovi now, huh? In that case, let me rock your world once more.”

I’m still giggling when rolls on top of me again, but then his lips find mine, and I forget why I was laughing in the first place.

THE END