Page 196 of The Wedding

The limo was ready. All that remained was driving away from the biggestwedding of the year. Jamie stood on the brick walkway leading to the private road, holding Etta back from making a break for it.I know you want to be alone, but there’s one thing I have to do…

“Thank you for coming to my wedding!” Jamie cried, to the polite applause of those who had followed her out. The photographers were still going, clicking this, flashing that, catching every moment of her wedding in a blip of time.This is still so crazy…“It means a lot to me that you would do this for Etta and me. I hope to see a lot of your friendly faces when I return from our honeymoon! And if you’re not so friendly to me, whether because you think I stole your chance, I’m too stupid, I’m too ill-bred, I’m too embarrassing… well, I don’t give a fuck! I’m going to have an awesome marriage, whether it’s with your approval or not!”

Most of the guests were too dumbfounded to respond. The only one to cheer was Lara Anderssen, who then knocked back a glass of champagne before climbing onto her spouse.

Etta let out a whistle as she opened the limo door and gestured for Jamie to get in. High from her declaration, Jamie picked up her skirt and stepped into the limo.I win today, assholes.

They were both barely in the limo before it pulled away. The manor quickly disappeared, the vehicle making its descent down a long, winding driveway as it prepared for the long drive to the city. The newlyweds would be spending the night in their penthouse before jetting off to Hawaii the next day.

“Phew,” Jamie said, slapping her hands against her skirt. The limo came to a stop at an intersection. “What a wild day!”

Etta glanced out her window, eyes widening in shock. “It’s staying wild.”

Jamie climbed across her lap to look out the window. There, pressed against a wall, were Adele and Amanda, doing something that coat closets were created for. Jamie barely caught sight of Amanda’s ass before the limo pulled onto another road.

Chapter 61

They caused more than a stir when they departed the limo downtown. Jamie’s dress alone created a blast of sparkles echoing from one end of the street to another, attracting the attention of every passerby. Those who were obsessed with wedding dresses came closer with their phones in front of their faces. Jamie’s dress would be spread across social media before the magazine photographer had the chance to go through his shots.

Now I know why she didn’t want me to change…Etta reveled in the attention they received as they walked the short distance between limo and high-rise entrance. In that short amount of time, however, Jamie felt the eyes of half the bustling city on her. The doorman, a stout fellow who was always prompt and polite without fault, gaped in absolute awe as Etta approached with her bride one step behind her, skirt bobbing with every step.

“As you can see, we got married,” Etta said. “Don’t suppose we could go home?”

Getting Jamie and her dress in the elevator was more than a trial. It took both Etta and the doorman to stuff the skirt inside, and until then, Jamie had considered that elevator fairly big. Etta had to gingerly step around theouter rim of her skirt and push herself into a corner as they ascended several stories to their penthouse.

“You look ridiculous,” Jamie said. Her wife slumped in the corner, near the buttons, hands in trouser pockets. What made the image, however, was her ivory and gold skirt swooshing against Etta’s legs until it looked like she waded through an ocean of silk clouds.

“I’d say the same to you, but I know better than to say a bride looks ridiculous.”

The elevator dinged. The moment the doors opened, Jamie surged forward, dragging half her skirt behind her while Etta held the “open” button. She had to wait for her to catch up to her, however, since she had the keys to the penthouse, and the idea of a wedding dress having pockets was more ridiculous than how either of them looked in the elevator.

Etta swung the door open, and before Jamie could check for dirt beneath her fingernails, her wife picked up her skirt – and her with it.

“Whoa!” Jamie squealed as Etta bent and scooped her off her feet in one smooth, startling motion. In fewer than five seconds, Jamie went from standing in her gown to cradled against her wife’s chest, skirts spilling over Etta’s arms. When she finally had her bearings again, Etta was striding across the threshold with her. Seemed rather moot, considering Jamie had been here since Day One and any evil spirits lurking about would have snatched her by now…Don’t care. This is hot.Jamie looped her arm tighter around Etta’s neck and shrieked in excitement as Etta carried her into the living room, kicking the front door shut behind them.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Coleman,” Etta said, easing Jamie to her feet. “Out of all the honeymoon suites in this city, you chose to spend our first married night in this tiny place.”

True, there were honeymoon suites bigger than this penthouse, but Jamie hadn’t been interested in any of them when Amandaasked what should be booked for the wedding night.I want to be “home,” and at least we can be alone here. Plus, already halfway to the airport!There was plenty of time to honeymoon in beautiful hotel suites across the world.

“This place is special,” Jamie said. The doorbell sounded, and Etta went, picking up the champagne and bottle of wine she had ordered to be brought up. After generously tipping the deliveryman, she returned in time to hear Jamie continue, “This is where it all began.”

Etta put the drinks on the coffee table before approaching. “You think about that a lot?”

Jamie caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of her eye. Otherwise, her attention was wholly focused on the cityscape outside the window.I gazed at this when she first brought me here, and when she proposed to me.Now they were married. Why didn’t Jamie see anything new in the sunset blooming across the horizon?

“Don’t you?” She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.

Her wife came closer, pulling her hands out of her pockets and touching the tip of Jamie’s elbow. Tingles murmured in Jamie’s stomach.What’s it going to be like tonight? Nice and slow? The greatest domination I’ve ever taken?The diamond choker did its job too well around her throat.

“It’s safe to say that this place had little meaning to me until you officially moved in.” Etta didn’t have to say more. Before Jamie, this was the only residence Etta brought her girlfriends, if they could be called that. Jamie would’ve been another notch in the nearby bedpost if it weren’t for something drawing them closer together.I knew she thought I was special when she took me to the manor for the first time.No other girlfriend of hers had ever set foot there. Not since Monique, anyway. Her leftover clothing attested to that. “Now look at you,” Etta continued, “in the most stunning wedding dress I’ve ever seen.”

Jamie blushed. “I had to go all the way to Italy to get this thing.”

“Oh, I know. That designer was bleating all over our reception. You twomust’ve made a deal with the devil.”

“Worse. Adele.”

“That’s not what I hear…” Etta cleared her throat. “Or see.”