Bridge of Hope (40 page)

She smiled. “Champagne… who would have thought it? Didn’t realise Stella stocked it.”

I cringed as the truth was about to come out. “Erm, she
doesn’t
usually. I went out with Brad and bought a boot load just in case you said yes. Stella knew all along.”

“Oh yeah? What if I’d said no?” She dug me in the ribs playfully with her elbow.

“Don’t joke. I’ve been terrified and wondering if they did sale or return.”

~~~

Josie and Brad decided to stay in the pub that night so that Mallory and I could have the house to ourselves to celebrate our engagement. When we arrived at home I lit the log burner and Mallory let the dogs out before putting them to bed. I grabbed the bottle of champers that I’d hidden by the back door and opened it.

Handing a glass to my gorgeous girl, I held my glass aloft. “A toast… to my beautiful fiancée, you have made me happy beyond words. I will love you forever.” We clinked our glasses and kissed.

“May I make a toast too?” I nodded. “To my wonderful husband to be. We’ve had some pretty steep ups and downs, but at least that proves we can handle
anything
. I hope I can continue to make you as happy as you make me. I love you, Greg.”

I took her glass and placed it beside mine on the hearth. I wanted to be closer to her. Pulling her into my lap, I reached up and slipped my hand into her hair as I took her mouth with my own in a sensual, luscious kiss. She gazed down at me as I slipped my hand around her back and pulled down the zipper of her silver dress. Once her lace-covered breasts were freed, she pulled me into the soft mounds and I inhaled her scent as her warmth radiated into me. Leaning back, I began to unbutton my shirt under her watchful eyes.

With a smile I told her, “I have a surprise for you.”

“Really? Another one? What is it?” she asked with excitement in her eyes.

“You know how I disappeared with Brad earlier today?”

She nodded. “To buy the champagne?”

“No, I already had that. No, I went with Brad into Oban. And I had a little ink done, especially for you.”

Once my shirt was completely removed, I pulled off the white dressing that was covering my new tattoo.

When she saw what I’d had done, she gasped and covered her mouth as tears once again welled in her eyes. I’d had an exact copy of
her
tattoo, but mine was on my chest above the Gaelic script there.

No words were spoken; her eyes told me everything I needed to know. She loved what I’d had done and so did I. Once all of our clothes were relinquished, we lay back on the rug.

I needed to be inside her and she grasped at me too. Neither of us could get close enough. We made love quickly and urgently and found our release together. It was magical.

Sheer bliss.

Chapter Fifty-Three

Seeing as I was desperate to marry Mallory, the wheels were set in motion right away. Alice made yet another last-ditch attempt to “win me back” when she found out about my impending nuptials, but like I told her, giving her a
second
chance had been stupid, a third would have been plain crazy.

Mallory was sitting beside me when Alice made her last phone call to me. There were no secrets between us anymore. Only honesty. When I ended the call, I glanced over and she was eyeing me with concern.

“Was she okay?”

She had no reason to be concerned about that nasty piece of work, but that’s just Mallory. All bloody heart. “Oh, yeah, she was fine. Faked a few sobs, but she’ll get over it. She has no choice. I am utterly yours, gorgeous.”

Lowering her eyes she fiddled with the hem of her top. “And are
you
okay about it all?”

“Me?
Of course
I am.” I kissed her in between each word I uttered. “I have never… ever… been… happier… than… I am… now that… I’m… with you.”

Laying her back on the couch, I tugged her top from her body, delighted to find her braless and she gazed up at me with longing. “I can’t wait to marry you,” I told her as I removed her yoga pants and panties. “And I can’t wait for you to have my name.” Shrugging off my own clothing as quickly as I could, I settled myself between her silky thighs. “You are going to make the most stunning bride a man has ever seen… and you’ll be all mine.”

She didn’t speak. She just pulled me down on top of her and kissed me deeply. I smoothed my hands up over the inward curves of her waist and further on until I caressed her breasts as she gripped my shoulders. Seeing her lost in pleasure was one of my favourite sights; better than any erotic painting or photograph I’d ever laid eyes on. The way her eyes closed and her back arched made me desperate to take her and so I did. As our bodies connected, a low groan left my chest and a hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

“I love hearing you like that,” she gasped. “I love that I make you feel good.”
Good?
Fuck, was
that
an understatement. “In fact, I just love you. All of you.” Her breathing accelerated and I could feel the pulse in her neck throbbing when I leaned more fully into her. Nothing compared to the feeling of being immersed in her; body and soul. Sex with her was transcendent. It went way beyond any experience I’d ever had, and I loved her so much, I just couldn’t get enough.

Pulling back, I watched our bodies where we were connected so intimately. I couldn’t believe that it was possible to fall deeper for her each time we made love, but seeing her there beneath me, giving herself to me and holding nothing back, I fell further and further. The way she fit me so perfectly and the way her soft curves moulded against me had me on the verge of tears over and over again. Tingles of sheer pleasure began where we were joined and radiated like a starburst throughout my body. Bending forward once again, I took one tightened nipple into my mouth and sucked it deep. Her cries of ecstasy were my undoing and we both ascended into outer space.

~~~

March 2012

The divorce between Alice and me was finalised in February and that meant all systems were go. Mallory visited Leeds to go wedding dress shopping with a rather overexcited Josie in tow, and I booked Kilbrandon Church for our service. Everyone who meant anything was invited. Mallory’s adopted family from Canada said they wouldn’t miss it, and Colin from the shop offered to give the bride away.

The night before the wedding I gave the girls their space and I stayed at the pub. Stella made my favourite meal, her steak pie, and once I’d eaten we sat chatting together.

She cocked her head to one side and eyed me with a smile. “You know, I think it’s testament to this place that you two got together.”

“How do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, if you think about it, if she and Sam had looked elsewhere, you may never have met. This is the place
you
gravitated to after you and your wife split too. I think there may have been a little divine intervention. Don’t you?”

I smiled but didn’t reply and she took away the dishes. I retired up to my room with Rhiannon to put the finishing touches to the song I’d been writing for Mallory. We were writing our own vows; and of course I wasn’t known for using my own words, but this time it was important that I did.

Working ’til the early hours, I finally finished the song and lay awake replaying the last year and memories of Mallory over in my mind. The first time I saw her walk into the pub. That same day when she arrived looking like a member of a KISS tribute band. Finding her distraught on the beach. Kissing her for the first time even though it was wrong to do it. Waking up beside her that first time before everything fell apart so spectacularly. Her curves, her smile, her radiance. Every little thing about her that I adored. She was so kind, beautiful, warm, loving. And above all else she
got
me. She understood what I’d been through.

We connected.

~~~

I had made sure to think of everything to make this day as special as it could be, from the red carpet leading up to the church entrance to the white roses—for my very own Yorkshire rose—inside the church, filling the space with their sweet scent. The music was ready, the congregation was ready.
I
was
more
than ready.

Brad stood beside me as my best man and nudged me as the doors opened. “She’s here, mate. It’s time to rock ’n’ roll, bud.”

“The Reason” by Hoobastank resonated out throughout the church, and I slowly raised my eyes to meet hers. I think I stopped breathing for a while when I saw her. She looked more beautiful than ever standing there in that ivory dress, and
that
was saying something. My heart lurched into action and my lip began to tremble. She’d arrived. She hadn’t got cold feet and run away.

This was it.

Brad thrust a clean hanky into my hand and I dabbed at my eyes. As she made her way slowly down the aisle toward me, the fitted bodice of her dress sparkled in the sunlight coming in through the stained glass windows. I shook my head, not quite ready to believe it. But she smiled and my heart melted. I loved her more than anything and it was clear from the tears glistening in her eyes that she felt the same. Her satiny chocolate-brown hair was pinned up but loose tendrils fell about her shoulders, just touching her skin.

Wow. Just beautiful.

When she arrived before me, I took a deep breath to calm my raging emotions and leaned in to her and whispered, “Thank you for marrying me. I know this must be a hard day for you. But I’ve never loved or admired you more than I do right now.” I took her hand in mine and the kind-faced vicar began…

Eventually it was time for us to say the words we’d prepared. My heart pounded at my ribs as I turned to face Mallory and listen to her.

“Greg, since the moment I met you I’ve been on a roller coaster ride. We’ve supported each other through grief and our own individual issues, and it’s been difficult at times. But I cannot imagine my life without you in it. And I don’t
want
to. Whatever life throws at us, we’ll get through it. We’ve proved that we can… I think my guardian angel was watching over me when he brought me to you.”

I knew the guardian angel she was referring to and I swallowed hard. Her voice had cracked and I was teetering on the edge of a breakdown.

She smiled once again and gazed lovingly into my eyes. “There’s a saying that someone close to me says… ‘Love Conquers All’, and I never believed that to be true until I met you, but now I believe it irrevocably. I love you with all my heart.”

Her choice of words had me thinking my own guardian angel had been at work when inspiring me to write Mallory’s song. With shaking hands I took the guitar from Brad and began to play. The song I had written was called “Love Conquers All” and it told her exactly how she made me feel and what she meant to me.

I want to hold you forever

And that’s what I’ll do

Whatever life throws our way

It’ll be me and you

And we’ll both stand tall

Because love conquers all

Yeah we’ll both stand tall

Because love conquers all

I fought my way through the words, and at the end there was barely a dry eye in the place, including my own.

I handed my guitar back to Brad, and Mallory flung her arms around me, whispering into my ear, “Greg, I love you so much, thank you for such a beautiful gift.”

Feeling her pressed against me and seeing the adoration in her eyes made my heart thump and my stomach flip for joy. The woman in my arms was everything to me. Everything and more. “There was no other way for me to tell you how I feel. I can’t be without you ever again, Mallory. This is it. This is forever.”

“Well, I’m going nowhere unless you come too.”

The vicar announced us as husband and wife, and the place erupted in applause as I took her into my arms and kissed her once more.

My wife.

My love.

My
Mallory.

Epilogue

December 2012