Front & Center (Book 2 of the Back-Up Series) (38 page)

Taking her hand, I help her step out of it and lead her to our bed. I worship her, every part of her, from her head to her toes. At times, she grips the comforter under her fingers. At times she grips my head as it’s in between her thighs. At times, she grips my thighs as she devours me. When I sink into her, she grips my face, staring straight through to my soul.

She clenches around me, prompting me to join her. Her orgasm is silent but profound. Her response makes my own climax earth shattering.

She smiles when I return to earth. “I love you.”

I nod silently, causing her smile to widen. She knows what she does to me. She knows how much she completely wrecks me…and I know I’ll love this woman more and more each day, for the rest of our lives.

Epilogue ~
Leila

June 7, 2014

I’m not even nervous. Normally, I would be freaking out knowing one hundred people were about to watch me walk down a sandy beach. But nerves are not what I’m feeling at the moment. Pure exaltation, joy, happiness and bliss are what I’m consumed with. I am about to become Mrs. Jackson Henry Lair.

As I stare out the window of my bridal suite, over the beach that is prepped for our wedding ceremony, I close my eyes and imagine Jack as clear as day.

I can
envision him standing under the floral trellis, in his simple black tuxedo, smiling wide, dimples showing. My heart flips in my chest at the visual. I can only imagine what it will do when I truly lay my eyes on him in less than a half hour.

The girls all left to let me dress in solitude. Actually, I asked them for that favor. I needed to remember every minute as I prepared myself for my future husband. I knew that wouldn’t be possible with the commotion of five giddy girls fussing over me.

I examine myself in the mirror. My dress is a simple sleeveless scoop neck that is fitted to my waist and billows down to the floor in a full skirt. There is beading at the waistline. I have a fingertip veil with a pearl encrusted comb tucked into my hair, which is swept up into a classic bun. I also have on the three presents Jack gave me…my heart necklace, my new bracelet and my engagement ring. I glance down at my engagement ring as it sits on my hand and once again thank God for letting us get to this day. So many things could have gone wrong. So many times, we could have lost each other. I will not take one day with Jack for granted…not one.

“Baby,
” Jack says, as he gently knocks on the door.

“Jack, you can’t be here.”

“I just needed to hear your voice. Did you get my present?”

“Yes, Lizzy gave it to me. Jack, I love it.” I glance down at the beautiful bracelet that sits on my wrist.

“I can’t wait to see you.” His voice sounds desperate through the door.

“I can’t wait to see you
, too. I’m sure you look totally hot in that tuxedo.”

“What are you doing out here. Get lost, Lair.” Lori’s
scolding tells me Jack just got busted.

“Calm down,
Lori. I can’t see her. Baby?” he asks through the wood panel door that separates us.

“Yeah.”

“I love you. I’ll see you at the alter.”

“I love you, too…
and I can’t wait.”

“Blah, blah, blah…now get lost.” I hear shuffling in the hall before the door opens.

“You two can’t be trusted.”

“We’re allowed to talk.”

“I don’t doubt that if I hadn’t shown up, one of you would have caved and opened this door.” She firsts catches a glimpse of me and her eyes soften. “Oh, Lei. You look so beautiful.”

“Thanks,
” I reply shyly, “you do, too.”

She truly does. My maid of honor looks stunning in the blush colored simple cocktail dress that we all chose together. Her hair is loose and wavy. She’s a complete knockout.

Lori pulls me into her arms.

“I’m so happy for you, Leila.
”

“Thank you, Lori.”

“He truly adores you. I hope to have that some day.”

“
You will. Matt really cares about you. I’ve never seen him like this.”

“Part of me still feels he’s going to break my heart. If I gave up that hot rocker, and he fucks me
over, I’ll kill him.”

I laugh out loud at the
scowl on her face. “You didn’t love Trey. You love Matt.”

“I know, Goddammit.”

“You can’t help who you love.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“Lei, can I come in?” My dad’s voice outside the door interrupts our moment.

“Yeah, D
ad.” The door opens and he slowly walks in. His eyes immediately well up with tears.

“Oh, my baby girl. You look so beautiful.” He moves towards me as Lori turns to leave.

“I’ll go round up the girls.” Lori says and closes the door behind her.

My dad wraps his arms around me. “I wish your mom w
ere here right now.”

“Dad, don’t make me cry.
” I fan myself to attempt to stop my tears.

“Ok, ok…sorry. I came to bring you something.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box.

“What’s this?”

“Mom was saving this for your wedding day.”

The warning I gave my dad about making me cry flies right out the window. My eyes well up and the big, fat tears begin to flow relentlessly. My dad wipes them away as I wordlessly hold the tiny box in my hands.

“Go on, open it.”

I gently open the box to reveal a beautiful pair of classic pearl earrings. “Your something old. Her mom gave them to her and she wore them the day we got married.”

“Oh,
Dad.” I cling to him as I silently cry. The absence of my mom is an unbearable ache on what is the happiest day of my life. I know she would have loved Jack, and he would have loved her. I mourn for her as if it just happened. I mourn that she is not here with me on this day. I mourn that she will not see my children grow up. I start to tremble in my dad’s arms from my sobs.

“Hey, enough. She is here and she is with you. Maybe not in body, but in spirit.”

I turn towards the full-length mirror to check my appearance. Silently, I thank Lori for buying the industrial waterproof mascara that cost a small fortune.

At that moment, Lori walks in with Patti, Lizzy, Alisa, and Mandi.

“Lei, my God!” Alisa throws her tiny frame at me and wraps me in a tremendous hug. “I’m no longer mad at you for beating me to the alter.” Alisa has been holding a small grudge. Her smile tells me she is now over it.

“Thanks, Lis. Your day is going to be amazing.”

“I know,” she shrugs and hugs me again.

Lori catches one
glimpse of my face and frowns, “Anthony? What did you do to her?”

“Sorry,” m
y dad mumbles, as Lori comes over and starts dabbing at my face.

“Can you put these on for me?” I ask Lori. She takes the pearl earrings from my trembling hand and fastens them to my ears.

“Your mom’s?”

I nod wordlessly.

“Ok, sit. I need to fix this.” She pushes me towards a chair and repairs my makeup. The rest of my bridal party all surround us. Their compliments and chatter causes the noise level to rise with each squeal.

My dad looks completely out of his element. He sits on the couch, watching the five animated girls as if they’ve escaped from a mental institution. I am not a girly girl, never was. My childhood was filled with baseball and rock and roll. He has no clue how to react towards this.

Lori finishes up with my face and stands back to admire her work. “Perfect. Do not cry again or I’ll hurt you.”

“You don’t want me to cry on my wedding day?”

“No. Please don’t be difficult, it’s not an outrageous request.”

I shake my head as I gawk at her.

“What?” she asks snippily. “Ok, inventory. Something old?”

“My earrings.”

“Something new?”

“My
bracelet.”

“Something borrowed?”

“And blue. Alisa lent me her blue garter.”

“Good.”

The door opens and Mrs. Lair pokes her head in. “Can I come in?”

“Of course.” I motion for her to join us.

“Oh, Leila. You look stunning.”

“
Thank you. I love your gown.” She is wearing a classic Grecian gown in midnight blue.

“It’s not every day my first born and only son gets married.”
She is a complete knockout. From the corner of my eye, I can witness my dad’s eyes bulge a bit.

I turn towards my mother-in-law and ask,
“Have you seen him?”

“Yes
, dear. He is busting at the seams. I’ve never seen him this happy.”

Her words accelerate my already pounding heart. “I was sent to see if you are ready.”

I look at my dad and ask, “Dad, are you ready to do this?”

He nods slowly as he gnaws on his bottom lip. “I’m ready.” The
look on his face crushes me. I need to look away to stop myself from completely bawling.

Lori points her finger into my face and commands, “Stop.”

“Whew…” I take in several deep breaths, desperately trying to corral my anxiety. After a few long seconds, I voice, “Ok, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

“I’ll go tell them we are about to start.” Mrs. Lair leaves the room and five female bodies sheathed in blush colored silk all frantically move around grabbing bouquets, fluffing out my veil, slipping my feet into my shoes, and getting in last dabs at my watering eyes.

Lori, the self-appointed ringleader announces, “Ok, people…show time.”

The girls line up before us as we file out of the bridal suite into the hall. We chose a beautiful Victorian bed and breakfast on the Jersey shore
, because it reminded us of the place we stayed at in San Francisco. It sits on the beach and has a quaint patio where we will be holding our reception. It’s simple and understated, just like Jack and me.

As we get closer to the French doors that lead out onto the beach, I subconsciously shake my legs in anticipation.

“You ok, sweetheart?”

I cho
ose to nod instead of speak for fear I’ll get yelled at by Lori. The lump in my throat would clue her into my threatening tears.

The change in music tells our guests that the ceremony is about to begin. They all look towards the back of the big Victorian house
, waiting for us to approach. First one out is Alisa, followed by Mandi, Patti, Lizzy, and finally Lori. The minute Lori walks away from us, I get my first glimpse of Jack.

Our eyes lock and I lose all the air in my lungs. As I try
to pull more air in, my chest constricts painfully. I don’t see the faces watching us walk down the aisle or the ocean behind him. The only thing I can see is my future husband looking more beautiful than I even could have imagined. The closer I get, the less I see. I’m in a vortex with everyone, everything spinning around me and at the opening is Jack.

“Wh
o gives this woman for marriage?”

“I do.”
My dad places my hand in Jack’s and kisses my cheek.

My
feet carry me up the step to stand before the minister.

Lori take
s my bouquet out of my hands.

Our eyes remain locked on each other
. His smile is now gone, in it’s place a heated, intense stare. His hands grip mine as we face each other.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“You look incredible.”

“So do you.”

The minister begins the ceremony as Jack and I keep our eyes locked in a trance.

It could have been a minute later or many when the minister says, “Jackson, please recite your vows to Leila.”

Jack rubs his thumbs over my knuckles as he still clasps my hands in his.

“Leila, I love you so much that it’s sometimes hard for me to breathe. You have changed my life. You have altered every cell in my body. You completely own me. By simply staring into my eyes, you can bring me to my knees. I want you to know, I will do everything in my power to make you happy. I will laugh with you. I will cry with you. I will keep you safe. I will remind you how much I love you every day for the rest of our lives.”

He repeated
the words he said to me the night of our engagement. Yet still, I feel like I’ve heard them for the first time. My emotions overwhelm me as I stand before him on our wedding day.

“Leila, please recite your vows to Jackson.”

“Jack, I love you more than anything in this entire world. In times of sickness or in health, in success or failure, in plenty or want, I will be standing beside you. I will be your partner, your wife, your lover and your best friend. I promise to always cherish you, respect you, and support you. I give you myself, my heart and my love for all of eternity.”

His eyes glaze over with unshed tears and a small smile plays on his lips. I return his smile, not able to stop my tears from falling. He reaches over and wipes them away, keeping his hands on my cheeks. I can feel my heart pounding frantically as it swells in my chest.

“If any man can show any just cause why Jackson and Leila may not lawfully be joined together, let him speak now, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.” Jack’s eyes move to my lips and then back up to my eyes, igniting me from the inside.

“May we please have the rings?”

Lori hands me Jack’s ring as Hunter hands Jack mine.

“Leila, please place the ring on Jackson’s finger and repeat after me. I, Leila, give you this ring as an eternal symbol of my commitment and love.”