He reached behind him, removing something from his pocket. And then he was presenting me with a box. A small red box. He opened the lid, and a small gasp escaped past my lips.
The ring that lay in the middle was beautiful. It was simple, small, but oh so beautiful. So elegant. There was a round diamond in the middle. On either side of the bigger diamond were several smaller ones.
“Will you do me the honor of being my wife? Will you be Ayla Ivanshov? Will you lead with me…rule with me…by my side as my queen?”
“Yes,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Alessio smiled and took the ring out of the box. He placed it on my ring finger. It shone in the sunlight.
He stood up, towering over my smaller height. “Alessio, you make me the happiest woman. I don’t think I can ever be happier than this.”
“I know neither of us wants a big wedding. We have already made vows to each other before. So I wanted this to be our small wedding. Just us. We don’t need anyone else,” Alessio explained.
And it was absolutely perfect. I loved it.
He was right. We didn’t need a big wedding. This was much better. Just us. Only us.
I looked down at Alessio’s hand. “But you don’t have a ring.”
He gave me a sheepish look. “I got everything planned. Well, I did get a little help from the others.”
“The dress. It’s white. Like a wedding dress. The bouquet,” I said thoughtfully, finally understanding what went on.
Alessio nodded.
A sudden realization dawned on me, and my eyes widened. “The guys,” I exclaimed.
He smiled and pulled me closer. “They were walking me down the aisle?”
“They wanted to. We thought it was fitting. They are your champions. They gave you away…to me.”
That was really sweet. Tears slid down my cheeks, and I sniffled. Alessio wiped away my tears.
“Do you want to finish this ceremony?” he teased in my ear.
I nodded. Alessio pulled back and kissed me on the forehead. “I take you to be my wife. I promise to honor you, support you. I will be your savior. I promise to love and cherish you until I take my last breath.”
He took a deep breath before continuing. “And I promise to protect you and our kids.”
His voice got lower, for only my ears. “I will kill for you…I love you, Angel.”
My breath hitched and caught in my throat. “So do you take me as your husband? Do you accept me?”
“Yes. I do.”
“Fuck yeah!” He crushed me to him and took my lips passionately.
“Wait,” I mumbled. “My turn.”
I placed the flowers down as he nodded and handed me another box. I opened it and there lay his ring. It was a simple wedding band, but it held so much power. Placing it on his ring finger, I said my vows.
“I take you to be my husband. I accept you, Alessio. Every part of you. You are mine just like I am yours. I may be your Angel, but you are my guardian Angel. My savior. I chose you to be my love, my husband, and the father of my babies. I promise to hold and love you forever, until I take my last breath. You are in my heart, Alessio Ivanshov.”
Alessio pressed his lips together, his blue eyes shining. “Do you take me as your wife? Will you let me love you the way you deserve?”
“Yeah. I do.”
I smiled while Alessio bent his head. “You are my wife, Ayla Ivanshov.”
And then he kissed me.
Slowly at first. He took his sweet time.
Until he got impatient. Which was so Alessio.
Alessio’s hand cupped my cheeks and angled my head to the side, pushing his tongue into my mouth. We kissed, taking each other in. Our tongues mated together, just like our hearts did.
His fingers whispered over the length of my neck, and I shivered. I heard him groan, the sound going straight between my legs.
I clenched my thighs together as Alessio continued to explore my mouth. His kiss became more aggressive. More demanding. More possessive.
And I let him in. I let him take whatever he wanted…needed.
I needed him too.
Alessio nipped at my lower lip, pulling it between his teeth. And then he kissed it better.
Hot and cold. Soft and hard. That was how he kissed me.
My hands tightened around his shoulders, pulling him closer. My fingers went to his hair, holding on. I kissed him back with the same passion.
His fingers continued to trail a warm path down my neck, resting just in the middle of chest, between my breasts.
I pulled back, breathless but needing more.
Alessio’s lips trailed kisses down my jaw, reaching my neck. He nipped at the skin before sucking it between his lips, leaving his mark there.
I moaned, my fingers tightening in his hair. He continued to lay kisses on my neck, leaving a wet trail. My head fell back, giving him better access.