Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56651 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 283(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Were they all double fisting? I grumbled to myself as I watched the object of my affection head into the house to get ready for the reception. The chairs in the front yard were moved out of neat rows to create an open space for dancing with tables for pot luck eating on both sides.
I sighed and joined my brothers by the bar. There was no hope for it. I would have to wait to get my hands on my wife.
A feeling of unspeakable joy filled me at that thought. Goddamn, I was happy. I’d never felt anything like it. Not even when narrowly escaping getting shot and/or blown up, though that had been pretty sweet.
The only moment that came close was the exact second that Dana agreed to be mine. But now she actually was mine. And I would never, ever let her go.
“Preacher is feeling left out,” Donnie said out of the side of his mouth as he slid his phone back into his pocket.
“Trust me. I wish he was here. He would have been a lot faster,” I said, accepting a whiskey from Lucky and sipping it. I glanced around, looking for my bride, trying to calculate how soon I could drag her away.
“Looking for something,” Nick drawled with a knowing smile.
“His wife, most likely,” Mac offered in his calm voice.
“He’s trying to sneak away with her for post wedding sex,” Lucky chortled.
“Good luck with that,” Whiskey added, smacking his thigh. “She’s surrounded.”
I cursed. He was right. My lady was in the midst of a throng of Devil’s Rider chicks and aunties. All the aunties, from the looks of it.
“No relief in sight,” Call said with a loud whoop. I glared at him and he grinned.
“You guys are enjoying this way too much.”
“Damn straight,” Jack rumbled and sipped his ginger ale. That was it. The guys exploded in laughter.
Maybe it was because I was so damned happy. Or maybe it was because it was Jack cracking the joke. It was so rare, and he was so understated that I couldn’t help it. I laughed right along with the rest of them.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Dana
“After we cut the cake, you and I are going to disappear for a few minutes,” my husband said as we smiled for a photo op, our hands clasping the knife together.
“What? Why?” I asked, trying to hold my smile for the photographer. I was so happy that my cheeks hurt from smiling. This was the best day of my life.
I could not imagine being happier.
“So I can ravish you,” he said, soft enough that only I could hear. He also reached back and goosed me at the same time.
I let out a yip and nearly jumped out of my wedding dress and pale blue shoes.
“Drake,” I squealed, realizing the photographer was still taking pictures. Somewhere in the collection would be a photo of me, looking surprised when my brand-spanking-new-husband asked me to sneak off and have sex during our own wedding.
“Well, you asked.”
I couldn’t argue with that. He was right. I had asked.
We cut into the three layered cake made my auntie Marie and handed the knife to a server who doled out cake to the guests. We sat together, feeding each other delicious bites of vanilla and white chocolate goodness while listening to a few speeches, including the reading of a long text message from Preacher.
Lucky did the honors.
“You Goddamned degenerate. I don’t know how you did it. That pretty lady has signed her life away to spend it with you. I worry for her sanity, truth be told. But I know you will take good care of her. You might be a loud, rude, ornery, arrogant, cantankerous son-of-a-bitch, but you are also loyal, steadfast, bad ass, and my goddamn brother. I love you, you gnarly, irritatin’, no good, bastard. You happen to be one of the best people I know. And if Dana ever wakes up and decides she needs a break from you driving her up the goddamn walls, we got a guest room she can stay in while she dries out her tears before we send her back to you. Love you, man. Congrats to you both.”
I caught the suspicious sheen of tears in Drake’s eyes before he cleared his throat and laughed along with everyone else. The aunties looked shocked during Lucky’s impersonation of Preacher but even they were smiling by the end. So was I.
“This is our chance,” Drake said to me as he took my hand and hauled me into the house. I was laughing the whole way, even though I was also more than a little bit embarrassed.
“Everyone is going to know what we are doing, Drake,” I protested as he lifted me up and carried me unerringly to my old bedroom, still kept neat and tidy for my overnight stays. He nudged the door open with shoulder and a wide grin, still holding me in his arms. Only after he used his back to shut the door did he set me on my feet.