Southern Devotion Read online

  “Okay. I love you too.” I stare at my reflection in the mirror. This is my wedding dress. I do a little wiggle dance as my excitement grows.

  “Olivia, let me see,” Jamie calls for me.

  “I have to go. I’ll be home soon,” I say and end the call. I’m not even sure if he said goodbye.

  I’m standing here in my wedding dress.

  This is really happening.

  When I open the door, Jamie gasps. “That’s it,” she says. “How is it possible that we both chose the first dress we tried on?”

  “How do you know I’m going to get it?”

  “You called him.” She points to my phone that’s still clutched in my hand. “I called Mike too.” She smiles. “You’re getting it. It’s perfect. Exactly as you described, simple and elegant.”

  “Very beautiful,” Hazel agrees. “Most go back to the first dress they try on, not trusting their gut with just trying one. You two know what you want. That’s a good thing.” She walks around me. “Looks like no alterations are needed here either.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  “Veil? she asks.

  I nod. She leads me to the veils, and with Jamie’s help, we find one that falls to my waist with the same lace design as the dress. We pay for our dresses, putting dents in our credit cards, and carry them out to my car.

  “How about you take mine, and I’ll take yours?” Jamie suggests. “Can you bring mine with you to the Keys?”

  “Yes.” And just like that, we have wedding dresses and a plan to hide them from our fiancés… well, hers and my future.

  I still feel weird, but it’s happening for us. I just need to be patient.

  Sitting on the beach and watching Mike and Jamie say their vows sends excitement coursing through me. I’m getting married to the beautiful girl who’s sitting next to me, her head resting on my shoulder as she watches her big brother and one of her closest friends pledge their life together. The urge is strong to ask her if she wants to do it while we’re here. I can call my parents and get them on the next flight out, but I don’t. I know it’s not what she really wants, and I want to make it the day she’s always dreamed of.

  I finally know how I’m going to ask her. It’s risky as hell, but if I know Olivia, she’ll appreciate it. At least I hope she will. I’m working on finalizing my plans. It’s so damn hard not to just go ahead and ask her, but it’s going to be worth the wait. I know she’s getting worried, but I’ve tried to assure her as much as I can that we are getting married; she’s my forever.

  “I can’t wait for this day to be ours,” she says, snuggling against my chest.

  I place my arm around her and kiss the top of her head. Mike and Jamie kiss just as I whisper, “You’re going to be a beautiful bride.” Green eyes full of love stare up at me.

  “Now we toast,” Mike announces.

  The guest list is simple, just me and Olivia, their parents, and Jamie’s parents. That’s it. Short, sweet, and simple, and I’ve never seen two people happier—well, unless you count Olivia and me. I can only hope her smile is as blinding on our wedding day.

  Standing, we follow the happy couple and their parents into the private dining room they reserved at the hotel for their mini-reception. I thought they would have another when we get home since everyone couldn’t make the trip, but they’re not. They just want to be married and start the rest of their lives together; that’s what Mike told me just before the ceremony. Not that I can blame him. It’s what I want too. I just want her to be my wife. The rest is fluff, details, and none of it holds a candle to my devotion to her.

  Dinner is served, and it’s just like any other day, two families blended together, now for life. I know better though. I see the glint in my friend’s eyes when he looks at his wife. Not to mention he’s referred to her as his wife at least fifteen times in the last hour. The road they took to get here was winding, but they conquered it. I’m happy for both of them.

  “I’m stuffed,” Liv says, pushing her plate away from her.

  Her plate is half-empty while mine is empty. “Me too,” I agree.

  “Time for the first dance.” Jamie’s mom smiles at her daughter and new son-in-law.

  Olivia leans into me, once again resting her head on my shoulder as we watch the happy couple spin around the room, kissing and smiling at one another. I hear a sniff and look down to see her wiping her eyes.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah,” she says with a chuckle. “I’m just so happy for them. Weddings make me cry anyway, but this is my big brother, and Jamie is one of my closest friends. My heart is just full for them.”

  “Dance with me,” I ask as the song changes.

  “There’s not really a dance floor,” she reminds me, scanning the room.

  “Don’t care.” I stand and offer her my hand, and she takes it. I guide her over to the side of the room where Mike and Jamie are still wrapped in each other’s arms as if the change in song didn’t even register to them.

  Jamie spots us and smiles. “You two are next,” she tells us.

  “We are,” I agree. I’ve never made it a secret that I want to spend the rest of my life with Olivia. Hell, I talked to her parents months ago. Everyone knows, and I’m good with that. I want to shout it from the rooftops, letting the world know that the beautiful woman in my arms is going to be my wife.

  I pull Liv a little closer as we sway to the beat of the song. My hand lazily strokes up and down her back, and I love the feel of her in my arms.

  “I can’t wait to be your wife.” Her whispered confession travels straight to my dick.

  “Now look what you did,” I say, pulling her even closer so my hard length is pressed into her.

  “Really?”

  “Yep. Just thinking about you being my wife, every damn time. This time you said it, so yeah—”

  “I feel terrible.” She pretends to be sad, but I can read right through her. “Maybe we should go back to the room, you know, because you’re not feeling well.” She wiggles her hips just slightly, rubbing against me. “I’m sure it’s… painful.”

  “Thank you all for being here,” Mike says, pulling us out of our lust-filled conversation. He looks down at Jamie. “My wife and I, we just wanted to start our lives together. And to have you here to be a part of that is something we’ll never forget.” Jamie goes up on her tiptoes and kisses him. “Now if you’ll excuse us, we have a villa to get to.”

  We all laugh, knowing it’s not the villa they’re rushing off for. With a round of hugs and congratulations, they’re off, and the rest of us say goodbye and head to our respective rooms.

  “Remind me to thank your brother,” I say as we step onto the elevator to head to our room.

  “Why’s that?”

  “I was about to pull you from that room, and there would have been no doubt as to why.”

  As if she needs a reminder, I reach down and adjust my dick that’s pressing against my zipper. When the elevator doors open, I place my hand on the small of her back and lead us to our room. Reaching into my wallet, I pull out our room card and insert it into the lock. The lock releases and Olivia turns the handle, walking into the room with me on her heels.

  I drop my wallet and the key card onto the dresser, pulling my phone and hers from my pocket and setting them on the table as well. She’s facing away from me, sitting on the edge of the bed, unstrapping her heels. One by one, I open the buttons on my shirt before sliding my arms out of the sleeves and tossing it across the chair. Next come my shorts and underwear, which also get tossed on the chair. Taking my hard cock in my hand, I stroke from root to tip, watching her. When she stands and turns to face me, mouth open, probably to ask what I want to do the rest of the night, she pauses. She closes her mouth, her eyes going to my hand and cock.

  “You started without me,” she breathes.

  “You better catch up, then.” I watch her, my eyes following her hands as she slips out of her yellow sundress, letting it fall to the fl
oor. She’s wearing a pale yellow bra and panties, which stand out like a beacon against her bronzed skin. Reaching behind her back, she unclasps her bra and slowly, torturously so, she slides one strap and then the other over her slender shoulders before letting it fall to the floor.

  Her breasts are firm and round, begging for my mouth. I want to rush to her, pull her naked body against mine and devour her. Trace every inch of her soft skin with my tongue, show her with my body what she means to me. Instead, I hold steady, stroking my cock. “Keep going,” I urge her. She needs to lose the panties. If I get any closer, I’ll end up ripping them off her.

  “Like this?” she asks coyly. I watch as her fingers wrap around the slender band of her lace panties. She pulls them over her hips and down her legs, kicking them to the side.

  “Better,” I say, taking her in. “You’re beautiful, Livy.” I take a step toward her. One foot after the other, I move until my arms wrap around her waist and tug her against me. This right here, her in my arms makes everything right in my world.

  “Make love to me.” She looks up at me, those green eyes showing me that the love that’s pulsing through my veins is in hers as well.

  Placing my lips over hers, I kiss her. The taste of her on my tongue only fuels my desire. Hands on her thighs, I pick her up and carry her to the bed. Climbing onto it with her tiny frame still wrapped around me, I settle her head on the pillow. After breaking the kiss, I trail my lips across her jaw and down her slender neck.

  “Dave,” she whispers.

  I lift my head, my eyes meeting hers. What I see is my undoing. So much love, want, need—all for me. Dropping my head to her chest, I suck a pert nipple into my mouth, loving it with my tongue. Her back arches off the bed, silently asking for more. Not one to disappoint my girl, I release her hard nipple with a pop and trail kisses to the other, giving it the same attention.

  “Please,” she hums. Her eyes are closed, her back still arched, head tilted to the side as she waits for me to give her what she wants.

  I don’t move, waiting for her to open her eyes. I want her to be looking at me when I slide deep inside of her.

  “There she is,” I whisper against her lips when her eyes open and watch me. “I love you, Livy,” I say, pushing inside of her.

  “Love you,” she replies, digging her nails into my back.

  I take just a minute to cherish the feeling of being home, because that’s what it is. Every time I’m inside of her, a sense of belonging washes over me, like this is where I’m meant to be.

  The urge to ask her to marry me is strong. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but I know this isn’t how I want to do it. Not to mention I don’t have her ring. But I crave the sound of her saying yes. Instead, I press my lips to hers to keep me from shouting the words and rock my hips.

  “R-right th-there,” she stammers, locking her legs around my hips, drawing her closer. Deeper.

  “Baby, I’m close,” I warn.

  “Mmm,” she moans and then cries out my name.

  With my hands braced beside her head against the mattress, I withdraw and thrust back inside. Her walls squeeze me like a vise as I call out her name and fall over the edge.

  Resting my forehead against hers, I try to catch my breath. Every time with her feels like the first time. The way her body wraps around mine, as if she was made for me, it’s perfect. She’s perfect for me.

  Sliding out of her, I roll to my side and pull her into my chest.

  “I should go clean up,” she pants.

  “Just lie here, like this. Just let me hold you, baby.”

  After a few minutes, her breathing evens out, and I know she’s asleep. I can’t wait until the day that it’s our wedding that we just left, and the first time I get to make love to her as my wife. My cock stirs at the thought, and I have to close my eyes and focus on her even breathing to calm the hell down.

  Kissing the top of her head, I whisper the words into the darkness of the room. “Marry me.” I know she’s asleep, but I need to say what’s in my heart, and those two words, they say so much.

  Placing the finishing touches on the gift for Whitney and Aaron’s baby shower, I set it on the counter and clean up my mess from the wrapping paper. I might have gone a little overboard with the clothes, but they’re too cute not too. The gift bag is full of individually wrapped presents.

  “Guys go to these things?” David asks as he enters the room, pulling his black T-shirt over his head.

  “Yeah, some do. Depends on the couple. Aaron is really involved, so it’s a co-ed shower.” Not that it would matter. David is the kind of man that if I asked him to be there, he would be there.

  He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, placing a soft kiss on my neck. “Is that how we’re going to do it?” he whispers.

  “Is that how you want it?”

  Sliding his large calloused hand under my shirt, he rests his palm just above my belly button. “I don’t want to miss a single second, so yeah, that’s how I want it. You good with that?”

  I turn in his arms, my hands snaking up around his neck. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.” On tiptoes, I press my lips to his—just a peck, but that doesn’t matter. Any time my mouth is pressed to his, any time he’s near, my body heats. My desire for him is that strong.

  “You about ready to go?” he asks.

  “Yeah, I just finished with the gifts. I just need to grab my purse and phone.”

  “I’ll take this.” He steps back, releasing his hold on me and grabs the bag from the counter. “Sheesh,” he says, acting as if the bag is too heavy for him.

  “Ha-ha,” I say dryly. “I can’t help it.” I stick my tongue out at him.

  “You’re amazing.” He kisses the corner of my mouth. “I’ll take this out to the truck.”

  “Thank you. I’ll be right there.” I grab my purse and phone and lock the door behind me.

  Aaron greets us as soon as we walk through the door. “Glad you could make it,” he says, kissing me on the cheek and shaking David’s hand.

  “Where do we put this?” David holds up the gift bag in his hands.

  “This way. Olivia, Whit’s in the dining room with her feet up. At least, they better be. McKinley’s better be too. Jamie’s in there enforcing the rule. Well, all the women are actually, except for our mom and my aunts who are fussing over the food.”

  “Thanks.” David gives my hip a gentle squeeze before following Aaron to the gift table.

  “We were wondering when you were going to get here,” Jamie teases as I enter the dining room.

  “I found a couple more last-minute gifts that I had to wrap.” I look over at Whit, who has her feet propped up on a chair just as her husband had said she was supposed to be doing. “How you feeling?”

  “Hard to maneuver.” She smiles, rubbing her beach ball of a belly.

  “Well, you look beautiful. How was your doctor’s appointment?”

  Her eyes light up. “Good, good,” she says, and I feel as though she’s leaving something out. I raise my eyebrows, and she just smiles at me. No doubt she’ll tell us when she’s ready.

  “I was showing them the pictures from the wedding,” Jamie says, passing me the photo album.

  “When did they come in?” I ask her.

  “Today. We were pulling out when the mail lady stopped at the box. I refused to leave until she was gone so I could check the mail.” She laughs.

  “I don’t blame you.” I open the album and skim through the pictures. “Wow, these are gorgeous. That photographer got some great shots.”

  “He really did. Thank you for finding him.”

  “I didn’t, not really. I called the hotel and asked for recommendations. He was highly acclaimed. We got lucky that there was a last-minute booking that canceled. I didn’t ask it if was a wedding because I didn’t want to know. Feels wrong to be so happy when someone may not be.”

  “I can see why,” McKinley agrees. “As for the other couple,
you just have to worry about you. Maybe they eloped, or she went into labor?” she offers.

  “You ladies ready?” Aaron asks, joining us. “Everyone’s here.” He smiles at his wife, bending down to run his hand over her baby bump.

  Evan comes in with Walker on his hip, offering McKinley his hand. She’s due any day now with baby number three. “You feeling okay?” he asks her.

  I watch as she smiles up at him. “I’m fine, Evan. Where’s Lex?”

  “She’s telling Mike and David about her new horse, even though they’ve both already seen him,” he says with a laugh.

  Jamie and I stand and follow them to the main living room where the gifts are set up and folding chairs have been added. I take a seat next to David, and he slips his arm around my shoulders, keeping his eyes trained on Lex as she tells him about how pretty her new horse is.

  “Thanks for coming, everyone,” Aaron says. “Sorry it’s such a tight space, but it’s easier on my wife being here than having to pack everything home. Before we get started, we wanted to make an announcement.” He looks down at Whitney with love shining in his eyes. “Whit and I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday, and well, we’re having twins!” he says excitedly.

  “How long have you known?” Aaron’s mom asks, wiping tears from her face.

  “A while, but we wanted to wait until today and surprise everyone.”

  “I’m as big as a house. McKinley is due any day now and I’m bigger than she is,” Whitney jokes. “I don’t think it was a very well-kept secret. You wondered, right?” She looks at me and Jamie, and we nod. None of us is willing to say out loud that she was already bigger than she would be with a single baby.

  “The thought did cross my mind,” Aaron’s mom confesses. “But I thought for sure you would have told us.” She pauses. “Twins.” She stands from her chair and embraces her son and daughter-in-law.

  Once congratulations and hugs are passed around, we start the games. “How in the hell am I supposed to guess the candy bar?” David asks. “And this is just… gross. Seriously, this is what y’all do at baby showers?”