Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 606(@200wpm)___ 485(@250wpm)___ 404(@300wpm)
I nod enthusiastically, and Clay rains kisses across my face, one by one until he’s covered the whole surface. I giggle the whole time and push him away after one final deep kiss to the lips.
He’s the embodiment of everything I’m feeling. He’s so much more comfortable in being over the top, but internally, we are twin flames.
“I just need to go change, okay?” I tell him, pushing away lightly to run for the porch.
“What? No!” Clay grabs at my elbow to stop me, but I pull him back toward the door with me, even as he fights.
“Listen, I may be okay with doing a quickie courthouse wedding, but I am not doing it in my diner uniform! It’s a poodle skirt, for Pete’s sake!”
“All right, all right,” he concedes, releasing me. “You can change, but do it quick. The sooner I can call you my wife, the better.”
Overwhelmed with happiness, I charge forward, running into his arms again and wrapping my own around him. He smiles up at me as he lifts me high, and I stare down into his sweet eyes with love and longing.
“In case I didn’t make it clear…I can’t wait either.” My voice is a gentle whisper, but the message is strong. Clay and I are made for each other.
“I love you, Josie.”
“I love you too, Clay.”
His face is a beam of light. “The next time we say that, we’ll be husband and wife.”
22
Clay
Thursday, September 22nd
“Molene?” Josie asks as I pull into the city limits and drive up their version of Main Street to the courthouse at the center of town. I smile and reach over to take her hand, pulling it up and over with my own to kiss the back of it. “Felt like a good fit. Plus, you know we couldn’t get married in Red Bridge, or we’d never get to tell anyone ourselves.”
Josie smiles and giggles, and I have to fight the urge to drive my truck right into the curb so I can kiss her. She’s wearing the blue dress she wore to church the first day I asked her out—ironically maudlin of her since she seems so surprised by my own sappiness—and her curls are half up and half down, cascading down her back. Her eyes sparkle with both moisture and excitement, and she’s never looked more beautiful.
I swear I’d marry her twice if I thought it’d do anything legally to tie her to me a little more.
I settle for reaching over and running my hand up her bare leg instead, and she smiles so big, I almost wreck. Thankfully, we’re here and pulling into a parking spot because it’s clear we should not be on the road when I’m this fucking over-the-top excited to marry the woman of my dreams. Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be able to concentrate or think until she’s officially mine.
After putting the truck in park and shutting it off, I jump out and run around to help her out.
Our eyes meet as she climbs down with her hands in mine, and I have to lean down to kiss her again.
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” she says, and I touch my forehead to hers.
“And I can’t believe it took me this long to think of it.”
I grab Josie’s hand, and we practically run up the steps of the courthouse and into the main hall, where we go through a brief bout with security. I smile and joke about getting a pat-down to get married, but no one laughs.
I have a feeling their days aren’t going quite as well as mine.
I follow the signs to the district judge, which a little research told me is what we needed to get married officially in this county, and pull Josie along with me at a jog. She doesn’t complain, but I do try to slow myself down when it feels like I’m making her trip behind me.
“Sorry, baby,” I apologize, stopping briefly to put my lips on hers. “I’m just excited.”
She nods and smiles, her face alight. “I know. I’m not upset. I think I’d let you drag me like a log at this point.”
I shake my head. “No, baby. As much as I’m ready, this isn’t a race. I’m not going to be careless with you, I promise.”
It’s a small vow in this context, but I mean it in a way that is so much more. I don’t just want a wife. I want a relationship with the woman of my dreams that I foster and curate and care for for the rest of our lives.
Her voice is soft as she leans up to kiss me again, pushing onto her toes. I hold the sides of her face and savor the moment as she whispers against my lips. “I love you.”
My smile invades the space of her face. “I thought we weren’t going to say it again until we were married.”