“I know, Dad. He’s the best.”
Carla’s head is cast downward as she slowly moves forward. My gaze flickers to Grayson as he watches her with intent—you can see the glimmer of hope in his eyes. He’s silently pleading with her to look at him, but she doesn’t. By the time she makes it to the end of the aisle, he sighs, shoving his hands into his pockets and bowing his head. The hurt is rolling off him in waves.
I’d give anything to fix things between these two. Ashton would as well. They both mean the world to us.
Pushing those thoughts out of my head, I lock eyes with my gorgeous husband-to-be. He inhales a sharp breath as he takes me in, and my heart rate kicks up a few notches. I’ll never tire of the way he looks at me. There’s not a moment I don’t feel beautiful, cherished, and loved.
When I reach the end of the aisle, he extends his hand to me before pulling me into his arms. He dips me back, planting a scorching kiss on my lips.
My smile is huge when he stands us upright again. “I needed that,” he confesses.
“I think the kissing part is supposed to come after.” Not that I’m complaining.
His eyebrows pinch together. “Nobody tells me when I can and can’t kiss you, Emma.”
“Because I’m yours?”
“Until the end of time.” His frown is quickly replaced with a cocky smirk. “You look beautiful, by the way… so damn beautiful.” Leaning in to run his nose up the side of my neck, he inhales deeply. “Mmm… and you smell so good. I missed you last night.”
“I missed you, too.”
“I couldn’t sleep without you beside me.”
My fingertips skim along his jawline. “I ended up sleeping with Charlie. Poor thing cried herself to sleep because you weren’t there to read her a bedtime story.”
“What?” Ashton’s face distorts with anguish as he glances down at our daughter. There’s only one thing he hates more than seeing me upset, it’s witnessing heartache from his little girl. I’ve seen her tears bring him to his knees on more than one occasion. “Why didn’t you call me, I would’ve come?”
“I know you would’ve because you’re an amazing father.”
“And you’re the best mother,” he says as his lips brush against mine. “I can’t wait to impregnate you with our son in Paris.”
“Or another daughter.”
“No, we definitely need some more testosterone in the house. With you, Charlie, and Duchess… all that estrogen… I’m outnumbered.”
“You have enough testosterone for ten men,” I say, releasing a small laugh.
“You better believe it, sweetheart. And you’ll be full of it tonight.”
“You have a one-track mind.”
“With you, always.”
The priest clears his throat, and both our heads snap in his direction. “Are you done?”
“Sorry, Father,” Ashton says, chuckling. “I haven’t seen her for twenty-four hours.” He says it like it’s a lifetime.
“You’ll have the rest of your days to make up for it… that is, if we can get through the vows.” The priest’s stern tone let us know he’s unimpressed.
There’s mischief brimming in Ashton’s eyes when he brings his attention back to me. “What do you say, sweet-thing, are you ready to become Mrs. Barclay?”
“More than ready,” I say, straightening his tie.
His grip on my waist tightens, drawing me even closer. “Je taime.” Kiss. “Ti amo.” Kiss. “I love you in all the languages, Em.” Kiss.