Permanent Bliss (Bliss #3.5)(15)
Author: B.J. Harvey

I’d run away to sort my shit out all over again just to find my way back to him.

If my life is a compass, he is my due north. And now, as I stand at the altar in my dream wedding dress (and yes, I know I’m taking a chance wearing white AND getting married in a church of God!), staring into those piercing caramel eyes belonging to Delicious Daniel Winters, my Superman, I know I’ve come full circle. Every level ten freakout brought me here. It brought me to him.

“I cherish every kiss, every double-dimpled grin, every time you press your forehead against mine and just breathe me in. I value your opinions, your hopes and your dreams. Everything we’ve been through has led us to this point. Today I stand before you a changed woman. You’ve made me whole. I’ve realized that the only direction I ever want to run in is into your arms. You, Riley and Jared are my world and I’ll spend the rest of my life and beyond loving you because that is what I was born to do.” I feel his warm hands cup my cheeks as he takes a step toward me, his own eyes wet with emotion as he lets my words sink in. He rubs his thumbs across my face, wiping my tears away. “You’re my happy forever after and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“No more tears, gorgeous. I had you the moment I locked eyes with you. We were meant to be. I can’t wait to live my forever and beyond with you,” he whispers against my lips, an intimate moment just for us. I tip my chin up and brush my lips against his.

“Always and forever, Superman.”

“Never doubted it, gorgeous.”

The End of Mac & Daniel’s Happy Forever After

But later, at the wedding reception …

Epilogue – “Sky Full of Stars”

Noah

So the impossible has happened and Mac is finally hitched.

Wonders will never cease!

The ceremony was awesome, total Mac and Daniel epicness, and even Riley and Jared decided to mix things up and cause a ruckus when they had a fight over Riley’s basket of rose petals. It was a toddler battle of the sexes with Jared coming out on top and rose petals spread from ass**le to breakfast.

But even with that little interlude, the ceremony was perfect.

Now we’re at the reception. We’ve had the speeches and shit, and I even stood up and gave a heartfelt speech to Daniel and Mac about the virtues of marriage and how friendship and love are the cornerstones to any successful relationship. If only I really believed that in my own life.

If it were true, I wouldn’t have been pining after the same woman for fifteen years. I wouldn’t still be holding out hope that she holds even a flicker of a flame for me. But the way she’s acted today, both during the ceremony and now at the reception, I’m seriously wondering why I even bothered inviting her. Hence why I’ve had a few too many drinks and am bordering on no longer giving a shit.

Oh yes, that’s right, because she said she wanted to be my date. In public. In front of people we know. In front of both of our parents (who were also invited as friends of Dan’s family). But considering I’ve been pretty much dateless most of the night, I’m suddenly very dubious of Nikki’s intentions for today.

Sitting at the head table next to Daniel and Mac, who are deliriously happy and huddled closely together talking quietly, I scan the room, taking in the whole scene. I can see Mac’s mom and dad dancing happily, laughing and smiling together. Why is it that the closer I get to thirty (three months to go), I’m starting to think about this kind of shit? The woman to love, the house to come home to, the children to be proud of. A happy life. A fulfilled life. Having something other than my career to show for myself.

I catch a flash of platinum blond hair in my peripheral vision and turn to see Nikki sauntering her way toward me, her hips jutting out with an extra seductive swing and her eyes hooded and dark with heat as she reaches my side. Quirking one eyebrow at her, I bring my glass of whisky sour to my mouth, loving the gentle burn as I swirl the liquor around my mouth before swallowing it carefully.

Nic bends down, giving me an awesome view of her tits, and nuzzles my neck before sucking my earlobe into her mouth. “I want you, baby.”

“Mmm hmm,” I murmur, trying to appear unaffected but who am I kidding, I’m two drinks past thinking logically and about five drinks past being able to say no to my now rock hard dick.

“Meet me on the green. I’ll let you claim me as the nineteenth hole.” I feel her hand run up my thigh before grabbing hold of my c**k and squeezing hard. I suddenly start coughing, trying to contain the sudden surge of lust (and shock). Actually, spluttering would be a more accurate description. Nic releases her stranglehold on my dick before standing up straight, and with a smirk and a wink, she spins on her sexy black heels and struts away from me.

Fuck. Me.

Well, actually, f**k her. And I will, as soon as I can discreetly get out of here.

I down the rest of my drink and lean toward Daniel. “Hey, man, I’m just gonna pop outside for a bit. Get some fresh air.”

“All good. Thank you for your speech. Didn’t know you had it in ya.”

“Yeah, well I’m more than just a pretty face,” I add jokingly. Little does he know that there is more meaning behind that retort than I’d care to admit. Or, more fittingly, I should have said there’s more to me than just a big dick and a pretty face.

I give Daniel a friendly slap on the shoulder and bend down to kiss the top of Mac’s head before walking away from them and toward the direction where Nic disappeared to. Not watching where I’m going, I crash into someone and instinctually grab hold of them when I see them falling to the ground.

“Easy now, no harm done,” I state as I gently lift the woman back onto her feet, holding firm until I feel her steady herself.

“I’m fine. Thanks for, you know, catching me.” Her voice sounds like warm honey, the type you want to have poured all over you and slowly lapped back up. I look up and get lost in the sexiest teal green eyes belonging to the gorgeous woman I’m still holding captive in my arms. Like a deer in the headlights, I continue to stare at her, unable to look away as I try hard to commit her face to memory.

Never in my life have I been lost for words. Dr Noah Taylor, known as the walking dildo to many, is cocky and confident, always ready with smart ass retorts or flirty banter. But right now, with too many drinks under my belt, too much testosterone pulsing through my veins, and the promise of a hot f**k on the eighteenth green with Nikki at the forefront of my mind, I do the first thing I think of.