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And as we finally break apart, breathless and giddy with love...I know that this is just the beginning, just the first chapter in a story that will last a lifetime.
A few weeks later, surrounded by our closest friends and family, Grayson and I exchange vows in a small, intimate ceremony. There are tears and laughter, joy and solemnity...but through it all, there's an undercurrent of pure, unshakeable love.
As Grayson takes my hands in his, his eyes shining with unshed tears, he begins to speak, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Amara, my love...there was a time not so long ago when I thought I had lost you forever. When I thought my own mistakes and the cruelty of others had shattered our bond beyond repair. But even in my darkest moments, even when all hope seemed lost...I never stopped loving you. I never stopped fighting for you, for us."
He takes a deep, shuddering breath, his grip on my hands tightening. "You see, Amara...you're not just my lover, my partner. You're my savior, my guiding light. Before I met you, I was lost, adrift in a sea of my own making. But you...you showed me what it means to be truly seen, truly loved. You challenged me to be a better man, to strive for something greater than myself."
I feel tears streaming down my own face now, my heart so full of love and gratitude that it feels like it might burst. "Grayson," I whisper, my voice choked with emotion. "You are my rock, my safe haven. When the world feels like it's spinning out of control, when I'm lost and scared and unsure...I know that I can always find my way back to you. Your love, your strength...it's the compass that guides me home, every single time."
He smiles at me then, a watery, tremulous thing that's so full of love and devotion that it steals my breath. "I know we've had our share of setbacks, of obstacles that seemed insurmountable at the time. But through it all, through every trial and tribulation...our love has only grown stronger, more unshakable. Because that's the thing about true love, Amara. It's not about perfection, or never making mistakes. It's about choosing each other, day after day, no matter what life throws our way."
I nod, my own smile blossoming through the tears. "Grayson, I...I can't promise that our journey will always be easy. I can't promise that we won't face our share of challenges and heartaches along the way. But what I can promise you, here and now, is that I will always, always choose you. I will choose our love, our life together...no matter what."
He brings my hands to his lips, pressing a reverent kiss to my knuckles. "Amara Jeffries, you are my everything. My heart, my soul, my reason for being. And I promise you, from this day forward...I will spend the rest of my life proving my love for you, my devotion to you. I will wake up every single morning and thank my lucky stars that I get to call you mine, that I get to build a future with you by my side."
I lean in, resting my forehead against his as I whisper my own vows, my own promise. "Grayson Winthrop, you are the love of my life, my soulmate in every sense of the word. And I vow to you, here and now...that I will love you, honor you, and cherish you, for all the days of my life. I will be your partner, your equal, your biggest cheerleader and your softest place to land. I will choose you, choose us...every single day, for the rest of our lives."
As we seal our vows with a kiss, the world around us fading away until there's nothing but the two of us, lost in each other...I feel a sense of peace, of rightness, settle over me like a warm blanket.
Because I know, with a bone-deep certainty, that this is exactly where I'm meant to be. With Grayson by my side, my husband, my forever love...I know that there's nothing we can't face, no challenge we can't overcome.
Our love story may not have been a fairytale, a perfect, seamless journey from beginning to end. But it's ours, in all its messy, complicated, beautifully imperfect glory.
And as we turn to face our cheering loved ones, hand in hand and heart to heart...I know that this is just the beginning of our happily ever after.
A love story for the ages, a testament to the power of choosing each other, day after day...no matter what life may bring.
Grayson and Amara, forever and always.
30
GRAYSON
It’s a strange feeling to think I have a wife. Not strange in a bad way. Never that. It’s strange as in I have someone with me to love until the end of my days.
And I do love her. That’s for damn sure. And I’m going to prove it to her right now.
She chose the location for our honeymoon. She wanted to go to the Maldives, and since I can’t say no to anything she wants, we’re here on a warm, sunny beach.
The best part about this beach is the privacy. Our bungalow is the only one for a mile. No one can see us, no one can hear us. And I plan on making her scream my name before the night is through.
The sand beneath is a soft white, the sun above a vibrant orange. It's setting slowly, painting our world in hues of pink and gold. She's sitting on the edge of our bungalow deck, her feet dipping into the turquoise sea below, staring out to the horizon. Her soft brown hair is blowing slightly in the wind, and I can see the side of her face as she smiles softly to herself.
I approach her then, drawn in by her radiance, and the way the light glints on her perfect copper brown skin. She turns around when she hears me coming and her eyes light up when they meet mine. It’s the look of love that I see in them, a burning passion that mirrors my own.
“I missed you,” I whisper, even though we were just apart for a few minutes.
“Already?” She laughs, a sound that’s music to my ears.
“Always.”
With that, I take her into my arms carefully wrapping them around her slender waist. My heart races as she leans into me, her arms moving to encircle my neck. She looks up at me with those mesmerizing eyes of hers – full of trust – and my heart leaps.
I place a kiss on her forehead before searching her eyes for permission. Not finding any hesitation there, I lower my lips onto hers. Our first kiss as man and wife on this secluded beach.
Our worlds shrink until it's just us and our heartbeat echoing in unison against the gentle lapping of waves onto the shore. As I pull away from our kiss, her eyes glazed with desire, I know my promise holds true. This is the woman I’ll love until the end of my days.
