Page 20 of Knotting Sleeping Beauty

The ceremony is at sunset. My gown is ivory and gold, and white flowers adorn my curls.

“No veil,” my mother smiles when I’m all dressed.

I shake my head, returning her loving smile. “I’m done hiding, Mama.”

“My brave girl.”

I walk down the great hall toward Kael, and everything else disappears.

He’s at the end. Massive, in all black formal wear, his scar catching the light. And his hands are shaking… I can see it from here. His massive, scarred, sword-wielding hands… fucking trembling. And that almost undoes me.

I reach my mate, take his hands, and feel the tremor in mine matching his.

“Hey,” I whisper.

“Hey, Princess.” His voice is rough, smile huge.

The officiant binds our hands with silk while we exchange vows older than these walls.

And when he tells him to kiss me, Kael takes my face in both hands and kisses me like we’re alone. Not a ceremonial peck. A fucking promise. The hall erupts. My mother sobs. His mother sobs. My father clears his throat about twelve times. His fucking whistles.

Yours.

Always.

* * *

The feast goes on late. All nine courses. When Kael finally pulls me from the hall, it’s past midnight.

Our chambers are in the tower. Of course. My mother had it transformed: now it’s all warm wood, candles, flowers, and silk. The cursed room turned into something beautiful. The bed is new, made of solid oak. It freaking needs to be…

I stand at the window, looking out at the garden where thorns used to grow, with the moonlight on my skin. Still in my gown, flowers in my hair.

“Hey,” Kael says from the doorway.

I turn to him and smile huge. “Hey, husband.”

I watch the word hits him and bite my bottom lip.

He crosses the room, takes my face in his hands, kisses my forehead, my cheeks, my bond mark, the corner of my mouth.

“I’m going to take this dress off now,” he fucking growls.

“I was hoping you’d say that.” I’m smiling so much my cheeks hurt.

He turns me, undoes the buttons down my back one at a time, his lips following. Down my spine, over my shoulders, at the small of my back. Until the gown drops…

Then my man drops to his knees behind me. His mouth on my trembling skin.

“Kael…”

“Right here, wife,” he rasps, licking and nipping my ass-cheeks. Then he turns me to face him. Still on his knees. Looking up at me. My mighty warrior king.

My fingers slide into his hair, with tears on my cheeks and a smile on my lips.

“I could get used to this.”

“Good, I’ll be here a while.”