Page 69 of Road to Rosalee

‘My bloody oath I do,’ was Slim’s strident reply.

The crowd chuckled and calmed again as they listened to Sherrie echo the same. Almost half Slim’s size, Sherrie held on tight, as if she would fall over if she didn’t. Her brunette hair was in spirals and hung to her waist, and her princess-style dress looked exquisite on her petite frame. Minutes later, with rings on their fingers and grins on their faces, the celebrant pronounced them husband and wife.

‘You may now kiss your bride, Slimbo,’ the celebrant added.

Slim didn’t need any more of an invitation and, gently bending Sherrie back, kissed her like he damn well meant it.

‘Get a room, you two,’ Showbags called out as they straightened.

‘We already have, Showbags,’ Slim hollered back to his mate with a wink.

Family and friends cheered and hollered and a few hats were thrown in the air as Slim proudly walked his wife through the arch of arms while being showered with rose petals and confetti.

Sidestepping her aunty Georgia and uncle Patrick, the two of them busy reprimanding Danny for throwing a handful of sand at Beau, Melody rushed over to Zai and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. ‘You look so handsome in your suit and snazzy black hat, Mister Wellstone.’

‘Why, thankya, my beautiful lady.’ Zai smouldered sexily as he looked her up and down. ‘And you, Sweet Melody, look absolutely stunning in that dress.’

‘I’m glad you think so.’ She smoothed her peach-coloured silk dress over her hips. ‘I’m not sure how long I’m going to last in these heels, though. They’re killing my feet already.’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll get you undressed in no time when we sneak off later, sexiness.’ Zai flashed her his cheekiest smile. ‘But for now, we can head over to the reception area so you can grab a glass of champers, find your seat, and rest those tootsies.’

Sliding her hand into his, Melody sucked in a breath while the wind brushed her waist-length curls over her back. Her eyes briefly shut in pleasure as the salty aroma gave rise to goosebumps. She wandered hand in hand with Zai to the sound of the breaking waves crashing upon the golden shore and the clip-clop of her heels on the paved pathway. As she gazed out at the horizon, the aqua blue seemed to stretch on forever; to the south, the lush green hills curved gently down to the sea; and to the north, the mountains soared into the sky, as if reaching for the heavens.

With hilarious and heartfelt speeches abounding, and copious amounts of delicious food followed by lots of music, drinking, dancing and laughter, the night whizzed past in the blink of an eye.

It was close to midnight when Melody found herself, a little tipsy and barefoot, following Zai up the plant-lined pathway that led to their ocean-view room. Once inside, she whirled herself back into his waiting arms, their bodies melting into one another’s and her cheek meeting with his chest. This, right here, was her forever home. She never wanted to leave it.

‘Hi there, my sexy woman,’ he said, the huskiness of his voice making her shiver.

‘Hi.’ She angled her face to his, biting her lip in the way she knew drove him wild. ‘This has been one amazing night, my beautiful man.’

‘It sure has been.’ A glint lit up his eyes, making them appear even bluer. ‘And thanks to the three espresso martinis Tumbles got me, I’m still wide awake.’

‘Well, I might have just the cure for that.’ With her fingers making the motion of galloping horses up his chest, she signalled they should wander over to the bed with a slight tip of her head. ‘Take me to bed, cowboy, and let me kiss you all over.’

‘How could I say no to a proposition like that?’ His lips slowly curling into his trademark sexy smile, he gently took her wrists and pressed her hands up against his chest. ‘See how fast and how hard you make my heart race?’

His heartbeat brought her to that magical place. ‘You do the exact same thing to me.’ She took his hand and placed it over her sprinting heart.

They stayed like this for a few moments, drinking each other in, taking the time to connect beyond the flesh. She flushed with pleasure, her skin growing hot from the strong desire blazing in his eyes. Then, giving in to the intensity of the moment, they joined lips and kissed like two lovers who’d spent way too much time apart, their hands tearing at each other’s clothing and caressing each other’s soul. Melody pressed in close as he guided her towards the bed. He stopped shy of it, holding her upright, flush up against him, moving very slowly until the backs of her legs brushed against the softness of the plush doona. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he lowered her back and onto it, moving to hover above her. She was so close to losing all control. Just one more kiss from him and she’d be unable to catch her breath, she was sure …

He paused, holding her eyes with his as he brushed hair from her forehead, so tenderly it made her toes curl. ‘I want to take our time, my Sweet Melody, so I can show you just how deeply in love I am with you.’

‘And you wonder why I love you so much, Wellstone.’ She reached for him, pulling him down to meet her lips. Hungry for his touch, she gave him every invitation to take her, to make them one. But he held back, taking it slow. When neither of them could wait any longer, he gathered her close and slowly, inch by glorious inch, slid inside her. And once he was deep within her, he stopped and kissed her, gently at first, but gradually building to ravenous. Melody lost all sense of herself as he began to thrust, unhurriedly and mind-blowingly deep. Riding the euphoric waves he was building, she cried out, begging him to take her harder, faster.

He bent into her and whispered in her ear. ‘Patience, beautiful.’

All she could do was gasp.

As promised, he took his time. She spiralled at a dizzying speed, lingering on pleasure-filled clouds for a moment before he whisked her off to another, and another, each one a little higher. She closed her eyes, gripping him. She groaned and moaned from her depths as he breathed deeply above her, his body trembling. They rode the waves of ecstasy together, speeding up and slowing down, making each other wait for the grand finale, the pièce de résistance. That, right there, was the single most spectacular sensation she could ever imagine. Zai Wellstone had surpassed even her wildest of fantasies. She wanted this, and him, for the rest of her life.

Tumbling, tingling, trembling, they dove and cried out in pleasure, collapsing into each other before trying to catch their breath. No words were needed to fill the blissful silence as she rested her head against his chest and his arms came around to hold her close.

Thin fingers of dawn light were just beginning to creep into the bedroom when Melody stirred. Still wrapped up in Zai’s arms, her legs were tangled with his. With her head cradled into his shoulder, she took her sweet time to wake up fully. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she dragged her admiring eyes from him to where the opened curtains fluttered softly in the hushed inhale and exhale of the salty sea breeze floating in through the window. The sound of the waves spilling against the shore were music to her ears, as was the sound of her incredible man’s heart beating against her cheek. Last night had felt different, deeper and more intense, almost as if they were sealing their lives together forever. It blew her away how they just kept getting better and better, stronger and stronger.

He stirred and his eyes flickered open. She rested her head on his bicep and tangled a leg over his to pull him in close. ‘I love you, Zai, so very much.’

‘I love you too, my beautiful, Sweet Melody.’ He tipped her chin so he could kiss her lips ever so gently, lingering long enough to steal one of her breaths. ‘And because I love you so very much, I have a surprise for you, but you have to promise to stay right here.’ He threw back the covers and leapt from the bed before she could stop him.