“Tomorrow is the last day you’ll be single. After that we’ll be bound to one another forever,” said Nicholas as he drove them home.
“Who wants to be single?” she winked at him, making his heart skip a beat.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. As if you didn’t know.”
“I do but do you know we have only a day to pack up for our honeymoon?” said Nicholas and Alyssa turned to him with surprise.
“Are we going on a honeymoon?” she asked with disbelief, and he nodded with a silly grin on his face.
“And you’re telling me now? So where are we going?”
“The Bahamas for four days.”
“Oh, my gosh! There’s so much to pack,” she gushed excitedly. The whole evening, they spent packing up for their upcoming trip. It was exciting, and Nicholas showed her where they were staying and planned a four-day itinerary together.
There had been no contact with Alexander after that phone call, and they didn’t mention him either. They made dinner together and afterward sat on the enormous deck to sip wine and gaze at the stars.
“So are we returning home after the wedding? You didn’t tell me when we’re flying off.”
“We’ll spend our wedding night here and then depart the next morning. Our flight is at 8 o’clock.”
“That’s great. I wanted to come back home after the wedding.”
“I guessed as much.”
“So what did you do the whole day apart from spa therapies?” he asked curiously.
“Gossiping, eating, games. I think Hayley is pregnant. She didn’t tell me anything, but I had the feeling,” said Alyssa.
“Oh, but why would she hide?” asked Nicholas.
“Maybe she and Ashton aren’t together.”
“Maybe. So, do you want to have children as well?” asked Nicholas, gazing at her hopefully.
“Of course I do. I love children. What about you?” she was curious to know.
“Me too, but we’ll take it easy. Maybe wait for a year or two before starting a family.”
“Yes. Even I’m not ready to be a mom right now after seeing Sienna struggle with her kids.”
“Oh, before I forget, mom and granny have invited us home for dinner tomorrow. Granny will cook for us. Aren’t you excited about going?” Alyssa nodded and smiled at him.
“I could go just now to eat granny’s food. Now I have to wait for tomorrow,” she pouted and Nicholas laughed.
“Do you need to go to the hospital tomorrow?”
“No, Bellevue released me today and paid all my dues. So I’m free to go anywhere. I’m always hungry for granny’s food,” she said, her mouth watering at the mention of it. Nicholas laughed, understanding her condition too well. He sobered up and leaned a little towards her, his eyes shining with mischief under the star-studded sky.
“But I’m hungry for something else.”
Alyssa rolled her eyes and got up to refill her glass. “I know what it is. You’re hungry for me!” Nicholas too got up, eager to satisfy his hunger.
“So what are you going to do about it?” he asked, following her inside. Before she could refill her glass, he took it away from her hands and placed it on the counter of the bar. “No more tonight. It’s time to please me.” He picked her up bridal style and carried her toward their bedroom. Alyssa wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gazed deeply into his eyes. “We have wasted so much time before over a silly enmity that now I want you to please me every day and every night.”
“It was in your hands, Nicholas. I did not know that you loved me. I thought you were just using me to get even with my brother. That’s what he stuffed into my head.”
Nicholas deposited her on the bed and lay down, hovering over her. “Love cannot always be confessed. You need to feel it. I’ve always tried to show you how much I love you, Alyssa,” he said earnestly, locking his gaze with hers. Alyssa touched his cheek tenderly, her heart filling up with more love for him. She had felt his love many times but still was skeptical when Alexander brainwashed her every time.
“I felt it many times,” she whispered.
“Be strong in your convictions. Don’t let others’ stuff ideas in your head, Alyssa. You are a bright, beautiful, and efficient young woman who can do anything if she sets her mind to it. So focus on your own priorities. Don’t let anyone dictate to you around.” Alyssa nodded at him, his words affecting her a lot. They gave her the confidence to face anything in life.
“Yes, I understand. Thank you for that pep talk. I needed it badly. Why do you think Alexander is against our relationship?” she asked and Nicholas sighed, seeing the hurt in her eyes. It was a sore topic she had been avoiding since the phone call a couple of days ago.
“It’s an ego battle for him, maybe. He’s used to getting his way and can’t face it you didn’t listen to him and went ahead with me. I’m not sure, actually. He never told me why he hates me so much,” said Nicholas.
“Yes, that can be a reason. He always manipulated our parents and got his way in the past. This is the first time mom and dad have supported me, paying no heed to his warnings. Maybe that’s why he is annoyed with everyone.”
“Maybe. Are you feeling better now to get it out of your system? Don’t let others hurt you so much. Did he ask you for your permission before marrying your best friend?” asked Nicholas and Alyssa slowly shook her head. “Did he ever ask you for your approval in anything he did?” Alyssa again shook her head.
“Then? How do you let him dominate you?”
“You’re right. Let’s forget him, Nicholas,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
“I’m always ready to forget everything else and drown in your sweetness!” He winked at her, making her blush. He showered her with small kisses, starting from her neck to her jawline, and face, and finally settling on her lips. Alyssa moaned with pleasure when he plunged his tongue into her mouth to drown in her sweetness, just as he had wanted to. The kiss was sensual, gentle, soulful, lingering, and more soothing than wild. It stirred her deeply, and she ran her fingers over his chest to pull the clothes off him.
Sensing the urgency, he quickly discarded their clothes into a pile on the floor. With their hands and mouth exploring each other passionately, the room was filled with the sounds of their pleasure-filled moans. Nicholas sheathed himself and entered her and all the burning need and tension evaporated just like it always did. They were like a balm to each other’s soul! He picked up pace, and she matched his need with hers. The sound of their bodies slapping together filled the air as they climaxed together. It still wasn’t enough, and they went for another round of pure carnal bliss before they snuggled up to sleep.
The next day, Nicholas took her to buy their wedding rings and then treated her to lunch. “Won’t you check the decor? It’s coming up so well,” said Alyssa excitedly when he went to her parents’ house to drop her off. She was supervising everything, along with her mom. Sienna, Hayley, and Skylar too joined in to help, but Alyssa missed her best friend, Eva very much.
It was like the olden days when her friends used to come over to play, all except Eva. She was never welcome in her house. She didn’t know the specific reason behind it, but her dad never liked Eva. Now that Alexander married her against his parents’ wish, Alyssa was curious to know how her parents would react to her presence. They never discussed his marriage to Eva openly, as if it was a taboo subject. Was that the reason Alexander didn’t come back?
“I would love to,” said Nicholas, threading his fingers through hers and walking around the house towards the backyard, where the entire gang gathered on the shady porch.
“Wow! The groom is here to give us company. Nicholas, please give us a neutral opinion. Which is looking better, the white tulle or the blue one?” asked Skylar.
“The blue one!” said Nicholas, glancing at a smiling Alyssa who knew why he chose that color. It was the color of her eyes and therefore his favorite! Only he didn’t know that it was her favorite too, being the color of his eyes as well!
“Really? I thought the white one looked better, but anyway, we’ll go with your choice,” said Skylar, going towards the arch to inform the decorators about the choice of fabric. Alyssa and Nicholas took a stroll around to see the place being transformed into their dream venue.
“Is this how you dreamed our wedding to be?” he asked.
“I never dreamed about anything apart from getting married to you. So as long as I’m marrying you, I’m happy. Others are actually inconsequential, Nicholas.”
“Same with me. I never dreamed of anything apart from marrying you and whisking you off to an island for our honeymoon!” he grinned at her.
“But instead, you whisked me away to an island first before marrying me.”
“That was necessary, else we would still bicker with one another, instead of marrying!”