Page 27 of Red Rose Cupcake

She’s walking down the aisle, her arm looped through her dad’s, her dark skin glowing against the soft ivory of her dress. Her eyes find mine, and I swear I see everything—our past, our present, and our future—flashing between us in that single look. She’s mine. Forever.

My throat tightens, but I can’t tear my eyes away from her. Not for a second.

And then she smiles. That smile that makes my heart race, my blood hum in my veins. Damn, I’m one lucky bastard.

* * *

ROSIE

I take one step, then another, the world fading into a blur as I walk toward Knox. It’s just him and me. His green eyes locked on mine, his broad frame looking so fine in that tailored suit that I want to drag him back to the honeymoon suite right now.

When I finally reach him, my dad gives me a squeeze before stepping aside. Knox takes my hands in his, and I can feel the steady warmth of his touch, grounding me in this moment.

“Hey, baby,” he whispers, his voice a low rumble that sends a shiver down my spine.

“Hey,” I breathe, my heart fluttering.

“Are you ready?” he asks, his thumb gently caressing the back of my hand.

I nod, biting my lip to stop the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. “More than ready.”

The ceremony goes by in a whirlwind. Vows are exchanged, sweet words spoken, and then…

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Before I can even process the words, Knox’s lips are on mine. It’s not one of those polite wedding kisses either—it’s possessive, deep, and oh-so-sexy. The kind that makes my knees weak and has me gripping his shoulders to stay upright.

The guests cheer, but all I can feel is the heat of his lips, the way he’s pulling me closer, like he can’t get enough of me.

When we finally pull apart, my heart is pounding, and Knox’s smirk tells me he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.

* * *

KNOX

The reception is in full swing, music playing, people laughing and dancing. But all I can think about is getting my wife—yeah,wife—alone. She looks absolutely breathtaking tonight, and I’m counting down the minutes until we can sneak away.

Rosie’s across the room, talking to her mom, and I can’t stop staring at her. The way the soft lights catch in her hair, the way the dress clings to her curves… damn, it’s torture.

I sidle up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck. She laughs, a low, teasing sound that makes me want to drag her off the dance floor and into a dark corner.

“You keep looking at me like that, O’Malley, and we’re gonna have to leave early,” she murmurs, leaning back into me.

“I wasn’t planning on staying for the whole thing anyway,” I murmur back, my lips grazing her ear.

She laughs again, and I can feel the tension building between us, the same intensity that’s been there since the day we met. But now, it’s deeper. It’s forever.

“You’re terrible,” she teases, turning in my arms to face me.

“And you love it,” I grin, my hands sliding down her back.

We dance for a while, slow and close, until I can’t take it anymore. “Let’s get out of here,” I whisper against her lips.

* * *

ROSIE

By the time we make it back to the honeymoon suite, my heart is racing for an entirely different reason. Knox is behind me, his hands sliding over my hips as he leans in, his lips brushing the back of my neck.

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