Page 36 of Walking the Bird

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Taking a cleansing breath, Jordan watched as her guests began filling up the few dozen chairs facing the ocean. Her heart raced as her eyes landed on Aiden standing under the flower-covered arch. Memories of the first time she saw him as a man, and not the town football hero, flashed through her mind. She was seventeen, working her first real job at the local diner when she saw him pull up with Zach for his father’s funeral. He’d changed so much in the years since he’d gone off to the military, stealing her breath and leaving her with feelings she shouldn't have for a friend of her father’s. Jordan tried to forget Aiden, especially when he came home permanently with that god-awful Rachel in tow.

“Are you ready, Ms. Holt?”

Melinda’s soft voice pulled her back to the present, and the man who rocked back and forth on the balls of his heals waiting for her. Aiden had refused to let her spend last night alone, coming to the bar not long after Alex tossed Eleni over his shoulder. Aiden helped wipe away any trace of a hangover as he brought her to several orgasms before letting her leave the warmth of their bed to get ready for their wedding.

Keeping her gaze fixed on Aiden, “Promise me something, Melinda.”

“Of course, if I can.”

“Make sure Eleni and Alex sit down to dinner tonight. They need to be reminded of how much they love each other.”

Melinda followed Jordan’s line of sight, her gaze falling on the beautiful brunette sitting alone in the last row of chairs.

“You’re a good friend.”

“Not really,” Jordan smoothed down her simple dress. “If I was a good friend, I would convince my husband to delay our honeymoon and tie the two together myself.”

Aiden gave one condition to Jordan for this destination wedding. As soon as the highlights of the wedding were over, he got to whisk her away in a helicopter to an unknown location where she wouldn't need clothing for at least a month.

Alex kepthis gaze fixed on Eleni as Ryan relayed the information he’d come across last night.

“Eighteen of the twenty hotels in the area have ordered new pool motors in the last year. Sixteen of those have made duplicate orders of flour and protein powder.”

“Anything unusual on the security monitors?” Aiden was about to come out of his skin waiting for those doors at the end of the aisle to open.

“You mean besides the creepy motherfucker dressed in a hoodie watching the girls dancing last night?”

Jordan waited not so patientlyas the doors of the resort opened. Eager to take her final steps as a single woman. A collective gasp found her ears as her bare toes touched the sand.

In an instant everything faded away as Aiden watched the vision in white emerge through the door. He was stupid in love with the beauty who’d transformed from a little girl, into the fuck-hot woman who was his everything.

Unable to stop herself, Jordan gathered the lower half of her dress, raising it high enough to allow her to run down the aisle to her destiny.

Aiden let out a laugh as he mimicked his bride’s actions, opening his arms wide in invitation.

“I love you.” Wrapping her arms around Aiden’s neck, tuning out the catcalls and whistles.

“I love you, too.” Setting Jordan gently back on her feet, Aiden placed a kiss to her lips. He couldn’t wait to get this ceremony over and begin his forever with Jordan.

Pulling back, Aiden shifted his gaze to the hotel’s officiant. “There’s a hundred extra bucks if you can give us the abridged version of what you normally do.”

Cade knelt beside an eager Keegan;the little boy more interested in the table filled with sweets than the yucky kissing. He’d struggled to keep his attention on the boys instead of the memory of waking up beside Melinda this morning. He’d spoken with Elli this morning, bargained his way into a free evening once the bride and groom left for their honeymoon. He had plans for the beautiful woman standing in the shadows, whispering orders into the microphone on her radio.

Derek tippedthe glass filled with amber liquid to his lips, his attention fixed on the Greek beauty in the pale blue dress below. Eleni had him twisted in half with her sudden aversion to him. He’d caught a glimpse of her last night when she’d walked into the bar wearing a red dress which left him lightheaded, unfortunately a problematic visitor caused him to miss escorting her to his penthouse suite. Eleni Nakos needed to know she had options, one which included the admiration of a man who would never ignore her like the pathetic man who called himself her husband.

Eleni pretendedto watch as Jordan and Aiden exchanged vows. She tried not to think of the day she’d stood in front of hundreds of guests and pledged herself to the eternal playboy. Instead, she focused on the color of the ocean and it’s calming effects. She’d promised Alex she would join him for dinner, listening to what he had to say and decide together where they should go from here.

“Do you,Aiden Sawyer, take Jordan Holt to be—”

“Hell yes, I do.” Aiden interrupted, his patience growing thinner by the second. He didn't care about pictures or first dances. He wanted the contract solidified so he could steal his girl away and see if they could grow a family. Jordan agreed to discontinue her birth control the minute they got back to the States. He wanted a handful of little versions of the two of them running around and calling him dad.

“Do you—”

“Yes,” Jordan cut off the officiant, her body vibrating with excitement. “I take him, I will honor him and make him as happy as he makes me.”

Aiden didn't wait for the officiant; he could feel his new wife’s need for him. Sealing his mouth over hers, he dipped her backward, scooping her into his arms as he ran in the direction of their villa.

Jordan barely heard the words husband and wife before tossing her bouquet over Aiden’s shoulder, silently wishing the lucky person who’d caught it all the love in the world.

Melinda’s eyeswent wide as the bride's bouquet hit her in the chest. She was in unfamiliar territory, having made it a rule to remain in the shadows, unless she was needed by the guests.

“You caught it, Ms. Melinda.”

The sweet voice of Ashton sounded from her left. Exchanging her shocked face for a proper smile, Melinda turned her attention to the three boys standing beside a handsome Cade. “Momma said it means getting married.”

Cade caught a glimpse of his future as he watched Melinda twist the bundle of blooms around in her hand. “It sure does, bubby, it sure does.”

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