Page 66 of The Orc's Sweetheart
Tilly brushes a lock of hair off my forehead then runs her hand down my beard until she cups my jaw. Smiling sweetly, she says, “I love you.”
Feeling like my soul is fed, my heart fuller than it’s ever been, and like happiness is bursting from my very pores, I reply easily, “I love you too.”
“Let’s go home,” Tilly whispers, and presses her lips to mine in a tender promise.
Chapter 28
Tilly
To no one’s surprise, Bodin and I are ready for our claiming ceremony much earlier than we originally planned to have it.
The night we came home from Cape Easton and walked into our cottage, we knew we didn’t want anything or anyone else, nor did we want to wait. So, right there in the kitchen, with me perched on the counter and Bodin standing between my legs, he asked me to officially be his forever.
I never needed the extravagant, romantic proposal he originally planned. I will only ever needBodin, just as he is.
After very vocally—and sexually—showing him how much I like the idea of calling him mine forever, we were engaged.
The next morning, we told Doc Calla—or Ma as I call her when we’re not at work—then called my parents, and scheduled a ceremony for the first available day that everyone could attend.
Now, I’m standing at one end of the beach on Kraken Cove, ready to walk toward Bodin and state our claims for each other in front of all our family and friends.
Across the ocean, the sun rises, painting the sky in a beautiful pastel gradient of orange, yellow, pink, and blue. Some of our guests may have grumbled about waking up so early for the ceremony, but Bodin and I wanted to say our vows during our favorite time of day. This view just confirms that it was the right choice.
Audrey bends down and arranges the billowy chiffon of my lilac dress that Peregrine designed and made, the lace exquisite with its leafy patterns that gather around my breasts and fade toward the bottom. She checks my off-the-shoulder flowy sleeves, then hands me my bouquet.
The flowers are a beautiful arrangement by Annamae of hydrangeas and peonies from our garden, and other greens from the island added to the outside. I bring it to my nose and inhale deeply, calm and surety rooting themselves into my very being that I’m in the right place at the right time with the right person.
My cousin takes my free hand and whispers, “You’re positively glowing today. I’m so happy you found your perfect match. But I’m just going to throw this out there—if you have any signs of cold feet, I’ll spring you out of here. No questions asked.”
I shake my head. “Luckily my feet are feeling pretty toasty. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life.”
Audrey gives Marisol a nod, and the beautiful siren picks up her lyre to accompany me as I practically float down the aisle flanked by all of Starry Hill and guests from Cape Easton.
At the other end, Bodin is looking dapper in his buttoned white shirt, wiping at his eyes as I approach. My grin is all teeth, happiness radiating from the bottom of my heart until it feels like I might cast a literal glow around me.
Bodin struggles with his self-restraint, his feet shifting as if I’m not getting to him fast enough. He finally gives up and jogs halfway down the aisle to meet me and rests his hands on my waist.
His eyes are watery as he whispers, “You look devastatingly beautiful. I couldn’t wait a second longer.”
I throw my arms around his neck and raise myself onto my bare tiptoes. “You look delectably dapper, and good enough to marry.”
Bodin grins and scoops me up, carrying me to the ceremony arbor bursting with foliage from the forest we found Annamae in.
The whole ceremony is a blur from there on. There are tears, laughter, hugs and kisses, as we stumble happily through our vows and exchange bracelets.
Bodin and I both have jobs where it’s not always possible to wear rings, so we decided to have claiming bracelets made from the same cloth used in our handfasting. The fabric we chose is from the Stewart clan, a nod to Arran’s heritage as founder ofStarry Hill and a means of honoring him for the community he provides a safe haven for.
The look on Ma’s proud face as she gets onto the stepladder to perform the final part of the ceremony will forever be imprinted in my mind.
Binding our hands together with the special tartan, Ma raises her jubilant voice, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Before she’s even finished the official proclamation, Bodin sweeps me into his arms and dips me for a passionate kiss, which I return just as enthusiastically. We get so lost in the moment that we forget about the guests. After a while their cheering penetrates our ears, and Bodin and I pull apart with looks promising that there will be more of that. Soon.
I raise my bouquet high as Bodin carries me down the aisle while everyone claps and whistles, throwing delphinium confetti as we pass them.
We only last a short while at the reception, thanking guests for coming and eating whatever bite-size snacks Calixta or Beryl stuff into our hands. Bodin never moves away from my side, keeping at least one hand on me at all times, but our need for each other grows, the need to seal our claiming driving us until we’re practically fused together.
I’m already eyeing a route to escape and get back to the cottage to start the private part of our day, when a sunny face with blonde curls piled on top of her head appears in front of us.
