Page 74 of The Alpha Escort Agency
“You had a lovely hen party. It was all very tame and above board,” Alice says, motioning her head towards Rory behind her.
“Oh yes, there were no naked men involved at all.”
“What?” Rory says, and Alice pinches Maria’s arm.
“I said, you know you have to ask her now, right?” Maria says, leaning back and fixing her eyes on Rory.
“Ask her what?” he says with feigned innocence.
“Hmmm,” Maria says, then hugs Alice towards her. “It was an amazing day, wasn't it?” she gushes, the smile back on her face.
“The best,” Alice says. “You look so beautiful, Maria, both of you.”
Maria turns to gaze across the dance floor at her new husband, who gestures his head towards the exit. “I think that’s my cue to go.”
“Have fun,” Alice says, embracing her, “and a wonderful honeymoon. Call me when you get back.”
“Thank you for everything, bestie.” And then she’s off, her white dress swishing across the wooden floor as she saunters over to Ed, the singer of the band announcing over the mic that Mr and Mrs Matthews will be leaving the party in five minutes.
"Do you need to get some shots of them leaving?" she asks.
"No, I have plenty."
“Shall we go too, then?” she says, taking his hand in hers. He shakes his head and she pouts at him. “Why not? You know you look pretty damn hot yourself in that tux.”
“Let’s go down to the beach.” She pouts harder and he brushes her nose with his fingers. “We have plenty of time, Omega. Be patient.”
"Okay, but leave the camera here. You've worked hard enough today."
The other guests are wandering out of the marquee and towards the driveway where the Rolls Royce is waiting for the bride and groom. He drags her away from the dance floor, out of the tent and down the slope of neatly cut lawn, towards the beach. The guests’ voices fade along with the music, replaced by the crashing of the ocean onto the sand, and the light fades too, the bright twinkling strings of fairy bulbs disappearing as the moon and the night’s stars emerge from the blackness.
The sand is cool on the soles of her feet as they stroll towards the water's edge and she dips her toes in the salty foam, twirling around to face him, her face wide with a smile.
“You look beautiful. Did I tell you that?” he tells her.
She kicks a spray of water towards him. “Yes, many many times.”
“I can’t help it. You were the most beautiful woman there tonight. I couldn’t drag my eyes away from you.”
She raises an eyebrow at him. “Maria was the most beautiful woman there today.”
“No, you.”
She splashes him again and he wades into the water, scooping her up into his arms.
“Your shoes!” she squeals.
“Screw the shoes.” His hand creeps up her spine, stroking the bare skin of her back and finding her gland, dancing his fingers over the sensitive skin. She shivers, despite the warmth of the mid-Summer’s evening.
As the weeks have passed, his fingers and his mouth have found their way back there time and time again, he can’t leave it alone, and she knows what’s on his mind, why he does it. She reads him more and more easily with every day that passes together, knowing what he’s feeling, what he’s thinking, even when he’s silent.
“You smell beautiful too,” he says, nuzzling into her neck.
“You really wanted me to catch the bouquet?” she whispers, tossing it towards the sand so she can slide her hands under his shirt.
He bends forward until their eyes are level and he holds her gaze in the mesmerising depths of his, their foreheads touching.
“Yes,” he whispers into her skin. "Yes, very much so." Then he rocks back and reaches into his jacket pocket, opening his palm out flat and holding it up to the moonlight.
