Assumption by Aurora Rose Reynolds
His hand left mine and I wrote MAYBE in large, bold letters on the board.
“You must feel better if you’re fucking with me.” He smiled and my heart contracted. “Now, will you please just fucking say yes?”
If I could have smiled, I would have. My head bent and I wiped the board off before writing YES across the whole surface. The smile that lit up his face was one I would never forget until the day I die. His fingers went to the ring, rolling it back and forth on my finger.
“We’re getting married,” he whispered. I nodded, feeling tears fill my eyes. “Thank you.” His forehead touched mine. I lifted my hand and held it against his cheek.
I shake my head out of my thoughts when I hear something coming from down the hall. I peek my head around the corner just in time to see Tubs running with a pair of Kenton’s boxers, taking them with him down the stairs. I shake my head and go back to getting ready, figuring that Kenton can deal with him. I hear Tubs bark and Kenton growl, and I start to laugh.
When my eyes go back to the mirror, I see the dimple in my cheek I didn’t have before the shooting. My hand lifts and my finger runs over the mark. It’s funny how something that seems so innocent can come out of something so painful.
I clear my head and finish getting ready. Tonight is the night I marry Kenton. Well, kind of. When I got out of the hospital, Kenton wanted to go right to the courthouse and get married, but I wanted to at least have his family there to witness us starting our lives together.
He didn’t agree with me. He didn’t want to put it off another day, so we compromised. We got married two days after I was released, and he promised me that, when I was completely healed, he would throw me a huge reception, where I could wear a dress and he would wear a suit, and that way, I could have the wedding pictures I really wanted.
I finish my hair and makeup, and when I hear someone coming up the stairs, I smile as Tara calls out my name.
“In the bathroom!” I yell, touching up my lipstick.
“Your dog molested me when I walked into the house. I think it’s time you got him fixed.”
“We can’t. Not yet anyways. Only one of his balls has dropped,” I tell her, walking into our bedroom.
“Seriously?” she asks, and I can’t help the laugh that escapes me.
“Seriously, but don’t bring it up in front of Kenton. It’s a sore subject.”
“What’s a sore subject?” Kenton asks, walking into the room, wearing his usual jeans and T-shirt. I cannot wait until later—when I get to see him in his tux.
“Your dog having one ball,” Tara teases him.
His eyes narrow and I shake my head.
“What time are you heading to your mom’s?” I ask in a rush, knowing what’s coming if I don’t change the subject.
“I’m leaving now. I just came up to kiss you,” he says sweetly.
I smile as he walks towards me. His eyes move from my mouth to my cheek and then to my eyes. I see pain cross his features, but he quickly covers it. He told me the other day that he loves my dimple, just hates what it reminds him of. I can’t imagine being in his position, thinking he was going to die. He hasn’t talked much about what happened while I was in the hospital, but before he left, I could sense that he was ready to snap at any moment.
Since he got back from Vegas, he’s seemed much more at ease. He hasn’t told me what exactly went down when he was away, just that I was safe now. I asked about the police and what they were doing, but all he told me was that sometimes justice isn’t provided by law enforcement. What that means is anyone’s guess.
His mouth touches mine in a soft kiss, bringing me back to the moment. When my eyes meet his, I take a deep breath, willing myself not to cry.
“I guess I’ll see you at the altar.” I smile, and he shakes his head, kissing me again.
“You’re already my wife,” he says against my mouth.
“I know,” I whisper then start to giggle when I hear Tara making gagging noises. I look around Kenton at her. “You know I have seen you with Finn, right?” I ask her, watching a blush creep across her cheeks.
She and Finn got together while I was in the hospital. She had been in the ER while I was being worked on and was a wreck when they took me to the ICU. Finn found her sitting in the hospital chapel and didn’t leave her side. Since then, they have been inseparable. It’s funny to watch him with her. He never lets her leave his side when they are in the same room. Life is crazy sometimes. The guy who seemed to take life as a joke has done a complete turnaround.
“Oh, shut it,” she growls, picking up a pillow from the bed and tossing it at me.
I laugh and Kenton kisses the smile off my face. This time when he pulls away, it takes a few minutes to pull myself together enough to finish getting ready.
“You know you don’t have to do this, right? We can run away and live on a beach somewhere, drinking from coconuts and using banana leaves as clothes,” Justin says.
I look at him and raise an eyebrow. “First of all, that’s sick. I don’t want to even see you without a shirt, much less wearing nothing but a banana leaf. Second, you’re like a brother to me, so that’s just weird. And third, I’m already married to Kenton, so it really doesn’t matter if I walk down the aisle or not at this point.”
I watch his eyes go soft and he puts his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side before kissing my hair. “I love you too, sis, and I’m honored to walk you down the aisle.”
“If you mess up my makeup by making me cry, I’m going to kick your ass,” I tell him, putting my arms around his waist and laying my head against his chest.
When I was little, I used to wonder who my dad was. My mom never talked about him, and if I did bring him up, she would get pissed, so I learned quickly not to ask questions. Kenton asked me if I wanted him to look for him, but I don’t know if I want to do that. When Nancy and I talked about the wedding—or renewal of vows—she asked who I wanted to walk me down the aisle. At first, I said no one, but then I thought about all the people I have gained as family here. Then I thought about Link and wished he would be here to do it, but he was taking care of the club for Sid. Then I thought about Justin, how much he means to me, and how important he is in my life, and I knew it had to be him. We may not be blood, but I know deep down we are family—maybe not in the traditional sense, but in every way that counts.
“All right. Let’s go before you get my suit all wet,” Justin says as we hear the music begin.
I look at myself in the mirror that’s propped up against the side of the door one last time, making sure my dress is still in place. The white lace dress with cap sleeves that drapes under my shoulders hugs my body, showing off every curve until it reaches mid-thigh and bellows out similar to a mermaid’s tail. I fell in love with this dress immediately when I tried it on at the bridal shop.
I pull the veil over my face and down around my shoulders, taking a deep breath. Tara looks at me and smiles, and I smile back as she opens the door. I take in the backyard of Kenton’s parents’ house. There are chairs on the grass, where all of our family and friends are seated so they can watch us say our vows. At the end of the aisle, Kenton is standing under a large arch that’s been covered in tulle, lace, and flowers. My breath catches in my throat when I look at him in his tux. He is always gorgeous, but right now, as his eyes take me in, I have to do the same. His broad shoulders are covered in black material that shows off the expanse of his chest and the strength in his arms. His hair looks like he has been putting his hand through it all day, and the dark hue around his jaw that is always visible only adds to his hotness.
He asked me if he should shave, and I told him that, if he did, he wouldn’t be getting lucky until his scruff grew back. He laughed and smiled, picked me up, put me on the bathroom counter, and ran his jaw along my inner thigh before looking up and whispering, “Told you you would love it.” Then he proceeded to shove his face between my legs, making me scream out his name. He was not wrong;
I come out of the memory as I make it to the end of the aisle, and Kenton takes my hand from Justin. When I look into his eyes, his travel down my body and he mouths the words, “Holy shit.” I smile bigger and look into his eyes.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Kenton and Autumn,” the pastor says, and my eyes go to him. “Is there any—”
“We’re already married, so you can skip the part about anyone not wanting us joined together,” Kenton says, cutting the pastor off, and I feel my cheeks get pink as everyone in the crowd starts to laugh.
“Okay, we’ll skip that part,” the pastor says, looking at Kenton and laughing. He continues the ceremony, and when he asks Kenton if he will have me as his wife, Kenton’s eyes come to me and I see the same look in his eyes that I saw the first time he said, “I do.” Every ounce of love he has for me is there right on the surface for me to see.
I don’t even remember saying, “I do,” when my veil is lifted and Kenton takes my mouth in a kiss that is way too hot for all of the people who are there to witness it. His tongue delves into my mouth, his body pressing against the length of mine. One hand is on my ass, his other hand on the back of my head, forcing it to the side so he can get deeper. I moan into his mouth as I feel his erection press into my belly.
The moment is broken when the catcalling and clapping starts.
He rips his mouth from mine and his lips go to my ear. “You’re so fucking lucky my whole family’s here.”
I close my eyes tighter and press my legs together the best I can to temper down the throb that’s started in my core. When I open my eyes, I’m almost bent backwards and Kenton still hasn’t stood up.
“What are you doing?” I whisper, looking at everyone watching us.
He presses his hips into my waist, letting me know why we’re stuck. After a second, he stands us up and wraps his arms around me.
“How long until you can walk without me guarding you?” I ask him while trying not to laugh out loud.
“Glad you think this is funny, babe, but I have no idea how I’m going to make it through the rest of this party. You in that dress is a recipe for blue balls,” he mumbles, giving me a squeeze. “If the cameraman wasn’t at the end of the aisle waiting to capture this moment, I would say fuck it, but I don’t think I want our kids looking at our wedding album one day and asking what’s wrong with my pants.”
I start to laugh and bury my face in his chest. It takes a minute or two for me to get my laughter under control, and by the time I’ve calmed down, his hard-on is no longer pressing into me. I tilt my head back and he leans down, kissing me one more time. This time when his mouth leaves mine, his hand goes behind my back and his other under my legs. I squeal as he lifts me into the air, shouting, “My wife!” More applause breaks out and I shake my head, looking out over the crowd at everyone I have come to know and love.
I look around the backyard and smile. It’s now dark, and there are twinkling white lights running overhead across the entire area. The center of the yard has been turned into a dance floor with tables set up along the edge, each with a large centerpiece in the middle made out of large glass bowls with candles floating in them and stones at the bottom that match the forget-me-nots and white roses I carried in my bouquet. The whole backyard looks like something out of a romance novel.
“I’m so happy for you and Kenton,” November says, bouncing April, one of her little girls, on her thigh while another runs around us.
Her and Asher’s other kids are off running around with the rest of the kids at the party. Kenton told me that the Maysons are trying to take over the world with their offspring, but I didn’t believe him until there were kids running around the backyard.
“Thank you,” I tell her, smiling at the little girl on her lap. She holds her hands out for me to take her, and I look at November, who nods. “Hi.” I smile, looking into her cute little face.
She pats my cheek with her hand then pulls herself closer to me, laying her head against my chest. I feel tears start to sting my nose then look around when I feel someone watching me. My eyes meet Kenton’s and his go from mine to the little girl, who is now fighting to keep her eyes open as she plays with the stones of the necklace I’m wearing.
“Looks like you’re going to be joining the club soon,” November says.
“Oh, no, I don’t think so,” I murmur before looking down at the sleeping baby girl in my arms then over at Kenton, who hasn’t taken his eyes off me. The look in his eyes makes my belly flutter, and the word, “Maybe,” comes out of my mouth before I can think better of it.
November starts to laugh, and I look at her and smile.
“Autumn, you’re needed out on the dance floor,” I hear through the speakers set up around the backyard.
My eyes go to the dance floor, and Kenton is standing there in the center with his hand reaching out to me. I get up from my chair, handing a sleeping April to her mom. I walk to the dance floor, my stomach in knots. When my fingers touch Kenton’s, his hand wraps around mine and he pulls me into him just as All of Me by John Legend starts to play. Tears fill my eyes as I listen to the lyrics of the song. When Kenton’s lips whisper words of how he loves all my curves, edges, and imperfections, my face goes into his chest and the lyrics of the song sing to my soul like they were written just for us.
When the song ends, Kenton looks over my shoulder and nods, and I turn my head to see who he’s looking at. Sid is standing off to the side, his hands in his suit pockets. I put out my hand to him and he shakes his head, walking towards me. He saved my life the night I was shot. If he hadn’t been there, I have no doubt I would have been shot again. I put my hand in Sid’s as I feel Kenton kiss my hair. He still doesn’t like Sid, but he now tolerates him.
I finish my dance with Sid and go right to Kenton. His arms wrap around me and I look up into his eyes, saying a silent, “Thank you.”
The rest of the night is a complete blur. I don’t know if I will ever be able to get my shoes off; they feel like they are imbedded into my feet. I have laughed and danced more tonight than I ever thought possible. When all the men went to the dance floor, I almost fell out of my seat laughing, watching them dance to Larger Than Life by the Backstreet Boys. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect night.
“You’re not going to fall asleep on me, are you?” Kenton asks as he kisses the top of my hair.
“No way. I want to see where we’re going for our honeymoon,” I tell him, leaning my head back to see his face.
“You won’t know until we land.”
“What do you mean?” I know they tell you where you’re going when you check in at the airport.
“Sven’s letting us borrow his plane as a wedding present.”
“Wait. So you’re telling me we’re going on a private plane?” I ask, my mouth hanging open.
“What can I say? I’ve always been curious about the mile high club,” he says with a shrug. A smile forms on my lips and his eyes drop to my mouth. “You like that idea?”
“I kinda can’t wait to show you your surprise,” I reply.
“If it has anything to do with you naked, then I can’t wait either.” He bends down, pressing his mouth to mine.
“You’ll just have to wait and see,” I say breathlessly when his mouth leaves mine.
By the time we get into Kenton’s car and head to the airport for our honeymoon, my eyes are so heavy that I’m not sure how I will keep them open. I make it onto the plane and find a seat as Kenton talks to the stewardess and pilot. I can’t imagine living the life Sven does, but he always seems so down to earth. I adjust my wedding dress and lean my head back, just wanting to close my eyes for a few minutes before I go take the dress off.
I wake up, feeling a kiss to my lips then forehead. My eyes slowly open and Kenton’s face is the first thing I see bef
“I missed all the good stuff, didn’t I?” I ask.
“You slept like the dead, babe.” He chuckles, kissing my nose.
“I even slept through you taking off my dress.” I close my eyes in disappointment. I had on a beautiful, strapless, lace bra and panties that matched it. I know he says that he loves my plain undergarments, but even I thought I looked hot in what I had on under my dress.
“I loved the lace, but I prefer you as you are now,” he says softly, his hand moving under the sheet along my belly then up, cupping one breast before traveling down to run along the top of my pubic bone. His tongue runs over my nipple and he pulls away, blowing on it and watching as it puckers. “Yes, I love you like this.”
He smiles, pulling my nipple into his mouth. This time, the heat has me arching back and grabbing a handful of his hair. His mouth travels from my breast, up my neck, and to my mouth, where he kisses me deeply as his tongue delves into my mouth. His long, thick fingers slide between my folds and down over my clit before entering me, curling up, and then hitting that spot that makes my toes start to curl.
“Yesssss,” I hiss.
“Already so hot and wet for me.” He bites my earlobe before licking and sucking down my neck. He moves so that his body is over mine and his thighs are pushing mine apart. His hands hold each of mine, pulling them up near my head. I lift up, biting into his chin. His mouth takes mine, and I moan when I feel the head of his cock touch my clit before it lowers, bumping against my entrance. Then the tip slips inside before pulling out, going too far. My mouth pulls from his and I try to lift my hands, wanting to grab his ass to pull him into me.
“Please,” I beg.
“So sweet,” he whispers, bending his head, biting and sucking one nipple before moving to the other one and torturing it the same way.
My hands are fighting to get free, wanting so badly to grab him. His hands shift to hold on to my wrist, forcing my hands flat down on the bed. His hips shift forward and he enters me again, this time thrusting fast and hard. My hips rise up to meet his, my legs wrapping around his waist.