Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 84756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 424(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Hearing the words from Damiano makes it impossible for me to keep the tears back, and as they start to fall, my voice is shaky as I vow, “I, Gabriella di Bella, take you, Damiano Custanti Falco, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. I will love and honor you all the days of my life.”
Damiano takes a deep breath as if he’s trying to inhale my words, then the priest says, “What God joins together, let no one put asunder.” He glances between us. “Exchange wedding rings.”
Carlo steps forward, holding out a satin pillow with two wedding bands resting on top of it.
I take the bigger one while Damiano picks up the small one.
He takes my left hand, then orders, “Look at me.”
A smile spreads over my face as I meet his eyes.
“Gabriella, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
I feel how he pushes the wedding band onto my finger, then he adds, “It’s you and me forever, mia regina.”
I nod before I look down to position the wedding band by his ring finger, then glance up again as I say, “Damiano, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” I push the ring onto his finger. “You and me, until the end, mio re.”
“In the sight of God and these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Damiano lifts his hands, and framing my face, he presses a tender kiss to my mouth. He pulls back an inch, and when our eyes meet, he says, “I love you, my wife.”
I wrap my arms around his neck and whisper, “I love you, my husband.” Then, pulling him back to me, I seal my mouth to his.
Chapter 32
Damiano
With every passing second, where the guests are drinking champagne and enjoying the reception, I grow more and more impatient for them to leave.
“Stop scowling at everyone,” Gabriella whispers, where she’s sitting beside me.
“How much longer?” I mutter.
“We only get one wedding,” she says, “try to enjoy it.”
“I am, but I also want to be alone with you.”
She pats my chest and smiles at Samantha as she walks by the table.
“You look stunning, Gabriella,” Samantha says, not even daring to look in my direction.
“Thank you,” my bride accepts the compliment like the queen she is.
Aunt Greta rushes toward us and says, “It’s time to open the dance floor.”
“Dance floor?” I mutter. “No one said anything about dancing.”
“Do it for me,” Gabriella whispers before standing up.
Unable to refuse her anything, I climb to my feet and follow her to the middle of the floor.
A song starts to play, and as I take Gabriella into my arms, I ask, “Which song did you pick?”
“Anyone by Tommee Profitt and Fluerie.” She wraps her arms around my neck, her fingers playing with my hair as she smiles up at me. “It says everything I feel.”
Not giving a fuck what everyone else thinks, I stand on one spot and sway from side to side as I listen to the words.
The lyrics make emotions trickle into my chest, and I tighten my arms around her.
Christ, I love Gabriella with everything I am.
My eyes lock with my wife’s, and seeing how happy she is, I pull her hands away from my neck. Wrapping an arm around her back, I tug her flush with my body while I hold her right hand in mine.
When I start to move her across the floor, her lips part.
“You made it sound like you couldn’t dance,” she chastises me.
“No. I said I don’t like it,” I correct her. “But for you, I’ll do it.”
When the song speeds up, I twirl Gabriella away from me before bringing her back to my arms.
Laughter explodes from her, and it makes the corners of my mouth lift.
I do it again just so I can hear her laugh, and when she looks up at me with the green flecks shining brightly in her light brown eyes, I know I’ll never love another as much as I love her.
I’m so fucking thankful I kept her for myself.
I notice Emilio leading Mamma to the floor, and when he dances with her, I give him a thankful nod.
Carlo grabs Aunt Greta, who hasn’t stopped running around for one second, and drags her protesting ass to the dance floor.
I glance at everyone having fun and needing to be alone with my wife, I take Gabriella’s hand and order, “Come.”
I drag her out of the room and head for the elevator.