Tryst - Forbidden Hearts Series

52| Forever Mine

Nothing surprise me anymore.

After everything that's happened over the past six months, I honestly believed that nothing could surprise me anymore.

But when I looked down the aisle and saw the love of my life's smile -- that fucking million dollar smile -- I knew that this was it. This moment. Everything I've ever done in my life led me here. It lead me to her. I used to wish that I had done things differently in my life. Sometimes I wish I didn't sleep my way through London in my teens and twenties. But the truth was as clear as day. If anything had been different,  may not have met Harper Lewis in a whole-in-the-wall bar. If anything had been different, I probably wouldn't be marrying her today.

No. I wouldn't change a fucking thing. Not if the end result was this day. My mouth went dry and my heart started hammering in my chest when her eyes met mine. I used to make fun of married couples and weddings. I used to believe that marriage was a cage -- weighing down a man who didn't want to be weighed down.

I used to believe a lot of things. But that's all different now.

Everything melted away when she started walking down the aisle. No. Not down the aisle. She was walking towards me. To me. The guests turned into a mix of blurred faces. The music lowered to a vibrating hum. There was nothing else around us.

Nothing but her.

What did her dress look like? I wanted to look and see but I couldn't seem to take my eyes off of her remarkably beautiful face. And that goddamn smile. The closer she got, the more my heart started raced. I opened and closed my fists. My fingers twitched. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"She's beautiful." Ryan whispered from behind me.

That was the understatement of the century. "Yeah, she is."

And she was mine. All mine. And I was hers. And in about three seconds, she was going to be standing in front of me. Then in a few minutes, she was going to become my wife.

The minister's voice snapped me back to reality. I didn't even realize that she was now standing right in front of me.

"Who gives this woman to this man?"

Nate's voice was strong when he answered. "I do."

Nate placed a kiss to Harper's cheek before he placed her hand in mine. He stepped past me to take his spot as one of my groomsmen and stopped to whisper a warning in my ear.

"You hurt her, and I'm coming for you, Jay. That's a promise."

"I won't." No way in hell was I ever going to hurt this woman.

Once Nate was in place, it was finally time. I took Harper's free hand in mine. For some reason I needed to touch her. To feel her. She grounded me. And right now, I needed to be grounded.

I finally allowed myself to take in all of her. My eyes were hungry as they ran over the stunning dresses she was wearing. Her hair was curly and pinned up. Her gaze was locked on me and I reached out to catch a tear before it spilled over.

"You look beautiful, princess."

"Thank you." Her eyes ran over my slicked back hair and very expensive suit. "you clean up pretty nicely yourself."

I stared into Harper's chocolate eyes as the minister started to speak. I was vaguely aware of what he was saying. I tried to pay attention, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the woman in front of me. That was what this woman did to me. She consumed me.

I vaguely heard the music playing softly while the minister spoke. I heard someone sniffle from behind Harper. Probably Lanie. I tried and tried to focus on everything else around me, but I couldn't look away from her.