Married Yet still a Virgin

Chapter 14

Michael tugged at his tuxedo a little anxiously as he stood at the altar on that  bleak Tuesday Morning in February. It was Valentine's Day and in New York there was a snow storm going but in Florida the cold was mild. The ceremony was being held in a chapel where his parents attended and the place was packed to capacity. He had waited and watched wondering if anything else would go wrong. His best man, his friend from college stood beside him and would jokingly hand him a handkerchief to mop his brow. He straightened as the bridal party consisting of just her friend Diane came in slowly dressed in a light blue dress. his eyes eagerly went towards the doorway and he felt himself stiffened as she appeared inside the doorway wearing a dress so light and beautiful that it floated around her body. There was a light coming through the stained glass windows that touched her and cast a halo around her that was dazzling! She was on his dad's arm and Michael felt his breath constricted as he stared at her coming up the aisle finally to be his wife. He remembered that dark time in his life when he had stood at the back and watched her pledged herself to another man and how he had felt like breaking out of the crowd and running towards them and telling her that she was making a huge mistake! Now she was walking towards him! he could not wait for her. He stepped down and went to meet her, barely acknowledging his father who smiled and handed her over. he took her hands and brought them to his lips kissing her flesh lingeringly. They stood there staring at each other before they turned to walk up the aisle together.

The ceremony was not long because he had insisted on it not being long. "Ladies and gentlemen we are gathered here on this momentous occasion to witness the union between this man and this woman who has declared their love and commitment to each in front of us all as witnesses. If there is anyone who thinks that this union should not happen please speak now or forever hold your peace."

Michael looked around as if expecting Peter Grayson to walk up and say that he was still married to her.

"Okay now Michael Anthony Ramsey would you take this woman to be your wife to love and to cherish in sickness and in health until death parts you?"

"I do," his voice rang out clearly through the chapel.

"Camille Linda White would you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, to honor and obey in sickness and in health until death parts you?"

"I do," she said softly. His hands took hers and they stared at each other.

"The rings please."

They exchanged the rings and as Michael slid the circle and the matching engagement ring onto her finger he held it there as if cementing their union.

"By the power vested in me I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."
Michael pulled her slowly to him, his large hands framing her face. She had not worn a veil but her hair was swept up on top pf her head secured by jeweled pins. She lifted her head slowly and her eyes met his and her lips parted. He bent and took her lips delving into her mouth, feeling the trembling of her body against his.  Camille held him to her, the fact that she had been married before disappearing from her memories to be replaced by this wonderful memory and this beautiful and secure feeling of being in the arms of the man who would take a bullet for her. She trembled with the magnitude of it and knew that she would always be loved, never doubting that.

He stopped the kiss with a tremendous effort of self control. he rested his forehead on hers and breathed in carefully. "My wife." he whispered.

"My husband." she whispered back. He stepped back and took her hand in his.

"Ladies and gentlemen I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ramsey!"

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The reception was held at his parents place on the vast grounds. There were tables strewn around the lawns along with tents. Michael and Camille made a detour and went by his place so she could change out of her wedding dress and he out of his tux. "Unbutton me?" she turned her back and he set to work doing so. He did it slowly, his fingers tracing the line at her back. He bent and kissed the back of her neck before drifting down. He lifted his head and turned her around letting the dress slip down her feet leaving her wearing the champagne colored teddy she had worn beneath the dress. "My wife," he said wonderingly as he tilted her chin to look at her. "Finally," he said hoarsely. With an oath he swung her into his arms and bore her off to the bedroom. She wrapped her hands around his neck. "The reception-"

"Will go on without us for a while," he placed her on the bed and looked down at her. She had not started showing yet and he could not wait. His hands wandered down her stomach and stayed there, his blue eyes darkening. "I saw you coming towards me I thought I was dreaming," he undressed slowly and came to sit on the edge of the bed as he looked at her. "Do you have no any clue how much I love you?"

"I am beginning to discover how much." she put her hands over his. "I almost lost on out on something wonderful because I was not looking in the right direction."

"I am so happy that we find each other before it is too late," he slipped the thin satin straps off her and pulled the scrap of material off her, his eyes following the lines of her body. His wife!  "Mrs. Ramsey," he whispered as he brought his head down to hers. Camille brought her hands up and wrapped them around his neck. If she died now she would have experienced something like this, something so extraordinary that words defied her. He gathered her up against him as he sought to show her how much she meant to him!

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Peter drank himself into a stupor. He knew she was getting married today, it had been all over the papers. Ramsey was the son of the Ramsey's who owned three quarters of Miami. he had not known that because the man dressed like he had stumbled out of bed! He stared into the amber liquid and realized that he had made a huge mistake. He had fought to save her life with an intensity that had the other doctors looking at him strangely. he had told Michael that he owed her and he did. She had loved him even when he had ignored her. He had not been with anyone since the scandal and he was not in the frame of mind to be with anyone.  He had spoken to her just two days ago with the pretext that he was calling her to find out if she was doing but he had wanted to hear her voice.

"I am getting married in two days." she had told him.
"I wish you all the best. You know that right?"

"I know." she had hesitated and then had said. "I fell in love with something that was not real and I see it now. With Michael it is real and terrifying but it makes my heart race. I am happy Peter and whatever comes I will be happy with him."

"I am beginning to think that I made a mistake." he had said lightly.

"What are you saying?"

"Just thinking out loud. Be happy Camille."

"I am."

He stared into the amber liquid broodingly before bringing the glass to his lips and drinking down the contents. With a snarl of anger he hurled the glass into the wall and burying his head in his hands he sobbed!

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Michael did not let her go. Not when they cut the cake together and not when they were eating the sumptuous food set before them and not when he was giving his toast. he referred to her as his wife so many times that the guests laughed! he held her close when they danced and reluctantly handed her over to his best man and his dad and several others but claiming her back a few minutes later. He held her into his arms as they danced slowly to John Legend's 'All of me'. "Tired?"he whispered.

"A little bit." she snuggled into his arms breathing in his scent and sighing.

"We are going to spend the night at the house and then we are flying to Paris in the morning."

She looked up at him. "I have never been-"

"I know," he smiled at her gently. "I want to take you everywhere."

"As long as I am with you then nothing else matters."

"My wife," he whispered as he took her lips with his.