Before You Go

Chapter Twenty-One

I've been a married woman for two weeks now, but I spent the entire first week doing so much paperwork- company profile, bank accounts IDs- that it feels more like being at work. That's what happens when you decide to suddenly get married right off the bat and not even take a day or two to prepare.

Nevertheless, I'm still very much happy and very much in the love bubble the entire time.

We called the handful of people who we wanted to be there when we got married. I called up my mom but she was halfway across the world with my step father so we ended up having to video call the entire ceremony, which was quick. Rose and Carrie were with me, excited about the whole thing although Carrie was a little disappointed she wasn't going to be planning this wedding.

Eve and Wyatt, also Arthur and Doris came too. They seemed very excited about it. Even Doris, who is very religious, didn't object to the whole thing which brought me ease.

We couldn't forget about Kevin and Camilla but they were out of town so we also had to video call the ceremony for them.

Carter and I talked about having a honeymoon, even just a weekend getaway but we can't decide on anything yet as he still has to wait for his schedule for the coming month. So we're keeping our fingers crossed that his bid will be granted.

It's already ten in the morning and Carter is rushing to get ready to leave for his recurrent training- a yearly exam they have to take to assess their skills and knowledge. And he has been stressing over this for the past week. He'll only be gone for three days this time, but I'd rather he be home every night.

"Don't forget your boxers." I say and drop it into his bag.

He sighs and shakes his head, pulling me against his body. "What would I do without you?" he says and I can feel him smile against my hair.

"Just two things. Either you will be going commando for the rest of the training or you'll be using Side B, C, and D."

He scrunches his nose at my suggestions and his adorable face makes me laugh.

"I really want to stay here and just love you all day, Mrs. Hayes." he mutters. "God, I love the sound of that."

"That's Clarke-Hayes." I correct him.

There was only one thing we argued about the entire trip to Vegas before we got married; I refused to fully take his last name.

This took some time to convince him that I wasn't going to be just 'Mrs. Hayes'. I've worked hard for years and I won't let it all end up with his last name. He even brought up how I was willing to be Mrs. McConnell for Michael but not Mrs. Hayes for him. I had to remind him that I was going to lose parts of myself just to be the trophy wife he wants and I don't, which ultimately would end our marriage on way or another.

I settled for Michael, but not with Carter.

"C'mon, let me have this." he whines. "Legally you are Mrs. Clarke-Hayes. But in this house, you're Mrs. Hayes." he smirks, pulling me against his body before leaning down to kiss me.

I stand on my toes so I can reach up to his height and kiss him back. He smiles against my lips and grabs my thighs up, wrapping them around his waist. I hook my ankles together on the small of his back to secure myself better, my hands grazing against his arms. He sits me on the table, his free hand reaches up to my face to hold me. He's kissing me like he's been deprived of it, as if we don't regularly have sex.

"Carter." I manage to say in between kisses. He didn't seem to hear me call his name. "Carter." I say again, louder this time, and pull away from him.