Love Through LimeLight (14 page)

Fifteen days later, I’m still thinking about what Johnni
said as I stand in front of two closed double doors. My bridal party has already
passed through and I am simply waiting for the music to change and cue my
entry.

I have planned the details myself. Every second is carefully
plotted out, so I know the wait only lasts for forty-five seconds. Still, it
feels like much, much longer.

My father stands beside me, his chest puffed out with pride.
He doesn’t speak and I find myself grateful for the moment to center my
thoughts.

This is it. It feels like I’ve been waiting for this moment
for my entire life.

My stomach is a jumble of emotions. Elation. Anticipation.
Terror. They all make themselves known and for a moment, it feels like I can’t
breathe. The heady scent of the gardenias I picked out threatens to turn sour
in my mouth.

I take a deep breath, forcing my thoughts to what this step
means. It’s too late to go back and even if I could, I wouldn’t. I know what I
want in life and Harper is part of that. This is a gathering of power. People
of influence and prestige have come from all around the world to see us become
a family.

It is everything I have ever thought I wanted, but somehow I
almost wish we had gone with something smaller. More intimate.

“Are you okay, baby?” My dad notes my distress and puts a
hand on my bare shoulder. He smiles as me when I nod. “Of course you are.
You’ve always been a little soldier.”

I swallow against the lump in my throat and nod again. He’s
not saying anything I haven’t just told myself but somehow it means more when
spoken aloud. I manage to make my throat work long enough to respond. “Thank
you.”

He clears his throat as if he has something to say and I
turn to face him. Suddenly, he seems so much older than I ever remember seeing
him. But his eyes are bright. “I’m really proud of you, Fallon.”

The unexpected declaration shocks me. My parents have not
always approved of my decisions. I understand why. It has not always been easy
to stand behind me. But this is more than he has ever said about the issues
we’ve faced. “You are?”

He clears his throat again. “Of course I am. You are your
own person. You have been for years. I may not have understood all of the
decisions you’ve made but the woman you are today…” Tears fill his eyes. “She’s
beautiful.”

I laugh a little, happiness swelling in my chest. My face
stings but I quickly shift my bouquet of gardenias to one hand and fan my face
with the other. “Oh, Daddy. Thank you. That means a lot.”

The music changes before he can say anything else and the
doors open wide. I step into a garden of white and red flowers. The lilies I
picked out smile at me and seem to open as I step onto the red carpet. Faces
and bodies turn to meet me but I don’t see anyone.

Harper stands at the end of that carpet. His eyes widen when
he sees me and I tilt my head back so he can see me as glide down the aisle.
The dress hugs all of my curves and flares at the bottom. I wanted something
that would create a sensual shape. I wanted to drive him crazy.

The mixture of lust and appreciation in his eyes tells me
that I have hit the nail on the head.

I walk through a curtain of hanging gardenias. The air
around me looks as if it is decorated with fine glitter but it is the
reflection of hundreds of diamonds, strategically placed throughout the room.
They give the world around us an unearthly shine designed to make everyone in
the room feel as if they’re in another universe. One where Harper and I are at
its center.

I watch the eyes of everyone around me widen as I come into
view. The boning of my dress is held together by delicate strands of silk, and
red beryl stones are held against the fabric, wrapped in the fine cloth. I
shift and light dances around me in deep ruby hues. The colors catch in my
engagement ring and I look like a sensual fairy. A goddess amongst the humans
who worship her.

And no one worships the way Harper does.

When I get to the edge of the carpet my father hands me off
to my husband-to-be. Harper takes my hand with a gentle touch and I feel
cherished…precious.

“You look amazing,” he whispers and his voice is deep and
hoarse. I smile at him, glad that I have no veil to block my sight of him.

He looks every bit as delicious as I do. His suit was also
custom made and there is only one like it in the entire world. He and I are the
king and queen of hearts.

The priest clears his throat and we turn our attention back
to him. When his fatherly gaze falls to me, I can’t help but bow my head in
reverence. This is another of the most important reasons I couldn’t have
eloped.

My faith.

A marriage is more than a contract between two people. It is
a work of God. Everything that I am, everything that holds me together is
because of Him and I am immensely grateful. Blessed.

“Dearly beloved…” The priest begins our union with a prayer
and I bow my head, hearing his voice like a touch to my soul. He speaks of
gathering, of growth, and of the other things we owe to the Lord. I murmur
“Amen” with the rest of my wedding party and when I lift my head, I’m shocked
to find that tears are racing down my face.

The priest smiles. “Being touched by the Holy Spirit is a
profound thing, my child. There is no shame in your tears.”

I’m so filled with joy I laugh a little. He grins along with
me and Harper tilts my chin toward him. The entire room seems to freeze as he
gently wipes away my tears, careful not to smudge my make-up. “You are a dream,
my opal.”

“
This
is a dream,” I respond breathlessly.

The priest continues but I can barely make out the words
he’s saying as he blesses our union. My eyes are glued on Harper’s the same way
his are glued to mine.

“…the rings, please.”

Harper reaches behind him and accepts the rings from his
best man without breaking contact with me. He hands me his, a band of black
titanium that gleams with midnight intensity. The same dark promises I see in
Harper’s gaze are reflected in that band and I fight to hold back a shiver.
When I slide the ring onto his finger, my hands are shaking and I can’t force
myself to care. This is the most profound moment of my life and I absorb every
detail as if there will be a test when I make it to the Pearly Gates.

“Harper. You are the other half of me. When I am struggling,
I want you there to hold me up. When I feel as if it’s me against the world, I
want you in my corner. You are the strongest, kindest, most considerate man I
have ever met and I promise to love and honor you for the rest of my life.”

Harper sniffles and I think I see unshed tears gleaming in
his eyes. The show of emotion doesn’t make me think less of him. Absolutely the
opposite. The fact that he shows me so much of his vulnerability when the
people around us see only the calm outer shell of him…it humbles me.

He takes my hand. “Fallon. What can I say about you that
hasn’t already been said? You are a mystery to so many. They see little but
your past and the rumors that surround you. They don’t get to see beyond your
lovely exterior to the heart behind the walls you keep. You are so strong. You
take every obstacle in your way and you pound it into dust. You take people who
want to use and abuse you and you turn them into weeping children. Everything
you say and do is founded in an unshakeable logic that attests to the deep
expanses of your mind. You are an unanswerable question that I want to spend
the rest of my life studying. I swear that I will always be there for you,
always provide for you and respect you. I love you.”

By the time he’s finished I am openly weeping. I can’t help
it. All of my hopes and dreams are wrapped up in this man. I have my own plans.
My own strengths and ambitions. But in this instant, I realize that no matter
what I have to do, he will be there. He will be a part of my actions and
attempts. If I fail, it will be with him. My successes will be shared with him.

In this moment, we stop being Fallon and Harper.

We are one.

The ring slides down my finger and I cry even harder. The
crowd I have almost forgotten makes the softest “Awww” sound. The priest keeps
talking and I murmur a heartfelt “I do” when prompted. Harper says his moments
after with the biggest grin I have ever seen on his face.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Before the priest is even finished, Harper sweeps me into
his arms. His mouth brushes against mine in the most respectful way. He is
gentle but insistent, and my tears dry in one fell swoop. Pressed against him,
even for those few seconds, I feel my whole world coming together. There is
nothing we won’t be able to do together. Nothing that we won’t be able to
conquer.

“It is with great pleasure that I present the newlyweds Mr.
and Mrs. Vasso.”

Harper releases me and the crowd shouts with joy. As one,
they whoop and holler and I am dragged back down the red carpet. Harper wraps
one arm around me as my bridal party makes its way out of the room. People
reach out to touch me as we move. The amount of love and well-wishing in the
room makes me cry again. I couldn’t be happier. Nothing could make me happier.

Many hours later, I realize that thought wasn’t exactly
true. Something could make me happier.

Harper lifts me off my tired feet and crosses the threshold
into one of his mansions. I am so tired after the dancing, eating, and
celebrating that I can’t remember which of his houses we are in. I believe
we’ve travelled to Brazil this time.

I look over his shoulder before he shuts the door and all I
see are beautiful, brightly colored fruit trees and big, emerald leaves.
Wherever we are, it’s secluded and private. Perfect.

My head lolls as Harper walks down a hallway and toward what
I sincerely hope is the bedroom. He pulls open a pair of French doors and I
gasp. The room is huge and the modern bed in the middle of it calls to me.
Harper has surprised me yet again, because the interior is nothing like the
dark, island-esque furnishings I caught a glimpse of on our way in. The room is
all clean lines and cool colors. The floor is some kind of white stone and the
walls are covered with wallpaper the same color as his ring. A loveseat is
tucked in one corner next to a stone bookcase filled with thick tomes.

“Where are we?” My voice is stripped and tired but I force
myself to ask anyway.

“One of my favorite homes,” Harper responds before carrying
me toward the floating bed. It’s covered in mauve silk sheets and centered in
the middle of the room. “It’s my…sanctuary. No one knows about it and when I
want to be alone or I need to unwind, this is where I come.”

I sit up straight, realizing that this is a profound moment.
“No one else has ever been here with you?”

He shakes his head. “Other than the crew that built it, no
one even knows it exists.”

This is another pocket of Harper’s secret life. I hope that
one day I will know every inch of the parts of him he keeps secret from
everyone else. “It’s beautiful.”

He looks at me for a long moment before finally responding.
“Not nearly as beautiful as you.”

He reaches for me and my breath catches in my throat. This
is our honeymoon. “Thank you.”

His hand stops midair. “Are you tired? You had a shower on
the plane but if you want another one…”

His voice. I don’t know what’s going on in his head but the
strain in his voice sounds as if he’s trying to hold back something terrible.
That dangerous thing I see in his gaze when he doesn’t think I’m looking.

I swallow. Hard. Whatever he’s protecting me from, I get the
feeling that tonight it’s going to come to light. And I want it. I want it more
than I thought was possible. All traces of fatigue drain from my body and I
swallow again. “No. I want…I want to stay with you.”

He takes a deep breath. “Are you sure?”

I smile, realizing he’s trying to give me an out. As if he
fully expects me to run away from him. I crawl up on my knees, delighting that
my muscles no longer feel as if they weigh a ton. I’ve gotten a second wind and
I know exactly what I want to do with it. I slide along the smooth sheets and
put my hands on his shoulders. He sucks in a breath and groans when I lean
closer and put my mouth against his neck. “I’m positive, husband.”

“Fallon…” his tone dips into a warning. “I don’t want to
scare you.”

I throw back my head and laugh. He has no idea. The way his
fists keep clenching and opening is only turning me on. My clit throbs in time
with my heartbeat and I lick my bottom lip. “I could never be afraid of you.”

The dam breaks and Harper’s hands shoot out and grab my
hips. His face twists into a mask of lust and possession, and I barely have
time to register the change before his mouth is on mine.

He slams me backward and covers me with his body. I gasp and
his tongue slides between my teeth, touching, tasting, and taking everything
that I have to offer.

I moan into his mouth and his touch becomes more and more
forceful. He winds his hands in my hair and pulls until tears form in my eyes.
The pressure on my scalp hurts and I feel each strand that is pulled out.

“Fallon. I want you so fucking badly.”

He drags his mouth away from mine and along my jaw until he
finds my neck. His hands slide down my chest and he pinches my breasts through the
fabric of my clothing. I changed after the wedding to a skin-tight white
bodysuit. A gold chain wrapped around my waist and jingled whenever I moved.
The material is as soft as butter but as he pushes it against my skin it rubs
me raw.

He kisses me so hard I can barely breathe. My mind is
overwhelmed by the way he’s taking me and the way he’s mixing pleasure and
pain. His manicured nails drag over my skin and I register the sound of tearing
cloth as he rips the bodysuit from me.

He bites down on my shoulder and I cry out. My hands knead his
shoulders when he presses his knee between my legs. “You’re so warm.”

“Harper. Please. More.” I pant out what I need and he bites
me again, harder this time.

The world tilts when he pulls me up and plants his foot on
the bed where I have been lying. He keeps me perched on his thigh, balancing my
weight with his strength. He kisses my mouth, biting my lips so hard that I cry
out. All the while, he uses his hands to rub my clit over his hard thigh.

I rock my hips, trying to keep up with him but he growls,
dragging me off the bed and slamming me up against one of the wallpaper-covered
walls. He pins me so that my back is flush against the wall and presses his
forearm against my neck. For one terrifyingly sexy moment I think he’s going to
choke me but he holds me there, panting in my face. “Don’t move. I didn’t tell
you to try to get off.”

He waits for me to nod before he leans down and twists the
fabric of my white thong—the last stich of my clothing—in his fist. It snaps
with a painful tug and I open my mouth out of shock. He shoves my torn panties
into my mouth. And kisses me around them. “You taste like honey. I can’t wait
to get this from the source.”

His intensity overwhelms me and my eyes roll back in my
head. His hands dive into the cleft between my legs and he strokes me brutally.
The nerves of my pussy jolt when he slams his meaty palm against it and rubs me
so hard I rise up on my tiptoes. I’m so wet he slips in and out easily but his
pace never lets up. My abs clench along with the muscles of my pussy.

I don’t even realize how loudly I’m moaning until he’s
crushing my windpipe and the sounds stop coming. I think that I should probably
fight, but this is Harper. I trust him completely. With my heart, my body, and
even my life.

He slides a finger inside my bruised pussy and I lift
several inches off of the ground. He pounds into me, letting up on the pressure
around my throat in pulsing increments. Harder. Softer. Breath. No breath. He
drives me higher and higher, his pace increasing until I can’t keep time with
his strokes.

His teeth find my nipple and he drags my breasts together
until he has both nipples in his mouth at once. Then he bites down. I come,
screaming, hot liquid soaking his hand and running own his hands. My pussy
continues to clench as his pounding lessens and he finally stops. I’m a
panting, sopping mess by the time he lets me back onto the ground and I can
barely focus on the things he’s saying.

“I am going to make you come so many times that you forget
your own name. I am going to brand you so deep that you never forget who you
belong to. You are mine, Fallon. Every inch of you belongs to me.”

There is a threat in his voice that I can’t ignore. I lift
my head—an action that costs me precious energy—and respond to him in the only
way that seems to make sense. “I’m yours. All of me belongs to you.”

His eyes flare with possession and lust and he slowly
removes the belt from his suit. He flips me around roughly, pressing my face
against the wall. Before I realize what’s happening he jerks my hands back and
ties my elbows as close together as they can get. Pain tears through my
shoulder blades, making me arch my back to reduce the strain. The sound of his
zipper opening makes me still and then Harper’s heavy hand connects with my ass
in a hard slap. I jerk and hiss in pain but I don’t try to stop him or turn
around.

“Do you want me inside you?”

I don’t trust my voice. I nod, rubbing my face against the
soft material.

His hand collides with my soft skin again. “Answer me!”

“Yes! Please, I want you so deep.” I’m weeping now but not
because I’m afraid. I hurt. I hurt in the most delicious way and only he can
help me through it.

“Good.” He pushes me forward and I suck in a frantic breath.
It’s the same way as someone would do if they were pushed into a pool with no
warning. Just as my head sinks under the surface, Harper pushes the head of his
thick dick inside me.

I groan, long and low in my throat. He’s big. I knew he
would be, had seen his erections and had felt him pressed against me. But actually
feeling him stretch me out makes my toes curl and the back of my head feel as
if it’s going to blow off. “Daaaaaamn.” I manage to squeeze out the words as my
walls hug him.

He slides in to the hilt, never bothering to give me a
chance to adjust. “You can take me. You were made to take me.”

He slams into me and I hiss with every stroke. It’s too
much, too soon. When he leans in to touch my clit I feel like I’m going to come
apart. My entire body trembles and the belt around my arms only gives him something
to hold on to while he pounds into me.

Stars burst behind my eyelids, bright and violent. His chest
pushes my arms closer against my body, making the pain sharper. I cry out,
uncaring how I sound. I can’t hold anything back with Harper and he knows it.
He pushes harder, slamming my cheek against the wall and my knees knock
together.

I would have buckled and crashed to the ground bonelessly
but he holds me up. He drives into me mercilessly and my brain short-circuits.

I come screaming.

Harper jerks me back against his chest and the belt clatters
to the ground beneath us. It lands wetly in the puddle I’ve created.

He pulls out of me with a wet pop and sinks to the ground
behind me. I jerk when his tongue swipes a line of my juice from my thigh. He
smacks his lips loudly and his hot breath cascades over my swollen pussy lips.
“Yeah. Just like honey.”

He stands slowly and even without turning, I can tell that
he’s stroking himself. His breathing hikes up and for a second I think he’s
going to come on my back. But then he kicks my feet further apart, forcing me
to make my wobbly knees work.

“You like it in the ass, right? I’ve seen your video so many
times. Is your ass as hot and tight as the rest of you?”

He doesn’t give me a chance to answer his question.

I expect him to take his time but when his thumb slides into
my ass I realize he’s been preparing me the entire time. The juice he scoops up
from my pussy works as lubrication and I rise up, trying to get him to touch me
deeper. Harder.

I adjust to him quickly and by the time he has two fingers
inside me I feel like my entire body is on fire. He pushes deeper, scissoring
his knuckles in and out. All the while, he strokes his cock with furious jerks.

“You’re ready for me. Can you take it?”

I sense what he needs. “Of course,” I pant. “I was made to
take you.”

The grunt of satisfaction that leaves him is my only
warning. He shifts his hold to my shoulders and drives into my ass without
guiding his dick. He finds my hole and pushes, sliding deeper than anyone has
ever been.

Branding me.

I crumple against the wall but it doesn’t matter. He holds
me in place, driving into me with expert strokes. His hands on my shoulders
bite into my skin and I moan loudly, begging him to let me come.

“Come, my opal. Cover me.”

I come again, my already weak knees finally giving out
completely. I’m deadweight and he doesn’t seem to mind at all. He slams into me
until he throws his head back and roars. That sound should turn me off. My body
is mush and my brain is a jumbled mess.

Instead, it makes me want more.

Harper leans against me while still managing to hold both of
us up. For several minutes we simply pant, each of us trying to catch our
breath.

“That was…” he starts but can’t seem to find the right word.

“Yeah. I know what you mean.”

He shakes his head, as bewildered as I am. Nothing has ever
been as good as that. Nothing. And I get the distinct feeling that nothing ever
will be again.

He kisses me gently this time when he pulls me against his
chest. Having finally found a pocket of strength, he carries me to the bed and
lays me against the soft material.

From one of the nightstands he pulls out a hand towel and
wipes me down. The care he takes makes me blush but I’m too tired to fight him.
After both of us are as clean as we can get without a proper shower, he climbs
into the bed beside me and pulls the sheet over us.