Текст книги "Love Dies Hard"

Автор книги: C. C. Cartwright

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Текущая страница: 4 (всего у книги 4 страниц)

Chapter 15

 

Marcus

“We have our appointment on Friday with Denise Carter at the Savoy.”

“Marcus?”

“Yes, sweetheart,” I don’t like her tone of voice.

“Can we just elope?”

I look over at her, is she crazy?

“Why would you even suggest such a thing? I thought every girl wants a fairy tale wedding. I can provide that for you, money is no object.”

“It’s not about the money, or having some over the top wedding. I just feel like we aren’t getting much support, and I don’t mean monetarily, from our families.”

“What happened today?”

“I talked to my mom.”

Sophie’s mom makes me so angry. Every time she talks to her mother, I know the woman puts these seeds of doubt in my Sophie’s mind. Why doesn’t that woman like me?

“What does your mom have against me? She has only met me a handful of times and I have always behaved like a gentleman around her.”

“It’s just that…”

“I know, she was in love with that other guy. Well, then why doesn’t SHE go and marry him,” I huff out.

Sophie lets out a small awkward laugh at my non-joke.

“My mom just doesn’t know you like I do. She hasn’t had a chance to see the Marcus I see,” Sophie says.

To be honest, very few people see the Marcus I become when Sophie and I are alone, only then do I let all my defenses down. I’m sweet and sensitive towards no one but Sophie. She is my every thing, and I won’t let her get away from me again. No one will spoil it for us, including her mother. I won’t let her.

“It’s probably better that she is an ocean away. I won’t let her spoil what we have. Don’t you want a wedding? I know I do, but lets just keep it small and intimate. That’s doable, right sweetheart?” I practically beg her. I’m freaking pathetic. I should be slamming my fist down and be pissed that she doesn’t want a big wedding to announce us to the world. But Sophie is so different from any other woman I’ve ever known and that’s what makes her so special to me.

“We’re going to the Savoy to book our wedding date, agreed?”

“Alright, you know best I suppose,” she says, snuggling into the warmth of my body.

“Do you love me?” I can’t believe I have to ask, but I need her reassurance, right now, at this moment. I’m feeling so vulnerable.

“Of course I do. With all of my heart,” she says, pulling my face to hers and planting a big kiss on my lips.

“Why don’t you show me how much?” I say, with a wicked smile playing across my face. I roll onto my back inviting Sophie to do all of the work. I want her to start with her ruby red lips wrapped around my steely shaft that has risen to the occasion.

Chapter 16

 

Sophie

The next few months are a world wind of wedding planning and I think we have just about covered everything. The Savoy took care of almost everything, from the flowers, to the cake, to the wedding photography to the live band. I’m now beyond thrilled that Marcus pushed to have it there. Denise Carter, their wedding planner, made it so easy for me to not feel overwhelmed. I can’t help but feel Marcus said something to her because she was so accommodating at every turn. Goes to show you what his money buys, impeccable service.

I can breathe easier now that all the arrangements have been made, all I have to do is go in for another wedding dress fitting and start addressing the wedding invitations.  I need to get those out early since most of our guests will have to make long distance travel plans.

We’re going out tonight with Julia and Richie, meeting them for dinner at an Italian Restaurant in Belgravia they seem to like.

“The food here is so good. The pasta melts in your mouth,” I remark to Julia, as Richie and Marcus are engaged in a business conversation.

“So is everything all set, wedding wise?”

“Yes, I just need to go in for one more fitting and start addressing the wedding invitations.”

“Do you need any help with anything?”

“How is your cursive handwriting?”

“Pretty decent.”

“Do you want to come over and help me address wedding invitations?”

“Sure, I would be happy to,” Julia says eagerly. She has really become such a good friend. I miss my girlfriends from home. My best friend can’t make it out for the wedding this summer because she will be way too pregnant to fly such a long distance. Her doctor already told her she couldn’t.

I’ve actually asked Julia to be my maid of honor, and she gladly accepted because that’s the kind of friend she has become to me. Even though we haven’t known each other all that long, we clicked immediately and have really bonded over the last few months. We are alike in so many ways. Independent and driven career girls who don’t expect a man to take care of us. We are self-sufficient on our own and our men are crazy about us! We’re both sickeningly in love, so we don’t make each other jealous. You know how that can be? When one friend gushes over her lover and the other friend has no one in her life, it gets awkward after awhile.

“Hey sweetheart, do you want to go hit a club tonight and go dancing?” Marcus leans over and asks, then gives me a loving peck on the lips.

“You know I would love to,” I squeal. I love to go dancing and he knows it.

 

*****

We’re getting down to the wire; the wedding is less than two weeks away. I have my dress hanging in the extra room. The honeymoon is booked to the South of France, pretty exotic and romantic wouldn’t you say? Marcus surprised me with it. I’ve always wanted to visit the Cote d’Azur and Saint Tropez. I have to pinch myself sometimes, I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. But it’s not because of the trappings or the international travel I get to enjoy. It’s because I have the love and devotion of Marcus Hunter, that’s why I feel so lucky.

My Mom is due to fly in at the end of the week and a part of me is dreading it. Why can’t she be happy for me? Look, I know she loved John, but she has to get over it and learn to love Marcus too. He will be my husband, to have and to hold, like it or lump it Mom. In case you are wondering where my father is, he past away a few years ago, right after I graduated from college. Maybe that’s why my Mom wanted someone more like my father for me, someone loyal, devoted, decent and faithful. John was all those things. But I think Marcus is capable of those same qualities. He has shown them to me, time and time again since we have been engaged, right? I won’t think about it too long, yes, yes he has. Either that, or else I have been blinded by love. I am determined to follow my heart this time and not listen to any noise in the background of my head that says otherwise. My life took that route for too long.

“What time is your mother landing tomorrow?” Marcus asks.

“At around 12 noon,” I reply. Waiting to see if he offers to go and pick her up from Heathrow or if he is just going to send a car for her.

“I will have Carlton drive us down to greet her,” Marcus says, restoring my faith in him that he will make the effort with my mother.

“That would be perfect. Thank you for coming with me to pick her up and welcome her to London,” I say, walking over to him and giving him a kiss.

“I want your mother to like me and see how much I love her daughter,” Marcus says and my heart melts from his words.

“When she gets to know you, she will see why I’am so crazy about you,” I say encouragingly, but I’m really not sure she will ever get over losing John. Pathetic isn’t it. Like I said, I think John reminded her of my Dad.

Chapter 17

 

Marcus

There’s an awkward silence in the town car as we head back to our flat after picking up Sophie’s mother. She’s a cold and reserved woman. When I think back to how Sophie was in the beginning, I can see where she got her cold and reserved attitude from, Mrs. Shawn is not giving me an inch. Try as hard as I may to charm her.

Once we get to our posh flat, she doesn’t make a single comment, like, You have a beautiful home. And you know me; we have a very posh flat that Sophie has made to look like something out of Architectural Digest.

“Mom, this will be your room,” I overhear Sophie say, as she walks her mom to the spare bedroom. I carry her suitcases into the room and place them down under the window.

“I hope you will be comfortable here Mrs. Shawn,” I say.

“Yes, Marcus, this should be fine,” she says, actually calling me by my name.

Sophie and I leave her to freshen up.

“She will just have to get used to you, Marcus,” Sophie says to me once we are in the kitchen. She’s already making excuses for her mother’s cool behavior.

“I will deal with it, don’t worry about me,” I say, trying to reassure her. I wrap my arms around her and she rests her head on my chest. Sophie doesn’t need any more stress this close to the wedding and her mother being here is definitely adding unnecessary tension around here.

“Are you hungry, Mom?” Sophie says, pulling away from our embrace to go to the refrigerator to get her mother something to eat and drink.

“Yes, and very thirsty. Those long flights are so dehydrating. Some water would be nice,” Mrs. Shawn says, as she takes a seat at our kitchen table.

“I am going to head back into the office for a few hours this afternoon, will you be alright?” I ask Sophie.

“Oh yes, that’s fine. We’ll see you at dinner then,” Sophie says.

“Thank you for picking me up from the airport,” Mrs. Shawn says to me directly.

“Of course, it was my pleasure,” I reply and give Sophie a kiss before I have Carlton take me back to the office.

Chapter 18

 

Sophie

“Pretty fancy, Marcus has a car and driver?” Mom says, with disapproval in her voice.

“You almost have to have one in London, the traffic and congestion is worse here than in LA,” I reply.

“You are caught up in this lifestyle,” Mom says, with a wave of her hand as she looks at her surroundings.

“Mom, I love Marcus for who he is inside. None of the trappings matter to me and you know it,” I say, but my voice goes up a notch.

My mom is silent, drinking her water and eating the cheese and crackers I put out for her.

“Mom, please try and be happy for me. The more time you spend with Marcus, you will see what a wonderful man he is and that he treats me well. We love each other.”

My words are met with silence.

“So do you have your dress and is everything ready and planned just how you wanted it?”

“Yes, the dress is in that huge bag you have hanging in the closet of your room.”

“Marcus hasn’t seen it has he? It’s bad luck for the groom to see the dress before the wedding.”

“Mom, that’s an old wives tale, but no, he has not seen the dress.”

“Apparently you don’t heed tradition, since you’ve been living with him before you’re married.”

“Mom, please don’t lecture me. At least I waited until we were engaged to live with him here in London.”

“I’m exhausted, I’m going to take a nap before dinner. Is that alright?” Mom asks.

“Yes, Mom, please go and get some rest,” I reply, maybe then she won’t be so grouchy once she gets some sleep.

This is going to be a long week leading up to the wedding, as if I need any more stress.

 

 

Chapter 19

Sophie

The day has arrived when I will be taking my wedding vows to become Mrs. Marcus Hunter. I still can’t really believe it all. It has been a long, tumultuous road to get here, but it has been worth it. This afternoon I will be marrying the love of my life.

We got lucky with the weather. It’s perfect this afternoon. The wedding ceremony is set up on the lawn overlooking the River Thames.

I hear the quartet playing the wedding song as Christopher and I reach the beginning of our walk down the aisle.

Since my Dad couldn’t be here today, I asked Christopher to give me away. I don’t have any Uncle’s and I thought since he has been with Marcus and I since day one, he would be a good choice.

All eyes are on me and everyone stands, as I gaze down at the end of the aisle I see Marcus with his gorgeous smile lighting up his handsome face. He looks nervous, but happy and ready to say I do.

To say marrying Marcus is a dream come true sounds so cliché. I never imagined I could find such happiness in love. Remember, I was the one that felt love was an over rated emotion, one I thought I wasn’t capable of. But I know now, I feel it for Marcus ten times over. And I feel it from him. A wise old woman once told me, if your heart skips a beat when he walks into the room, you are in love. My heart definitely flutters when my man is near. I have found my soul mate, the love of my life.

To think back to how this all started, as a flash in the pan, a roll between the sheets. In the beginning, I had absolutely now faith in this man or in us as any kind of real couple. I scoffed at the idea. But he proved me wrong and I for one am truly glad he did. It’s been a long road, but it was worth every step to get here.

“Do you Sophie, take Marcus, to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I most definitely do,” I reply, without hesitation, without a single doubt in my crazy mixed up mind. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life, and that’s saying a lot.

When I look deep into Marcus’s eyes, I see the same love staring back at me, mirroring my eyes. My eyes are starting to well up with tears of happiness. Sappy tears of joy I didn’t know I had in me.

“Do you Marcus, take Sophie to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do,” he says, in his usual sexy bedroom voice for the entire world to hear.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Marcus lifts my veil covering my face and I’m beaming at him.

“I love you,” he whispers for my ears only. And kiss me he does, he leaves me dizzy and blushing!

We turn around and face our family and friends and they all cheer.

I look at my dear little mother and I catch her dabbing her eyes. When we reach her I stop in front of her and hug her tightly.

“I love you, Mom,” I whisper.

“I’m happy for you, honey,” she finally says. The words I have been waiting all week to hear from her.

I continue my walk down the aisle on the arm of my husband, my future, my life and I know all is right in our world.

~THE END~

Dear Reader, I hope you enjoyed my LOVE Dies HARD Series as much as I loved writing it. I fell in love with Marcus and Sophie and I hope you did too! I introduced Julia Robbins and Richie Stone and they have their own story in My Mr. London.

My Mr. London

I need to get out of LA. My office, Adler, Brown and Simpson is offering a six-month job assignment in the vibrant city of London and I jump at the chance.

My co-workers drag me out to this Underground London Club to hear our client, Belgravia Underground play. I got myself sexy and am ready to let my hair down tonight.

The lead singer walks out on stage and my jaw drops and my panties melt. This guy is sex on a stick!

Richie Stone, bad boy, with a cocky swagger, tats and awesome hair, makes all of the girls in the room swoon.

From the first moment I meet Richie the spark and the attraction is intoxicating.

I can’t resist the temptation of the sweet, bad boy.

The problem is, he wants into my heart.

Click the link below to be swept away to London again, one of my favorite cities in the world!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OVJILHK

Add teaser to My Mr. London at the end of this book

Be sure to put link in book 4 to book 5 and change blurbs to say 5 part series.