Ravish by Aliyah Burke Page A

some type of orchid.”
    “A vanilla orchid.”
    “What’s this one?”
    “Night blooming jasmine.”
    She bent to inhale the fragrance, her skirt smoothing
over her ass. He shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on
his heels.
    “Thank you, Brody. This, these… I couldn’t ask for a
better gift.”
    “Other than me?” he asked, in a teasing voice.
    “Of course.”
    “I know you said you’d take flowers over diamonds,
and we dealt with a florist on this last set, so I asked for some
help. I remembered you’d mentioned these flowers.”
    She jumped in his arms, and he held her with one arm.
“This is perfect. Flowers and dinner. What more could I ask
for?”
    He put her on the floor and dragged his fingers along
her forehead, moving the soft hair in his wake. “How about
diamonds?”
    Suddenly, the low music in the background took center
stage at her silence. “What? What did you say?”
    He reached into his pocket and withdrew the black box
that had been burning a hole in it since he put it there. Opening
it, he turned the ring toward her so she could see it. “I said, how
about diamonds?” Brody dropped to one knee and asked, “Will you
give me another chance and marry me, Hermione?”
    He could read the concern and trepidation in her
gaze. Pushing back up on his feet, he removed the ring and slid it
on her finger. “Tonight, if you’ll have me. Let’s fly to Vegas and
do it. Then, we can plan a larger ceremony if that’s what you would
like.”
    “I…I…I…”
    “I’m not leaving you this time, Hermione.” He lifted
her hand and pressed a kiss to the hand adorned by the ring. “What
do you say?”
    “You know I’ll kill you if you don’t show this time,
right?”
    “I’d deserve nothing less.”
    “Yes,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and
touching their lips together. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Can we really
go to Vegas tonight?”
    “I’ll charter a plane if that’s what you want to
do.”
    She backed to the bedroom, beckoning him after her.
“Can we go later?”
    He waggled his eyebrows. “Hell, yes.”
    Brody chased her into the bedroom, and as he lowered
them both to the bed, his heart had found peace. This was the
beginning of the rest of his life, and now, he got to have the one
woman who meant the world to him in it.
    Hours later, he walked hand in hand with her to a
wedding chapel in Vegas. Slicing his gaze sideways to the woman at
his side, he smiled. Her white dress left one shoulder bare,
allowing him and anyone else to see her Faith tattoo scrolled along
her skin. Her outfit fell to mid-calf and left very little to his
imagination. At the same time, it was so elegant he was beside
himself. Her heels put her a little closer to his height.
    Behind them came the couple they’d brought along for
witnesses. And, just because Brody felt they could use a trip,
also. Vance and Kendria. Both of them were dressed up, as well, and
looking like they could be going on the red carpet.
    The ring in his pocket was a combination of the first
one he’d gotten for her and new. For this was a new beginning, but
they couldn’t take away the past they’d endured. She halted him,
smoothed down his tuxedo, and gave him a shy smile before
reclaiming his hand.
    “I’m going to ravish you all night long,” he
muttered. “Then, for the rest of our lives.”
    “We’re next, behave.”
    He nipped her ear. “I am.”
    As they stood before the minister, listening to him
talk about what marriage was about, Brody continued to wait for
someone to yell “Cut” and end this a second time before it could
begin. When the man asked him if he had a ring, it took Brody a few
moments to come out of his trance. It helped that Vance nudged him
before handing over the ring.
    The concern on Hermione’s face shamed him. What must
she be thinking? He took the symbol from his best friend and placed
it on her finger.
    He breathed easier once they were proclaimed husband
and wife. When he was