Chapter 239

Aria’s POV

I almost wanted to laugh at this situation. It seemed for all the world like Liam wanted to propose, but that was ridiculous. We were already married!

Yet, even so, my breath caught as Liam stepped closer to me, right up in front of me, and then dropped to one knee. He took my left hand in his and brushed his thumb over the wedding ring already on my finger.

“Will you marry me?” he asked. With a growing grin, he added, “Again?”

With my love overflowing for this man, and with all the hope I felt for our future, how could I say anything else but, “Yes. Of course I will.”

Liam, smiling wider, hopped to his feet, threw his arms around my waist, and then spun me around in small circles. I clung to his shoulders, laughing. The kids laughed too.

“I’m going to give you the best life,” Liam said, placing soft kisses all over my face.

“You already have,” I assured him.

“Are you going to have a big wedding?” William asked.

“Yes,” Liam answered before I could. “Let everyone be there. Let them all see how much I love you, Aria. No more secrets. Never again.”

Later, we could talk about the actual guest list. Though I know Liam is being sincere, we can’t have everyone there. A personal wedding would still fit us better than anything too large and elaborate. Though I am thrilled to not be kept a secret any longer.

“Can we be in the wedding?” Joe asked.

“Of course!” Liam said.

It was difficult not to get caught up in his excitement. Over the course of the next hour, the kids, Liam, and I found ourselves planning, even selecting flowers and colors. The kids wanted to be ring bearers and we found online the cutest little suits for them.

Eventually, it was time to send the kids up to bed. After they were changed, teeth brushed, and tucked into bed, Liam caught me in the hallway and kissed me.

It was a goodnight kiss if I wanted it to be, I knew that. But, after everything that happened, and with how much I loved this man, and how certain that he was the one that I wanted forever…

There was no reason to deny either of us anymore.

“Liam,” I said, breaking the kiss. “Stay with me tonight.”

“To cuddle and sleep?” he asked. There was no pressure in the words, just a question. He was so gentle and kind with my needs, never pressing me, though I knew he felt the heat between us as well as I did. Even now, I felt his hand linger downward before he stopped himself at once.

“Yes,” I said, teasing lightly. “But not just that.”

One of Liam’s brows lifted. “Oh? Did you have something else in mind?”

“Yes,” I said, allowing my own passion to fill my eyes as I glanced down to his lips and then down at his body.

Liam was a handsome man, toned and fit with movie-star good looks. He could be a fashion model, even in his comfortable clothes, somehow always looking like he walked out of a magazine.

A secret that not many others knew…

He looked even better naked.

This was something I was eager to appreciate tonight. And every night for the rest of our lives.

Stepping back from Liam’s embrace, I took his hand and started pulling him toward the bedroom. Two steps inside, I was in his arms again, his mouth covering mine, his hands roaming pleasantly.

I combed my fingers through his hair, moaning his name.

He kicked the door closed behind us and carried me to the bed.

Weeks later, in front of a pastor and an altar, and in front of all of our family and friends, Liam and I exchanged our vows. It was so different than last time, where we had hastily and secretly said the necessary words in front of a judge at the courthouse.

This time, I wore a beautiful white gown, sparkling with tiny little beads in an elaborate pattern. My hair was up with a veil draping down my back. I was holding a bouquet of spring flowers, all different shades of pastels.

Liam, across from me, wore a tailored tuxedo and had his hair slicked back. He looked at me with the kind of love in his eyes that could move mountains.

Every now and then, a camera shutter would close, making a clicking noise. Sometimes a flash would go off.

Given how secret our former marriage was, this time, we encouraged everyone to take as many pictures as they wanted. Maybe it should have been annoying, but given our history, it was the opposite. With each camera shutter that snapped, I knew, our love was too big to keep secret anymore.

After exchanging our vows, the pastor declared us husband and wife.

“You may kiss your bride,” the pastor said to Liam.

“Gladly,” Liam said with a grin.

I laughed, as did several others within earshot, including Isabelle behind me, my maid of honor.

Then, Liam and I stepped into each other and kissed. The kiss broke early though, because we both couldn’t stop smiling.

At the reception, everyone had a grand time, dancing and laughing. We posed for pictures. The boys looked so handsome in their little suits.

I had never been so happy in my entire life. I never wanted the moment to end, and felt somewhat bittersweet as the guests gave us hugs and well wishes and began to depart. Jackson was one of the last few holdouts but eventually even he departed as the event winded down.

By now the kids had worn themselves out and were taking a nap on a couch near the wall. Isabelle was with them, keeping a watchful eye so Liam and I could enjoy ourselves.

Liam squeezed my hand. “Come with me,” he said.

I trusted him implicitly, and as such, didn’t even need to ask where we were going.

Hand in hand, he led me out to the gardens behind the banquet hall. It was nighttime now, with the moon shining high in the sky, illuminating the flowers more than the dim solar lights that lined the pathway.

Liam paused there, among the flowers, and turned to me.

His hair had broken free from its stricter style and was now a little more wild, a lot more him. His suit jacket was gone, his tie missing. The top few buttons of his shirt were opened.

But it was the blinding love in his eyes that truly stole my breath away.

“Aria,” he said, and I would never get over the way he said my name. I wanted to hear it again and again, the rest of my life. “Are you happy?”

“Yes,” I told him simply, because it was a simple question. “Are you?”

“God, yes,” Liam said and I laughed.

Knowing I had Liam’s love made it so easy to smile and to laugh. After all the hardships we’d endured, all the secrets and all the hurt, it felt so good to come out the other side like this. So filled with love and light, and the hope of a blissful future.

“I know we made our vows in that church,” Liam said, “But I want to make them here, as well. With you and only you. I love you, and I’m going to spend the rest of my life making sure you stay just as happy as you are right now.”

My love was so strong that it overflowed inside of me. It was all I could do just to lean forward and kiss him and not burst into a million happy pieces.

“I love you,” I told him.

I didn’t know what our future might hold. I knew it couldn’t be star shine and happiness in every moment. But with this as our foundation, whatever happened next, we would be able to face.\

As a family.

Together.

The End.