Savior

Chapter 83

-xx-

Cate smiled into the pillow as she snuggled herself deeper into the mattress. She could hear Derek at the door accepting their room service tray, but she could not pull herself from the bed just yet.

"C'mon Catie," he crooned as he set the tray down on the small table. "Breakfast is here."

She sighed as she rolled to her back and started to wake up. Her smile grew as she felt the bed shift, and then felt Derek hovering over her. "Mm," she started, "This is a pretty good wake up."

She slowly opened her eyes to see her fiancée straddling her in only a pair of basketball shorts. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Time to get up," he whispered in her ear.

She slipped her arm around his neck and pulled him closer. "Do we have to?" she whined. "I'm quite content right here."

Feeling him grin against her cheek made her heartbeat increase. "I wish we could spend all day in bed, too," he bartered, "But, yes, we do need to get the day started."

She sighed as Derek stood from the bed and pulled back her comforter. Cate sulked as she took his hand and stood in front of him. "I told Sarah I'd be meeting with them around 2," she said as Derek kissed her forehead. "Jackie gave me step by step instructions on how to wear my hair today."

Derek chuckled as he let Cate go. He took a seat at the breakfast table and reached for his coffee. "They have an entire team of hair and make up people, Cate. Go get pampered for a little while."

She shrugged. "I'm just waiting for this headache to go away before I plan the day any further."

He sighed as the brunette took a seat across from him and reached for her own coffee. "We're booking you a doctor's appointment as soon as we get home."

Cate waved off his words. "I have too much to do when we get home," she answered. "We have a dinner reservation at the winery on Tuesday night," Cate reminded. "And you booked a cake tasting for Thursday."

He nodded. "But you can still fit in a trip to your doctor."

She rolled her eyes. "They're getting better. I think it's been a whirlwind of forty-eight hours. My body is just tired."

Derek pursed his lips together as he reached for the silverware to begin eating his breakfast. "More reason for you to rest, Cate." She lowered her eyes towards the table and sighed. "We have so much going on the second we land at home. You need to take the time now to relax, or you're not going to be able to enjoy this wedding that you're putting so much work into."

She exhaled a deep breath. "I know," she muttered. She would be the first to admit she was not the best at taking time off, or even just relaxing. "Monday and Tuesday will be for relaxing, I promise."

He grinned as his fork dove into his breakfast. "Good," he answered. "Eat before it gets cold. We have a long day."

-xx-

Cate grinned as she took the champagne flute Sarah was offering her. "She looks gorgeous," Cate said as the two watched Desiree and Collin take their professional photos after their 'first look' before the ceremony.

"She does," Sarah agreed. She was so happy to watch her baby sister with her new husband. "And you," the older woman turned towards her future sister-in-law and grinned. "If this is anything like what you'll look like on your wedding day, you are going to knock Derek off his feet."

Cate bowed her head as she felt the blush grow in her cheeks. "Oh my," the two turned to the voice behind them. "Two of my beautiful girls," Fran said as she stepped up to the two in the middle of the courtyard. "And my bride," she gestured to her youngest daughter. "I am one lucky Mama."

The two women grinned at her words. "Not as lucky as us," Sarah replied as she pulled her mother into a hug. "And look at this sister we're gaining," she said as she gestured to Cate.

The brunette blushed once more as Fran gave her a hug. Fran held on to an arm on each of them and grinned. "Sarah is downplaying her beauty today," Cate pointed out with a wink. "Thank you again for letting me crash on everyone getting ready."

Sarah waved her off. "You weren't crashing," she said softly. "We need to squeeze in all the bonding time that we can with our new sister."

Cate could not keep the grin off of her face. "Look at those beautiful Morgan women." Sarah chuckled as Derek stepped up to the three women. "This is just not fair."

He kissed his mother's cheek before wrapping an arm around his fiancé's waist. "Hi," Cate muttered as she settled in to the familiar scent.

Fran and Sarah exchanged smiles before heading in Desiree's direction. "You are absolutely stunning," he mumbled against her lips. "It's not fair to anyone showing up tonight."

Her grin grew as she lost herself in his touch. "Thank you," she answered softly. "You clean up nicely yourself," she said as she forced herself to push back from Derek to take in his attire.

Derek chuckled as he looked her over. He knew she made sure to do her own hair and make up before meeting up with his sisters that afternoon. Her brown locks were pulled back from her face and braided across the back as the rest laid in curls down her back. "I cannot wait to show you off tonight," he said as a grin took over his face.

"Ah," she began as her eyes twinkled. "I get to meet the rest of the Morgan family tonight."

He nodded. "Desiree invited everyone," he warned. "Our family isn't huge, but it is close."

She grinned at his words. He always lit up when he spoke of his family. "I can't wait," she replied. Cate rested her forehead against his as the two enjoyed a quiet moment in the busy day. They were snapped out of their moment by Desiree calling for her brother to come over.

Cate pulled her cell phone out of the hidden pocket in the skirt of the dress and snapped away as they photographed Derek with his sisters, and then their mother joined the shot. "C'mon, Cate!" Desiree hollered over the talking bridal party. "We need the entire family!"

She beamed before slipping her cell phone back into the pocket and started towards her welcoming in-laws.

-xx-