Hey, everyone! This is the final chapter before the epilogue. Thanks for sticking with me through my major writer's block with this story. I started off strong, but really got lost midway through. But I really wanted to finish it for you guys. I kept reading your comments on Facebook and your reviews on here and just knew I had to complete it. Thanks so much for taking time to read this story. Thanks Rita for pimping it out ages ago when it first started. And thanks to everyone who pimped it out and talked about it. Seriously, it means the world to me. Some people ask if this story is something I would publish. Firstly, that's super sweet. However, I really don't think it's that great. If I did publish it eventually, I would have to do tons of research and really rework it. While writing this, I had pretty bad depression and I think that's probably what made writing it so hard. Anyway, I'm going to stop rambling to you guys like I always do. I really hope you enjoyed my fluffy cowboy story. I wanted to write something fun and drama free and I hope this delivered. Please enjoy this last chapter! I think I'll be posting the epilogue later tonight!

Chapter 31:

A Wedding

The image staring back at me makes me feel faint. When I first put on this gown, I felt beautiful. Now, I want to rip it off. Sighing, I try to advert my gaze; however, I find it's impossible. Staring at my reflection is like watching a car accident-it's so horrible, I can't tear my eyes away. Is this really me? Am I really doing this?

My gaze drops to my feet, peering down at my borrowed shoes. I went through all the steps for today, never missing or overlooking anything. I thought if I got involved in planning my own wedding, I would be excited. However, the excitement never came. I just felt … empty. I thought once I put on the dress today, I would feel something, but even now, I feel utterly emotionless.

That's a sign, isn't it? What more of a sign do I need?

I've never yearned for commitment. I've been too busy finding myself to even consider having a relationship with anyone. I've been so lost-so confused-and I always felt that it wasn't fair to be committed because of that. The person I'm with would need me and I would never be able to give myself fully. I would only be able to give a part of myself. And today, I don't even want to give that much. Why give away the only part of myself I know?

"It's time."

I turn to find my mother, dressed and ready for the occasion with a satisfied smile on her face.

"It's time."

"It's time."

"It's time."

My brain repeats as my heart speeds up.

"It's time."

No!

"It's time."

No!

"It's time."

No!

"Bells!"

My eyes shoot open as Edward's grip gently shakes me awake. I flush, feeling embarrassed. Slowly, I wipe the sleep from my eyes and turn my gaze to capture his.

"Sorry," I apologize, moving to a sitting position. Edward moves, too, sitting up and pulling me against his frame. "I was having a nightmare."

"'Bout what?"

"I don't know," I lie, not wanting to worry him. I don't want him to think that I have doubts. There isn't a doubt in my mind that I want him. However, my nightmare made me anxious. Now, I want to run toward Edward even faster.

"How have you forgotten already? You just woke up a moment ago," Edward teases before he bends down and presses a kiss against my messy hair.

"I was dreaming about before …"

"Before?"

"Yeah, before I met you." I turn, smiling at him. "The only 'before' there is. Now, there's only 'after.' After you came into my life."

Edward smiles at this, obviously satisfied with my comment. "What was your life like before me?"

"Boring." I laugh, leaning my head down to rest against his shoulder. "I always tried to do the 'right' thing. I never felt like I was much to be proud of … but I never wanted to let anyone down, either. I just wanted to do right by everyone. Before I knew it, I barely knew myself. One day, I just had a complete identity crisis, I guess. And then my wedding day came around and I barely recognized myself in the mirror. I remember thinking, 'This can't be me.' I don't know … I guess I freaked myself out. Then, I just ran. Ran away from all of it."

"I hope you never run away from me."

"That's impossible."

I feel Edward turn and watch as his gaze moves to the clock on our bedside table. Then, he grabs his phone and removes his arm from around my waist to quickly type something into Google.

"What's up?" I ask, watching him.

"Wait. I'm just thinking …" he says as he scans through something on his phone.

"What are you thinking about? It's nearly two-thirty."

"I think I have an idea."

"An idea?"

"What do you say … we run away together," he suggests, turning to smile at me.

"Run away together?" I repeat as my mind tries to comprehend his words.

"Elope." Edward smiles before quickly kissing me on the lips. "Let's run away together and get hitched. I want to belong to you, Bells. Why wait?"

"Edward …" I begin, flushing all over. "You really want to do that? You don't want to have a big wedding?"

"We can one day. We can plan something extravagant and invite everyone we know. But for now, I just want to share these moments with you. I guess you can say, I just want to be selfish. I want you all to myself. I don't want to share you with family and friends just yet. Besides, then I know you won't make a dash for the door on the big day."

"Elope," I say, mulling it over.

"Come on, Bells. What do we got to lose? You want to spend your life with me, don't you?" And then, his signature cocky smirk tugs on his lips and I fall in love with him all over.

"Of course, I do."

"Then, there's a flight in two hours. Get ready, I'll buy the tickets, and then we can go. Today could be the very first day of our forever together."

"I'll start the shower," I say, barely believing myself. Happiness bubbles in my chest as I lean forward and press my lips against his, releasing all of the passion in my body. I pull away, out of breath, feeling better than ever.

"I'll get the tickets."

I jump off the bed and nearly trip over my own feet as excitement bubbles in my breast. The feeling I was chasing on my very first wedding day. The feeling I could never find. Until now …

"Don't leave me hanging, Bells," Edward says as he pulls up his phone to buy the tickets.

"I never could. Besides, I've been waiting too long for you already."

**RODEO NIGHTS**

The airport is packed. I hadn't asked where we were going, but knowing Edward, I'm sure it's some place over-the-top. In this moment, I feel so alive. Every inch of my being is on fire. The day that lies ahead of us will be the first day in our forever. I feel strangely calm. I can't explain the feeling, but there isn't a single worry inside of me. In my heart, there isn't a worry or care in the world, but there is this indescribable feeling. It's like something's humming inside of me; there's an energy that's waiting to be released. I can feel it buzzing from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

I wonder if Edward is just as calm…

I think the calm feeling comes because today, I'm sure of my decision. I'm happy with the path I'm taking. Truly, it's the best feeling in the world. It's like I'm just where I'm meant to be; I've finally found my home.

"How are you feeling, Bells? Ready to board soon?"

"I feel perfect." I smile, feeling as if the happiness inside of me is shining through my expression. "Where are we headed, anyway? You've done a pretty good job distracting me this entire time, so I still have no idea."

"Guess."

I roll my eyes, smiling at him.

He bends forward, kisses the tip of my nose, and tells me, "We're headed to Vegas. I know it's stereotypical, but I think it's perfect for us."

"It is perfect." I give him a quick peck. "You're perfect."

We flirt back and forth until we hear our plane is boarding. Then, my heart begins to beat faster. We're one step closer. I carry our carry-ons and follow Edward as he moves through the crowd on his crutches. I fall into step beside him. As we move, I feel as if we were one person-one unit. I don't know where he begins, and I end. Our energy mixes in the air around us, creating something uniquely our own.

** RODEO NIGHTS**

"Bells? Baby, it's over."

My eyes flutter open and I turn my gaze to meet Edward's.

"What?"

"You drifted off a little bit ago. I didn't have the heart to wake you. Although, you fell asleep while I was telling you how I got started bull-riding."

I smile at this, sitting up. "How did you?"

He smirks and bends forward to kiss my forehead. "I'll tell you some other time. When you're more awake. Now, let's go. We're almost the last ones one the plane."

"Do you know where we're staying?" I ask, rising from my seat and sliding out into the aisle, giving him room to maneuver out into the aisle as I grab our carry-ons.

"Maybe."

I smile at this, enjoying his teasing. "Do you know what we're doing? What the plan is?"

"Maybe." He smirks. .

"Edward," I begin before he stops me.

"I planned everything. Your job is to sit back and enjoy. Let me take care of you, okay?"

"Okay," I agree, flushing.

"I'll be taking care of you for the rest of your life, so, you better get used to it now."

** RODEO NIGHTS**

"Did I mention I was afraid of heights?" I murmur as a nervous laugh trickles through my lips.

His arms wrap around me, pulling me close. I feel his breath against my neck, causing my flesh to become covered in goosebumps. I allow my body to melt against his and savor this moment-the final minutes before I become his wife. Still, everything feels surreal. Staring out the windows, gazing down from eight hundred feet in the sky, I find myself completely breathless. Chapel in the Clouds … I thought Edward was joking and yet, he surprises me again.

"I don't remember you saying so … I'm glad you got over it today. This view is incredible."

"Me or the sky?" I tease, turning to look at him.

In the dress Edward purchased for me earlier today, I feel beautiful. In a short-sleeved, white lace dress with a full, tulle-lined skirt, I feel gorgeous, albeit untraditional. It's perfect for me. This whole day is perfect for me. Edward is equally handsome in a pair of black slacks and a white, button-down shirt. I want to eat him up in this.

He smiles at me, almost as if he could hear my thoughts and bends down to kiss me gently on the nose. "I don't know …" he says, not answering my question.

My gaze returns to the sky. Edward tightens his hold on me and I smile as I feel his heartbeat thumping against my spine. It's such a soothing feeling; the thumping is a sound I play in my head over and over again when I need to calm down. In this moment, I imagined I would be stressed-ready to run even-but I'm at ease. So at ease, I barely recognize myself.

"Are you almost ready to do this?"

"Are they ready for us?" I counter.

"They should be soon…" he trails off before bending down to tickle my neck with a quick kiss. "I can't believe you're really here. I can't believe you didn't run."

"Are you being serious?"

"Of course. You've run away before."

"Not from you."

He's quiet for a moment before answering. "Well, you didn't want to come with me when I first went on the road … I had thought that was your version of running at the time."

"I couldn't decide," I murmur.

He shifts his weight, leaning on one of his crutches. "I know, I know. It was a lot to ask of you … but so is this."

I turn to look at him and he smiles, looking almost bashful. "Maybe that's why I chose this venue: the chapel in the clouds. I guess I saw the hotel and thought you'd have a hard time running."

"I wouldn't run away from you, Edward. Never."

"I'm going to hold you to that, Bells. You have a lifetime to prove it to me. In return, I promise to give you every reason to stay."

"You already do give me every reason to stay. Honestly, I worry I'm not good enough for you."

Edward chuckles at this. "How could you think that?"

"Well, every girl always chases after you. No matter where we go, there's always some girl interested."

"Yeah? Well, they're men interested in you, too. I'm not just imagining things."

"I guess now they'll be able to look at the rings and see we're taken. There won't be a question in their minds anymore."

Before Edward says anything else, a woman interrupts us. "We're ready for you now," she says, smiling as she signals for us to follow her.

"You ready to do this?"

"Don't I look ready?" I respond with a flushed smile.

"You don't have your running shoes?" Edward continues to tease.

"Babe, stop."

"Okay, okay." Together we walk toward the door leading to the beginning of the rest of our lives. "I can't believe we're finally ready to flip to the next chapter … Time really flies by, doesn't it?"

"It's strange," I respond as we reach the door. "I want time to fly, so I can experience what it's like to live out my life with you, however, I want time to stop so I can live in this moment forever. Sometimes, I feel like it's all moving too fast and sometimes, I feel like it's not moving fast enough. I'm so excited for the future but also so scared to leave the present."

"Let's just soak up this moment, okay? The future will be waiting for us when we're ready." And with that, Edward shifts his weight and removes one hand from his crutch as he reaches forward to push open the door for us.

The scene before me is a dream. Suddenly, I wonder if I'm really awake, or if I'm just imagining all of this. Is this too good to be true? I can't recall doing anything extraordinary to deserve this life or this night with Edward. I want to pinch myself. Perhaps all those fairy tale stories I loved so much as a child have all gone to my head.

After we enter the room, everything becomes a blur. Somehow, I make it before the minister. Somehow, I listen to the words falling from his lips. Somehow, I soak in the scenery around me. Somehow, I commit the feelings flowing through my body to memory. What I focus on most, is Edward's expression. The look in his eyes expresses all the words he could never say. Honestly, I don't think there are words to describe the way he's looking at me. I feel like his entire universe. I wonder if the look in his eyes is similar to the look in mine. Before I know it, he is speaking. I watch his mouth form the words before tears cause my vision to become too blurry.

"Bella, you tumbled into my life out of nowhere. I wasn't looking for you, but I'm glad I found you. Honestly, I never felt alone before. I never knew I was missing anything. Then, you came with your bright smile and your charming attitude and I found myself completely smitten." Edward smirks, winks at me, and then continues. "I'm lucky to have you. I've chased after my dreams and they've made me happy but nothing compares to the way you make me feel or the way you make me smile. I love you, Bells. I love you now and I know I'll love you when I'm old and gray. There's no getting rid of me because even if you run, I'll chase after you."

**RODEO NIGHTS**

Our first kiss since becoming one was incredible but this … Am I dreaming? Can he really manage to do these things with his mouth? I feel like I'm floating … I feel like I'm … I feel myself sliding over the edge, crying out as my orgasm trickles through me. My core pulses around his fingers; my clit throbs against his lips. His tongue dips out of his mouth to lick my folds, causing my orgasm to feel even more powerful. His shoulders push against my thighs, causing me to open my legs wider for him. I gaze down at him, finding him peering up at me as he continues to play with my pussy.

"I want you forever," I murmur as I drift down from my orgasm.

"You have me forever, don't you remember?"

"I guess I've been so focused on your mouth, I've forgotten."

"Is that so?"

Slowly, he begins to kiss his way up my thigh, kisses my pubic bone, the curve of my belly, before his tongue dips out and licks its way up to my breasts. He kisses both nipples before he moves to my collar bone and neck. My heart pounds in my chest and I'm certain Edward can feel it against the curves of his lips.

"Want to become focused on the rest of me?" He asks as he raises his head from my neck and meets my gaze. "I want to feel all of you. You've made me wait all day."

"Oh, poor baby. You had to go a day without sex. That must be horrible …"

"I've been fine with it in the past, but now that I have you, I just want it all the time."

"You're insatiable." I smile, loving every minute of this.

His arms come down around me, resting at my sides as he brings his lips to meet mine. His mouth is gentle at first, teasing, before the passion bubbling inside of his body overflows into mine. He kisses me until it's dizzying, and then kisses me some more. His fingers play with the waves of my hair, rubbing against its softness as he becomes rough with me. Just the way I like it most.

All thoughts escape me as I focus on the feel of him. The sensations in my body cause my blood to boil and soon, I'm dancing along with his every movement-never getting enough of him. Our clothes fall completely away, but I'm too far gone and enthralled by him to notice. My body relaxes against the mattress completely as I feel his throbbing cock line up with my entrance. He regards me for a moment, meeting my gaze as my body slowly opens up for him, accommodating his erection. Tonight feels different than usual. The spark between us feels more like a fire ready to consume us both. I bask in it, wanting to be consumed completely as he fucks me.

His movements are slow at first, teasing as if he were rediscovering my body. He sucks on my collar bone, treating me gently with his mouth which juxtaposes the movements of his cock as he slams into me again and again. His strokes are long and leisurely, but their force nearly knocks us both off of the bed. He raises his head from my neck and smiles at me before beginning to increase his speed. Suddenly, I feel like I'm falling over the edge again, nearing another orgasm. I want to take him with me this time. I want us to find our release together.

For the first time, I feel like there's nothing between us-nothing separating him from me. While he drives into me, I feel like we're a single person as we move in unison. I'm ravenous for him; I could eat him alive. I want him so much closer. I want to take him inside me deeper and deeper until I feel like I've consumed him. My nails move along the skin of his back, digging in until he moans at the sensation. My tongue moves along his cheek before licking the helix of his right ear. I feel his ragged breaths tickling my hot, slick skin. His sweat mixes with mine as we move closer and closer to the edge, preparing to jump off to discover our shared bliss.

"I love you," I gasp. Although, the words don't feel like enough.

Love barely describes my feelings for him. Love seems almost like a shallow word. I feel like my feelings have so much more depth. One word couldn't describe them. Although, I don't know the words to properly explain the feelings raging in my heart, I do know that Edward is someone I never want to let go of; someone I want to consume as I allow him to consume me. The thought of a life without him causes physical pain. That has to be more than just "love." Maybe my feelings could only be described by a word that hasn't been invented yet … Until it has, I suppose I could use these words: warmth, happiness, passion, obsession, devotion, laughter, companionship, friendship, patience, exhilaration … As my mind continues to ramble, my body finds its release.

My eyes open, finding the most beautiful sight: Edward cumming. His brows are knitted together, one of his teeth bites down on his body lip, and a vein in his neck pulses as he fills me with his cum. My orgasm rips through me as I watch him. He's never cum inside of me before. We always used protection but tonight, I wanted things to be different. I didn't want a single barrier between us. I wanted to feel him in a way I've never have.

Coming down from his orgasm, he bends forward and presses a kiss against my forehead before he slides out of me and moves to lay down at my side. He kisses my neck, my shoulder, and my collar bone as I come down from my orgasm, too. Exhilaration runs through me and already, I want to do it again. This time, I want to be in charge. I want to show him that he isn't the only one that's good at riding.

Before I move to get him hard again, I have to ask, "Did you always think it would end up like this?"

I feel him relax completely against my side. Bringing his hand up, he gently takes hold of my chin and tilts my head toward him. When I meet his gaze, he smiles and says, "You were a wild card, Bells. I had no way of knowing anything. Honestly, I never thought about getting married anytime soon. However, I did dream of you in white."

"Really?" I ask with an astonished laugh. "You dreamed of seeing me in a wedding dress?"

He chuckles at this. "Well, I've seen you in a wedding dress before," he teases. I playfully hit his shoulder, and he shoos my hand away. With a smile, he continues, "No, I actually had a dream about this day. The details were blurry, but I knew what was happening. I remember thinking, 'This is what it seeing my wife for the first time feels like.' When I woke up, I just felt silly. You had been sleeping beside me at the time and I was so embarrassed."

"How long ago was that?"

"Do you remember that night at that Comfort Inn we stayed at?"

Despite the dim light, I see a faint blush on Edward's cheeks.

"Comfort In…" I begin, thinking. When it dawns on me, I can't help but giggle in disbelief. "You mean when we first met?!"

Edward doesn't say anything. Instead, a child-like smile tugs on his mouth.

"Baby…" I continue, still shocked. "You thought about it, then?"

"Well, not intentionally," he defends. "Hell, Bells, you just got out of a relationship. I guess my subconscious was just running wild. I mean, I had this hot girl pressed against me and we were spooning for God's sake. I couldn't help it."

"Baby," I say, smiling. "I think I just fell in love with you all over again."

"So, when did you think about marriage?" Edward asks, changing the subject.

"I don't know … the thought of marriage and commitment always scared me," I say honestly. "However, I always wanted to hold onto you. I guess once I realized you were a man I would never want to run from, I started thinking about it. It wasn't a certain moment, though. Nothing as cute as what you just said."

Edward leans forward and kisses me quick on the lips. "Well, I'm glad I was able to win over your heart."

"Baby, you've won over all of me. Have I won over all of you?"

"I guess we'll see," Edward teases as his signature cocky smile appears on his face.

"It's nice to see you're back to your old self again," I comment.

"Well, with all of the medication, I can't really feel my leg," he says, peering down at his injury.

"Aw, let me take care of you," I say, gently turning him onto his back before straddling his thighs. "Say, why don't I ride you and you can see if you can buck me off?"

His brow cocks at this and he smirks at me. "You better hold on tight, cowgirl," he says as he wraps his arms around my waist and moves to sit up, leaning against the headboard.

I feel his cock hard against my thigh and smile, knowing he's ready for me again. Lining my core with his erection, I slide down on him, feeling complete once again with him inside of me. One day, I'll find the word to adequately express how I feel for him, but tonight, I want to ride him until my thighs sting.