Chapter 9

"Sam, will you quit fussing?"

"This collar is just a little too tight, Mike."

The corner of Michael's mouth tipped up. "That's just because you're nervous. Relax. Nothing's going to change after your married. Except for the, um..."

"Yeah. That. Thanks for reminding me, buddy." He tore the bow tie away, pulled open the collar, and unbuttoned the shirt half way down. "I'm sorry, I just can't do this."

"What? Sam, no, this had better not be a joke." Michael turned white. He'd faced a lot of nasty people in his life, but seeing his best friend get cold feet and make the biggest mistake of his life was almost too much to bear.

"Oh Mike, you didn't think...no, no, no! No way I'm backing out now!" He slipped the white suit jacket off, stripped the starched white shirt off his back, and turned to the chair where he'd discarded his street clothes. "I'm sorry, I can't play Chuck Finley at my own wedding!" He grabbed his peach shirt decorated with stylized white palm fronds, and as he put it on, he relaxed and grinned. Buttoning the last button and tucking the tails into his white trousers, he wore a satisfied grin. "Now that's more like it! What do you think?"
Michael laughed. "It's much better. I agree completely." He snapped his fingers and suddenly Madelyn entered the room with a grin and two shirts in her hands that closely matched what Sam wore.

"Here you go, boys. Better hurry up, the bride is waiting!" She waited while they changed, sharing a good laugh at Sam's expense.

He narrowed his eyes at them. "You guys had this planned all along, didn't you."

Jesse laughed. "Yeah, well, it was Yvette's idea, really. Did you really think she'd make you wear a monkey suit?"

"I wasn't sure. She made all the plans."

Jesse stood by with a white rose in his hand, twirling the stem in his fingers as he waited for Sam to settle into the more casual jacket that Maddie handed him. "I got news for ya, man, I have no clue how to put this thing on."

"Oh, you men! You can go storming around the world taking out bad guys with a paperclip, but you can't attach a boutonniere?" Maddie joined their little circle and quickly and efficiently stuck the rose on Jesse's lapel. She did the same for Michael, took the rose that Michael had been trying to put on Sam, and shook her head. "That's why you need women! You're hopeless without us!"

As Maddie smiled up at Sam and stuck the pin through the rose stem, he smiled down at her. She was right. In the past month as he worked with Michael and the team, Yvette completed all the arrangements for the wedding without him having to lift a finger. This left him not sure what to expect and he feared the end results would cause his pocketbook to take a major hit. He was already concerned about how much he laid down for a three bedroom house in Maddie's neighborhood, just far enough away to keep a good distance from her, and Miss Reynolds, another one of his failed relationships. Yet it was close enough to be another safe house or base for operations. Sadly it wasn't anywhere near the beach like he'd hoped, but thanks to a former client of his and Fi's, he and Yvette had access to a private island in the Keys for their honeymoon.

It was a plain and simple ceremony and not a lot of guests, but that was fine with Sam. He wanted their close circle of friends and no one else, and that's what he got. Michael stood up for him along with Jesse as a groomsman. Yvette was accompanied by Fiona as maid of honor and Mia, her employer, as an attendant. Mia herself created Yvette's dress, an off the shoulder dream of white silk, sequins placed on the bodice and skirt, which flowed around her legs down to her ankles. Embroidered silver swirls that reminded him of vines caught the afternoon sun and set her to sparkling as she approached him. Their guests stood in a circle around them on the beach at the place where they first met. Beach goers watched in fascination, but they were out of the line of sight and not on his radar. The only thing that mattered was the vision of beauty that held onto his hands and his heart. When she said, "I do," his heart skipped a beat. When he said, "I do," she clasped his hands a little tighter. Their kiss sealed the bond before everyone, but he looked forward to the night when they could finally be alone. The next time Fiona gave him that look, he wouldn't have to say nothing happened, because something had definitely happened. He was married to the woman who brought life back to him.

After a party at Carlito's, where drinks were on the house, Sam and Yvette rode in the back of the limo to the marina. The client's private yacht awaited, and they would soon be whisked away to the island with a tiny bungalow prepared just for them. It wasn't as opulent as the mansion where they declared their pledge to marry, but it would do just fine. The driver pulled up to the dock and parked the limo, then came around to open the door and let them out.

"You two look great. Congratulations, Sam."

"Thanks, Nate. Thanks for coming all the way from Vegas to help us out."

"Any time, man. You keep on keeping my bro safe, and you can have anything you want." He shook Sam's hand, gave Yvette a kiss on the cheek, and wished them the best of luck. He didn't leave until the boat set sail and the couple waved at him from the stern.

The trip to the island would take a couple of hours. While it was tempting to take their little party below deck, they enjoyed the balmy breeze while sharing a bottle of champagne. Yvette was starting to feel the effects of all the alcohol, because she wasn't used to drinking much of anything. "Sam, I think I have to stop. I'm feeling a little woozy."

"It's okay. I'm surprised you drank as much as you did." He took her glass and set it aside with his. Then he circled her waist with his arm and helped her sit on a bench seat. "Maybe once we're off the boat you'll feel better."

"I hope so. I wanted this to be so perfect." She looked as if she might cry.

Sam recognized what was happening. She didn't need perfection. That was just a smokescreen for fear. He held her close and spoke softly to her, "Nothing is perfect, babe. But whatever happens tonight will be as close as we can get, so just relax and enjoy it." He kissed her fear and tension away, and soon the captain announced that they were at the island. Yvette was so relaxed, she couldn't get her sea legs when she stood, so Sam swept his arms under her legs, picked her up, and carried her down the pier to the beach. He lost his footing in the soft sand and almost dropped her, but she didn't care. She was having fun. One of her pumps dangled from her toes, and with a flip it landed in the sand.

"Whoops!" She laughed.

He laughed with her. "We're almost there."

She stayed in his arms until he carried her over the threshold of their accommodations. Then she slipped down, slowly down his body and held on with her arms circled around his neck. "Sam...you know what to do. Just be gentle with me."

"Of course, sweetheart." He kissed her tenderly. "I wouldn't have it any other way." The only time he was apart from her was when he closed the door and locked it behind them. They were the only ones on the island other than the crew on the boat that would be at their beck and call all week, but old habits die hard.

Yvette backed into the bed and watched as Sam approached her, his eyes never leaving hers, taking off his suit jacket and letting it fall onto a chair. He met her at the bed and cradled her head in his hands. "You were so beautiful today. Ravishingly beautiful. It was all I could do to keep my hands from you. You made it way too hard to behave myself."

She chuckled low. "Well, there's nobody around now. You have free reign, darling."

Although her invitation was bold, her body gave her away. She trembled at his touch, but as she became more confident in her movements and took charge of removing his shirt, the tremors took on a new tone. Her desire was set aflame for him, and she would not be satisfied until she'd had him completely. Sam smiled into the crook of her neck as he worked the buttons on the back of her dress. He would oblige her in any way she saw fit. Slowly they undressed each other, and by the light of a pale moon they made love for the first time. He was gentle, she was timid. But after the first movement, she wrapped herself around him and begged him for more. She was like a wild animal unleashed, and she was eager for more until he was completely spent. In the wee hours before dawn, both satisfied, she fell asleep. They couldn't have been happier.

As he lay there with their limbs tangled, Sam felt a deep sense of contentment. Without her, he would have probably been spending another lonely, empty night in some bar, looking for love in the wrong places. Thank God that a damsel in distress rescued him from his lonely existence, turned his world upside down, and changed his life for the better. The sound of the waves hitting the beach lulled him off to sleep and to dreams of even better days yet to come.