CHAPTER 67

Leah POV:

We drove up to the address that Judge Newcomer gave us. "Wow, are you sure we're in the right place?" Embry asked. It was dark as we drove up, but as we got closer, a huge white mansion seemed to grow before us. Embry pulled up to the door and looked at me. "This place is huge, and . . . expensive looking."

"I do have my emergency credit card with me. And it's paid off. We can use that," I told him. Before he could answer, a car pulled up behind us and Judge Newcomer got out. "I guess we're in the right place," I said. Embry opened the door and got out then walked around to open my door for me. "Thanks," I said as I got out.

Judge Newcomer greeted us and told us to follow him inside. He opened the huge door and we walked into a large entrance hall with a beautiful winding staircase. The room was lit by an enormous chandelier suspended from the ceiling. I looked at Embry and saw that he was definitely out of his element here. So was I, really.

I heard Judge Newcomer shout out that we were here and then a man dressed in a very nice suit appeared from another room to greet him and shake his hand. "Harry! It's been too long since you've been out to visit." He had dark brown hair, a very well- trimmed beard and he looked to be around 40.

"I know. I've been too busy. If the criminals would take a vacation, maybe I could, too!" They laughed and then he turned to us. "Phil, I would like you to meet Embry and Leah. They are the couple I called you about."

"Welcome!" Phil said. "I am Phil Nash, and I own this inn. I am so happy to be able to provide you with a place for your wedding. And I hope you will accept my offer of a very nice room for your wedding night. We would love to have you stay with us."

"Yes, we would love to stay. This is a beautiful inn," I told him.

"Thank you. I'll be happy to give a tour if you like, but for now, let's move into the parlor. I think you will like this room for the ceremony."

I looked at Embry and he took my hand as we followed Phil and the judge into the parlor. I felt like my eyes were bugging out of my head! I had never seen such opulence! Tall windows with elegant draperies, and the furniture fit perfectly with the décor. He led us to stand in front of the fireplace, which was all white and had a portrait of the mansion hanging over it. "How's this for the ceremony?"

I looked at Embry and he nodded and I said, "It's great."

The judge looked at us and said, "Phil, here, will serve as your witness and I ran to the office and picked up the proper paperwork for the marriage certificate, so we'll have you fill that out. Why don't you do that now, then we'll get started, alright?"

He set his briefcase down on a table and opened it and took out some papers. He handed them to me with a pen and invited us to sit on the sofa and fill them out. We sat down and Phil said, "I'll go grab my camera so you can have some wedding pictures." He left the room and I started filling out the forms.

It took us a few minutes, but we finished and signed them and handed them to Judge Newcomer. He looked them over and asked us for our ID. We each handed him our driver's license and he asked Phil if he could make a copy of them. He agreed and took them, then brought them back along with the copies. The judge added the copies to the pile and signed the form. "OK, everything is legal. Are you ready to begin?"

I took a deep breath and looked at Embry. I straightened his tie a little and he smiled at me. "Do I look alright?" I asked him.

"Baby, you look beautiful," he said softly and I smiled. We turned to the judge and told him we were ready. He positioned us in front of the fireplace and then stood in front of us. Phil stood off to the side, and he would snap a picture every now and then. The judge asked us to join hands then he read the service from a little black book, and we promised to love, honor and cherish each other "until death do us part." Please don't let that be for at least 80 years or so, I thought. He asked for a ring, and Embry said, "I have a wedding ring to go with this engagement ring, but it's at home."

Judge Newcomer said, "That's alright. We'll just use this one." I took it off and handed it to him. He talked a little about what the ring represented then he handed it to Embry. He slid it onto my finger and said, "With this ring, I thee wed." Then the judge pronounced us husband and wife and told Embry he could kiss his bride. Embry looked at me with love shining in his eyes then took my face into his hands and kissed me gently on the lips. It was perfect . . . the wedding kiss I had always dreamed of. I smiled at him through my tears and he said, "I love you, Leah, always."

I gulped and said, "I love you, too, Embry, so much." Then he pulled me to him and held me until I got control of myself. Then I pulled away from him and Phil and Judge Newcomer clapped and they both congratulated us. Phil had us pose for several pictures with and without the judge.

We turned to Judge Newcomer and Embry shook his hand and said, "Thank you so much. This was very, very nice of you. We really appreciate your kindness."

"I was very happy to do it. This is one part of my job that I thoroughly enjoy. You are obviously very much in love and I am happy that I could be the one to help you begin your married life," he said with a smile.

Phil stepped up and said, "Why don't we step into the dining room?" We looked at each other then at Phil curiously. We walked into a beautifully decorated dining room with several round tables scattered around covered in nice white cloths. On one of them, there was a small cake and a bottle of champagne with four glasses. I smiled and looked at Phil. "This is really nice, but you didn't have to do this!"

"Of course I did! A wedding is a reason to celebrate. So, we are going to drink a toast to the happy couple and eat a piece of cake, then you will begin your honeymoon," he said. He moved over to the table and popped open the bottle of champagne. He poured some into four glasses then handed each of us a glass. We held them up as Phil said, "To Embry and Leah. May you never lie, cheat or drink. But if you must lie, lie with each other. And if you must cheat, cheat death. And if you must drink, drink with us for we wish you both the love and happiness of which you deserve!"

We all clinked glasses then before we took a drink, Phil reminded Embry and I to entwine our arms then take a sip. He had us hold that pose so he could snap a picture. Then we cut the cake and he took a picture as we fed each other a small piece. "Oh my gosh, this cake is delicious! What is it?" I said as soon as I swallowed my bite.

Phil smiled and said, "My sister is a pastry chef and she made this. It's a chocolate mousse cake with a raspberry swirl. It's my favorite!"

"You have been so generous. I don't know how to thank you," I said as he handed me a delicate little blue plate with a piece of cake on it and a fork.

"Please sit down and enjoy your cake and don't worry about it. I love being able to do this for couples," Phil replied. He handed Embry a piece of cake and we both sat down at the table. He and the judge joined us and we all enjoyed the delicious cake.

"Well, it's late and I need to get home. My daughter and her husband are coming into town tomorrow with my new little grandson," Judge Newcomer shared as he stood up.

"Aw, how old is he?" I asked.

"He six months now and cute as a button," he said with a smile. He dug out his wallet and showed us a picture.

"He's so cute," I said as I showed it to Embry. He nodded and added, "I have a new niece who is only six weeks, but she is already pretty spoiled."

"It's hard not to spoil a baby," the judge agreed. He looked over to Phil and said, "Phil, thanks for your help. I promise to get out to see you again real soon."

"I'll hold you to that," Phil said as he shook the judge's hand. Embry and I both stood and said our goodbyes. Judge Newcomer wished us well then turned and left the room.

"Well, why don't I show you to your room?" Phil suggested. We nodded and he put the bottle of champagne and our two glasses and the rest of the cake on a tray and carried it with him as he walked us out to the staircase in the foyer. We followed him up the stairs and to the right. He stopped in front of a door and used a key to open it. "I think you'll like this room," he said as we walked in.

The focal point in the room was a large, four-poster king-sized bed! There were at least eight pillows lined up along the headboard and all of a sudden I had the urge to run and jump onto it. I held myself back as Phil set the tray down on a table and walked us around the room. He showed us the bathroom with the large two-person Jacuzzi tub and told us about the beautiful view. We promised to check it out in the morning.

"Breakfast is served downstairs in the dining room from seven to ten, if you care to join us. If you would rather have breakfast here in your room, which I highly recommend, just pick up the phone and dial 0, and let me know. I'll send up a tray for you."

"Thanks, Phil. I do have a credit card. Would you like to do that now, or maybe tomorrow when we are ready to check out?" I asked.

"Don't worry about that at all. This is your wedding night. Please, enjoy, and if you need anything at all, just call downstairs." He started for the door then he said, "Congratulations, you two. Have a good night." Then he went out the door and closed it behind him, making sure he put out the "Do Not Disturb" sign.

Embry and I just stood there for a minute. Then he looked at me and said, "Did we really just get married?"

I laughed and nodded. "Yea, we did." Then we both started laughing. "Oh my God! We just got married!" I said.

He picked me up and spun me around and then kissed me. "Oh baby, I thought this day would never come. I am so happy right now."

"Me, too," I said. He kissed me again then he let me go. He picked up the bottle of champagne and poured some into each glass then he handed me one. "Here, baby." He held his glass up and said, "To my beautiful wife. May you always know how much I love and need you." He clinked my glass and we each took a drink. Then he leaned over and kissed me.

"And to my handsome husband. May you always know how much I love and need you." We clinked glasses again and took another drink and I kissed him. Embry drained his glass and set down and asked, "Do you mind if I get out of this jacket and tie?"

"No, please do," I replied. He smiled and took off his jacket and laid it on a chair as I walked around and looked at the room. Then he untied his tie and pulled it off and threw it on top of his jacket.

"Uh-oh," he said. I turned to see what was wrong and he held up his phone. It must have vibrated in his pocket. "Hello? Hey, Mom," he said as he looked at me with a grin. "Yea, we're fine. Um, I have some good news for you. Yea, uh, Leah and I just got married!" I was watching him to see if he was getting yelled at or congratulated. Finally he smiled and said, "Yes, I said married. No, Mom, we didn't plan it, we just decided tonight while we were at dinner. I hope you're not mad at us." She talked for a little bit and then Embry said, "We're staying here tonight in the bed and breakfast inn where we got married. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow. It's a pretty amazing story. Yea, I'll tell her. I love you, too. We'll be home tomorrow. OK. Bye."

He closed the phone and I asked, "Is she mad?"

"No, just really surprised. She said to tell you that she loves you and she's happy to have you as a daughter."

"Aw, she's so nice. I love her, too," I told him. He handed me the phone and said, "OK, now you need to tell your mom."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you chicken, you do. Get it done so we can start the honeymoon," he said as he nuzzled my neck.

"Mmmm, keep doing that. I like that," I said. He laughed and pulled away and pointed at the phone. Then he walked over to sit and bounce on the bed. "Ooo, nice bed," he commented. Then I saw him look around then open the drawer on the nightstand and take out a long lighter and light a couple of candles that were sitting there. He put the lighter away and got up and turned off the light. The room had a beautiful glow to it.

I dialed the house and waited for Mom to answer. "Hello?"

"Hey, Seth, is Mom home?"

"Um, she should be pretty soon. What's up? Are you guys OK?" he asked anxiously.

"Yea, we're great actually. We just got married," I said simply. Embry smiled at me then sat down on the bed and untied his shoes.

"What? Are you shitting me?"

I laughed. "No, I'm not shitting you. We really got married. Just now." Embry laughed at that as he took his shoes off.

"Wow. Why?" he wanted to know.

"Lots of reasons, but mostly because we love each other and we didn't want to wait any longer," I told him. I watched Embry take his socks off and toss them over by his shoes.

"Huh. So, you're married. Where are you going to live?"

"At our house for awhile then when Embry's mom and dad move to their new house, we will move into that house. Embry already arranged it with the guy that owns the house."

"Oh. Why did you do it without telling anyone? Are you pregnant or something?" he asked.

"No, Seth, I'm not pregnant. It was just a last minute decision. With what happened . . . you know, we just decided we didn't want to wait. So, we just did it!" Embry smiled as he stood up and started unbuttoning his shirt. I was enjoying watching him, but it was very distracting.

"Hey, Mom just came in. I can't wait to watch her face as you tell her. Here she is," he said.

"Hello? Leah?" Mom asked.

"Yea, Mom, it's me. Um, I'm calling to tell you that . . . Embry and I just got married. Here in Port Angeles."

"What? Are you serious?"

"Yes. Are you mad?" I asked. Please don't be mad. Please don't be mad. Embry took off his shirt and laid it on top of his jacket on the chair as he watched me.

"Well, I don't know what I am. Why would you do that? Did you plan this? You're not pregnant, are you?"

"No, Mom, I'm not pregnant." I looked over at Embry who laughed as I rolled my eyes. He put his hands on his belt and started unbuckling it. "We didn't plan it. Embry told me he wanted to take me out of town for dinner so we got dressed up and came to Port Angeles. We had a wonderful dinner and after, we got to talking and before you know it, we found a judge in a coffee shop who agreed to marry us! He had a friend that owns an inn and we came here and got married. We have a room and we are staying here tonight then we'll be home tomorrow." Embry slid his pants off and laid them on top of his shirt. He was standing there in just his boxers, and I smiled at him.

"Wow. I'm just really surprised. As long as you two are safe and happy, I guess I'm happy."

"Thanks, Mom. That really means a lot. We'll tell you all about how it happened tomorrow when we come home, OK? I love you." Embry came up behind me, put his arms around me and kissed my neck. I leaned back into him.

"I love you, too, Leah. Embry, too. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Um, OK, Mom. See you then. Bye." I hung up and dropped the phone onto the plush carpet. "Oh that feels so good," I said softly.

"Was she upset?" he asked into my ear.

"Mmm, no, just really surprised. I think she was a little disappointed that she wasn't with us, but she'll get it over it." His lips were making me crazy! I felt him pull the zipper on my dress down and then he whispered, "I've been wondering all night if you were wearing black underwear. I can't wait any longer to find out."

He slipped the dress from my shoulders and it dropped to the floor. I heard his sharp intake of breath as he saw that, yes, I was wearing a black strapless bra and black panties. I stepped out of the dress and picked it up to lay it on top of his pile of clothes then turned to look at him. He smiled and said, "God, Leah, you are so beautiful." He scooped me up into his arms and carried me over to lay me down on the bed. He crawled onto the bed beside me and kissed me softly on the lips.

"I've been thinking about this night for months now, and I can't believe it's finally here. This will be the first night we sleep together as husband and wife."

I smiled and touched his cheek. "The first night of many," I added. He smiled and kissed me again and the wedding night officially began. We took our time kissing and touching each other. He unhooked my bra and threw it on the floor and explored my breasts with his hands and his mouth. I wound my hands into his hair and just let go of everything. The only thing I needed was Embry and I let him surround me – the sight of him, the smell of him, the taste of him. Our underwear disappeared and we lay there with nothing else between us. I made him roll over and I took a turn exploring his body and making him sigh with pleasure. After awhile, he reached up and pulled the barrette out of my hair and laid it on the nightstand and my hair fell down around us like a curtain. He buried his hands in it and pushed it back and kissed me. Then he rolled me over and moved on top of me to kiss my neck. "Leah, baby, I want you . . . I need you," he whispered as he pressed himself against my leg. "Yes," I whispered back. I arched my back as he entered so slowly, each thrust taking me higher and higher until I was begging him to move faster. I wrapped my legs around him and moved with him until I felt the explosion. I cried out just as he shuddered. We laid there wrapped in each, trying to catch our breath, and I felt such an incredible bond with Embry. Like we were joined as one now and nothing could ever separate us. I held on to him tight and savored the feeling.

He finally rolled to the side and looked at me. He smiled and pushed the hair from my face. "I love you, baby."

"I love you," I said simply.

"I think I'm going to like this marriage thing," he said with a grin. "Me, too," I said.

He pulled me into his arms and pulled the sheet up over us. "And now, we can sleep here, together, and wake up and start all over again," he said.

I snuggled into him and said, "Mmmm, if you say so, husband."

"Oh I like that. Are you saying that I'm the boss?" he asked.

"Maybe for tonight, then we'll talk," I answered. I could feel his chest rumble with his laughter. We settled in and slept for the first time as husband and wife. It was the happiest night of my life.