Chapter 72

Elena stood before the dusty ancient office door and took a deep breath.Please let him like it, please? Shaking off the worry she put a smile on her lips, opened the creaky salt air swollen door and walked back inside. "Hello honey I’m baaaaaaaaaack."

He glanced up then back at the triplicate forms, his pen suddenly pausing as his eyes whipped back to Elena. A whispered "Mercy," flew from his lips. Some type of flowy stark white lacy cloth hugged her in all the right places, sun kissed shoulders bare, teasing him more with their promise than anything less revealing could have done. Her tiny belly ring winked a deep dark purple from the crop length of the shirt that led to her smooth belly and gently curved waist.

White lace hugged and teased its way over her hips to her ankles with another crazy pair of stilts that made him groan to get it off of her. It was slightly see-thru making his dick jump in reaction to the high waisted thong she wore underneath it. "God, you're beautiful," he whispered.

She leaned forward and pressed a kiss onto his lips. "Thank you." She was almost vibrating with both anticipation of the wedding and her surprise. "Bout finished?"

"Uh," he stammered and dragged her in for a longer kiss. His fingers tunneled into the long, waving locks as her taste exploded into his mouth. His wife. Almost. When he pulled back, he was pleased to see the sultry smile wiped away, leaving only the soft sweetness of his Elena.

A soft whispery sigh whispered over her thoroughly kissed lips, a smile twising them upwards as it hit her hard and fast. She was gonna be a married lady with a husband, from now on, never having to be alone. It was exhilarating and mind boggling all in one. Taking a deep breath she glanced down his paper work and saw it all filled out signed. Shivering slightly she looked up into those sinfully dark brown eyes and whispered, "You got the time to back out now ya know, once the words are said I'm not ever letting ya go."

"Good, I'm not much of a runner. I figured I'd have to chase you down."

"You done with those forms yet?" called the old man.

Richie stood, "Yes, sir." He cleared his throat, his long stride taking him to the counter as he quickly shuffled the paper work into the hands of the man who had suddenly become the most important official in his life to date.

She moved over to stand next to her guy, her tiny hand reaching for his, a soft smile fleetingly crossing her lips as she felt his light shivers. He was as excited and nervous as her and that made her smile grow even wider.

Richie linked fingers with her beneath the eyes of the window, his grip a little more intense than he'd intended as he forced himself to ease back. His guts churned a bit as the old man read through each form, stamping each with a huge metal seal that said the day's date. "Seventeenth," he said softly, turning to watch soft brown eyes begin to glow with impish humor.

“It’s a day ya best remember Pony," she giggled softly, "October 17.. forever hmm?"

"Good day for forever, Lains." He leaned in brushed his nose with hers. It seemed endless as one paper after another was notarized, dated and shuffled by. He'd been no good at patience when it came to forms. Stick him in a room with a guitar and he could be occupied for days without a murmur of protest. Forms and white walls, he was ready to fly. Finally the last form was pushed under the stamp and the little old guy shuffled the papers together. He pulled out another form and rolled it into the ancient typewriter.

Richie bit back a groan.

She watched him, a slight smile on her lips, "Pony?"

"Hmm?" he asked, not glancing away from the achingly slow tap of one key after another as the man looked from what he filled out to the license that was painstakingly being typed up.

She turned and pulled him towards the chair he was sitting on when she entered, "You need this now more than later I think. Just a small wedding gift." She lifted the wrapped box and smiled, "Maybe it will help ya wait."

"For me?" he said, splaying his fingers over the wide rectangular box he’d barely noticed before, so taken with the white lace that had teased his senses and imagination when she’d returned.

She nodded, her eyes bright with anticipation. "Yes all for you."

"But I didn't get you anything yet," he said and touched the purple bow with reverence. He ripped off the white pinstriped paper and found a cream box beneath the paper. Flipping the top of the battered box, he found a guitar case. His eyes rose to hers and the smile he gave her would have promised anything.

"I’m getting you; that’s all I want Big guy." She smiled at the delight in his eyes, her instinct having been dead on. He had needed this more than he realized.

He flicked the spring locks and opened the top slowly as the gleaming wood shown even in the dim fluorescent light. Gingerly, he traced his fingertips over the flowing vine that trailed up the neck of the guitar. It repeated itself in the fingerboard and left him itchy to try it out. "It's beautiful," he breathed. Staring up at his soon-to-be wife, he just shook his head. "How did you know?"

"You didn't bring one, and it’s your second self. I dunno Pony, I just knew somehow that ya needed something to take the edge off. Man at the music shop said this was for a serious player, and well, you’re as serious as they get right? I hope it’s as nice as he claimed." She paused a moment, her fingers reaching out to trace his chiseled cheek, a soft chuckle leaving her at his shocked expression. "I just knew, now go on and play, you know you want too."

The gentle understanding smile took his breath away. He snagged her wrist, drawing it close to his mouth, pressing a kiss in the center of palm. "It's perfect, in every way." He stared down at it, letting her hand slide away as he lifted it out of its case. He settled it on his lap, strumming softly as he corrected, tightened and loosened the strings, quickky finding the tones and the pitch he wanted.

Closing his eyes he started to strum. No words, just the haunting melody of the sea, right there in the courthouse.

She leaned back against the wall and watched as the nerves and jitters melted away from his face. Damn if he didn’t just become more gorgeous with the intense emotions that played over the plains of his face as he found the song of the sea within him. She could almost hear the surf right there in the dusty old office. He was amazing really, such a simple thing and he was ok. The music just flowed around her and through her, settling even firmer her decisions and how right they were. "That’s beautiful love."

He let the last note fade as he looked up at her, stood and put the guitar back in its case. "You know me so well, darlin'."

She winked his way, "wife's job right?"

"You got that right," he dropped a kiss on her upturned mouth. "I love it and I love you," he said softly.

She returned his kiss her hands brushing over his hair, "And I love you."

"Well, girly and music man, c'mon over and get this license. You can come in here and play anytime, though. That was the sweetest sound these old ears have heard in a long time." He waved the paper.

They both rose and went to the window, signing the bottom with a flourish. "Thank you," Richie said simply. Knowing the need for flowery words was irrelevant there.

Elena smiled at the old man as she signed her name for the last time. Turning to Richie she grinned suddenly as it finally hit her. "Well that was a last for me."

"A last?" he asked with a raised brow.

She looked up and gave him a big silly grin, "It’s the last time I sign something Masters, the next time I have to sign something my name will be all different."

With a matching grin he flicked the tip of her nose and held out a hand to the old man. "Thank you for taking pity on us."

She slipped around the little counter and leaned in to give the old man a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you sooo much."

"Alright, alright, enough of the smoochin'. Save that for the man who wants to quickly lock you up in the bonds of matrimony," he gruffed. "Beautiful talent you have there, young man. Don't waste it," he said and shooed them off. "Alright, go on. I may have given you the license, but you still have to convince Pastor Martine to marry you. The judge is out on a fishing boat until Sunday."

She slipped back around and wrapped an arm around Richie, a smile on her lips. "My guy is pretty persuasive when need be."

"Don't remind me," he said, but Richie saw him fighting a smile. "Go, on now."

She turned to Richie and waggled her brows, "Well come on Big Guy. Preacher to find and all that."