Chapter 95 | The Epilogue (NOOOOOO)
Isabella:
9 years later...
"You still not ready yet Mrs Miller?"
I gaze up to meet Lucas' eyes in the mirror, pausing with straightening out my dress. I quirk an eyebrow as I watch him trail his gaze down my body before a satisfied smile pulls at his lips.
"I'm not quite a Miller or a Mrs yet I'm afraid," I return, with a little shake of my head.
My response only causes the smile on his lips to widen. Lucas lifts off from where he's leaning against the doorframe and crosses the room to come and stand behind me. His fingers lightly trail down my arms before he envelopes my midsection, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head and resting his chin on my shoulder. "Soon enough you will be anyways."
"Hm I don't know," I tease, resting one of my hands on top of his , "I thought you were going to change your name to Quintero. Lucas Quintero has a nice ring to it doesn't it?"
He nods against me, smiling and pressing another kiss against my bare shoulder. "It does."
A quiet sigh pushes past my lips as Lucas continues trailing featherlight kisses up my shoulder to my neck and stopping at the sensitive patch of skin beneath my ear. I take in our reflections in the mirror in front of us as he does so; Lucas with his soft hair and striking hazel eyes, the strong lines of his jaw and cheekbones, his tall frame and masculine build. Me with my tan skin and long, dark hair, my large brown eyes, the beauty spot on my cheek and my shorter, curvier body - we contrast each other so much yet match together so well.
"You look so beautiful," Lucas murmurs, his fingers twiddling the ends of my curled hair.
The corner of my mouth lifts into a soft smile. "I know," I reply, turning around so that we're face to face, "so do you."
Lucas leans forward and tries to kiss me but I inch my head away, stopping him with my fingers to his lips.
"No kissing, you'll ruin my makeup."
He pulls back slightly, pouting. "Can't you re apply."
I shake my head. "Mia put me under very strict instructions not to do anything that would ruin my makeup, it took her hours to transform my entire face into this," I wave a hand in front of my face for emphasis.
"Just one kiss, please."
I shake my head. "No, sorry amor."
His pout deepens. "C'mon baby, please. Just one."
I wrinkle my nose.
Lucas throws me another look.
I cave in with a resigned sigh.
"Alright," I cup his cheek with my left hand, the sun streaming through the window catching on the diamond on my ring finger.
Despite being in heels, Lucas still continues to tower over me, so I get on my tiptoes as he bows his head and inch my lips closer to his. I give him a quick peck on the mouth and attempt to pull away but of course, Lucas being Lucas, guides me back to his lips with his palm on my nape before I even get to create a slither of distance between us. He slips his tongue into my mouth and all is lost in the world - I don't try to pull away again, Lucas' kisses are like dynamite.
I keep my hands cupped to his face so that I don't mess up his neatly styled hair and Lucas holds me in place by keeping one hand on the back of my neck and the other on my waist. His tongue is soft and caressing against mine and we continue kissing until there's a large clang and then a shout and both Lucas and I prise away from each other in surprise like we're on fire.
"Ohmygod! Lucas!" Mia's frame comes into view and she screeches so loud my ears begin to ring. "What on earth are you doing! You're not supposed to see the bride!"
Lucas winces, covering his ears. "It was an accident," his response is droned out by Mia's cursing, as she begins shoving him out the bridal suite.
"Do you want your marriage to be cursed! What is wrong with you! Don't you know the tradition?"
"Dude I just wanted to see her! I couldn't wait!"
"Ugh! Where is Grace? She was supposed to be on guard duty!"
Mia pushes the door open and peeks out into the hallway. Letting go of Lucas' collar she throws her hands in the air is frustration at what she sees. Lucas stifles a laugh behind his hand and I rush over to what is happening.
I peek my head round the door frame to see Grace bright red, lifting the strap of her bridesmaids dress back onto her shoulder and Aidan fixing the belt of his pants.
"I can't believe the two of you were in the middle of creating baby number two when you were supposed to be watching out for that one!" Mia chastises, patting down Grace's now messy hair and glaring at Lucas. "You know how he is!"
Grace swats Mia's hands away. "We were not creating baby number two out in the freaking hallway. We have more shame than that," she grumbles in denial. "Plus we can barely handle baby number one let alone create another."
"Sure." Lucas grins teasingly. "Where is my munchkin anyways, I haven't seen Eliza all day."
"She's with Dylan, napping," Aidan replies with a quirk of an eyebrow, "probably to get away from her overbearing Uncle Lucas."
Lucas narrows his eyes. "I am not overbearing."
"Yes you are and it's why our daughter hates you."
My fiancé sputters out a gasp. "She does not hate me."
"Well she definitely prefers Uncle Dylan over you."
"Wow is this how you're treating a man on his wedding day, you are sick." Lucas shakes his head and crosses his arms across his chest stubbornly, the material straining under his biceps. "You know what, I'm gonna go wake her up and prove to you that she doesn't hate me and that she likes me better than Dylan," he says Dylan's name in disgust and turns away storming off.
Mia chases after him. "Oh no you don't! You have to be at the altar in 10 minutes!"
Lucas picks up the pace and begins to run down the hall like a child, gazing over his shoulder in alarm at Mia sprinting after him in 5 inch heels.
"My soon to be husband everybody," I deadpan. "Running through hallways after napping babies on his wedding day. You think there's still time for me to back out of the marriage?"
Aidan nods his head encouragingly. "Yes. Can I get your honeymoon tickets to Bali, you won't be needing them if you don't get married."
Grace giggles and hooks her arm through mine. "No backing out, now c'mon let's retouch your makeup."
***
After that frankly chaotic interval, Mia had managed to prise Lucas away from trying to wake up Aidan and Grace's 1 year old and both Dylan and Aidan had coaxed him back into the groom's suite for the last finishing touches - which basically consisted of wiping away my lipstick from his face and straightening out his suit.
Grace had helped touch up on my makeup as well as fixing her own tousled hair and I had spent a good 20 minutes afterwards just admiring my reflection.
