CADEN

After adoring her for a full half-minute, an idea bumped into my head.

Yes, I was marking her as mine tonight, and we are walking into the new year as a married couple.

With a smile, I inform her, "I think I have a ring alternative before we go shopping."

A smile instantly spreads across her face.

"What is it?"

"Wait here," I insist, scampering to the kitchen with the bags of groceries.

By the island, I lay them free and grab a knife from the drawer, dug out a carrot from the bag. Quickly slicing it into two, I cut out a mini fraction.

With the knife, I scrape the center and made a hole until it could fit into my little finger.

Perfect.

My legs hurriedly take me back to the living room where Mad is still standing. I feel the heat of her warm gaze as she stares at me with desire in her calm eyes.

"I have a carrot." Thrilled, I announce when I halt before her and grab her hand in mine.

Excited, I wear her the ring made of a ripe carrot, and it slides in just perfectly as if it was made for her.

Her eyes lower to her fingers, while she smiles widely like a happy toddler.

She's so cute.

"From today forward, I give you this limited edition ring to be my lawful wife." I can't hold back the infectious chuckle from the fact that it's a carrot ring, and we're really doing this even though we don't know if it's legal.

But I love her; I couldn't wait. So I took the open opportunity this beautiful young lady had offered.

"To love you when life is agreeable and when it is disagreeable. To laugh with you in times of joy and comfort you in times of sorrow; during our achievements and during our losses."

Halfway through my unprepared vows, Mad has happy tears streaming down her sparkling eyes.

I've heard that eyes are windows to the human soul, and now I accept it. For I can see through the depth and width, I can see all of Madison right in front of me.

And she is truly in love with me.

"I've seen your patience and edge, your best and worst. I will strive not to take you for granted." I smile warmly, wiping her wet cheeks with my thumb. "I promise to be honest and open with you. Mad, you are my first, my last, my forever."

She exhales a shaky laugh and leans into my touch as I continue, "You are mine until the end of time, for I am yours for as long as you'll have me."

By the time I am calm and quietly staring at her, my heart has never felt more alive.

She draws in a deep breath and brings her hands over mine, bringing them between us.

"Caden, in case I never told you. The fun fact is: you are the poem I've waited so long to write. You've brought life to every part of me; I can't deny the prosperity of gushing our story." She smiles, more tears spilling down her face.

I want to wipe them, but she's holding my hands in hers.

"I know I can't solve all your problems, but I promise you won't have to face them alone. I will be by your side to shield you from the heat of the sun and the lightning of the storm." She sniffs, breathing out a small delightful laugh.

"I choose you to be no other than yourself." She says the part, her head shaking side by side. "Loving what I know of you and trusting who you will become."

I didn't know how emotions work, but I felt a liquid sliding from my eye to the nook of my nose.

Her hand comes over to my face, and I feel her tiny fingers caressing my jawline.

Her enticing eyes are full of hope and love, quietly observing me.

"Caden, I promise to love and cherish you, to respect and honor you till the end of time."

I feel blood rushing through my veins like life. This young lady does things to me that no human could.

Hearing those words from her felt like being rewarded with a free pass to heaven. Those words gave me the comfort that thousands of words and hours of therapy didn't.

I look deep into those shimmering tear-filled eyes. How her pupils dilated, how her eyelashes sweep over her wet cheeks.

I study the way her lips slightly shudder, and her breathing quickens.

I couldn't help but lean in and take her lips.

She tasted precious just like always, so warm and cozy.

She pushes her lips slightly forward when I teasingly nibble on her bottom lip, and when she opens her mouth, I brush my tongue against hers.

She pulls back for two seconds, carrying an intense excitement in her gaze, before bringing back her lips to mine.

This time I open my mouth much wider, wanting to taste every inch of her.

I slide my tongue into her warm mouth, and she reciprocates with much pressure. Her both hands travel through my hair, authorizing my head movement to her satisfaction.

Teasingly, I sweep the tip of my tongue over her lower lip before we pull back for breath, but our foreheads remain attached.

My heartbeat matches hers, fast, rhythmical, it was exhilarating.

She's officially my wife.

A smile spreads across my face, infecting hers.

"With this kiss, I pronounced us husband and wife," I whispered.

I felt her body tremble from the slight giggle that escapes her lips.

"I think you are supposed to say that before the kiss."

"Then I must kiss you again," I said just as I bind our lips together, once again. And she laughs for a while in my mouth.

After another session of intense make-out, we pull back. This time, my eyes remain closed, as I let myself take pleasure from this moment.

The greatest moment of my life.

We might have no preacher, but our vows were stronger. We are tied up as one. Now she was mine and I was hers forever. I couldn't think of heaven because having her here, I was assigned to it for eternity.

"Tomorrow I will get you the perfect ring made of diamonds and stones, I promise. You will love it," I uttered after what feels like forever.

She takes in a deep breath, her arms looping around my neck.

"I don't want anything costly." My eyes open and find hers poring at me. "Caden, I want to claim you, in a priceless way. In a way, I will know you are mine forever."

Her words are real, they live in the midst of her lucid eyes.

"You did. I am yours," I quietly assure her.

"Yes, that's why I want to brand you as a tattoo ring that spelled out your name around my finger."

She said what?

"That way, it could never fade or get peeled off. What we have will be immortal. We will be for eternity. Always having our way back to each other despite the difficulties that might come through. I don't want to lose you, my husband. Do you get me?" She urges with a desperate gaze. Her fingers twirling the strands of my hair, tenderly.

I like the way she said 'my husband.'

"Damn, Mad. Marriage feels good. Having you feels good." It was all I could speak out.

"And we are just beginning the journey," she grinned, her fingers now massaging my scalp. It felt so relaxing.

I wouldn't mind having the satisfaction forever, but I had a lot on my mind, so I brought out her hand and laced it with mine.

"Come, let's go get branded," I imply in an impulse.

I pull her closer, her body melting into mine, nestling perfectly in my arms. I capture her upper lip, sucking gently to savor it before trailing down to the bottom, a soft moan escaping her lips. The sound fuels my need for her, and the earlier plan to take her out fades away, as my hand is already halfway through undressing her.

My senses are clouded by the intoxicating scent of her perfume, her hands resting on either side of my ribs, and the taste of her on my tongue. A desperate heat surges through me, igniting a throbbing in my dick. I need to be inside her.

My urgency intensifies. Once she's bare, I quickly peel off my shirt and slip out of my pants, letting her watch as she stands just a foot away.

Completely naked, I reclaim her with my arms around her slender waist, a playful smile tugging at my lips. We reconnect in a hungry kiss as I guide her backward toward the bedroom.

Spinning her around, I lay her on her stomach on the bed.

Her hair spills across her back, and she peers over her shoulder with playful curiosity, her soft breaths filling the room. I join her on the bed, caging her sides with my hands as my lips trace delicate kisses along the nape of her neck, down her spine. Her body squirms beneath me, her ass arching and her legs tightening in anticipation. I pull her hips higher, kissing down to her ass and then lower, to her wetness already pooling and glistening around her opening.

The moment my tongue slides along her slippery slit, she cries out in pleasure. She tastes incredible and addicting, but my pulsing cock aches to be in the tightness of her wrapped around me.

Her toes curl as her orgasm builds, but I pause, pulling back just before she can finish. Her breath is heavy, her chest rising and falling. She turns onto her back, watching me with a smoldering gaze, her lips swollen from our kisses and asking for more. She plays absentmindedly with her nipples, a sexy invitation that makes my blood heat.

Damn, she is irresistible. "You're going to be the death of me," I murmur.

She bites her bottom lip and sweeps her hair to the side, purposefully revealing the scar on her neck. She knows how crazily that turns me on.

I lower myself, my hardened cock standing rigid, ready to enter her warmth. I readjust her, shifting us into a spooning position. Her ass rolls back in a tease, pressing against my stomach and grinding on my erection.

My hand cups her thigh, lifting her leg for better access, and as we lay on our sides, I don't need to guide myself into her; we fit together like an attraction. I feel myself slipping into her welcoming heat. She moans my name, her voice breaking.

"So damn tight," I groan, tilting her head back by the chin to capture her lips, my hand setting her leg behind my knee to hold her open.

My hand then finds her breasts, squeezing her perky tits, her nipples hard under my touch. She jerks with every pinch, her pussy clenching around me as I thrust in and out. I take my time, savoring the way she responds, even as the urge to go faster claws at me. She is mine, and I want to relish every moment; I am on top of the world.

My hand traces her stomach, feeling it contract at my teasing touch as I kiss her face and neck, inhaling her scent. When my fingers find her clit, she is drenched there too, and every stroke of my fingers, every deep thrust of my cock, creates a beautiful wet sound that pushes me to the brink of insanity.

"God, I love you," I tell her, because I do, every inch of her.

Her eyes squeeze shut from pleasure and comfort, her hand tangling in my hair, keeping my face closer to hers.

"I love you. Don't stop," she pants, her body arching and moving with mine, making the sensations all the more intense.

"You're driving me crazy, baby," I groan, my breath ragged.

I'm close, and so is she. Her body tightens around my cock, pulling the cum from me and leaving me breathless.

Fuck.

***

That night we both got matching tattoo rings in a local shop. Mine was Mad's full name, and hers was mine, circled on our ring fingers.

Later, we stopped at a packed park and ordered dessert and wine to celebrate.

We rest on the hood of the new Jeep, with our orders sitting in the middle.

We manage to share our attention with the insane fireworks display while I kiss her every often. This was the best day of my life.

Although Mad had worried about the car swapping throughout and could barely concentrate on other things. I thought nothing was better than honesty. So I open up to her. Besides, I promised her that in my vow.
I told her about my new job and how interesting it seems so far, about my trust fund, and when I will get a hold of it.

More significantly, I couldn't shut up thanking her for being the most durable and loyal human in my life. She didn't give up on me even when I had treated her so badly. She stayed constant and insisted on healing me until she was successful, even though it wasn't her responsibility to.

Yes, we're married, and I was head over heels in love with my stepsister. I didn't want any chances messing me up.

The rest of the night, we had to eat and laugh and talked about our no-witness wedding.

But who cares; we have a ring no one could pull out. Not even Dad and his messed-up beliefs. And then relieved tension again, by having passionate sex in the car, where she straddled my lap and rode me slow and deeper until I couldn't function, kissing the rest of the time when our breaths were even.

Yes, best day.