Chapter 26

Daisy slowly pulled up the zipper on her white thigh high boots as she heard Luca's footsteps growing closer to her door. She knew he would knock any second as she stood up and adjusted the straps of her dress that fell off her shoulders dramatically. With a deep breath, Daisy walked to the door and waited for Luca to knock.

She felt silly for the way her body shook with nerves. The jitteriness inside of her tummy made her like a teenager waiting for her prom date. Daisy hadn't told Luca she had brought a white dress for the court ceremony. She was anxious to see his reaction. When the knock that she had been waiting for finally arrived, Daisy gripped the material of her dress in her hands and took a small step back.

"Daisy?" Luca called to her as he drummed his knuckles lightly against the door.

Daisy looked up and took several steps back before running to the bedside.

"Just a second!" She hollered, not wanting him to find out she was waiting by the door.

"No rush," Luca said from the other side.

Come one, Daisy rolled herself in her mind. Do it. It's just a dress!

Daisy took one step forward, Fuck, this was a stupid idea. Why am I wearing white? This isn't a real marriage!

"We don't have all day, Sunshine," Luca knocked again.

"In a minute!" Daisy snapped.

Is it too late to change?

"I'm coming in," Luca said.

Definitely too late to change.

"No, give me a second," Daisy clicked her tongue, looking around her room to see if she could find something to change into.

Come on, come on, come on -

"What's taking you so long-" Luca pushed the door open and walked in.

The pair froze as their eyes fell on each other.

Luca was dressed in his usual suit. The black and white combination was always Daisy's favorite. She could picture herself pulling him down by his tie to kiss her at the court. His thick dark hair was combed back and out of his face, the waves in them still visible. Daisy's heart began to beat faster when she noticed Luca was looking at her the same way she was looking at him. His eyes moved up her long legs and then swept over the mini white dress she had on. His pupils dilated as he took in her angelic appearance and realized he was looking at his bride.

"What?" Daisy shifted her weight.

"You're wearing white," Luca said.

"It's for Gia," Daisy said. "She insisted I wear white today."

"That's not really a wedding dress," Luca's eyes lingered on the short hem of the dress and then the sweetheart neckline showing off some very interesting parts of Daisy's skin that Luca wanted to run his fingers over.

"You don't like it?" Daisy arched her brow.

"I didn't say that," Luca's lips pulled back at the corner as his eyes moved up to Daisy's face. "I just never imagined my wife would be wearing something like this to our wedding."

"What did you imagine?"

"White lace, ball gown, long veil."

Daisy scrunched up her nose, "Sounds horrible."

"Compared to this," Luca chuckled.

"Is it not appropriate?"

"When have you ever cared about that?"

"You're right," Daisy said. "But I'm about to become Mrs.Silvano. I should at least pretend to be a coy blushing bride."

"That's not the kind of bride I want," Luca said.

"No?" Daisy laughed.

"No," Luca took a step forward. Daisy's body reacted immediately as her back tensed and she straightened up, her eyes following Luca's feet. "I want you just the way you are."

"You shouldn't say things like that," Daisy said, looking up at him through her lashes.

"Why not?"

"People might think we're actually husband and wife."

"You are my wife," Luca chuckled.

"On paper," Daisy's heart suddenly began to beat faster.

Luca continued to stalk forward until Daisy backed up against the bedroom wall beside the bed. He raised his hand and placed it on the side of her head as he leaned in closer, stealing the scent of her perfume.

"I'm going to kiss you today," he said, his eyes dropping to Daisy's lips.

"I...I know," Daisy cleared her throat.

"Are you okay with that?"

Daisy nodded.

"What if I can't stop?"

Daisy looked up, "What do you mean?"

"What if I can't stop kissing you?" Luca asked. "What if I want to bring my wife home and celebrate our marriage by spending our entire honeymoon locked up in a hotel room somewhere in the south of France?"

"If that's what you want to do on your honeymoon then what's the point of flying to another country?" Daisy asked.

The corner of Luca's lips curved up, "Our honeymoon."

"In your dreams."

The low laugh that came out of Luca's lips made every muscle in Daisy's body melt into a puddle of warm honey. She felt it vibrate through her system as if he was against her skin.

"You have no idea what goes on in my dreams," Luca leaned closer and whispered in Daisy's ear. His hand gripped her waist and pushed her back against the wall as he dipped his head down low and pulled her ear lob in between his teeth.

"I heard you yelling in your sleep," Daisy's eyes closed from the warmth of Luca's mouth. "What did I do to you?"

"I'm not talking about those nightmares," Luca said. "I'm talking about the dreams where it's you and me."

"Nightmares?" Daisy's eyes slowly fluttered open. "What nightmares?"

"Bad dreams."

"About me?" Daisy pulled back to look at Luca.

Luca nodded.

"What happened?" Daisy asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Luca said.

"Is it bad? Do I die?"

Luca flinched. His eyes shut and his jaw clenched. His hand on the wall beside Daisy's head balled into a fist.

"How long...." Daisy asked slowly. "How long have you been having these dreams?"

"For a very long time," Luca stepped closer and pulled Daisy into his arms. He buried his face in her hair as his arms wrapped around her body tightly. "I don't want to lose you. I already do that every night in my dreams."

Daisy's heart began to beat faster inside of her chest. She pulled Luca closer as he shuttered and kissed the side of her head. Her insides tangled with worry and anxiety.

"Luca, I-"

"We're running late," Luca let out a small sigh and dropped his hands. Daisy felt the loss of warmth immediately as he stepped away and held out his hand. "Shall we?"

____________________

Due to her injuries, Gia could not attend the wedding. Carla thought she would be able to attend but Luca decided it would be best if someone stayed with Gia at the hospital.

Daisy was too quiet throughout the drive to the courthouse. Luca glanced at her from the corner of his eyes several times as she chewed on her bottom lip and picked at the polish on her nail.

"It'll be over soon," Luca said once they arrived at the courthouse and made their way inside.

Daisy's heart hammered inside of her body as if she was about to take her last breath. She couldn't pay attention to anything anyone said as she followed Luca through the halls and then into a large courtroom. A few other couples were waiting in the pews as the woman by the podium married a young couple. They were all seated at the front, eagerly waiting for their turn.

"Daisy?" Luca called to her from where he stood next to an empty bench at the back of the courtroom.

"Pinch me," Daisy said, rushing up to Luca's side.

"What?"

"Pinch me," Daisy urged. "I think I'm dreaming."

"You're not dreaming," Luca rolled his eyes.

"Are we really about to get married?"

"Yes," Luca said.

"How did we get here?"

"We drove."

"No, I mean here," Daisy waved her arms around. "You and me....getting married. I can't stand you!"

"You've spoken like a real wife," Luca teased.

"Pinch me!"

"I'm not pinching you," Luca said.

"Listen he-"

"Excuse me," the woman at the podium lowered her glasses and looked at Daisy and Luca. "Can you two quiet down?"

"My apologies," Luca said to the woman as he grabbed Daisy's hand and pulled her onto the bench.

"Here," Daisy whispered as she held out her arm. "Pinch m-"

Grabbing her elbow, Luca pulled Daisy closer and planted a kiss on the side of her neck. His lips pulled back into a grin as he heard Daisy gasp and grabbed his hand. Her perfume was maddening. Daisy smelled too good sitting beside him dressed in white holding Luca's hand. Luca knew the scent and the memories would forever be ingrained in his mind.

"Believe it now?" Luca asked, looking up to see Daisy's jaw move as she swallowed and nodded. "I can keep going."

"No," Daisy shook her head but her body leaned closer. It was as if her mind and her body were working against one another.

Luca chuckled as he pulled back and intertwined his fingers with Daisy. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous too. But knowing he would get to kiss her at the end of the ceremony silenced every thought in his mind. When the moment arrived, Luca wanted to make it last a really long time. He was starving for a taste of her lips.

"Luca?" Daisy spoke up after a few minutes as they sat and watched the couples be wed one by one.

"Yes?" Luca looked over at her.

"Are we allowed to see other people?"

"What?" Luca arched his brow.

"We never really talked about it," Daisy turned her head towards him. "After we're married....what happens if we find someone we want to date?"

"Who do you want to date?" Luca asked, his jaw working hard to keep his expression neural.

"Nobody," Daisy said. "But what if....like what if someone catches your eyes? This isn't a real marriage. You don't have to be faithful to me."

"No one is catching my eyes," Luca turned away and shook his head.

"If someone did," Daisy pushed. "Would you date her?"

"No," Luca said. "I would be married. To you."

"So I can't date?" Daisy asked.

"Who are you trying to date?" Luca asked again.

"I don't have a long list of people," Daisy said. "I'm just wondering what we will do if we fall for other people. Are we not allowed to see other people because we're in a fake marriage?"

"You're not allowed to see other people whether we're married or not," Luca said.

"Excuse me?" Daisy's eyes narrowed.

"You're about to become my wife," Luca sighed. "I don't want to think about you with someone else right now."

"But it's a valid conversation to hav-"

"Shhh," Luca held up a finger to his lips.

"Luca," Daisy pulled his hand down. "Listen to m-"

"God," Luca leaned his head back against the wall and looked at Daisy with a lopsided grin on his face. "I love it when you say my name."

"What is wrong with you?" Daisy shoved.

"Everything."

"Clearly," Daisy snorted.

"Get that scowl off your face," Luca raised his hand and took hold of Daisy's chin. "I thought you wanted to be a blushing bride?"

"Suddenly, there's nothing in this world that can make me blush at this moment."

"No?" Luca chuckled.

"No-"

Luca's large hand grabbed Daisy's thigh and pulled her closer. They were seated at the back of the courtroom, hidden by the rows of empty pews. Daisy covered her mouth to stop a squeal as she crashed into Luca and fell against his chest. She hardly had time to recover as Luca's hand pushed her legs apart and squeezed the warm skin on her inner thigh.

"I want you to be strawberry red when you're up there," Luca said, his hand moving up Daisy's leg.

"It's going to take a little more than this," Daisy closed her legs, squeezing her thighs around his hand.

"Say less, princess," Daisy swore she saw a spark in Luca's eyes as he leaned closer and moved to her ear. "Just try to be very quiet, please."

"What are yo-"

Luca pulled out a pen from the inside of his blazer and dropped it on the ground. Daisy wondered what he was up to as he got up and bent down to pick it up. He was completely hidden from the rest of the courtroom behind the benches in front of them when he spread Daisy's legs once again and moved his head under her dress.

Biting back a gasp, Daisy looked around the courtroom in horror. Her eyes were ready to pop out of her head as Luca pushed her panties to the side and urged her legs to open more for him.

"I can't," Daisy grabbed his hand and removed it. "Stop."

Luca pulled his head back as Daisy quickly pushed her short dress down and swallowed some air. Her heart raced wildly as her eyes scanned the courtroom once again, making sure one one had seen them.

"Are you out of your mind?" She asked as Luca cleared his throat and sat back down beside her.

"I'm starting to worry the color on your cheeks will never fade, Sunshine," he said instead. "Now, you make a beautiful blushing bride."

"You're in-"

"My beautiful blushing bride," Luca picked up Daisy's hand and placed a kiss on it.

"Are you crazy?" Daisy snatched her hand back. "What if someone caught us?"

Luca didn't answer. He leaned his head back and sighed with his eyes closed.

"Nice underwear, by the way," he grinned. "At least you're wearing some lace for today's occasion."

"I can't speak to you right now," Daisy shook her head. "My brain is still trying to process what you tried to do."

"Would you like a replay?" Luca opened one eye. "Recaps help with processing."

"No, thank you," Daisy crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't do that," Luca's eyes dropped.

"Do what?"

"That," Luca grabbed Daisy's arms and pulled them down. "It's very distracting. Especially in this dress."

"Stop looking then."

"I can't," Luca said. "I heard pregnancy made breasts bigger but I didn't think it would be this good."

Daisy felt the remaining blood in her body rush up to her cheeks. She quickly moved away from Luca and crossed her legs as he began to chuckle. His head was leaned back against the all once more when he tried to reach for her hand in the space between them.

"Come here, Mrs. Silvano," Luca teased, surprising himself when the name flew out of his mouth so easily and naturally.

"Not if you're going to misbehave," Daisy said.

"I'm sorry," Luca apologized. "You're the only girl in the whole world I want to misbehave with."

"Are you laughing at me?" Daisy asked.

"No, ma'am."

"You are!" Daisy hissed.

"You can be mad at me right now," Luca said. "We're about to get married."

"I can be mad at you whenever I want," Daisy said.

"Yes, because only you have that right," Luca said, sliding closer to Daisy. "But can I make a small request that you go back to being my blushing bride?"

Daisy huffed. She turned away on the bench as Luca draped his arm over the back of her seat and lowered his mouth to kiss her shoulder.

"What if I did that to someone else?" He asked, his voice low and losing its playfulness.

"Did what?" Daisy asked, not bothering to look at him.

"What if I was kneeled before some other woman?" Luca asked, his finger lightly tracing over Daisy's shoulder. "Moving her legs apart, running my tongue over her skin, smelling her sweetness and feeling her wetness on my tongue."

Daisy's jaw tensed as she stopped bouncing her legs and narrowed her eyes.

"You don't like that thought very much, do you, Sunshine?" Luca whispered in her ear.

As if she was charmed by a snake charmer, Daisy shook her head.

"That's how I feel about you seeing someone else," Luca said. "You're going to be my wife. I know you won't give in now, but I do intend to make this marriage a real one."

Daisy shivered as she looked over her shoulder at Luca. His green gaze was solid and confident as he pressed another kiss on her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" Daisy asked, breathless by how his lips brushed her skin and his eyes charmed her.

"I will be a real husband to you," Luca lifted his hand and brushed her cheek with his knuckles. "And I want you to be a real wife to me."

"Real husband and wife?" Daisy asked.

"Yes."

"Are you going to tell me you love me before we go to bed every night?"

Luca's hand stilled. He looked up at Daisy through hooded eyes as she shook her head.

"You can't say it, can you?" Daisy asked.

Luca remained silent.

"I don't know much about marriage, Luca," Daisy said slowly. "But I think it requires more than just physical activities between a man and a woman."

When Luca didn't reply, Daisy's voice softened. She leaned in closer and placed a hand on his lap.

"Give me what I want and I'll do whatever you say," she whispered.

"Luca Silvano and Daisy Clements?"

Daisy held Luca's gaze for a second longer before turning around to face the woman at the podium.

"To the front please," The woman said.

Daisy slowly rose to her feet and looked down at Luca. She waited until he was standing to walk out into the aisle and make her way to the front.

"Okay, perfect," the officiant left out a long sigh. "Do you have rings?"

Daisy turned towards Luca and watched him take out two gold wedding bands.

"Wonderful," the woman said. "Let's begin."

Daisy stared at the woman. She couldn't feel her legs or her arms. The only thing she could feel was her heart inside of her chest.

"We're gathered here today to join this man and this woman in honorable matrimony," the woman began. "The promises you make to each other should not be taken lightly. They are promises meant to last a lifetime. Please face each other."

Daisy's ears began to ring as she slowly turned and faced Luca.

"Luca, do you take Daisy to be your lawfully wedded wife. To love her, to honor her and to cherish her in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live. Say I do."

Daisy's lips parted as if she could no longer breath. She looked into Luca's eyes as he stared at her with an unreadable expression on his face. If Daisy didn't know any better she would have assumed Luca almost looked...frightened.

"I do."

The words struck against Daisy's heart hardened then they should have.

"And do you, Daisy, take Luca to be your lawfully wedded husband. To love him, to honor him and to cherish him in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live. Say I do."

Daisy felt her heart contract.

"I...." She stared at Luca, her head spinning. "I do."

"Beautiful," the officiant said. "Luca, place the ring on Daisy's finger."

Daisy's hand began to tremble. She began to shiver all over as Luca took her hand and slipped the gold man onto her finger.

"Repeat after me, Luca," the woman said. "In token and in pledge."

"In token and in pledge," Luca repeated, his eyes locked with Daisy.

"Of the vows between us made."

"Of the vows between us made," Luca's hand gripped Daisy tightly.

"With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring," Luca said, slightly breathless. "I thee wed."

"Now, Daisy," the woman turned to Daisy. "Repeat after me."

Daisy took the second ring and placed it on Luca's finger. She was shocked whens he managed to get it on without dropping it from how her hands shook. Her brain was on autopilot as she repeated the words the woman said and stared at Luca. Her mind was running wild as the women said a few more words and then Luca stepped closer.

"You may now kiss," the officiant announced.

Daisy swore she felt her heart stop as Luca let go of her hand and cupped her face. She forgot how to breathe as he dipped his head down and placed a feathery, almost nonexistent, kiss upon her lips and stepped away too quickly.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Silvano."   

And they're married lol