Monica had convinced me into dancing with her a few times, which was thankfully not too confusing considering we were listening to rock music. It wasn't like when we were line dancing where my long legs and clumsy feet were stumbling over one another.

One thing I didn't enjoy was how one guy kept ogling her and almost 'accidentally' bumped into her. I'd been watching him though, so when I'd moved her in time and it was me he bumped into. The guy looked like he was going to shit himself after he'd looked me up and down.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry."

"You almost knocked into my girl." Specifically her brand new piercings. "Might want to watch where you're going a little more carefully."  The guy throws his hands up and makes his way far away from us. It's actually pretty fucking comical.

"Oooo I like it when you go all big bad boyfriend." She makes her hand into a fist and shakes it at me. "Don't bump into my girl or I'll open up a big ol' can of whoop ass."

I snort out a laugh as we make our way back to our table saying, "you did not just say a big ol' can of whoop ass."

"I did. Deal with it." She fidgets with the edge of her very short skirt before taking a sip of her water. "So," she sits in her seat, "what's this gala thing for anyway?"

"It's for uhm," I run my hand through my hair and look away from her, "uhm, heart disease. It's to help fund a non-profit organization that helps children who can't afford medical treatment get the care they need."

Which is why my father wanted me there I'm sure, even though he didn't say it. It's why he wants Thompson's daughter on my arm, I'm more than aware of it, even if he thinks I'm not. He wants me to be the visual, his reason for the start of this charity event. The face of heart disease or whatever the fuck.

"Why heart disease?" I shrug, not wanting to get into it. "That's really awesome of your dad to want to help kids." I nod. "Why are you being weird about it?"

"What do you mean?" I know exactly what she means.

"You're just trying to avoid talking about it which is weird. It's unlike you."

"I just don't like big events like that. Don't like being around all those suits." I don't want you to know my malfunction. Change of topic. "I was told that your brother is going to be there with his father."

"Jamie?" I nod. "Oh! That's awesome. You'll love him! He's all fiery personality and funny too."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to meeting more of your family." Not really. I'm sure her brother will be just thrilled to know I'm the one banging his sister— his wife's ex-boyfriend's son. It's fucking weird. Also the fact that I'm going to be with another woman at said event. Probably going to go over just wonderfully.

"You say that now but just wait until you meet my other brothers. River and Ridge are insane."

"Those are your twin brothers, right?"

"Yeah, those two are fucking wild."

"How so?"

"They just are. The amount of energy they have is ridiculous. They train in mixed martial arts with my uncle, boxing with my dad, they play hockey, baseball and they still have a crapton of energy."

"Damn. My brother is the exact opposite. He has his face in books like ninety-nine percent of the time. Kid is super smart. He's going to grow up and be just like my father, I can tell." He's the exact opposite of me. "You know, come to think of it, I bet you were the same way when you were his age. You had a path and you stuck to it."

"Then I met you. You and all of your impulsiveness telling me to veer my course."

"Now look at you." I reach out and gently caress her nipple with my thumb. "Doing all sorts of impulsive shit. Hopping on jets. Getting piercings. Tattoos." Having unprotected sex. She gives me a blinding smile and I can't help but reach down and kiss her. Her tongue pushes into my mouth and mine into hers. When we pull away from each other I blurt out, "let's get married."

Her eyes widen with, "what?!"

"Let's get married. Elvis wedding. Right now."

"Like a legitimate wedding?"

"I mean we can make it official or we can just do it for fun. Doesn't have to be a legit legit wedding."

What the fuck am I even saying? You're asking her to marry you via an Elvis impersonator on her birthday. Right.

"I don't know, Boston." She bites her pouty bottom lip.

"I was trying to wait for the right time to give this to you but this seems like the perfect time." I pull out the small box from my pocket and set it on the table between us and slide it to her. "It wasn't meant to be for this but it seems like maybe it was now." Her emerald eyes flash up to mine before hesitantly going back to the box. "Come on now, Cherry. Open it up." She grabs ahold of it and slowly lifts it open.

"Oh my god." She fingers the two gold rings encircled by the matching bracelet. She takes the smaller ring out and reads the inscription, "like a river flows."

I pull out the other ring, the one made for me, and read what I've already read a million times, "surely to the sea." I slide the ring on my left ring finger, feeling my heart palpitate irregularly inside of me when she slips it on hers as well. "Take the bracelet out."

She does and reads, "I can't help falling in love with you— love, Tatted Elvis."

"Wow, this is so fucking corny now that it's playing out." I run my hand through my hair feeling embarrassed. "Soooo so corny. Wow."

"It's entirely corny but I love it." She beams a smile at me. "I love you."

"I figured you'd just wear the ring on a chain or whatever but fuck it. What do you say? Wanna make it legit?"

"You're asking me to marry you by saying 'fuck it, wanna make it legit'?"

"God. Fuck. I'm fucking this up." Yes you are. Royally. I put my head in my hands and look down at the table, feeling like a giant idiot. "I'm sorry, Mon. I don't know what I was thinking. I know you—"

"Let's do it." My head snaps up to look at her because I can't have heard her right. "Let's get married. Like officially married. Not half-ass married. Let's make it legitimate."

I grab ahold of the hand with the small gold band on it and place a kiss on it. "I'm going to love you for the rest of forever, Monica."

✩✩✩

We'd gotten our marriage license and while we waited I booked us an Elvis wedding. I'd watched Monica come down the aisle, fake Elvis in tow, thinking how she was right. I look more like Elvis than our impersonator had. When he had eyed me he looked like he felt much of the same way.

Vows were said. Phony Elvis songs were sung. We danced. Now we're married. Legitimately married. I am a husband. I have a wife. Monica is my wife.

I pull her sleepy body tighter into mine as we lie in bed together. She turned nineteen and became my wife on the same day. I'm going to have to go seriously big every anniversary and birthday. Probably should've thought that one out.

Probably should've thought a lot more about things other than anniversaries and birthdays being on the same day. Your mother hasn't even met her. And you married her. You haven't even known her for two full months. Yeah. There's all of that. But it feels like I've known her for an eternity. It's about to be an eternity. Did you already forget saying your vows? Oh, just fuck off, inner voice.

I place a kiss in her hair before rolling away from her. When my feet touch the floor I cringe at the coldness. I should've just stayed in bed with her where it's warm. Where we can forget the world exists outside of us.

My phone goes off as I begin pulling up my underwear. I need a serious shower after last night. I'm surprised we both didn't wake up wet in each other's mutual juices. We came together multiple times last night as husband and wife. The word play had been rather sexy and thoroughly enjoyable.

Man and wife.

That's going to take some getting used to. Probably should've thought about that too. But I don't think. I just do. When you have the potential of having a heart attack at any given moment there's not much time to think about things like societal norms.

Though I do imagine her father isn't going to be too thrilled I just married his daughter on a whim. Fuck. Definitely should've considered that societal norm.

I hear my phone go off again and realize that it's not my phone that's gone off— it's Monica's. When it starts to go off another time I make my way to her side of the bed and pick it up. It's not locked, typical Monica fashion. When I click open I see she's got a handful of messages from Carter. I don't want to be that guy but I'm going to be that guy. I click on the messages and immediately grit my jaw as I read through them.

2:05 am  Happy Birthday to the most beautiful girl in the world. I was debating texting you this but I miss you so much . I haven't not said happy birthday to you in the near four years that I've known you. Couldn't not say it now. It's a habit.

2:13 am  Can I call you? I miss really you.

2:21 am  Babe, please pick up the phone. I just want to wish you a happy birthday. I want to hear your voice. I wish I was with you.

I clench the phone tighter at his pet name. She is my baby. Monica is my wife. She isn't his anything anymore. The next message has me wanting to chuck her phone across the fucking room.

2:42 am  I'm still in love with you. I'll always be in love with you. I don't care that you're going through whatever you're going through. Eric told me Boston is impulsive and whenever he decides to make another off-handed decision I'll be here. If he hurts you... When he hurts... I'll be here, Monica. I love you forever, remember?

9:27 am  Sorry, I had a couple of drinks last night. I didn't mean to bombard your phone but I meant everything I said. I meant it all.

"You can go choke on a fucking dick, Carter." I muttered underneath my breath angrily as I scroll through his numerous missed calls. I see she has nine voicemails and I'm so tempted to listen to them.

"Only been married a couple of hours and you're already snooping through my phone?" I freeze and then look at the bed. She looks so fucking beautiful it hurts. Her hair is sprawled out around her. Her piercings on full display as the blanket lays just beneath her tits. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Because I want to fuck your brains out for the millionth time." She laughs at me with an eye roll. "What? I'm serious... wife." Her expression softens.

"I can't believe we did that." She rolls on her back and slaps her hands over her face. "My parents are going to kill me."

Mine too.

"Hey," I go to the bed and pull her hands off of her face, "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. It's a motto to live by."

"So you're saying we shouldn't tell anyone?"

"I'm saying that if you want this to be just between you and I then it can be. For as long as you want it to be it can. You know I'm yours and I know you're mine. That's more than enough for me." I place a kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay."

A/N:
Random Tuesday night update?
Yes.

Who thought that was going to happen this chapter?

Also, I had asked on my message board but I'll ask here as well. For those of you who have read the series— who is your favorite couple?