Micah stuck his head inside the room. âI wanted to make sure that you were okay.â
Tamara gave him a sexy smile. âTo be honest, Iâm not sleepy at all. Iâm in the mood for another movie. What about you? You think you can stay up long enough to watch one?â
Micah got into bed with her. âI canât believe that youâre still talking trash. Youâll be the first one to fall asleep.â
She laughed. âYouâre sure Iâm not keeping you up, old man?â Tamara asked.
âI got your old man.â
Tamara wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer to her. She could feel his uneven breathing on her cheek as he held her tightly.
Micah traced his fingertip across her lip, causing Tamaraâs skin to tingle. He paused to kiss her, sending currents of desire through her.
She caressed the strong tendons in the back of his neck.
âMake love to me,â Tamara whispered between kisses. She was ready to take their relationship to the next level.
âYou donât know how badly Iâve wanted to hear those words come out of your mouth,â Micah confessed.
âThe wedding ring is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual bond that unites two loyal hearts in endless love.â
Tamara Hodges smiled through tears as she relieved her sister Callie of the enormous wedding bouquet she had insisted on carrying down the aisle.
âIt is a seal of the vows Bryant and Callie have made to one another.â
She wiped her eyes with a lace handkerchief as she witnessed the exchange of rings between her baby sister and new brother-in-law, wishing them love and happiness for the rest of their lives.
Tamaraâs thoughts traveled to the one person she kept hidden in her heartâthe one man she could never forget. The one person with whom she dreamed of sharing that type of love.
The pastorâs words drew her attention back to the ceremony.
âYou may now kiss your bride.â
Tamara stole a quick peek at her mother, who was seated in the front row, fighting back tears.
Three hundred guests erupted in applause as Mr. and Mrs. Bryant Charles Madison were introduced. The music began, prompting the newlyweds to lead the recessional from the sanctuary.
As Bryantâs best man escorted her down the aisle, Tamara could feel her ex-stepfatherâs heated glare as she strolled past him, her head held up high. She refused to let him put a damper on her blissful mood.
Outside the sanctuary, Tamara and Callie embraced.
âCongratulations,â she whispered as she gazed into a pair of hazel-green eyes that mirrored her own. âIâm so happy for you, Callie.â
Tamara embraced Bryant next. âI guess weâre stuck with you now.â
âYeah,â he replied, giving his new wife a sidelong glance. âBecause Iâm not going anywhere. I love this girl.â
âGood,â Tamara said with a smile. âThatâs what I want to hear.â
Wedding guests filed out of the church, each one pausing to congratulate the bride and groom.
Tamaraâs mother walked up and said, âThe ceremony was beautiful, wasnât it?â
She nodded. âYeah, it was.â
When Lucas, her ex-stepfather entered into the church foyer, Tamara uttered, âWe should go back into the sanctuary. Itâs time for pictures.â
Her mother agreed.
Just being in that manâs presence stirred up shadows and fears that made her uncomfortable. Tamara did not want to mar Callieâs wedding day, so she decided to stay as far away from Lucas as possible.
After the traditional wedding-party photos, a limo whisked them to the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta for the reception. Callie and Bryant were in a separate stretch limo, which followed close behind.