A Bad Boy is Good to Find - By Jennifer Lewis Page 0,112

aloud. And he was up first.

He took a deep breath. Lizzie’s eyes shone. His palms were sweating.

“I, Conroy Beale, take you, Lizzie Hathaway, to be my wife.” A fist of feeling knocked his breath away. Lizzie blinked, and he saw tears hovering behind her smile. She bit her pink lip with those pretty pearl teeth.

“I promise to stand by your side, for better or worse, for richer, for poorer…” He paused, and they both smiled. Been there, done that. “In sickness and in health. To be open and honest with you—” He looked her right in the eye, wanting her to know he meant it. “And to love and cherish you as long as we both shall live.”

He heaved a sigh of relief that he’d managed to remember it all. Again, he fought a fierce urge to seize Lizzie in his arms. To pick her right up and run away with her.

As Lizzie repeated the same vows, he grew lighter and lighter. He clung to her hands, as if he might lift up like a hot-air balloon if he wasn’t anchored to her. Her voice was clear and decisive, not a trace of nerves, just sheer conviction that melted the ground under his feet and made his heart swell.

“May I have the rings, please,” said Raoul.

Danny stepped forward and handed them to him, and Raoul placed Lizzie’s ring in Con’s hand. He knew there were some fancy words he was supposed to say, but they’d gone right out of his head.

“I love you, Lizzie.” He’d never meant anything more in his life and it made the words come out kind of choked, but he didn’t care.

He slid the delicate platinum band onto her finger. It didn’t go on right away, and he had to wiggle it and jiggle it to get it on. Appropriate considering their rocky path to the altar.

They smiled shyly to each other, then Lizzie, tears glittering in her eyes, said, “I love you too, Conroy Beale,” and pushed his ring on. He’d picked it himself from the selection Maisie brought. It was big and fat and gold and shouted, “I’m married.” The sight of it on his finger made him feel solid and steady on his feet again. Rooted in something permanent.

“You may now kiss the bride,” pronounced Raoul.

Thank God.

Con stepped forward and took Lizzie in his arms. His eyes shut as he closed his lips over hers. She melted around him, enclosing him in loving softness that made him want to cry with joy. Their tongues tangled and her fingers roamed into his hair as he held her tight, his palms pressing into the hard little pearls of her gown, squeezing her lush body as livid emotion burned through him.

Throat clearing by Raoul finally tugged him back to the present. They parted, painful, air rushing in where warm lips should be. Lizzie’s whole face glowed, her lips red and her cheeks pink.

“Lizzie and Conroy,” intoned Raoul, “we have heard your promise to share your lives in marriage. We recognize and respect the vows you have made here today before us, and it is my honor and joy to declare you married and partners in life...for life.”

“‘Partners in life’? Raoul, this isn’t a gay wedding, you know. Aren’t you supposed to say ‘man and wife’?” asked Maisie. They sat around the arbor-shaded dining table. The cameras had taken all the shots they needed and been turned off.

“I like the gender neutral approach.” Lizzie lifted a steaming crawdad from the platter in the center of the table. She’d gotten over her fear of the tasty critters. “Otherwise, why shouldn’t it be ‘woman and husband?’”

“Exactly.” Raoul delicately sucked the “butter.” “One has to change with the times. Some would say marriage has had its day, but I happen to think two people wanting to spend the rest of their lives together is about the most beautiful thing in the world.” He sighed as he wiped his fingers on a napkin.

“I agree.” Con raised his glass. “To forever.” Clinking ensued. “Now we’ve just got to get your parents back into the family circle. They’ll like this place.” Con glanced up at the mansion with a look of satisfaction. “And they’ll like me too once they get to know me. I’ll talk ’em around.”

“I bet you will. Charmer.” A smile crept across her mouth. “It’ll be a blast proving they were totally wrong about you.”

“Well,” Con winked. “Not totally wrong…” He leaned over and her cheek sizzled under another hot