Forever, I Promise (A Northern Woods Novel) Read online

  “I hadn’t even thought about that.”

  “Well you can leave it at ours. You’ll be getting ready for the ceremony in our guest room anyway.”

  “That’s wonderful, Mariah. I’m glad you thought of it because my mind is scrambled. I’m too frenzied to think straight.”

  Mariah snickered as Hailey carefully slid the box across the backseat before they hopped into the SUV.

  * * *

  Their wedding day finally arrived and Hailey stood nervously in the guest room while Mariah tried to straighten the train and smooth it out along the back of her dress. “Hailey, you’re going to have to stand still, you’re shaking and I’m not able to get this to lay straight.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m so nervous, I need to sit down.”

  “You’re a bit late for that, my friend. Jake is waiting for you out by the door.” Hailey and Wade had spoken to Jake and Natalie Morrison. They let him know about her parents’ tragic accident and asked Jake if he would walk her down the aisle. Jake said it would be a pleasure.

  Mariah placed Hailey’s bouquet of red roses mixed with white baby’s breath in her hands as Bess entered the room

  “Mariah, Nick is waiting to walk down the aisle with you, are you ready? I’ll take over from here.”

  “Thank you, Bess.” She turned and looked into Hailey’s eyes. “You look delightful, Hailey. I’ll see you shortly.” She kissed her on her cheek before she hurried out the door to join Nick.

  “It’s almost time… now take a deep breath and let it out slowly,” Bess said. Hailey did. “One more time and then we’re out the door. You’ll be just fine, honey.” Bess gave her a gentle hug then led her to the sliding door where Jake stood waiting, his dark eyes sparkling.

  The entire deck had been decorated for the wedding by Bette Joyner, Hailey’s boss – the owner of Flowers Galore. It was glamorous.

  Hailey stepped out onto the deck and Jake held his arm out to her. She took hold of it and looked out across the yard. A row of chairs on each side of the brick walkway led to an elegant wedding arch where their vows would take place; the magnificent meadow extended beyond.

  He smiled and whispered, “You look gorgeous, Hailey. Wade’s a lucky guy.” Then he gave her a slight nod before they carefully stepped down the three stairs leading to the brick path. As they began their walk toward the arch Mariah’s friend, Sarah Carson, began to sing the perfect song to open their ceremony, You Raise Me Up, by Josh Groban.

  Where they stood to take their vows the view of the meadow was incredible; hundreds of acres of wildflowers: white, yellow, pink and purple amongst the green wild grass, in full bloom and spread as far as the eye could see.

  After their vows they kissed twice before they turned and laughed while they walked back down the brick path, singing along with Sara and all of their guests to the song, Signed, Sealed and Delivered, by Stevie Wonder. The wedding was stunning. It had been one of the most glamorous ceremonies imaginable.

  * * *

  After spending a couple of hours at their reception, Hailey and Wade sneaked away to Wade’s home and quickly changed clothes. Hailey now wore a pair of white slacks and a white blouse with lace trim. Wade changed into brown trousers and a tan polo shirt. He tossed their two suitcases into the trunk of the car and they were soon en route to Duluth International Airport. Their plane would depart at seven p.m. to Las Vegas. It would be a two and a half hour flight. They were due to arrive at approximately ten-thirty p.m. and take a shuttle to the hotel.

  Wade had reserved a Parlor Suite at the Encore Resort. When the hotel porter accompanied them to their room, they stepped inside, Wade tipped the porter and the gentleman gave a slight bow and thanked him. Wade closed the door and embraced his wife.

  The living room had a comfy couch and a fifty-two inch flat screen television on one wall. Next to it was a sliding door that led to a deck with a panoramic view of Las Vegas and the city lights.

  “Oh my, Wade. Look at the splendid view!”

  “It’s great, isn’t it?”

  She grabbed his hand. “Let’s take a look around.”

  They walked into the bedroom. “Hmmm, this will be nice,” he said with a wink. The room held a king-size bed with a white covering, red rose petals scattered upon it. On a stand next to the bed there was an ice bucket holding a bottle of champagne. “I’m getting mighty tired,” he said with a smile and leaned down to kiss her.

  “Wait, there’s more.” She grinned and led him into the bathroom where they found a granite countertop with two sinks, a toilet, and a luxurious whirlpool bathtub surrounded with red candles. There were two marble hooks on the wall near the door which held thick fluffy robes, one embroidered His and the other Hers on the front pocket.

  Next to the bathroom there was a short entryway with a bench along the wall leading to a large two-person walk-in shower in a room of its own – with curvy walls and glass enclosure.

  “This is something else,” he said.

  “Yes, a very different type of shower – and romantic.”

  They returned to the bedroom and Hailey reached for her small overnight bag. “I’ll be back shortly,” she said, then stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek before she went into the bathroom.

  Wade walked into the shower room, undressed, shaved and washed up then returned with a towel wrapped around him. He dropped it on the nearby chair and climbed into bed to wait for her.

  Hailey took a quick bath before she covered her body with a carnation scented body lotion, and pulled her white chemise baby-doll nightgown on and tied it loosely at the neck. She brushed her blonde hair and gently pinched her cheeks to give them a light blush.

  She opened the door slowly and saw him waiting for her, with soft romantic lighting above the headboard.

  “You look very special, sweetheart; like a porcelain doll dressed in an elegant nightie,” he said softly. He stroked the bed sheets, motioning for her to join him.

  “Hmm…you look mighty good yourself – I love your masculine night clothes,” she murmured intimately as she slid onto the white satin sheets beside him. She moved closer and ran her fingertips along his cheek and down his neckline.

  Wade looked into her eyes; they were glossy and shining with love. He wrapped his arms around her and as he held his head against her chest, he could feel the quickening of her heartbeat.

  “Sit up a bit, honey.” When she sat, he carefully removed her sexy nightgown before he laid her back down and buried his face between her breasts. Lips parting he began to glide his tongue up and down the sides of each breast, then from one to the other. Her nipples firmed instantly under his touch. He looked up at her and she held a look of yearning. “Do you enjoy that?” She nodded with a look of pleasure and slowly licked her lips. He could feel his own heart begin to hammer like the beat of a drum. He slid down lower and her lips quivered in unspoken passion. The mere touch of his hand sent a warming shiver through her. She put her arms around his neck and buried her face against his throat.

  “I can’t wait much longer,” he whispered into her hair.

  As though his words released her, they both were roused to the peak of desire and the turbulence swirled around them. She couldn’t control her moan of ecstasy that slipped through her lips. Wade held his arms around her as contentment and peace flowed between them. They both sighed in pleasant exhaustion.

  “I love you so much, Hailey. I feel like the luckiest man alive.”

  “And I’m the luckiest woman,” she said softly and they held each other close.

  “Would you like champagne?” he asked. She nodded and he poured them each a glass. They sipped their champagne while they listened to soft romantic music on the radio. When a half hour passed he took their empty glasses and set them on the night stand.

  “We’d better get some sleep, sweetheart. We have many things to do and several places to go this week. Good night Mrs. Daniels.”

  “Oh, I love the sound of that,” she answered, overwhelmed wit
h happiness. “Good night, Mr. Daniels.”

  They both were fulfilled with pleasure and fell into a deep sleep while wrapped lovingly in each other’s arms.

  * * *

  Sunday afternoon the sun was shining brightly and the temperature was eighty degrees with a refreshing breeze. They sat on their deck and enjoyed their champagne until mid-afternoon when they decided to have dinner at the Switch Steak Restaurant before leaving to see a performance by David Copperfield, the very famous magician.

  Monday night they attended a Kenny Chesney concert and Tuesday they joined other hotel visitors on a Las Vegas double-decker bus to the Hoover Dam, the Red Rock Canyon National Reservation Area. Their final sight that afternoon was at the Stratosphere Tower, the tallest freestanding tower in America, at 1,149 feet.

  “Wow, what a view!” Wade said while he took photo after photo from the balcony.

  “Yes, it’s astonishing, that is if I’m looking out across the city, but if I look down I might pass out.” Wade looked at her pale face. “I’m terrified of heights. I thought I’d mentioned that several times.”

  “Don’t worry, the balcony is sturdy.” He smiled and put an arm around her. “We’ll go back down soon – look, our group is about ready to leave.” The visitors began to line up to return to ground floor level. Hailey looked much better when she planted her feet on solid ground.

  They climbed back on the bus and returned to their motel. When they entered their room, Wade began to page through the motel pamphlet which listed all of their tours, looking for somewhere to go the following day.

  “How about this, honey,” he asked and held the page up for her to see. “We’re able to take a bus from the hotel to the Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat.”

  “That sounds like fun. Read the description to me.”

  “It says: Admire gorgeous white tigers, right in the comfort of the world-class Mirage Hotel and Casino! Capture photos of magnificent lions at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden, a jungle-like habitat complete with waterfalls. Observe bottlenose dolphins frolicking from the underwater viewing area of the Dolphin Habitat.”

  “I’d really like that,” Hailey exclaimed and tried to grab the magazine from him. He held it above his head.

  “Say please…”

  “Please,” she said sweetly and fluttered her lashes at him.

  He handed it to her and she swatted the top of his head with it before she looked over the description. “Yes, let’s go there tomorrow.” She stood and he kissed her.

  “Now, where would you like to have dinner tonight?”

  “Let’s stay here. Maybe order a pizza to be delivered? Tomorrow will be another big day. I’d like to relax tonight.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Wade said. He gave her a hug then picked up the phone. “How would you like the pizza, our usual – sausage, pepperoni and onions?”

  She nodded as she sprawled out on the bed and grabbed the TV Guide.

  * * *

  Friday they both slept in before awakening to mad, passionate love, then held each other in their arms while warmth radiated throughout their bodies. They were listening to more soft music by Josh Groban, including the song they’d selected at the opening of their wedding ceremony. Hailey ran her fingers along Wade’s chest.

  “What would you like to do today?” she asked, while he enjoyed her roaming fingers.

  “How about some more sightseeing located a bit closer to the hotel today? I thought maybe we’d take a look in the storefront windows; find a place to stop for lunch.”

  “Good. I’d like to pick up a few souvenirs in memory of our Las Vegas honeymoon,” she added.

  “I hope your best memories will be from right here in this room,” Wade whispered, then kissed the top of her head.

  “Oh definitely, although I do have some pretty fabulous memories from activities which took place in your bedroom also.” She glanced at him and smiled.

  “You mean our bedroom, Hailey. It’s ours now,” he said with half-closed eyes, a lidded look of satisfaction.

  “I love you, Wade. You’ve made me happier than I’ve ever imagined I could be.”

  “Same here, woman.”

  “You mean you’ve made yourself happier than ever imaginable?” She giggled.

  He looked down and kissed her. “Of course.”

  “Smart aleck,” she said, and swatted him with a pillow.

  He laughed then asked, “Would you like me to have breakfast delivered to our room before we leave on our walk around town?”

  “Yes, let’s. I’ll be able to jump in the tub before it arrives,” she said, then hopped out of bed.

  “Even though it’s lunch time, we’re able to order our breakfast. What would you like? It’s going to be two eggs with toast, pancakes and sausage for me.”

  “That’s way too much for me, Wade. I’ll just have two eggs, toast, hash browns and sausage. Oh, and don’t forget the coffee,” she added before she entered the bathroom.

  Wade raised his brow then shook his head and looked at the closed door. Sounds pretty much the same amount as mine. He laughed to himself and picked up the telephone to call in their order.

  * * *

  Wade and Hailey both enjoyed their stroll around the city, looking into shops along the sidewalks and observing landmarks: historic wedding chapels, city buildings, a walk down Fremont Street, which was a walk through time. They took many pictures.

  “Are you ready to head back, honey?” Wade asked. She looked as though she’d had enough walking. They planned to spend the evening out to eat, somewhere close by.

  “Yes, I am. I’d like to rest a bit before dinner.” She placed her camera back in its case and hung it over her shoulder. “The whirlpool ought to help my aching feet.”

  Wade smiled and took her hand. “Let’s go,” he said and they turned the corner and headed back in the direction of their hotel.

  In the evening they went for dinner and dancing at the resort’s nightclub where they enjoyed the last night of their honeymoon. By eleven p.m. they were ready to head back to their room.

  “I’m getting tired, Wade. I’m going to take a quick shower,” she said, along with a yawn.

  “Okay, sweetheart, I’ll meet you between the sheets,” he added with a wink and reached out to pat her lightly on her firm backside as she walked by.

  Wade had enlivened her with the gentle touch on her butt and she was no longer tired. She removed her clothing and called out to him. “Wade, would you come in here please? I need some help.”

  “I’m coming,” he answered, after removing his shirt. He stepped into the shower room. She was naked. She quickly pulled him toward her and began to remove his belt and unzip his pants.

  “Well, well… I thought you were worn out.”

  “Oh, but I am. I’m exhausted and need you to help me take a shower. I don’t think I’m able to handle it on my own.”

  “Oh, baby. I’ll help you.” He removed the remainder of his clothing and tossed them toward the bench but missed; they slid to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her, brought his mouth to hers and playfully ran his tongue along her lips while he walked her into the shower area. He moved his mouth away from hers. “This is nifty… no door to close.” Hailey giggled and he reached with one arm to turn the water on then lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The water was pleasantly warm as it ran over their bodies. He carefully set her on her feet and took the bar of soap from the soap dish. He cleansed her neck and ran the creamy soap down her chest and between her breasts. “You’ll be nice and clean by the time I’m finished, sweetie.” He rubbed the soap in both hands then ran them along the entire length of her body. Once she was covered with lather, Hailey took the soap from him and proceeded to do the same. She ran her soapy hands over a mass of solid muscle. Once he was covered and slick she ran her palms along his shoulders and down his muscular biceps. She slid them smoothly over his hips before moving on to the inner thighs.

/>   “Oh, Hailey… you’re torturing me.” His hands skimmed over her hips and along her thighs while his heart beat against her ear. She moaned softly as his body imprisoned hers in a web of growing arousal and her eager response matched his. She cried out for release. The flames of passion burned within them both and they felt the flooding of uncontrollable joy.

  Hailey hung onto him, weak and satisfied. “I love you so much, Wade.”

  “You’re my entire world, Hailey. I love you too.”

  They rinsed each other under the shower spray then turned off the water and grabbed towels from the hooks on the wall above the bench. They dried each other off before they re-entered the bedroom.

  When they were in bed and ready to retire, Wade held her in his arms, about to doze off, when Hailey spoke.

  “I wish we were able to remain for one more week. It’s been such fun.”

  “Yes it has.” He lightly touched the tip of her nose. “Unfortunately leaving is a must; the rest of your things still need to be moved to our townhome and we’ll only have two days to complete the task before we return to work.”

  “Most of my clothes are already at your house. I brought them with me each night I stayed with you and I left them there.”

  “Yes,” he added, “and your furniture has been in storage in Duluth while you’ve been renting a room. We’ll have to find a space available in Huntington until we purchase a house of our own – which I hope will be soon.”

  “Oh, Wade, that sounds so exciting!”

  “It would be even more so if someday we’d be able to live off of one salary. You could quit your job and remain at home instead of making the forty-minute drive to and from work every day.”

  “Yes, that would be wonderful.”

  “We’d better get some sleep, sweetheart. We’ll have to leave for the airport bright and early."