Page 15 of The CEO

As soon as they walked out, everyone seated began to clap.

Smiling, Bree waved to the crowd and took Lilly’s hand and waved it, too.

The JP took his place at the west edge of the patio.

Adam had ordered a bower of flowers for him and Bree to stand under while taking their vows. They walked there and stood facing each other.

James began the ceremony. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to unite this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Before we start, is there anyone present who knows why these two should not be wed?” He gazed at the gathering and waited for two beats. “Very well. Do you Adam Sean Kincaid, take this woman, Brianna Aurora Taylor, to be your lawfully weddedwife? To have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.” Adam’s voice rang out loud and clear.

Bree hoped hers would be as strong.

The JP turned toward her. “Do you, Brianna Aurora Taylor, take this man, Adam Sean Kincaid, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, for as long as you both shall live?”

Bree gazed up at Adam and then at Lilly and smiled. “I do.”

“Do you have rings to exchange?” asked James.

“We do.” Bree and Adam said in unison.

“Very well. Adam, repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”

Adam removed her ring from his right little finger and smiled as he held her left hand. “With this ring, I thee wed.” He slipped the platinum band that was covered with ten perfectly round ¼ carat diamonds onto the third finger.

Bree lifted her hand and gazed at the ring. She knew it was coming, had even helped him pick it out, but seeing it was still a jolt to her heart. She always believed Brad would be placing the wedding band on her finger. Tears pricked the back of her eyes, but she blinked them away and smiled at Adam and passed Lilly to him.

He held her with his right arm.

Justice James smiled. “Repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”

She removed Adam’s ring from her right thumb and then gazed up at Adam while she held his left hand. He hadn’t wanted anything gaudy, but she’d talked him into this ring. The band had one large two carat center diamond, surrounded by four ¼ carat diamonds. The metal was platinum. “With this ring, I thee wed.” She grinned.

The justice smiled and clasped his hands over his stomach. “By the power vested in me by the State of Colorado, the County of Arapahoe and the City of Cherry Hills Village, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Adam smiled and leaned down. He gave Bree a soft kiss on the mouth, then smiled widely and turned to the attendees. He moved Lilly to his left arm and grabbed Bree’s left hand with his right one. Then he raised them both up, just like when a fighter wins a match.

The crowd broke into applause and whistles as Bree and Adam moved from the patio to the grass where everyone was seated and down the aisle between the chairs.

The sound startled Lilly, and she whimpered before letting out a full-blown howl.

Adam said soothing words to her and held her close to him.

She calmed almost immediately with only a couple of little whimpers.

The crowd started working their way back to Adam and Bree, offering congratulations and good cheer.

Surrounding them first were Adam’s family. His brothers—Ray, Cole, Nick and Peter and his sister, Megan.

Megan, her dark hair arranged in a half-up, half-down style, with lots of curls flowing down her back, hugged Bree. “Now, I really have a sister. I’ve wanted one my whole life and here you are.”

Bree loved Megan. She’d known her for years and thought of her as a sister as well. “I’m so glad to have you as a sister, too.”

Megan moved to Adam and hugged him, at least, until Lilly pushed her away. “Oh, niece of mine, you are a territorial little thing.” Laughing, Megan looked up at Adam. “I guess she wants Daddy all to herself.”

He kissed the top of Lilly’s head in front of her tiny ponytail. “I don’t mind being the most special man in her life at least until she’s thirty and then she can start dating.”

Bree barked out a laugh. “Thirty, huh? I can’t wait to see how that plays out, or in his case, doesn’t. You’ll be lucky to get her to wait until she’s fifteen.”