Intended Series Collection: Books 1-6 by Abigail Grant (best summer books .txt) 📗

a minute ago to join the others out back.” Gavin’s words calm my growing embarrassment, and I laugh.

“Oh, thank goodness.” I sigh and turn back to Gavin, unable to stop myself any longer. I leap toward him and throw my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his with all of the fervor I feel within me.

His arms snake around my waist again and hold me close to him. I can feel the heat from his skin through my dress and I never want to leave his grip. His soft lips move over mine and I groan at the feel of them.

Gavin gently pushes me away from him and lays his forehead against mine. His breathing is heavy, and it’s not often he is so out of breath. I revel in the idea that I can cause such a stir in him.

He stands up straight and places the palm of his hand against my cheek. “Love, I think it’s time for us to go out there.” He nods toward the woods, which are out of sight from where we stand in the small alcove before the rock path that wraps around the gym beside us. “As much as I want to pull you back into my house with me and lock the rest of the world out…” Yes, please. “We should probably get Bonded first, in front of our loved ones.”

And complete the bond tonight. Something I learned by talking to Alexa is that a bond isn’t complete until the couple sleeps together. So, consummating the marriage is a pretty big part of the whole process. More pressure, check.

I nod and steady my breath. “Let’s get out there then. I’m ready.” I smile up at him, showing my excitement for this moment.

He takes my hand in his and pulls me with him along the rocky trail that wraps around his large gym. As soon as we round the corner, I stop dead in my tracks at the sight before us.

Holy crap.

Just where the trees open up into the deep forest, a beautiful stream of white lights hangs down from the branches like a curtain. The sun is setting now and the lights shine brighter than the sky.

Gavin and I pull back the curtain of lights and the small meadow between the large evergreens is blanketed in more lights that seem to hang from the sky in strips until they stop just above our heads. Below the strings of sparkling lights are metal benches painted white with white roses wrapped around them like vines of purity, and the people we love most are sitting on them together.

Gavin’s hand grips mine as all of the loving eyes, some gold and some not, turn to watch us. I take a deep breath and together we make our way down the center of our loved ones, along the forest floor.

I never expected such a perfect venue for my wedding day. Everything I ever wanted is here. The simplistic beauty is surprisingly ideal considering the two extravagant women who put it together. They know me better than I know myself it seems.

I smile at each person smiling back at Gavin and I. Kassy and Liam watch me with the biggest grins as we walk slowly past them. Alexa and Neo hold each other close as they sit beside Camilla and Gram who shed happy tears.

On the other side of the aisle sits my smiling Aunt Mags and her sister Morgan. Both of them teeter on the edge of bawling, but my sweet one-and-only cousin Luna winks at me and I can’t help but shake my head at her. Teenagers.

More eyes catch my attention and I gasp at the presence of my long lost Seer family. I didn’t know they would be here. My father’s parents smile with pride at the granddaughter they never knew existed. I have to hold back my own tears at seeing them again so soon after our first meeting. I have family here too.

“Pretty El!” a small voice shouts out in the calm night, and everyone laughs at Ethan’s interruption.

I spin to my right and see the cute boy being held back by his dad, Jack. Sophia and Jack try to hush Ethan but I hold my hand out to him. “It’s okay. Hi Ethan, I’m so glad you could be here.”

Jack releases the sweet sandy-haired boy and he wraps his little arms around Gavin and I. Gavin chuckles and bends down to hug his little cousin. “I love you, bud. Thanks for the hugs.”

“I love you too, Gavy. I’m happy that you’re marrying El,” he says in the sweetest voice. He reaches up to kiss my cheek and quickly runs back to his parents who both shake their heads.

Gavin turns to me with a small lift of his lips. “Me too,” he says to me.

The group “awwws” as we continue back toward our destination.

I wave to Danielle where she sits with her three boys, including Cy and his new wife Amalia. Their wedding was my only experience with a Seer bonding, until today.

Without their example, I would be a thousand times more lost today. Next to them is Jed, the always sarcastic one, but his genuine, crooked smile makes my heart feel even more full with the amazing amount of love in these woods tonight.

Standing before Gavin and I at the front of the aisle is the eternally stoic Hagan, though he has come a long way in my mind. Only a few months ago, I wouldn’t want him officiating my bonding to Gavin, but now I can see his devotion to this family and even to me, the misfit.

It is especially so with the loving smile stretching the slightly wrinkled skin on his cheeks and creasing the laugh lines around his eyes. Pure happiness from Hagan...weird.

“Welcome all who sit in this rugged alcove as one big family. In my eyes, there is no better place to be than at a Bonding ceremony.” He looks around the romantically