Commission: A Harem His Own - Preview 4

So much work! And that abundance of work leads to a lot of gaps between previews that I apologize for. I know the last one was fairly early in the story, this one is about the mid point, and, as I mentioned, short of a change in my payment cycle will probably be the last preview of the story before it's full release. This took a bit, trying to research exactly how weddings work and trying to get those details just right. But, it's a nice, wholesome scene. A bit of foreshadowing for the final events of the story.

"“I can’t believe it,” Ryan’s mother was on the verge of joyous tears, as she fiddled about with her son’s tuxedo. “My boy.”

Honestly, even he was having a bit of trouble coming to terms with it. He was marrying his dream girl today. Taking a step back, it seemed like they'd moved quickly; fresh out of high school, and only having dated for a few months. And yet, it felt right. They both wanted this, and the excitement was swelling up in his chest just thinking about finally seeing her in that dress, becoming her husband.

The ginger woman continued to fidget, straightening his bowtie and adjusting his lapels. “Mom,” he chastised with a chuckle, “I’m not a boy anymore. I own a business.”

She smiled proudly at him, moisture dotting the corners of her dark eyes. “I know sweetie. I just didn’t expect it would happen so soon,” she reached up, cupping his cheek. “I’m so happy for you.”

He took her hands in his own, grinning as every bit the man he'd grown to be. “Thanks mom,” he whispered, offering her a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

The woman took a moment to wipe the tears from her face. “Don’t want to mess up your big day,” she muttered, more to herself than him before looking up once more. “Alright, I should find your father and get ready,” with one last peck she was off, leaving Ryan to mingle about with everyone else waiting for things to begin.

Most of the guests he didn’t recognize. Extended members of his own family, invited by his parents, that he might have seen once or twice in his life, and then the whole expanse of Julianne’s family’s connections worth inviting to such an event as the Ashton prodigy’s marriage. Scanning through the crowd, his jaw nearly dropped at a bust that could have rivaled his fiancée's; doubly so when he realized who it belonged to.

“Missus Ashton?” he spat out, drawing the middle-aged woman’s attention.

She swung around, her bust ahead of her and nearly smacking into the chest of the man she was hanging off the arm of. “Please Ryan,” she chuckled, closing the distance between them, “I told you, call me Susan.”

“Sorry, Susan,” he offered with a small blush.

It was less from the name flub than it was where his eyes were drifting to. It had been a while since they'd run into one another, but he knew for sure she wasn’t sporting tits like overripe melons before. In her low cut, sapphire dress it was obvious she wasn’t padding, and the way they jiggled naturally with her laugh, they weren’t implants either. As a matter of fact, he couldn’t see any evidence of the previous work he knew she'd had done; like it had never happened.

The inspection was cut short by a crude cough, drawing his attention back up to their faces. Susan had a coy little smile, clearly not the slightest bit bothered that he'd been staring. The man with her however, was less so impressed.

Ryan had yet to formally meet his girlfriend’s father, the tall, stern built man that had built an empire. His formal wear was crisp and neat, silvering locks slicked back to keep the hardened features of his face fully visible. He was every bit the image of his stature, an emperor among commoners, a well-kept mustache unable to hide the unimpressed line of his thin mouth.

“M-Mister Ashton,” the redheaded groom offered out his hand for a handshake; the common greeting between businessmen, and the best way he could think to make a first impression.

The man's hands didn’t leave his wife, letting Ryan’s outstretched hand grow cold. “Ryan Mills. I've heard quite a bit about you,” he mused.

Mister Ashton turned to his wife, blue eyes expressing words unspoken to the love of his life. “May we have a minute dear?” he asked in a voice softer than the harsh gravel that had left his lips just a moment before.

The buxom woman gave a nod, planting a kiss upon her husband's cheek and offering her daughter’s boo a wave before heading off.

Despite the people still wandering around them, the trim groom found himself alone with the monument of a man. The rest of the world meant nothing, there was only him, and the ocean-blue eyes of the man who carried the name “Ashton” on his shoulders.

“Well, Ryan,” he started, his voice once more that rough grain of the earth, “I don’t know how you did it, but both my daughter, and my wife, think you are the perfect young man to be my son-in-law.”

The smaller man let a swell of pride enter him at those words. A foolish idea.

Those powerful eyes inspected him, staring their way through him like some enigma to be deciphered. “But I'm not convinced,” there it was, sending Ryan crashing back down with a pained wince. “Tell me Ryan, do you have any business experience?”

This was his chance. “No sir, but I-“

Mister Ashton didn’t let him finish. “No, I didn’t think you did,” he muttered. “Do you plan on attending college? Perhaps getting a bachelor’s degree in business management, or an MBA?”

“I-I didn’t think that I needed-“ Ryan started with a stammer, only to be interrupted by the older man's sigh.

The look in those blue eyes was of dismay, piercing through the redhead deeper than any blade ever could. “Look, Ryan, I'm going to be completely honest with you,” his hands moved behind his back, pushing his chest out and making him look all the more imposing. “You seem like a fine young man, well intentioned, but I don’t think you're up for the task of running a business; you lack the experience or education to do so.

“And,” Ryan tightened up, bracing himself mentally for the blow that was about to come, “I don’t think you’re right for my daughter. Ever since she met you, she's given up on her future. She was planning to go to college, all but packed before you came into her life. Now she seems,” he needed to pause, his look drifting away as he hunted for the right word. “Obsessed, with being with you, and content with supporting your endeavors over her own ambitions.”

If that look earlier has broken his skin, this was a stab deep to the young man’s heart. His mouth felt dry, devoid of anything he could say to try and make things right. All he could think about was using the dust on her, the moment he'd changed everything. Had he ruined her dreams? She never complained about it, but thinking back, she hadn’t complained about being kicked from the swim team either; not until he asked. He'd taken that away from her too.

He could feel his face going pale, starting to take in the scope of his actions.

“However,” Mister Ashton's voice pulled him back to reality, to the present, “that isn’t my decision to make. I may disagree with my wife and daughter regarding this marriage, but I won’t interfere with my daughter’s choice of husband.”

That stern blue gaze was on him, meeting with his own dark brown, uninteresting, eyes. “My daughter thinks the world of you Ryan. If you could prove me wrong, I would be the happiest father in the world,” he reached into his jacket, fishing out a small, folded card and handing it to his future son-in-law. “I sincerely hope you will, for her sake.”

The great man turned, taking his first step and pausing. “My daughter was on track for great things; don’t make her regret it,” he finished, before parting to return to his wife.

Suddenly there was a great weight on his shoulders. All Ryan had done up until now, hoping to impress this man, to make his future wife happy, was cast into question. Julianne seemed to want this, but was it the right thing for the both of them?

Slowly he opened up his father-in-law’s ‘gift', catching the looping script and fine bordering. A party invitation? It looked like it was going to be a networking event, some weeks from now. Mills Investments was barely off the ground yet, did the man really have so little faith in him?

“Hey, there you are,” Gavin's familiar voice popped up behind him, a hand slapping down on his shoulder.

The swim captain cleaned up well, the purple of his tie a fine match to his woody locks. It had been a bit of a last-minute decision to make him the best man, but when given the time to think, Ryan realized he didn’t have anyone else he was close enough to for the role; that also supported him and Julianne anyway. Turned out to be a good choice, that history of leadership translated pretty well to an ability to help organize things.

“Looks like everyone’s arrived,” he went on with a smile, “we’re ready to get things started. I assume you don’t want to leave your girl waiting on her big day?”

Of course, he didn’t. The redhead slipped the invitation into his jacket, for now, determined he would prove his soon-to-be wife's father wrong on his own two feet. His heart was pounding so hard with anticipation he thought it might explode, and yet, he turned to his best man with a confident smile.

Making his way into the wedding hall, the guests were already in their seats. His family were to his left, all eyes falling on him as he and his procession walked slowly up the aisle. To his right, Julianne’s, of note her mother was giving him a beaming grin. He carried his confidence all the way to the altar, getting into his place and clasping his hands in front of him.

Next in were the bridesmaids, a number of the most popular girl’s best friends from their high school days, at least whom their relationship hadn’t pushed too far away. There were six in all, done up in beautiful violet dresses that hugged their forms, complimenting them while remaining modest enough they wouldn’t take away any attention from the bride they were chosen to protect. One was Vanessa, flashing Gavin a flirtatious grin before stepping into line with the others.

“Looks like you’re not the only one getting lucky tonight,” he whispered to the groom, eliciting the smallest chuckle. It wasn’t the time.

With everyone else in place, it was time for the main event. The low music that had filled the hall for the initial gathering died away, replaced with the sudden swell of the church organ, playing that familiar tune practically everyone was taught as a child. It brought with it anticipation, drawing everyone’s attention to the doors as the first verse started, the words so ingrained they didn’t need to be sung for everyone to know them: “here comes the bride”.

Mister Ashton appeared, by his side the most radiant sight Ryan had ever laid eyes on. Everyone in the hall lay in awe of the divine creature walking in, her long, elegant steps pushing through the skirt of her dress only enough to show her shoes, and the slightest bit of her ankles. In her lithe hands she carried a bouquet of scarlet roses, decorated with ribbon that teased around the curve of her hips as she moved. The heavy burden of her bust was held in by lace, crisscrossing with flowery spiral patterns that offered the daintiest little windows to the smooth flesh beneath. The true beauty however was above, where a thin veil lay over her face, but even through, her eyes, her smile, shone. All in attendance were looking at her, the magnificence of her dress, the perfection of her body as she moved, but those eyes, those sparkling pools, were only on him. That look alone, put all of his doubts at bay.

The two arrived at the altar, the man Ashton taking his daughter's hand and stealing her attention one last time before he was to give her away. He leaned forward, laying a parental kiss, through her veil, upon her forehead. Then, as he promised, turned that hand over to Ryan with the faintest smile to echo his prior words: “Prove me wrong.”

He would. The groom took his bride's soft fingers into his grip, as she stepped up onto the altar with him. “Dearly beloved…” the minister began, as the music faded away to nothingness.

In that moment, everything became distant. The goddess’ gaze rested on him, her face bright with unbridled joy that poured into him, and his own smile gave it right back to her. All the world was shut out; it was just them, on the precipice of their union.

Her delicate fingers held him tight, her full lips anxiously quivering behind the safety of her veil. How he wished he could just lift it and accept their call, but no. There was a small time yet, leaving the anticipation between the two lovers to boil over into an inescapable desire. She gave him the same look as she did at their graduation, “Shall we skip the party?”

Ryan grinned back, stifling a chuckle that still had his shoulders jumping lightly. They knew they couldn’t, a quick flash of his eyes towards the crowd, here purely for them, reminding her of the obvious reason. She replied with a playful pout behind her barrier, squeezing his hand in understanding.

“Now then,” the minister broke their silent conversation, “I was told the bride and groom have prepared their own vows?” they both nodded. “Then let us start with the groom.”

The room turned to the redhead, a light tint in his cheeks. He hadn’t had the most time to practice what he'd prepared, let alone in front of an audience. And as he thought on it all now, a part of him realized just how inadequate the scribbles he'd fussed over for weeks were for this moment. Looking at his wife-to-be though, her pristine beauty, he found the courage to simply speak from the heart.

“Julianne Ashton. Truly, there aren’t words to describe the amazing person you are. Strong, brilliant, gorgeous; they’re only small pieces of the whole that makes you. Over our time together, I feel like I've gotten to see so much of you, and never in my wildest dreams did I believe that, one day, I would be standing here with a woman even a tenth of all that you are,” he paused, feeling his heart hammering. “But here I am, about to embark on the next step of my life with you; our life. I love you, Julianne Ashton, and I vow to love you, through all of our hardships, to do all I can to make you happy, and to be the man that you deserve,” he cast a quick glance to the front row, where Mister Ashton watched with his own wife, “until the day that I die.”

The divine beauty's perfect laugh met his ears, her violet eyes looking up at him with tears in their corners. “You already are,” she assured him.

The minister turned next to her. “Then miss, now it is your turn,” he opened the floor to her.

She took a moment to clear the tears from her eyes, before they fell and tarnished her fine dress. “Ryan Mills,” she ad-libbed a beginning that matched his own before starting her well-practiced words, delivering them with the polished perfection her upbringing had trained her for. “I, Julianne Ashton, do vow to love you always, as you do me. All that I have, I give to you; through triumph and strife, I will stand by your side, and bend the world to reach our joys and dreams together.”

Bend the world? Why did that feel so familiar? The trim man wasn’t left with time to mull it over however, as his bride’s vows went on.

“There is no one in this life who I would sooner be with Ryan Mills. And so, I pledge myself to you, as your faithful wife, and take thee as my lawfully wedded husband, for the rest of my days,” her smile lit up the room, and could have melted even the coldest of hearts. Even her father, sitting there in the front row, could not help shed a silent tear into his moustache.

“I accept,” Ryan told her softly.

Their minister nodded. “The couple will now exchange the rings.”

The groom fished into his pocket, pulling out the fine gold band he'd chosen to match her engagement ring. “With this ring, I thee wed,” he recited, taking her hand and slipping it upon her finger next to its partner.

Hers was the more difficult task, fishing the ring from one of the holes that led to her cleavage, and having to juggle his hand with her still carrying her bouquet. “With this ring, I thee wed,” she repeated to him, sliding the thicker ring upon his finger, forever to mark him as her husband.

With a silent gesture, the two were pointed to a pedestal, a pen waiting next to their marriage certificate. Beaming to one another they stepped up, each scrawling their signature across the bottom. Ryan Mills, and Julianne Ashton Mills. “You may now kiss the bride,” the minister’s voice came behind them.

It was finally time to answer the call of his love's lips. He took her veil, lifting it over her head to reveal the full radiance of her visage, no longer dulled by the sheer fabric; she was even more breathtakingly beautiful. His arm curled about the small of her back, pulling her close and pressing her heavily contained bust against his chest. He almost worried he wouldn’t reach, but tipping her back to lean over her magnificent, head and a half sized bust, his lips pressed to hers. They closed their eyes, savoring their first kiss as husband wife as the music swelled back once more. The bundle of roses she’s carried with her thus far shot into the air, freeing her arms to wrap around his shoulders, and the hall was filled with happy applause and tears of unabashed glee. Then, hand in hand, they walked out to celebrate their new union." - A Harem His Own by Madam Materia