You'll Never Be Lonely by Madison Sevier Page B

I watch you work, I am mesmerized. When I think back to the first moment we met, I remember the look on your face, how incredibly angry you were and I adore you even more for how passionate you are. When you lie beside me, peacefully asleep, I thank God that fate or whatever you want to call it threw us together. Sure, J.B. played a huge part in our meeting, but I’m the one who inadvertently destroyed your laptop and e-reader.”
    With a pointed look, Kallie grinned as Hank continued. “I know. I also caused you to drop your phone over the edge of the ravine. Also an accident and, without any of those things happening, I never would’ve found the love of my life. Kallie, I’ve loved you from the moment you called me a Neanderthal. I don’t regret a moment of it and if I had to do it all over again, I would. I love you and I promise you that I will never leave you. I want to fill your life with happiness and I’ll do everything in my power to make you understand you’ll always be safe with me. Your electronic devices however, maybe not so much.”
    Hank wore a sly grin as he placed his hands on either side of her face and his gaze bore into hers, “I adore you and I am amazed at your forgiving nature. Any other woman would’ve turned and ran. You, my love, are going to be stuck with me for a very long time.”
    Before Hank could lean in for another kiss, Kallie shoved him off of her, dumping his naked body on the hardwood floor, and made a beeline for the bathroom. She locked the door just in time to expel the meager contents of her stomach into her honeymoon cabin’s toilet.
    “Lovely,” she muttered before dry-heaving for another ten minutes.
     
    * * * *
     
    “What the hell?” His new wife had simply tossed him off of the bed and ran away without even a backwards glance. Though his backside would surely have a bruise, he couldn’t help but laugh at the woman he’d married. Hank knew every day would hold incredible surprises for the rest of their lives. With Kallie, he never knew what he was going to get and that one fact made him the happiest man alive. She’d made that abundantly clear from the moment they’d met. He couldn’t imagine going back to the lonely, meager existence he’d known before she’d walked into his life. If he hadn’t been at the pool that first day, they never would’ve met. For that, he really needed to send Kallie’s boss a huge thank you gift.
    “Who knew the old man was a matchmaker?”
    After a few moments of sitting on the floor reminiscing, he stood and dusted himself off. Obviously, his woman wasn’t coming back to check on him anytime soon. Maybe he was supposed to join her in the bathroom for a honeymoon shower? The thought of sliding his soap-covered hands of Kallie’s wet skin instantly brought his shaft to attention. With one purpose in mind, he strode to the bathroom door.
    “Ow! Son-of-a!” Slamming into the locked pine door at full-force, Hank would now have one huge goose egg on his forehead.
    Pressing his palm against his throbbing injury, Hank knocked on the wooden obstacle separating him from the love of his life. “Kal, why did you lock the door? Surely, we’re past these kinds of formalities. Besides, I have a big surprise for you, darlin’.” Hank’s southern drawl rolled off of his tongue.
    Silence was the only thing that greeted him from the other side of the door. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so forceful. His wife most likely wanted to freshen up before a morning romp. Though he didn’t care if she hadn’t brushed her teeth or her hair, Kallie was a woman, after all and he couldn’t fault her for the effort she wanted to put into pleasing her husband.
    Hank tapped again on the door and this time he heard his new, beautiful bride retching. Alarmed, he pounded on the door more forcefully. “Kallie! What’s wrong? Are you okay? Let me in!”
    More silence. Not knowing if his wife was okay, Hank shot straight into panic mode. He slammed