PULLING JAMIE WITH ME, the two of us leave the main room and head away, upstairs towards the hotel part of the estate.

Only a two minute walk away, by the time we get up to the room, I'm about ready to explode. As soon as the door closes, we snap together, pulling at each other's clothes to remove it all as fast as possible, as if our lives depended on it.

Carefully undoing the zip on the side of my dress, Jamie pushes the dress of my shoulders and I let it pool at my feet. Kicking off my shoes, he kneels to pull my tights off. When he stands back up, I unbutton his shirt as he works on his own belt. He moans appreciatively when I kiss his chest after each button.

"God, I love you," he tells me, capturing my lips and kissing me roughly once his shirt and trousers have joined my dress on the floor. "I love you so much."

He picks me up and I circle my legs around his waist, threading my fingers into his hair. I love the way his hair feels against my skin. It's soft and silky, even in the shaved section at the bottom. His ginger curls are malleable and mouldable, and as I pull my hands through it once more, it sticks up in all different directions, making him look entirely adorable.

Doing what he can to try not to mess my hair up, given it had taken nearly an hour to do, he sits down on the edge of the bed, his fingers moving into my knickers, asking the silent question. I nod, kissing him before sliding off him to remove my bra as well as my knickers. He stands to remove his boxers and we resume our positions.

The dampness between my legs can only be satisfied by him. It's been months since we've had sex, but as he fills me, I can't help the long moan that comes out of me. Like this, the connection is deeper, and as he kisses the sensitive skin between my breasts, flexing his hips, helping me get used to it, I'm almost completely consumed already.

He moves slowly, thrusting gently upwards as I swirl my hips, which he's holding in place. His lips capture mine briefly before he starts to speed up. I hold on to him, gripping his shoulders, crying out as each thrust hits what feels like the centre of my soul. He thrusts once more before he lifts me up and turns us over.

Not caring about my hair now, he moves us up the bed, so my head is resting between the pillows. One hand goes to his hip, the other clasps his hand as he moves again, driving me deeper, pushing me higher, faster, towards the blissful edge.

He mumbles something that sounds like 'I love you into my neck, kissing the tender skin beneath my ear as his free hand moves between us. The skin that's already alight prickles again with more heat, and I moan again when his fingers tease my stomach, lower and lower until he connects with sensitive spot. I try to buck my hips upwards, but as he thrusts into me one last time, I gasp as my first orgasm powers through me. I can't see straight, but as he keeps moving, wanting to push me higher, I know I'll come undone again.

As he continues to move, grunting with effort as I try to hold on, his hand moves lower, his fingers finding that delicious spot. I moan, unable to control myself, and as he thrusts into me again, hard, I explode again as I hear the bedhead smacking against the wall.

"Jamie," I pant, ready to come again as he keeps up the tantalising pace. "Ah! Thank... God... Everyone... Is... Ah... Downstairs."

I can feel sweat dripping down my forehead. As I grip his forearm and stroke his chest, he's sweating too, and I can tell he's close because his thrusts are becoming more sloppy.

"I want to..." He thrusts harder and the bedhead smacks again. "Make you..." Again. He feels so good as the pace quickens again. "I want to make you scream," he whispers in my ear and I grin, moaning as that speed increases.

"Again," I say to him. "Faster," I beg as he slams into me again, now holding himself up on his forearms above me.

That delicious knot is growing again, and I can't believe I'll be letting go a third time. But as he leans down and kisses me, he brings my leg up as he slams into me three more times, the third bringing his release as he calls my name. As he comes, he falls forward, resting his forehead on my shoulder, he groans, moving his hips.

Knowing I wasn't quite done, he pulls out of me but lowers himself down, holding my hips as he puts his mouth to me, making swift work of the rest of my orgasm. I really do scream as I come around him, not even caring if the whole world heard me.

"Fuck," I sigh as I start to come down. "That was..."

I'm breathing so hard I feel like I've just run a marathon and I can barely hear him through the sound of my breathing in my ears. I'm seeing stars, and I feel like I've gone to a different place entirely. Somewhere so magical it can't be real.

"You okay?" He asks, chuckling as he kisses my throat. A low moan comes out of me as the effect his lips have on my skin starts to appear again. "Earth to Tessa?"

"Mmm," I answer, knowing I won't be able to make an intelligible sentence come out of my mouth for a few more minutes at least.

Now at my neck, he chuckles as he kisses the soft skin beneath my ear. "Is that the most I'll get out of you for a while?"

I bite my lip as he licks the side of my neck, before kissing it softly. A saving grace is that I can feel him growing just as excited as I am, given we're still connected. Dampness pools in me again, and I take his hand, directing it downwards again. Mustering all my strength, I then roll us over and turn the tables on him. Still sensitive from our exploits, I only grind my hips once against his, but it's enough for him to let out a low groan of his own.

"Jesus, you are ravenous, it seems," he says, grinning lazily through his near-black eyes.

He sits up, so we're nose to nose, shifting me so that I rise and then slide back down onto him. I sigh in relief same as him as he keeps the rhythm slow, that delicious ball of tension growing slowly at my centre.

"I've missed this." My voice is breathless in his ear.

We don't really say anything more as the connection builds between us again, and as I come around for the fourth time, I lean back with a satisfied smile, nearly exhausted.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk straight if we have to go downstairs."

He chuckles, making me gasp as our connection is still in tact. He leans back and rolls us over, pulling out of me. Even after a few seconds, I miss the contact, but I know people will probably be missing us downstairs.

"We don't have to go back?" he suggests.

I turn and look at the clock. It was just past nine, so the party had over three hours left, which is too long to go missing for. I would love to stay here, in our little post-coital bubble, in bed, just the two of us, but Charlotte would never forgive me.

"I would love to stay..." I kiss his cheek and roll out of bed. "But the bride will be missing me, and you wouldn't want to miss the rest of this party."

He rolls his eyes but gets up, finding his clothes same as me. "I'll just have to wait a few more hours to have my way with you again," he tells me, kissing me soundly.

"Is that a promise?" I ask as he pulls away.

He kisses my nose. "Sure is, baby."

I hum in appreciation and he kisses me once more before we both finish getting dressed again

***

SURPRISINGLY, BETWEEN THE TWO of us, we manage to get my hair back to the way I had it before we head back downstairs to the party, which sounded like it was now in full swing.

I make sure my dress doesn't look creased after being in a heap on the floor, and then I smooth and button up Jamie's shirt, helping with the tie he pulls out of his pocket. We sneak down the stairs, and when we're sure no one had noticed what we'd snuck off to do, we head into the party.

I feel so much happier with Jamie now by my side. His constant hand on my back as I introduced him to the school friends he hadn't met yet filled me with happiness. My new world fitting perfectly into my old world, as conversation between them started to flow, and it felt so nice to have a partner next to me, not having to worry about whispers of the what ifs between me and Archie.

The true test came half an hour later, as Jamie spots Archie across the room. Although his eyes flinch as he glares, it's actually Jamie that starts pulling us across the room, towards were Archie is standing talking to Millie, Mark and my mum.

I don't miss the longing in his eyes, followed by the suspicion, but he greets us both with a smile as we approach the small group.

I can't help but smile as I see Ellie in his arms again, and she is absolutely out for the count now.

"Someone's had a great time," Jamie points out, pretending to poke at Ellie's cheeks, which were puffed out in sleep.

"You're here?" Mum remarks with a knowing smile.

Jamie looks at me sheepishly but kisses the side of my head and pulls me slightly closer to him as he turns to Archie.

"Listen man, I'm really sorry."

He could have said it in a better way, but I know he's being sincere.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted the other day, and... and for yesterday. You were helping us out, helping Tessa get back to Andy, and I should never have acted that way. I'm so sorry."

I feel like hours go by before Archie responds, but he's gracious enough to nod and accept Jamie's apology.

"And I want to make this easier on Tess, so I want to try and put this behind us? Well, I want to put it behind me."

He looks at me before he looks back at Archie again. "Because I know she needs you in her life."

I turn my head to look at him and my heart soars. Earlier, I told myself I had to be resigned having one or the other, but yet here he is saying that I needed him.

"I saw how she was when she came back from New York."

I see the momentary panic that flashes across his eyes, but he knows Jamie would have gone thermonuclear if he'd known the truth. What had happened between us was certainly unorthodox, but it seemed to be exactly what we both needed.

One tiny conversation, pure honesty, and we're now almost completely different people.

"I never believed her when she needed to see you, to clear her head," he continues. "I never wanted to believe it, but that's because I don't think like Tessa does. I'm not thoughtful and understanding like Tessa is. But I want to thank you."

There's a moment of silence where Archie just looks between us, confused.

"You want to thank me?" Archie asks, clearly just as confused at Jamie's one-eighty turn on him.

"Yeah. Look, I won't ask what was said, because that is between the two of you, but seriously. Thank you."

Everyone in the circle looks down at Jamie's outstretched hand, and time seems to stop as I look at Archie. I can tell he doesn't want to take it, after what Jamie did to him, but after an agonising eternity, he does finally put his hand out. The two of them shake twice, looking each other in the eyes, sincerity passing between them.

"You can thank me, as long as you do something for me," he says, still holding Jamie's hand.

It's Jamie's turn to frown, and as Archie looks at me, giving me a wistful and emotional look, making Jamie frown further. He then looks back at him and sighs. "Support her in everything she does. Listen to her when she has good days, and when she has bad days, and help her talk through her problems. Tell her when she's thinking about things too much, and be there for her, no matter what." He looks at me. "Hold her tight, Jamie. Hold on to her, and love her as much as humanly possible. Lord knows no one will ever be worthy... but just love her like you are."

His words are so beautiful, a tear escapes. It rolls down my cheek, but I daren't move to wipe it off.

"I will, mate," Jamie says softly, looking at me, detaching his hand from Archie's to wipe the stray tear. "And I plan to do so until I'm old and grey."

Another tear escapes at that, and as he lingers a kiss on my forehead, I mouth a thank you at Archie. He smiles at me and nods just as Jamie pulls away.

"So... what did I miss?" He grins, and the conversations about the ceremony start again.

Later on, when Jamie finally pulls me onto the dance floor, I smile up at him. He's been amazing today, more amazing than I could ever imagine given how this day started for the two of us. Standing in amongst all my closest friends and family, he was here, holding me, never letting me go, just like he promised.

"I love you," he whispers into my hair, kissing it softly before leaning his head down to kiss the side of my neck. "I'm so in love with you, I don't think I'll ever stop falling."

I smile into his shoulder. It's what he said when he proposed, and it was one of the most beautiful speeches he's ever made. It's one of the things I love about him. Even though there are times when he does make mistakes, he's romantic where it counts.

"I love you," I whisper back. I say it again closer to his ear before kissing his cheek. I then gently nibble at his ear, and as he presses me against him, I'm glad he's on the same page as me.

Looking at him properly, his blue eyes are nearly black, and as we scan the room, I see the party is now starting to show signs of finishing. Charlotte and Danny had disappeared half an hour ago and hadn't returned, as had Millie and Greg. I hadn't seen Archie since his conversation with Jamie, but then, for once, I hadn't been looking for him. Mum had left a couple of hours ago when Ellie started to get too grumpy, and I think the only people left that we knew was Will and Rob, with their other halves. Jamie and I hadn't noticed, having been in our own bubble.

"Shall we?" Jamie asks, offering me his elbow.

I smile wider before kissing him soundly. "Ready for round two," I tell him, grinning widely as I playfully pull at his tie.

Once we're upstairs, door closed, his mouth is on mine like a flash, his lips urgent and hungry.

Already feeling like I was going to burst, we practically rip our clothes off, and as he shuffles me up the bed, I barely have a moment to think before I let out a euphoric moan. He presses into me, filling me, and as he moves, pushing me to the edge of the brink, I know I'm the luckiest girl alive.

"I love you," I tell him, linking my fingers with his as he starts to move faster. "I love you, Jamie."

A few minutes later, he utters the same words in my ear as he comes, pressing me into the bed, pulling me over that brink with him.

We stay where we are for a few moments, before he pulls out of me and puts an arm around me. I place my cheek on his damp chest and smile, sated to the point of feeling like I was partially drunk.

I really was drunk. Drunk off Jamie, drunk off the high of the monumental decision. Drunk off love.

I love him. I choose him. Words I never thought I'd be able to say with clear conviction, and yet here I am.

Smiling, I giggle as I hear a snore coming from Jamie a few minutes later. Kissing his chest and snuggling closer, I close my eyes and listen to the sound of his heartbeat against my ear, using the rhythm to follow him into a peaceful slumber.