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“Traitor!”I calledafterher.

But I didn’t have time to dwell on that.Oh no.Colt walked in and took my breath away.He filled out his tux looking like prince, except sexier, as he loomed in the doorway of the MaureenO’Hararoom.

“You’ve been hiding from me all day.”The door clicked closedbehindhim.

“That’s the way a wedding day works, Colt.It’s bad luck to see thebride.”

He rolled his eyes.“I don’t believe in luck—goodorbad.”

And neither did I.“You couldn’t wait a few moreminutes?”

I watched as he moved to my wedding dress, an ivory satin and lace gown with a fifties silhouette but a modern flare.“It’s not that I couldn’t wait.”He pulled down the zipper and removed the hanger.“I will always wait for you.”He turned toward me with a smile.“It’s that I didn’t like being keptapart.”

He stood in front of me holding my gown, waiting for myreaction.

“You don’t liketradition?”

He smirked.“Not really.Not when it doesn’t make sense.”He stepped closer and held up the dress so I could slide inside.Once it was situated on my shoulders he moved to my back and pressed his bare hand to my skin.“We’ve been in this together since day one.This isourrelationship.Ourmarriage.I don’t like thinking of us starting it apart.”He began sliding my zipper upslowly.

My knees went weak.“I think it’s supposed to be symbolic.Two separate peoplebecomingone.”

He fastened the clasp at the top of the zipper and pressed a kiss to my skin just above it.“We did that a long time ago.You’re not some virginal bride being sold off to a man, and I’m not going to stand up there waiting for you like some sort ofprize.”

I melted back into him.“You have a way with words,Cowboy.”

“But I’m right,aren’tI?”

“Is this just you wanting to put your stamp all overeverything?”

“No,” his breath whispered over my ear.“I’m well over that and our family doesn’t need thatreminder.”

“You really just want to modernize ourweddingday?”

He turned me so we were face to face, his hands cupping mine as he stared lovingly into my eyes.“No.It’s about making today a reflection of us.The life we’re building.”He took my hand, threading his fingers between his as he pulled it up for a kiss.“We’ve built this life together, on the foundation of our love, with our passion for life.Plus, I reallymissedyou.”

Elizabeth was right.The man made a compelling argument.I was excited to see David and Jonas standing beside Colt.I was just as excited to see Elizabeth and Ted standing on my side.Did it really matter if Colt saw mefirst?

Notreally.

And it struck me how happy Iwas.“Huh.”

“What?”Colt asked, searchingmyface.

“It just hit me.I don’t worry anymore.”Not in a long, long time.At least not in that overwhelming, life-consuming, stress-inducing way.Instead I spent my days enjoying this life I made with Colt and dreaming of the future.When I worried, it was over small things, and usually after talking to Colt those worriesdisappeared.

“The only thing I’m worried about is how tired we’ll be tonight.”He soundedconcerned.

“Aw, are you worried about getting laid?”As if we hadn’t had the most amazingHoly Shit I Won An Oscarsex this morning.The man wasinsatiable.

He shrugged.“What can I say?You keep mehungry.”

“Don’t worry,” I whispered in his ear.“I have a wedding gift for you I knowyou’lllove.”

His whole body stiffened.“Whatisit?”

I shrugged, knowing he was growing hard in his tux just thinking about it.“All I can say is it involves you, me, and the loft.”There might also be a cowboy hat involved.Andrope.

“Really?”he growled.“God, I love that I never know what’s going tohappennext.”

I kissed him one more time, slow and deep.“I feel thesameway.”