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“We don’t have to talk about it,” he whispered.

Remi shook her head. “I want to talk about it.” She inhaled a shaky breath and took that big leap beside him. “Because I love you too.”

There were two excruciating seconds before Colt stormed toward her. Her stomach tumbled as he lifted her into his arms. She hooked her legs around him only a moment before her back pressed against the wall. Her body was entwined with his–arms and legs wrapped around him as he stopped an inch from pressing his mouth to hers.

The dark of his eyes dilated until the brown disappeared. His deep voice shook as he whispered, “Remi, I love you so much it kills me.”

She tightened her arms and legs around him. “Thank you.”

A playful smile flashed on his face in the second before his mouth crashed into hers. She might have just made a joke about her terrible response to his incredibly sweet vows, but this kiss was nothing like the one that had sealed them as husband and wife.

No, Colt’s kiss was a thunderstorm with no warning, ripping up the long-held roots of her insecurities. One hand spread across the width of her back while the other pushed into her hair, cradling her face as he confessed his long-held desire. He’d been holding back this fire behind a wall the size of the Hoover Dam all these years, and she’d been missing out on this.Theyhad been missing out on this.

When she couldn’t gasp enough air, she pulled away, but Colt moved to her neck, placing soft kisses up the tender skin and over her jaw. The small brushes of his lips did nothing to help regain her breath.

After he’d kissed her enough to drive out all other thoughts, he locked his gaze with hers and breathed, “You. Are. Perfect.”

They were the same words he’d written to her before he left town, but the full meaning seemed conceivable now. Whether she saw any good in herself or not, Colt saw it and believed it with his whole heart.

“Is this what it’s like to be your wife?”

His mouth quirked up in a one-sided grin. “I tried to tell you I loved you years ago.”

It was true. He’d loved her all this time, and she could see the truth now with a bittersweet longing for everything they’d missed out on. “I should have listened.” She gasped. “Speaking of being your wife, I have a surprise for you.”

His eyes widened, and he held her tighter. “What is it?”

“You have to let me go so I can get it.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m torn. I want to know what the surprise is, but probably not enough to let you go.”

She squirmed in his embrace. “Trust me, you want to see this.”

He rested her on her feet, and she reluctantly left the warmth of his arms. In the bedroom, she rummaged in the old leather purse that she hardly carried. She pulled what she wanted out of the wallet and hid it behind her back as she jogged back into the living room.

“Close your eyes.”

Colt did as he was instructed and held out his hands.

She pressed the card into his palms, and he opened his eyes.

“A card?” He held it up and read the first line. “Your social security card! It says Remington Walker!”

Remi slapped a hand over his mouth. She pushed thoughts of the way that mouth moved perfectly over hers from her mind. “Will you celebrate silently? You’ll wake the kids.”

His eyes were still comically wide as she let her hand fall from his mouth. She’d been hoping to surprise him, but his love declaration had already taken the spotlight this evening.

“You changed your name.” He stared at the card he held with gentle fingers. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to. I’ll be Remington Walker for the rest of my life. It was time to make it official.”

He continued to stare at the card. Who could have guessed something so small could make him so happy?

“Your name is Remington Jo. Why have I not been calling you that all this time?”

Remi scrunched up her nose. “Because it sounds ridiculous.”

He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in. “Remi Jo Walker has a nice ring to it.”