Page 15

ELIAS

S ix Months Later

The flowers from our mountain meadow fill Maggie's diner with the scent of summer, white wildflowers and baby's breath arranged in mason jars on every table.

The whole town of Grizzly Ridge has crowded into the small space, faces I've known my entire life beaming as they wait for the ceremony to begin.

Six months have passed since the courthouse victory, and three since Brad Cooper was finally sentenced to fifteen years in state prison for stalking, assault, and violating the restraining order.

The bastard made the mistake of trying to approach Riley at the grocery store two weeks after the hearing.

By the time Sawyer and I arrived, Riley had him on the ground with a knee to his back and half the town cheering her on.

Justice, at last.

Now, standing at the front of the diner in my best suit, Sawyer and Boone are beside me on either side.

Boone as my best man, and Sawyer as the officiant.

I watch the door for my bride as my brothers fill the front row.

Cade with Harper, Luke with his arm draped over Caleb's shoulders. Lily, Caleb’s wife, sits beside him with Lily, Luke’s daughter, in her lap.

They have gotten incredibly close, building a bond over their shared name.

Finn looks uncharacteristically serious.

Rebecca sits with Margaret, both women dabbing at their eyes with tissues.

The soft sound of the old piano begins, and every head turns toward the door. Then Riley appears, and my breath catches in my throat.

She's wearing her mother's wedding dress, cream silk that flows around her like water, altered to fit her perfectly. Her dark hair is swept up, revealing the graceful line of her neck, and she carries a simple bouquet of the same wildflowers that fill the room.

But it's her smile that undoes me completely. Radiant, joyful, meant only for me.

Sophie, her maid of honor, follows behind, but I barely see her. My eyes are locked on Riley as she walks down the short aisle between the diner tables, her green eyes never leaving mine.

When she reaches me, I take her hands, marveling at how small they feel in mine. How perfectly they fit.

"You look beautiful," I whisper, not caring who hears.

"So do you," she whispers back, eyes sparkling with tears and laughter.

Sawyer clears his throat, his deep voice carrying easily through the packed diner. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Elias McKenna and Riley Hart..."

The ceremony is simple, traditional, but every word feels weighted with meaning. When we reach the vows, Riley surprises me by pulling out a folded piece of paper.

"I wrote something," she says softly, unfolding it with trembling hands.

Her voice is steady as she reads: "Elias, you've been my protector, my friend, my home for as long as I can remember.

Today you become my husband, but you've been the love of my life since I was old enough to understand what love meant.

I promise to stand beside you, to challenge you, to support you, to love you for all the days of our lives. "

She folds the paper, eyes bright with unshed tears. "And I promise to always come home to you."

My own vows are simpler, spoken from the heart: "Riley, you saved me from a life half-lived.

You brought light to my darkness, purpose to my days, and love to a heart I thought was too scarred to feel it.

I promise to protect you, cherish you, and love you with everything I am, for as long as I draw breath. "

When Sawyer pronounces us husband and wife, the diner erupts in cheers and applause. But all I can see is Riley, my wife, as I kiss her for the first time as her husband.

"I love you, Mrs. McKenna," I murmur against her lips.

"I love you too, Mr. McKenna," she laughs, the sound pure joy.

RILEY

Hours later, after cake and dancing and more congratulations than I can count, Elias carries me over the threshold of our cabin. Our home. The place where our story truly began.

"Finally," he growls, kicking the door shut behind us. "I've been wanting to get you alone all day."

"Have you now?" I tease, my arms around his neck as he carries me through the living room. "What did you have in mind?"

His eyes darken with familiar heat. "I want to make love to my wife."

Wife. The word sends shivers through me, just as it has every time he's said it today. We're married. Actually, officially, permanently married.

He sets me down gently beside our bed, his hands immediately moving to the buttons at the back of my dress. "I've been thinking about this moment all day," he confesses, his voice rough with desire. "About finally having you as my wife."

"I'm all yours," I breathe, turning to let him work the small buttons free. "Always have been."

The dress pools at my feet, leaving me in nothing but white lace lingerie that I chose specifically for this moment. Elias's intake of breath is sharp, reverent.

"Christ, Riley," he whispers, hands skimming my bare shoulders. "You're perfect."

I turn in his arms, fingers working at his tie, then his shirt buttons. "Your turn, husband."

The word makes him groan, low and desperate. His hands frame my face as he kisses me deeply, thoroughly, with none of the restraint he's shown in the past. This is our wedding night. No more barriers, no more holding back.

When we're both bare, he lifts me onto the bed, following me down, covering my body with his. The feeling of skin against skin, no barriers between us, is intoxicating.

"I love you," he says, settling between my thighs, his eyes holding mine. "My wife. My everything."

"Show me," I whisper, pulling him down for another kiss.

He enters me slowly, reverently, both of us sighing at the perfect connection. This isn't hurried or desperate like our earlier encounters. This is worship, celebration, the physical manifestation of vows spoken and promises made.

"Mine," he breathes against my lips as he begins to move. "Forever mine."

"Yours," I agree, meeting his rhythm, losing myself in the exquisite friction, the overwhelming rightness of being joined with him. "Always yours."

We move together with familiar intimacy but new purpose, husband and wife making love for the first time. Every touch, every kiss, every whispered endearment is imbued with the weight of our commitment.

When release finally takes us, it's together, our bodies and souls completely in sync. Afterward, we lie tangled in the sheets, hearts still racing, skin damp with exertion and satisfaction.

"How does it feel?" Elias asks, pulling me closer, his hand stroking my hair. "Being married?"

I consider the question, thinking about the day, the ceremony, this perfect moment in his arms. "Like everything in my life finally makes sense," I say.

He presses a kiss to my temple. "That's exactly how it feels for me too."

We drift toward sleep, wrapped in each other's arms and the knowledge that we have a lifetime of nights like this ahead of us.

"I love you, Elias McKenna," I whisper into the darkness.

"I love you too, Riley McKenna," he replies, the name still new enough to make us both smile.

Our story is just beginning, but I know with absolute certainty that this is where I belong. In his arms, in this home we've built together, in the life we'll continue creating day by day.

Forever.