by Siera London
“I asked, didn’t I?”
“What about all the stuff you read to me in those books?”
“Romance?”
“Yes, and love.”
“Oh,” he grinned. “I’m all romance.” He looked offended. “I’m the six pack of beer, box of candy hearts, and the Harlequin monthly subscription. It doesn’t get more romantic than that.”
She slapped his chest. He still hadn’t said the he loved her.
“And,” Trace said kissing her lips. “I’ll love you until time runs out and starts over again. Now, it’s an island and Lance has all the boats on lockdown. What do you say, Princess?”
“I say,” she went up on tiptoe, placing a kiss on his lips. “I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. I love you too.”
Trace howled. “Somebody turn on the lights and find that minister.”
Tori’s wedding day was filled with fire and rain, a villain, prince charming, and a daring rescue. She’d never been happier.
Chapter Thirteen
Now that Denton was behind bars and awaiting trial, Tori’s life was pretty ordinary.
“How far apart are her contractions?” Tori asked Nathan as she regarded Symphony’s exhausted face and rigid posture in the hospital bed.
Symphony had gone into labor at the wedding reception. She and Trace had been married for two days. They both wanted to have a ceremony where all their friends were present. So, forty-eight hours after she said I do with a charred veil on her head standing in a puddle of water, she and Trace renewed their vows. Her father had walked her down the aisle to her husband, and one of her friends from her Johns Hopkins days, Dr. Logan Masters had driven down for the wedding. Logan was a pediatric surgeon on staff at one of Florida’s leading medical centers. During his residency, he’d volunteered hundreds of hours with Tori’s mom at the women’s shelter. With his ruddy blond mane and vivid green eyes, the man should never be without a woman, yet he was always alone. Tori often wondered if Logan had his own story of betrayal. How tragic she thought because she’d had never been happier.
“Don’t know. I’m not a paramedic right now, Tori. I’m a soon to be father,” Nathan grumbled.
Apparently, her father’s mental state had improved significantly since he’d stopped taking all the medications provided by Denton’s physician. Tori learned her father hadn’t abandoned her to Denton’s mercy. While she’d been taken hostage, he’d telephoned his lawyer and revoked the stipulations of her trust and fired Denton.
Strong arms slid around her waist. “You okay, Princess?”
“Never better.” She smiled up at her husband’s handsome face, settling into the loving heat of his warrior’s body.
She touched the rose pendant dangling from the chain around her neck. Trace had made a call, and poof, her beloved heirloom had arrived by courier the next day. Trace had fumbled with the tiny clasp, followed by a string of profanity, as he locked it around her neck.
Ten hours later Lyric Axyla Zachary was in her mother’s arms. Tori laughed as three huge men, oohed and aahed over the little girl with her father’s raven black waves and her mother’s golden amber eyes. A soft gurgle came from tiny lips and the adults in the room erupted in cheers. Bliss and absolute joy was a tangible presence in the room. There were ‘first female president’ predictions followed by Supreme Court justice appointments. The baby was beautiful and Tori ran a hand over her belly. Did Trace want children?
Nathan sat in the reclining chair at his wife’s bedside. With his infant daughter cradled in one arm, he held his wife’s hand while she slept. Tears sprang to Tori’s eyes. She thought Denton’s actions had damaged her in some irreparable way. No, she was stronger now than she’d ever been. Trace’s love had shown her she was flawed, like him, but not broken. His acceptance and complete devotion had won her heart.
“How many kids do you want, Princess?” Trace asked, with her across his lap.
“As many as you’ll give me.”
He chuckled and placed a kiss on her cheek. “I love you, Mrs. Fletcher.”
“I love you more,” she teased.
“You can prove it in bed, tonight. I have every intention of exploring your assets.”
“You’re so raunchy, but I have an extensive portfolio that’s worth a thorough once over.”
“Yeah, and your man is proud of how you manage it,” Trace murmured.
Cutler groaned. “Man, cut it out. You know I’m not getting any action.”
Tori looked over just in time to see Kendall elbowing her fiancé in the ribs.
“You get plenty of action.”
Cutler scoffed. “Her grandmother recommended a pre-martial counselor that touts abstinence before marriage.”
“Ah, poor baby,” Kendall said, patting his head.
“Keep messing around. We gonna need counseling to recover from the counseling,” Cutler said, before breaking into a laugh.
“When’s the wedding?” Tori asked.
Kendall smiled down at her island cowboy. “As soon as Trace’s temporary replacement comes on board we are headed to Vegas for two weeks.”
“Wow,” Tori said.
“Nope,” Trace said, coming to his feet with her in his arms. “We are not having a third ceremony. You’re mine, twice over.”
“Oh, come on. Let’s do the Vegas Elvis thing at one of the resorts on The Strip, maybe Camelot or Excalibur.” Tori clapped her hands in excitement.
“Oh, I’ve got some medieval shit planned for you right here in Key West, and then again in Dallas.”
She smiled looking forward to her next adventure with her Trace, her dream lover.
“Who’s coming from DF&R 58?” Trace asked.
“I have my suspicions,” Kendall said, her voice dreamy.
“Must be gorgeous,” Tori chimed in.
“If it’s who I think, his name and the body are a matched set. Throw in his Harley and the man practically owns every pair of panties when he walks in the place,” Kendall squealed.
“He better not have any damn panties from the three of you.” Nathan rose from the chair, but stayed at his wife’s side.
Tori had a home in Trace’s heart and with her new friends. As she regarded each face in the room, she remembered a few days ago she thought she was all alone in the world. How wrong she had been. The only impulse she felt in that moment was to dig in her heels and hold onto her happily ever after. That empty place in her heart softened, a sprout of green peeked through the soil fertilized with love. She had the man who filled her dreams with storybook magic and her heart with love. As if the moment was to sacred, little Lyric Axyla decided to raise the short hairs on everyone’s neck by unleashing a glass-shattering howl.
Trace leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “You sure you want one?”
“To quote my poetic husband, ‘among other things’.” Tori turned to kiss her husband. Indeed, everything was coming up roses.
✥
If you loved Trace and Victoria’s story, download
Nathan and Symphony’s story
In
CHASING FLAMES http://a.co/c0fdhDc
And
Cutler and Kendall’s story
In
CONCEALING FIRE http://a.co/4yp03cc
✥
Siera London is a Bestselling Author of contemporary romance and romantic suspense. She crafts stories of diverse characters navigating the challenges and triumphs to find lasting love. Intelligence, wit, emotion, drama, and sensual romance are between the covers of every Siera London novel.
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