He swallowed hard but pushed on before he lost his nerve. “I didn’t want to leave. I knew if I got better, I couldn’t stay on the ranch. With you.”
She stared at his face in shock.
He forced himself to continue. “Even if I couldn’t show you how much I loved you, I could still be close to you. I could watch you, protect you from a distance. It was better than nothing.”
“Oh God, Decker.” Her voice broke slightly. “You worried me so much. It kept me up at night thinking about how I could help you, what I could do to reach you.”
The pain in her voice nearly undid him. He lifted his hand to cup her chin, tilting her face up so he could study her eyes. “I never meant to worry you,” he said quietly. “From now on, I’ll only keep you up at night pleasuring you.”
A watery laugh escaped her and tears threatened to spill over, but she kissed him anyway, right there in front of everyone, her hands bracketing his face like she was afraid he might disappear.
The soft melting of their lips made his heart stretch and swell with the love pulsing through it.
When they pulled apart, she smiled. “How did I end up with the right man, finally? I spent so many years looking for someone who could match what I was willing to give.” A tear broke free and rolled down her cheek.
“Maybe you just had to wait for the broken soldier to put himself back together.” He swiped the tear away with a gentle stroke of his thumb.
“Attention, everyone!” Denver’s voice cut through the music, and the band quieted as the new groom took the microphone. “Rhae and I want to thank you all for being here tonight. This has been perfect—exactly what we wanted, and you’ve all made our day even more perfect than we could have planned for.”
Applause filled the barn, and Denver pulled his new wife close, both of them glowing with happiness.
“Pretty soon, we’ve got a plane to catch,” Denver continued with a grin. “But before we go, we’ve got some traditions to uphold.”
Rhae held up her bouquet, scanning the small group of unmarried women with mischief in her eyes. “All right, ladies, you know the drill.”
What happened next could hardly be called a proper bouquet toss. Rhae took aim and launched the flowers directly at Willow, who caught them more out of reflex than intention. The barn erupted in cheers and catcalls, and Decker found himself grinning at the look of shock on Willow’s face.
Then Rhae perched on the edge of a chair while Denver swooped to one knee and walked his fingers purposely up her ankle to disappear beneath her dress. Rhae tossed her head back in laughter as Denver produced the garter with a theatrical flourish.
“Single guys, line up!”
Decker didn’t move to get into the line, but Denver called out to him, “Your turn, brother!” He slingshot the garter straight at Decker.
He caught the bit of lace and satin easily, then he turned and his gaze landed on Willow’s pink face.
Cheers echoed to the vaulted ceiling.
“Well,” Carson called out from the crowd, “I guess we know what’s coming next!”
“Sooner rather than later, I hope.” Oaks raised his beer in a toast.
To hell with what anyone thought. Decker hooked an arm around Willow’s waist and yanked her flush against him. Then he crushed his lips to hers with a kiss that made the whole barn cheer again.
Soon Denver and Rhae made their way to the waiting car that would take them to the private jet, and all the guests flooded outside to wave off the happy couple.
The night air closed in around them, cool and sharp. Willow tilted her head back to look at the sky. The day was winding down, but life was just beginning.
“So.” Willow turned to him after the newlyweds drove away. “What happens now?”
Decker gathered her close, this woman who’d saved him without even knowing it, who’d given him a reason to heal and a future worth fighting for.
“Now we build something beautiful,” he said. “Together.”
Chapter Twelve
WhenWillow slipped into the security office, the team was already gathered around the conference table, coffee cups and notepads scattered across the polished surface. Decker sat at the far end, tracking her movement with an intensity that made heat crawl up her neck. “Sorry I’m late. The new rescue horse, Apple, has a bellyache.The veterinarian recommended a special diet to help her, so I had to order it from the feed store.” She was a little breathless as she settled into her usual chair and opened her laptop. “First on the agenda, the merger I mentioned in California is on hold now. We could still end up going, but for now, it’s on the backburner. Second order of business—a basic protection case came in yesterday. A woman in Colorado has been receiving threats from her husband. They’re in the middle of a dirty divorce, and he has a history of violence. He broke the restraining order but was released on bail. Client wants around-the-clock security for as long as it takes to settle everything.”
Carson leaned back in his chair, already shaking his head. “Can’t be me. Not with Layne in her third trimester. I’m not leaving her for that long.”
