“Whoever said having a daughter was less chaotic than sons never met Blair Hart.”
“I knew my ears were ringing for a reason,” Blair says, popping up between Austin and me, and sliding perfectly into the space under my arm. We’re a pair of puzzle pieces, and I’m only whole when she’s tucked against my side like this.
I press a kiss to her hair, pulling her tighter. The dress fabric slips between my fingers, and we share a quick glance that says I’m not the only one thinking about tearing it off her shortly.
“We were neverbad,” Blair clarifies. “Denver and I just enjoyed a good prank.”
“I’m still not convinced you agreeing to marry me wasn’t the ultimate prank,” I say to her.
She throws her hands up with a laugh. “I asked you.”
“Ultimate prank. Like I said.”
With a head shake, she slowly rubs my back. “I’ve always been a Wells—figured it was about time I made it official.”
“Damn right,” Dad says. And for the first time since she died, my dad utters a name that sounds awkward and foreign coming from his lips. “If she were here, Lucy would be so happy to see you two together.”
“Just like I told Aus before his wedding, I know she’s here. She’s always here,” I say.
Blair pulls me in like a life raft, securing her hold on my waist, and we don’t separate again until the last guest dwindles off the mountainside.
Blair
After the wedding guests trickle off, heading back to the ranch to set out food the girls have spent days preparing, Denver tosses a cooler bag down below our tree and lays out a simple plaid blanket. And before long, I’m sinking into his embrace under the warm autumn sun. Golds and yellows and reds stretch as far as the eye can see, and the occasional fluttering leaf from our tree floats down to us.
“I love our spot,” I say with a contented sigh.
“Maybe one day we should build a house right here.” He tugs the cooler bag toward us and starts unloading the picnic he insisted on packing by himself.
I raise an eyebrow. “Not sure how it would work for a house—what with being so far from the ranch or any roads.”
“Sounds perfect. We can be nudists because nobody will bug us all the way out here.”
“And during the winter we’ll get cabin fever and kill each other.Perfect.”
“Hey,” he scolds, uncorking a bottle of sparkling white wine and handing it to me. “No talk of murdering me on our wedding day. Save that for your next girls’ night, at the very least.”
I smile behind the bottle of wine, letting the bubbles pop and fizz on my tongue. It’s a lot like the way every smile of Denver’s makes me feel.
He pulls out a pint of ice cream and a spoon, and laughs when I eagerly set down the wine in response.
“Told you we’d have your perfect ice cream at our wedding.” He carefully feeds me a heaping spoonful of the perfect blend of all three flavors. Then takes a bite himself.
“Mmm. You got a little…” I lean in and kiss away the small dab of chocolate ice cream on his upper lip.
With a smirk, he smears the spoon across his lips, leaving a trail of melting ice cream for the taking. His playful eyes meet mine with a daring stare. This time, I laugh softly before dragging my tongue to lap up the sweet treat.
“You’re a shit,” I say. Before he realizes what’s happening, I dip my finger into the ice cream and tap it against his right dimple.
The perfect fucking snack.
And he palms the back of my skull, consuming me with an ice-cream-flavored kiss. We savor it, reveling in the feel of our tongues exploring one another like they’re licking the most decadent cone. I melt into him, dropping my hands to his button-up shirt and slowly undoing the tiny metal buttons until my fingers can weave into the fine hair across his chest.
I kiss his bare skin, trailing my tongue to trace the branded scar on his pec, and grabbing at the buckle of his pants. All I can think about is recreating our first time—making love on a picnic blanket under our tree. And maybe this time, Denver can carve our wedding date into the tree below our names to memorialize this place once again.
I pull back and look at his perfect fucking face.This man.This handsome, smart, hardworking man with boyish charm and so much love to give.
My husband.
