Someone yells, “Get a room!”
I break the kiss slowly, resting my forehead against hers.
“You’re stuck with me,” I murmur.
She smiles against my mouth. “That’s the plan.”
The reception spills into laughter and music. Tables set up along the rooftop edge. Lights flicker on as the sun dips lower.
Sparks makes his rounds like he’s part of the guest list.
Lacee pulls Tessa toward the cake table.
“She insisted on heart-shaped tiers,” Lacee tells me proudly.
“Of course she did,” I say.
Tessa overhears and shoots me a look. “You’re lucky I didn’t make it firefighter-themed.”
“I would’ve loved that.”
She laughs.
God, I love that sound.
Later, when the music shifts slower and the crowd thins into clusters of conversation, I find her near the railing overlooking Devil’s Peak.
Her veil is gone. Hair loose. Shoes abandoned somewhere near the DJ table.
She looks peaceful.
“You hiding from your own party?” I ask.
She glances at me. “Just breathing.”
I step behind her, sliding my hands around her waist.
“You regret the fire engine?” I murmur against her ear.
“Not even a little.”
“Dalmatian?”
“Absolutely necessary.”
I smile, pressing a slow kiss to her temple.
“You nervous?” she asks quietly.
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
“I’ve faced worse.”
She turns in my arms, resting her palms against my chest.
“You don’t get to deflect tonight.”
