The church was packed. All seats taken.
Everyone Kasha and Axel cared about was there to honor their big day—friends, family, members of the Dallas Gunslingers, everyone from Emma’s group home, people from the hospital and Kasha’s yoga studio.
Jodi, looking fabulous with her figure back three months after giving birth to her baby son, Boone, served as a bridesmaid. As did Breeanne, effervescent with the news she and Rowdy would soon be welcoming twin girls from Guatemala. And so did Suki, who was thrilled when Kasha passed the hope chest on to her after the rehearsal dinner.
Maid of honor Emma waited in the wings with the rest of the party, clutching her bouquet, excitement fueling her eyes. They’d practiced her walk down the aisle two dozen times, making sure she had it down. She could handle it.
And just in case something happened, and Emma couldn’t carry out her duties, Kasha had a contingency plan where Suki would shift to maid of honor, and Molly Banks would usher Emma outside. But Kasha didn’t anticipate problems, and if there was a hiccup or two? Well, wouldn’t that make the story of their wedding day all the juicier?
But Emma was a trouper. She not only came through with flying colors, but captured the admiration of the audience as she swept down the aisle, her head held high. The entire chapel filled with happy oohs and aahs, and applause and encouraging words of approval.
By the time Kasha started down the aisle on her father’s arm, her heart was overflowing with blessings. She’d come so far! From the young girl who’d gone through so much as a child, to the rebellious teen who’d acted out to ease her pain, she managed to put the past behind her and passionately embrace the gift of true and lasting love.
On this her wedding day.
Her father gave her to Axel, and stepped back to take his place beside her mother. Kasha raised her head, met her beloved’s eyes, and she forgot to breathe.
Axel stood before her, his hair shimmering darkly in the light of the candles flickering at the altar. He was gorgeous in a tuxedo, a specially made baseball-themed boutonniere in his lapel—white rosebud, stitched in red.
He stared at her as if she were the most incredible thing on the face of the earth. He made her feel priceless, treasured.
She fell into his eyes, got lost there.
It ends like this: an unexpected spark, instant attraction, the jolting jab of oh-so-you-feel-this-too? Flash fire in the belly, a corkscrew twist in the center of the chest, a physical ache that punches low and heavy and spreads out hard and fast through muscles and tendons, blood and bone.
Heady.
Erotic.
Exhilarating.
She known it that first day in sports facility; she knew it now.
This here? This was something more.
Stronger.
Bolder.
Scarier.
Coal black eyes melted her resistance, seared it to ash, and in that stopwatch moment her gaze struck, and stuck to that of her husband-to-be. One look, and everything and everyone blended and blurred as white-hot need transported them into their own little world.
Things had changed from that momentous beginning. One part of their life was coming to a close, but there was a whole new beginning opening up to them.
Married. Together. Husband and wife.
And as Axel took her hand, his gentle touch sending electrical pulses throughout her body, Kasha knew one thing for certain.
He stirred passion in her, but it wasn’t the dangerous kind. Behind the desire was respect, tenderness, caring . . . love.
Real love. True love. Sure and certain love.
There was nothing tumultuous or crazy about his feelings for her. He was solid, dependable, steadfast. He was a man worth waiting for.
When the minister asked her if she took this man to be her lawfully wedded husband, there wasn’t a scrap of doubt.
“I do,” she said, gazing into the eyes that meant the world to her. “I do, I do, I do.”
And then her beloved kissed her with all the passion he had inside him, and she wasn’t scared. Not for a second.
“I love you,” he whispered. “Now and forever. No matter what may come. We’re in this together, and we’re going to have an amazing life beyond our wildest dreams.”
With this man, Kasha knew it was absolutely true.