THEO
Spring had sprung in the desert, bringing with it hillsides that had turned yellow and orange with brittlebush and poppies. The cacti had bloomed with little white flowers. Even this barren landscape came alive after the winter.
It was the perfect time for a wedding, which was why today was the big day. I stood across from the dance floor, watching my family mingle with the locals while late afternoon sunshine caught on the strings of the lanterns swaying gently between mesquite trees.
Long tables dressed in ivory linen had been set up between the trees. A live band was tucked underneath a wooden pergola beside the dance floor. This was about as high class as it got in Quartz Pass, but I’d have been happy with a backyard barbeque as long as it meant I could marry Raquel.
In the two months since I’d moved to Quartz Pass, I hadn’t regretted it for even a minute.
Living with Raquel had been a dream. Going to sleep together every night and making breakfast together every morning was so much more satisfying than I could ever have imagined.
I was loving the easy, simple domesticity of it more and more every day.
We’d been working together on the house every night to turn it into everything we wanted it to be and we were finally almost done.
She’d made it crystal clear from the day we’d landed back in Arizona that it was my home too, and after a few arguments about what that meant financially, we’d settled into the kind of life I’d always prayed I would have.
As I looked at her now, laughing with Kate and Jane beside our table, my heart skipped about a million beats. Maybe that’s an exaggeration considering I’m still alive, but fuck. She looks so goddamn stunning.
Miley had swept Raquel’s hair up into a messy, wavy-looking braid.
They’d kept her makeup light but accentuated her lips with a dark red lipstick and her eyes in golds and browns.
Her wedding dress was fitted at the top but short, the lace hitting just above her knees.
She wore brown leather boots with it, and honestly, she looked like a model in a country wedding spread.
She turned and caught me staring at her.
A soft smile spread her lips that made my heart go bat shit crazy all over again.
After leaning toward Kate and Jane for a second, she started toward me, those gray eyes locked on mine.
The way she looked as she made a beeline for me practically made me drool.
My wife. God, how did I get so lucky?
I met her halfway across the dance floor and took her hand, seamlessly tugging her into me just as one slow song morphed into another. She folded her fingers around mine and hooked an arm around my neck without skipping a beat. Smiling, she rested her head against my shoulder.
“Mrs. Westwood,” I murmured against her temple.
She let out a soft laugh. “That has a nice ring to it.”
“It really does.”
As I led her around the dance floor, I caught sight of Zach and Adeline near the bar, talking to Sterling and Laney while Jameson, Callum, and Will were chasing after kids, looking like they’d been sucked into a suited game of tag.
Jesse, Jacque, Harrison, and Nate were watching them with various expressions of amusement on their faces. Trent and Charlotte had joined Kate and Jane at the table where Colin and the other Thayer brothers had made themselves at home.
Alex had a smug smile on his lips where he sat with Dad at the head of the table, the two talking quietly while sipping on regular old bottles of beer. I couldn’t believe things had turned out this well, but they really had.
My entire family had flown in for the wedding and they’d been here for a week, helping Raquel with the final details for the wedding while Alex, Nate, Sterling, Jameson, and I had been hard at work at the Arizona branch of W&S.
So much had happened just this week that it made my head spin, but it was safe to say that opening a branch here hadn’t been a mistake.
Raquel tilted her head up to look into my eyes, her gaze snapping me out of my thoughts. “Are you okay?”
My fingers flexed against her back as we kept swaying to the music. “I’m better than okay. How’s Clyde holding up? I saw Avery with him, Randy, and Harvey a little while ago. They were all smiling, so I took it as a good sign.”
“Yeah.” She smiled, toying absently with the hair at my nape. “Dad’s actually having a really good day today.”
My eyebrows hiked up. “Seriously? That’s awesome.”
Her eyes shimmered with tears as she nodded. “He was lucid all morning and Avery says he’s been the same since.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, he even told me he was proud of me right before he walked me down the aisle.” She inhaled a deep breath, clearly trying to hold back tears. “He said I was the spitting image of my mom on their wedding day.”
My heart ached for her. I held her even tighter, resting my head against hers and inhaling a deep breath. “I’m so glad you got to have such a special moment with him today, baby.”
“Yeah, I’ll cherish it forever,” she murmured. “Definitely.”
She settled against me as one song turned into the next. We danced to it as well, neither of us apparently interested in letting go just yet.
As I moved to lay my cheek against her hair, I caught sight of Avery standing at the edge of the dance floor, a beer in one hand and the other in his pocket as he watched us. We locked eyes and I gave him a small nod, silently letting him know that everything was good.
He gave me a small smile and returned my nod, then backed away toward the bar. Once he was gone, I decided it was now or never. I’d been dying for a proper kiss from my bride all damn day and this felt like my best shot.
“Come with me,” I murmured, slowly dancing us toward the edge of the dance floor. “I’m stealing you away.”
“Not if I steal you first,” she joked, taking my hand and escaping with me as we rounded the edge of the barn.
We’d chosen our venue for its simplicity, just a barn that doubled as the main hall for those who wanted their reception inside, some bathrooms, an interior and exterior bar, and the pergola for the musicians.
Unfortunately, that meant no storage rooms or such to disappear into, but the back side of the barn was deserted.
Perfect.
The second we’d made our way around it, I had her against the wall. She let out a surprised laugh, but it morphed into a moan when I kissed her. She grabbed at my jacket, pulling me closer like she’d been waiting for this moment too.
Kissing me back, she melted into me and I ran my hands along her sides, digging my fingers into the lace of the dress and groaning into her mouth. She giggled against my lips when I hooked my fingers around the skirt, shoving it up a little.
“Stop pawing at my dress,” she murmured. “We have to go back soon. I can’t do that if you tear it off me.”
I finally paused, breathing hard as I brought my forehead to rest against hers. “It’s not my fault you picked a dress that does things to me.”
She let out a breathy laugh. “You can take it off later. I promise, but it does need to last for the rest of the reception.”
“That doesn’t help,” I grumbled, chucking as I shook my head. “At all.”
I kissed her again, but it was softer and slower this time.
It still felt like fire under my skin, though.
Eventually, I forced myself to pull away and Raquel smoothed her dress, smirking as she shot me a warning look.
“We’re going back out there. You’ll have to behave for at least a couple more hours. ”
“Bad behavior still qualifies as behavior.”
She laughed. “Sure, but if you’re not on your best behavior, I’m taking the dress off myself when we get home.”
I sucked in an elaborate gasp. “Treachery. You already promised I could.”
“And you still can. As long as you don’t try to take it off while both of our families and all our friends are still out there, waiting for us.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Mrs. Westwood, but I guess I see your point.” I offered her my arm. “Shall we get back to our party?”
“Let’s.” She took it, following me as we returned to the party.
Raquel led me straight to the bar and immediately got pulled into a hug by Miley. I left them to their squealing and laughter, resting my elbow on the counter as I looked out at our guests. Somehow, I’d gotten the best of both worlds.
All the people I loved were here, having a blast in my new hometown. A small town in the middle of nowhere that had stolen my heart and given me an unexpected place to belong. Old friends laughed with new friends and I was at peace with my family while getting to be with the woman of my dreams.
If my mother were here, she’d be proud.
The night wore on in a haze of laughter, dancing, and talking until my throat went dry, but by the time Raquel and I got on my motorcycle, I was ready for it to be over.
The guys had tied cans to Martha with ribbon and string, and they clattered as I pulled away with Raquel’s arms wrapped tightly around my waist. Just like I’d always dreamed.
Cheers erupted behind us, the cans clinking as they dragged against the pavement. My engine roared as I accelerated, eager to finally get home. Raquel’s laughter broke free, light and unrestrained as she clung to me, filling my heart with a level of joy I’d never experienced before.
My grip tightened on the handlebars, the dark desert road stretching out ahead of us, long and full of endless possibilities.
***