“My place is near the zoo and the lake. It’s closer to the café than your condo.”

She chewed her lip. “It’s so exposed.”

“We can talk to people about just dropping by.” He laughed.

It looked as if she was going to cry again as she shook her head. “Not that. I don’t care so much about that.” She tried to walk away, to pace, hiding her face with her hair, which was currently a honey blond with fiery red tips.

He caught her, holding her tight for a moment. “Hey. Share with me. This is more than giving up one place over the other. Tell me.”

“My place is thirty-two floors up! It has a doorman and security cameras. You can’t even get to my floor without a key card or an access code I change every week! It’s safe and I can sleep at night and not be afraid. I . . . At your house, I hate when you leave to go get something or if I get there and you’re gone. I hate going inside. It’s at ground level. It has all those windows. The basement windows! Anyone could get in. I can’t. I just can’t.”

Oh f**k, what a dumbass he’d been. It hadn’t even occurred to him.

“God, I’m stupid. I’m sorry. Of course I’ll move in to your place, although I’m a bit uncomfortable about you buying something so expensive for me.”

“It’s for us, really. I mean, my place is huge already, but now we’ll have space for you to work from home too. Plenty of room for a nursery and stuff when the time is right.”

She looked up into his face, and he loved her so much it nearly hurt. He wanted children with her and that she’d consider it after what she’d suffered meant a lot.

“I know I’m asking you to give up more than I am and Cope will have to come into downtown every day, which will suck for him. The place next door comes with three parking spots, though. I mean, obviously it’ll take some planning and coordination. The permits take a while and the contractor told me it would take months to get the connecting wall down and arched. We’d have to talk about what you wanted and if you wanted it and, oh man, I’m just babbling.”

“Let’s go get ready for our wedding. We can talk about all this stuff tomorrow.” He smiled and led her out of the room.

After being massaged, manicured, pedicured, facialed (in a non  p**n  way) and hairdone, Erin slid into the dress she’d chosen. Clearly Adrian and Raven knew her well because each dress was perfect in its own way.

The one she chose was a soft pink, floor-length gown with a V-neckline and off-the-shoulder spaghetti straps. The bodice fit snugly and the skirt was organza and was close to her body, but still felt feminine and flowy.

Her hair was pinned up with flowers and she chose not to carry a bouquet.

“You look so beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this before,” Brody said as he came into the room where she waited to go to the ceremony. “You glow like magic.” He kissed her. “I’m so honored to walk you down the aisle today. Todd is good people.”

“I think so. Look at me in a f**king pink wedding dress with a train! Who knew? Also, thank god I’m not on my period, ’cause this dress fits like a glove but last week I’d have looked like a sausage.”

Brody laughed. “Aw, now, you look spectacular. You deserve a happily ever after.”

Adrian would be her dude of honor and Todd’s father would be his best man.

“Ready?”

Erin nodded, and they walked down a hall where she blushed as hotel guests saw her and oohed and ahhed. And then she oohed and ahhed herself when double doors opened up to a courtyard lit by dozens of candles. She walked down the steps toward Todd, who looked beyond edible in a dapper tuxedo.

The ceremony was a blur. Todd had been happily surprised when Brody handed her the ring she’d sent him out in search of. For two hours, he’d sent her pictures via cell phone as she’d been prettified for the ceremony, until he’d found something she knew was perfect immediately.

Lorie hugged her and kissed her cheeks. “Welcome to the family! We’re so happy for you two. Next month won’t you let Dean and I throw you two a reception? For all our friends and family who’ll want to meet you?”

Erin was touched and accepted. They’d eaten a spectacular meal and had laughed and talked until the wee hours of the morning, until she and Todd finally staggered back to their room, where rose petals had been spread on the bed and the bathtub had been filled just right.

“Damn, if you want to quit the security business I think you’d have a bright future as a wedding planner.”

“I already have a bright future,” he said, tossing his jacket to the side.

She tutted at him and hung it up, then moved to him again to undo his cuff links and to unbutton his shirt.

“I love French cuffs. They’re so elegant and glamorous.” She drew his shirt off and hung it as well.

“That dress . . . You look like a goddess, Erin. I lost my breath when I saw you come out those doors. It’s perfect. You’re perfect. I love you so much. I’ve never been happier than I am right this very moment.”

“Let me try to make you even happier,” Erin said, reaching for him.

28

Todd took a shower and watched her sleep for a while after he got out. His wife, nestled in the blankets, her hair covering her face, a leg poking from the covers in a long, creamy expanse.

What a lucky man he was to have her, to have those big hazel eyes looking up at him with such love and trust. They’d made love and f**ked and made love again until after the sun had come up.