And then he stood up, grasping her hips as he lifted, and entered her deeply. He didn’t move, just remained there as her body dampened his. Then he slowly withdrew, eliciting a whimper from her.

“You know what I want.” His voice was dark and rich with seduction.

Alana didn’t know until he had her on her hands and knees on the foyer floor and he’d knelt behind her. His hand curved over her bottom and she clenched up, expecting a sharp slap. Instead, he slipped a finger into her and then pulled out. A wicked thrill trilled through her blood.

“Yes,” she moaned, rocking back, gasping as the pressure increased.

“Good God, woman, you’re going to kill me.”

Then she felt his erection replacing his fingers. Her muscles tensed with anticipation. She knew this would be rough. It would be raw. It would be what she wanted.

“God,” he said, voice guttural. He smoothed a hand down her spine and then grasped her hips. “Tell me how badly you want this.” When she didn’t respond, his hand moved back up her spine, his fingers wrapping around the edges of her hair. He tugged hard enough to send a wave of prickles across her skull and another shudder deep inside her. “Tell me, Alana.”

“Yes.”

The tug came again, and she cried out, already so close. “Yes, what?”

“Yes,” she gasped. “I want this badly. I want it more than anything.”

“That’s my girl.” One hand moved to the junction of her thighs. His fingers caught the throbbing bundle of nerves and he played there. Pleasure radiated out from her core, mixing with the sharp bite of pain. The sensation was heady, thoroughly sensual.

Once he was in, he shuddered as he wrapped his other arm under her breasts, holding her in place. When he started to move in slow and steady strokes, she thought she’d die from the pleasure, from the downright wickedness of what they were doing in the middle of his foyer, in broad daylight.

“You’re mine now,” he murmured against the flushed skin of her back. “Completely mine.”

It was true. She couldn’t deny it. She was his. And he was hers.

A sharp swirl of tingles rushed through her body. Behind her, he moved his powerful body at a faster rhythm. Her hands slid over the tile.

“I love you, Alana,” he said, voice thick with emotion. “I love you.”

Lightning flew through her veins. The orgasm came fast and hard, absolutely mind-blowing in its intensity. Her cry mixed with his as he let go. His hips pumped, throwing her headfirst into another orgasm. He stayed against her for what felt like forever, his body sealed to hers. When he did pull out, she already missed him.

Chandler turned her in his arms, kissing her cheeks, the lids of her eyes, and then her lips. Holding her close, he sat back, buck-ass naked, and pulled her into his lap.

Their eyes met.

“You never have to give away a piece of you to me,” he said. “But you can have as many pieces of me as you want. You can have all of me, for forever.”

Alana felt the emotion swell in her throat as she lifted her head, blindly seeking his kiss. Words didn’t seem like enough, but she forced them out, meaning them. “I trust you with my pieces—all of me. I love you.”

Epilogue

Bridget Rogers, soon to be Bridget Gamble, made an absolutely stunning bride. Her mane of vibrant red hair was twisted up, and soft curls fell in every direction. Pearls adorned the style, matching the beading in her gown. Wispy tendrils surrounded her face that was flushing with excitement.

Tears burned the backs of Alana’s eyes. She’d never seen someone more in love or happier.

Well, that wasn’t correct.

When Alana looked in the mirror every day, she saw the same glazed eyes and soft, distracted smile, and most surprisingly, it didn’t scare her or make her want to run for the hills. How absolutely annoyingly stupid she had been. Being in love with a man who deserved those feelings and earned the same was truly amazing. And she was a fucking idiot for denying Chandler, but she’d rectified that quickly, and last night, and this morning, and in the car ride to the chapel…

Alana flushed. Thinking about sex in a church was super inappropriate.

And she loved it.

Bridget turned, her smile nervous and excited. With the cinched waist and heart-shaped bodice, her hourglass figure was perfect for the dress.

“How do I look?” she asked, fingering the single pearl necklace around her neck. “Is it too much?”

Madison Daniels shook her head. “Too much? Since when do you worry about anything being too much?”

“You look beautiful,” Lissa said. Madison’s brother’s wife held a sleeping newborn to her chest. A towel shielded her pink bridesmaid’s dress. “And the shoes? Perfect.”

Bridget hitched up her dress, revealing a gnarly shade of pink platform heels. “You like?” Bridget asked Alana.

She laughed, approaching the tight-knit group of women like one would creep upon a nest of vipers. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

“Pink is not your color?” Bridget teased, letting her dress slip down.

Alana shook her head, strangely nervous. All the women had welcomed her with open arms, even Bridget, but she hadn’t had a lot of close female friends and she was surprised to find herself in the back of the church with Bridget and her bridal party.

Rubbing one hand over her still-flat tummy while eyeing the slumbering baby, Maddie shook her head. A big old ring caught the light in the room, twinkling. Chandler had said he was surprised that Chase could still walk on two legs after he and Maddie broke the news to her parents. Of course they were thrilled that they’d be grandparents again, but Mr. Daniels had wanted the ring to come before the baby.

“Just think,” Maddie said, smiling. “All this started at a wedding.”

Lissa grinned as she patted the baby’s back. “That is true. What a difference a year makes.”

Bridget crossed the room, and before Alana knew what she was doing, the woman enveloped her in a strong hug. “Thank you,” she said, her voice thick. “If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

“About to get married!” added Maddie.

A ball of emotion clogged her throat. “You really don’t have to thank me, Bridget.”

“Yes, I do.” She pulled back, clutching Alana’s shoulders. “I do have you to thank. So does Chad.”

Maddie giggled. “Maybe you should become a matchmaker instead.”

Alana shook her head, laughing. “Oh no, I think I’ll stick with perverted politicians and whiny celebrities.”

“Well, that does sound more interesting.” Lissa shifted the small bundle in her arms as the door opened and Chase popped his head in, grinning. “We have company.”

“We’re about ten minutes from start and Chad looks like he’s about to pass out. Just thought—”

“What?” gasped Bridget, eyes widening.

Mrs. Daniels shoved Chase aside, entering the room as she straightened the corsage on the chest of her dress. “Chad isn’t about to pass out, dear. If anything, he’s just having a hard time waiting. He wants to see his bride and we all know how impatient Chad is.”

Maddie sent Chase a dark look. “That wasn’t nice.”

Chase looked completely unrepentant as he winked and slipped back into the hall. Shaking her head, Alana turned back to the woman. “Well, I’m going to head out. Bridget, you seriously look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she replied, but her eyes were unfocused, and Alana knew she was already out there, walking down the aisle.

Saying her good-byes, Alana headed for the door, but Mrs. Daniels stopped her. “Alana, dear, don’t forget we saved you a seat with the family. So don’t sneak off to the back.”

Her cheeks flushed and she nodded, murmuring her thanks. Not only had the Gambles accepted her, but so had the Daniels clan. For the first time, Alana had a family—a big, extended family.

“Did you see that the new gasmask came in yesterday?” Mrs. Daniels said to Maddie, smiling broadly. “Your father is planning on checking it out later. I figured either you or Mitchell would want to be the one using mace.”

A slightly weird extended family.

Smiling, she slipped out of the room and into the hall, passing where Mitchell and Chase were arguing over the pros and cons of breastfeeding. Alana smiled in their direction but hurried down the hall before she caught baby fever.

She made it to the end of the hall when a door to the left opened suddenly. An arm snaked around her waist, pulling her inside the mostly empty room. Her back was pressed against a rock-hard chest and stomach. Soft hair teased her cheeks as she felt warm, firm lips press a kiss to her throat.

“You look damn sexy.” Chandler’s deep voice rumbled through her body. “Love the dress.”

Said dress was a soft lilac, with sleeves and ending at the knees. It was nothing special, just a plain thing and definitely not that sexy, but it only took seconds for her to realize why he found it so alluring.

Chandler slid a hand up under her dress, along her bare thigh. Easy access. Her body flushed and grew hot as her toes curled in her heels. She leaned into him, tipping her head back against his chest. He made a deep sound in his throat as he moved his hand up over her hip, his fingers toying with the delicate string of her panties.

Grabbing his arm, her fingers sank into the crisp material of his groomsman’s tux. “Thank you. I haven’t gotten to see you in your suit yet.”

“I look awesome.”

Alana laughed. “Modesty is an attractive trait.”

“I’ve been waiting for you to come out.” His hot breath blew across her cheek, and she shuddered.