The Groom's Stand-In

And then he made her incapable of thinking at all by thrusting so deeply into her that she fancied they would never be completely separate again. He’d made them one—physically, emotionally, permanently.

“I love you, Donovan,” she whispered, wrapping herself around him.

“I love you, too,” he murmured, his mouth against hers. “This has to be love. It’s too much to be anything else.”

That made her cry. And then he made her soar.

She’d known since those days in the forest that they were a perfect match. Together, there were no obstacles they could not overcome.

She’d been looking for a partner. She had found a mate. Now she understood the difference.

They had been recuperating in each other’s arms for a long time when they were disturbed by the buzz of Donovan’s cell phone, which he’d set on the nightstand when he’d removed the clip from his belt.

“Ignore it,” he said when Chloe reached for it.

She shook her head and handed him the small plastic phone, her smile so drowsily satisfied that he almost threw the phone aside and fell onto her again. “It’s probably Bryan. You really should talk to him.”

Though he sighed, he held the phone to his ear. “What?”

“I was just wondering if you need a ride any time soon,” Bryan said without bothering to identify himself. “Or if you’re still speaking to me.”

“I won’t be needing a ride for a while. And I’ll have plenty to say to you later,” Donovan growled in response.

“How’s Chloe?”

“Chloe is fine,” Donovan replied, nuzzling against her temple, enjoying the way her newly short hair tickled his cheek. She murmured her pleasure and pressed a kiss to his throat.

“Grace and I thought the two of you needed to talk. Knowing how stubborn you can be, I thought this might be the only way to convince you.”

“Mm. From now on, let me make my own moves.” He shifted against the sheets as Chloe’s hand wandered over his stomach and then dipped downward.

“I’ll do that. So, um, things are working out between the two of you?”

“Let’s just put it this way. Chloe took your advice about making a choice with her heart instead of her head.”

“I always said Chloe was a remarkable woman.”

Donovan cleared his throat, trying to read the underlying expression in his friend’s voice. “Uh—Bryan…”

“If ever I’ve seen two people who were more right for each other, it’s you and Chloe. It just took us all a while to realize it. Do yourself a favor, D.C. Let yourself be happy for a change.”

Bryan disconnected the call before Donovan could come up with a response.

“Bryan and Grace as matchmakers,” Chloe murmured, shaking her head. “It’s very bizarre.”

Donovan was rather dazed by the image, as well. “What I can’t figure out is how they knew the way we feel about each other. Unless you said something…?”

“I didn’t say anything,” she assured him. “And since I sincerely doubt that you did, either, we must have been more transparent to the people who care most about us than we thought.”

“Apparently.” He hesitated a moment, then asked slowly, “You, uh, are still going to marry me, aren’t you?”

She looked at him quizzically. “Did you think I would suddenly change my mind?”

“Well…”

She sighed. “I can tell it’s going to take me a while to convince you that I’m very certain of what I’m doing this time. I’ve reminded you on numerous occasions that I never told Bryan I would marry him, because I sensed that it wasn’t right. And I never even pretended to love him. This time I have no doubts. I love you.”

Donovan told himself he was going to have to start believing her sometime—even though it still seemed incredible to him that Chloe had chosen him over Bryan. And he did believe her…but he figured a little more convincing wouldn’t hurt.