The CEO's Accidental Bride

He drew a deep breath. Then he closed his eyes for a long second. He reached out and gently smoothed her hair back from her forehead. “You’re not.”

His hand stayed there, resting against her hair. Her nerves tingled where he touched. Her body begged her to sway forward against him, even as her mind ordered her to hold still.

She couldn’t trust him. She didn’t trust him. Oh, my, how she wanted to trust him.

He stroked his way to her cheek, cupping her face, tilting his head at an angle she’d come to recognize, to love.

He was going to kiss her, just like he’d done a hundred times, maybe a thousand. His lips dipped closer, and she moistened her own. She inhaled his scent, and her body relaxed into the exquisite moment.

“You’re not supposed to hate me,” he repeated on a whisper. “You’re supposed to love me.”

Then, he paused with his lips just barely brushing hers. “Because I love you, Katie. I love you so much.”

His mouth captured hers, sending joy cascading through her body. His kiss was deep, sweet and long. His arms wrapped fully around her, hauling her close, pulling her safely into the circle of his embrace.

She clung to him, molding against him, passion and joy making her feel weightless.

After long minutes, he finally drew back. “Renovate anything you want,” he rasped. “I’ll sell half the damn fleet if I have to. Just don’t leave me again. Not ever.”

“I gave up the new design,” she told him.

He drew back. “What? Why?”

“Sadie wouldn’t like it.”

Zach stilled. “Sadie doesn’t matter. The past doesn’t matter. Only the future, Kaitlin. And you’re the future. You’re my future.”

Kaitlin’s heart soared at the thought of a future with Zach—such a loving, thoughtful man.

Her voice quavered as she spoke. “You found my grandparents.”

“I did,” he acknowledged. “I know they were buried in New Jersey.”

“You know where they’re buried?”

“Yes.”

Twin tears rolled from Kaitlin’s eyes at that. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”

“No.” He shook his head. “You hadn’t. And I was getting worried.”

“Well, I do.”

“Thank goodness.” He drew a deep breath, tightening his arms around her. “I told Dylan to give me an hour. Otherwise, you were getting kidnapped, too.”

“You would not.”

“Hell, yes, I would. One way or another, you and I are starting on a whole new generation of Harper pirates.”

Kaitlin smiled at his joke, her body sighing in contentment. “Sadie would be pleased.”

“Yes, she would,” Zach agreed. “She’d also be gloating over the success of her scheme. In fact, I can almost hear her chuckling from here.”

Kaitlin moved her hand to take another look at the picture of her grandparents. Her grandfather was tall. Her grandmother slightly rounded with light, curly hair. And her mother looked bright-eyed and happy with a shovel and pail in her hands. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“We can go visit their graves.” He paused. “I swapped Dylan the yacht for a helicopter. It’s standing by.”

Kaitlin was overwhelmed by this thoughtfulness. But she wasn’t anywhere near ready to leave his arms.

She molded her body to his. “Or maybe we could go in an hour or so?”

He sucked in a breath, lifting the picture from her hand and setting it safely on an end table. Then his eyes darkened, and he bent forward to kiss her thoroughly.

“Maybe in an hour or so,” he agreed and scooped her up to head for her bedroom.

Epilogue

Following a month-long kidnapping, Lindsay and Dylan’s wedding was held on Serenity Island, on the emerald-green lawn at the Gilby house, next to the pool. The bride was radiant, the groom ecstatic and the guests a who’s who of New York City. According to Ginny, it was the biggest party the island had held since the heyday of the 1940s.

Dylan had insisted on flying the Jolly Roger, while Ginny confided gleefully to Kaitlin that since the wedding was so rushed, she wondered if Lindsay might be pregnant.

After the toasts were made, the five-tiered cake was cut and the dancing had started in the late afternoon, Zach drew Kaitlin to one side.

“There’s something I need to show you,” he told her quietly, tugging her inside the house and down the hallway toward the garage.

“We can’t leave now,” she protested, trotting on her high heels, the glossy, champagne-colored bridesmaid dress flowing around her knees.

“We’ll be back in a few minutes,” he assured her, opening the garage door.

“Zach,” she protested.

“What?”

“Are you crazy?”

He turned and playfully kissed the tip of her nose. “Crazy for you.”

“This isn’t a joke.” She tried to sound stern, but she didn’t seem capable of getting angry with him. Since the afternoon in her apartment, and their helicopter trip to the cemetery to put roses on her grandparents’ graves, she’d been almost giddy with love.

He braced his hand against the passenger side of a golf cart. “And I’m not laughing. Hop in.”

“I will not hop in.” She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest. She wasn’t abandoning Lindsay on her wedding day.

“Have it your way.” He gently but firmly deposited her on the narrow bench seat.

“Hey!” She scrambled to get her dress organized around herself.

“There’s something I really have to show you.” He jumped into the driver’s side and turned on the key.

Before she could escape, the cart pulled smoothly out of the garage onto the gravel driveway and the road that led down to the castle.

“I can’t believe you’re kidnapping me,” she harrumphed.

“It is the pirate way.”

“You are not allowed to ravish me in the middle of a wedding reception.” She smoothed her dress over her knees and put her nose primly in the air.

Zach gave her a wolfish grin, and she was forced to wonder which one of them would prevail if push came to shove, and he did decide he wanted to ravish her.

They drove all the way down to the Harper property.

As they entered the castle gardens, she felt herself relax. This had quickly become one of her favorite places in the world. It was filled with such history and such happy memories.

Zach pulled to a halt in front of the family chapel, then he hopped out and came around to assist her.

She shook her head in confusion as she clambered around the awkward dress. It was made for fashion, not mobility. The bodice was tight, coming to a drop waist, while the satin skirt billowed out with crinolines, ending at knee length. “This is what you wanted to show me?” She’d been in the gardens a thousand times.

“Have patience,” he told her.

“I’ll have patience after the reception. Seriously, Zach. We have to get back.”

But he led her by the hand to the bottom of the chapel steps.

“What are we doing?” she breathed in frustration.

A secretive smile growing on his lips, he reached into his tux jacket pocket and drew something out, holding his palm flat so that she could focus on a small heirloom ring.

It was a delicately swirled gold band, with a sapphire center, flanked by diamonds.

“I don’t know how old it is,” said Zach. “But I think it might have belonged to Lyndall.”

“Stolen?” Kaitlin asked, glancing up.

“Let’s assume not.” Zach’s silver eyes sparkled. He held her hand in his, stepping forward, voice going soft. “Will you marry, Katie?”

She was still confused. “I am. I did.”

“I know.” He smiled. “But I don’t think we got it quite right the first time.” Then he nodded to the old chapel. “It’s traditional for Harper brides to be married right here.”

Kaitlin understood, and her chest tightened with emotion. “You want to…”

“Absolutely. Marry me, Kaitlin. Do it here. Do it now. Love me when you say the vows, and promise my family you’ll stay with me forever.”

She blinked back the sting of tears. “Oh, Zach.”

The ancient door swung open with a groan, and a preacher appeared in the doorway.

“This way,” he told them softly, turning, robes rustling as he made his way to the front of the ancient church.

Zach squeezed her hand as they mounted the steps, leading her over the uneven stone floor, past worn wooden pews, to the altar that Lyndall had built for his own wedding, the very first wedding on the island.

Kaitlin swayed sideways against Zach, absorbing the feel of his strong body.

Footsteps sounded behind them, and she glanced back to see Lindsay and Dylan, still dressed for their own wedding.

“Oh, no,” she moaned under her breath.

“They insisted,” Zach whispered, tucking her arm into the crook of his.

As they stopped at the front of the church, one of the staff members stepped out and handed Kaitlin a bouquet.

White roses.

From Sadie’s garden.

It was beyond perfect, and Kaitlin had to blink against the sting of tears.

Lindsay and Dylan took their places, and Zach wrapped an arm around Kaitlin, gathering her close for a private word. “I love you very much, Katie,” he whispered.