“I don’t hate you,” I said through tearful kisses. “I thought about you, too. After that night.”
“You did, now, did you?” he teased. “Were they impure thoughts?”
“Maybe.”
“Tell me the truth now, little girl. Were they impure thoughts?”
“They were.”
He squeeze me tight and gave me that lopsided smile that made me fall in love with him.
“My favorite kind.”
I blushed bright red.
“I know this is kind of sudden…” he said, stepping away from me and holding onto my hands. “But I really don’t think I can wait.”
“Wait for what?” I asked, wondering if he was going to ask me to have sex again. Instead he did something way more shocking than propositioning me in broad daylight.
Jaken dropped to his knee.
“Colleen White. I have loved you from the moment I saw you. And that was before I saw you beat the living hell out of three grizzled old bikers.”
I covered my mouth as I giggled, hiccuped, and then started crying. Again.
“It took me a while to make sure I was good for you, and lord knows if I will ever be good enough to measure up. You are one in a million, Colleen. You are smart, kind, hard working, funny, sweet, pretty, and sexier than a woman should be.”
My cheeks were red, my nose was running, my eyes were dripping, and I’d never felt prettier. He did that to me.
And then he brought out a jewelry box, and opened it. Nestled inside was an antique diamond solitaire, ringed with tiny sapphires and set in a softly worn, mellow gold. It was beautiful.
“Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes,” I said without a split second of hesitation. “Yes, I will.”
He shot to his feet and pulled me into his arms, kissing me while we both laughed. My tears were all over his face, I realized when we finally stopped kissing. And then it hit me.
We were both crying. But these were different than regular tears. They were tears of joy.
I was going to be a wife. I was going to be his wife.
I was the happiest girl in the whole, entire world.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Preacher
“We are gathered here today,” I said loudly, standing on the deck of Cass and Connor’s house before a crowd of people. Some were in leather. Many were not. I knew they had thought about having the ceremony at the fancy hotel Colleen worked at and then decided against it.
I had to say I agreed with their choice.
This was more down home. More my speed. And I didn’t have to pay for drinks, ether.
Not that I drank that much these days.
My bride was back home in Portland with our kids. She had given me permission to knock a few back. And lord knows, I needed it.
Not only did I hate being separated from my wife and kids, but I was getting tons of shit from the Untouchables. Even Doc was sassing me, and he was technically a Hell Raiser. The future head of the Raisers, if Shane and Hunter had anything to say about it.
I had sworn to high heaven that I wasn’t planning on kissing the bride. Those days were long gone.
At least with me.
I was a little worried about the look on Vice’s face. Even Trace was having a hard time not cracking a smile. They might be up to something, I realized. But I was as pure as the driven snow.
Even with a couple shots of tequila under my belt.
Poor Jaken, I thought. The guy has been through enough. And with everything he had planned, he deserved to have this one day.
I shook my head subtly at Vice and Trace as the ceremony began. They only grinned wider.
The flower girls and tiny little ring bearers were standing opposite the bikers. It was incongruous to say the least. But despite appearances, we were a family.
I just hoped no one spilled blood if those two bastards did what I thought they were planning to do.
The bride was beautiful. And her slightly younger sister standing beside her as the maid of honor was lovely, too. I couldn’t help noticing that Vice was busy watching her, and not the ceremony.
Oh boy.
“Usually this is the part where I tell the bride to run. That she is marrying into a disreputable lot. That she would be better off with someone else. That the man standing beside her was a bad seed, and then some. But not today. Today, I encourage Jaken to run.”
Everyone laughed. I held up my hands.
“I am, of course, joking. You, my dear Colleen, are a beautiful angel and he is lucky to have you. But for once, I have to say, that you are also lucky to have Jaken. I have rarely known a more noble, loyal, or steadfast man. I am honored to perform this ceremony, and I truly believe the good lord is smiling down upon you.”