With Every Breath (Slow Burn 4)

He leaned forward, gathering both her hands in his. “Know this, Lizzie. I will always have your back. If you ever need a friend, help or just a shoulder to cry on, I’ll always be there.”

“Damn it, Dane, if you make me cry and ruin my makeup, I’ll kick your ass.”

“Hate to tell you but you’re hardly in any condition to kick a toddler’s ass.”

She glared at him and he scowled in response.

“You should still be in bed recovering. Stubborn fool woman. No idea what you’re thinking getting married so soon after getting out of the hospital. You’ll be lucky if you make it down the aisle. Wade should have damn well handcuffed you to your sick bed.”

“One overbearing alpha male is quite enough,” she muttered.

“You aren’t walking down that aisle alone, Lizzie.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

“I know you planned to walk the aisle by yourself because you don’t have a father to give you away. Not going to happen. I’m giving you away and it’s not open to negotiation.”

A knot formed in Eliza’s throat and she tried in vain to swallow the obstruction. The tears she’d tried so hard to keep at bay trickled down her cheeks. Makeup be damned.

“You truly are my dearest friend,” she whispered. “There’s no one I’d rather walk me down the aisle than you.”

To Eliza’s shock, she saw a glimmer of moisture in Dane’s eyes. His hold on her hands tightened.

“He’s a good man, Lizzie. I admit we had our differences but we have one thing in common. The most important thing. We both care very much for you. I know he’ll take care of you and protect you when I’m not doing it on the job.”

Another knock on the door sounded and Tori peeked her head in. She flushed in embarrassment when she saw Dane was inside with Eliza.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she said nervously. “But it’s time, Eliza. Gracie, Ari and Ramie are lined up and I have to hurry back so I don’t hold up the ceremony. You’ve got two minutes.”

“Thank you, Tori,” Eliza said with a smile. “And thank you for standing up for me.”

Tori smiled back. “You’re important to us all, Eliza. You’ve done so much for us all. How could we not be present on your big day?”

With another quick glance at Dane, she hastily ducked from the doorway, shutting it behind her.

Dane stood and then assisted Eliza to her feet. “You ready, Lizzie?”

She smiled. “I’ve never been more ready in my life.”

He walked her slowly out of the bridal chamber, the same room Gracie had waited in when she married Zack. Who would have thought that Eliza would follow suit? If someone would have told her she would be getting married so soon after Gracie she would have laughed herself silly.

Eliza paced herself, hating the lingering weakness and how quickly she fatigued. It seemed to take forever to get into the vestibule and to the closed doors leading into the sanctuary.

“Take your time,” Dane murmured. “Whether you want to admit it or not, you shouldn’t even be on your feet much less going through a ceremony and reception.”

She bared her teeth, impatience gnawing at her. She wanted the doors to open so she could see Wade and assure herself he hadn’t changed his mind. Just as she was getting positively jittery, music swelled and reverberated through the church. The doors opened and she realized she’d been holding her breath. Her gaze immediately locked onto Wade and all the air escaped her lungs leaving her shaken.

He was here. He loved her. He was marrying her.

She paid no heed to the tears streaming down her cheeks as she made her first haltering step on Dane’s arm. She had eyes for no one but Wade.

Wade stared, utterly transfixed by the vision of his bride slowly making her way toward him, Dane hovering close by to ensure she didn’t fall. Damn it but she hadn’t sufficiently healed enough to even be out of bed much less endure a wedding ceremony. Wait, the plan was for her to walk by herself down the aisle, a plan he’d been vehemently opposed to. Apparently Dane hadn’t been any fonder of the idea than Wade had been. He grudgingly gave the man credit for looking out for Eliza when she was being too stubborn for her own good. The fool woman was convinced that Wade would change his mind and no longer want to marry her. As if!

Good intentions or not, no way in hell another man was walking his bride down the aisle. Wade strode down the aisle, ignoring the sounds of surprise and laughter as he closed in on Dane and Eliza. He stopped in front of them, ignoring the confused look on Eliza’s face.

“Thank you for seeing after Eliza,” Wade said to Dane. “But that is my duty, my honor and my pleasure.”

Without another word, he swept the open-mouthed bride into his arms, ever mindful of her still-healing injury, and carried her the rest of the way to the floral arch where the pastor stood, trying—and failing—to suppress his amusement.

“Wade,” Eliza hissed. “Put me down!”

“I like you just where you are,” he said firmly. He looked at the preacher, indicating with a nod for him to proceed.

Nestled securely in his arms, her cheek resting against his chest, Eliza married her knight in shining armor. Never once did his hold waver. They recited their vows, gazes locked. It was as if the pastor didn’t exist. Those gathered faded into the background and there were only the two of them.

When it came time to recite their vows, Wade had a surprise for Eliza. Forgoing the traditional vows, he instead looked deeply into her eyes and in a gruff, emotional voice, he said, “Never did I imagine finding the other half of my heart and soul. Never did I believe in the concept of soul mates or there being only one able to complete another. I’m not worthy of you, Eliza. You are everything I’m not. You stand for what’s right. You’re rare and precious. And you have the most loving, loyal heart of anyone I’ve ever known. Though I’ll never be worthy of your love, your goodness and your heart, know this. No one will ever love you more than I will. Never will there be a more precious, spoiled and pampered woman. Every single day of my life will be spent doing whatever it takes to make you happy and I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be worthy of you. I love you, Eliza. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, forever, eternity. There will never be another I love as I love you. I know it’s traditional to say until death do us part, but I refuse to let you go even in death. Long after our lives here are done, our love will live on. Strong, enduring, everlasting. In sickness and in health, in good times and bad. I will always be at your side.”