I beamed up at him, then took his hand and ran toward the crashing waves.

Waking up without Nathan beside me was strange. I didn’t like it at all. Even though I wasn’t alone—Caroline was beside me—I felt like something was missing. The worst part of it all was that I wouldn’t see him until this afternoon at the wedding.

I stood, trying not to disturb my sleeping friend, and walked out onto the terrace. The sun was just over the horizon, and the humid warmth of the island increased with every passing minute. Waves crashed against the beach in a steady rhythm.

I wished Nathan was with me, standing behind me, his arms caging me against the banister as we took in the morning view. Then again, he’d probably only last about a minute before pulling down my panties and pushing his c**k in me as we looked out.

The thought alone made my pu**y twitch. No surprise that I was still wanting for him, especially after all the teasing yesterday and what he did under the table at dinner. His fingers not so innocently slipped up my skirt and brushed against my pu**y more than once.

The sliding glass door opened behind me. “Morning.” Caroline moved to the rail to stand next to me.

I looked over and choked out a laugh. Caroline’s normally well-kept brunette hair looked like she’d been through a tornado. Some of her makeup was missed when taking it off the night before, giving her a black eye effect.

“You look…excellent this morning.”

She pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “Shut it.” She looked back out and sighed. “I love it here. Can I stay? Forever?”

“I don’t know about that. You want to leave me? What would Ian say?”

“Pfft, he’d probably be up for it. I’m sure there are tons of IT jobs here.” She leaned her head on my shoulder. “And I couldn’t leave you all alone to deal with both Nate and Drew all the time.”

“They are a handful.”

“We need to find Drew a girl.” She pulled at one of the tangles in her hair, trying to smooth it.

I nodded. “I want him to be happy, too. He’s a great guy.”

She pushed her arms out and stretched. “Maybe when we get back, we can convince him to go onto one of those online dating sites.”

“We might be able to talk him into it.”

“Especially now that you’re off the market.” She bumped me.

I shook my head. “We tried once. It didn’t work.”

She looked over the balcony down to the pool. “I know, and he does as well. Took his hardheaded ass long enough to see it, but he agrees with me.”

I turned to her. “Agrees with what?”

She put her arm around me. “There is no better man for you than Nate, even with all the shit that surrounds him.”

I sighed, smiling as I stared out. “I never knew I could feel like this. That I could love like this or be loved.”

“You’re a whole different person than you were six years ago when we met.”

“He’s everything to me. I can’t live without him.”

She was silent for a moment. “We’ll make sure that never happens. Because guess what?” I looked at her. “I can’t live without you.”

I threw my arms around her. “I love you.”

She chuckled. “I love you, too.” She pulled back. “Come on, let’s go get some breakfast.”

I smirked at her and waved toward her head. “You are going to do something about that, right?”

She stuck her tongue out at me and headed inside. “I’ll throw it up in a bun for now and get a shower when we get back.”

I rifled through my bag for some shorts and a T-shirt. “Hey, I know I didn’t go with the whole wedding party or anything, but you know you’re my maid of honor, no matter what.”

She snorted. “After all the heavy lifting I did when we were dress shopping, you bet your ass I better be!”

CHAPTER 7

I stood in front of a mirror, all alone, staring at a vision that wasn’t the normal me. My hair was done in a low, loose bun with a white rose and some baby’s breath. There was no more makeup than I usually had on, but combined with the dress and my hair, I looked foreign to myself.

Five minutes after Caroline ushered Teresa out, the anxiety was intensifying. My mind couldn’t get over the fact that it was really happening. I had to be dreaming.

“They’re ready for you,” Marie said as she held out a bouquet of white roses.

I wrapped my fingers around the base, then took a deep breath, blowing it out slowly. She drew back the curtain, and I stepped out onto the sand. My arms shook out the tension that was building before I took another step. After all, what did I have to be nervous about? I was getting married, and I was happy.

We made it.

Against all odds and every obstacle we encountered, Nathan and I were going to be a family in a few short moments. There were more trials ahead of us, but we would face them—together. We were strongest that way, barely functioning apart. It was a lesson we learned all too well.

Everyone in the office knew I was Nathan’s and he was mine, and today we sealed it. Out on a sandy beach in the Caribbean with the friends and family that could make the journey with us, we would say “I do.” The belief still eluded me that at the end of the day I would no longer be Delilah Palmer. Instead, I would be Delilah Thorne—wife to the office god.

I made my way down the sand with butterflies in my stomach, the light fabric of my dress fluttering in the breeze. Every squashed Cinderella dream or princess fantasy I’d imagined as a child, about marrying a prince that would take me away from the evil, was steps away. He was waiting for me at the end of the aisle. He was damaged, but so was I, and together we were one soul, one heart.

My step faltered, and I was afraid I would fall, but I regained my balance. I turned the corner and moved my gaze up to where I knew he stood. My heart skipped a beat, and the warmth only he could give spread through me. Our eyes locked, and I could feel everything he felt in that moment. It was love. It was home.

With Nathan, I was finally home.

It felt like my chest was going to explode from everything I felt. I wanted to break down crying in joy, overwhelmed with a happiness I’d never experienced.

“Hi,” he said, smiling at me when I reached him.

“Hi.” I handed my bouquet to Caroline and took his hand.