Page 79 of Russian Rescue

“Yes. So much fun. Are you?”

He spun us around gently. “Yes. And not just because I pulled off throwing this kickass wedding in only six weeks, but because I get to be here with you. This is hands down the best wedding I’ve ever been to, and it’s definitely because of you.”

“It’s the only wedding I’ve ever been to,” I admitted.

Wes stopped dancing and looked down at me. “What?”

I shrugged and leaned back into him as he started moving again. “I’ve never been to a wedding. I had no family, and I didn’t date, so yeah. My very first one.”

“I’m so excited I get to be your first wedding date.”

“My first date period, as well, I suppose.”

He stopped dancing again. I looked up and saw the shock on his face.

“Like I said.” I tightened my grip around his neck. “I didn’t date. Other than on ops because I had to, I’ve never been out on a real date. I’ve never gone out to dinner, or gone dancing, or walked on the beach or danced in the rain, or whatever the hell people do on dates.”

Wes stared down at me, stunned. “You’ve been recovering from your injury at my place while I was planning this wedding, and I’m just now realizing we never went on a proper date until tonight.”

“Well, this is the best date I’ve ever been on.”

He laughed and started moving me again. “It’s the only date you’ve been on. And as soon as we are home, I’m going to remedy that. Every week I’m taking you on a dream date.”

“Oh, yeah?” I arched an eyebrow. “And what do dream dates entail?”

“Well, they will always be a surprise. So, each week I’ll surprise you with a kickass date. I’m going to make up for all the dates you missed.”

“I didn’t miss any dates,” I answered. “I was just waiting for you.”

Wes slid his hands up my back and pulled me against him. When he finally let go, he took my face in his hands and leaned down, giving me a kiss filled with so much love and passion I may have tumbled over if he wasn’t holding my face so tight.

“I love you, Piper. God, do I fucking love you. I have no idea what I did to deserve you, but I swear to you that I’m going to make you the happiest woman in the world. Every day. Every. Single. Day. I’m going to show you how much I love you.”

My heart swelled again as I leaned up and kissed him. I heard his mother sighing with an aww behind us, followed by his enormous family joining in with the sweet sentiment.

“Wes has a girlfriend. Can you believe it?” His father said. “And a pretty one to boot.”

Wes chuckled against my lips. “Sorry. My family is—”

“Amazing. They are all amazing. I don’t have a family, so this is just incredible to get to be part of it.”

Wes’s eyes lit up with something so intense that I held my breath while I waited for him to spit out whatever he was thinking.

A moment later, he whispered. “Come with me.”

“Is it far? I can’t really walk that well yet.”

Before I could respond, he scooped me up into his arms and carried me off toward the beach. His family laughed and cheered as I gave them an “I don’t know” look while he carried me away.

“What are you doing?” I laughed as he took me far from the party.

He didn’t answer, just carrying me away from the crowd until it was just the two of us beside the ocean, the stars and moon the only lights around us.

He set me down and shifted nervously in front of me.

“Wes? What’s going on?”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I, uh...”