In the apartment, Cam’s door was discreetly shut, and everything was quiet. He helped Sam out of her clothes and maneuvered her into the shower, getting totally drenched when she refused to let go of him. After toweling her dry, he found her a fresh T-shirt and settled her into bed.
She looked up at him, her green eyes soft and luminous in the lamplight.
“I love you, HW.”
He smoothed her dark hair out of her eyes. “I know.”
“I really, really do.” She squeezed his fingers. “When I’m with you, everything is better. I’m not scared, or lonely, or afraid of going to sleep because I know you will keep me safe from the nightmares.”
“Yeah?” He swallowed hard at the trust in her voice. He knew all about her nightmares, which always involved a version of the ambush that had almost killed her and ended her military career. “I’ll always do that for you.”
“Because even though you are totally hot on the outside, you are also a really nice person on the inside.” Sam nodded. “And if anyone says any different, you just send them my way, and I’ll sort them out, okay?”
“I will, my fierce little warrior.” He kissed her nose. He’d never seen her with a buzz on before. It was quite entertaining.
“I mean it, HW. I’m not putting up with it.”
“And I respect that about you,” HW reassured her. “But right now, I want you to go to sleep.”
“You won’t go away?” Sam opened her eyes again.
“No, I’ll stay right here.” HW reassured her with another kiss. “I just need to let Chase know what’s happening and get out of these wet clothes.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Why are you wet? Did you fall into a pond as well?”
“Something like that.” He stood up. “Now, just stay put, and I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”
“Okay, I love you.”
He left the bedroom door slightly ajar as he took a quick shower and hung his damp clothes over the back of one of the chairs in the kitchen to dry out. Luckily, he kept a few clothes in the apartment so was able to don boxers and a T-shirt of his Sam had somehow acquired. He also liberated a bucket from the closet and set it next to Sam’s side of the bed—just in case.
As soon as he slid between the sheets, she scooted over and put one hand on his chest. Her bent knee rested on his hip. She smelled like a tequila factory, but he wasn’t going to let it bother him. She was his woman, and he was grateful for every contrary, beautiful inch of her.
HW gathered her close, and she murmured his name, her fingernails scratching down over his chest toward his abs.
“We could have sex?” Sam suddenly said, making HW jump.
“No thanks. Remember our promise?” HW said hastily.
“Oh, yes, right.” She lapsed back into apparent unconsciousness. HW settled down again, watching her like a cat with a mouse until she started snoring.
She might think that he’d saved her, but the feeling was mutual. She was the only woman he’d ever met who was one hundred percent in his corner. When Sam Kelly loved you, you darn well knew it. She might argue everything out with him toe to toe, but he knew in his soul she would never abandon him. And that was the most amazing thing in his whole world....
HW’s last thought as he succumbed to sleep was that they’d both survived their bachelor parties, and that in two days’ time, barring any more accidents like his fiancée ending up in the town jail again, they would finally be married.
Chapter Three
“Here you go, Sam. Try this.”
For some reason Cam’s voice was incredibly loud this morning. Sam groped her way over to the table and sat down with a thump. A glass full of something fizzy awaited her, and even that was too noisy.
“Drink up,” Cam said. “It really will help.”
“Thanks.” Sam picked up the glass, braced herself, and drank it down in one. “Gah . . .” She shuddered.
“Exactly.” Cam looked way too smug as she ate her granola and yogurt.
“I swear I will never drink tequila again,” Sam croaked as her stomach rolled uneasily.
“You’re not a big drinker, and last night was a special occasion,” Cam reminded her gently. “Just take a day to rehydrate and relax, and you’ll be all set for Sunday.”
“Is HW here?” Sam looked around, but there was no sign of her cowboy.
“He left about six this morning.” Cam grinned. “I caught him coming out of the bathroom, which was a bit embarrassing.”
“Was he naked?’ Sam asked with interest.
“Not quite. He had a towel around the important bits.” Cam ate another spoonful of granola and chewed extra slowly. “But what I did get to see was pretty spectacular. Well done, you.”
“Thanks,” Sam said. “He is pretty fit. Was he embarrassed when you bumped into him?”
“I think he actually blushed and then he stuttered a bit, held on to his towel like it was a lifeline, and skedaddled for your bedroom.”
“Sweet.” Sam contemplated Cam’s granola. “I think I want to eat something, but not that rabbit food.”
“I saw waffles in the freezer. You could have them with maple syrup.”
“What a great idea!” Sam perked up. “And lots of whipped cream.”
She made herself a plateful of fat, sugar, and carbs and ate her way through the whole lot while Cam sipped green tea and answered e-mail.
“Is there anything we have to do today?” Cam asked.
“Loads.” Sam sighed. “I have to go and see Daisy at the flower shop to make sure my bouquet is how I want it, and then check the post office in case my dress has ended up there.”
“Your dress?” Cam looked up from her phone. “Not your wedding dress?”
“Yeah, that one. I had a message this morning from the store saying that they sent it five days ago and have no idea what has happened to it.”
“That’s not good.” Cam frowned. “Did they give you the tracking information?”
“I think so. I didn’t read the whole thing I was too busy hyperventilating.” Sam got up to unplug her phone from the charger. She didn’t remember Nate giving it back, so HW must have got it. She scrolled through her messages and found the one from the shop.
“There is a tracking number. I’ll check it out.” She copy-and-pasted the number into the relevant site and frowned. “It just disappears around Friday. I suppose I should call them.”
“Check the address as well,” Cam suggested. “Sometimes they get it wrong. Maybe it went up to the ranch?”
Sam sent a text to January to see if that had happened and finished her coffee. “I’ll still call at the post office. They might have been the ones to make the final delivery, and that’s why we can’t track it.”
Cam put all the breakfast things into the dishwasher and Sam got ready to go out. It was weird worrying about the nonappearance of her wedding dress when she knew HW wouldn’t mind what she wore. But trying on the dresses and looking so different had secretly made her want to surprise him. She still had her beautiful white embroidered boots, and a new white cowboy hat with a veil. What she wore in the middle might turn out to be January Morgan’s wedding dress.... She reminded herself not to worry. It was all good.