Waking up in Vegas

Epilogue



They stood on the stone ramparts of the castle, looking down over the town towards the river where brightly lit barges lay against the dark water. From their decks, fireworks shot up, a kaleidoscope of colour and patterns bursting into the sky.

Max squeezed Phoenix’s hand. That half hour in his suite hadn’t been enough but now the garden cocktail party was over, the gala dinner was over and they were alone at last.

He trailed the fingers of his free hand down the soft curve of her cheek and she turned her face into his palm.

“I love you,” he whispered, his heart pulling tight at the words. He really hadn’t told her enough. He planned to tell her every day for the rest of their lives.

She lifted her dark, burning gaze to his. “I love you too.”

She let go his hand and reached up to unclasp the chain from around her neck. “The first time you gave me this you told me it was a sign that I was no longer alone. That I had a family to belong to and a home.”

His eyes widened in shock. “You remember?”

She nodded, eyes bright with tears. “I remember everything.” She wiped her eyes. “And I seem to have turned into a waterworks too.”

She slipped the ring off the chain and held it out to him. He took it with fingers that shook almost as much as they’d done the first time he’d done this. Then he slid the ring onto her finger. Not the ring finger of her left hand, but her right hand. “It’s an old Westerwald custom that during the engagement the bride wears the ring on her right hand. When we marry publicly, I’ll move it to your left hand.”

He folded her fingers in his and she smiled, the private, sexy smile she kept just for him.

“There’s only one thing I don’t remember. I still have no idea why you married me.”

“Then let me remind you.” He cupped her face with his hands and leaned close to kiss her and the fireworks above them were nothing on the fireworks inside.