Page 136 of The Hero Within
"I know."
Adam gave a curt nod. "Let's do this then."
Riley winked and held open the door for her.
Smoothing her green cotton dress of nonexistent wrinkles with one hand, Eden let Adam escort her out into the garden behind his house in Haven. Those butterflies were back.
Guests turned as they made their way out onto the veranda, and Eden bloomed into a smile when she saw all of her family and friends waiting for her. CJ winked at her as she passed him. Lily wore a white dress that Eden had taken in for her, and scattered a handful of wildflowers like desert sand verbena and arnica across the sandy gravel.
And there...
Waiting for her at the end of the narrow tunnel of people....
Her smile widened until it almost split her cheeks as Johnny heard the guests start to shuffle, and turned, unable to help himself. Their eyes met, and all of Eden's nerves died away as she met those dark, slightly cynical eyes. The self-deprecating cynicism he usually wore was gone. Instead, his mouth softened as he caught a glimpse of her, and she was pretty sure Johnny Colton stopped breathing for a second.
His gaze caressed every inch of her, as if he simply couldn't believe this was about to happen.
Eden joined him in front of the gorgeous red oleander that was in full bloom. A string of pretty lanterns hung above them, and she remembered them from Maggie's cousin's wedding a few years ago.
"You look...."
"I know. Riley found this dress for me in one of her trunks." She bit her lower lip shyly.
"It's not the dress," Johnny murmured, shooting her the sultry smile that did so much damage to her insides.
"You look pretty damn good too."
Black shirt, black jeans, his hat slung low over his face, and his jaw clean-shaven. Months ago he'd have looked like a dangerous outlaw in this getup, but the smile softened him. Life had softened him.
He looked happy.
"Language," he chided, and Eden smacked his arm.
"You're a bad influence on me."
"You need a bit of bad in you, angel. Helps keep you grounded." He leaned closer to her ear, his voice dropping. "Eres la luz de mi vida y tienes mi corazón en tus manos para siempre."
Oh, God. He was using his sexy bedtime voice, knowing the impact it had on her. "Behave,mi diablo."
"You don't even know what I said." His smile held all manner of sin. He was slowly teaching her his mother's language, though she found it difficult to concentrate considering he whispered Spanish words in her ear when he made love to her.
"Tell me later."
"I will."
Her unconscious mind had begun to associate the language with sexy times, and all their lessons ended up going off tangent.
Not that that was a bad thing.
"Ready?" he whispered.
"Let's do this."
Eden could scarcely take her eyes off him as the priest started the ceremony. She held his hands as the words washed over her, said what she had to, and smiled until her cheeks hurt.
Then Johnny slid a wedding ring on her finger, and people started clapping.
"You may now kiss the bride," the priest called.
