JE gets all the credit for the wonderful characters I'm playing with.

Jenn (perfectmanhattan) thanks once again for your Beta work. You're amazing!

Chapter 25 – Wedding Bells

When I woke up the next day someone was playing with my hair but it didn't feel like Woody. I figured I wasn't in any danger since the bad guys didn't usually handle me so gently so I just said, "Morning," as a test to see who was there.

"Good Morning, Beautiful," Came a familiar voice that made me roll over and open my eyes.

I put my arms around Lester's neck to convince myself that he was really there and I wasn't just dreaming it. Of course the sudden movement and abrupt wake up made me end the hug quickly to dash off to the bathroom.

Les walked up behind me as soon as I finished getting sick. "I'm sorry this is still going on. I'd hoped when you were finally able to relax a little that it might go away."

I brushed my teeth and splashed my face before trying to respond. "I'm pretty sure I'll have to put up with it for a few more weeks at least, but there are things I can do to make it better. I just haven't been able to take it easy lately with Bertucci and Smith lurking about." I wondered if he knew everything that had happened while I was here, but the cold blank face that slammed down and the white, tightly gripped knuckles of his fist told me he had been briefed.

I walked over to Lester and hugged him gently this time, happy to feel him melt and relax back into my friend. "Steph, we are so sorry about everything that happened here. Bones came back yesterday and told us all about it. You were amazing…you always are." He said before laughing a little and adding, "Bones has been bugging Ranger to have him hired on and permanently assigned to work as your partner. That drew a lot of complaints that if you were going to get a partner some of us with more seniority wanted the chance to be considered over a contract worker."

"Don't I get a say in whether or not I'll get a partner?" I teased.

"You certainly do, but if you're going to work in sales the way Tank and Ranger want you to, you will definitely have a partner whenever you go out so that you can focus on the task at hand and your partner can watch out for you." Les explained.

I shook my head trying to remember that it wasn't that long ago that Les and I went out on a sales call together. "How are things between you and Marina?"

Les' whole face lit up in a way I'd not seen before. "She's great; told me to tell you congratulations."

"You are so not going to leave it there," I warned him, taking his hand and pulling him over to the bed to sit down, "Spill."

"We've been out three times since you left, if you count lunch as going out." He began. We had lunch after the party, and then she asked if I wanted to have dinner a couple nights later. Then the next day I ran into her, literally, while I was responding to a false alarm at a client's office. We talked for a bit on the street, but since it was close to dinnertime we moved from the sidewalk to a nearby restaurant and stayed there for a couple of hours just talking and having fun."

"Then that means you've had five or six dates and you still haven't…" I stopped not sure what kind of descriptive I should use for sex.

"No Beautiful, we haven't," He said with a serious tone instead of a joke like I expected. "But when I get back in town I think we probably will. I kissed her after our first dinner together and it was electric. I can't imagine what it will be like if it builds on that kind of beginning."

I completely understood what he meant. "You seem happy," I told him.

He took my hand in his and said, "I am. I think you might have shown me a few things by being my friend and accepting me for who I am. Marina is a lot like you in that respect." Then his demeanor switched from serious to joking when he added, "But there is the one difference where I always thought of you in as a sister, there is nothing about Marina that inspires those kinds of feelings."

"In that case, I'm happy for you. I can't wait to see you together again." I said.

Les touched my nose, "There will plenty of time for that, but I believe we have to get you ready for a wedding first."

It suddenly hit me that I had agreed to get married today and a bigger question came to mind, "How did you get here?"

Lester laughed at how quickly my mind was suddenly spinning. "Woody called me last night about 10:00 and said you two were going to get hitched today and that he thought it would mean a lot to you if I was here. So, I had a little chat with Ella and then I got in my truck and drove through the night to get here. Of course, if I'd known you were going to sleep so late I might have taken a nap first."

That explained why Woody took his cell phone into the bathroom last night. Then something else he said struck me, "Why did you talk to Ella first?"

"Because Woody thought you might want something besides the jeans you brought to wear tonight and Ella had just the thing," He explained.

At first I was relived. Somehow I had completely forgotten about the fact that I didn't have anything to wear. And Ella had dressed me enough for me to know whatever she pulled together would be perfect. "Does that mean that everyone at RangeMan knows?"

"No, I didn't tell a soul what was going on, only that I was coming down to get Bobby and Hector since you and Woody were going to stay here a few days longer until you have your arm checked out again by Dr. Murray." He explained.

"Does Ranger know about me and Woody?" I asked not sure what I wanted the answer to be.

"No, at least not definitively. He most certainly doesn't know about the baby. He probably suspects something on Woody's part, but I doubt he has any idea about how you feel. Seeing you married will be a shock to him." Les told me.

"Is that fair to him? I mean, shouldn't someone tell him so that he doesn't freak out when he sees that we're married and I'm pregnant?" I wondered.

Les spoke quickly, "I'm sure someone should tell him, but none of us want to be there when he reacts to the news. We all agree that it will be best for you to tell him in person when you come back home. I mean, he can't call you to the mats and he can't do anything to make you change your mind."

"I guess you've got a point, but it still fells wrong somehow. Like we're all sneaking around trying to keep him out of the loop," I countered.

"You can feel free to call him, but I'm not going to tell him," Les summed up like he was issuing a playground dare.

"Thanks, but no thanks," I replied. "At least not now; today I only want to think about Woody and my friends that are here to celebrate with us."

"That's my girl," He said tussling my hair. "Oh, I hope you don't mind, but I did tell Marina about the baby and she wants you to see her when you get back to town. She said the shirt you picked up isn't the only thing she makes that will adjust for you and she wants a chance to show you some other clothes."

My eyes must have lit up because he laughed and added, "If you think that's something, wait until you see what's in that bag." Les' long finger pointed to a black garment bag hanging on a hook on the back of the bathroom door.

I stood up slowly and walked over pulling the zipper down, both excited and nervous about what was inside. Right away I saw a lovely cream colored dress. I was glad that it wasn't a traditional white dress because with the little baby bump I was sporting we couldn't fool anyone that pure white was appropriate. It appeared to be a tea length dress with A-line seams that would offer a soft fit to give me a figure without pulling too much over my stomach to point out the obvious.

As happy as I was about being pregnant now, I wanted my wedding to be separate. I was marrying Woody because I loved him, not because I had to in order to legitimize the children. The thought of that made me shiver. No, I was going to be his wife because he was a good man, he understood me, and I wasn't sure my heart could go on if we weren't together.

When I lifted the dress out of the bag I got the full impact of its beauty. I was going to owe Ella big time. The neckline plunged in the front to show plenty of cleavage and the body of the dress had little princess sleeves that gathered and cupped the shoulders. Coming out of the silky smooth material was a thin, almost transparent material that made up sleeves and cover for my chest and back that would be otherwise exposed. It didn't really provide modesty as one could see through it, but it added a delicate layer of femininity.

She had included a shoe bag that had a pair of four inch heels that matched the dress perfectly. They were a traditional style, but the tiniest row of pearls ran along the top of the shoe and across the toe to the inside. It added interest and sparkle. I'd never seen anything like this and wondered why Ella would have a dress like this reserved for me. If Lester spoke to her at ten last night she certainly didn't have time to go shopping. Maybe one day I could ask why she happened to have a wedding appropriate dress in her closet.

Lester realized I had been unusually quiet and walked over to where I was standing. "Do you like it? If you don't I'm pretty sure Hector and I can take you shopping to find something that you'd rather wear. We might be pushing it for time because of how late it is, but I'm sure Woody wouldn't mind waiting."

"No," I interrupted. "There's no need, this is perfect."

Lester visibly relaxed. Then I asked, "Where is Woody?"

Lester laughed, "Are you worried about a runaway groom?"

I hadn't thought about that as a possibility until Lester mentioned it and my face must have shown that because Les jumped in immediately, talking quickly, "No, Steph, no, he's just downstairs. He wasn't sure how much tradition you wanted to observe today and if you didn't want to see him until the wedding he wanted to stay out of your way. If you want to see him, he'll be down there for a while longer and then he's going to his sister's house to get dressed. Believe me, that man isn't going anywhere."

I relaxed at his words, smiling at how thoughtful Woody was being. Then Les decided to joke once more, "Besides if he tried to back out, I'd remind him that I'd already called him to the mats once before over how he treated you and if he ever hurts you again I won't hesitate to find him and teach him a lesson." We both laughed at his words knowing that Lester would do it, but knowing too, that he would never need to call Woody out for hurting me again.

"I think nothing about my relationship with Woody has been traditional so I feel no need to avoid him all day. I'm hungry and I really want to see him before I start the day." I announced, pulling on a pair of long pants over the boxers I had been wearing in order to go downstairs.

Before we walked out Les called my name and then pointed to a small suitcase sitting on the bench at the foot of the bed. "Ella also sent that for you. She made me promise not to look in it, but she said you absolutely needed everything that was in there."

I didn't bother to look now, but in my heart I knew Ella had sent me some lovely things from Victoria's Secret. Not only would I have an exquisite bra and panty set under my dress tonight, but I probably had a few pieces of lingerie to celebrate my marriage in style. When I got back to Trenton I needed to find a way to thank Ella. If ever there was an example of a loving mother, it was her. Hopefully I would act toward my own children more from her guidance than that of my own mother.

My stomach growled loudly snapping me from my musings so I made my way to the kitchen, disappointed when it was empty. I really wanted to see Woody and to touch him. I needed to feel a little of his strength to anchor me for the day. I went to the fridge and poured myself a glass of milk. Stella had gotten whole milk and even though I knew it probably wasn't as good for me, I loved the rich creamy taste. When it was whole milk I didn't even need cookies to dip in it to make it drinkable.

Les watched me drink the milk quickly and then asked if I wanted to have my cereal straight from the box to mix with what I'd already drunk. I stuck out my tongue to show him I was mature and not amused.

When I turned back to the fridge to see if there was anything in there that called out to be eaten I heard a sexy voice say, "I think what you're looking for is in the bottom drawer way at the back, so you need to bend over and stretch to reach it."

I spun around at the sound of Woody's voice and ran to him wrapping myself around him as soon as we came into contact with each other. He immediately kissed me and we were temporarily lost in our own little world. The sound of Les clearing his throat a third time was the only reason we pulled apart slightly. "Now, that's a 'good morning'," Woody said.

"I missed seeing you when I woke up," I told him still ignoring poor Les who was sitting on the bar watching us.

"I sent Les in case you wanted to have a more traditional day, but I didn't want to leave you either." He replied.

I nodded that I understood, "Nothing about me is traditional, so I didn't see the need to stay away from you until the wedding." Then I had to ask, "Are we really getting married today?" It seemed surreal.

"Only if you want to," Woody responded giving me yet another chance to back out. "If you're sure, then yes, I've talked to the judge and he'll be here at 5:00 to perform the wedding. I'm a Virginia resident so it was easy to get the license. Of course, we'll have to settle for a honeymoon here, at least until your arm heals a little," He explained taking my injured wrist in his hand. "But I have kicked the guys out of the house and after dinner with everybody we'll lock the doors and celebrate with some privacy."

"Hmmm," I replied as though that conveyed anything other than my desire to have a long period of alone time with Woody. Evidently, my word choice was the right one as Woody's arm tightened around my back and his lips moved to my ear to quietly say, "I feel the same way. The next time I make love to you, it will be as your husband and I wanted to not only be sure that we could avoid any interruptions, but that we didn't have to worry about a guest overhearing something. I remember that first night when we didn't have as many inhibitions and neither one of us was all that quiet."

My knees buckled slightly and Woody's grip on me more than compensated for my inability to stand upright. "You okay?" He asked pulling away slightly.

"I will be as soon as you lock the door to the house tonight." He pulled me to him once more for a hug before relaxing his arms slightly and speaking in his normal volume.

"We've got five hours until the wedding, so why don't you have a little lunch. I'm going to take a ride with Robert to talk about the property and then go to Stella's to get ready." She took the liberty of picking out my clothes so I have no idea what I'll be wearing when I see you next. Stella is going to come over about 3:00 to move some things around and decorate, but she promised not to go overboard. You can come down anytime you want, but the judge will be expecting to see you at five sharp."

I listened to everything he said and then realized I only had five hours to get ready for my wedding and I was going to have to do it all by myself. As much as I loved Lester, he wasn't a woman and was useless for the kind of work I needed to do. I was about to go upstairs and get started, but Woody called my name getting my full attention once more. "You should eat something. I don't want you to get weak again and miss our wedding night."

Understanding the implied threat I turned back to the fridge and found a jar of pickles on the bottom shelf at the back. I over exaggerated my movements to get the jar and was rewarded when I stood up and saw Les and Woody both with their eyes glazed over. I winked at them before I took a bite of my pilfered prize and laughed when they both shook their heads as thought they were trying to clear the image burned in there.

Woody walked past me to go out the back door and stopped to say, "Tonight, Darlin' I want to see that again, but without the sweatpants."

I didn't have time to respond before he walked out leaving me with a very confused looking Lester. "What?" I asked him.

"According to Bobby, the two of you are like rabbits and you still have that spark," He replied.

"What spark?" I wondered.

"We've talked about the fact that I don't usually go out with a woman again after we've had sex. Part of the reason is that my favorite part is the banter back and forth, the teasing and the challenge, but once you been together that's gone. I think I've been able to wait as long as I have with Marina because that teasing element is even better with her than anyone I've ever known and I don't want that part to be over. But you two still seem like you have that spark even though you're past the first time."

I struggled to keep from laughing out loud. "It's safe to say that we're past the first time, but I think Bobby's explanation of rabbits may have been a slight over exaggeration. The banter and the tension only grows when you get to know the right person. My guess is once you and Marina make love you will find new ways to tease or private insinuations that will reduce her to putty in your hands. It's true that it's different, but the difference is that it's much better."

Les seemed to consider what I was saying and weighing its truth. "I hope you're right because I like spending time with her. I feel different around her and I can't put my finger on why, but I like the way she makes me feel."

Suddenly I felt the need to get back to Trenton to talk to Marina. I wanted to be sure she was feeling the same was as Les was. He was obviously falling for her and I couldn't begin to imagine how horrible it would be if she hurt him. But if she was as hooked as he was then I was so happy for my friend. It would be great to see him grow into a real relationship.

Les and I talked and laughed through lunch and he picked up two bottles of water when I stood up an hour later to begin getting ready. I looked at him like he couldn't be serious. "I don't know what kind of work is involved in getting ready for a woman, but I do know that Bobby said you had been so dehydrated last night that he had to put a line in. I'm taking Bobby home in the morning so unless you want to make a trip to the hospital for your honeymoon, you need to get used to drinking a little more."

I rolled my eyes, but down deep I appreciated his warning. I wasn't used to having to make myself do things involving food and beverages. That was one part of my life that always felt natural to me. Just like the conversation the other day with Woody's dad about me taking my safety more seriously, I needed to hear Les' words about remembering to eat and drink even when I didn't feel like it.

I walked over and took both the bottles and placed a soft kiss on Lester's cheek. "Thank you," I told him.

He cupped his hand to my face as he had so many times over the past months and replied, "Anytime Beautiful."

As I walked up the steps slowly I heard Les call Marina on his phone and I smiled at the happiness evident in his voice.

I walked past Bobby and Hector coming downstairs with their bags packed taking their things over to Stella's. "I'm so sorry that you're being kicked out of your rooms just because of our wedding," I apologized.

Both their faces lit up and Hector spoke, "Not kicked out, we go. You need to be alone."

Bobby added to Hector's comment, "Besides, we'll be up and gone early in the morning, and you guys will probably be just getting to sleep by then, so it's for the best."

Remembering what Lester had said, my mouth suddenly spoke without my brain's permission and I told Bobby, "I'm so sorry about the nights you were downstairs. I had no idea you could hear so much."

Bobby erupted in laughter before saying, "Well, I did call Gina this morning to be sure we could get together as soon as I get back. I told her after having to listen to the two of you if I couldn't see her soon I was sure I'd go blind."

We all laughed at his reference to having to take his needs into his own hands, and then I continued up to the bedroom.

I shut the door and took my time going through Ella's special suitcase. I wasn't the least bit surprised about what was in there, except for how gorgeous everything was. I couldn't decide what to wear first. Fortunately there was a white set that she had in a bag marked "wedding dress" so I picked that up and headed into the bathroom.

When I unzipped the bag to take a peek I noticed an envelope which I pulled out to open. In it was a handwritten note from Ella.

"My Dear Stephanie, How excited I was to hear about your wedding to Woody! He is a good man and has loved you for a long time. He understands you and can give you the life you deserve and the support you need to be happy. If I know you, then you've probably spent some time worrying about Ranger, and I want to assure you that he will be fine. I love my nephew, but when it came to you I never understood him. Don't get me wrong, I believe he loves you in his own way but there are restrictions to how he can love, and you deserve to be loved freely and abundantly. No doubt he will sulk and complain that one of his own men took you away from him, but when he sees your joyful glow he will let that go and admit that Woody is the right person to love you for all eternity. The men miss you terribly. Especially knowing that you are pregnant, they are all anxious to have you back among them safely in the walls of Haywood. I hear them speaking of the baby in the break room, each one as proud as though they are one of the parents themselves. I confess that even Louis and I have argued over who will get to the hold the baby first. We were unable to have children, and have begun to think of the men in the building as our own. Thinking of you growing with what we will look at as a grandchild has brought us both such joy. Today I want you to enjoy yourself. Let Woody spoil you and hold the memory of this day in your heart. Spend time in each other's company and get used to thinking of each other as your completing half and then return to us so that we can all share in your joy. I do miss you, but I rejoice in this day and cannot wait to offer my congratulations in person. Love, Ella."

I was thankful I read her note before I put on my makeup as the tears were freely streaming down my face. I reread her words several times before carefully folding the paper back up and placing it in the envelope for safekeeping. Then I took off my brace gently and sat it down on the counter. My wrist still looked horrible, but I was pleased that it was looking a little less horrific. At this point I was ready to count any improvement, no matter how small.

For the next two hours I took my time pampering myself. I took a bubble bath, I exfoliated, I shaved, and I did a self wax to be sure I could wear the skimpy panties Ella sent along. Then I got in the shower to wash my hair. I was pruney, but I was finally prepped to begin getting ready. I glanced at the clock and swallowed a lump in my throat when I saw I had an hour and a quarter until it was time.

I painted my toes first with a passion pink color Stella had in my basket under the sink. Then I used some of the styling gel for curly hair that she included and while it dried in, I began on my make-up. I wanted to go for an understated look so I used a hint of blue with some smoky grey over the top for my eye shadow and lined my eyes with a fine tip pencil in blue so that the color of my eyes would stand out. I had some lipstick that nearly matched the polish I used earlier so I used that. Finally, I was surprised when a single layer of mascara made me feel complete. I assumed I'd need a little more than that, but chocked it up to knowing I was about to do the right thing so extra courage wasn't necessary.

Then I turned my attention to my hair and only had to wrestle with it for thirty minutes to get it falling around my face in loose curls. I left some of the curls on top whole without brushing them out to give me some bouncy ringlets mixed in with the softer waves. It was elegant and playful and I thought it suited the occasion perfectly.

I had ten minutes left so I stepped into the bra and panty set and smiled when I saw it in the mirror. I never thought of myself as a knockout beauty, but in this outfit of barely there items I had a feeling Woody was going to love the surprise waiting for him under my dress.

I pulled the dress off the hanger reverently. It felt so feminine and beautiful in my hands that I hoped I did it justice when I slipped it on. I was a little nervous about how I would look, so I turned away from the mirror to step into the dress and zip it up. It fit me perfectly allowing me to let out the breath I'd been holding. I put my feet in the shoes and smiled at how soft they were. I briefly felt guilty about how much this outfit must have cost someone, but pushed that thought from my mind. It was my wedding day, and Ella told me to let Woody spoil me so I just decided to go with it. I put the brace back on as well. I didn't want to wear it because I knew it was ruining the look of the dress, but at least it covered up the bruising.

I needed something to cover up the brace so it wasn't the first thing a person's eyes were drawn to. I looked around and saw both of the nightstands had old fashioned lace doilies on them. I didn't see any other options so I assumed Woody meant it when he told me everything in the house was mine. I took the lace circles into the bathroom and cut them into strips. Then I used hairspray to coat my brace and laid the lace pieces on the sticky coating. I had to tuck the ends in to finish the look, but when I ran out of doilies I was pleased to see the brace had been effectively covered.

I turned slowly in front of the full length mirror and took in my image. I was pleased with how I looked. I had a fleeting moment of sadness that more of the guys weren't here, nor were my family but when a soft knock came at the door and I saw Lester's reflection enter behind me I felt only peace.

Les stood behind me and said, "My God, Beautiful, you are everything a bride should be." I turned to see him in a black button up shirt tucked in black dress pants. There was a time I would have complained about the single color theme, but Les was gorgeous with the dark color bringing out his skin tone so I swallowed hard and replied, "You're not so bad yourself."

"Oh no, there is no way you're complimenting me when you look like that." He argued back. "Hell, I'm afraid to touch you because I don't want to mess anything up until Woody gets to see you."

I walked over and grabbed his hand leading him to the door. "Come on, I'm ready to get this show on the road." My comment got his attention and he followed me out the door. When we started coming down the stairs I realized Woody, Bobby and Hector were all waiting for us. My grip on Lester's hand tightened and he laughed, "Relax beautiful, they just wanted a chance to see you."

I took a deep breath and hoped that I could make it down the stairs without completely embarrassing myself. I didn't dare look at Woody's face until I was five steps away. I figured if I tripped over my feet at that point one of them could catch me before I did anymore damage.

The love pouring from his eyes to me was almost unbearable, and I stopped walking temporarily. Lester let go of my hand and left me while Woody quickly came up the first three steps and held out his hand to me. When I put my hand in his I felt the electricity that we seemed to generate and it gave me the nudge I needed to move forward.

Woody was wearing a black suit, with tone on tone under it in a black dress shirt and tie. Under his slacks he was wearing a pair of shiny black boots and I smiled at the perfect combination. He was a good looking man in his daily t-shirt and cargoes, but dressed like this I had to remind myself there was a judge in the other room waiting on us to keep from wanting to pull him upstairs right now.

When we were on the same step Woody put his free hand on my cheek and smiled at me. The sight of his dimple made me smile in return and he put his cheek next to mine to whisper in my ear, "In all of creation, there has never been a woman as amazing as you, Stephanie Plum. You take my breath away."

He nuzzled his face against mine softly and then pulled back and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Absolutely," I assured him.

Woody led me down the stairs where Bobby and Hector each took a moment to touch my hand and compliment how I looked. I thought it was interesting that no one but Woody seemed to want to get very close in the way they normally would. The guys were usually eager to hug me or pull me to them when I was dolled up for a distraction. But even I could tell the difference in how I appeared for a distraction and the way I looked right now. I knew there was a glow about me that I'd never seen before, and I knew it was there because of Woody. Perhaps the guys recognized that too and out of respect for their friend they were keeping a distance.

We walked around the corner to the living room that Stella had completely transformed from the way it appeared earlier. Most of the furniture was pushed back and the sun was glistening off the hills in the pasture indicating the beginning of the evening. She had candles throughout the room, which weren't really necessary now, but would be lovely after the sunset. She had flowers and greenery placed strategically to add to the ambiance, without overdoing the effect. I was impressed that she had created a magic space for our wedding that was exactly what I would have wanted even though I would not have been able to describe it.

The judge smiled at us as we stepped forward with Les, Bobby and Hector stepping up to my side and Robert and Stella following suit beside Woody. As the older gentleman in front of us began to speak I looked up hoping to clear my eyes of any tears, but none came. Either I was doing a very good job or I didn't need to cry. My heart was full, and I had never been this happy so I let go of my worries and just listened to his words and tried to follow Ella's advice of holding the memory in my heart.

He had elongated a normal justice of the peace service and included a few religious references and readings which made it mean more to me without seeming overdone. Before I realized it I was being asked to affirm my desire to take Woody as my lawfully wedded husband. I couldn't stop the smile that broke across my face as I said "I do." Later as I repeated my vows I was struck at how easy it was to promise to share my life, my heart and my future with this wonderful man.

Half an hour later he told Woody that he could kiss his bride, and kiss me he did. Any hesitancy that may have been in him about touching me in my made-up state was gone and he hungrily devoured my lips with his own. What might have been inappropriate in a church fit us perfectly in our home. Breaking apart when the guys began to cough, Woody placed a short softer kiss on my lips and whispered, "I love you."

I kissed him again in return and replied, "I love you too."

We eventually managed to pull apart and receive the good wishes of our friends. The judge called us over to the table to sign our license and we used Stella and Lester as our witnesses.

We spent the next three hours eating and laughing. Stella had turned on some soft music in the background that was a variety of styles and musicians and perfectly suited the festive feel of the meal. After I took my first bite of the cake Stella had prepared, I told her how impressed I was that she managed to make a wedding cake with three layers: the top and bottom were laced with pineapple and the center layer was a banana cream combining our two favorite desserts. She had iced it with a whipped cream icing to give it a traditional look. I moaned my way through every taste of it making Stella beam and all the men shift uncomfortably.

When the dessert was cleared away the guys came over and hugged me goodbye. Bobby said he would be speaking with Dr. Murray after my appointment so if I had any questions or concerns I could call him. I desperately wanted to go upstairs, but I was sad to think of the night ending. We walked everyone to the front porch and I kissed my guys goodbye thanking each of them for everything they had done for me. Of course, that caused the tears to pool up that I had expected earlier.

Woody came over and did a man hug with each of his friends practically glowing as they walked away with Robert and Stella. Once they were far enough away we knew they wouldn't return, Woody pulled me back to him for another kiss. This time when we pulled apart he indicated with a nod of his head that we should go back inside. He shut and locked the door and then went to the alarm panel and keyed in a code to secure us in and prevent any interruptions.

I wasn't prepared for him to turn around to face me and then sweep me off my feet once more so a shrill squeal came from my mouth when he swept me into his arms. "I missed the threshold so I could lock up, but I intend to carry you over the entrance to our bedroom instead."

"Is there anything you need?" He asked as he walked up the stairs.

"Just you," I replied honestly beginning to feel a need burning in me that only Woody could satisfy.

He sat me down at the foot of the bed and spoke aloud what I knew to be true. "Everything I have is yours Steph. Anytime you need me, I'll move heaven and earth to be there. And as for needing me now, I intend to spend the next few hours satisfying that desire."

Knowing that I married a man of his word I surrendered to him knowing by the time the sun rose again I would be an exhausted but very happy woman.