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“No” Before she can object, I lift her into ht It’s ti man and wife”

Sloan clutches my shoulders Not that I would let her fall, but clearly she doesn’t understand that

Yet

“It’s still ”

I raise a brow at her “You knohat I mean”

Before she can reply, our guests turn their attention to us They cheer and toss flower petals from little pouches I suddenly see in their hands

I take that as my cue to wave, then slip into the air-conditioned house Thankfully, Nia shuts the door behind us, leaving the wedding guests outside Presu at the Sunshine Coast Bed-and Breakfast, but they must all be upstairs, still in their rooms No shock since it’s not even nine o’clock, but that means my wife and I are essentially alone

I’e of it

And I’ for me

I carry reat room and round the corner to the honeyle in rasp “You can put me down”

Now that our guests aren’t jubilantly pelting us with rose petals and s for our joy, Sloan thinks she’ll retreat into herself? Is she nervous that we’ll be alone for the rest of the day and all night? Or upset that her father crashed our wedding? Probably both

“I could, but I’ to,” I tell her as I n that readsin Hawaiian, which tells ht place

After ducking inside, I kick the door shut behind us, set my wife on her feet, and stare down into her wide, wary eyes “You look so beautiful I didn’t get a chance to tell you earlier”

She looks away “You don’t have to say things like that I’ement”

One she probably already regrets If she tied herself toship for her father, she has just cause to be bitter