Adam shook his head. “I was afraid to give you too much time to yourself to think about how much better off I’d be without you when that couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“I still feel guilty about marrying you, knowing I might not be able to—”

He silenced her with a deep, passionate kiss that he hoped removed all doubt from her mind that he’d gotten exactly what—and who—he wanted most tonight. “No more of that. No more guilt or thoughts of running away or anything other than happily ever after. You hear me?”

She slipped her arms around his neck and went up on tiptoes to kiss him. “I hear you.”

“Do you really? Do you know I mean every word I said to you tonight? That I love you no matter what happens? That I love you even if we can never have children the old-fashioned way? Even if you gain weight or lose some of your gorgeous hair?”

Her big eyes were shiny with unshed tears. “I believe you, Adam. And I’m so very thankful that you feel that way about me. It makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.”

“We’re both lucky to have been on that ferry together last summer. That was fate bringing us together at our lowest point and showing us a whole new path forward together. I honestly believe that.” He kissed her neck and nibbled on her earlobe. “I don’t want you to spend one more second worrying about what might happen. I want you to stay completely focused on right here and right now.” He cupped her breasts and ran his thumbs over her nipples, which tightened into hard points under her dress. “Can you do that?”

“Mmm, if you keep that up, I certainly won’t be thinking about anything else but you.”

“I plan to keep this up forever,” he said, lightly pinching her nipples to make his point.

She gasped and leaned into him, pressing her body against his erection.

Adam reached around to her back, found the zipper and lowered it slowly, dragging his fingers over her heated skin as he went. Her face was flushed with excitement, her eyes bright with desire and her lips swollen from their kisses.

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Because I’ve never seen anyone look more beautiful than you do right now.”

“You don’t look too bad yourself, Mr. McCarthy, but then again, I’ve always thought you were hot, even when I was dating your brother.”

“We’ve agreed to never speak of that.”

“With him,” she said, giggling again. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Besides, he’s not too shabby to look at either.”