“You plan to make this legal?” This question came from Luke.

“That’s between me and Piper.”

“Not so much,” Joe said. “It’s between all of us, because if you break her heart again, we will be the ones who will break you.”

“Fair enough, but I’m still not talking to you about this.”

He was eyeballed by three Trainers, but kept his gaze steady. They loved Piper, so it may piss him off, but as he loved her too he understood where they were coming from. Plus he couldn’t discount the fact that he may threaten someone like that one day if they hurt his sisters. The thought made him smile.

“They’re checking her over,” a nurse told them when they walked into the hospital reception area. “She’ll be out soon.”

“Can I see her?”

The Trainers were all making themselves comfortable in the waiting area, but not Dylan. He wanted to be with Piper. Now he’d told her he loved her, he needed to be with her.

The viselike grip he’d kept on his emotions was no longer in place, and suddenly he had words that needed to be spoken to Piper.

“Let him, Sally. He’s in love, and it’s pathetic, but what can you do? He’ll start crying if he doesn’t see Pip soon.”

Jack Trainer sent the young nurse a sizzling smile, and she melted.

“Well, all right, I guess we could make an allowance this time.”

Dylan rolled his eyes and followed.

He found Piper seated on a bed, wearing a sling and looking pissed off, sweet, and sinfully beautiful with her clothes torn and dirty and her hair all over the place.

“Surely I don’t have to wear this sling for that long, Doctor?”

“She’ll wear it,” Dylan said, walking into the room. “Now be a good girl and say, ‘Yes, Doctor.’”

Her smile made those pretty eyes sparkle, and it was all for him.

“Yes, Doctor.”

He leaned in and kissed her. He could do that now, as often as he wanted, because one thing he’d realized up there on that mountain was that wherever this woman was he wanted to be. Right there beside her from now on.

“Okay, here’s your script for the pain meds, and other than a few bruises you’re actually in good shape. But that shoulder will need rest.”

“She’ll get it,” Dylan said, lifting her off the bed and settling her on her feet.

They walked down the hall together, her hand in his, and Dylan swung it slowly as he thought about what he wanted to say to her.

“It’s okay, Dylan.”