“It’s okay.” By now she was certainly used to the phone calls he received at every hour of the day and night. While working on his memoir about his quest to free wrongfully convicted people, Dan continued to oversee the team of lawyers who worked on his innocence projects. They worked out of his Los Angeles office while he was on the other side of the country becoming more entwined every day in his life on a tiny island that had begun to feel like home, especially since he met and fell in love with Kara.

“Go back to sleep for a while,” he said as he kissed her shoulder. “It’s early yet.”

“Mmm.” Her smooth leg slid between his, coming to rest just below his groin.

Dan’s hand, which had been caressing her back, moved down to cup her bottom, bringing her in even closer to him.

“Looks like one of us is wide awake.”

“He can’t help himself when you’re all naked and soft and warm.”

Her hand on his stomach did nothing to help the growing problem below.

“Today is going to be a very long day,” she said with a sigh. Her parents had come to visit so they could meet him and had insisted on throwing them an engagement party so they could meet the rest of Kara’s friends. Dan knew she’d rather skip the entire thing but was humoring her parents, with whom she’d had a difficult relationship over the last couple of years.

“At least they didn’t put up a fuss when you told them we want to get married here.” They’d booked The Chesterfield for the following June.

“They know better than to put up any kind of fuss where I’m concerned. They’re probably relieved that I’m engaged so they can stop feeling guilty for supporting my sister when she made off with my boyfriend.”

“Ex-boyfriend.”

Her soft giggle made him smile. “Extremely ex. So ex he barely warrants a mention.”

“That’s right, and don’t forget it. Your fiancé is the jealous type who doesn’t want you pining after old loves.”

“My fiancé has nothing to worry about, and he knows it. I was never really in love until I met him.”

“Kara…” He held her even closer, if that was possible. “You don’t know what it does to me when you say stuff like that. How anyone could ever be stupid enough to let you go is beyond me.”

“You’d better never let me go.”

“No worries there, babe.” He kissed the top of her head and breathed in the arresting scent of her hair. “You going to be okay at this party today?”