Sarah.

Mine, his heart called out.

“Luke can’t remember who he was seeing,” Jason said to their friends, “because now, all he sees is her.”

Truer words . . .

Luke couldn’t get to her fast enough or take his eyes off her. She stared at him from across the room with a smile on her beautiful face that lit up his heart. She held her hands away from her sides and leaned a little to her left to show off the dress, which nearly stopped his heart. She did a little twirl and waved her hands down at the pretty shoes.

She knew she looked amazing. She knew he liked what he saw.

His mouth watered and his long, determined strides took him across the room and right to her.

Just before he reached her, his dad grinned and said, “Watch out, dear. That’s a man on a mission.”

“I love that man.” Sarah’s smile and eyes said it, too.

“I know you do. And he loves you.”

Luke appreciated that his father saw the love between them, that Luke had finally found what he’d admired about his parents’ relationship. Undying, unyielding, undeniable love.

Luke stopped short of taking her in his arms and stuffed his hands in his pockets and just took in the breathtaking woman who made his life infinitely better in more ways than he could count.

Sarah cocked her head, confused. “Aren’t you going to kiss me?”

He shook his head.

“Don’t you like the dress?”

“I love the dress. I just can’t kiss you, because if I do, that dress is going to fly right off you, and all these people are going to get an eyeful of me devouring you.”

“Oh. Oh!” She smiled at him. “I’ll take my chances. Your mother and father are right behind me.” She gave him a wicked grin and then leaned into him and kissed him softly. Before she could pull back, he pulled his hands free and put them around her waist and crushed her to him. Then he really kissed her.

Flashbulbs went off all around them. He didn’t care how many pictures of them ended up splashed across the Internet. All he could think about was how soft the skin on her back felt and how sweet she tasted.

He ended the kiss and looked down at her. “You’re beautiful.”

“Thank you.” A shy smile tugged at her red-tinted lips. “Another gift. No one’s ever said that to me.”

He leaned his forehead to hers. “I think it every day I’m with you and will remember to tell you more often.”

“Son, let’s get her away from all this chaos.”

“Okay, Dad. I can’t wait to dance with my beautiful girlfriend.” He needed to change that to “wife.” Soon.

He led her away from the crowd, the press calling out questions to her, and headed toward the ballroom.

Jason and Michelle, along with his mom and dad, followed.

“You look amazing, Sarah,” Michelle said from just behind them.