I poke out my tongue and people laugh.

Despite my light tone, my speech has drained me emotionally. I step away from the podium and start to step down when I hear a voice.

“Wait!”

My heart quickens and I search the crowd for the owner, needing confirmation, even though I know, of course, who that voice belongs to. I’d know it anywhere. I just don’t want to hope, in case I am wrong.

I am not wrong.

James is standing there, at the bottom of the path. He is wearing a black suit, and is panting as if he has been running. I stare at him, every fiber in my being afire with love at the sight of this man who has captured my heart so completely. I stop breathing, my ribs tight. The crowd is silent as people swivel their heads to look at both James and me. As far as I’m concerned, though, we are the only people there. Everyone else has receded into the background.

“You came,” I say.

“I had to.”

He starts striding forward. I hitch my dress up with both hands and step down from the podium quickly. We meet in the middle of the aisle, pausing for the longest heartbeat to stare into each other’s eyes first. He looks tired and bedraggled, but perfect. I see myself reflected back at me. And I see his love, his urgent craving for me. Then I am home, in his arms, and everything in the universe falls into perfect alignment.

“These last few days without you have been the worst of my life,” he says raggedly, his voice choking on his pain. “I got on a plane, but the second we were in the air I regretted it. I made it as far as LA and then spent two days flying the longest way home to get back to you.”

“I missed you so much. I thought I’d never see you again.…” My voice chokes in my throat.

He silences me with a kiss, desperate and urgent. When we pull apart we are both breathless and unsatisfied. I realize that I will never have enough of this man. But now that he is back in my arms, I plan on doing a damn good job of trying.

“Remember that day, at the farm?” he asks. “When we were in the paddock and you asked me all those questions.”

“Yes.”

“You asked me if I’d ever been in love. And I told you I had, once. Remember?”

I nod, unsure where he is going with this.

“I was wrong. That was nothing compared to what I feel for you, Ava. It’s all-consuming, how much I want you. How much I need you.” He lifts me up and holds me tightly, our faces pressed together. “You are my everything, my world. Hell, I would lasso the moon for you. I want to give you everything you deserve, anything you want. Everything you need.”

“You already have. You. I don’t need anything else.”