“My voice?” He looked amused.
“Yes, your voice. It’s the first part of you I met, remember? You spoke to me out of the darkness. For a time, that’s all you were—a voice holding me together.”
He kissed her forehead. “I’m not going to let anything like that happen to you again. You’re going to live out your days as the cosseted and cherished wife of a chief deputy U.S. marshal. What do you think of that, Natalie McBride?”
It helped that Natalie had left journalism. She wasn’t going to work freelance. She wasn’t going to write a book about her ordeal in Mexico. She was going to stay at home, cooking meals, baking pies, and making sure their life together was comfortable. When Zach came home from a hard day’s work, she wanted to be there for him, not coping with her own stress and fatigue. She knew some women would object to her decision, but this was her life, and she was going to live it as she chose.
“That makes me very, very happy.” She drew Zach’s lips down to hers.
And, forgetting about the music, forgetting that they were supposed to be dancing, forgetting about the friends who watched and the camera that flashed, they kissed long and slow and deep.
SAVORING THE SIGHT of the woman he loved out there having fun, Zach stood near the bar with his groomsmen as they watched their wives dance together. The women showed off their sexy dance moves for one another like women did when they danced with other women, belting out the lyrics to Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” with no hint of inhibition. Next, the DJ played Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach,” during which Tessa and Kat seemed to have great fun exhibiting their pregnant bellies. Then Sophie burst into giggles over something Holly said, wobbling slightly on her heels.
“Yeah, she’s had a bit too much to drink.” Hunter grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll take advantage of her later.”
“You have to get your wife drunk to get her in bed with you?” Rossiter asked, mock surprise in his voice. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Up yours, Rossiter.” Hunter took a drink. “And who said anything about bed when I got my old Chevy out front?”
“Thanks for the warning.” Darcangelo made a face. “We’ll make sure to give that relic a wide berth when we leave. If I saw your hairy ass bouncing up and down in the backseat, I think it would give me nightmares.”
Hunter chuckled. “Or turn you on.”
“In your dreams.” Then Darcangelo turned to Zach. His left hand was still in a cast, but his thumb was healing well. “So, McBride, how long will it be before there’s a little Zach or Natalie junior around to fight over toys with our kids?”
Rossiter grinned. “We hear you’re, uh . . . practicing. I just have to say that some of us get it right on the first try.”
“That’s called ‘lack of self-control,’ Rossiter,” Hunter said.
Darcangelo laughed. “Look who’s talking. Who got his woman pregnant while he was still running from the law? Oh, yeah. That wasyou, Hunter. No, don’t look at me like that. Tess and I were married before I got her pregnant. That’s more than either of you can say.”
Hunter and Rossiter looked at each other, grinned, then knocked their beer mugs together and drank.
But Zach was confused. “How did you hear that we’re ‘practicing’? I thought that was a private joke between me and my wife.”
Hunter leveled a grave look his way. “They’re women, and they’re journalists. No secrets. Get used to it.”
“Thanks for the warning.” Zach took a drink of stout, then answered the question. “We’re waiting till next year. I want this first year with her. So much has changed for both of us. Sometimes, I don’t believe it’s real.”
He saw understanding in each man’s eyes.
Darcangelo clapped him on the shoulder. “You did well. Natalie is a class act.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you all for what you did.” Maybe it was the champagne and the beer, but Zach had to say it. “Each of you risked your own life and the happiness of your wife and children to help Natalie. You saved her life, and mine. I’ll never forget that.”
Hunter met his gaze. “I told you, McBride. We take care of our own. You’d do the same for us.”
Darcangelo nodded. “For once, Hunter, you and I agree.”
“To friends.” Zach raised his glass. Then he smiled, chuckling. “And to the women none of us deserve.”
The men laughed, shouting out their agreement, beer mugs clinking.
HOT FROM DANCING, Natalie took a sip of cool champagne.
“Mmm, I love the sight of my husband in a tux.” Sophie nibbled on the olive from her martini. “Makes me want to rip his clothes off.”
Holly smiled. “I love the sight of all of your husbands in tuxes. Anytime you want to share, just let me know.”