“Now, I have a hard-on,” Jack groused.

Riley very deliberately placed a hand on his groin. “A reminder.”

“You branding me, Riley?”

“I might be.” He smirked.

They went to the door. Riley stooped to pat Toby, who was in his crate for the ceremony. Toby gave a tiny puppy yawn and rolled over, going back to sleep immediately. With shoulders back, Jack took the first step outside, to cameras and smiles.

Jack saw family and friends, children in their Sunday best, a cameraman to one side with Sean standing next to him. There was an avenue of decorated, ornate trees in a path to the front, and they followed the petals that Hayley and the twins had clearly strewn before them. Logan was in a suit looking older than his age. Max wore a tiny version of the same suit, Lea wore the same dress as Hayley, Sarah and Emily looked like little princesses in their dresses. Luke and Annabelle were there somewhere too, with Lisa and Ed; all the children in one place. Jack spotted Anna, who had a chair right at the back. She was smiling, but at only a week away from having his niece or nephew, she was staying well in the shade with a fan on her. He didn’t envy how she must feel in this heat and carrying the baby.

The twins and Campbell sat with Donna and Sandra in the front row. Connor was deadly serious and focused, Lexie playing with her hair, with her thumb firmly stuck in her mouth, Campbell asleep. Carol was at the far side. Max was holding her hand, Thomas in his other hand, and he was wearing headphones, a sure sign he was a little stressed. Poor kid. Carol nodded that everything was okay, and Max caught and held Jack’s gaze briefly. Hayley waited for them, looking beautiful in a slim-fitting pale blue dress, her blond hair caught up at each side and cascading in a fall down her back. She’d put on weight recently, looked fitter. She had good control of her sugars with only a few mishaps, and now she was interested in geology.

Seemed like time was moving way too fast.

They stopped at the front, facing Jim who was in charge of this exchange of words and vows.

“When Riley spoke to me about how he was going to marry Jack Campbell, I couldn’t find the words,” Jim began. He was addressing everyone, but he was smiling at Jack and Riley. “I thought it could only end in disaster, but it didn’t. In fact, they went through disaster together, and my son and his husband have become much more than they ever thought they would be. More than I could have hoped for them.”

Jack glanced at Riley whose eyes were suspiciously bright. He squeezed Riley’s hand as they listened to Jim, who spoke from the heart.

“So, when they asked me to stand here and officiate, I was not going to say no. I’ve seen these two men, through storms and lulls, become so much deeper in love each day, and I’ve seen them share that love with their wonderful family, and with all of us.”

He paused as he very deliberately looked at Riley and Jack in turn.

“So, to stop me talking, I think it’s Jack’s turn to speak first.”

Jack turned and faced Riley. “Hey, Hetboy,” he began softly.

“Hey, cowboy,” Riley said back.

“You sure you don’t want to go first?” he asked.

“Nuh-uh.” Riley winked.

“Damn you, Hayes.” Jack cleared his throat, closed his eyes briefly, then said exactly what he’d planned on every day since they’d set this impossible day on its way.

“Riley, I love you. You know that. Everyone knows that. There isn’t a single day that goes by without me saying it, to your face, or in my head when you aren’t there. You took my focus and you made it something else. You told me you loved me, and I believed you. You promised me forever, and I’m taking that as a pledge. We have a beautiful family—two sons, two daughters—and I count myself the luckiest person alive.”

He paused, and Riley smiled at him, tears in his eyes.

“It’s important to me that I say these things to you, here on Double D land, with my feet planted squarely in Texas soil. Texas, the land, the horses, friends, family. These things are my very soul. But you, Riley Campbell-Hayes?”

He stopped and his eyes were bright with emotion.

“Riley, you are my heart.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Riley swallowed. He couldn’t help the emotion that was welling inside him. This moment, here, was the most special of all of them. He wasn’t sure he would be as eloquent as Jack; hell, he hadn’t prepared any words or written anything down. He’d thought long and hard about what to say to this strong man who was the other half of him, but there were only single words. Trust, bravery, love, lust, family, forever. How could he wrap all those up as prettily as Jack had?

Suck it up, Riley. You can do this.

“I know what I want to say,” he began softly. He coughed and pushed a bit more volume into his voice. “I stood in an office once, with my brother, and I listened to the man I thought was my father tell me, in his own way, that he expected me to fail. He said I should marry for love. Otherwise I would lose something I held dear. I thought it was money I would lose, a share in the fortune that Hayes Oil controlled, but actually it was worse than that. In agreeing to that bargain, I took the first step into becoming something I didn’t want to be. You held me, Jack, and you pulled me back, showed me what real passion and love really was.”

Riley had to stop. He had tears on his face, and Jack was biting his lip, like he did when he had no way of dealing with the emotions inside him.

“You gave me a home and the twins. You love Hayley, you share our love for Max, you bought me a puppy. Jack Campbell-Hayes, you are my rock, and I will love you forever for the man you are. You saved me.”

Jack released Riley’s hand and cradled his face. As people clapped, whistled and cheered, Jack kissed Riley as if they were alone in their room. Down-and-dirty and heated, dragged to the point of madness and left wanting.

When they separated and turned to face cameras, laughter and congratulations, they didn’t release their hold of each other’s hand.

If Riley had his way, he would never let go.

The party was big. Friends of friends were invited to the evening, when the sun had vanished and the ranch was lit with millions of tiny lights. At least Eden had backed off on putting them up herself and instead hired someone in. Talking of Eden, Riley hadn’t seen her in a while and some instinct inside pushed him to go find her. She was far too concerned in how everything was working to be involved in something like enjoying herself.

Jim hugged him, then sat down next to Sandra. “Maybe our turn next?”

Sandra looked at Jim. They’d been together some time, old loves who had reunited after Gerald Hayes died. Riley waited with bated breath.

“I think so,” Sandra replied.

Then his dad was kissing his mom, and Riley decided now was a good time to find Eden. He walked away but didn’t get too far.

“Hey, sexy.” Jack grabbed him and kissed him.

Riley kissed back, he couldn’t stop himself, but he pulled away pretty damn fast. “I need to find Eden.”

Riley recalled only too well what had happened to Beth when she’d been missing at a wedding. She’d been bleeding and her baby had been in danger. Was that why his chest was tight?

Jack grabbed his hand. With polite words of apology, they ignored anyone who talked to them as they passed, and went around the entire wedding. They checked the house. Nothing. There was no sign of Sean either, and Riley hadn’t seen Lisa, although he found Ed with Josh.

Jack pulled Riley over to a quiet corner. “We should split up.” He released his hold on Riley’s hand, but Riley refused to let go. Instead he tugged Jack back out into the throng, and they made their way across to the fence and the fields beyond. A little way farther, he saw Eden and Lisa. Finally he released Jack’s hand, vaulted the fence in the dark, and hurried over to them, with Jack close behind.