Page 72 of Married at Midnight

Ellie wanted to be mad about how easily she’d allowed herself to be manipulated, but it was hard when the chain of events had led her to this moment—and to the one man she’d never been able to forget. “You four should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Lenny’s shoulders slumped. “We might have overstepped our bounds there a bit, but it was only because we wanted you both to know how perfect you are for each other.”

Ellie narrowed her gaze on the contrite men. “What else did you do?”

A flush crept over George’s cheeks. “The flowers, the love notes you thought were from Connor . . . and the sheet music you thought was from Ellie . . .”

Connor’s lips thinned. “You didn’t think I could romance my wife myself?”

Ernie wrung his hands before him. “We should have trusted you two to find your own way.”

“How did you get them in the house?” Ellie asked.

“Viola gave us a key to the kitchen door.” Lenny reached inside his T-shirt for a key on a silver chain. “We’re sorry,” he said, his face filled with remorse as he slipped the chain over his head and handed the key to Connor. Lenny hesitated as he looked at the other three Elvises. “We didn’t drug you or manipulate you in any way to get you to the altar. You two were eager enough to get there all on your own.”

Connor looked from the Elvises to his grandmother. The betrayal in his eyes was tangible for a heartbeat; then as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. He turned back to Ellie and took her hand. “Are you mad about us meeting and getting married?”

“I should be mad. I don’t like being deceived or manipulated,” Ellie said, looking straight at Viola. The older woman winced but remained silent.

“But you’re not, right?” Connor asked with hope in his voice.

Ellie stared at the people gathered around her bed. Their faces were a mixture of confusion and remorse and love. Did she care how she and Connor had come together? Or who manipulated whom?

She looked up into Connor’s green eyes. He looked at her with love, a deep and abiding love that no one could have fabricated.

The thought invigorated her. Did she care? Heck no. When she’d been alone in the darkness of the warehouse, all she’d thought about were the moments she and Connor had shared.

“What about our agreement?” she asked.

“The only agreement I’ll settle on is that you’re part of my life forever, Mrs. Grayson.”

“You’re certain? Because as you know, no Hawthorne has ever been divorced.”

He gave her his most devastating smile and bent to kiss her. “I have never been more certain of anything in my life.”

“I think that’s our cue to leave,” Viola said, ushering the others out of the hospital room. At the door she turned back. “Wedding tomorrow at ten?”

“Grayson House opens at ten to the public,” Ellie replied, still trying to recover from the impact of Connor’s kiss.

Viola arched her brow. “It’s only fitting that we start the holiday showing of the house with a celebration this city won’t soon forget.”

“When are you going to tell us who your bridegroom is?” Connor asked.

“I can’t tell you now.” A smug smile pulled up her lips. “You need incentive to get out of that bed. I’ll see you tomorrow morning at Grayson House.”

When she was gone, Connor turned to Ellie and lifted her chin with the arc of his fingers. His lips descended, his mouth moving over hers, claiming her, and telling her all the things he had not yet said—that he loved her, needed her, wanted her. For the two of them, after all they’d been through, love could be communicated in no other way. It was an emotion that didn’t need sound; it needed action.

Connor had shown her his love by sacrificing everything for her. He’d willingly handed over the things she thought he’d held most dear.

She’d been wrong.

His kiss told her that love, their love, was powerful, all-consuming, and triumphant. They had both needed to surrender themselves and all they held precious to realize what they meant to each other.

After a long while, Connor pulled back, but kept his hand at her cheek.

“Want to stay here tonight?” he asked, his words heavy with desire. “Or would you like me to see what I can do about getting you discharged?”

“I want to go home. With you.”

His hand fell away from her face. They shared a smile without speaking what was in both of their hearts. “Let me go find Jordan. She’ll be pleased to know you’re awake and ready to be set free.”

Ellie watched Connor walk out of the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. They would have to talk soon about what their future would hold.

A future with Connor.

Five weeks ago, Connor and her staying together seemed impossible. After what they’d lived through in the last several hours, losing him was not something she wished to contemplate. It was certainly not something she would accept.