“May I escort you inside, Mrs. Hartt?”Livia bit her lower lip and nodded.Blake scooped her up.To be carried was such a basic thing. And yet it felt…Primal? Almost. Religious? Maybe.She focused on his deep, even breaths as he maneuvered through the doorway. Livia laughed a little at herself. She was grateful for the simple act of Blake’s breathing.”

“She focused on her favorite machine in the room: the one that kept track of Blake’s heartbeat. With slow breaths and concentration, Livia could make her heart beat in tandem with his.”

“Make me lose count, Blake Hartt.”Livia let him lift her and guide her body onto him.Joined. Inside. Together.“I love you,” they breathed.”

“Livia pictured herself holding Blake’s hand on a walk in the forest, the sun prickling through the leaves to dance on his face. She pictured his smile. She imagined she felt the gentle touch of his finger on her cheek. She pressed her lips together. He will kiss me again. I know it.”

“Livia stepped into his arms and kissed him, her previous shyness overwhelmed by joy.Cole laughed. “And you may keep kissing the bride. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Blake Hartt.”

“As the nurses busied themselves with other patients and statistics, Livia slid her hand over his. She needed to feel his skin. She tucked his hand under the thin blanket and held it without protection. The same tingling she’d felt when they first held hands flooded her skin. He’s still in there. They can tell me anything they want. Blake’s right here.She scooted her chair closer to his head. The deep, monotonous breaths the ventilator forced him to take sounded scary, but Livia held tight to his hand.“I love you, Blake Hartt,” she whispered. “I’ll love you forever.”