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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, or any events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.

Photos by Lindee Robinson Photography

Cover Designed by Najla Qamber Designs

Models: Ahmad Kawsan & Destiny Mankowski

Editing by Editing4Indies

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Formatting by CP Smith

Translation of Love (Of Love #1)

Desperation of Love (Of Love #2)

Shelter You

For Arbin for listening to all my new book ideas and giving me your amazing suggestions.

For Eva Rose, because to me you’re everything…my very own ‘happily ever after’.

For anyone whose ever experienced the beauty of a second love.

“Tyler, do you take Everly to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do,” declares Tyler, his deep voice cracking slightly.

My own eyes are now moist with the threat of unshed tears. His beautiful smile shines down on me, making the butterflies in my stomach take flight. I turn my head to the priest as he begins to speak again.

“Everly, do you take Tyler to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?”

“I do,” I agree joyfully tilting my head up and looking into Tyler’s chocolate brown eyes, the tears pooled in them reflecting my own. This is the kind of moment that every girl dreams of, the happily ever after that we read about when we’re little.

“You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in his goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with blessings. What God has joined let no man divide. Do you have the rings?”

Tyler nods, turning around and taking the rings from his best man. As he turns I take in the sight of him, really look at this man standing before me, loving the way he looks in his black suit and tie. Tyler is slender with lean well-defined muscles. His light brown hair is short and perfectly groomed for the occasion. Tyler likes to look good; he’s always so well put together. He takes pride in his appearance—even in sweats and a t-shirt he looks styled to perfection. He’s tall, so tall that he hovers over me even in the highest heels I could find I still have to look up at him. His thin lips and perfectly chiseled nose make him look almost like the typical boy next door.

I focus on Tyler as he shakily picks up my left hand and grins as he slides a platinum diamond band on my finger.

“With this ring, I thee wed,” he says softly, so low that no one past the first few rows likely heard him.

I wipe away a stray tear, turn to my maid of honor who hands me his ring, and turn back to Tyler. I take his hand in mine repeating the same words he’s just spoken.

“With this ring, I thee wed.”

“You place these rings upon each other’s fingers as a visible sign of your vows this day. And now by the power vested in me by the state of New Jersey, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife. Tyler,” the priest calls with a smile on his face, “you may kiss your bride.”

His lips crush down hard against mine and my arms wrap around his neck as cheers erupt throughout the church. Two hundred of our closest friends and family are in attendance, but I don’t see any of them. I barely register the fact that they’re here at all. The only thing I know is that we did it, that as of this moment I’m Tyler’s wife and he’s my husband. Mine. And this is the day I’ve been waiting for since I met him on campus four years ago.

We slowly break apart, and I swear it feels more like a fantasy than reality. Tyler looks down at me with his perfect smile and whispers, “I love you Mrs. West.”

“I love you Mr. West.” I giggle as he takes my hand leading me down the rose-covered aisle and out of the church. Life with Tyler hasn’t always been perfect, it hasn’t always been easy, but my life is so much better with him in it. I’ve never doubted his love—not ever once. He’s steady, grounded, focused; that’s what I love about him and Tyler would do anything to make sure I’m happy. He would move mountains if it meant giving me something that I want. How can I not love someone like that?

The rest of the day passes in a series of beautiful scenes filled with happiness and laughter. Endless food and alcohol is consumed, music fills the air as our guests dance and mingle. It’s been prepared to be the wedding to end all weddings as two prominent families are united through our love for each other. Everything is as it should be, everything is right with the world, and I’m afraid I might burst because I’m so full of joy right now.

“The moment I saw you in that first class I knew I was going to marry you,” he tells me. My arms wrap around Tyler’s neck as we sway back and forth to the beautiful ballad.

I laugh and shake my head at him. “Confident huh?”

He always says he had known…well hoped, from the minute I walked into my Econ class, that he and I would be together. I, on the other hand, wasn’t so sure. I’d had a crush on someone else, but it didn’t take long for me to reciprocate. There was just something about Tyler that got to me. It was more than his looks, although his dark brown eyes and killer smile didn’t hurt. He had a level of confidence unlike anyone I’d ever met before. It poured out of him, making him almost infectious to be around; getting to know him, spending time with him became almost necessary to me.

I remember being the envy of every girl in that class when he and I were paired off together to do our semester project. We spent a lot of time together studying and researching during that time and every day we grew closer and closer until I finally realized I had fallen in love with him. That’s all it took for us to become inseparable, for us to become Tyler and Everly, and now look at us—married and about to start a life together.

I place a chaste kiss on his lips. “You know, if I could have created my dream man from scratch, he would have been you. I know now that you were meant for me.”

“Mmm baby, I’m going to take you out of here in a few minutes and show you exactly why you’ll never regret getting mixed up with a guy like me.”

I lean into him resting my head on his shoulder and let out a sigh.

“I could never regret you Tyler; you’re the love of my life.”

“And you’re mine,” he replies, placing a kiss on the top of my head.