“Whoa!” I say, laughing as Madison trips on my feet and nearly falls onto the dance floor. “I think we need a bit more practice.”

“Or a bit less wine,” she says, looking adorable with her flushed cheeks.

We’re dancing to Chubby Checker at Walter’s daughter’s wedding, and I couldn’t be happier. I feel like the luckiest guy in the world whenever Madison is in my arms.

She dances back up to me, looking sexier than I’ve ever seen her in her hot red dress. Her hips are swaying, her breasts are jiggling, and she’s got that look in her eye that tells me I won’t be getting very much sleep tonight.

I’m marrying this girl.

It’s inevitable. It will happen.

Once you get a girl this amazing, you don’t let go of her. No matter what.

“We’re going to slow it down now,” the DJ says into the mic. “It’s time to grab your guy or girl and make your way to the dance floor.”

“You hear that?” Madison whispers in my ear as she comes in nice and close. “It’s time to grab your girl.”

I grip her waist so hard as I pull her in close that she lets out a little whimper. “Like that?” I ask.

“That’s good,” she says, grinning up at me. “That’s really good.”

The intoxicating scent of her perfume is tickling my nose, making me crazy with desire for her. The feel of her breasts against my chest, her hips swaying against mine, her breath tickling my neck—it’s all making me want to grab her and pull her into the nearest closet.

“Ahhh,” she says, smiling up at me as Lady in Red starts playing. “I love this song.”

“It was made for you,” I say, smiling down at her. “You’re beautiful, Madison. And you look absolutely stunning in this dress.”

“You don’t look too bad yourself,” she says as she runs her hand down my tie. “Although I have to admit, I do prefer the hospital gown.”

“I’ll put it on for you at home,” I whisper into her ear. “I stole it.”

“You know, you’re not supposed to take those,” she says with a grin. “But in your case, I’ll let it slide.”

I left with a bill of over four-hundred-thousand dollars. I don’t feel bad about the gown.

The bill is still weighing on me, and I’m not sure how I’m going to pay it off. There’s no way I’ll be ready to ride in three months, so The Moxie Energy Drink Championships is off the table for this year. I’ll just have to win it next year.

But in the meantime, I have a huge bill that I have to find a way to pay off. I take a deep breath and try to push that out of my mind as I dance with Madison. No point in worrying about that tonight and ruining this moment.

All I want to think about is the amazing girl in my arms.

“Look!” she whispers as she motions to the bar with her eyes. Her boss Mitchell is chatting up a woman in a crochet dress whose hair is almost to her knees. They seem to be exchanging photos. “Mitchell found a girl!”

“I guess you’ll need a ride home,” I say, grinning down at her. I should be jealous that another man brought her here, but I can’t be jealous of that guy. I’m pretty sure he’s wearing a clip-on tie.

“What are they talking about?” Madison asks, staring at them in wonder.

“I don’t think I want to know.”

As the song hits the chorus, Mitchell and his new girl drop the photos on the ground and start making out. Heavily.

“Ew,” Madison says, turning away with a look of disgust on her face. “I didn’t need to see that.”

“Nobody needs to see that,” I say, watching in horror as they go at it. “Well at least if the groom needs to last a little longer tonight, he can think of that image and buy himself some time.”

“Oh, God,” she says with a laugh. “He’ll be able to last an eternity.”

We dance for the rest of the song in silence, just enjoying each other’s company as we hold each other close. The bride and groom are dancing beside us, and I can’t help but picture us in their place one day. As much as I love seeing Madison in her sexy red dress, I’d much rather see her wearing a white one, especially if she’s walking down the aisle toward me while she’s wearing it.

“Mmmm,” she moans when the song is over. “That was nice.”

“The best,” I whisper before giving her a soft kiss.

“I need a drink,” she says as the DJ tries to bring the energy back up with some Michael Jackson. I laugh as she grabs my wrist and pulls me to the bar.

“What can I get you?” the bartender asks her when we arrive.

“Shots!” she says, looking excited. “Surprise us.”

“How many?”

“Two,” I say, answering for her. She’s a little drunk, and I don’t want to have to carry her out of here.

“Better make that three,” Walter says as he comes up from behind us. “Can I join my two new friends in a celebratory shot?”

“You sure can!” Madison says with a big smile. “This is such a beautiful wedding!”

“Thank you,” Walter says, nodding as he looks around with a look of approval on his face. “It did turn out pretty great.”

“It would have been better with an arch,” I say, teasing him.

He looks at me with a sly grin. “Shut up,” he says with a laugh. “I set the cursed thing on fire.”

Madison hands us each a shot, unsuccessfully trying not to spill them. “The doctor says it’s time for you to take your medicine,” she says with a drunken little giggle.

Walter smiles as he holds his shot up. “To the best doctor in the world,” he says, looking at Madison.

“I’ll drink to that,” I say, holding my shot up as well. “I’ve seen talented mechanics in my line of work, but I’ve never met one who could do what you do. You save people’s lives. It’s incredible. You are better than Batman.”

“And don’t you ever forget it,” she says, clinking her shot glass with mine and spilling some Whiskey onto my hand.

“Cheers!” Walter says, clinking his shot glass with ours.

We all down the shots and cringe as the alcohol burns our throats.

“Now that I have you here, Shane,” Walter says as he places the empty shot glass on the bar. “I wanted to ask you something. I start back to work on Monday, and I’ll be starting a new advertising campaign.”

My ears perk up as I listen. Walter is the head of marketing at Drive Computers, a fast-growing computer company in Seattle.

“I’d like to feature you in a few commercials,” he says with a nod. “They would be about the determination of the human spirit. About crashing and then getting back up to try again. You know, a metaphor for life that we can’t give up no matter what.”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Madison says, smiling widely as she squeezes my arm. “Shane would make a super sexy spokesman.”

There’s a lightness in my chest as I listen with excitement. This would be perfect for me while I’m healing.

“I’m thinking a series of three commercials,” Walter says as my pulse races. “We’re prepared to offer you half a million dollars for the three.”

I manage to stop my jaw from dropping, but I can’t stop my eyes from bulging out.

“I’ll do it!” I say, thrusting my hand into his for a premature handshake.

“Okay, good,” he says with a laugh as he shakes my hand. “Come into the office on Monday and we’ll figure everything out. I think you’re going to do great.”

“Thank you, Walter,” I say, still shaking his hand. “I won’t let you down.”

“Another shot to celebrate?” he asks with his eyebrows raised.

Madison turns and is already ordering three more.

“Sounds like a plan,” I say, no longer able to hide my smile.

We down the shots, and Walter gives me the number to his office before some drunk guy in his family pulls him away to dance.

“Enjoy the wedding!” he says as he gets dragged onto the dance floor.

My heart is still pounding as Madison turns to me with a huge smile. “That’s amazing!” she says, clapping her hands together.

I can’t believe it. Half a million dollars.

I’ll have enough to pay my hospital bill with enough left over to take my sexy doctor on a little trip to thank her for fixing my back.

“Did that really just happen?” I ask with a shake of my head. “Or am I still hallucinating from the drugs you gave me?”

“It happened,” she says as she steps in close, looking up at me with smoldering gray eyes. “You deserve it.”

She steps up on her toes and gives me a kiss.

All of this seems like a dream. Like it’s too good to be true. I keep worrying that I’m going to wake up and find out that it was all in my head.

“I’m glad I didn’t make that landing,” I say, staring into her beautiful eyes. “Otherwise I never would have met you.”

She smiles. “I’m sorry, but I’m glad you nearly broke your back too.”

“That’s so romantic,” I whisper, making her laughs.

“Maybe not, but it’s true,” she answers before stepping on her toes to give me another kiss. “I’m glad I took a chance on you.”

I hold her tight. “Me too.”

Madison would say it was the medicine that healed me, but I know better. I know it was her love that was the true miracle cure.

Her love is definitely the best medicine for me.