Falling for the Groomsman (17 page)

He lifted up on his elbows and smiled down at her, brushing the hair off her face. He knew he’d made the right choice, no matter how scary it might be to walk away from the known. Because without her?

He wasn’t the man he now knew he could be.

Epilogue

Mexico

Christmas Day

Tyler leaned back against the chaise longue, closed his eyes, and smiled. Mexican music played in the background, and all around him Spanish intermingled with English so smoothly it was hard to remember which was which. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but he couldn’t be happier they’d decided to come back to the place where it had all started.

It would make his Christmas present for Christine all the more sweet.

Behind his closed lids, he pictured her sitting beside him, so young and sad. The first time they’d come here, he’d fallen in love with her. He just hadn’t known it yet.

The memory of their conversation in Mexico all those years ago washed over him like a soft wave from the ocean. It had been the same day he’d taken her virginity—only hours before, when the sun had still been shining. It had also been the first time he’d realized exactly how special she was. He’d been hooked on her ever since then.

Back then, he’d been teasing her about something. He couldn’t even remember what, but he’d been trying to make her have fun since she’d looked so sad. He’d said whatever it was he’d said, and she’d laughed, her dimple popping out before she turned away from him.

“I love that dimple, Red. You should stop hiding your smile from me.”

She shook her head, laughing lightly and dipping her head. “It’s stupid. Who has one dimple?”

“You, and it’s perfect.”

“No, it’s not,” she said, smiling that shy smile she’d always given him. “You’re just being nice.”

“No, I’m just being honest.” He reached out and caught her chin, turning her face up to his. “You’re beautiful just the way you are.”

She flushed. “You’re too kind.”

“You’re too modest.”

He wanted to kiss her so bad, and he’d swear he saw the same desire in her eyes. “Red…”

“Why do you call me that?”

“Because it’s something that only I do,” he said, leaning closer. “It’s our thing…”

“Hey,” present-day Christine said, ripping him from his memories. He lifted his heavy lids, watching her with a warmth in his heart he still wasn’t used to. She sat down on his lap, smiling down at him from underneath a floppy straw hat. “You sleeping on me again, Dresco?”

“Of course not.” But he was tempted to. They’d been up all night making love, and woken up early to go hiking to the top of a waterfall. He was fucking beat. “I was just watching the backs of my eyelids.”

She snorted. “Sure you were.”

“I swear it.” He played with the strings of her bikini, his eyes on her. “There were dragons and monkeys and a flying cat.”

She laughed. “Really?”

“I solemnly swear it,” he said, grinning. “But if you’re worried you’ll lose me to my exhaustion, how about if we take a walk along the beach? Splash around in the water for a bit?”

“Sure.”

She hopped to her feet and picked up her fruity umbrella drink. He grabbed his Corona and smiled at her. He had no idea where all her energy came from, but he wished he had even a small portion of it. It’s one of the things he loved most about her, but sometimes he just couldn’t keep up with her. She was always going, going, going until she crashed at about midnight.

Then? She didn’t move until the alarm went off.

He grabbed her hand, entwined his fingers with hers, and led her toward the water. “Can you believe this vacation is almost over?”

“I know.” Her fingers tightened on his. “Tomorrow we go back to chilly Maine, where there’s three inches of snow on the ground.”

He laughed. “That’s nothing compared to Colorado. The other day, Kady said they had almost three feet at their place.”

“I know, but it’s a lot compared to
this
.” She pointed at the blue ocean. “Don’t you think?”

“I do.” He smiled. “But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and we have to go back to our apartments tomorrow.”

She shot him an annoyed look. “
When
can we move in together again?”

Lately she’d been getting antsy about moving in together, but he knew she actually enjoyed being alone. She loved him and wanted to be with him, sure, but she’d needed to experience being alone. Because once they lived together…it would be forever. He had no doubt about that. “We’ll talk about it after we get back from Guatemala.”

“It’s hot there, too.” She took a sip from her drink. “Another escape from the doom and gloom of winter.”

“Mmm-hmm.” He threw his arm over her shoulders, tugging her close. When he told her he wanted to volunteer overseas again, he’d been braced for her anger or even for her to be hurt. But instead, she’d asked to go with him. Her job was even excited about it, since she’d be working overseas the whole time. Maybe he could even convince her to go camping with him again. “We’ll only have to suffer through a month of snow before we’re back in the sweltering heat again.”

“And we can finally move in together,” she mumbled, snuggling closer to his side. “I can’t wait.”

“I said we’d talk about it—not
do
it.” He took a draft of his beer, his heart picking up speed the closer they got to his destination. “Before you get too mad, remember. It’s all part of the plan, Red.”

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “What plan?”

“You’ll see.” He took another long pull of beer, trying to ignore the fact that his legs felt all weak and shaky. “In time. But you’re grateful I refused to move in with you…right?”

She pressed her lips together. “You’re going to make me admit it? Really?”

“Really.”

“Fine.” She blew out a loud breath. “Yes, it’s been good being on my own. Getting used to it and all. Having you right across the hall is a plus. Like the night you were sick, and we made love over the phone.” She stopped walking and turned on him, her eyes blazing hot. Fuck, he remembered that night all too well. “Knowing you were across the hall, touching yourself? It made me so hot.”

His cock twitched, hardening with desire. “Me too, babe. Me too.”

She started walking again. “Maybe we should do it again when we get home, just for fun. I mean, you don’t have to be sick for us to—” She froze at the end of the path, and looked at him. “Wait a second. Is this…are we…?”

“Yes. This is where our hotel is. Or, where it
was
.”

The worn-out path that had led to the tiny hotel had flowers and overgrown grass surrounding it, and the palm tree he vaguely remember being next to the sign was a bit bigger—but it was still there. That was more than he could say for the hotel. Instead of the quaint little joint where he had unromantically taken her virginity, there now stood a house. The water crashed on the sand behind him, and the sun beat down on his head.

Nothing could have been more perfect. It was time.

He set down his beer, reached into his pocket, and dropped down on one knee. As he waited for her to turn around, he took a soothing breath in an attempt to calm his galloping heart. It didn’t work. “Crazy how things work out, huh?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t look so familiar anymore, though.” She laughed and tucked her hair behind her ears, still not turning back to him. “Someone built a new house here. It’s pretty.”

He nodded even though she couldn’t see him. “I know. They kind of ruined my plans because I didn’t know about it.”

“I thought we were done making plans and lists,” she said teasingly, craning her neck to get a better look at what had once been a hotel. When would she turn the hell around? “It’s still neat to see, even if it’s not the same place.”

His fingers clenched the ring even tighter. “That’s not the part it ruined. I wanted to ask you
inside
it.”

She froze, her hand tightening on the glass she still carried. “Ask me what?” Slowly, she turned around, her cheeks flushed and her lower lip caught between her teeth. When her gaze fell on him, taking in the fact that he was on bended knee, she pressed a hand to her heart. “Oh my God.”

He had no idea if she was panicking or happy, so he just went on with his planned speech. He’d spent ten minutes rehearsing it in front of the mirror that morning while she showered. “I know we don’t even live together—”

She blinked back tears. “
Yes
.”

“Red,” he said, laughing. His heart skipped a beat. “I didn’t even ask yet.”

“I just didn’t want you to have to wait for an answer when it is most assuredly
yes
.” She dropped to her knees in front of him, eye level for once, and set her glass down, too. She smiled at him and rested her hand on his knee. “But go ahead and ask me anyway.”

He loved her even more for that. Loved that she cared about him so much that she wanted to assure him before he even had a chance to ask her like he was supposed to.

“I know we don’t even live together—” He broke off and laughed. “You know what? Fuck it. I had a whole rehearsed speech planned, but you know what I love most about life with you?”

She smiled and swiped away the tears falling from her eyes. “What?”

“Nothing ever goes according to plan.” He cupped her cheeks and pressed a kiss to her lips, the ring still in his hand. “You make me
live
—and I’ve never been happier. You’re the one person in this world who makes me feel alive, and baby? I feel fucking alive right now. I feel like I own the world.”

She kissed him again, lingering this time. “I don’t know about all of that, but I know you own my heart and have for a long, long time.”

When she pulled back and smiled up at him, tears shining in her eyes, his soul soared. That’s right. He’d fucking said his soul soared. Corny or not, it was true. He held the princess-cut diamond ring out to her. “I love you and will always love you. You’ve shown me what life really is, and I know I never want to lose you. Never want to go back to the way I was before you. I know it’s kind of sudden, but Red…will you make me the luckiest man in the world by saying you’ll marry me?”

She pressed a hand to her mouth, but smiled at him through the tears. “Am I allowed to say yes now?”

He choked on a laugh. “Yes. You’re allowed.”

“Then, yes.” She kissed him, quick and soft. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

He laughed, his heart taking flight. “Thank God.”

“Here. Put it on.” She held her hand out. “It’s bad luck if I do it myself.”

“Is it now?” He held her finger and started sliding it over the knuckle. “Don’t tell me the investigative journalist is superstitious.”

“When it comes to my happiness with you?” She nodded, her eyes on his. “But with everything else, it’s pure shit.”

He laughed, sliding the ring the rest of the way down. “Seriously, though. I got off track here. I promise to spend the rest of my life making you happy. I promise to never let you down.”

“Well, then, you’re off to an excellent start.”

She launched herself at him. He hadn’t been prepared for the sudden movement, and he flipped backward onto his back. From her new position on top of him, she spread her legs on either side of his hips and threaded her hands through his hair.

He caught her behind her neck and tugged her down, kissing her passionately. They were in the middle of the beach, where anyone could see them, but he didn’t give a damn. All that matter was tasting her. Having her.

She deepened the kiss and trailed her fingers down his chest, skimming over his hip bones. When she slipped her hand under his waistband, he groaned into her mouth. “Christine…”

She pulled back from him, closing her hand around his cock. She jerked her hand, sending a shaft of pleasure shooting through his blood. “You know, I did a little bit of investigating myself before we came down here.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked breathlessly, arching into her hand despite their audience. “And what did you find in this said research?”

She tugged again, her hand moving against him again. “See those trees over there?”

Trees? He didn’t see anything but her lush, sweet lips waiting to be kissed. He arched his neck, scanning their surroundings. A few feet away were some palm trees. “Yeah…”

“Nothing is in them. No houses or anything.” She nibbled on his neck and jerked her hand again, making him groan. “We could do
anything
we wanted, and no one would know.”

“Well in that case…” He picked her up, set her on her feet and rolled to his own within seconds. “What are we waiting for?”

She clung to his hand as they raced to the trees, her laughter bubbling outward and blending in with his. This was life. This was living.

And he never would have gotten there without her.

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