“Fair.” His voice was a little breathless. He glanced over his shoulder at the wall clock. It was obscured by his head, so I couldn’t make out the minute hand. “Three minutes to midnight.”
God, I hadn’t realized how long we’d sat outside. In the distance, I could hear people getting louder and cheering and singing.
Freeing my hands, I cupped his face and drew him closer. “This is how I want to spend next year.”
“And the year after that?”
“A place for us. Something that feels like ours,” I said.
He swallowed thickly. “And the year after that?”
Picking up his hand, I let my thumb graze over his left ring finger. The silence spoke more than words ever could.
His exhale trembled. “And the year after that?”
“We can talk about it,” I said with a small smile. “We’ll figure that out together.”
Leaning in, he kissed me as I could hear the faint chant off in the distance. I lifted my legs, bending at the knee to bracket Ryan by the hips. He rocked himself—half-hard—over my thickening erection. I squeezed tightly, letting myself feel everything—my strength and his weight that were both keeping me grounded.
I wriggled my toes.
“Four,” he whispered.
“Three,” I answered.
“Two…”
Our gazes connected, and then his lips fell on mine.
“One.”
Epilogue
RYAN
One Year Later
There wassomething profoundly lonely about watching the ocean by myself on the beach. The waves were lapping at the shore, a storm off in the distance promising to either be a spectacular lightning show or to ruin what little peace there was on the island.
A small part of me regretted being here instead of up where it was snowing. I did like when winter felt like winter, but I wasn’t ready for that yet. I wasn’t sure I ever would be. At least, not for this year. And probably not for next.
And not for any time that it was meant to feel like home and family.
There was still a small part of me that felt like I was being choked with regret. That I’d made decision after decision that led to misery and defeat.
But…
“Are you seriously still brooding out here?”
I turned to see Gracie standing there with her hand on her hip, her stomach protruding slightly beneath her gauzy bathing suit cover. Her hair was longer and wild in the wind, making her look like some kind of vengeful goddess.
Especially with the scowl on her face.
“Can you not judge me for five minutes?”
“No. Baby hormones say I have to judge you twenty-four seven.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like that’s any different from pre-pregnant Gracie.”
