Page 17 of I'll Be There
“Oh, Conner.” She took his other hand now. “I’m so sorry. Are you hurt?”
He shook his head, then leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers. She felt his breath on her face, ragged, thick as if struggling.
“What’s the matter?” She led him over to a nearby bench.
He sank down. Let go of her hands and leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees, covering his face. “I just keep thinking of Justin. And how he should be here.”
His brother. Yes, of course. She put her arms around him as if she could hold him together.
The last time she’d seen him this unraveled, he’d been trying to keep her alive, her blood soaking his shirt, his hands. Him, begging her to live.
“I miss him.”
“I know. And I’m so sorry.”
He drew in a breath. “You know, the last time I saw him face-to-face, we had a fight? He didn’t want me to go into Special Forces. I told him that when he quit the NSA, I’d start listening. He went undercover shortly after that and...” He ran a hand through his hair. “I wish I could take that back.”
For a long moment, they sat listening to the hush of the waves upon the rocky shoreline, dogs barking as they chased the gulls, children laughing. The sun warmed their skin.
He finally leaned back, reached out, and pulled her to himself, his body warm, solid. He kissed her temple. “I love you.”
“I love you. And now that you’re here, it’s going to be okay.”
He stayed silent. Maybe too long.
“Right?”
He took her face in his hands. “Absolutely. Everything is going to be perfect. I promise.”
She made a face.
“Uh oh. Now I’m worried. What’s going on?”
“Oh, nothing, just...we have to find a new venue for the reception. And, my dress looks like I spilled coffee on it.”
“I thought you looked gorgeous.”
“And there’s that—you weren’t supposed to see me. It’s like an omen.”
“I don’t believe in those, and neither do you.”
“Yeah.” She sighed. “I was sort of worried you wouldn’t show up.”
He raised an eyebrow. “For ourwedding?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I just know how much you’re giving up for me, and...I don’t know, Conner. You love firefighting and...”
He was frowning now. “Yes, I do...”
“And, well, I...we haven’t really talked about what’s happening after the wedding, and—”
“Oh, I know exactly what’s happening after the wedding,” he said, and something dark and rich came into his eyes. He touched her chin. “Every tiny detail.” He leaned in then and brushed his lips against hers.
His touch stirred a flame through her, alighting every nerve, and she found her hands against his chest, too aware of this man’s amazing, work-toned body, the way he held her, onearm around her as if afraid she might escape, the other touching her face, fingertips searching the bones in a soft caress.
“Three days,” he said, his voice husky in her ear, and his breath on her skin made her tremble.
She pushed away from him. “Okay, listen. That’snotwhat I was talking about.”
