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When my eyes finally find their way back to his, my vision blurs with tears. “You did this for me?” I can’t quite process it.
“Of course I did,” he says, coming up to catch my tears, sweeping his thumbs across my cheeks. He leans in and kisses me softly. Just as the kiss starts turning into something more, we jump at theboomof a firework exploding over the town behind us.
We break apart with a laugh and Ryan takes my hand. “Come on, let's go watch from the truck,” he says.
As I get closer, I notice something shiny leaning up against the champagne bottle. “You went back and bought it,” I state, a hitch in my voice. I take the beautiful bookmark in my hand and reverently run my fingertips along the cool length. The rose quartz bookmark has the prettiest, heaviest tassel I’ve ever seen. I had put it back because I wanted to spend my money on Emma rather than myself today. I can’t believe he went back and got it.
When I finally look up at him, I find him studying me just as adoringly as I was looking at the bookmark. “I did. You wantedit,” he says simply. I hug him hard before tucking the bookmark safely in my bag in the truck.
He gives me an effortless boost into the truck bed and I crawl back towards the cab so that I can lean against the pillows. He follows close behind and drags the tray with our snacks and champagne closer. He makes quick work of the cork and pours us each a glass while the sky ahead of us lights up in technicolor. “What should we toast?” I ask, snuggling into his arm and looking up at him.
“To a future of endless, happy little moments just like this,” he replies, his eyes softly tracing my face.
“Cheers to that,” I say, clinking my glass to his before we both take a sip. Despite the fireworks exploding ahead of us, I can’t take my eyes off of him. The way he’s completely focused on me, the gentle upturn of his full lips, a swath of hair curling out of his backwards ball cap.
The air explodes with a continuous stream ofbangs!Fireworks cover the sky in glittering sprays of red, blue, gold, and white. We watch the finale in companionable silence, sipping on our champagne and picking over the charcuterie.
The sky lights up with one last display, and just as quickly as it started, the sky goes dark and quiet. All that’s left of the show is the slight smell of smoke and gunpowder on the breeze. The truck bed feels bright and cozy with the warm-toned fairy lights shining around us. Ryan pushes the tray with our now-empty glasses and picked over charcuterie to the side.
He turns to me and cups my cheek, thumb tugging gently on my lower lip. “Summer, today I kept thinking about how incredibly grateful I am to be with you. The last few years left me feeling so hollow. Like, no matter where I was or who I was with, it wouldn’t matter if I faded away. Here, with you, I’m grounded. You give me a purpose I’ve been missing.” His eyes, dancing with the twinkling lights around us, search mine. “I love you, Summer. More than I ever thought possible.”
I reach up and rest my hand on his wrist. “I love you too. So much. I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to have found you. I honestly thought I would be alone because I was terrified I was too much. Too much to love. Too much work. Too much baggage. When you came into my life, it was like coming home. It’s like my heart said ‘Oh, there you are.’” I smile a little at him.
He takes hold of my wrist and places my hand over his heart. “It’s yours. As long as you want it.” I leave it there for a minute, the pounding beat matching my own. I slowly slide my hand up his warm, broad chest until I’m cupping the back of his neck. I pull him in close and kiss each cheek, his nose, his closed eyelids, his forehead, before pressing my lips to his. I want him to feel as cherished as he always makes me feel.
He hooks a hand around my thigh and pulls until I’m straddling him. I abandon the kiss and he groans in protest which makes me smile wider. “Ryan Jacob Garrett, did you bring me out here so you could sweet talk your way into my pants?” I lean back and give my best scolding face.
His returning grin is somehow both proud and sheepish as he says, “Maybe?” At my raised eyebrow he continues, “Okay, yeah, getting in your pants was definitely on the hopeful agenda for tonight, but mostly I just wanted to give you an experience and tell you in the most romantic way I could that I love you.”
I feel as though the champagne we drank has made its way into my chest, little fizzy bubbles popping joyfully at his words. “I love you too,” I reply, smiling fully now.
“I know. Now kiss me,” he demands, his voice taking on a gruff edge. He runs his hands up my bare arms and locks them together behind my neck, pulling me roughly to him for a kiss. When our lips meet, the fizz in my chest catches fire and I can’t get enough of him. His hands are everywhere, his mouth on mine, on my neck, my jaw, nipping at my exposed collarbone.
He runs his hands under the hem of my shirt, breaking his searing kiss on my neck just long enough to whip my shirt overmy head. He tosses it somewhere behind us and then his warm, wet mouth is on me again. He follows a path lower, making me gasp and writhe when he yanks the cup of my bra aside and takes a rosy bud into his mouth.
I work to unbutton his shirt and push it down over his shoulders, baring him to me. He looks like a golden god in the warm light and I can’t believe my luck. Sweet, kind, smart, and hot? I must have done some Gandhi-level good deeds in a past life to be here right now.
Soon, there’s nothing between us, and the feel of his warm skin flush against mine is dizzying. His kisses are drugging in their slow, but insistent pace. When I finally sink down on him and we move together, I swear I’ve never felt anything better. He breaks the kiss and looks me in the eye, one hand resting possessively on the pulse point of my neck. “You’re fucking perfect, Summer. This. Everything. I want it forever.” My eyes flutter at the mix of the feel of him between my legs and his heady words. He cups my face, making me look at him. “Say it. Forever.” There’s a vulnerability in his eyes that I’ve rarely seen.
“Forever,” I say with a breathy sigh. He smiles disarmingly and picks up our pace, hands firming on my hips to guide me through it. I lean forward, kissing and nipping at his neck, relishing the noises he makes in the back of his throat. We both climb and climb, until at last, we shatter one after the other.
Later, as he holds me close and we look up at the stars, contentment settles deep in my bones. I’ve never felt so right about where I was going, but as I look up at him, his eyes still focused on the stars above, I know that my only way forward is with him.Pop! Fizzgo the bubbles in my chest.
CHAPTER 33
Ryan
August is in full swing, and with it, everyone’s air conditioners are in need of repairs. The heat wave that hit us last week knocked out what feels like every single household in the area. I took an HVAC course a few years back to expand my services, but I’m regretting it now that I’m staying in one place. Most of the local HVAC companies are booked out, so I’ve been doing what I can to patch up our client’s ACs until they can get out to replace them or do more long-term repairs.
I mop my brow with the cooling towel slung around my neck and chug the last of my water. I was able to patch this apartment unit’s AC, but it’ll need a full replacement in the next few weeks or so. I stand from where I was kneeling by the hulking unit and gather my tools into my bag. I start in the direction of the apartment’s management office to tell them as much and squint against the high noon sun.
As I cross the lawn towards the office, I hear, “Hey, asshole!” I keep walking, assuming they aren’t talking to me and not wanting to get involved in some neighbor squabble. “Hey, you, Summer’s new bitch!”
At that, I spin around and narrow my eyes. I see a stumblingDuncan who looks like he’s off a fresh bender with his sweat-stained t-shirt and basketball shorts. His flip flops smack the back of his heels as he speeds towards me when he sees me notice him. I take a deep breath of the searing August air.
It’s way too hot for this shit.
“Hey, Duncan. Why don’t you go back home and sober up?” I hold my hand out so he stops an arm's length away.
