Page 103 of Just My Type
“It’s not,” I say, gripping her chin with one hand to keep her eyes on me while I reach into my pocket with the other. “It’s not stupid at all.”
I look down, and when Hannah follows my gaze, I open my hand and hear her sharp intake of breath when she sees my own wedding ring lying in my palm. Looking back up at her, I see everything I feel reflected in her eyes. We may be standing in a room full of people, but this moment feels like it’s for us and us alone.
It’s her and me. Us. And it’s perfect.
“I’ve kept it with me since the morning we woke up in Vegas. This isn’t a joke, and nothing about it has ever been pretend for me. The way I feel about you—about us—is very, very real. My feelings are big and important and they’re not going anywhere. They’re forever kind of feelings, Hannah.” I slide my hand around to cup the back of her neck, taking a step closer to her as my fingers tangle in her hair. “I feel very forever about you.”
Those words crack something open inside me, and the love I’ve kept locked up for so long comes pouring out. I know she feels it without me having to say a single word because her eyes light up even as they blur with tears. One escapes, and I wipe it away with my thumb, then tap my thumb on her face three times. At the familiar motions I feel—like, literally actually feel—my heart and soul tangle with hers, linking us together from now until the end of time.
Me and Hannah. Hannah and me.
It’s as easy as breathing and absolutely inevitable.
“I feel very forever about you too. We should tell everyone about us. I mean, about the whole accidentally married part. Ithink they know about the other stuff.” Her voice is quiet and strong, with a steely determination that sets me on fire. This woman, who has been through so much and has every reason in the world to walk away from words likeforeveris giving them to me instead.
It should be illegal to be this happy. To be this in love.
I feel my grin spread so wide I’m shocked my cheeks don’t just crack, and when Hannah’s grin mirrors mine, I lean in and capture her mouth, needing to taste all that happiness for myself. My thumbs stroke Hannah’s cheeks as I take the kiss deeper, groaning when she rises to her tiptoes and plasters her body to mine. When she presses her tits to my chest and sucks on my tongue, all the blood in my body drains to my cock and I wrap an arm around her waist, yanking her closer to me. She gasps into my mouth, and I wish desperately that we were alone and horizontal so I could peel this dress off her and worship every inch of her body while I tell her how much I love her.
I love her.
It only occurs me to in this moment that I never actually said the words, and I break the kiss gently and drop my forehead to hers to do exactly that. It doesn’t matter that it’s Jordan and Jo’s wedding and everyone we know is in this room. Or that we probably should be with all of those people instead of hidden away in the corner.
All that matters is that it happens now.
Hannah’s tongue sweeps along her bottom lip, and the air around us crackles with anticipation and words unsaid as our eyes search each other’s as we stand out here on the ledge, both of us ready, finally, to jump.
“Hannah.” Her name on my lips is a prayer. “I?—”
“There you are!”
At the sound of Jo’s voice, Hannah and I both startle, the spell between us broken. When we turn, it’s not just Jo, but Amelia, Hallie, and Hallie’s best friends Molly, Julie, and Emma, all with shit-eating grins on their faces.
“Well, I guess the third Evans sister is off the market,” Molly says, her voice filled with fun.
Julie links her arm with Molly’s, mischief in her blue eyes. “Looks like the Wyles brothers are dropping like flies too. Good choice, Hans. There’s just something about a golden retriever of a guy.”
Hannah laughs and wraps an arm around my waist, leaning into me. “There is, isn’t there?”
I grin at all of them, loving these women. I know they’ve been friends with Hallie for years, and the vibe when they talk to Hannah is all big sister. “Bet your ass there is.”
“You look happy—both of you,” Emma says, a smile lighting up her face. The way she studies Hannah reminds me of Cooper’s all-seeing gaze, and I wonder how much she knows about what Hannah has been through the last few years.
“Yeah, yeah, happiness all around. Can we go dance now? I’m the bride so you have to do what I want, and what I want is to dance with my ladies.” Jo practically radiates happiness mixed with the impatience that is uniquely her.
Amelia rolls her eyes, but her smile is bright as she bumps Jo’s shoulder with hers. “Come on, Hans. Kiss the guy later. It’s Jo’s world and we’re just living in it.”
I sense Hannah’s hesitation, like she wants to finish our conversation as much as I do, but there’s plenty of time for that. This isn’t our moment, I realize. It’s Jo’s and Jordan’s, and that’s important too.
“Go, Gorgeous,” I whisper, dropping a kiss on top of her head. “Celebrate with your sister and dance with your friends. We can talk later. Forever is a really long time.”
Hannah leans up and kisses my cheek. “I like the idea of forever with you,” she whispers, just loud enough for me to hear, dropping her arm from around my waist, walking into the center of the girls.
“You are so gone for her,” Elliot says, swinging an arm around my shoulders as I watch Hannah walk away.
“Fucking right, I am. She’s everything.”
“Love looks good on you.” Cooper, jacket gone and bowtie undone and hanging around his neck, saunters up and hands me a beer, standing on my other side.
