Page 42 of Forever Fallen

She choked out a laugh, knowing what he was doing deliberately. Grabbing her handkerchief, she wiped her nose and her eyes, looking up at him.

His dark eyes were shiny, filled with concern, as he looked at her.

“Boogers are a terrible thing to get out of this material,” he spoke softly, causing her to chuckle nervously as she shook her head at him – and saw a relieved smile touch his lips. “I’m so proud of you making it through this. Are you alright?”

“I’m getting there,” she admitted, laying a hand on his chest.

“Watch out for those nose-nuggets…” he taunted annoyingly.

Sophie threw back her head and laughed at his outrageousness – as he hugged her, just before kissing her forehead tenderly.

“You’ve got this, Sunshine,” he whispered against her hair. “I’m so proud of how you handled this. My friends are making margaritas tonight to celebrate life. After all, we’ve just had a wedding, a baby was born, and now we can celebrate your sweet Grammy’s memory, if you want? Do you feel up to going?”

She pulled back and looked at him, before getting on her tiptoes and kissing him softly. She was coming to adore the gentle way that his lips just seemed to fit hers – and his offsetting personality.

There was something about him that just spoke to her – and her whole being was listening as if it was a subtle language that only they understood.

His dark eyes widened in surprise as he looked at her.

“Margaritas sound wonderful,” she began and smiled tenderly at him, her thumb caressing his lower lip to wipe off her pink gloss. “And your three minutes were almost up. I didn’t want you to miss out.”

* * *

Sophie stared around the room,listening to the throng of people talking over each other and vying for attention. There were a couple of pregnant women there, one tired brand-new mother who was holding a tiny baby against her chest, and everyone was deep in conversation, laughing and smiling.

“Sophie…” one woman said, pulling her away from Ryan’s side where she stood, slightly unsure of her place. “Come sit with all the cool kids,” she urged. “I’m Glory, Alpo’s wife. How are you holding up, honey?”

“I think I’m going to be okay,” Sophie admitted as a margarita glass was pushed into her hands, looking back at Ryan. “Oh no, thank you – I really don’t drink.”

“It’s non-alcoholic,” Glory smiled. “Too many of us are pregnant but we want to have fun, too. We sip them to feel included and for the flavors. Strawberry and mango are the friendly ones – stay away from the lime ones. My hunny, Alpo, and Firefly made those. They are fully loaded boozies, packing a punch.” Glory took a breath and glanced at the other women before continuing.

“So, you and Reaper? Isn’t he the big gloomy boogeyman of the group? How’d you two meet? What was it like dating our grim airman? My hunny says that the guy never smiles, talks much, and never, ever laughs.”

“Ryan?” Sophie blurted out, her eyes widening in shock at their descriptions. This was not the man that she occupied a house with. No, that man made her laugh, teased her, and had a sweetness to him that was touching. “Ryan ‘Reaper’Merrick? Are we talking about the same guy?”

“Tall, dark, and gruesome pilot, with the foulest sneer ever? He’s always glaring at people and my husband said he never cracks a smile other than this grim smirk he gives people, right before shooting them down?” Glory volunteered in confusion. “Maybe I’ve got the wrong guy? I’ve never met him before today.”

“That’s what Jackson said to me,” the new mom said quietly. “Jackson is Thumper, by the way. He’s the quiet one with his arms crossed over that sexy chest.”

“Ughhh, how can you even think of him like that? He’s like a brother.”

“Not to me, he isn’t! Now,yourhusband, Glory? – He’s like a brother.”

“HeISyour brother,” Glory laughed easily, smiling at Harley. “That’s my little baby niece and my sister-in-law. You marry one of our boys and you are family… by blood or friendship – and in this one particular case? It’s actually true. We are family by marriage.”

“It’s true,” the very pregnant Marisol said from the recliner, where she was sitting with her feet up.

Another woman sat beside her, holding a toddler in her lap and smiling, her own belly expanding because of pregnancy.

“I’m Delilah – and I hate to say it, but my husband says the same thing. When he met you, I think his exact words were,‘Oh my gosh, Reaper actually cracked a smile and I thought he was coming for me…’ so yeah. We are kinda curious about the details of how you two met, because you seem so happy together.”

“Wearehappy,” Sophie admitted, looking back at Ryan.

Ryan turned and looked at her, a smile touching his lips as he waved a little hello towards her, hidden slightly from the other men. Sophie raised a hand back… and blushed slightly at the chorus of soft ‘awwws’behind her.

“How did you meet?”

“On a plane,” Sophie said softly, taking a sip of the mango margarita and shivering at the pungent taste. “The mango drinks have alcohol in it.”

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