GUNNER
Sophie powers through the trail like it’s nothing. I share a look with Nick, and he shakes his head once. I don’t know if I’ve actually seen Sophie pissed off. Maybe she just really wants to get back so we can eat or see her dad or something.
“Shit,” Holden says. “I left my backpack.”
“I’ll get it and catch up. I recognize the trail markers.” I tell them.
Sophie glances at me then kisses my cheek. “Be back for lunch, okay?”
“Deal.” I kiss her softly, then lick along the valley of her lips, dying to have her again, needing to be sure she’s mine like I remember, especially after being interrupted like we were.
I jog back to the lagoon and see Bella stretched out, wearing just her panties, taking in the sun. She drops her sunglasses to look at me as Matthew climbs the falls. I grab the backpack, and she leans towards me.
“Gunner.”
“Bella.” I only look at her face.
“You’re still allowed to look, silly.”
“Not considering you’re about to be married and I’m in a relationship.” I remind her.
She presses her lips together in a flat pout. “You’re so prickly. What happened to fun, no limits, all about the thrill Gunner?”
“What happened to sweet, submissive Bella?” I shoot back.
“No girl likes seeing her exes happy.”
“We weren’t in a relationship.” I remind her. “It was an arrangement. It’s different.”
“Yes, because you didn’t hesitate to go out with other girls even though you had me.” She sighs. “How things change.”
“And we never thought you’d settle for one man.” I shrug. “To change is to live.”
“I was hoping we would all still be friends, you know. We managed to work so well together, and everything seemed so nice.”
“We can still be friends. But your rule has left a bad taste in my mouth.”
“Come on. It’s four days where she’s with one person only. Roman had the balls to ask. I figure it’s only fair that he gets the reward.” She pulls her knees up to her chest. “Now, you can look at me.”
“I’m not staying. I just came to get this.”
“I know you were almost married,” Bella says, catching my attention. “And I know after you were engaged, things didn’t go … well.”
“Sometimes it takes a wedding looming to show someone they’re not ready,” I grumble, despite the flair of pain.
My high school sweetheart was overjoyed to get engaged, but once the paperwork started, once I mentioned a prenup to protect us both from the possibility of flared tempers in the case of a divorce, shit hit the fan. Victoria left deep cuts, and Bella knows it.
“Did you ever question it, wonder if you made the right choice?”
“As I started to, I realized it was ending.” I shrug. “Hard to stay with someone when you know they’re looking for a way out. Matthew isn’t doing that. He loves you.”
“Thanks.” She looks over at him. “I wonder sometimes if I’m going to be good enough for him. If he’s going to want to start swinging or things like that, which wouldn’t be awful, I just think marriage changes things.”
“It can. Just remember what makes it work. Choose to love each other every day and put each other before problems,” I advise.
She looks at me for a long time. “Sometimes, I wonder if I chose right.”
“You did,” I promise her.