I nodded, understanding completely. I reached out and pinched his nipple.
"Ouch. Hey. "
I grinned up at him. "Not a dream."
He laughed and rolled us until I was underneath him again. He still had happiness in his eyes, but the humor was replaced with an emotional intensity. "Thank you for forgiving me, Kate. I know I don't deserve it—"
I pressed my fingers over his lips. "We both deserve this happiness, Sam. Let’s savor today and all the days we have to look forward to."
His green eyes welled with tears. "You're fucking amazing, did you know that? I am so thankful for you."
I tugged him down, preparing to kiss him. "I'm thankful for us."
EPILOGUE TWO
Max
Sam and Kate’s wedding was a long time coming. There were times I didn’t think they’d ever get here. Kate resisted falling for him again. Sam nearly gave up trying. But today, on the eve of the New Year, a week after proposing, Sam married the woman he’d fallen in love with over five years ago.
I was happy for him even as I was jealous. The emotion was foreign to me for two reasons. The first was that while I loved Sam and recognized his life was a smoother one than mine had been, I was never envious of him. We were Yin and Yang. He was outgoing where I was more reserved. He wore his emotions on his sleeve, where I preferred to keep mine tucked away.
The second was that I had no interest in falling in love and getting married. I’d never been a man to have long-term relationships. I had a girlfriend in high school, but that ended when she had sex with the star football player.
I had another one in college, but that ended when I overheard her making fun of my dyslexia and calling me stupid.
Perhaps it was silly of me to cast relationships aside based on the deceit of one woman and the cruel mockery of another one, but to be honest, I didn’t feel I was losing out. Sam looked blissfully happy, but I hadn’t had any sense that having a woman in my life would do the same for me... until a few months ago.
I stood at the back of Sam and Kate’s reception, checking my smartwatch to see if I had any messages. Just as I was about to put my hand down, a message came through.
I’m here.
I scanned the room, making sure Sam and the rest of my family were occupied so I could sneak out unnoticed. I slipped out of the ballroom my brother rented for the wedding. I looked around, and when I saw her, like always, my heart stuttered in my chest. Good Christ, she was beautiful. But that first wave of desire and longing was quickly followed by anger and hurt. I used it as armor as I stepped up to her.
“Amelia.”
“Max.” She studied me, but I looked away. I couldn’t afford to have her see what was inside me. Like a card player with a bad hand, I had to keep a poker face and bluff my way through this.
“I need to get back to my brother’s wedding.”
She nodded. “I can follow you.”
It didn’t seem wise to take care of this business at my brother’s wedding. Not only could I be found out, but I didn’t want to jinx my brother’s marriage. Still, if I was gone too long, my family would get suspicious.
I held my hand out, indicating that she should precede me. I followed her into the ballroom, my traitorous eyes taking in her sexy female form, my dick remembering how it felt to be inside her. How had I been so completely wrong about her?
I took her arm and led her to a corner. If I was lucky, we could get this done and she’d be gone before anyone noticed.
I tried to block the view of anyone seeing her. “Do you have the papers?”
Again, she looked at me, and for a moment I thought maybe she didn’t want this. But then the memory of her a week ago came back to me.
Finally, she nodded. She reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope. I took it, opening it and pulling out the papers. My gut churned.
I looked over at Sam and Kate dancing, staring at each other like they were the only two people in the world. I’d been an idiot to think I could have that.
I sighed and turned my attention to the task at hand. I signed the papers, irked that I didn’t feel the sense of relief I’d hoped for.
Amelia’s hands trembled as I handed the papers back to her. I didn’t care to assess what that could mean. I just wanted this done.