“Have you guys said the L word yet?”
When I didn’t answer right away, she grabbed my hand. “Oh. My. Gosh. Corina! Have you?”
I covered my mouth to hide the silly young-girl giggle that was threatening to come out.
“You have!”
“You probably think it’s too soon, but we’ve known it for so long. Mitchell denied it at first, but by the time he got around to realizing it, I had started to push him away. In the end, I couldn’t resist.”
Pam wiggled her brows. “Well, who would be able to? That body! Those piercing blue eyes. Holy shit, I bet he’s good in bed.”
All eyes turned to us, and I could feel my cheeks getting even redder. “Sorry! She didn’t mean to say that,” I said, glancing around to the women now totally in tuned to our conversation.
“Oh yes, I did.”
I hit Pam on the arm and we lost our composure. “Stop talking about my boyfriend that way! You’re about to get married!”
“Hey, I’m only speaking the truth. Although, I don’t know how you stand the idea of him being a cop.”
My breath hitched. “What do you mean?”
Pam nonchalantly lifted her shoulder. “I don’t think I could deal with it if I knew Rick was leaving for work every day with the risk of him being injured or killed.”
I swallowed hard. It wasn’t like I didn’t know the risks of Mitchell’s job. I knew. Very well. “You would. You’d stand by his side and support him no matter what he did.”
I could feel her eyes on me so I turned to face her.
“Corina, are you prepared if something happens to him? Are you ready to be left alone, possibly with a child, or God forbid, more than one child?”
My heart knew the answer to that question instantly. My brain, on the other hand, wouldn’t allow me to speak. Finally, I found my voice.
“Of course I am. If it means being with Mitchell, I’m prepared for anything that could come our way. After all, anything could happen to any of us no matter what we did for a living.”
Pam stared as if she felt sorry for me.
“Did my mother put you up to this?” I asked.
She looked away.
“I knew it. She has an issue with Mitchell being a cop, and she needs to get over it. And she has to stop sending other people to talk me out of having a relationship with the only man I’ve ever truly loved.”
“Oh Corina, I wasn’t trying to do that. I see how you look at Mitchell. It’s no different than how he looks at you. Your mom is worried, that’s all.”
I turned away and stared down at my feet. My nails were being polished with a beautiful, soft pink. “Well, she doesn’t need to worry. I’m not.”
An aching filled my chest, causing me to drag in a deep breath.
Pam and I fell into lighter conversation about the wedding. I laughed, got teary eyed, and laughed some more. Talk of Mitchell being a cop was long forgotten, and I hadn’t realized how much I had missed home and my family. A small part of my heart broke knowing in a few short days I’d be leaving to go back to Texas.
Mitchell’s arms were wrapped around me as we slow danced. It felt like I was on a cloud. Being in Mitchell’s arms was one of the most amazing feelings in the world and something I would never get tired of.
“So, your mom had a little chat with me earlier while I danced with her,” Mitchell said.
I held my breath. If she had said anything to Mitchell about him being a ranger, I was going to be so upset. “Oh, yeah? What did you guys talk about?”
“She mentioned coming to Texas. I told her a little bit about the ranch and when would be the best time of year for a visit.”
I let out the breath I’d been holding. “I’ve been begging her to come for a visit, and she always says ‘soon’.”
“Well, you never know. She may have a good reason soon enough.”
My brows pinched together. “What do you mean?”
With a shrug, he leaned down and brushed his lips over mine. “Nothing, dove. Have I told you how beautiful you look in your pink gown?”
I hit him playfully on the shoulder. “You can call a spade a spade, Mitchell. I look like a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. I have no idea why Pam picked this color.”
Mitchell pulled me closer. When his hot breath touched my neck, my body fired up.
“I want to make love to you, Corina. Desperately.”
A slight whimper slipped from my lips. Mitchell had been the perfect gentleman the last few days, with us staying at my mother’s house. Even though we slept in the same room, he wouldn’t make love to me, although he’d used his fingers to make me come a few times. It felt naughty doing something like that in my mother’s house, but I enjoyed the daring.
An idea came to mind. “We could always sneak off later. Go to the beach.”
Mitchell’s hand moved lower as his fingertips teased my exposed skin. “I like that idea.”
I buried my face into his chest. His smell was like a drug. I couldn’t seem to get close enough to him.
“I love weddings,” he said.
His statement caught me off guard. Leaning back, I looked up at him. “Really?”
“Why do you seem surprised by that?”
I let out a chuckle. “I don’t know. Maybe because you were so against relationships until recently.”
Mitchell’s eyes turned sad. “I’ve never been against relationships. I simply didn’t think I was ready for one…until you. You changed the way I think about everything, Corina. I hope you know that. Every day you make me want to be a better man.”
Tears threatened. Reaching up, I pressed my lips to his.
His hands cupped my face while he deepened the kiss. I swore I could feel every ounce of his love pour into me. I was dizzy with love. Happiness. The feeling of having this amazing man love me like he did was beyond thrilling. It was magical.
When we finally broke the kiss, I was aching to have him make love to me. “I think we need to sneak out of here, grab a blanket, and head to the beach.”
Mitchell raised his brows. “I like it when you think naughty.”
My tongue ran along the bottom of my lip as I replied, “And I’m thinking it’s time for a new position.”
Mitchell swallowed hard, then took my hand and pulled me toward the house. “Come on. Let’s go before anyone notices we’re gone.”
This made two weddings we had snuck out of for the sheer purpose of having sex. I couldn’t help the giddy feeling bubbling up in my stomach as we snuck away from my brother’s reception and down to the beach.
“How about right here?” Mitchell asked.
Glancing around, I could barely see the lights coming from the beach house. No other houses were nearby, so I suspected we had walked far enough into the state park area.
“This is perfect!”
Mitchell laid out the blanket and sat down. He reached up for my hand and gently pulled me into a sitting position next to him.
“It’s beautiful here,” he said,
I leaned my head against his arm and let out a soft, contented sigh. “Beautiful and cold.”
“Not for long,” Mitchell said as he grabbed the backpack he had quickly packed up. He pulled out a sweatshirt, helped slip it over my head and then put one on himself.
“I want to show you something,” he said in that sexy voice.
“Oh, yeah? Is this a ‘you show me yours and I’ll show you mine’ kind of thing?”
Laughing, Mitchell pulled me back so that we were both lying on the blanket.
“Naughty little thing. When did you get so dirty, Corina Miller?”
I stared up at the star-filled sky. “Mmm, let me think about that. I would have to say it was when this amazing guy showed up and swept me off my feet and taught me a few things in the bedroom I had never experienced before.”
“Sounds like a great guy.”
“He was sort of lost at first.”
Mitchell laughed. “Really? Why?”
“Well, he seduced me one night. Made mad, passionate love to me.”
“Sounds like a stud.”
I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “So, what happened after he seduced you?”
I rolled onto my side and ran my finger along Mitchell’s jaw. The last thing I wanted to do was bring up the past, especially since I had promised Mitchell I wouldn’t keep throwing it in his face.
“He got spooked.”
“Spooked, huh?”
I nodded.
“Then what happened?” Mitchell asked.
“Well, after a few months of both of us acting like fools, everything changed. He changed, and I changed.”
Turning to face me, Mitchell smiled. “He was a stupid asshole for not seeing what was right in front of him.”
I sat up and crawled on top of him. I could feel his hardness pressing into me. “No, he’s the most amazing, caring, incredibly romantic—”
“Funny.”
I raised a brow. “Stubborn.”
“God-like in bed.”
I squirmed on top of him, and he let out a low growl.
“I will totally agree with that. He is very gifted in the area of lovemaking.”
His smile made my stomach drop.
We stared at each other for a few moments before I started laughing. “I totally forgot what I was talking about.”
Mitchell’s laughter filled me with so much happiness as he lifted his hips. “Distracted, dove?”
Leaning over, I kissed his neck. “I am very distracted and curious to know about this position we are going to try.”
His hand lifted to my face gently. The warmth of his touch spread heat through my body. “Do you know what I really want to do?”
I shook my head. “Tell me,” I whispered.
“Make love to you under the stars with the sound of the waves gently crashing on the shoreline behind us.”
My teeth sank into my lip. “Did I say incredibly romantic?”
“I believe you did.”
“I meant to say insanely romantic.”
Mitchell’s hand reached down and slipped under my dress. A crooked grin appeared on his face.
“Please tell me you haven’t been panty-less all day because had I known, I’d have snuck you away a hell of a lot earlier.”
“Nope. I slipped them off when you were packing your backpack.”
Mitchell rolled us over so that I was on my back and he hovered inches over me. His hand slid back under my dress. When his fingers slipped inside me, I let out a soft moan.
“Mitchell,” I gasped, pushing my hips into his hand, silently demanding more.
“You’re so fucking sexy. Do you know that?” he whispered against my ear. His unshaven face brushed against my skin, causing another rush of excitement, fueling my building release.
“Oh God, Mitchell, I’m so close. Faster, please.”
When he slipped another finger in, pressed up and hit the exact spot I needed him to, I came undone. His name flowed from my lips as my orgasm rippled across my body. It felt like it went on forever. Mitchell’s mouth was everywhere. On my lips, my neck, whispering into my ear. Before I could come back to my senses, he pushed inside me. Slowly moving in and out, the two of us became one, kissing passionately. Our bodies pressed as close as we possibly could with two layers of clothing between us.
It was heaven on Earth.
Mitchell’s hips rocked against mine, another orgasm building.
“I’m going to come, baby.”
I wrapped my arms around him, drawing him closer. The moment I felt him grow bigger, harder, I softly called out his name before his mouth crashed against mine, and we fell together with thousands of stars shining above us.
“I’ve got sand in my ass,” I said.
The silence over the phone was priceless. There weren’t many times I could render my brother, Tripp, speechless.
“Do I want to know why you have sand in your ass?”
I let out a chuckle. “Romance on the beach, my good brother.”
“Oh, hell. Sex on the beach is not one of my favorite things.”
“Well, when you’re with the woman you love and she says she wants you, it means fucking sand in your ass and between your bal—”
“Stop right there, bro. Sounds like y’all are having fun. Does she think you’re leaving today or did you break down and tell her?”
I walked over and shut the bedroom door. Corina and her mother had gone for a walk along the beach, but I didn’t want to risk her coming back and overhearing.
“She is clueless. Thinks we’re heading back to Texas today. Her mother knows, of course, because I asked for Corina’s hand in marriage.”
“Awe, look at you being all traditional. Cord’s right, you have turned into a fucking Smurf.”
I laughed and pushed my hand through my wet hair. “It was the least I could do. Corina’s family is amazing. Her mom is great. I’m not sure how she did what she did as a single mom after Corina’s father died. I think she and Mom would get along.”
“Yeah, I have the highest respect for single parents. I’ve seen a sad case or two come through our San Antonio office. I’d like to rip the heads off of some of these loser dads who knock up a girl and then take off. Dicks.
Walking to the window, I saw Corina and her mom sitting on the beach, staring out over the water.
“Do you think I’m moving too fast, Tripp? Asking Corina to marry me?”
“Not at all. Nothing says y’all have to turn right around and rush to have the wedding.”
I let out a deep breath. “I don’t want to fuck this up. I always feel like I’m walking on water, so afraid to screw up again.”
“Mitch, Corina loves you. She trusts you one hundred percent and I have no doubt that if you asked that girl to marry you, she would jump into your arms screaming yes. From the moment the two of you laid eyes on each other, it was obvious. Trust your heart, dude.”
Smiling, I leaned against the windowsill. “You been taking lessons from Dad or something?”
Tripp laughed. “Let’s just call it personal experience. Had I listened to my heart back in the day I would probably be…”
His voice trailed off. I knew what he was going to say. He would probably be with Harley right now.
“You’re right about Corina,” I said, changing the direction of the conversation.
“You giving her grandma’s ring?”
My heart soared at the idea of Corina wearing our grandmother’s emerald ring. When dad’s mom passed away two years ago, we all drew for the ring. Waylynn and Amelia had passed on it, giving us guys the chance to someday give it to the person we wanted to marry. I lucked out. It had been in my safe until the night of the fire when I’d taken it out and was looking at it, dreaming of someday giving it to Corina. When I heard the call about the fire, I put it in the side drawer of my nightstand. My mother would have killed me if she had known.
“I hope she likes it,” I said. “I mean, if she wants to go and pick out a diamond, I’ll understand.”
“Nah, not Corina. She’ll love it and treasure it, especially when she hears the story. How you going to do it?”
I let out a gruff laugh. “Shit, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to think of different places, times of day, what would be the most romantic. I’m coming up with nothing.”
“Why don’t you just do it when the time feels right?”
“So, you’re saying carry the ring with me everywhere I go until the mood strikes me and then pop the question?”
Tripp let out a chuckle. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
Huh. He has a good point.
“I like that idea. Go with the flow. Let it come naturally.”
I glanced out the window to see Corina and her mother standing on the beach. They were embracing, and I couldn’t help but watch them. My heart broke when they wiped tears off their faces.
> “Listen, Corina is headed back in. Tell everyone hey for me. Oh, did Waylynn get the permit to start back up with the dance studio?”
Tripp groaned. “Fucking hell, what a damn nightmare. Old lady Hopkins was convinced Waylynn was going to be running some sex shop in there. At one point, Waylynn leaned over and told me she was going to open a sex toy store in Oak Springs just to piss off the old woman. Then she smiled and said the locals would probably all enjoy it and was going to pitch the idea to Dad as an investment opportunity.”
I trembled at the mental image my brother had given me. A shop full of Mrs. Johnson and Mrs. Hopkins and their friends shopping for sex toys.
Blah.
“Does Waylynn want to give him a heart attack? Jesus.”
Tripp laughed. “Anyway, Judge Hill sided with Waylynn and informed Mrs. Hopkins that just because she walked into the building while a private sexual act was being performed, didn’t mean anything illegal was going on in the building.”
“Please tell me Dad was there.”
My brother laughed harder. “Dude, I had to look at his face. It was fucking priceless. He was white as a ghost. Waylynn slid down in her seat almost to the floor.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Damn. That would have been a moment to see.”
The bedroom door opened, and Corina walked in. She looked beautiful, her cheeks slightly chapped from the cold wind coming off the lake. When she smiled, my heart felt like it grew ten times larger in my chest.
“Hey, Corina just got back from her walk. Tell Mom and Dad I said hey and that we’ll see them soon.”
“Will do. And, Mitch, follow your heart. Don’t overthink it too much.”
“Gotcha. I’ll talk to you later, bro.”
“Later.”
The call ended and I slipped my phone into my pocket. My heart ached when I looked into Corina’s eyes. She’d been crying.
“You okay, dove?”
Her chin trembled, and I knew she was trying to hold back her tears. I held out my arms and she rushed into them, pressing her body against mine.
“I’m going to miss my mom so much. I can hardly stand the thought of leaving her.”
Wrapping my arms around her, I pressed my lips against her head. “I know. I’m so sorry, baby.”