Page 121 of The Closed Off Captain

She nods and points to Greyson. He gives her a smile and does something on his phone. Moments later,Can't Help Falling in Lovefills the air. I turn to Grandma May with a tearful smile. “This was the song that was played at her and Grandpa Jim's wedding,” I tell Gunner.

He gives me a soft smile and opens his arms to me. I step into them and lay my head on his chest. Neither of us say a word; we’re just content to be in this moment together. When I know the song is drawing to a close, I look up at my husband. “I love you so much.”

His eyes soften. “I love you too.” He lowers his lips to mine and kisses me gently. This kiss is different than some of the ones we shared before—passionate kisses. This one is more of a promise, the promise of forever.

“Can we go home now?” he asks in a low voice against my ear.

I pull back and grin up at him. “Let’s go, Big C.”

We walk hand-in-hand to our family members and give hugs. When I bend down to hug Grandma May, she squeezes my hand. “You take good care of our boy.”

I smile. “I plan to.”

“He smiles at you the way Grandpa Jim used to smile at me,” she says with an unusually tender expression on her face.

“Yeah?”

She nods. “It’s the smile that promises forever.”

I swallow down the emotion clogging my throat. “I was just thinking that.”

She squeezes my hand again. “You cherish that love; a love like that only comes once in a lifetime.” I nod and wipe my watery eyes.

“I will,” I promise. I lean down and kiss her weathered cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Precious Girl.” She pulls back. “Now, go teach that boy a thing or two in bed.”

And just like that, the tender emotion is gone. “Grandma May!!”

She grins, just as I feel a warm hand on my spine. “I think she has the right idea,” a low voice says against my ear.

I smile broadly. “I do too, Husband.”

His eyes heat, and then he’s walking me towards his truck faster than I can keep up with. “No taking off any clothes until you get home,” Grandma May calls out loudly.

I don’t even bother turning around. “Goodbye, we love you all.”

To a chorus of love and well wishes, we walk to his truck. Gunner opens the passenger door for me, and I face him before the door closes. “How fast does this thing go?”

Gunner gives me that sexy smirk of his. “Really fast.”

I laugh as he closes my door and jogs around to his side of the truck. Almost five years ago, I would have given anything for this man to even notice me. And now, I’m his wife. Crazy how life happens sometimes. I didn’t even know what all was in our future, but I knew we would be together to face it. And there was no person I’d rather brave this beautiful life with than the man beside me.

“Ready to go home?” Gunner asks.

I smile and lean my head against the seat. “Ready.”

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