Page 89 of Holly Freakin' Hughes

‘Tildeath do us part.

“Howdid … you know …” I began to say, reviving a dead conversation, but I was cutoff by the fullness of his tongue in my mouth.

Brandonheld the kiss as he flipped onto his back, pulling me with him. I backed away,sitting up to stare down at him as I raised myself up and down, gyratingagainst him. “Jesus Christ.” He moaned, tilting his head backward. “How did … Iknow … what?”

“ThatI would … say yes,” I said, running my hands over his stomach and up to thecollar of his shirt.

Helooked back to me, finding my eyes in the way he always did. “Because,” he saidquietly, as my fingers began to unbutton his tuxedo shirt, “neither of us hadmade love before we found each other.”

“That’sso corny,” I laughed, panting.

“Yeah?Okay, then would you settle for the fact that I believe we’re destined to betogether, and I was done throwing away time I could be spending as your husband?”His dark blue eyes stared intensely up at me.

Brandonfreakin’ Davis. My husband.

Ilaughed again through the pressure in my throat, finishing the last button.“Still corny, but I’ll take it.”

Iopened the shirt, spreading my hands over his smooth skin, and looked down withthe intention of taking in the hardness of his chest and the ridges of hisstomach, but my attention was pulled to a tattoo I had never seen before. Ilaid a hand over the left side of his breast, and breathlessly asked when hehad gotten it done.

“Florida,”he replied, biting his lower lip as he dug his fingers into my hips.

Ileaned forward, taking a closer look at the lettering made to look as though itwere etched into stone. It read, “My heart has been taken, where it shallalways be safe. My soul sings her name, with a map of her face. Strike me deadwhere I stand, I’ll remain alive with her grace.” Tears blurred my vision as Ileaned in closer, pressing my lips to the inked skin.

Isat up, and Brandon noticed the pools in my eyes. “It’s from the new book,” heexplained in a gruff voice, pulling a hand away from my waist to rest againstmy cheek. His face flushed a deeper shade of red. “I got it when—”

“Iknow,” I whispered, bending into him again to press my lips softly against his,and the rise and fall of my hips met the rhythm of my mouth. “Hey, you knowwhat?”

“Hmm,”he replied, stroking his thumb against my cheek.

Ilost myself in the deep blue of his eyes, and for the first time, I didn’tbother holding myself back from drowning. I didn’t have to. I knew I wasn’talone.

Iwas never going to be alone again.

“ThankGod people like you fall in love with people like me,” I said, brushing thehair away from his forehead.

“Yes.”The corner of his mouth twitched. “Thank God.”

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