Page 77 of Best Man
I stare at him. “Do you think that’s true?”
He shrugs. “She’s got seven children and five grandchildren. Richard must be quaking in his Clarks Wallabees.”
I laugh and then shift awkwardly as his expression remains impassive. In my head this had gone a lot better. A lot easier. I don’t know why I expected that. I certainly don’t deserve it.
He looks me up and down. “You’re a bit dressed up for a graveyard, Zeb. How was your wedding?”
“Hiswedding and I have no idea. I left.”
His stoical expression breaks. “What? Why?”
“I had to find you.”
He shakes his head, his hair tumbling silkily around that thin face. “But what happened to your promise?”
He looks down as he pulls nervously at the grass by his leg, and I stare at his downcast head. “I realised that I was making promises to the wrong person,” I say slowly.
He lifts his face and stares at me. His eyes are turbulent. “What do you mean?”
I shift my stance. “I mean that I shouldn’t have kept old promises to someone who means nothing to me, when there was a far more important person in my life. I’ll never stop being loyal and taking my word seriously and keeping my promises. It’s just that this time I’ll make them to the right person. You.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t understand you at all. You got what you wanted.”
“Not yet, but maybe soon.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re still sleeping with him. You were in bed when you agreed to be his best man. That’s disgusting.”
“It is,” I say fiercely. “But I didn’t know. He led me to believe that they’d split up, and I fell back into bed with him. It was morefamiliarity by then rather than passion.” I pause and add honestly, “I didn’t ask too many questions though, and that’s on me. But in my defense, she was sleeping with him while he was with me. I didn’t owe her any loyalty.”
“I saw you on the balcony, Zeb. It looked pretty passionate to me. You were exactly where you’ve wanted to be. With him.”
I break my stasis and crouch next to him. “It wasn’t what you thought,” I say fiercely. “He grabbed me and kissed me. If you’d stayed around a second longer you’d have seen me push him away.”
“What happened?” His fingers have stopped their frenzied uprooting of the poor grass and I grab his hands and kiss the long, slender fingers. I can smell the scent of green tea from his pulse and taste a trace of salt on my tongue.
“I ran out of there. I got back too late to stop you leaving, so I followed you. Jesse.”
“Why?”
“I’ll always follow you.”
“What are you saying, Zeb?”
I hate the caution on his face. He’s meant for sunny smiles and that careless warm charm. “I’m saying I want you.” I swallow hard. “I’m saying that I’m falling in love with you.”
He swallows hard, something fierce and impassioned in his face that makes him suddenly look older. “Why? I’m too young and irresponsible and flippant and–”
“And perfect,” I say quietly, cutting through the tumbling words. “You’re just perfect for me.”
For a long second we stare at each other, and I hope that’s enough. I don’t have any more words. I’ve said everything in my heart. Then he mutters something and throws himself onto my lap. Caught off guard, I flounder before falling backwards with him lying on top of me.
“Oof! Jesse,” I get out before he kisses me fiercely. I taste a flash of blood and then hug him tight, lost in the kiss. I make a murmur of disgust when he pulls back, but he laughs jubilantly.
“You really love me?” I nod and he kisses me again. “I love you too,” he says softly, and there is so much weight and passion to his words that I feel humbled.
“Really?” I ask almost shyly.
He nods, cupping my face in his palms. “I love everything. I love your sarcasm, your cleverness. I know you see age when you look at us, but all I see is the person I’m in love with. He’s funny and clever and kind. He’s protective, and he’s vulnerable. I don’t see how old you are or what you look like anymore, Zeb. I just see you and you–” He smiles. “You’re fucking everything to me.”
