Page 197 of Pucking Wild

I close my eyes, body humming. Oh god, I’ve got him. In his rush to checkmate me, Troy left himself exposed at last. He’s made a critical error. For so long, I’ve been the one running as he chased me around the board, claiming all my defenses and boxing me in the corner. Now it’s my turn to step boldly forward, a queen in her crown. I have everything I need to checkmatehim. I have everything I need to be free.

Ryan looks down at me, his eyes searching my face. “Tess—”

I step in, wrapping my arms around his neck, the fraudulent restraining order still clutched in my hand. Pulling him down to me, I kiss his parted lips. He’s stiff against me, his body still coiled tight by fear. But each kiss softens his hesitation. I press myself against him, willing him to feel how much I need him, how much I love him. His mouth opens, and I flick my tongue between his lips, coaxing him.

Be with me, your goddess, your queen.

“I love you,” I whisper against his mouth. “I will never let him hurt you. I’m your goddess, remember? I protect what’s mine.”

With a groan, Ryan pulls me to him. He wraps me in his arms just as the first drops of rain begin to fall. A flash of lightning sparks overhead and we both gasp, breaking our kiss. I look up into his eyes and the heavens open, freezing cold rain pouring down.

“Come on,” he shouts over the din, grabbing my free hand.

“Wait,” I cry, anchoring my feet in the sand.

He spins around. “Tess, it’s not safe out here—”

“I don’t care about our pasts,” I call out to him. “I don’t care about this,” I add, dropping the wet documents into the surf. The tide pulls them back and I lose them in the waves. “Stand here with me and let the rain wash it all away.”

He stands with me, our hands clasped together, as the rain pours down. “What are you gonna do now?” he calls over the thunder.

“Now, I make you a vow,” I say with a smile. “I am done running.”

He stills, the rain drenching his head and shoulders. It drips down his beautiful face. “Say it again.”

I step closer, gazing up at him. “All my life, I’ve been running and searching and looking for that place that feels like home,” I say over the rain. “All the while, I’ve been alone. I thought it was my curse. Poor Tess, destined to be alone forever.”

“And now?”

I smile up at him. “And now, tonight, I ran out here to find you. Ryan, I ran to you. I ran home. And now I’m done running.”

He cups my face with his hand, our faces inches apart. “That’s all I want. I’ll be your home, and you’ll be mine.”

I nod, covering his hand with mine. We lean in to kiss again, but a clap of lightning forks right above us and we duck on instinct, throwing our arms above our heads.

“Tess!”

“Ryan!”

We turn to see a group of people with umbrellas moving down the sand towards us.

“Get outta the rain before you get your crazy asses struck by lightning,” Jake shouts.

“Come on,” Ryan says, grabbing my hand again.

Hitching up my soaking wet dress, I run at Ryan’s side, racing back to where all the Rays wait at the end of the boardwalk. We sink in the deep sand, meeting them at the foot of the dunes.

“What the hell were you two doing out there?” Rachel cries, stepping forward with an umbrella, trying to cover us both.

Karlsson steps up on Ryan’s other side, raising his umbrella high.

We’re both shivering, wet through to the bone, with lovesick smiles on our faces. I look around and see that everyone is here, all our friends we love like family—Rachel and her guys, Shelby and Josh, Poppy, Novy and Morrow, Cheryl and Nancy and Joey. Everyone was looking for us. Everyone cares.

“Are you okay?” Rachel says.

Ilmari steps around me, wrapping me in his dry tuxedo coat.

“Oh—your speech,” I cry. “I ruined it.”

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