“Will you marry me, Pepper?”
I sucked in a surprised breath, and his eyes crept open. He kept his mouth close to mine, cupping my face now. I brought my hands up to his, holding on to keep from swaying.
“Today?” I asked. “Because I think it should happen today.”
He let out a deep laugh that felt like a shiver rippling under my skin.
“I’m betting we can make that happen,” he said. “But first . . .”
His lips met mine, warm and soft, then hot and firm as we pulled each other closer. Outside, with nobody to witness but Mother Earth herself, Rylen stripped me down and lay me on the cool, smooth pebbles by the shore of the lake. Then we made love, kissing every time our faces neared. Every inch of my skin was bathed in his love and the crisp, fresh air surrounding us. I turned him so he’d have a turn with the pebbles, while I rode him, making a memory that nobody could take from us.
Two more weeks.
That night, in an impromptu ceremony at the mess hall, I married Rylen in front of our friends and allies. We officially declared everything in our hearts. J.D. cried, and Sean took his hand. Even Tex’s eyes got misty. Then Devon fell to his knee and said to Shavontae, “Marry me, baby. Right now!” And she dragged him forward to the Chaplain with a smile, as everyone laughed and cheered, rejoicing for all we held dear. We clung to all of the ideals our enemy would see torn away. And we vowed to love fiercely for as long as we had left.
Rylen drove us to a lodge-style mansion on the side of a local mountain. We sat in the vehicle staring up at its beauty as he turned off the ignition.
“The boys found it on a scouting run,” he said quietly. “It’s ours tonight.”
Morbid sadness consumed me. “This was someone’s home.”
Rylen took my hand. “I think the owners would be happy that two newlyweds are going to respect their home and think it’s beautiful enough for a honeymoon. Especially when those two newlyweds have sworn to kill the fuckers who murdered them.”
Well, when he put it that way. I squeezed his hand, nodding. “Okay.”
Still holding my hand, he led me through the breathtaking foyer and down a corridor with pictures. I came to a halt in front of a framed family photo, emotions welling in my chest. It was one of those cheesy professional pictures taken on a beach, where everyone was in matching white shirts. A mom with her hair blowing in the beach breeze, and a smiling dad. Three kids ranging from about eight years old to teen. And a golden retriever. It was the dog that finally made the burning turn to tears. I imagined the animal running down these halls, barking, with the kids chasing it. Less than a year ago, this home had been full of life.
Rylen touched the corner of the picture with reverence and squeezed my hand again. When he gently tugged me, I went.
We came to a set of French doors. Before he opened them, he kissed the side of my head and made me look at him.
“You okay, Pep?”
“Yeah,” I whispered. I was as okay as I possibly could be. He opened the doors, and I sucked in a breath at the sight of the indoor pool and Jacuzzi. The room was glass, and warm inside, like a greenhouse.
“They tested the waters,” Rylen told me. “No poison. And then all of their dumb asses went swimming.” He crouched down and broke the crystal clear surface with his fingers, sending ripples. “It’s saltwater.”
Rylen stood and I stared at him. My husband. Holy shit. That was crazy.
“Ever been skinny dipping?” I asked.
“Uh . . .” He looked down sheepishly, and jealousy stabbed me at the thought of him swimming naked with some other girl.
“Never mind,” I said. “Don’t answer that.”
The jealousy passed as quickly as it came, with the sickening realization that whoever he swam with was probably dead now.
But we were still here, and I intended to live.
I pulled off my shirt, tossing it on a nearby lounger. Rylen crossed his arms, his eyes becoming hooded as he watched me remove my jeans, then my bra and underwear. My nakedness in the huge, open room felt exhilarating and naughty.
“Damn,” he murmured under his breath. His voice and heated gaze made my skin tighten all over.
“Race you to the other side,” I said. He shouted something with laughter as I dove in, relishing the burn in my arms as I swam as fast as I could to the other side. A few seconds later his splash sounded, and he moved like a rocket under the water. I screamed, laughing, when he got to me and tickled my thighs before bursting through the surface.
His smile. His white teeth. His cloudy, gray eyes. My Rylen.
He walked me backwards until my heels hit the steps of the shallow end, and then he gently pushed me back until I was sitting, holding the handrail. Rylen took a breath and went under, his face finding my core underwater. The feel of his tongue made me cry out, tightening my thighs around his head. He pulled my thighs apart and came up for air. Rylen picked me up and moved me to the next highest step, where he could kiss a trail up my wet belly, taking the tip of each salty breast into his mouth as I scratched my fingernails through his hair.
