Jameson wrapped one arm around Maddie’s neck, and she melted into him. Her bridal bouquet dropped to her side. Ashley grabbed it before it hit the floor. Maddie slipped both arms around Jameson’s waist. He slanted his head. She slanted hers. Jameson looked pretty damned satisfied when she moaned into his mouth as they kissed.
Tripp got it then. That minister hadn’t married them; he was just another witness. This sacred promise was all on Jameson and Maddie. They’d married each other, bound themselves to love, trust, and honor each other. Man, the things a man finally understood once they were shoved in his face.
He looked past Jameson and Maddie to Ashley. Her teary blues were locked on him. Did she know? Could she possibly understand the depth of his love for her? He had to make sure.
When the newly married Mr. and Mrs. Tenney’s steamy kiss finally ended, the minister turned Jameson and Maddie around to face their friends and family. They raised their hands, and a mighty, “Hoo-yah!” filled the chapel, as every damned, big-mouthed Marine roared congratulations Navy style, in deference to Jameson having been a SEAL.
By the time the procession followed the bride and groom into the vestibule, Tripp was climbing out of his skin. He had a good hold on Ashley’s tiny hand, but he needed more. The minister stopped to speak with Alex and Kelsey. Jameson and Maddie were surrounded by friends and family. It was time. Before the doors closed, Tripp jerked Ashley back inside and out of sight. With all celebratory noises muted, there in the back of the church, he dropped to one knee. Once again, time stopped.
Ashley was looking down at him, her eyes shining.
He was looking up at her, his heart in his throat.
“What are you doing? We have a reception to be at in…” Ashley scanned the chapel for a clock, then shrugged. “…about thirty minutes.”
“I love you with all my heart,” he told her. Such pathetic words! They said nothing about the ache in his heart, nor the fire in his soul. Damn it, he was as bad at this, as Jameson had been with his vows.
Shoving his tux jacket out of his way, Tripp reached deep into his pants pocket and ran into his good luck charm, that pair of silk panties. Ashley didn’t yet know it, but they went everywhere he went. Slipping past them, he pulled the ring out of his pocket. One big solitaire, it captured the light from the electric sconces lining the chapel’s back wall and turned it into sparkling prisms, casting rainbows into Ashley’s pretty eyes.
He lifted it up for her to take.
She didn’t. She just looked at the ring, licked her lips, and stopped breathing. “Tripp, I—”
“I know you don’t want to get married, and I know why. Your parents were a disaster, and I know you’re scared, but…”
Her chest heaved with a larger than normal breath. She was visibly trembling. Man, he was messing this up so badly.
“But… Well… Damn it, I’m scared, too, Ashley, but I need the whole world to know you’re mine, and I know that’s not politically correct…” And now he was babbling! “You’re a strong woman, and you can stand on your own, and you don’t need some guy telling you what to do or give you permission, and I won’t, but I—”
Ashley collapsed and landed on his knee. Just fell forward, took his hard head between her hands, and kissed the ever-loving shit out of him. Robbed his breath. Stole his heart. Vanquished every last nerve jitterbugging up his spine.
Tripp tucked the ring back into its silken nest in his pocket. He couldn’t get another word out. Didn’t need to. Not the way their tongues tangled. Not the way their hearts pounded in sync. Ashley breathed for him, and he breathed for her, the seal between their mouths and lips tight. Holding onto each other. Just holding on.
When at last they came up for air, she told him, “You’re not just some guy, Tripp. You’re my guy. Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”
“You will? Err, but I didn’t ask you yet. Not really.”
She nodded, her face flushed and her lips deliciously wet and shimmering. “Well, I’m asking you. I’m not my mom, Tripp, and you’re nothing like my dad. We can make our own forever, but we’ll do it our way. We’ll do it right. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” He scrambled to retrieve the ring. The world blurred into one shiny piece of rock once he slid in onto the delicate finger of the only woman in the world he adored. His ribs felt too tight for the warmth flooding his chest. But now, they had something to celebrate. He jumped to his feet and led her out of the chapel.
Jameson cocked his head when the doors opened and Tripp gestured Ashley out first. “Tripp! Where’d you go, man? Everyone’s looking for you.”
No way was Tripp making this day about Ashley and him. Instead, he slapped his good buddy’s shoulder extra-hard and, with Ashley snuggled under his arm, he declared, “You old married man! Congrats, brother!”
That threw Jameson off track. Tripp knew his buddy was an only child. Which was why he used that word liberally. Brother meant something personal to Jameson. Damned if those dark brown eyes of his didn’t water before he pulled his spectacles out and hid his emotions behind them.
Tripp didn’t let Jameson turn maudlin. When Ashley slipped away to talk with Maddie, he grabbed Jameson by the back of his neck and muttered in his ear, “Damned time you did something smart with your life.”
“Yeah, well…” Jameson’s voice was too ragged.
Tripp could tell he was having a hard time. He slapped his friend again. “My turn next, and you’d better damned well be there, you son of a bitch.”
“Always,” Jameson growled. With one more hearty back slap, he regained his composure.
It was Maddie who spied the ring. “Ashley!” she squealed. “Did he…? Are you two…?”
So much for
