Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Her smile falls. “Why does it feel like it could all disappear in an instant?”
Thoughts of sitting inside a cold, empty jail cell flit through my mind. Alone. Without her. That would be fucking hell. “Nobody can ever know.”
She nods. “I know.”
The rest of dinner goes on fine, but I can’t help but look at everyone suspiciously. We even dance a little, but neither of us is into it. Do they know? Once I’ve paid, I drag her out of the restaurant, eager to get her away from nosy fuckers.
“Where are we going? The hotel is that way,” she says, pointing in the opposite direction.
“I want to take you somewhere.”
The walk is kind of long but nice. Crickets chirp and I can hear cars on the highway nearby. We approach a small park that’s mostly secluded by trees. She’s quiet as I open the gate and sneak us inside.
“Let’s swing,” I tell her.
We settle on the swings but don’t do more than sit. Our bodies are twisted so we can face each other.
“Can I see your necklace?”
She nods and unfastens it before handing it to me. I pull the rings from the chain and hand it back to her. Her brows are furrowed with curiosity as she puts the necklace back on.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to marry you in a church like you deserve,” I murmur.
“Hudson…”
I place the bigger ring into the palm of her hand. “But in every sense of the meaning behind the ceremony, I want you in that way. Maybe they won’t let us, but our hearts will.” I slide the simple band on her ring finger. “If we were allowed, would you want to marry me?”
Tears well in her eyes and she nods. “In a heartbeat.”
“Me too, baby. I’m sorry I can’t give you what you deserve.”
She shakes her head, tears rolling down her cheeks, as she slides my ring on my finger. “You give me everything I want and need. I don’t want what everyone else has. I want us.”
Leaning forward, I capture her lips with mine. After a long kiss, I pull slightly away and swipe away some wetness on her cheek with my thumb. “I love you more than anything. They’d have to drag me away in cuffs because I’d never willingly leave your side.”
Her fingers latch into my hair. “I wouldn’t be able to survive without you, nor would I want to.”
Our mouths meet again, desperate and hungry. The words we spoke may not be what ones would say in a traditional wedding ceremony, but to us, they’re just as binding.
“I love you,” she breathes against my mouth. “Only you. Only ever you.”
Rylie
A week later…
“Your parents would be so proud,” Aunt Becky says, beaming at me from across the table at the steakhouse where we’re celebrating my graduation.
“I’m proud of you,” Hudson agrees, winking at me.
My skin grows hot and I have to force myself to look away. Last weekend, after our weekend alone, I had to drive back to finish out my last week of school. Hudson stayed back and completed his finals. Now that I’ve graduated and his semester is over, a huge weight has been lifted. We haven’t been granted alone time yet since he got in this morning, but as soon as Aunt Becky and Uncle Randy go to bed, I’m going to attack my brother.
“Your uncle Randy and I’ve been looking into cruises. Since your parents aren’t here, we thought about taking a family vacation just the four of us before the baby comes. Next summer, we won’t be able to,” Aunt Becky says.
I deflate at her words. I don’t want to vacation with them. I want to go away like Hudson promised me. To our cabin. Alone. Just the two of us.
“The cruise line is one of the best,” she continues. “Very expensive but worth every penny. None of those small windowless cabins on this ship.”
As she drones on, I can’t help but feel sad. When a hand clutches my thigh beneath the table, I dart my gaze to Hudson.
He mouths the word, “No.”
I crack a smile. Hudson doesn’t break his promises. He told me we’d get the cabin, so we’re going to get our old cabin.
“How’s Travis?”
Aunt Becky’s sudden inquiry into my fake boyfriend has me stuttering. “Oh, uh, he’s fine.”
She purses her lips and darts her eyes back and forth between Hudson and me.
“Have you talked to Amy lately?” she asks my brother. “I saw her at her shop. She’s lost a little weight but is looking great. Asked about you and how you were doing. Wanted me to tell you to call her sometime so you two could catch back up.”
“I cheated on her with a chick from college,” Hudson bites out, ending Aunt Becky’s idealistic dreams of them getting back together. “We’re on a break.”