Page 118 of Derailed

“Maybe you’d like to try these as well?” Candice appears with the bikinis and sundresses I requested when I called yesterday to set this up, and hangs them inside Jess’s changingroom.

“Sure . . .” Jess eyes her with suspicion, but directs her scowl my way when she catches my ear-to-ear grin. “You . . .” Her lips flinch with the trace of a smile and she stuffs the envelope into my chest. I’m busted and I don’t evencare.

“Me.” I grin and reach for the little white bikini. Taking it off the hook, I hold it out toJess.

“You planned this entire day!” Her eyes widen and laughter bubbles from her lips. “Are we even going to Catalina? Or was that a ploy to get me to try on a thousanddresses?”

“It was more like two dozen. And yes, we head down as soon as you’reready.”

Her mouth opens as if she’s about to say something, but instead she snaps itshut.

“Jess? If you’re not ready—if you want to delay the trip—we can do thattoo.”

“It’s not that. I . . .” Her eyes shut, but when they open again they’re full of so much admiration, I feel unworthy of their praise. Her lips open and I wait with bated breath for the words that come next. “I love you,Sean.”

God, I feel as though I’ve waited all my life to hear those words. I wasn’t expecting them. It’s certainly not why I planned this. But fuck, with that sentiment alone she’s given me more than I’ve everhoped.

“I love you, Jess.” Closing the space between us, my mouth crashes down on hers. We kiss as though we’ve been starving for this one kiss, and maybe we have. I know we have a long way to go. Her past carries deep, damaging hurt, but it’s nothing we can’t work through. I can’t love anyone other than her. My heart chose Jess from the beginning, before she was mine tolove.

The clearing of a throat pulls us apart and Jess’s cheeks heat with the appearance of Candice. “Anything else you’d like to tryon?”

“Nope.” Jess surprises me with her boldness. “I think we’re ready to check outnow.”

“You don’t want to try on the bathing suits?” I tease as Candice collects theclothing.

Jess grabs the white one—hell to the yes—and hands it over. She turns back to me and reaches for my hand. “I think we both know there was only one choice there.” Her teasing brings a smile to my lips. “Now, I believe you promised me a few days on thebeach?”

“I believe you are correct. Shall we?” I tip my head to where Candice is already bagging everythingup.

Jess threads her fingers through mine. “As long as I get to DJ.” She bumps my shoulder with awink.

“I wouldn’t want it any otherway.”

Our journey hasn’t been an easy one. In fact, it’s a path I wouldn’t suggest anyone travel when searching for love. Our happily ever after has been derailed more than once, but in the end every heartbreak, every pain, every tear was worth the suffering. Without them, we wouldn’t have learned how to be strong for each other. We wouldn’t have realized the value of what we have now. Without the struggle, we wouldn’t have found solacetogether.

Jess is the love of my life. Anything she dreams, I will support her, and she does the same for me. That’s how real love works. And if life jars us off track as it sometimes happens to do, we’ll be ready . . . and love each other through every step of theway.

THEEND

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