Page 67 of Vodka And Virtue

After we sent them crashing into the water, Rory dragged me to the deep end of the pool and caged me against the side wall. I wasn’t tall enough to reach here, so I floated in his arms with my hands locked around his neck. He leaned in to peck at my lips, softly teasing them with sweet, wet kisses.

“Something occurred to me while I was talking with your uncle. A grave mistake, and I need to correct it. Right now.”

Instantly concerned, I wondered what he could be talking about. “What grave mistake?”

He kissed me again, his lips lingering as his tongue teased mine. He lifted his mouth and gazed into my eyes, his huge rough hand loosely encircling my throat. “I realized I’ve never told you how much I love you. Never said the words.”

My cheeks pinked, and it wasn’t from the heat of the sun.

“I want this,” he stated, gesturing to my family across the pool and yard. “I want all of it, and I want it with you. I want vows and rings and promises of forever. I love you, Carly. More than my garden. More than my bike. More than…curry.”

I laughed so hard, my voice carrying over the separate conversations around the yard. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at us.

“More than curry? Really? Is that supposed to sound romantic?”

“Sweetness, you know how much I love curry. And my bike.”

“And your garden,” I teased, rubbing my nose back and forth against his.

“Hell, yeah. That’s a lot of love.”

“Well, I love you more than the beach. More than my job. And more than…” I racked my brain trying to think of something else I placed great importance on that might rival my love for him. “My brother.”

Rory laughed, a great deep, booming sound that grounded my heart. “Baby, that just sounds kinky and wrong. How about, you love me more than crossword puzzles?”

I smiled through the kiss he stole from my lips, my heart overflowing with such a strong sense of home. Never before had I felt this happy and self-assured, confident about my future and the man I chose to spend it with. I laid my forehead against his, looking into his eyes.

“Yes. I love you more than crossword puzzles, Gregory MacGregor.”

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