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Cheers and polite applause rippled through the crowd at the impressive donation.
Annie sighed and clapped. “That’s amazing. CPS can really use that money.”
I leaned down to whisper to her. “And it’ll be even sweeter when you deliver that big-ass check yourself.”
“And now”—Aunt Tootie took her place in front of the microphone—“after weeks of neck-and-neck,friendlycompetition, the official Matchmakers' Gala Top Couple is...”
A pattering drumroll of hands tapping on tabletops rolled through the crowd as Tootie pulled a piece of paper from an envelope.
She cleared her throat, and my heartbeat ticked faster. I pinched my eyes closed.
Annie and Lee. Annie and Lee. Come on.
“Millie Reed and Royal King!”
My shoulders sagged as a mixture of whoops and boos rippled through the crowd.
“Bullshit!” Wyatt cupped his hand to yell above the crowd, prompting Lark to swat his arm.
In true Royal fashion, he made a show of tossing Millie over his shoulder like a caveman and stomping up the stage with her. When he hoisted the comically large cardboard check above his head, he reveled in the applause.
Taking the mic from Tootie, Royal took center stage, ignoring her scowl. “Thank you. Thank you. As you know, this was for charity, and I was glad to do my part. There was some hopeful competition, but, man, it’s good to be the king.”
I rolled my eyes.Cocky motherfucker.
“Well, you two are stillmyfavorite!” Lark raised her glass and clinked it with Annie’s, and I gave her shoulder a squeeze. I’d let her down and the slick, oily feeling in my gut was terrible.
“Are you disappointed?” I asked, searching her eyes.
She shrugged. “I would have taken my half of the money and given it to CPS anyway. So yeah, a little.”
Shit.I’d planned on using the money to help her business and shut JP King up, while she was selflessly planning on helping more kids.
A stream of friends and neighbors filtered by the table to offer their condolences and let us know how wrong they thought the outcome was. Annie’s tight smile was the only excuse I needed.
“Let’s go for a walk.” I grabbed her hand and lifted my chin to my brother. Wyatt offered a salute, silently letting me know he’d cover the tab and I could get him back later. With my hand at her lower back, I guided her through the crowd. When we hit the open air, she let out an audible sigh.
“Better?” I asked.
She finally smiled. “Much. Thanks.”
“Walk with me.” I guided her down Main Street toward the beach. The night air was warm, and the light breeze off the lake was perfect. When we hit the sand, Annie slipped off her shoes and tossed them in the bushes. I followed suit and let the sand sink between my toes as we headed toward the water.
We quietly walked down the beachfront, and cool waves lapped at our ankles. It was officially over. With the auction dates concluded, there was no more pretending. No showboating to try to win some money. We were the only thing left.
“Annette?” I stopped in the sand.
“Hmm?” Starlight reflected in her blue eyes.
“You’re the worst fake girlfriend I’ve ever had.”
Annie’s eyes crinkled at the edges, and her familiar laughter rolled over me. “How dare you,” she said, feigning shock. “I’m amazing.”
I linked my fingers with hers. “Youareamazing, but I need you to know... nothing about this was ever fake. Not for me. You’re my girl.”
Her smile spread—a true Annie smile—and my blood warmed. I ran a hand up her arm to ward off the slight breeze that floated off the lake. “You know, sometimes I think back on my time in the Army, and it’s not the action or the high of a successful mission I think about. It’s the quiet moments that get to me. My mind always drifts back to the times when I felt soalone. ‘There is no distance between your heart and mine.’ God, I thought I knew what that meant, but I am starting to realize I had no clue until I saw what was right in front of me.”
Annie’s eyes softened before she lifted onto her toes and kissed me. It started tender and slow, but morphed into pure need. Annie whimpered when my tongue invaded her mouth, and her thigh shifted against mine. I immediately went hard, and my hand closed around her hip. A deep, hungry male part of me wanted her to feel what her kiss did to me. To acknowledge the primal need that coursed through me from a simple kiss.
