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His arm is around my shoulders in the photo. Strong and reliable. The person I could always rely on.
My uncontrollable giggling dies away.
“Yes, Simone, kiss your future husband.” Lucas’s words are said with such tenderness, they tug at something inside me.
It’s really happening. We’re officially engaged.
Lucas presses his lips to mine. A chaste kiss. Something to appease my grandmother. Nothing more. His hands rest lightly on my hips. My skin under his palms tingles at his touch.
More. I need more.
Grams huffs, the sound slightly whiny and comical. “God, if that’s your idea of a kiss, I definitely shouldn’t expect great-grandchildren.”
My muscles tighten and my smile strains and shame knots deep in my belly. I should tell her I can’t give her great-grandchildren. But admitting the truth also means telling her things I’ve kept locked away from her for so long.
That I’ve kept locked away from Lucas.
Lucas laughs the deep-throated rumble that shoots straight to my core and pushes aside my thoughts. His thumbs caress my hips. “We should give her what she wants.”
“Make it passionate.” Grams’s movie-director tone comes complete with clapperboard. “I’ve just been freed from a boring hospital stay and need something to get my blood pumping.”
How I don’t burst into another round of giggling after her comment is beyond me.
“You heard the lady.” The grin on Lucas’s face should be registered as a lethal weapon. A weapon that leaves a girl defenseless.
He leans down and goes in for take two. Our lips move lightly together, teasing, remembering. I half expect Grams to yell “Cut!” and tell us to try again. To save her the effort, I open my mouth and let him in.
The moment I do, I know I’m in trouble.
Lucas’s tongue brushes mine, and the memory of all those times we kissed in the past come flooding back. Waking my body up to all that I missed. With Lucas.
My arms loop around his neck, pulling him closer. His arms wrap around my waist, accomplishing the same.
Flames flare inside me, their heat licking me thoroughly. I can’t remember the last time kissing a man felt this delicious.
This dangerous.
This real.
14
Lucas
“All right, you two,” Rose says. “Details. So how long have you been dating?”
Simone returns to her armchair, face damp with tears. Simone’s acting is better than I realized. She even had me convinced for a second that she was excited I asked her to marry me.
I sit on the chair next to her and take her hand with the engagement ring. Judging by Rose’s expression, she approves of the move. Her gaze volleys between us, waiting for one of us to speak first. She’s grinning and buzzing with energy. I don’t remember the last time I saw her like this.
“We started dating Simone’s freshman year in college,” I tell her.
“You did?” Rose’s smile is bright and eager, and I’m glad what I told her isn’t a lie. Well, mostly not a lie. If you ignore how the statement implies we never ended things.
Simone nods but doesn’t speak. If anything, she looks slightly freaked out. Like she did when Rose mentioned great-grandchildren. I trace the back of her hand with my thumb, letting her know everything will be all right. Us getting married isn’t the worst thing that could happen.
I should know. Watching friends die in battle. Struggling with PTSD. Losing your best friend. Those are way worse.
Rose glances between us, her excited energy dialed up a few notches. “How come this is the first I’m hearing about it?”
