Chapter 17
MAV
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
We are heading to the cars, laughing about the laser tag game.
“Hey, Shelby. I want to be next for a date,” Dom demands.
Luckily, Shelby’s used to my brother’s mannerisms. “Sure.”
“Tomorrow afternoon,” he states.
When we head back to the house, Shelby and I go to change.
On the way to my room, Shelby says something to Cin and Paige about having nothing to wear, sounding worried. I smile because I have thought of everything. I bought her a fifties-inspired swing dress in a beautiful cream color with a simple floral pattern.
After showering, I walk down the stairs. My hair is slicked back, and I wear white linen pants and a maroon shirt. My feet are still barefoot. My beach loafers are by the front door for when we go to leave.
“Damn, bro.” Dom whistles. “You look good.”
I smirk at him. “Thanks.”
Shelby comes out of her room, and her mouth falls open when she sees me. Her eyes roam up and down my body, and I return the favor.
The sun dress fits better than I expected. It has two thick shoulder straps and a ruched, sweetheart neckline accentuating her breasts. The top is fitted down through her slim waist, where it flares out, and the hem ends just under her knees. The dress makes her curves just edible.
Shelby wears her hair curled in beach waves, each side pulled back and pinned toward the back of her head, with a few locks hanging loose to frame her face. She’s every man’s fantasy of a pin-up model.
“You’re gorgeous, my queen.” I want to facepalm myself for that inadequate compliment.
Shelby saves me from being a fool. “You look hot, Mav.”
I chuckle at that.
“Thank you for the sundress.” She runs her hands down her skirt, smoothing out wrinkles that don’t exist. “I didn’t pack anything to wear for this kind of place.”
I take her hand and kiss it. “Anything for my queen.”
Guiding her to the door, I slip on my shoes and show Shelby the shoes that are hers: a simple pair of open-toe espadrille, low-heeled wedges in a cream color to match her dress. She holds my shoulder while she slips into the shoes.
I take her to a restaurant on the beach. The sun is setting, making for a beautiful sight with the pinks and oranges bleeding together before darkening to the purple gray of night.
We order sumptuous seafood entrees, sharing with each other.
When we finished, I stand and hold my hand out to her. “Would you like to go for a walk on the beach?”
We head toward the sand, stopping to take our shoes off. As we stroll, I hold her hand with my right hand and our shoes in the other. The ocean breeze is warm as it brushes by us.
“I’ve never eaten so much seafood in my life. Damn, that was incredible.” Shelby runs her other hand across her stomach, sighing.
“I’m glad you liked it.”
We walk silently, moving closer to the tide, letting the water rise over our feet.
I stop. “Babe, I want to tell you again how sorry I am for having doubts about our relationship.”
Shelby holds her free hand up. “Please, Mav, stop right there.”
Worried she’s mad at me, my gaze drops to where my toes squish in the watery sand.
“I won’t lie to you. It hurt me a lot, but since I have been down here, I have had a lot of time to think. I was in a terrible place and wasn’t thinking right. You have every right to have doubts.”
At this, my head whips up to find her blue eyes staring straight into mine.
“You’ve known me for less than a year, so I understand. But, tomorrow night, we need to sit down and talk about what happened to me.” Her head drops.
I touch her chin, bringing her gaze back to mine. “Babe, you don’t have to if you’re not ready.”
She shakes her head. “I’m ready. I’m worried about you guys and how you’ll react.”
Hearing her say that makes the beauty around us gray. Tears fill my eyes. Her recent actions tell me more than words that something bad happened in that basement.
I take a deep breath. “Shelby, we know something terrible happened.”
She flinches before turning and stepping away from me, closer to the water, dropping my hand in the process. She stares at the ocean, and I finally understand what Cam said weeks ago. The fear in my chest of her drifting away in the waves is like a lance to my heart.
I need her to hear me. “No matter what, we’re here for you.”
Something in my tone must catch her attention. She turns around and takes my hands, wrapping them around her.
We stay like that for a while, her body wrapped in my arms, holding her, anchoring her to me, listening to the waves crash along the shore, the water caressing our feet.
“I read your notebook, Mav.” She sniffles. “It touched me deeply. Thank you for sharing what you were feeling. It’s something I’ll always treasure.”
I turn her around, step back onto dry sand, and bend down on one knee. “I’ve been calling you princess, but you are my queen. My one and only, and I love you. I hurt you by having doubts, and I can’t say I won’t screw up because, let’s be honest here, this is me we’re talking about.”
She slaps my arm as tears well up in her eyes.
“I’ll make it up to you for the rest of my life. Please take this ring as a token of my love and commitment. You’re my everything, my queen.” I pull the ring box out. “If you accept this ring, know you’ll be my only one.”
I stop, because that’s not true. There’s another that I love.
I smile and meet her gaze again. “You’ll be the only girl I’ll love. Two separate pieces of silver are woven together to make the ring. That’s how I think of us. We’re woven together. Will you take this ring?”
Her hand covers her mouth, and tears spill down her cheeks.
She lowers her hand. “Yes.”
I rise and slip the ring onto her finger right next to Luke’s. She reaches up and twines her hands into my hair, pulling me down for a sensual kiss that I never want to end.
When Shelby shivers in the cooling night breeze, I loosen my embrace. “I better get you home before Dom sends out a patrol for us.”
She turns in my arms, and we walk toward where we parked.
“Thank you for a wonderful night.” She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me. “Will you stay with me tonight?”
“I would love to.”
I brush my thumb along her cheek, down to her lower lip, and lean forward to rest my forehead against her for a beat before moving us on our way.
I drive us home, and we find everyone on the beach having a bonfire.
Shelby and I walk down. I take a seat, and she sits on my lap.
“Hey, how was dinner?” Cam asks.
“He took me to this beautiful restaurant on the beach, overlooking the water. We had delicious seafood. Then, we walked on the beach. It was a wonderful night.” She clears her throat, catching everyone’s attention. “I’m ready to talk about what happened in that basement. Not tonight, but tomorrow. That is, if you don’t have any dinner plans tomorrow, Dom?”
He shakes his head. “I was planning an early dinner, but I can change it if needed.”
She shakes her head. “No, that’ll work.”
We stay for a short time before she says she’s ready to head up.
We both say goodnight to everyone, Dom telling her to be ready by noon.
I try not to act nervous, but I’m doing a shit job. When we reach her room, she turns to face me, and I think she’ll tell me she’s changed her mind.
She reaches out and lays her hand on my chest over my heart. “Relax. I’m going to be blunt, for both of our sakes.”
I nod.
“I sometimes still have nightmares, so I want to warn you about that. As for touching me, I’m not sure, but I would like to try.” She bites her lip, opens her door, and tows me inside before shutting the door behind us.