CHAPTER 24
Their bedroom door was shut—but not locked. He turned the handle quietly and stepped inside.
The air was still, except for the soft sounds of Beth’s voice. She was talking to herself again.
Not wanting to startle her too much, he didn’t try to sneak in, instead he ensured she could hear the bedroom door click shut.
The muttering ceased instantly.
Bryce smirked.
Beth was curled up in her reading cove, hidden behind the decorative screen, peeking over the top of a book like a deer caught in headlights.
He ignored the way she stared at him with trepidation and strode casually over to the coffee bar. He took his time, preparing a single cup, feeling her wide-eyed gaze track his every move.
Once he had the steaming cup in hand, he leaned against the counter, lifting it to his lips. He took a slow sip, moaning slightly at the rich, dark flavor.
“Mmm,” he hummed in exaggerated pleasure. “That hits the spot.”
Beth eyed him warily. “Is that the only coffee maker in the house?”
“Nope,” Bryce said, taking another casual sip.
“Oh.”
Beth dropped her gaze to the book in her lap, which she clearly wasn’t reading. She waited for him to leave. Bryce hid his grin behind the rim of his mug. Then, as if discussing the weather, he said, “Have you thought about when and where you want to have the ceremony?”
Beth’s head shot up.
Bryce took a slow sip of his coffee, his gaze steady on Beth. “So… no thoughts on the ceremony at all?”
Beth shrugged, gripping the book a little tighter. “Haven’t really had time to think about it.”
He made a small, thoughtful noise in the back of his throat. “Hmm.”
Beth frowned. “What?”
Setting his mug down on the counter and crossed his arms. “Just… surprising, that’s all.”
Beth eyed him warily. “Why?”
Bryce stepped closer, tilting his head. “Because you’re you.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
A slow smirk tugged at Bryce’s lips. “I mean… the woman who has back up plans for her back up plans, and a tendency to overthink everything—she hasn’t thought about her own wedding?” He raised an eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe.”
Beth huffed. “This is not the same thing.”
He stepped closer. “Isn’t it?”
Beth swallowed hard, tugging the book in her lap tighter. Bryce was definitely crowding her space now and her cozy reading nook suddenly felt… less cozy.
His gaze flickered over her face, reading her too easily. Then, his smirk deepened.
“Ohhh,” he drawled, eyes dancing with mischief. “I get it now.”
“Get what?” she asked cautiously.
He tilted his head slightly, his expression far too knowing. “You’re not thinking about the ceremony at all, because…” his voice trailed off.
Beth’s hands shot in the air in exasperation. “Because why??”
Bryce leaned whisper in her ear. “You’re consumed with thoughts about what comes after the ceremony.”
Beth’s brain short-circuited.
“What—no!” she sputtered, heat flooding her cheeks. “What makes you… why would you even—that’s no— I wasn’t—”
Bryce chuckled, full and deep, clearly enjoying every second of her flustered state.
Beth pointed an accusing finger at him. “I am not!”
“Really?” He raised an eyebrow. “Because from where I’m standing, you’ve been very focused on the idea of sharing a room with me.”
Beth opened her mouth to argue but paused.
He knew. He understood why she bolted from the kitchen.
Her blush deepened.
Bryce’s expression softened as he crouched down in front of her, resting his arms across her lap. “Lizzy,” his voice was gentle now, free of teasing, “we’re not sharing this room until after the ceremony.”
Her whole body sagged in relief before she could stop it.
Bryce chortled. “Wooowwww. That was very telling.”
Beth groaned, covering her face with her hands. “You are so annoying.”
“You so love me.” He chuckled.
Dragging her hands down her face, she peeked at him. “So where are you going to sleep? There’s no bed in the guest room.”
Bryce leaned back on his heels. “There’s a Murphy bed hidden in the floor-to-ceiling shelving unit.”
Beth blinked. “Oh.”
Bryce just grinned.
Beths gaze dropped to her book—not reading, just stalling. She could feel his eyes on her, but it wasn’t amusement anymore. It was understanding.
She hated that he had figured out her freak-out before she had even found the courage to talk to him about it.
Eventually, he’s going to get tired of chasing me.
As if he could hear the thought, Bryce spoke.
“Sweetheart,” his voice steady and sure, “I love you. And I know this is all new and happening so fast. So, I will happily keep chasing after you—” his fingers brushed lightly over her knee, grounding her, “—until the day you start running to me when you’re hurt or overwhelmed.”
Beth sucked in a quiet breath. Something deep inside her shifted and she bit her bottom lip, pressing it between her teeth to keep from accidentally saying it back.
‘I love you too’ almost slipped out—so easily, so naturally. But she caught herself, not sure she was ready. Not yet. It was still too soon.
Instead, she swallowed hard, exhaling slowly.
“I came here to work up the courage… to talk to you” she admitted.
Bryce waited. He didn’t push.
Beth dropped her eyes to where his fingers still rested lightly against her knee, tracing small, absentminded circles. The warmth of his touch steadied her.
“It’s embarrassing but I—” she hesitated, her throat tightening with nerves, “I hate that I don’t remember.”
Bryce’s brows pulled together slightly. “Remember what?”
She forced herself to lift her gaze to his, embarrassment flickering across her face. “Our night in Vegas.”
“I know… I know it probably seems silly, and maybe it shouldn’t matter, but it bothers me that I can’t remember my first time.” Her voice dropped slightly, something raw and uncertain slipping through. “And you do.”
Bryce’s breath hitched ever so slightly.
He shifted so he could look directly at her. “Beth… I don’t remember either.”
She blushed, shaking her head. He misunderstood why.
“It’s true,” he said gently. “I vaguely remember waking up at some point in the night, snuggled up to you, but even that is more of a memory of how it felt than anything else.”
His voice dropped lower, something reverent in the way he spoke. “I remember feeling like it was the best thing I’d ever experienced.”
“But the details?” He exhaled lightly, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “I don’t remember. Not in the way you seem to think.”
Her hands curled into her lap, her voice barely above a whisper. “But… you do… remember your first time.”
Bryce stilled.
Beth forced herself to meet his eyes.
She saw the moment he understood.
Hers was with him.
Was his with her?
Her gaze dropped to her lap. “I know it shouldn’t bother me, but not knowing bothers me. I…” she exhaled, shaking her head slightly. “I guess that’s part of why I get so weird. I don’t know that much about you, yet when it comes to that—and before it comes to that again—I think I need to.”
Bryce exhaled slowly, then reached forward. Not fast, not forceful—just enough for his fingers to brush against hers, his touch gentle.
Her voice was so soft. “Does that make sense?”
There was no teasing in his expression now, no amusement. Only understanding. Only love.
“Look at me, please.”
Beth did.
“I will tell you anything you want to know.”
Beth’s chest tightened at the certainty in his voice. She didn’t know what she had expected—but his response was exactly what she needed. She let out a breath, rolling her lips together.
“I don’t want to talk about it tonight.”
Bryce nodded once. “Okay.”
Beth shifted slightly, pulling the blanket from the side of the chair over her lap, feeling more settled than before.
“I have to work tomorrow,” she added, almost as an afterthought.
Bryce smiled faintly, tilting his head. “We both do.”
Beth tucked her hands beneath the blanket. “But… just knowing we can talk about it…” her voice trailed off for a second before she looked back at him. “That helps.”
Bryce’s eyes softened.
“Good,”
There was a moment of silence, comfortable silence, where neither of them moved to break it. Then Bryce pushed off the floor and stood. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the spot along her hairline. “Get some rest, Lizzy.”
Beth watched as he strode toward the door.
Before he got too far, her voice stopped him.
“Bryce.” Beth hesitated. “Thanks for… chasing me.”
A slow, knowing grin spread across his face.
“Always,” he said.
And then he was gone.
Beth exhaled, sinking a little deeper into the chair, fingers still curled loosely beneath the blanket, and fell asleep.