Chapter 34
MIA
Applying the finishing touches to my makeup in the mirror, my eyes automatically stray to Swayze. He’s sitting behind me on the edge of the bed, legs splayed in that universal manspread way, silver rings catching the sunlight while he fiddles with his sleeve.
He’s all set for the wedding, dressed in a white linen shirt pulled taut over his broad chest, a cream waistcoat, and matching trousers stretched over his big thighs. His hair is slicked back which is a new look for him, and I’m not mad at it. He looks freakin’ gorgeous.
How is he mine?
My eyes lock with his heavy-lidded stare in the mirror. Smirking, he strokes his lip with his thumb.
“Like what you see, Angel?”
That’s putting it mildly.
“Shirt giving you some trouble, Patrol Puppy?”
“Oh? It’s like that, is it?”
His eyes track my every move as I approach him, standing between his thighs to fix his cufflinks. As soon as I’m done, he palms my hips, running his hands up and down the silky material of the dress.
“You look fucking phenomenal, Mia. You’re gonna steal the show today.” Heat floods my cheeks and emotion steals my breath from the sincere intensity in his gaze.
I’m not used to this. I went to one wedding with the toad for some work colleague he was trying to impress. He picked my dress, hated that I’d curled my hair into a messy updo, and had me undo it before we could leave the house. So of course, we arrived late, which he blamed me for.
We spent the entire night locked in a tense stalemate. When we got home, he chewed my ass out for embarrassing him by answering his colleagues’ questions about my job. I ended that night crying in the shower.
All night.
“Hey, you okay Angel?” Swayze’s hands tighten on my hips, icy eyes warm with concern.
Shaking the horrible memory from my brain, I swallow past the lump in my throat and smile. “Sorry, took a little trip down nightmare lane for a second. I’m good. Don’t worry.”
His brow furrows, concern now etched in the lines of his face. “Something I said?”
“God no, not at all. Quite the opposite, if anything. Thank you for everything, Wolfie.”
I lean down, cupping his face, and plant a soft kiss on his lips. I’m so grateful to have him here with me, rewriting my bad memories with all new amazing ones.
Stepping back, I turn to face the full-length mirror, sliding the hair comb into my hair which I’ve styled into Hollywood waves tumbling over one shoulder.
Swayze stands, palming my waist as he pulls me tight to his chest. We look good together, his cream suit perfectly complimenting my sage green silk dress.
He holds my gaze in the mirror before bringing his lips to my ear. “I am one lucky son of a bitch to have you on my arm.”
Butterflies go full throttle inside me as he plants a soft kiss on my shoulder, his stubble tickling my skin as his lips caress the bare length of my neck.
If I’m being honest, the butterflies haven’t stopped.
Not since last night. We had sex—it feels wrong to call it that…
but it sounds stupid saying we made love—but it was the most emotionally intense sex I’ve ever had.
I passed out straight after and didn’t wake up until he was carrying me through our room to bed where he spooned me all night.
I’m not sure how I’ll be able to sleep when we get back home because we haven’t spent a night apart since we’ve gotten here. I’m not gonna lie, I kinda love it.
I’ve never had that before and I just assumed it was because I wasn’t a snuggler. Boy, have I proved that theory wrong. I’ve spent almost every night coiled around Swayze like a snake.
Why can’t we just stay here in our bubble forever?
Turning, I wrap my arms around his neck, dislodging his collar and exposing a bruise. Softly stroking the skin with my thumb, I look up at Swayze.
“Shit, did I do this to you?”
“You did. Lucky I’m not the one in the dress, huh?” His lips quirk in amusement.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” My cheeks burn with fire. I can’t believe I did that after warning him not to bite me.
“I did. Well, I came in you, if we’re being specific… it’s all good. I love having my girl’s mark on me.”
He presses his lips to mine just as the room phone rings.
“Fucking phone,” he groans against my lips before stepping back to answer it.
I sneak glances while he talks to, I’m assuming, my mom, trying to figure out how this man who’s always been in my life, all of a sudden seems like so much more.
“It's time, Angel. You ready?”
Walking back down the aisle on Swayze’s arm after seeing my twin marry the love of his life has me all kinds of emotional. The ceremony was beautiful, taking place on the black sand beach. We’ll be heading back to the hotel for the reception by the pool after the photos are done.
“Mimi, Swayze. Get over here.” Nick beckons us over for another photo because the thirty or so we’ve posed for so far isn’t enough.
“We want a few just the four of us, then the photographer is gonna take a couple of just the two of you,” he says with a grin.
“Wait, why just the two of us?” I stare at Nick perplexed. I’ve not been a bridesmaid all that often, but I’m pretty sure it’s not normal to have photos of just the best man and the bridesmaid alone.
“That’s my idea! I want to make sure you’ve got a nice photo of the two of you to announce your engagement. You can thank me later,” Layla chimes in with a mischievous giggle.
Swayze barks out a laugh, shaking his head. “Take a few on this for me too, would you?” He unlocks his phone and tosses it to Nick before pulling me under his arm.
“Maybe I should surprise the hell outta them and drop down on one knee for the photo.” His eyes dance so I know he’s joking, but I don’t miss the way my heart just skipped a beat.
What the hell am I doing? I’ve barely gotten my head around the idea that maybe I’d consider trying something real with Swayze…
not that he’s even asked me. We’ve both stayed well away from the topic of going home and what comes after.
My heart shouldn’t be skipping a beat in happiness at the idea of him proposing to me for fuck’s sake.
Maybe I need a dose of Dr. Reality Check.
I pose on autopilot, smiling for the camera while my head spirals with questions about what comes after.
Would he even want something more? Do I? Am I brave enough to ask?
Could anything work back in the real world, when we're surrounded by women who all want a piece of Deputy Heartthrob?
“You okay?” Swayze whispers into my ear as we pose together, much like we were in front of the mirror earlier.
“All good.” I tilt my head up to him with a big smile, the photographer shouting compliments in Greek about what a beautiful couple we make.
After he takes a bunch more photos of the two of us, which I’m not gonna lie start to get a little much, we rejoin the group and make our way back to our little paradise hotel ready to party.
We walk out to the main pool and I gasp, the view stealing my breath.
It’s been transformed into a dreamlike paradise framed by the Aegean Sea beyond.
Everywhere I look candles flicker in lanterns, giving the space a warm, romantic glow.
Swaths of white flowers trail over the walls and tables while striking pink flowers dance over the surface of the infinity pool. They’ve thought of everything.
“Wow, this looks incredible.” I murmur up at Swayze curling my fingers into his shirt.
“I know.” He’s quick to respond, but with his gaze locked on me, I don’t think he’s referring to the view at all. His hand cups my face, tilting it back to kiss me softly before resting his forehead on mine.
Closing my eyes I melt onto his chest, breathing him in while I listen to his heartbeat. I’m so content I don’t know how long we stand here before Nick walks up behind us and smacks him on the shoulder. “Time to eat something other than my sister, Wolff.”
With a scowl, Swayze steps back, resting a hand on the bare small of my back, guiding us to our seats.
They’ve set a long banquet table for the bridal party, and thank fuck, Pete’s seated nowhere near us.
Two courses later, with our dinner plates cleared away, Swayze pulls me onto his lap, taking full advantage of our different dessert selections.
I’d opted for rose ice cream, but let’s just say I regretted my life’s choices the second I spotted his chocolate lava cake.
I actually gasped the second the waiter set it down, much to Swayze’s amusement.
With a chuckle he spoons some into my mouth and I’m not ashamed to say, I moan.
“Careful Angel, you keep making those sounds and we’ll be having a beach dare do over, right here,” he murmurs, his warm breath tickling my ear.
I gasp when he flexes his hips and I detect the hot, hard truth in his pants.
Would anyone notice if we snuck away after dinner for a little joy ride?
Swayze’s nostrils flare and he presses his hard cock up against me again, obviously reading my mind loud and clear.
Once the dinner service is finished, the staff move the tables away, leaving the wide expanse of the deck clear for dancing. Before we manage to sneak away, my cousin comes up to us.
“Mimi. You are a vision.” Mario wraps me in a one-armed hug, shaking Swayze’s hand with the other.
When they start talking about Sweet Haven PD paperwork my eyes glaze over. I love my cousin, but when he gets talking, he can talk forever.
I don’t really want to talk about home because all it’s doing is drawing attention to the ticking clock in the back of my mind.
To the fact that this wedding marks the beginning of the end of all this.
I shuffle uncomfortably, the balls of my feet throbbing in the Jimmy Choo wedges I’ve been wearing for too long. They’re so pretty, but they’re definitely made to be worn horizontally.