“This is twenty years of loving you, baby,” he whispered.
I reared my head back and stared up at him. “What?”
The grin on his face was absolutely breathtaking. “Twenty years ago today, the prettiest little girl came running through this gazebo, and my life has never been the same.”
“Wow,” I breathed.
“Wow,” he echoed. “Now, dance with me.”
I laid my head against his chest and did as he’d asked. His heart was pounding, and mine was, too. Twenty years. Twenty years and I was more in love with him than I’d ever been.
As he held me close, I squeezed my eyes shut and wished that everyone would find a love like mine. Hoping and praying that tonight, just like so many years ago, Lexi was on her way to falling in love again.
Because what I had with Jeremy?
It was every girl’s dream come true.
Twenty fucking years. I could hardly believe it. Hell, I’d almost forgotten until Jenna had mentioned it. She’d been upset to miss the reunion, but she was nine months pregnant and living in Seattle with Chris. Unable to fly, she’d called to send her best wishes.
“Can you believe it?” she’d asked right as we were about to get off the phone. “You’re going to be in Navarre for your twenty-year anniversary.”
“Fuck,” I’d breathed out. 2012. Twenty fucking years.
Jenna had laughed over the line. “Time flies, baby bro.”
I scowled. She had two minutes on me and lived for reminding me. “Well, I was definitely having fun,” I said, innuendo in my voice.
“Yeah, so, hanging up now. Make sure to get her something pretty,” she advised before hanging up.
I’d already had something in mind for Sierra. In fact, it was hiding away in my desk at the office. I was waiting for the right time to give it to her. Suddenly, I’d known that back in Navarre was the perfect place.
And now that we were, yet again, back where it had all begun, I wondered where the time had gone out loud.
As soon as the song ended, Sierra’s fingers raked down my back. Her cheeks were flushed pink with the evidence of her arousal. My gaze fell to her beautifully swollen lips, and my cock twitched at the sight.
We’d had plenty of foreplay at the reunion. With the surprise at the gazebo, she was primed and ready for me. Fuck. I was always primed and ready for her.
“Remember the last time we were here?” she asked, her eyes gleaming.
Did I remember it?
Fuck yeah I did. It’d been three hours after we’d said, “I do,” right in this very spot. After the ceremony, we’d gone back to the hotel for a dinner-reception for the family. It was very informal and pretty damn perfect.
Once dinner was done, the cake was eaten—neither of us ending up with it smashed in our faces—we snuck away.
The first time I made love to Sierra was on this beach.
The first time I made love to Mrs. Sierra Banks was also on this beach.
When I looked at Sierra, I knew she remembered that night just as fondly as I was. The way she’d scratched my back and breathily whispered, “Husband,” over and over again is something I’ve replayed many, many times.
“What do you say we relive that night?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows at me.
“Wait. I…I got you something,” I said, stopping her. I was on edge when I pulled the box out of my back pocket. It’d been burning a hole there, and I was anxious for Sierra’s reaction.
She could be thrilled; she could be devastated. I had no idea.
She tsked. “Jeremy, it’s not even a real anniversary. You shouldn’t have,” she said.
I smiled. “Fuck, baby. Twenty years. I’d say it’s a real anniversary.”
“You know what I mean,” she said, scowling at me.
I grinned. “I know. Even so, we’re celebrating this momentous occasion, starting with a gift for you.”
She nibbled on her lower lip as her eyes wandered to my groin. “I know exactly how I’d like to celebrate. And exactly what gift I’d like, for that matter.”
My crotch tightened. I wanted to please her in the way she wanted, but there would be time for that.
I ran a hand through my hair before handing the sleek, black box to her. “I wish that, in the last twenty years, I’d gotten more eloquent or romantic or whatever the hell, but the truth is I’m still the same goofy kid who fell in love with the girl next door. I could wax poetic for hours, talking about how the color of your hair reminds me of the brightest sun or how your eyes are so freaking blue, it’s like I see the ocean in them every single day. I don’t write poems or love letters or sing beautiful songs.”
She laughed, and I was pretty sure we were both remembering the Valentine’s Day where karaoke had gone wrong.
“I love you, Sierra. Plain and simple. I love you, I love our family, and I love the life we have together. We’ve laughed, we’ve cried, we’ve loved. And we’ve done all of it the most important way—together. Just as we’ll do everything else.”
She struggled to blink away tears. Using my thumb to wipe one away, I smiled down at her then handed her the gift I’d brought.
“I love you, baby. Open it,” I prompted.
She did as I’d asked, and I held my breath. Her eyes widened when she saw the contents inside. We stood there in silence, nothing but the waves crashing behind me to fill the air as she studied it. Lying against a satin sheet was a white-gold necklace with a custom-made pendant of a moon with a star. The moon held Ava’s birthstone, while the star contained the one for the baby we’d lost.
Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes lifted to mine. “Jeremy, I…” she said, trailing off as her eyes darted between mine “What is this?” she asked in a whisper.
“This is ours,” I said simply.
Her brow wrinkled, so I placed my thumb and index finger under her chin to tilt her head.
“We may have lost a moon, baby, but we gained a star. One that was too far out of our reach, no matter how desperately we wanted to grasp it. Now, you can keep its memory close to your heart at all times.”
Her lower lip trembled as tears welled in her eyes. She held her hair up and turned around. Without hesitation, I unclasped the necklace and fastened it around her neck. When she turned back to me, her hands were up to her chest, fingering the chain. Her voice was shaky when she spoke.
“Thank you.” She swallowed, lifting her eyes to meet mine. “I will treasure it for the rest of my life.” She took a step forward then placed her arms around my neck. “Just as I will treasure you, Jeremy Banks, for the rest of my life and for whatever lies beyond.” Her eyes were still glistening when she let out a small laugh. “Twenty years, babe. Who’d have thought?”
That was the easiest question ever.
Without answering, I scooped her up in my arms and led her to the beach blanket, and for the third time in my life, I pledge my undying love to Sierra in the very same spot. And, just as I always had, the moment I slid into her depths, I paused.
Fucking perfect.
It always had been. From the very first time, when I could hardly believe she was giving herself to me, and every single beyond that, it was perfect. It was cliché, I know, but when I was inside her, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this woman had been made for me.
I’d spend the rest of my life proving myself worthy of her.
Her hips arched, and her whimpers echoed around us. I held my position then covered her body with mine, using my elbows to brace myself as I took her head in my hands. Her eyes fluttered open and she watched me with a hooded, heated gaze.