An unreadable expression in his eyes, Brian separates from SiSi and joins Lauren while Sierra's excited grin grows wider as she skips over. Within seconds, I deduce he dreads sitting with Lauren, and he accepted Sierra's invitation to be in our wedding party.
The way she feels about Brian is akin to me and my brother Luke. I would hate if we were at odds like they were. Would despise if he thought it was a mistake for me to marry her. He would be wrong, but it would suck.
She slips in between my knees and places her back against my front. I squeeze her to me, placing a kiss on the crown of her head. "My sunshine girl."
"Hello, my love. He said yes!"
I love her happy smile. Whatever jealousy that lingered between Brian and me at some point last year vanished long ago; I'm thrilled their friendship is on its way to solid again. "Awesome!"
Most of the group around us is rowdy, but we cuddle up and stare at the fire contentedly, listening to the crackle as the flames lick the logs. "What are you thinking about?" she asks, tipping her head up to the blanket of stars.
"It's corny," I say, with a sheepish chuckle.
She nudges me. "What?"
A long minute ticks by before I speak up again. "You know when we took a break at the end of last year?"
"A horrible couple of weeks."
Burying my face into her hair, I sit up straighter. Her soft pink hoodie rubs against my chin, and I tighten my hold, loving the sensation of her wrapped up in my arms. "Well, I was just thinking how it felt. Everything warm and bright was gone, and I felt like I stumbled through my days in cold darkness."
"Nicholas," she says, her tone impassioned. "So romantic, and maybe corny—but I love it."
"One day, you just showed up and made a sarcastic joke, and I fell in love with your everything. My day started and ended with you, Sierra."
"Sometimes your voice gives me butterflies," she sighs, turning around to watch me with those big, beautiful eyes that lay me bare with vulnerability. "I know exactly how you feel," she whispers, brushing her velvety mouth to mine.
Casting around a furtive glance, I wait to see if anybody's watching. The two of us get a bad rap for our PDA, and we're in close quarters, but she's hard to resist. All I want is to pull her on top of me and kiss her breathless. My amazing, sexy, thoughtful fiancé.
"I was numb before I met you, without knowing it," she says, her clear voice low and sweet. She ditched her glasses in favor of contacts this weekend, and her gentle midnight blue eyes are so heartbreakingly beautiful, they could drown me. "And when we were apart, I made myself busy, so I could just be on autopilot. But when I'm with you, I'm breathing and alive."
The atmosphere shifts, and then neither of us cares who is around.
Kneeling, she turns in my arms and grips my hair while our mouths meet in a series of short pecks before melting into passionate, breathless kisses, and I'm about to lose my fucking mind once she rakes her fingernails against my back, pushing her perfect tits against my chest.
Hot breath near my ear has me groaning. "Want to go swimming with me?" Sierra kisses me again, her smooth lips making my head spin.
"Swimming?" I gasp, breaking apart. "We don't have our swimsuits."
A fat marshmallow thwacks the back of my head, and I glance over my shoulder as everyone cracks up.
"Hey!" Sierra cackles, jumping to her feet and hurling marshmallows back at our friends before yanking on my wrists to haul me off the blanket.
"Holy shit, you're strong!" Andy says, eyes wide.
"I know," I say, grinning. "I think it's so hot."
"Oh, totally—I like girls with some meat and muscle, too."
"Yeah, baby!" Natalia says, pointing at her. "I need to get my ass to the gym!"
"I like your ass how it is, Nat," Mateo says. Natalia is 5'8" and lithe, built how I imagine a ballerina. "Throwing you around is fun."
"Yeah, pretty sure my ass would be dumped if I weighed what Sierra did," Lauren pipes up.
Uhhh, what was that?
I bristle and open my mouth while taking a step toward my cousin. "Did you just—what the hell, Lo?"
In the past few months, Lauren's worst traits repeatedly reared their ugly heads. Since she's only my cousin, it's easy to dismiss some of her spoiled tendencies, but expressing an unwarranted, unsolicited opinion on my amazing girl isn't something I'll ignore.
Before I can get more out, an unlikely voice slices through the tension. "What the fuck do you mean by that?" Lizzie snaps, glaring at her, then glancing back at Sierra.
Ooh, I sorta want to see where this goes. Lizzie is pint-sized and sweet, but evidenced by her narrowed eyes, I misjudged her fiery side.
"Yeah," Zane says, eyebrows drawn together. "That sounded horrible."
Lauren stutters over her words, covering her mouth. "Oh, it did. I'm so sorry, Sierra!"
Brazen and badass, Sierra whirls around and tugs my arm. "Well, look away, Lauren, because I'm taking my 160-pound ass to the lake!"
A smile tugs at Brian's mouth and Lizzie bursts out laughing. Lauren's mouth drops open while Sierra purses her lips, tugging at her top. "Coming, Nick?"
"Hell yeah!" I mirror her actions; dumping my t-shirt on the blanket before reaching for the waistband of my shorts. I shamelessly run my gaze up her toned legs and tanned stomach, admiring that perfect-to-me body highlighted by her royal blue lingerie.
Z and Lizzie seem intent on joining us while standing and start stripping down. Biting her lip, Sierra reaches for my hand and we race to the water's edge, discarding our towels where dry sand meets wet, hopping around littered pieces of wood and rocks. "Are you ready?" I ask, gripping her hand.
"No!" she squeals as water laps at our legs.
We plunge into the freezing water headfirst once we're past our hips, shrieking as we come up for air. I tug my boxers up and duck back under, pressing my feet against the sandy surface of the ground to propel myself toward her.
Strong limbs wrap around my waist and neck as I draw her in and kiss her fiercely. I feel weightless under the pull of the water and in Sierra's embrace. The place I feel safest in the world.
"Hey," I breathe out as we break apart. Choppy waves bob around our shoulders as we become numb to the chill. "What exactly happened back there—was that intentional?"
Hesitancy gleams in her eyes. "Honestly? Yeah. Things between us have gotten awful."
"She's threatened about your friendship with Brian and my least favorite cousin. But you," I say, drawing my nose over her cheek. "You're my favorite person ever. Perfect and beautiful."
"Such a simp," she teases, kissing the corner of my mouth.
"For you? Absolutely." I shiver as she runs her hands down my neck and shoulders, the cool water swirling around her fingertips. "In fact, let me reveal a secret to you,"
Her voice is like honey, and she trails her lower lip against mine, curling her tongue underneath my Cupid's bow. "Tell me all your secrets, baby."
Cool temperatures combined with a hot girlfriend sends a shiver down my spine. The water splashes while I playfully twirl us in a circle. "I want to kiss you hard. Touch you everywhere. Lay down somewhere private and warm, and make love to you for hours."
Her eyes sparkle like stars. "Maybe we should head to bed?"
"I need you to be honest with me. I am saying something to Lauren but I want your opinion on what message you want sent."
The little dimple in her chin creases as she lightly giggles. "We know some guys who could put a horse head in her bed á la The Godfather."
I laugh with her. "Pena boys? Mike?"
"Imagine the three of them joining forces and Luke hovering nearby, wondering if it was the best idea."
More people are moving around the fire like they plan to join us, and I spin Sierra around so her back faces them. "Well, let me clear a few things up if you doubted. Number one, I love you madly, and you should always come first."
"Title of your sex tape."
There's a laugh in my voice as I continue. "I fully expect crocodile tears when I talk to Lauren, but I'm not falling for it. Two, I love how you look. A whole fricking lot."
1) What's B going to say?