Page 229 of Bridesmaid Undercover
“I know,” she says quietly. “But I don’t want space, Hardy.” When her eyes meet mine again, I watch, hope welling in me, as they tear up. “I’m falling for you and there’s nothing I can do about it. There’s no amount of space that can stop it from happening. It just…is.”
“Fuck,” I say as I bring her hands up to my mouth. I press a kiss to her knuckles. “Everly, I…what…why did you change your mind? I hurt you, and I don’t deserve this—I don’t deserve you.”
“You do,” she says with a tilt of her head. She runs her hand over my beard. “And I deserve you. I just needed some people to put that into perspective for me.”
“Some people?” I ask with a raise of my brow. “Would those people be Polly and Maple?”
She nods. “Yes, they told me what you said to them last night and, well, they swore you would never hurt me again.”
“Never,” I say far too quickly. “Fuck, never, Everly. I’m…I’m so sorry about everything. About that morning, about not telling you about Haisley, about how I handled every aspect of this. I’ve been out of my goddamn mind, unable to figure out how to handle these feelings because…” I look her in the eyes, holding her captive. “Because I’m falling for you too, and I’ve never felt this way before. Not that it’s an excuse, but I handled these feelings terribly. I hurt you, and I swear I will never fucking do it again. I want you, Everly. I want everything about you. I want your charm, your sass, your notes in your notebook. I want to be able to touch you, kiss you, hold you without some sort of ulterior motive. I want your mind, your jokes, your shameless attitude about wearing matching shirts.” She smirks. “And I want your heart, to hold in my hands, where I can protect it and never let anything bad ever happen.” I tug her toward me, and she slides onto my lap as I cup her cheek. “I want this, us, and I will do everything in my power, if you will let me, to prove to you that I’m the man you deserve.”
Her hand presses to my chest. “I already know you are, Hardy. I’ve known for a long time and there’s no changing that in my mind, no matter how hard I try.”
“Well, please don’t try anymore,” I say. “Please be mine.”
She grins and presses her forehead against mine. “I’m yours.”
“Fuck,” I whisper and nuzzle my nose against hers. “I’m so sorry, Everly. So fucking sorry.”
“I know,” she whispers back and then brings her lips right above mine, a whisper away. “I know.”
And then her mouth meets mine. Immediately, I shift my hand behind her head, holding her in place as I part her lips with my tongue and find that deep connection I so desperately desire with her.
She matches my strokes, her hands closing around the lapels of my jacket, her sweet moans bringing me back to that night…the night where I felt my entire life change.
The night I realized that I hadn’t truly experienced life in its full technicolor until her lips met mine.
And now that I get to have her in my arms again, I get to hold her and claim her, that feeling is in full effect—I can hear louder, see clearer, smell every last flower in this conservatory. Life is brighter, bolder with her in my arms, and I’ll be damned if I ever let her go again.
It’s me and her…my best friend, my girl.
“Woooooo!” Clapping and cheering sounds off in front of us, and I pull away just enough to catch Maple, Polly, and Ken standing a few feet away, huge smiles on their faces.
Everly looks over her shoulder and when she sees them, she curls in closer to me.
“You two are perfect,” Maple says, clasping her hands in front of her.
“You better not hurt her,” Polly calls out.
“I won’t,” I say. “Never again.” I kiss Everly’s bare shoulder and when she looks back at me, I know for certain, there isn’t a chance in hell I will ever hurt her again.
She’s it for me, and I will spend every last second of my life, proving that to her.
From an acquaintance, to a bridesmaid undercover, to a best friend, to my girl, that’s how it will stay.
Epilogue
HARDY
“Are you almost done in there?” I call out to Everly who is in her bathroom, finishing up her shower.
“Yes,” she calls out just as the door opens and I catch sight of her in her silk robe, her hair wet and draped over her shoulders. “Is dinner ready?”
“Yup,” I say as I set two bowls of tomato bisque soup on the table along with some bread that I warmed in the oven.
She walks up to me, the cinch on her robe entirely too loose, and she presses her hand to my chest before standing on her toes and kissing my chin. “Thank you for making dinner.”
“Anything for you,” I say as I lift her chin and kiss her on the lips. When she returns the kiss, I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her in even closer. And when she moans, it’s like music to my goddamn ears.
