Authors: Ahren Sanders
I glance over and see Nate’s eyes are still closed, so I scroll through his text messages to see if it was forwarded or if he took it. Because if he did, I’m going to have a whole lot of questions.
The text was sent the night after graduation, when Bryce and I were already back in Virginia. The name is saved under Liza, and the caption reads
“Love this picture of the two of us. We make a great pair.”
She sent it to Bryce, too. I lose my breath momentarily then grow slightly dizzy at the implication. Does she know about me? And what does she mean by ‘we make a great pair’?
“You about done?” Nate startles me, and I click out of his messages.
“If you’re tired, we can stay here.”
“I’m fine.” He gets up and pats me on the head. “Let’s get your ass to Randolph. He’s about to crawl out of his skin.”
His words do little to reassure me, but I decide not to put him on the spot. I’ll ask Bryce about this girl later. For now, I try to play it off. “It has been almost a month since we’ve seen each other.”
He cuts his eyes to me and shakes his head.
My excitement builds when we get onto the Navy base, the unease from earlier lifting. As we drive, he points out the main buildings. When the ships come into sight, my eyes almost pop out of my head. It’s beyond incredible. Nothing could prepare me for the sheer size and magnitude of these vessels.
“Pretty amazing, huh?”
“I can’t believe it. Can we go on one?”
“I think Bryce is working on getting you a tour, but for now, we’re meeting him at the commissary.”
We pass the area where their base housing is located, and Nate points out their place. Bryce explained their furnished two bedroom, two bath was clean and well kept, but it was a complete bachelor pad. They were hardly ever there, so they had only the basics. It was a quick decision to live on base for a while, getting used to their new roles, but they had their name on a wait list for a townhome nearby.
“Why didn’t we meet him at your place?”
“I needed to pick up a few things, so it was my idea.”
Bryce isn’t here yet, so we sit at a table outside and wait. Nate explains his job. He and Bryce have similar roles, but with different teams and areas of the ship. I bring up the latest version of the diving article on my phone and show him all the pictures I chose. He’s making fun of me about my dive when I’m hoisted from behind and swung around.
I squeal loudly as strong arms squeeze me, shaking me lightly. “Hey, superstar!” Tommy Betts booms. “We finally got you here!”
“Hey, Tommy,” I hug him back. “Good to see you.”
“You ugly prick, you want to let my girl down?” Bryce runs up, out of breath and his face beet red.
Tommy lowers me slowly, his body vibrating with laughter.
I turn and jump into Bryce’s arms, not caring about the sweat pouring down his cheeks. His lips seal over mine, and I almost groan when our tongues touch. The taste of spearmint fills my mouth. He pulls back too quickly, nibbling on my lower lip. His eyes dance with happiness.
“Hey, babe.”
“Hey, yourself.”
“Shit, you should have seen your face!” Tommy yells, still cracking up. “Priceless.”
“Payback is a fucking bitch, Betts. Remember that,” Bryce snarls.
I step back and notice we’ve been joined by a small group. I recognize Tommy and Rick from graduation, but there’s another man and woman watching us with amusement. My gut coils when I recognize her not only from the ceremony, but also the recent picture on Nate’s phone. Bryce introduces them as John and Liza. The minute I touch Liza’s hand, my blood runs cold.
When our eyes meet, her gaze is no longer amused but indifferent. There’s no warmth or kindness at all. Her stare alone makes me uncomfortable.
Bryce kisses my neck gently, and her face turns to stone.
“Stop, you dipshit.” Nate slaps the back of Bryce’s head. “I’ll say it again—she’s still my baby sister.”
Anyone not paying attention would miss it, but I don’t. Liza’s eyes slice between Nate and me then land on Bryce. Bitterness pours from her gaze. She catches me watching and holds my stare.
“How was your drive?” Bryce wraps his arms around my waist, oblivious to the silent show between Liza and me.
“Great. Why are you all sweaty?”
Tommy and Rick start howling again, John joins in.
“Dickhead over here,” Bryce motions to Tommy, “left me behind. Thought it would be funny to make me run.”
“You running wasn’t the funny part. It was watching your face in the rear-view mirror when I told you I’d get to your girl first.”
“Hardy-har-har. Told you, payback’s a bitch. We may find ourselves too busy to come to the party tomorrow.”
Tommy’s dark face pales, all humor gone. “Man, Nicole will kick my ass if you two aren’t there.”
“I’m feeling a sharp pain in my calf.” Bryce bends over dramatically, rubbing his leg.
“He’s joking! Of course we’ll be there.” I slap his shoulder and smile at Tommy. “Aren’t we celebrating a birthday?”
“TJ’s going to be one next week, but it’ll be small. We’ll have a family party next time our folks can get here.”
“Looking forward to it.”
“Did Bryce talk to you about our favor?” he asks nervously.
“Sure did, and I’ll be there early to get the family shots.”
When Tommy found out about my love of photography and saw some of my pictures, he asked Bryce if I’d take some pictures of his son, TJ, and their family at the party. They’ve never gotten formal family portraits, and Nicole really wanted some nice shots. I agreed immediately.
I smile sweetly and look directly at Liza. Her face is twisted in confusion.
“You guys want to grab a beer?” Rick asks.
“Not us. We’ve got dinner plans. See y’all tomorrow.” Bryce links our hands and tugs, indicating he’s ready to go.
I give Nate, Tommy, and Rick a quick hug and wave politely to Liza and John. She’s no longer giving me a death stare but is looking at Bryce with sadness. Maybe she didn’t know about me? That seems impossible, but regardless, obviously, Bryce isn’t hiding his feelings.
“We have dinner plans?” I question Bryce when we’re out of earshot.
“Oh, yeah.” He raises his eyebrows, and his face splits into a knowing smile. “I definitely know what I’m having for dinner.”
A rush of heat travels through me. Liza’s quickly forgotten.
*****
The nervous anxiety I had about meeting Bryce’s friends is gone three seconds after we walk through the door. There are no introductions before Nicole Betts yanks me into a tight hug and squeals in my ear. “Devon, it’s so good to meet you.”
“You too.” I pat her back. She obviously shares her husband’s love for affection. She releases me and goes for Bryce.
He kisses her on the cheek, smiling.
When she stands back, I finally get a good look at her. I have to fight my jaw from dropping. She’s stunning. Looking at her is like looking at Vanessa Williams—beautiful mocha skin, sleek styled hair, striking blue eyes. When she smiles, her entire face lights up. Bryce runs his fingers down my arm lightly, breaking my trance. She stands back, inviting us in, as Tommy yells from somewhere in the house.
“I’m going to help him. Be right back.” She disappears down a hallway and toward the sound of baby laughter.
Bryce leads me to the kitchen and sits down on a stool, situating me between his legs.
“Remember the plan?”
“Yes, but I still don’t understand why we need an exit strategy. These are your friends.”
“We need a strategy because there’s a bed back at the hotel calling our names,” he whispers and kisses along my jawline. “We have weeks of ‘sexual frustration’ to make up for.”
I suck in a breath and try to step back, but his hands trap my hips. “I thought we did that last night and this morning.”
“Weeks, Devon. The image of you in that uniform with your mouth wrapped around my dick has kept me hard.” The heat of his breath on my ear sends a tingle down my spine.
“Bryce, stop,” I mutter breathlessly and squirm. “We—”
“That is HOT!” Nicole’s voice cuts me off.
I turn to see her and Tommy in the kitchen doorway with a baby on her hip. She uses her free hand to fan her face, and I cringe, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Bryce chuckles against my neck. I force myself to step away, and Nicole gives me a small smile, her eyes twinkling.
“This must be TJ?”
“This is him. We’d better act fast. This outfit won’t stay clean for long.”
He understands we are talking about him and starts scrambling to get down. I’ve never taken photos with children, but I know we need to hurry. The patio is already set up for the party, but I spot a perfect area in the backyard with great lighting.
“You guys okay with outdoor shots?” They nod in agreement and follow me.
Other guests start arriving while we’re taking pictures, and TJ loses interest in the minimal amount of posing I could get out of him. Tommy takes him as Nicole and I look through my image viewer at the results.
“Bryce brags about your photography talent to Tommy all the time. Thank you for doing this.” She puts an arm around my shoulders.
“I love it.”
“You want to make a career out of it?”
“I’m going to try my best. There’s still a lot I have to learn.”
“I’ve only been around Bryce a few times, but the way he tells it, you’re the shit. Nate says the same thing.”
Pride surges through me. “Those two are biased.”
She opens her mouth but snaps it shut. Her eyes grow wide, and I follow their path to the patio. TJ is squealing at the lady coming through the back door with a bundle of brightly colored balloons and her arms full.
“That’s our neighbor, Mrs. Knicks. She loves spoiling TJ.”
“Go greet her. I’ll take a few more snapshots of the cake and party. Then you’ll have more for your album.”
She gives me a loud-smacking kiss on the cheek and yells to the crowd, “Bryce, your fiancée is a gem!”
“I know!” he yells back, and heat creeps up my cheeks.
She runs to the house, and I snap shots of the crowd, the cake, the presents, and TJ toddling clumsily toward the bright displays. I try to get a picture of everyone arriving. I freeze when I notice Bryce talking to a woman I don’t recognize. My heart starts to race as she throws her head back laughing and puts her hand against his chest. Another guy joins them, handing her a beer. When she turns and locks eyes with me, my chest tightens. Liza’s glare is full of disgust.
Out of her uniform, Liza looks like a totally different person. Her outfit hugs her curves in all the right ways to highlight her body. The bun is gone, and now, her long dark hair falls in waves down her back. She’s wearing more make-up than yesterday, and her smoky eyes scream
“night at a club”
not “
backyard bar-be-que
”.
We are opposites in every way. My light blond hair contrasts with her dark. My green eyes don’t seem a match for her shining hazels. We’re built similarly, but her hips and waist seem a lot sexier in the tight black leggings.
Suddenly, I feel frumpy in my jeans and black sweater. Without words, she sends me a challenge.
Fiancée or not, I’m interested in Bryce.
“Dev.” Nate walks up, ending my silent confrontation.
“Hey.” I give him a smile.
“That’s pathetic.” He takes a tug of his beer and then focuses back on me. “You really need to perfect your fake smile.”
“What?”
“Seriously?”
“Fine. I think Liza just threw down regarding Bryce.”
“Probably.” He surprises me by agreeing.
“You knew?”
“Had a feeling. She’s got that look on her face when he’s around.”
“Should I be worried?”
He turns to me with a horrified expression. “Worried? The guy is so fucking gone, he’d die before he hurt you. Do I need to remind you of his proposal? She can throw herself at him all she wants, but he’ll never catch her. He’s oblivious to her advances.”
“How is she involved with this crew?”
“She’s a newly appointed officer on the ship.”
“That’s why she was at the graduation.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m pretty sure I don’t like her.”
“Who?” Bryce slides his arms around my waist from behind.
“Liza’s interested in you.”
He tenses and turns me into him. “She’s just a co-worker. Nothing else.”
“Someone needs to tell her that. She had her hands on you.”
His lips curl up in a playful grin, and he bends, lifting me at the knees. My arms and legs wrap around him to hang on. One arm holds me up, and the other hand threads through my hair. He runs his lips lightly across mine, licking until I open slightly to allow his tongue to touch mine.
Nate curses beside us as Bryce kisses me hard, putting on a show. Catcalls ring out behind us, but he doesn’t stop, tilting my neck and going deeper. I grow dizzy from lack of oxygen and finally break away, resting my forehead against his.
“What was that for?”
“A little reminder that you have nothing to worry about. Ever.”
“Let’s hope man-eater gets the hint.”
He throws his head into my neck, laughing loudly. “Everyone in this zip code knows how madly in love I am.”
I lean down and give him a quick kiss. “Maybe once you have a wedding ring on your finger, the women will finally get the hint.”
“Are we ready to discuss the wedding?” His smile widens.
“Tomorrow, all day. We’ve got a wedding to plan.”
His already glowing face shines brighter. He lets out a loud whoop and spins us in a circle. I’m pretty sure my smile is as big as his.
“Nate and I will be at your apartment before you have to leave on Saturday, maybe even before you wake up,” Bryce kisses across my forehead.
I cling harder to his chest and nod. As always, I’m in denial about leaving. This is the first time that I have to get in my car and drive away from him alone.
“Devon, baby, maybe you should go back upstairs and sleep some more. I’d feel better about you driving if it was at least daylight.”
“The bed’s too empty without you. I promise I’ll be fine.”
“You’re going to call Quinn the second you hit the interstate, aren’t you?”