Page 76 of Don’t Look Back

Ryan stood in front of me, hands in the pockets of his all-black suit, complete with a black undershirt and black tie. He still wore the same glasses, but his hair was cut short and swept away from his face.

I took in a deep breath, my lungs remembering how to function. Even after all those years, my heart still stopped at the sight of him. I’d considered multiple times that maybe I could just move on and forget—then I immediately kicked myself for the idea. There was no way I’d be able to forget him—ever.

I finally made myself take a step toward him. “Where’s your boyfriend?” I asked, searching the foyer for another person.

Ryan sighed, glancing to the floor before meeting my eyes again. “I don’t have one.”

“What happened?”

Standing toe-to-toe with him, I shoved my hands in my pockets to keep from hauling him close to me.

“We broke up,” he said with a sad smile. “People don’t take lightly to rejection, especially from one knee.”

“He proposed?”

“He did.”

Bustling echoed from the dining room. I would be expected to make an appearance soon, but there wasn’t a single thing in the world that could tear me away from Ryan. I’d waited five years for this moment, and I wasn’t missing another second.

“You said no?”

“I did.”

“Why?”

He crossed his arms over his chest and looked up at me, eyes glossy with unshed tears.

“Because he wasn’t you, Jason. I never stopped thinking about you. I thought you’d get up here and find some New York hottie and I would be the last thing on your mind. If I hadn’t gotten your invitation just hours before he asked, I probably would have said yes. He’s a good guy. I probably would have married him, but I never would have fallen out of love with you.”

“How in the hell could I ever forget you?” I whispered, borderline offended. “I remember everything, from the way you taste, to the way you move. I still remember the way you bite that bottom lip in the way that drives me wild.” I hooked a finger under his chin, thumb grazing that very lip. “I’m not waiting any longer,” I continued. “I love you, Ryan Walker.”

“I love you, Ja⁠—.”

“Genie,” I interrupted. “Call me Genie.”

“Okay.” He released his lip to give me that heart-stopping smile. “I love you, Genie Coleman.”

Lunging forward, I crushed my mouth to his. Ryan’s arms looped around my neck, and I’d just wrapped an arm around his waist when the doors opened again.

“Hey lovebirds!” Charlie called. “Time for your grand entrance.”

“Ten minutes,” I begged through the kiss. “Just stall them for ten minutes… please.”

“I’ll see what I can do,” she muttered, the smile evident in her voice. Before she closed the doors she added, “Good to see you again, Ryan!”

All my man could do was mumble in acknowledgement—my tongue was too busy chasing his. He palmed at my chest, struggling to speak through the onslaught of kissing. “G-Genie, we’ve got all night to do this.”

“All night?” I countered, taking his chin in both my hands. “Baby, I’ve got the rest of my life with you if you’ll have me. But right now, I want ten minutes alone with you before I have to go out there and face all of those people. I’ve waited five years to kiss you again, and I’m not waiting another minute. Can you give me that?”

A rosy pink had risen over Ryan’s cheeks. His pupils dilated, chest heaving as he fought for breath. “Yeah,” he finally said. “Yeah, I can give you that.”

At the age of thirty, I felt like a teenager with my first crush again as I took Ryan’s hand and hauled him through the building, desperate to be somewhere private. I passed a couple of storage closets on the way, but didn’t stop until I found a suitable place for us.

I was done hiding in closets.

EPILOGUE

Two Years Later