“I’m glad you did. You were right. I wasn’t worthy of you when I was running around. I didn’t know it then, but I needed you to turn me down, because in here”—he covered his heart with his hand—“I knew you deserved a better man than I had been up to that point. You deserve to know without a shadow of a doubt that you can count on your partner for anything—a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold. A friend to discuss your career and hobbies with, to laugh and tease and make love with under the stars. A man who will love you whether you gain fifty pounds or fall prey to terrible illness. A man you’ll never have to worry about lying, or cheating, or breaking your heart.”
He took her face in his hands and gazed into her eyes. “I am that man, Faith. I am your man.”
Serenaded by the sounds of nature and the sure and steady beat of their hearts, she reached for him. Love played in her soulful eyes, in the tenderness of her touch, as their mouths and their bodies came together, sealing his vow with their passion.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
FAITH AWOKE TO the mattress sinking beside her. Sam. It had been a week since the night of their camping trip, when Sam had given his heart over to her completely, and she’d been floating on a cloud ever since. She’d been too overwhelmed with emotions to tell him she was falling in love with him that night, and ever since she’d been waiting for the right moment. She wanted to give him as wonderful of a romantic memory as he’d given her. And over the past blissful week of evening walks, watching movies—and missing the endings because they were too lost in each other—and talking about their hopes and dreams, she tripped over the edge. She loved Sam, wholly and completely, and tonight was the night she was finally going to tell him, after his event was over, when he was still riding the high. She had every romantic second of it planned.
She reached for him without opening her eyes.
“Morning, beautiful.” He pressed his warm lips to hers as her eyes came open.
He smelled like soap, and sunshine, and Sam. She blinked the sleep from her eyes, and his handsome face came into focus.
“Hi. You showered without me?”
“I went for a run and didn’t think you’d appreciate six miles’ worth of sweat.”
“I love when we earn that sweat together,” she teased. Sitting up, she caught sight of her name above the Rough Riders logo in the center of his black tank top. Her heart kicked in her chest. She tugged at his shirt so she could read it more clearly.
“’Faith’s Man?’”
“I got you one, too.” He held up a matching tank top that read, Sam’s Girl.
“Ohmygod, Sam.” She snagged it from his hands, grinning so hard her cheeks hurt. “I thought I was ‘Braden’s Girl.’”
He gathered her against him. “There are going to be quite a few Bradens at the barbecue. I want it to be perfectly clear which one of us is lucky enough to be your man.”
Her heart was so full of Sam she must be smiling like a lovesick fool. She didn’t care that Vivian would have a field day teasing her about their shirts or that every woman there would probably think she’d forced Sam to wear one. The fact that Sam would not only think of something like that, but proudly wear one himself, made her tumble head over heels for him anew.
“You’re not going to be embarrassed to wear it at the barbecue with all your clients, friends, and family there?”
“Baby, I’d wear you if I could.” He kissed her again, and she clung to his shirt, keeping him close.
“Thank you for being so patient with me from the very first time you asked me out and for putting yourself out there in so many ways.”
“We’ve both put ourselves out there.”
“Not in the same way.”
“Don’t minimize my girl’s efforts. You took a chance on the riskiest guy in town. That’s putting yourself out there. All I had to do was be the man I was born to be—only I never realized it until you came along.” He tugged her up to her feet and hugged her.
“I need to get down to Rough Riders and you need to get home to meet Vivian or she’ll cut my balls off for monopolizing you. The barbecue starts at six. You sure you guys won’t be too busy gallivanting around town and forget?”
“Not on your life, Mr. Braden.” She snagged the tank top from the bed. “Especially now that I have a swanky new shirt to wear.” She went up on her toes and kissed him. He latched on to her waist and took the kiss deeper.
“I’ll miss you,” he said.
“I’ll miss you, too. You sure you don’t want me to come earlier? I can have Vivian meet me there.”
“It’s going to be complete mayhem during the day. Teenagers and young families, with no room to breathe on shore or in the water. Eight of Patrick’s friends are helping for the afternoon. Between them, Lira, Tex, and me, we’ll be fine, but we won’t have time for anything other than keeping kids from getting into trouble. Enjoy your time with Vivian. But I would like you by my side when the real event starts.” He looked down at his shirt. “You won’t leave your man hanging, will you?”
My man. “With you is the only place I want to be.”
**
“THERE MUST BE two hundred people here.” Vivian flipped her blond hair over one shoulder and scanned the crowded beach. They’d arrived at Rough Riders half an hour early and the beach was already packed.
Faith scanned the crowd. She’d seen a number of motorcycles in the parking lot and wasn’t surprised to see Bullet and Dixie standing with a group of people by the boathouse. As they moved through the crowd, she saw Bones talking with Cole and Leesa. The polo shirt Bones wore covered his tattoos. Without his ink on display, or the rugged jeans and leather boots, he looked more like a doctor than a guy who hung out in—and owned—a biker bar. It was nice to see that side of Sam’s life mingling with the more public side.
“How will you find Sam?” Vivian asked. “Maybe he should have had blinking lights sewn into those shirts.”
“Shut up.” Vivian had been teasing her about her Sam’s Girl shirt all afternoon. “I’ll find him. Come on.”
They wound through the crowd surrounded by the aroma of grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, sounds of laughter, and the hum of excited conversations. Faith listened for Sam’s voice. If only she were taller, she could look over the crowd, but as it was, she was staring at chests and backs and tops of children’s heads.
“Faith! Vivian!”
Faith whipped her head around. Lira waved and pushed through the crowd. She wore a Rough Riders T-shirt and a wide, beaming smile that made her look like a whole different person than she had at the car wash. Her skin was radiant, and she no longer looked broken. Faith hugged her, trying to keep threatening tears from falling. Sam really had given Lira a new lease on life.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Lira said. “I can’t believe how many people turned out. Sam said it’s the biggest event yet by at least eighty or more people, and he attributed it to my efforts.” She squealed and hugged Faith and Vivian again. “Thank you so much for having that car wash! That day changed my whole life. Sam offered me a full-time job this morning.”
“Congratulations!” Faith hugged her again. “I’m so happy for you. So you’re really going to move here?”
“Well, we’re not sure yet. I have so much to get organized. I have to find a place to live, babysitting, you know. So much to consider. But he’s letting me work remotely until I figure it out. Oh, and Sam introduced me to his friend Brent, who’s hooking me up with his law partner who handles divorce cases.” She leaned in close and said, “He said his partner would help me pro bono. I couldn’t believe it.”
Brent moved through the crowd and joined them. “Hey, Faith. Great to see you again.” He leaned in and hugged her. “Nice shirt.”
She looked down, having forgotten her shirt said Sam’s Girl, and laughed. “Sam’s idea. Brent, this is my friend Vivian.”
“How’s it going?” Brent gave her a hug, too.
“Better now,” Vivian said flirtatiously.
Faith rolled her eyes and noticed that Brent claimed the spot beside Lira. Apparently Vivian noticed it, too, because she elbowed Faith and raised her brows.
“Your boyfriend really outdid himself.” Brent’s eye skimmed over the crowd.
Faith followed his gaze and spotted Sam standing by the water with Ty and a group of girls. She expected a spear of jealousy to pierce her chest, but it never came. There was no longer any room in their relationship for such an ugly emotion. Sam lifted his eyes and searched the crowd. She loved him so much she ached with it. His eyes landed on her, and her heart swelled. He blew her a kiss, said something to the group he was with without breaking his visual connection with Faith, and headed in her direction.
Vivian tugged on her arm, bringing her back to the moment. Brent and Lira had moved on to a private conversation.
“Remember how adamant I was about you not taking that walk with him?” Vivian said quickly.
“How could I forget?”
“He’s turned out to be really good for you. Not only do you seem happier than I’ve seen you in a long time, but when you told me you gave your boss hell for not believing in Sam? That’s new, Faith. You’ve changed, too.”