Sam had scooped Ruby into his arms and hugged Vee close. “About time you swallowed your pride and admitted you can’t live without me.”
She’d smacked his ass, even though it was true. She couldn’t live without him, and she didn’t want to because he couldn’t live without her either. So there.
Vee had to concentrate to not break out in a floundering happy dance mid-stroke, and instead lifted her head to check on her progress toward the buoy. Her gaze locked onto the bright orange marker bobbing in the water several feet ahead and to the side—and the grinning, dripping wet face of Sam who’d—dammit—beaten her to it again.
She huffed out a sigh and changed from a freestyle stroke to breaststroke, kicking toward him with a mock glare on her face. When she’d nearly reached him, the lack of other swimmers nearby caused her to flounder momentarily. While Sam was an absolute powerhouse in the water, Vee wasn’t under the illusion that she’d be able to beat some of the other competitors. Like a couple that she recognized as Sam’s fellow surf lifesavers.
She turned, treading water, her eyes popping wide as she spotted the line of swimmers still standing in the shallows. Some of them waved and whooped.
What the—?
She spun around and dog-paddled toward a still-smiling Sam.
“Why…are they…still on the…beach?” She puffed, her heart pounding and her thigh muscles going quivery at the intensity of Sam’s stare.
“Because I asked them to.” Sam caught her hand and pulled her through the water to him, planting a wet, salty kiss on her lips. “Because this is where we started a fake relationship and I thought it fitting that this is where we take the next step in our real relationship.”
“Oh.” Her stomach floated around inside her much the same way as she was floating around in the ocean.
“You know I’m not one for flowery romantic words, so I’ll just repeat what I said the first time I proposed. I’m grateful you gave me another chance to be part of your life—part of Ruby’s life—and I want you both in my life, always.” His lips curved up in a smile. “But this time, I mean it, and…” He lifted one hand high out of the water, like you were supposed to do if you got into trouble.
And boy, was Vee in trouble. Wonderful, amazing, incredible trouble.
“Vee, will you marry him? For real!” roared the crowd of spectators from behind them.
Vee jumped at their voices and the hollering that followed, whipping around to see everyone jumping and splashing in the water, huge smiles on their faces.
When she turned back, Sam was digging for something under his wetsuit. He grabbed a thick silver chain around his neck and dragged out—
“Oh, my freaking gawd,” she said at the sight of diamonds and a flash of blue fire from the center of the ring hanging from the chain. “You swam out here with that big-ass ring under your wetsuit? Are you insane?”
He slipped the chain off his head, dangling it—ring still catching the rays of early morning sunshine and sparkling off the waves—under her nose. “I will be if you don’t say yes and I do a Titanic with this thing.”
“Yes!” she said. “Yes, you crazy man. Of course I’ll marry you.”
He slipped the chain over her head and tucked the ring down the front of her wetsuit. Wolf whistles exploded from the shore as Sam lifted his hand again to give the crowd a thumbs-up. Shouts of approval came from the crowd, followed by the sounds of them running and splashing into the waves, swimming out to join them out in the bay.
“If I kiss you now,” Sam said, drawing her back into his arms, “you’ll have to sacrifice your pride and come in at last place with me.”
Vee’s legs bumped and tangled with Sam’s. She smiled into the eyes of the man she loved, knowing she’d never let pride stop her from telling him each and every day how much he meant to her. “Babe, the only place I want to be is right here.”
Then she kissed him, pulling them under until they ran out of air and surfaced into a new day. A new, real future for them both.
Thank you for reading Break Your Heart. I so hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
You can check out the rest of the Bounty Bay series books by clicking here.
And if you enjoyed this series, you’ll love my Stewart Island stories. Book 1 is IN TOO DEEP and it’s FREE for you to download. Click here to fall in love with Piper & West.
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About the Author
Tracey Alvarez is a USA TODAY BEST-SELLING author who lives in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand) where she’s yet to be buried under her to-be-read book pile by Wellington’s infamous wind—her Kindle’s a lifesaver! Married to a wonderfully supportive IT guy, she has two teens who would love to be surgically linked to their electronic devices.
Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, she’s the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand. Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the heart-warming stories she writes. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes—Kiwi men, in other words.
For more information:
www.traceyalvarez.com
[email protected]
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