Fight or Fall (37 page)

“Are you engaged to a certain gorgeous woman? One who’s known to everyone as Vegas’ reigning queen?”

My jaw dropped to the floor. This time Jillian’s question had no bearing to the truth. I was really going to have a talk with her after this one.

Milo’s eyes flashed mysteriously, and he looked straight at me with a hand over the front left of his suit as he replied, “You mean Ava? Why do you ask?”

“She’s been seen wearing a ring on her left hand and I have a few staffers wondering if it’s an engagement ring. It’s not a secret that you two are dating each other so I guess we’re just curious,” Jillian succinctly explained.

Milo had been my rock throughout my grieving process. From the time we came back from France, he hasn’t left my side. There were days when I didn’t even want to do anything, showering in itself was a task, and if he didn’t force me to eat, I’d have ended up just skin and bones. Brynn, Naomi, and Daria were also all there for me, and without them I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself.

On one of my darkest days, Milo brought me to Lake Mead. We stayed there from sun up to sun down, under the tree where he met my mom and where my mom and I had spent a lot of time talking about my childhood. When the sun kissed the sky in the horizon, he took out a small box from his jeans and said, “One day it will be better. I’ll see the smile in your face again, just like before. You won’t be the same. But I believe that you will laugh and be happy once again. She’s up there, you know? She’s with my mom, my dad, and Aunt Margie. They’re all looking down on us and they’re probably hoping that we keep going and live our lives the way we’re meant to. I love you Ava. You make everything else fade into the shadow for me.” He opened the box and a triangular diamond ring with a stone cut in the middle that resembled a knuckle made me laugh and cry at the same time, he continued, “This means that I’m with you.”

Milo answered Jillian with a heart-stopping smile, “No. We’re not engaged. Ava probably picked that ring up from a jewelry store and just put it on.”

He might be unconcerned about his appearance, but he sure does know when to turn on the charm. He had placed it on my engagement ring finger and I haven’t removed it since. Whenever I felt sad, I recalled his words and touched the ring. Along with my mom’s diamond earrings, the ring Milo gave me was another piece of jewelry that wasn’t leaving my body.

Jillian’s brows rose, clearly not buying Milo’s explanation. “Alright.”

Before Jillian could start with the next question, Milo raised his hand to politely interrupt her, “When I say we’re not engaged, I mean not yet. I just wanna make it clear in case some guy out there thinks he has a chance with my woman.”

I couldn’t help but giggle. Even the camera crew joined in laughter at Milo’s brazenness.

No, he wasn’t the shy type.

At all.

“Fuck, baby, you feel so damn good. Every single time.” Milo swung his pelvis as he thrust inside me one more time. I had to swallow my scream of satisfaction or our friends would be alerted of our hideaway, and we’d suffer never-ending ribbing.

I was quietly laying out on my stomach on top the beach towel to even out my tan when all of a sudden, muscular arms hefted me up and planted my legs on top of his shoulders as he swam us to a bunch of rock formations.

Slowly he pulled out of me, and while gaining his breath, smothered my mouth with his heated kisses. This was one thing that I had to get used to, Milo’s energy was inexhaustible. One would think that after how many rounds last night
and
after paddle boarding and swimming in the ocean with Leif this morning, he would give me reprieve.

I should have known that my neon coral bandeau top and bikini with sexy ruching at the back would cause his temperature to spike up. This was one of my more conservative bikinis. It was cute, flirty, not too over-the top, and now the sides were probably torn because he roughly pulled them down my legs so I could wrap my legs around his waist. I love my man, and if I was any other girl, I’d probably complain about how unquenchable his thirst was for me. Of course I would not, I could not, because I felt the same for him.

When he was running earlier with Leif, I literally choked on my margarita and the tiny umbrella on top of the glass almost poked out my eye because every time his packed muscles, broad shoulders, and rippling abs came into view, which was often because he ran around in board shorts most of the time, my estrogen levels escalated and I often had to wipe myself because I start sweating with desire for him.

I had to ask my doctor for the strongest birth control method, to which he’d given me pills, because if we weren’t careful, little mini-me and Milo’s would be running around pretty soon. I had communicated this to Milo and he just gave me a sneaky grin and said, “It wouldn’t be so bad.”

No way.

I am not having his baby anytime soon. Not that I wouldn’t want to.

After a year and a half of ups and downs, we were as busy as ever. Milo’s training had started since FINA lifted the ban. His schedule was super hectic and I was traveling a lot with Daria, sometimes Naomi, because I personally wanted to meet the heads of the charitable organizations we were trying to help. I believed in a face-to-face approach and in that way, I can also make that personal connection with them. A baby would change everything right now. Plus I am not having a baby without him marrying me first. I’ve pined all my life for him. If there was one thing that I really wanted to have before starting a family, it would be his last name.

Milo lifted my breast to his face and gently swirled my nipple with his tongue before tying the strings of my bandeau top around my neck. His green eyes blazed with gratification as he rasped, “Mmm, we can’t be apart this long. I fucking hate it when you’re away from me.”

“It’s only been six days,” I reasoned. Six days too long. He’d been in training in Arizona and I was just coming back from a trip to London. We’ve managed to make this week long trip to Antigua after he’d put his foot down and seen how tired I was from our video conversations. There was no doubt my man loved me. He could read me before I even started to utter a word. I was about to say “no” to this vacation, but he’d already made arrangements with Daria so I could not make any excuses.

“Ava.” He honed his gaze on me, his green eyes softening “It doesn’t matter if it’s six hours or six days. When you’re out of my reach, I can’t help but worry.”

“I know.” It was the same with me. I was going to cut back on the traveling as soon as Milo’s training was in full swing. Daria was more than capable to handle the meet-and-greets with people and I can manage a lot of things via our social media sites. I was also thinking of going per diem at Arizona State Medical Center where Brynn worked. I left nursing because everything became too much for me when my father had a noose around my neck. Maybe now was the time to get back to it.

I clamped my legs around his solid waist and rubbed my hands over his chest. “I’m going to cut back on traveling. I miss you too, babe. Plus I need to keep those swim bunnies from stealing you away from me.”

He jerked his head back in laughter. “Swim bunnies?”

“You know…the girls who hang around the pool after practice, hoping to catch your heart.”

His gaze turned thoughtful and his voice lowered, he said, “They’d have nothing to catch because my heart is under your lock and key.”

Kissing him with enough passion that will definitely necessitate another round, I replied, “That’s right. I threw the key in the ocean so you’re never getting it back.”

“You’re the most stunning bride,” I declared, a catch in my throat forming, and by the time we walked down the aisle, I’d be a fucking blubbering mess, but I didn’t care.

Bee lifted the short veil that went down to her chin and wrapped her arms around me. “You’re not supposed to make me cry. Ava will be upset that she’d have to redo my eye makeup again.”

“You look perfect, Bee.” In a few minutes I’d be turning her over to the hands of her waiting groom. Her blue eyes glowed, reminding me so much of our mom when she was happy. “Kieran’s very lucky to have you. And just remember, if he doesn’t treat you right, call or text me and I’ll pound the shit outta him.”

Her arms loosened from the hug and her shoulders shook with laughter. I helped fix the hair that got loosened when she had lifted the veil earlier.

The bridal song could be heard from where we were standing. Teena, the wedding coordinator, peeked in from the door and said, “Everyone wants to see the bride.”

The door opened, and before we took a step forward, Bee, who was wearing heels that made her only a couple of inches shorter than me, leaned against my side. “You’re the best brother, Milo. I owe a lot of things to you. Thank you for always being there for me. No one will ever replace you. You’re my family.
Ti amo
.”

Yep. A fucking stupid blubbering mess.

Walking down the aisle of the small chapel, Bee’s right arm looped around my left arm. It just seemed like it was only yesterday when we walked like this, me helping her find her stride when she was just starting to walk. I was there to help her up every time she fell so she wouldn’t cry. No one will ever replace her. She’s my sister. My family. Just like the Celtic tattoo on my right bicep and her right ankle, MBATW,
M
ilo
A
nd
B
rynn
A
gainst
T
he
W
orld. But now, the people attending this event, Kieran’s hilarious brothers and his parents – they belonged to our family now. We belonged to them too.

For a second, my eyes drifted to the glass windows overlooking the incredible view of Fiji’s Coral Coast and azure waters.

Papà, dad, I’ve protected her throughout the years. You would be proud. Her soon-to-be husband is a great man
.

Kieran was indeed a nice guy. And an accomplished Olympian. Shortly after winning seven Olympic gold medals in Brazil, he’d asked me for my sister’s hand. He could have just flat-out asked her because even if I said no, was he really going to rescind his offer? He asked me because he respected me. That was more than I could have ever asked for, especially with our history.

As I placed Bee’s hands on top of Kieran’s, I couldn’t manage to say a word. I was holding everything in because I’d hate to end up in a Youtube video with the search words “ugly cry.”

Standing by my chair next to Jen and Steve, Kieran’s parents, my eyes met Ava’s, who was standing by Bee’s side as her maid of honor. My woman had always been beautiful. But right now she looked downright angelic. Her gray eyes were misty and her cheeks had an extra glow. She raised her left hand to her eyes to dab at the tears threatening to fall, the sun’s rays peeking through the glass reflecting the shine on the diamond ring I’d given her way back. What she didn’t know was that it was going to be replaced soon. Very soon.

Everyone clapped and cheered as the bride and groom walked down the aisle, signaling the end of the wedding ceremony. I held Ava’s waist as soon she had marched outside the doors of the chapel. Kieran’s friend, Duncan, also a swimmer, was an okay dude, but he kept sneaking glances at my woman. Fine, he wasn’t the only guy checking her out. The other guys were trying to look nonchalant about it, but I’m a guy, I knew what they were thinking when they saw her radiant smile, the generous amount of cleavage she was showing in that dress, and the traffic-stopping legs in those sexy black heels. They better stop this shit or forks would be flying at the reception.

“Calm down, big boy,” Ava whispered, her breath minty, orangey. She loved sucking on those orange tic tacs. There was another thing she loved to suck on...damnit, I better be able to hold off pouncing on her until after this event.

“What?” I asked innocently. “I’m not doing anything.”

“You’re not?” A pointed brow reached her hairline. “Hmm. I wonder why Duncan left me, like his pants were on fire.” Today she had her hair half up, half down. She’d begged me last night not to make any visible marks on her neck because they might show. I conceded a little. Instead of a full-on hickey, it was a tiny one along her right shoulder blade.