Fusion (Explosive #5) (33 page)

He leaned forward and pressed a sweet kiss to the tip of my nose. "Not in this lifetime, or any other. You're it for me. You're not Tod or Joey or anything else. You're my Sierra, and you always will be."

I slid my arms up his chest and wrapped them around his neck. Lifting up on my tip toes, I placed my lips on his. "Because, after all…where you go…”

"I go."

And, as we entered the next chapter of our lives, we were doing it together. Just like we’d done everything else.

Once it was all said and done, I did what any respectable man who was being threatened with the loss of the love of his life would do. I packed my room up, loaded my car, and declined my scholarship, and as soon as the Sullivans hit the road, so did I.

Was it crazy? Maybe. Sure, we were only eighteen and the odds were against us. But Sierra’d been my best friend for ten years, my girl for three, and she was the love of my life. Age didn’t change the fact that Sierra was my soulmate.

So, where she went, I went, and that sentiment would never, ever change.

2005

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M
about to do this. Holy shit. Holy shit." I paced the back deck of the Sullivan home, the engagement ring burning a hole in my pocket.

A rumble of laughter from Lexi's boyfriend, Ty, answered me. I shot a glare to where he was messing with the grill.

"You're just glad I'm buttering him up for you. I know you’re not that far behind me, Tate."

He blanched a bit before his face turned red. His sheepish smile told me I wasn’t wrong. As protective as I was over Lexi, I knew Tate was good people. The way he had taken her out of her post-Jace funk had everyone relieved, and he’d always take care of her.

"Dude, how'd you know?"

A coy smile crossed my lips. God, I loved being right. "I see the way you look at her. It's the same way I look at Sierra. The way I’ve always looked at Sierra. Like a man in love. That's how I know."

He nodded and released a deep sigh as he ran a large hand through his sandy-brown hair. "I know it seems soon. But I love her, Banks. I love her so goddamn much, and I want to spend my whole life with her. And I want that life to start as soon as possible. Why wait?"

As I studied him, I remembered how overprotective of Lexi I’d felt when we’d moved to Ohio. Sierra and I weren’t sure what had happened, but she had obviously been nursing some sort of broken heart from Jace’s enlisting in the Army. Her entire senior year, she moped around. It wasn’t until she started college that she came out of her shell and began dating.

I won't lie. It was kind of a struggle when Lexi first brought Ty home. She was so infatuated though, and for the first time in so long, her smiles were genuine. Bright. And she finally looked happy, thanks to Tyler Tate. How could I have begrudged the man for that?

The answer was: I couldn't. And the more time we spent with the guy, the more I was convinced he was exactly what she needed. Not that I didn't want to track down Jace and get him to throw his hat in the ring, but even I knew that it was too late for them. Hell, at the time, I wasn’t even sure the guy was in the country, so I dropped any hope of a reunion between the two of them and embraced Ty as her new guy.

As long as Lexi was happy, I was happy for her. But Ty was aware of the standing promise should he ever hurt her. My fist would meet his face.

But back to me. It'd been a little over three years since we’d made the move to Ohio, and I hadn't regretted a single second of it. The Sullivans, true to their word, allowed me to crash in their basement while I got on my feet. Three years later and I was just now moving out. It's not that I’d mooched off them or anything. They’d just never asked me to leave. And the one time I’d told them I was going apartment shopping, they’d told me not to even consider doing such a thing. Focus on school, they'd insisted. So I had.

It paid off in dividends. I overloaded myself with courses and graduated a year early with my real estate degree. When we’d moved to Cincinnati, I’d gone crazy helping the Sullivans find a home. It’d almost been an obsession, finding what was perfect, in the best location, for the best price. Like Dad had told me, I’d found something I was good at and enjoyed, so it was a no-brainer when it came to declaring a major.

I'd already tested and earned my license, and I was starting my new job at a large Cincinnati real estate agency in a few days. If it hadn’t been for the Sullivans, this wouldn't have been happening, and for that, I would be eternally grateful. Still, as grateful as I was, I was also ready to move on to the next chapter of my life. On to the next chapter with Sierra. Like my dad had told me on my graduation day, I’d had to work for a future with Sierra, and I’d busted my ass. And, now, I wanted that future to begin as soon as freaking possible.

The back door opened and Nick walked out with a tray full of brats and burgers. He handed them to Ty and then grabbed a beer, tossing me one as he walked over.

That was one awesome thing about Cincinnati. They had great fucking beer.

"Congratulations, Jeremy," he told me, slapping me on the shoulder. "Vicky and I are so proud of you. I know your parents are, too. I know a lot of parents—my mom included—thought I was crazy for allowing Sierra’s boyfriend to move into our home, but I want you to know I consider you a son. I always have. I wouldn’t have let just any man stay under my roof," he joked, giving me another slap on the back.

My nose burned, but it wasn’t from the tears that weren’t currently welling in my eyes. Nope. No way. I cleared my throat. I was Jeremy Banks. Ultimate male and all of that macho crap. I didn’t cry. I
wouldn’t
cry.

"Thanks, Nick," I choked out, coughing to mask it but failing.

He wrinkled his eyebrows.

"Hey, listen. Speaking of that—can we talk?"

He stopped mid-swig and set his beer down. Folding his arms across his chest, he studied me but didn't say a word. I glanced over at Ty, who was watching us intently. I had half a mind to flip him off, because I was making this easier on him. I’d go through the hard part, and then he’d swoop in and beg for Lexi’s hand. So, yeah, my middle finger was primed and ready, but somehow, I resisted.

Just as I was about to open up my mouth, the back door opened yet again, my dad coming through this time.

“Hey, Jay, you’re just in time. Jeremy has something he wants to talk to me about,” Nick said to my dad. It was apparent he knew what I was going to do. Not that it made it any easier.

Dad’s eyes widened as he looked from Nick to me and then back to Nick. He held his beer out as a gesture for me to continue. “Well, by all means, don’t let me interrupt.”

Suddenly, I was the center of everyone’s attention. Instead of just Nick, I had three pairs of eyes about to witness one of the most important moments of my life.

Freaking awesome.

“Well, you see… There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for Sierra. I love her. I’d go to the ends of the Earth for that girl. Hell, Ohio’s just about as close.” I chuckled nervously, but not a peep was heard from those three. Some peanut gallery they were. I cleared my throat. “You see…now that I’m done with school and getting my own place and all… I just… I think… I mean…”

God, I was stammering like an idiot. Sierra and I’d been inseparable for thirteen years. This shouldn’t have been that hard.

"Spit it out, Jeremy. I’ve got burgers to flip," Nick finally said, his voice cool.

I couldn’t read him. Oh fuck. We might have been outside, but it was like all the air had been sucked out of the vicinity. What if he said no?

Oh fuck. He wouldn’t, would he?

I inhaled a deep breath then released it more slowly. It was now or never. And never was unacceptable.

"Sir…with your blessing, I'd like to marry your daughter. No—scratch that. I'd love to marry her. I
want
to marry her. I
have
to marry her.” I took a deep breath before pulling out the dramatics. “If I don't marry that girl within the next year, my life would be over. So…what do you say?" I asked, breathless and hopeful. “Ready for me to be your son? Like you’ve always seen me?” I wasn’t sure if throwing his own words back in his face was a good idea, but I figured it was worth a try.

The back deck was silent for a moment, and as the seconds ticked away, they felt like the longest of my life. Ty and my dad both watched Nick carefully, as did I. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.

Finally, he slapped me on the shoulder and gave me a wide smile. "Seriously? Do you even have to ask? As if I could even stop you if I tried."

Waves of relief surged and crashed down on me. I could finally release the breath I’d been holding. As much as I wanted to break out into the Carlton in celebration, I maintained my composure. Barely.

"Still. I’d like your blessing. You and your wife have done so much for me, and it would mean a lot to me."

"I appreciate that, Jeremy. Of course you have your blessing. We couldn't ask for a better man to marry our daughter."

A throat cleared from across the back deck. "Umm…about that, sir…"

Ty had set the grilling spatula down and taken a step forward. With a ring box in his hand, he gave Nick a bashful grin.