in to you.”
She giggles against my lips before I kiss her softly. “Shelli Grace Brooks, I won’t ever stop.”
“Stop?”
“Stop loving you, stop being the best version, or stop chasing you.”
Her lips spread against mine as she cups my face. “I guess the chase is never over between us.”
“Never.”
“No matter the distance?”
“No matter the distance,” I promise. “It’s me and you, sweetheart, and we’re one hell of a team.”
“The best team.”
“A winning team.”
“A Stanley Cup contender, for sure.”
I grin. “Oh baby, I don’t need no Cup when I’ve got you.”
“Aw, super smooth,” she jokes as she guides me down to her lips, and I know our words to be true.
I feel them in her kiss, in her touch, and most of all, in my heart and soul. Our future is so bright. So many things can happen, but no matter what, good or bad, we’ll make it. For she is my forever, and I was made for loving her.
Only her.
As I sing the words to her, her lips smile against mine, and everything fades away.
Just like it always does when I’m with Shelli Grace.
I open my eyes to look deep into hers, and proudly, I say, “I love you, Shelli.”
“I love you, Aiden,” she whispers, exactly as she’s been doing her whole life.
I just wish I had caught on sooner, but I’m not worried.
I have the rest of my life to make up for lost time.
Chapter 12
Stella
“I ask that you join our family in watching Aiden and Shelli’s first dance as husband and wife.”
I gasp as I push Wes away, pulling down my skirt. “Aren’t you supposed to be out there?”
He shrugs as he reaches for me. “I’m where I’m supposed to be, baby doll.”
I roll my eyes, smacking his hands, and he looks so offended. I don’t know how I found myself outside in his arms, but I didn’t fight it very hard. It has to be the way he looks in a suit. His body is unstoppable, and I’m pretty sure I can bounce a quarter off his thighs. Add in his bad-boy messy blond hair and blazing blue eyes, and I had no chance. I want him, I do, but it’ll never happen. “For real, we can’t keep meeting like this.”
“Why not?” he asks, fixing his shirt. “I have a really good time kissing you. Maybe we can take it to the next level.”
I look over at him and shake my head. “No way.”
He feigns hurt. “You say no, but that body is screaming yes.”
“Well, listen to my words, Wes. We both know you don’t want anything more than this body, and I’m not just some ass you can tap.”
His eyes dance with excitement. “Is that right?”
“Yes,” I say confidently. “Believe me, I want you, but I know my heart will be involved, and you don’t have a heart.”
“Hey now. I have a heart.”
“Not an attainable one,” I say on an exhale. “We’ve been around each other a lot lately. We’ve had fun, but this is where it ends.”
“Aw, baby doll, don’t say that,” he says, gripping my waist in his hands and pulling me flush with him. “We both know the heat between us is undeniable.”
I look up at him as he towers over me, and he’s right; it is undeniable. I’d love to get lost in his kisses and his body like no other, but my heart is already wanting to play the game. I refuse to have it shattered by Wesley McMillan. He is one damaged dude, and he doesn’t have any plans on giving his heart away. My brother may not think I listen, but I do, and if I’ve learned anything from him and my parents, it’s that I have to protect my heart. I pat Wes’s chest before I kiss him hard on the lips. I almost allow myself to fall into the kiss, especially when he cups my ass in his hands, but I pull away, moving out of his arms.
“It is undeniable, the heat, but it isn’t enough for me.”
“Come on, Stella. We could have fun.”
I nod. “We could, but do you plan on telling my brother about our fun?” His eyes widen, and I can see the apprehension on his face. “Exactly. When you’re ready to tell him that you enjoy feeling up his sister and want to see where it goes, come find me. Until then, though, stay away and have a nice life.”
And with all the confidence and self-worth that have been passed down to me from