I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,79

lounged in our bathing suits on a blanket on the deserted beach. I rested my head on Tristan’s chest and could hear his steady heartbeat beneath my ear. My finger drifted from the scar on his shoulder to the one on his hip. Some girls needed their boyfriends to get tattoos that represented them or their love for them. Mine was permanently scarred as a reminder of what he’d done for me.

The sun was just setting, and I couldn’t wait to take in the stars with no lights obscuring our view. We’d been on the island for the past two days since my parents had been gracious enough to rent it for us. They were eager to do whatever it took to make me feel safe again. Since I had my very own bodyguard who’d taken two bullets and killed two men for me, it provided them the peace of mind they needed. Not to mention, we had bodyguards on boats around the island. So, yeah. There was that too.

“Did you submit your assignment?” Tristan asked.

I nodded. “Now I just need to worry about exams.”

“I’m sure you’ll ace them,” he said.

“Obviously.”

A long silence passed as the ocean waves crashed and the briny air worked its way into my senses.

“Can I ask you something?” Tristan said.

“Uh oh. That sounds ominous.”

“For someone who loves to talk, why don’t you ever talk about what happened?” he asked.

He’d been good about not talking about it—which I appreciated, so I had a feeling I knew why he’d brought it up now. “Did my parents get to you, too?”

“What?”

“They think because I don’t talk about it, I must need more counseling. Like I’m bottling it all up.”

“Are you?” he asked with worry in his voice.

“Not even a little bit. I feel…at peace.” I turned my head and rested my chin on his chest so I could see his eyes. “Absolutely. He was a bad man who wanted to hurt me and the people I care about. How could I regret what happened? I know he’s not out there anymore. He doesn’t even inhabit my dreams. I sleep now.”

“I thought that was because I’m next to you?”

I smiled. “That too.”

He tightened his arms around me, and I knew how proud of me he was. He didn’t have to say it. I could see it in everything he did and every look he gave me. “I’m never gonna live it down that you were the one to distract him,” Tristan said.

“It was time that someone saved you, Tristan Stone. Now we’re almost even.”

He shook his head. “You saved me long before that, Kres. I was floundering in darkness, trying to conquer my nightmares—my regrets—by protecting other people. And you were just this light that came rushing in. I fought it the best I could, but you won out. You deserve the cape, Kres. Not the other way around.”

I pressed a kiss to his chest, not needing to respond to such a sweet sentiment.

Darkness soon crept over our island and the stars began to speckle the early night sky.

“Marco needs me back to work next week,” Tristan said. “He thinks the longer I’m off on an island with you, the more I won’t want to come back.”

“He’s a father to a daughter now. His life is irrevocably changed. He’s gonna grow into this big softy so he needs his tough partner back,” I said.

Taking me by surprise, Tristan rolled over, covering me with his body and resting on top of me so he could look me in the eyes. “But what do you need?”

I thought for a moment. “I just need you.”

His brows shot up. “Forever?”

I nodded.

“Good.” He reached into our beach bag and dug around. When he pulled his hand back out, he held a diamond ring.

My eyes widened.

“Nothing about us has been normal. Like, the complete opposite of normal,” he began.

I laughed.

“But I can’t imagine going through this life with anyone other than you, Kres. You’re strong, you’re brave, you’re funny, you’re high maintenance—”

“Hey.”

He smiled. “I was kidding about that one. But I’m not kidding when I say that I love everything about you and want to keep you safe for the rest of our lives. Marry me.”

I could’ve burst with the amount of happiness rushing through me. He’d been right. Nothing about us had been normal, but there was no denying we’d been meant for each other. We had so much in common. The similar things we’d been through, our shared experiences, and our ability to