Carol Lynne

“I was your friend. Why didn’t I count?” Remy ran his fingers through his own black curls.

“You were my abuser’s best friend. You were like brothers. How could I tell you that Anton wasn’t who we both thought he was? It crushed me to discover the man behind the mask. I never really fell in love with Anton, but he was our best friend. I’d always loved him as a friend. How could I possibly have done that to you?” Cory stood and started to walk back down the beach.

Remy ran after her and pulled her up short. He spun her around and crushed her to his body. “Oh, sweetheart. You could’ve told me because I’ve always loved you.” Cory snapped her head up to face him and Remy softly touched his lips to hers. “Why do you seem shocked by that? I’ve made it pretty clear since Anton died that I wanted another chance. When I was in the service, yours was the only face that kept me sane. I’d lie awake at night and wonder what you were doing, whether you were happy?” He closed his eyes and whispered against her lips, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t here for you then, but I am now.”

When Cory gasped, Remy took advantage of her open mouth and gently thrust his tongue inside. She stiffened in his arms for just a moment before melting against him. Cory lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck as he took the kiss deeper. The passion soon overwhelmed them and Remy found himself slipping a hand under the front of her halter top to cup her breast. Just the feel of her soft skin under his hand was a dream come true. This woman was his life, how could she not have known that?

Remy broke away from her lips and started kissing his way down her neck. He sank to his knees and started to push her top up out of the way when a child’s laughter brought him out of his sexual haze. His head snapped up to look at Cory’s half-lidded eyes and slowly rose to his feet.

Remy cleared his throat and straightened her top. “Excuse me. I got lost in the moment and forgot we were on a public beach in broad daylight.” Remy pulled her once again into his arms. “I love you, Cory. I’ve loved you since we were teenagers. I remember the day Anton wrote me a letter telling me the two of you were getting married. I was shocked.” Remy stopped, and tried like hell to get himself together. Sixteen years worth of bottled-up emotions threatened to spill out on the beach. Taking a deep breath, he continued. “I’d just been home three months before and I thought we were finally finding each other. I thought the one night we’d spent together was special.”

Remy shook his head. “I realize we were both drunk at the time but it meant everything to me. I’d had every intention of quitting the Navy as soon as my tour was over and asking you to marry me. I’d just come off SEAL maneuvers when I got Anton’s letter. After I read it, I shredded it and ran to the bathroom. I threw up more in the next couple days than the rest of my life combined.”

Cory closed her eyes as tears ran down her cheeks. “I wish you had told me you loved me before I married Anton. After you left to go back to the service, I didn’t hear from you and Anton told me you said you didn’t want to talk to me. That it was just one night and you were afraid I’d make something bigger out of it than it was.”

Cory started to break away from Remy but he held her tightly. “No. Don’t run away from me. I’ve waited years to have you back in my arms and I’ve no plans to let you go.”

Cory stopped trying to squirm her way out of Remy’s arms and put her head down on his broad chest. “You don’t understand.”

Remy kissed the top of her head and loosened his grip on her waist. “I don’t understand what?”

Cory opened her mouth just as a couple of children came running past them. She seemed to cringe in his arms.

“I can’t talk here. It’s getting late anyway. Let’s just head back to the bar. We can talk more later.”

Remy looked into her eyes for another minute then nodded. He decided he’d give her a couple more hours before staking his claim. “Later.”