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Oh no
She didn’t knohere to look, wanted to disappear into the floor But then, just as she thought she was going to suffocate fro unable to take a full breath, she looked up and found Jake’s eyes on her
You can do this, he see to her And there was such belief in his unwavering gaze that Sophie had no choice but to believe, too, if only for long enough to make her speech and sit down
"Hi" She wasn’t used to hearing her voice echoing out of speakers like that and it took her aback, until she locked on to Jake’s dark gaze again
You’re not really afraid of this bunch, are you?
She suddenly re down at her froo She couldn’t have beenthe sae in Jake’s eyes and she’d risen to it, clirab hold of her and toss her to the ground He hadn’t congratulated her forit into the fort, had probably irls in the futurebut she’d known he was proud of her
She wanted his," she finally said "Big ones Sht here" She put her hand over her chest, then looked at her siblings "Growing up in this fa an incurable ro with the rest of the guests "But if I’d ever been even close to being cured," she paused and faced Chase and Chloe, "the two of you lass to the couple "I’d like tobrother, Chase, andone of the ot to their feet again and she didn’t bother to stop her tears fro as she beamed at her brother and his bride
And then, finally, it was tiive the microphone to her mother Mary Sullivan kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "Absolutely perfect, honey," before she took the mic and faced the happy couple
"I can’t count the number of times people have reht children, but I’ve always thought I was the luckiest person in the world" She reached up to her head "Even if I had to start coloring rays that seehter was mixed with sniffles already and Sophie was utterly enraptured by the love flowing around and around the rooh today I’ Chloe into my family, she’s been in my heart since the very first time Chase spoke of her and I heard the love he felt for her even across the telephone lines I love you both"
Just as Sophie had planned, the music started at the tail end of her mother’s toast S brother was a fantastic dancer and she’d always loved dancing with hi barefoot on top of his shoes as he twirled her around the living room
She’d cried ood tears Tears of joy, of pure love Now she was laughing, feeling so light, so full of that love, as her brother dipped her and then drew her out for an extended twirl that left her breathless
Especially when she landed straight in Jake’s strong arms
Chapter Six
Jake had never seen anyone more beautiful than Sophie Sullivan If he’d been char ceres’ speeches had to be the sweetest thing he’d ever witnessed
But it was her laughter as she danced with Sht to a place he knew dao
Sophie was sieous face, but because of the very thing that should have had hi as fast as he could in the opposite direction: She couldn’t even begin to kno to hide her eht in his ar slowed and she put her head on his shoulder, he had to pull her closer, had to breathe in her soft scent, a hint of chaaze on hi, but in thatto pay for his transgressions with Sophie She was too warure out how to let go of her, yet
"Oh, Jake," she whispered in his ear as they moved to the music, "this is so perfect"
He was so attuned to the soft press of her brsts against his chest, to the feel of her breath over his earlobe, he didn’t hear the warning bell in his head until several beats had passed He knehat he needed to do He needed to pull away, needed toto be in the cards for the two of them
But, Lord, all he wanted was to steal a few irl who’d ever looked at him with love in her eyes He was aone aith the years Instead, they’d grown so big that he’d felt it in her kiss, in the way she held onto him like he really was a hero, instead of typecast for the villain
He knew better, though, and even though his gut twisted at what he was about to do, he reat party Got everyone wrapped up in the fantasy of happy ever after" He put his hands on her waist and tried not to think about how good, how right, she felt against him "But that’s all it is Just a fantasy"