Shatter (True Believers #4)(64)
Author: Erin McCarthy

“That didn’t sound right, did it? Anyhoo, it was awesome of Dad to give us the down payment to move to Pleasant Ridge. The only reason Riley would accept it was because he said it was a wedding gift, but you know it’s totally because my father hated me living in that area. I’m kind of going to miss the old dump, but at the same time the new house is the cutest little Tudor, and it’s a way better neighborhood for the boys.”

The girls chattered away, offering each other decorating tips as I mostly tuned them out, content to feel Kylie on my lap, her neck enticingly in front of my mouth. I kissed her there, feeling an erection growing. She was sexy pregnant. Her body had swelled in all the right places and she was super responsive to my touch. It was just a perfect package and I had a hard time keeping my hands off her. But I figured it was a wedding and romance was in the air so I could go for it.

She didn’t seem to mind.

“Where is Rory?” Robin asked. “I haven’t seen her in awhile.”

“There she is,” Kylie said. “Coming out of the bridal room. With Tyler.”

“Shut the door,” Jessica said, sounding gleeful. “Did they just bow chicka bow wow at my wedding reception? They totally did! Her hair is a hot mess.”

“Wow, I didn’t know she had it in her,” Kylie said. “You introduce her to a pierced penis and lookie what happens.”

“What?” I asked. “Pierced penis?” Maybe I didn’t actually want to know.

“Never mind, sweetie. You don’t want to know.”

Fine with me.

Riley appeared behind Jessica and put his hands on her shoulders. “What’s that?”

She jumped. “Oh, nothing. We were just commenting on the fact that Tyler and Rory just came out of the bridal room together.”

“Well, they’ve been at Rory’s dad’s with the boys. He’s probably feeling blue balls as much as I am. This has been a long week of celibacy.”

“I am not having sex with you in the bridal room,” Jessica said. “My mother is still not happy with me; I am not going to risk that. We have a hotel tonight. You can wait another two hours.”

“I never even thought about it, though thanks for putting the idea in my head, then nixing it.”

“Who is having sex in the bridal room?” Phoenix asked, sitting down beside Robin and tossing his hair out of his eyes.

“Rory and Tyler,” Kylie said, immediately.

“Don’t sound so happy about it,” I told her, shifting her weight slightly. My leg was falling asleep.

Rory came up and looked around at everyone, her smile for Tyler falling off her face. “What? What are you all talking about?”

“So what have you been up to?” Jessica asked. “Wink, wink.”

“Tyler was giving me a gift for graduation and for getting accepted into med school.”

“You got her to accept sex as a gift?” Riley asked his brother. “I am so jealous.”

“We were not having sex!” Rory shot him a dirty look. “Tyler gave me this necklace.” She leaned forward so her friends could see the diamond pendant dangling down from her neck.

“Ooh, pretty,” Kylie said.

“Love it,” Jessica said. “Though I’m surprised it’s not an engagement ring.”

Riley squeezed her shoulders. “Jess! None of your business, sweetheart.”

“We’re waiting until Rory graduates,” Tyler said. “Then we’ll get married when I go back to school and finish the degree I started nine million years ago. It’s all good.”

“It’s totally working for us,” Rory said.

“You’ve been together the longest,” Robin pointed out. “It’s been two and a half years even if you factor in your breakup. I think you’ve made it past the hump.”

“True,” Jessica said.

“Hey, how do we figure out how long we’ve been together?” Kylie asked me, glancing at me over her shoulder. “Because there’s when we met, then when I told you I was pregnant, then when we started sleeping together again, then when we didn’t talk, then when we were together, and—”

I cut her off. “We’ve been together since the day we met.” I lifted my arm to show her my exposed skin where I had rolled up my dress shirt. “See?”

She traced the numbers of our anniversary tattoo with her finger.

“Maybe not technically.” I touched her chest right above her breast. “But we’ve been together in our hearts since that night.” Then I kissed her.

She sighed. “I love you.”

“Smooth,” was Riley’s opinion.

“And this would be how she’s pregnant,” Tyler commented.

I threw a balled-up napkin in their general direction and I kissed my girlfriend.

Kylie was right. I was a romantic. It happened when you found the one.

Even to me.