Devoted (10 page)

CONCLUSION

EMMI

I
finally understood what all the romance novels and movies mean when they talk
about “basking in the afterglow.” I was lying with
Braxton,
all wrapped up in each other and the only word for how I was feeling was
euphoric. I was basking in it
like
it was a big light
shining on me from overhead.
My
head was lying against
his chest and it was rising up and down with each slow breath he took. He had
fallen asleep and
I
felt content to lay with him
holding me while he dreamed.
I
looked through the slit
in the curtains at the big, silver moon.
I
thought it
was completely appropriate for the way I was feeling.

I
thought back over the events.
I
needed a place to
live.
I
had taken too long to start looking for one
because I had been teaching at the summer camp and by that time, the dorms were
full and there just seemed to be nothing available.
I
was certain it would go the same way as it had in the past, but on my last trip
to buy my books and things before school started, I picked up one of the
university papers. When
I
got home and opened it,
Braxton’s ad was the first one I saw.
I
’m not even
sure if I ever believed in fate, but that had to be what that was. If
I
had applied earlier and gotten into one of the dorms, who
knows if we would have even met before he graduated. We conducted all of our
business by email and that was good too. Had
I
met him
before hand and realized how arrogant he was, I would have ran off and found
another place.
I
laughed at myself again when I
thought about how much time I wasted hiding out from him in my room instead of
just talking to him.
I
guess it was all good since it
worked out the way it did, but now that we were engaged and going to be
married, I was going to have to get better at it.

I
was so intimidated by him at first. He was freaking gorgeous and
I
just thought he must be a narcissistic piece of…well, I
didn’t think he would turn out to be very nice.
I
especially didn’t think so after our first meeting. He had been in the process
of getting into some girl’s pants and he was angry that
I
interrupted him.
I
looked at him and just a few short
months later it was hard for me to imagine him that way even though I was there
and saw it for myself.

I looked now and
although I saw my gorgeous hunk of a fiancé,
I also
saw that sweet nerdy kid that he must have been in high school.
I
guessed it was something about being in love, but I ached
in my chest for the kid who thought he had to completely remake himself to get
anyone to even notice him.

I
didn’t want to intrude on his thoughts, but I was kind of curious what had
happened between him and his dad at the house. It was nice to see them hug and
I
think Braxton even had tears in his eyes.
I
hoped for Braxton’s sake that his father was ready to
clean up his act and be a real dad for a change.

I
thought about Zoe and how against the relationship she was to begin with and
now she was one of our biggest advocates.
I
hoped that
she would find happiness soon.
I
think she figured out
that Mike’s not gay, but she just didn’t seem as enthusiastic about the
relationship as she was before. Zoe has been such a good friend to
me
. It would be nice if she could find someone so that we
could all do things as couples.
I
had to laugh at
myself.
I
guess being completely happy makes you want
everyone else around you to be completely happy too.

When
I
was in high school, I was sure that when I got to this point in my life with a
ring on my finger, it would be Trent’s ring that I wore. If this was fate,
I
would be forever grateful. Nothing with Trent was ever
this good.
I
thought I was happy and in love with him.
I
guess maybe I was, but compared to the way I feel now,
that was child’s play.

I
knew that I found the right guy or he found me. Either way
I
had no doubt that we were doing the right thing by getting married and I
couldn’t wait to start our life together. In fact,
I
might just wake him up and start now.

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Read
Part 1 - Consumed (The MMA Romance Series - Book #1)

Read Part 2 - Devoured (The
MMA Romance Series - Book #2)

Read
Part 3 - Addicted (The MMA Romance Series - Book #3)

Read Part 4 – Damaged (The
MMA Romance Series – Book #4)

Read Part 5 – Committed (The
MMA Romance Series – Book #5)