a long pause.
Too long.
“Silas?”
“I have something else to tell you.”
“Okay . . .”
“You’re not going to like it.”
“Okay . . .”
“You may want to kick my ass.”
I groaned. “Silas, please just tell me.”
“Justin and I sort of . . . eloped.”
My heartbeat thudded in my ears. I shook my head in confusion, my wine glass suspended halfway to my lips. I couldn’t have heard that right. Silas—my commitment-phobic best friend—married? To someone he’d been dating for just a few months?
“Say something, love.”
“I don’t think I can.”
“Shit, I’m sorry, Georgia. When we were in Mexico for spring break, it just happened. We were having such a great time; it was perfect. The sun was out, the water was warm, the bed was big. He just asked me and I said yes. We did it an hour later on the beach. I don’t think he was expecting to do it. It just happened, Georgia, and I knew you would be pissed that I did it without you, but it felt so right,” he finally finished.
“I . . . I don’t even know what to say.” I was still in shock. My brain wasn’t computing what he was telling me.
“Congratulations, maybe?” Silas asked.
“God, I’m sorry. Congratulations. Of course, congratulations. I’m thrilled for you. I’m sad I wasn’t there, but I’m thrilled. Just shocked.”
“I know. This doesn’t seem like me, but Justin, he’s—”
“He’s perfect,” I finished, a grin pulling at my cheeks. “God, Silas. You’re married.” Tears sprang to my eyes when I thought of my best friend finding someone he loved so completely that he promised to spend his life with him.
“I know.” I could hear him tearing up on the other end. “You’re making me cry, Georgia.”
“I’m crying too.” Emotion shook my body as tears streamed down my face. I wiped them with the back of one hand.
Tristan came up and wrapped both his arms around my body from behind. “Congrats, Silas,” he muttered into the phone before tucking his face into my neck and kissing at the overheated flesh.
“Tell your hunk of a boyfriend thanks,” Silas said.
“Hey, you’re a taken man now.” I laughed.
“Just ’cause I’m off the market doesn’t mean I’m dead.”
“Heard that.” Tristan pulled his sensual lips from my neck and sang into the phone before attacking my lobe with his teeth.
“God, wait, you let me ramble on and on about my bullshit and here you’d gotten married, Silas?” I felt so selfish.
“You needed to get it out. I understand.”
“It’s not anywhere near as important as your news. You should have stopped me.”
“It is important, love. But thanks. I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Another happy tear trickled down my cheek. Silas had been through so much over the years, been so ravaged by the pain and judgment put on him by his parents, it was overwhelming that he’d finally loved himself enough to give his heart to another. I wouldn’t have thought it possible a year ago, but now, it did feel right.
“I’m going to let you get back to what you were doing. I can hear him sucking on you.”
I laughed as tears rolled down my cheeks. “See you soon?”
“See you soon, love.”
“Silas?”
“Yeah?”
“Congratulations again.”
“Thanks,” he murmured before hanging up the phone. I set my cell on the counter and spun around on the stool to land in Tristan’s arms.
“I can’t believe he got married.”
“Why?” Tristan whispered as he made his way up the column of my neck, sucking on my flesh as he went. I arched away from him to get his attention.
“Because it’s Silas. He’s such a slut.”
“ Was a slut. Find the right person and suddenly it becomes not so hard to change your habits.” He latched onto my neck and ran his hands up my shirt. His words didn’t have time to resonate because he overwhelmed my body with his lips as I locked my arms around his neck and gave into his sensual assault.
“This has got to stop,
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