Ray, Suzie, and I chatted for a bit outside the bar before Suzie, ever the drama queen, insisted on taking a cab home alone. “I
don’t want to third–wheel,” she said.
But it was late, and she’d had a few drinks—I wasn’t about to let her go off by herself. So, Ray and I drove her home first.
Once she was safely inside, it was just the two of us in the car.
The warm night air and the close space made everything feel… heavier, more intimate.
My head was already spinning from the drinks, and now my thoughts felt even hazier.
Ray leaned in, slow and deliberate.
I bit my lip, caught between nerves and excitement, completely unsure what to do next.
“Daphne,” he whispered, his voice low and warm. “My Daphne…”
His lips brushed the corner of my mouth–soft, hesitant, full of something deeper than words.
My heart hammered so hard it felt like it might break free. My hands were slick with sweat.
“I’m scared this is a dream,” he murmured, resting his forehead against mine. “That I’ll wake up, and you’ll be gone.”
The raw emotion in his voice hit me like a wave. Without thinking, I ran my fingers through his hair, whispering, “It’s not a
dream. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
His shoulders eased, and he pulled me closer into his embrace.
Ray’s trip back was all for me–he just couldn’t resist seeing me.
But by morning, he had to catch a flight overseas.
“Daphne,” he said, “I’ve hired a famous designer to make you a custom wedding dress. Once I wrap things up, I’ll bring it back
and marry my beautiful bride.”
