by Dawn Umrie
Brook reaches us, “Yeah, well, I’m going to head back to the room and leave you two alone.” She waves to the both of us as she hurries through the sand in the direction of our hotel.
“Hey,” I say, but shake my head at how asinine that sounds after all that’s happened.
A small smile plays on his lips. “Hey.”
“How did you know I was here?”
He sits down next to me wearing a pair of sweats and a tank top, and I could feel the heat of his presence warming me from the inside out.
He’s holding his right hand with his left, “Mike told me after I talked him down from manslaughter.”
“Seth, I…”
Seth interrupts me with a soft voice, “Shh. Listen to me, beautiful. I did not have sex with Trish. You are the only woman I want, the only woman I need… and I do need you, baby, like I need oxygen to breathe.”
“I know you didn’t.” He looks at me in surprise. “Trish paid me a visit this morning and told me what really happened… and I’m so sorry that I didn’t hear you out.” I feel a tear hit my cheek and Seth uses his thumb to wipe it away.
He shakes his head, “I’m the one who’s sorry. When I saw how hurt you were, it tore me apart—and that falls back on me. I’m the one who should have seen her for what she is.”
I put my hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t know, Seth. It’s not your fault.”
He leans in and places a gentle kiss on my lips, staying there for a few seconds before backing up just a fraction. “I want to show you something.”
I tilt my head and look at him with curiosity as he reaches for my hand to hold it.
And that’s when I notice it.
In the same spot, but on the opposite hand as mine, he has a new tattoo of an ornate key done in black ink, under it has my name in cursive writing. My mouth drops open in shock as I bring his hand in for a closer look.
Seth is my key.
He holds my hand and when they’re joined the heart lock and key are side by side.
A small sob comes out of me before he lets go of my hand and wraps his muscular arms around me, bringing me as close to him as he can. I feel his exhalation through my hair.
“I love you so fuckin’ much. I thought I’d lost you.”
“I love you, Seth, so very much, but I have something important to tell you,” I say, feeling nerves in the pit of my stomach.
“It can wait, sweetheart. I just want to be with you like this.” He says while rubbing the back of my neck.
His touch is making me forget any and all reason, so I pull away from his hold.
“What is it, baby?” he says with concern in his eyes.
“Do you want me to ease into this conversation or make it one quick band-aide pull?” My sudden courage comes from out of nowhere.
He runs his hand down my cheek, and I can’t help but think how his new tattoo can’t be hidden under his clothes like the others.
He takes a deep breath and places his hand on my knee and squeezes. “Let ‘er rip.”
“I’m pregnant.” I close my eyes right after, so as not to see any emotion other than the happiness I feel cross his face.
“Sweetheart,” he whispers.
I open my eyes and turn tentatively towards him before looking at him.
“How long have you known?” he says while caressing my leg.
“I took two pregnancy tests the day of your office party when I wasn’t feeling well.” I look down and trace the stitches in the blanket.
He lifts my chin up and gives me one of his award-winning smiles, mine automatically following. “We’re going to have a baby. You’ve made me a very happy man, angel.”
“I was worried to tell you because…”
“Kiss me,” he says in choked up voice.
I place my hands on his cheeks, feeling the beginning of a beard underneath. I press my lips onto his and kiss him slowly, savoring his mouth like a fine wine… tasting, licking. It becomes more urgent for the two of us. Our separation and the news of the baby, driving this kiss to new heights. I cling to him like a lifeline, our tongues at war and peace. He holds my ponytail, pulling just enough to let me know who is really in control of this kiss.
I’m lost.
I’ve been found.
We both slow to a stop while we catch our breaths, leaning our foreheads against one another’s.
“I have something else to show you, or shall I say, give you. Could you stand up, sweetheart?”
Seth stands up and holds his hand out to help me up.
“Are we going for a walk?”
“Not yet,” he says while falling onto one knee.
No. Way.
My eyebrows shoot up as I watch him pull a black velvet box out of his pants pocket and then open it up to show me.
“Holy crap!”
I couldn’t help the inappropriate-for-the-moment- expression from coming out of my mouth. It was an honest to God reaction to seeing the huge heart-shaped diamond that is brilliantly sparkling in front of me—reflecting color and light in every direction.
Seth chuckles at my reaction. “Merissa, I bought this ring a while ago, holding onto it, waiting for the perfect moment to ask you to be my wife—and that moment is now.”
“YES! YES! YES!” I say, not waiting for an additional preamble.
He laughs before saying, “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I’m not finished.”
“Okay, you’re right. Carry on… sorry.”
He responds with an almost boyish grin. “Merissa, you are a beautiful melody, the sweetest kiss, and the gentlest of breezes. You are a radiant moon, a dove-white mountain and an awe-inspiring sunset.”
Tears begin their journey down my cheeks as I look into his electric, blue eyes that are filled with love.
“You are a work beyond art, a rainbow that kisses the sun, and the warmest embrace. You are a majestic waterfall, a tranquil sea, and the brightest of stars. When I met you, I knew I had been given the most precious of gifts—one that I'll always protect, nurture, and adore for a lifetime to come.
He strokes my knuckles with his thumb.
“I'm asking for your now, your tomorrow, and your forever—I'm asking you to be my wife. Merissa Marie Manolas, will you marry me?”
"Seth... that was... " I am so choked up from his words that I hold up a finger.
This is the kind of man that books were inspired by and poems were written about.
I wipe my eyes, clear my throat and take a deep breath. “You can have my now, my tomorrow, and my forever. Seth Mateo Vastola, yes, a million times, yes. I will marry you.”
He stands and removes the ring with the brightest of smiles and places it on my finger, then kisses it.
I wind my arms around his neck as he wraps his arms around my back. “I am never going to let you go.”
He quirks one eyebrow, “That’s what Rose said to Jack in Titanic right before she let him go—and he sank to the bottom of the ocean.”
This man. He never ceases to amaze me.
I laugh a full-on belly laugh. “I promise I won’t turn you into fish food. Better?”
Giving me a sideways smile, “I promise not to turn you into fish food, either.” he says and winks.
“That’s great to know, considering we’re standing next to an ocean,” I say to him as I tighten my grip around his neck and look towards the surf.
His face turns more serious. “I love you and our baby,” he says, while his hands are on my hips, his thumbs brushing my stomach.
My eyes fill up as I gaze into his striking blue eyes. I’m reminded of how life can change with just a blink of an eye. With every bad thing that happens, something good follows right behind, and although it may seem at the time like the bad outweighs the good, the good always prevails.
After a storm, the birds will sing again.
“I love you both with everything that I am.”
We kiss slowly… lazily, not caring about anything but what’s right in
front of us, as we rock gently to the rhythm of the rising tide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dawn Umrie can usually be found sipping a cup of hot tea with a Chihuahua in her lap and her nose in a romance novel. After years of being an avid reader, she took it upon herself in January of 2018 to begin writing the first draft of her debut romance novel, Blue Diamond.
When she’s not reading, she enjoys mixing essential oil potions, singing to commercials, or listening to Rob Thomas. She believes she was quite possibly a hippie in a past life.
She resides in South Florida with her supportive husband and two beautiful children.
Visit Dawn: www.dawnumrie.com
http://www.facebook.com/AuthorDawnUmrie/
A NOTE TO THE READER
Thank you for reading my début novel, Blue Diamond! I hope you enjoyed spending time with my fictional friends.
Reviews are like diamonds to an author, in my case, blue diamonds! Your review would mean so much to me and would be greatly appreciated.
Love and light,
Dawn Umrie