Don’t Forget to Remember Me (38 page)

Her eyes widened. “You’re serious.”

I nodded and took her left hand in mine.
“Nothing would make me happier than if you’d agree. Please?”

“When?” Her expression showed her
surprise.

I pulled her hand up, brushing my mouth over
her skin softly. “It doesn’t matter where or when exactly.” I
shrugged slightly. “Today, tomorrow, next week or next month, but
not beyond graduation. If nothing else in my life is set, I’m sure
I don’t want one more moment without you as my wife.” I stared into
her stunned face, not flinching. I was dead serious. “I’ve loved
you from the day we met and every day I love you more, if that’s
possible. I lived without you and I don’t intend to anymore. I
can’t.”

Her eyes welled as she gazed at me. It
seemed all I did lately was make her cry. My heart squeezed
painfully. I knew she loved me. It was there in her eyes and the
tremulous smile lifted her luscious lips.

“Okay.” The word was so soft I barely heard
it, but her gentle hand reached out to stroke my face and two fat
tears rolled down her cheeks. My heart leapt.

“Really?” I asked in amazement, joy filling
me to the point of bursting. I didn’t expect her to agree so
easily.

“Of course. Is there really a choice?” she
cried softly.

“Will you be disappointed if we don’t have a
big wedding? I know most women want that.”

Julia was crying harder
now and she shrugged. She put the back of her hand to her mouth as
her shoulders shook gently. “I just want
you
.” As usual, she said the perfect
thing. “I don’t need all that stuff. Just you.”

I pulled her off of her stool and into my
arms, turning my face into her neck and breathing in her scent
until I thought my lungs would burst.

“There is something
that
I
need,” I
murmured into her hair as her arms wound around my neck and I
shoulders. “I don’t care about the fanfare and the people, but I
want the bride I’ve been waiting for all this time. I need to know
you belong to me.” I pulled back to look into her face. Her eyes
were luminous, a soft blush spreading over her perfect skin. “I
want the dress and the veil, Julia.”

She smiled through her tears. “I’ll give you
anything you want. I love you.”

I reached out and drew her to me, cupping
the back of her head with my hand as she turned her face into the
curve of my neck. We were both clinging to each other like we’d
never let go. “I love you more.”

Breakfast was forgotten as
my hands slid down over her body, gently lifting her until her legs
wound around my waist. My mouth found hers in hungry desperation
and she was equally insistent. Her hands wound to the back of my
hair to pull my mouth even closer as our tongues
entwined in
passionate play. My body sprang to life and Julia
ground her hips into mine. I tore my mouth from hers so I could see
to carry her down the hall to my bedroom. “You’re so sexy, and I
want you. Again and again,” I said huskily as I lay on the bed with
her on top of me.

“That works for me, baby,” she breathed
against my mouth before we lost ourselves in the ecstasy of our
love for each other.

“Hey, man. Can we talk?” I
found Aaron in the reference section of the library
.
A
t nine o’clock in the evening, the lights were
muted and it was very quiet. I generally liked to spend this time
here because
there were fewer students. After the
conversation with Julia, I needed to tell Aaron. We’d both been so
busy; I hadn’t talked to him in awhile. After what Julia said about
Jen’s intentions to leave if he didn’t propose, I needed to find
out his thinking.

Bent
over a book,
furiously making notes on a legal pad, Aaron looked up quickly and
shoved back from the table. “Um, just give me a minute, we can go
outside.” I waited patiently while he finished what he was doing
and
packed his
things in his
backpack.

“Pharmacy final,” he explained and I nodded.
I’d taken it three semesters ago as a prerequisite for the
anesthesia courses I needed for trauma.

“Dude, why didn’t you just ask for my notes
on that shit?” I smirked as his mouth settled into a thin line.

“Because I’m a
huge
-ass moron
, I guess,” he huffed. “So
what’s up? Haven’t seen you much these past weeks but I chalked it
up to finals and that you and Julia were finally getting
busy
…so I guess no
more blue balls, eh,
brother?” His dark eyes danced with laughter.

I ran a hand through my hair, returning his
grin unabashedly. “Um, for sure. Things have been…amazing.”

“Ryan, I have to ask…are you guys using
protection? It’s none of my business but you don’t want to risk
that now. Right?”

We were already at the car. I threw my books
in the back and motioned for Aaron to do the same. “Yeah. I asked
Dr. Brighton about it…before um, Julia and I ever got intimate
after the accident. I thought it would remind her, but he just
wrote a prescription and she didn’t mention it.” I told him over
the top of the car as we both opened the doors. “The last time was
an accident. Julia was taking antibiotics and we just weren’t
thinking.”

We drove in silence for a
few minutes. I was excited,
yet calmness settled
over me after Julia had agreed to marry me. More
memories were surfacing and I found myself accepting of the things
that she didn’t remember yet. I knew, without a doubt, that she
loved me deeply and it was enough. I pulled in a deep breath,
filling my lungs to capacity.

“Ryan, you said you wanted to talk to me, so
why aren’t you talking?” Aaron finally broke into my thoughts.

“Julia and I are going to go ahead and get
married.” Aaron’s face split into a grin and his hand came down on
my shoulder twice.

“That’s great! Did you set a date?”

“Um…yeah. The weekend of graduation.”

He seemed somewhat stunned. “Wow. So soon?
No big wedding?”

“As much as we’ve been through, that isn’t
important anymore. Our parents will be in town, so will Ellie and
Harris. It just makes sense to do it then.”

“Congratulations,
bro
’. Ex…cel…lent. So I guess this seals
the deal about the residency in New York.”

“Julia actually brought it
up. I was so relieved.”
Okay, so here I go. Just throw it
out there, Ryan.
“What about you and Jenna?
Are you ever planning on marrying her?”

“Yeah. I asked her that night.”

“
What night
?” I asked in
surprise.

“The night the girls took off without
us.”

“So…what’s the story?”

“We started looking at
rings, but no date yet.” He shrugged and looked out the passenger
window. Aaron never was one to spill his guts without
prodding
, which I found frustrating as
hell.

I frowned and shook my head. I hadn’t been
able to wait until I could get a ring on Julia’s finger and I’d
been planning the day I could propose since the first time I made
love to her. . Aaron was so blasé.

“Will you be my Best Man?”

He looked back at me and flashed a huge
grin. “Dude. I’d beat your ass if you didn’t ask me. I thought I
may have lost that honor to that dickhead, Moore!”

I chuckled softly. Leave it to Aaron to make
a joke out of a serious situation. “Should I smack you now or
later?”

“Is Julia still seeing him?”

“Nope!” I popped the ‘p’ on the word in
satisfaction. “He’s history. The night she almost went back to New
York she said he was supportive and I was doing the best thing for
her…maybe he’s not so bad.” Aaron quirked an eyebrow at me
mockingly and I had to smile. Who in the hell was I kidding? Moore
definitely had the hots for Julia. “Anyway, that turned out for the
best. If Julia hadn’t threatened me with leaving, I might still
have my head up my ass.”

“Yes. You owe me two hundred and fifty bucks
for the hotel you banished us to, by the way,” Aaron laughed.

“What the hell?” I exclaimed. “Are you
kidding me?”

“Hey, I just got engaged, dude. I didn’t
have a ring yet, so you know I put on the dog.”

He was stroking his chin
with his tongue in cheek, and we both burst out laughing. “Was the
dog’s dick dipped in gold?” I asked. Aaron threw me a sardonic
glance. “I’m just sayin
’…”

“Shut up,” Aaron admonished. I laughed even
harder. “No honeymoon?”

I shook my head. “That’s the only thing that
I regret, but Julia’s already missed so much work and I have to be
at St. Vincent’s a week later. We really don’t have time. After we
get settled, I’ll plan something big.”

“Shit. With Jules gone, it’ll be back to
frozen pizza and McDonald’s,” he groaned in protest. He was
teasing, but there was a shred of truth to it.

“You’ll survive,” I laughed softly, secretly
thankful that Julia was going with me.

“Easy for you to say, dickhead. You’ll eat
like a king.”

“She’ll be busy with work. I don’t expect
her to slave away in the kitchen.”

“Oh, only the bedroom?” he asked. I felt the
corners of my mouth twitch, but kept my mouth shut. I wouldn’t
share that with anyone. When I didn’t answer, he continued.
“Anyway…Julia spoils you rotten. You won’t have to expect
anything.”

“Hmmph,” I expelled my breath. “She takes
care of me pretty well, that’s for sure.”

The smells emanating from the kitchen were
divine; fresh garlic sautéed in the pan with butter for the
beginning of Alfredo sauce. A protesting Jenna grated a chunk of
parmesan cheese while I chopped parsley and pulled the fresh
fettuccini from the refrigerator.

“Fuck!” Jenna exclaimed as she accidentally
scraped her knuckles on the grater. “No wonder I don’t cook!”

I rushed to get a wet paper towel and
examined the broken skin. Three of her fingers were bleeding
slightly, but it wasn’t too bad. “Are you okay?” I asked, glancing
up at her face.

“Ugh, yes. I wish I could cook like you.”
She scowled. “Aaron likes to eat and I can’t even grate some
cheese!”

I smirked at her. “Anyone can cook, Jen. Can
you read a cookbook?”

“Yeah. Sure.” she moaned
and plopped down on one of the stools. “I never see
you
reading the damn things.”

I couldn’t help chuckling. “Not anymore.
I’ve been cooking since I was ten years old.” I resumed with the
cheese after I’d cleaned the grater. “What time did Aaron say he
was coming home?”

Ryan mentioned he was picking up his brother
but didn’t think they’d be home before nine. It was almost that now
but I couldn’t finish the sauce until they arrived or it would
scald.

“I’ll send a text.” She walked to the table
and opened her purse. “Julia, after last night, I mean…is
everything okay? What happened?”

I nodded and took a sip from my glass. I
studied the wine as I swirled it around the sides. “Well, Ryan
realizes that I might not ever remember everything, and I convinced
him I love him as much as I ever did. I don’t think he’ll be
pulling back anymore, but it still hurts him that I can’t
remember.”

I poured some wine and took it over to where
she was sitting before refilling my own. Jenna’s beautiful face
broke into a big grin and her pale skin flushed pink on her cheeks.
“Good. Because the night we went out, Aaron was so worked up, he
proposed!”

I rushed to put my arms
around her. “Oh, Jen. I’m so happy for you!
Finally
!” Her arms closed tightly around
my shoulders and she sighed loudly. Now I could tell her about
Ryan’s and my wedding plans.