Page 116 of Trusting a Warrior

“Oh, my God. It’s not a ‘grand gesture,’ so would you fucking stop calling it that?” Matt swatted Shane’s leg. “And I’ll say again, accepting the slot means us moving to Virginia. That means ripping you away from this house you’ve worked so hard on—”

“It’s just a damn house—” Shane began, subsiding when Matt growled, “Let me finish, please.”

“Humph.”

Lani couldn’t help but suppress a smile at the mutinous look that crossed Shane’s face. God, these two could be stubborn, and passionate in both love and conflict. It’d made for some very interesting times during the year she’d been their neighbor.

“Your support system is here,” Matt was saying. “Your pain doc. Your school.”

She gave an internal wince. Finally accepting that he wouldn’t be suitable for an operational command, Shane announced one night that he was seeking a medical discharge from the Navy and would enroll in the SDSU occupational therapy program, his ultimate goal to work with wounded warriors living with traumatic brain injuries.

“I can transfer schools. I’m willing to do whatever it takes—”

“To what? To make sure I’m living out my dream?” Matt waved his arm. “What about your dreams? Your happiness? Your well-being? You honestly think none of that matters to me?”

Shane’s face softened. “Of course I think it matters.”

“Then let me show you how much it matters. How much you matter. It’s not a grand gesture, it’s me saying that I don’t need DEVGRU to feel complete, but I do need you.”

Putting his coffee cup down, Matt slid into Shane’s lap and draped his arms around his neck. “You’re going to be my husband long after I’m done being a SEAL. At least, I hope you will.”

“Oh, you know you’re never getting rid of me.” Shane lifted his face and they shared a lingering kiss, his fingertips drawing tiny circles on Matt’s bare back.

Heaving a deep sigh, Matt finally moved from Shane’s lap, picked up his coffee again and headed into the house. “Guess we’d better get going.”

As soon as he’d gone, Shane leapt to his feet. “Okay. We’re headed to the base to work out with the platoon and run the O-course, and then Rhys and Devon are meeting us at the courthouse at two to act as witnesses. Ceremony’s supposed to be at three. You’ll get everything set up here?”

“I’ve got it all under control,” she assured him. “Geo’s taken Aidan out for the day, and then he’ll drop him at our babysitter’s in time to be back for the big surprise.”

“Good.” Shane slid his arm around her shoulders. “I’m getting married today, oh, my God!” His voice sounded a little squeaky with nerves, and she gave him a squeeze.

“Yep, you are, and you need to get going. Don’t worry about a thing here, just enjoy.”

After he’d followed Matt into the house, she hurried back to her own house next door and called Grizz’s wife. “They’re leaving now,” she hissed. “Operation Surprise Reception is a go.”

Half an hour later, armed with her spare key, Lani let an excited group of team wives into Matt and Shane’s house, and left them to decorate while she hurried home to cook. By the time the team guys started to show up with kegs of beer and the other assorted liquor needed for any good SEAL event, the counters were groaning with all of the grooms’ favorite foods.

Geo burst in not long after. “Aidan’s with the sitter,” he said breathlessly. “She’ll drop him off in the morning.”

With nothing critical to come out of the oven, she wandered into the bathroom where he stood shaving at the sink, and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

“Love you,” she whispered, kissing his shoulder.

His eyes met hers in the mirror. “I can’t wait to have you all to myself tonight,” he murmured, and heat sparked down low, making her squirm.

Splaying her palms over his ridged abs, she pressed closer, letting him feel the way her nipples jutted through the thin fabric of her blouse. “Can’t wait to be yours tonight,” she whispered back. When he groaned, she let go of him and sauntered away, his sigh of longing echoing in her ears.

Next door, it was a boisterous group both inside and outside the house. The gate was thrown open between the two yards in preparation, some music was turned on, and half-drunk, giggling team guys roamed the neighborhood doing Matt and Shane “recon.”

At last one of them checked his phone and hollered, “One minute out!”

A couple of snickering dudes arrayed themselves on either side of the gate between the houses, each shaking what looked to be bottles of champagne. The music was lowered just in time for her to hear a deep voice on the other side of the fence say, “I thought you said Lani and Geo invited us for cake at their house...”

A murmured reply, and then Matt and Shane walked into the backyard from Lani’s side. Matt’s eyes widened. “What’s this...?” Before he could finish getting the words out, a blast of champagne caught him right in the face.

“Congratulations!”

Loud cheers echoed in the waning light as champagne continued to drench both of them. Matt sputtered and coughed while Shane laughed, a steadying arm going around Matt’s waist.