Ryan grabbed her hand as they walked toward the bonfire at the beach, twining his thick fingers between hers.  Somehow it felt possessive and protective at the same time—like he needed to be as close to her as possible.

“Do you want to tell them or should I?” he asked, grinning down at her.

“I’m doing the honors,” she insisted.

As they got closer, Sarah could see most of the SEAL team was already there.  Patrick stood grinning beside Rebecca, his arm slung casually around her shoulder.  Their kids sat happily a few feet away, chocolate and marshmallow covering their faces.

“S’mores?” Sarah asked as they approached.

Patrick’s gaze fell on her hand in Ryan’s, and he nodded at his CO.  Sarah supposed that was his acknowledgement he was really okay with the idea of her and Ryan as a couple.  Not that he’d say so in as many words.

“The kids insisted on s’mores tonight,” Rebecca said, brushing a strand of hair away as the ocean breeze blew.  “I can’t say that I blame them.”

Sarah did a double take.  “Is that a ring I see on your finger?”

Patrick smirked as Rebecca beamed.  “That didn’t take long,” he commented dryly.  “Are you going to ask to see my ring, too?”

Sarah shrieked and ran toward Patrick and Rebecca, throwing her arms around them both before staring at the wedding bands on each of their fingers.  “You guys went and got married without telling me?”

The two exchanged a knowing glance.

“How could you?” Sarah asked.

Ryan stopped beside her, chuckling.  “I don’t think their wedding was meant to be all about you, Sarah.”

“I know, I just meant—I can’t believe it.  Does everyone else know?”

“You’re the first,” Patrick said with a grin.

Sarah glanced over at the other couples scattered around the area.  Christopher and Lexi were roasting hotdogs on the other side of the bonfire, laughing as Christopher slung his arm around her shoulder.  Brent and Ella each had beers in their hand and were chatting with Matthew and Brianna near the coolers.  Evan and Alison were tending to their new baby, which Alison wore in some complicated looking baby wrap.  A tiny little cry pierced the air, and Sarah smiled. Mike and Kenley were walking hand-in-hand toward them, coming back from a walk down by the water.

“Congratulations,” Ryan said, holding out his hand to Patrick.

The two men shook hands, and Sarah again looked at Patrick and Rebecca in shock.  “I still can’t believe you kept it a secret!”

“When Patrick got back from Germany, we decided it was time,” Rebecca said.

“We figured we’d tell everyone tonight,” Patrick said, his cool blue eyes blazing.

“Wow.  I’m so happy for you guys!” Sarah said.

“Didn’t you say you had some news, too?” Rebecca asked.

Sarah looked up at Ryan, who squeezed her hand.  His chiseled face gave nothing away, and for once she was glad he always appeared so stoic, so she could be the one to share the news.  “I’m moving to Virginia Beach!”

“You are?” Rebecca asked. “That’s wonderful!”

“And this is Captain Mitchell’s doing?” Patrick asked, raising an eyebrow.

“If I had my way, she’d have moved here months ago,” Ryan said.  “But you know Sarah—she has to do everything her own way.”

“You two are good for each other,” Patrick said.

“Of course,” Sarah said lightly. “Did you ever doubt it?”

The two men exchanged glances.

“Oh come on,” she said, lightly swatting at Ryan as they headed over to grab drinks from the cooler.  “Don’t be like that.”

“Be like what?” he asked, looking amused.

“Act like you didn’t know we’d end up together.  You told me we’d been dancing around it for a year.”

“Best damn foreplay I ever had,” he murmured into her ear.  “And now that I have you in my bed every night?  There’s nothing more I could ask for.”

She looked up at him, and he lightly reached out and caressed her cheek.  “I love you, Sarah,” he said, his voice gruff.

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

“Think we can ditch this party and go home?” he asked.

“Not a chance.  But you’ll have me all to yourself later.”

“About damn time,” he said, ducking down for a kiss.

 

THE END