Desert Sunrises ✓

Chapter 11

*Ari's POV*

I watch Ily come out from the main building and head to our room, trying to discreetly wipe the tears from her eyes as she checked to make sure that no one was watching her. Sammy came out of the office next and looked like he'd been kicked. He saw me standing there and quickly went the other way. I take off after him and corner him outside.

"I just want to know why. You didn't really know her at that point, and I was supposedly your best friend, so why?"

"Because I'm your best friend. I knew you weren't going to leave Sarah or Maya just because she turned up pregnant. And when she didn't seek you out to tell you, I figured she was content to raise it alone. And then yes, I fell in love with her. And when she lost your baby and suddenly wanted you there, all I could think was that was setting herself up for heartbreak again because there was no reason for you to leave them then."

"You didn't have the right to take that decision away from either of us. Honestly, I can't defend you to anyone right now, let alone to her. So I need you to stay away from her. Until she's ready to forgive you, if she's ready to forgive you, you need to leave her alone." I say angrily before leaving him in the dining area and heading to find Ilana.

...

*Ilana's POV*

I was laying in our bed, facing the wall when I heard Ari come in. "I don't want to talk about it." I say, still not turning to face him. He doesn't say anything, just climbs in bed behind me and wraps his arm around my stomach, pulling my back into his chest.

"I am so sorry that he did this to you."

I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling. "He did this to you too. I mean there's nothing you could've done to stop it from happening, but you deserved to know a lot sooner than 6 years after the fact."

"It is what it is. We can't really change it now."

"Nope, the only thing we can do is move forward." I roll over on top of him and grind into his lap, feeling him harden beneath me. "Are you sure now is the time to be doing this?" he asks.

"Are you actually going to tell me to stop?" He groans as I grind against him again, bringing my lips to his neck, biting, and sucking my way up to his mouth. His hands brush my hair out of my face as he pulls my face to his, brushing his lips against mine at first before he flipped us over and had his way with me, making sure everyone knew just who it was that was bringing me orgasm after orgasm.

*Sammy's POV*

I was walking back to the laundry room when I heard noises coming from Ilana and Ari's room, unmistakable noises that let the whole resort know exactly what they were doing. I felt my heart break into pieces and knew that I had officially lost her for good.

*1 Year Later*

We'd been here for a little over a year now. We've run 17 successful missions and have kept the government, and the military, from becoming any wiser to our true motives for being in their country.

We had a group of guests here and Jake had built a bonfire in the sand. I was a bit away from the group with Ari while Sammy played the guitar and sang. He twirled me around. "You're enjoying this way too much." I laugh.

"Of course I am. I haven't danced with you like this since senior prom, a lifetime ago." I can't help the sad smile that crosses my face. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"We were stupid. I was stupid. I shouldn't have waited 10 years to go after you. I shouldn't have left you that morning in your tree house." I say as we slowly turn in the sand.

"I shouldn't have pushed you to stay. I thought I needed to do this alone." He looks around to make sure that the others are preoccupied. "Follow me, there's something I want to do." I look back and make eye contact with Sammy before I allow him to pull me towards the deserted end of the resort, giggling as we almost trip in the sand numerous times.

"Ari, what are you doing?" I ask as he pulls me behind one of the buildings and out of sight from the others. He pulls off the wedding band set that he gave me on the plane ride over here and I look at him confused.

"Ily, I have loved you every day of our lives since I first saw you that first day of first grade. I know I've fucked up along the way and we both went down separate paths. But those paths lead us back to each other and we're here now. So I'm asking if we take this fake engagement ring and wedding band and we turn it into something new, something for the future. When this mission is over, and we know for certain that my divorce has gone through, will you finally do me the honor of becoming my wife?"