Macy Beckett - Make You Mine

She took a long sip of her drink and tried to exorcise Marc’s image from her mind. When that didn’t work, she kept slurping on her straw until a brain freeze shut down all her synapses. She set down her piña coladas, donned her sunglasses, and closed her eyes to focus on the scents of chlorine and tanning lotion and the gentle brush of the desert breeze.

A distant airplane droned, its buzz an oddly soothing sound when combined with the sloshing of water. But as it approached, the noise became grating and tinny, unlike any plane she’d ever heard. It seemed to circle the area, and Allie wished it would move on.

“Allie Mauvais,” someone muttered from across the pool.

Eyes flying open, she propped on her elbows and scanned the rows of lounge chairs for the person who’d called her name, but everyone was peering at the clouds. She glanced up and her lips parted in shock.

An airplane that looked more like a flying go-kart towed a sloppy spray-painted banner that read, ALLIE MAUVAIS TO THE FRONT DESK!

She peeked down at her piña coladas, wondering how much she’d had to drink. Not enough to induce hallucinations.

“Hey, Dev,” she said. “Tell me you see this, too.” When her sister lifted her head, Allie pointed at the sky.

Squinting, Devyn craned her neck at the plane. “Holy shit. Do you think they mean you?”

“What are the odds that two women named Allie Mauvais are staying here?” Slim to none. “I’m going to check.”

“I’ll come with you.”

In flip-flops and with towels wrapped around their waists, Allie and Devyn followed the winding sidewalk that led to the main lobby. Allie tried to speculate on the reason behind the bizarre summons, and for a moment, she worried there might be an emergency back home. But surely the hotel would have used their intercom system for that, not a miniature airplane.

When they reached the lobby, Allie pushed her sunglasses atop her head and approached the front desk. She still didn’t know what to expect, but in her wildest dreams she hadn’t anticipated that Marc would be waiting there for her.

In a tuxedo.

With a black eye and a bruised cheek.

Allie’s feet quit moving, such was her confusion. Maybe she had tangled too much with Captain Morgan today. She blinked at Marc twice, but he was still there each time she opened her eyes.

His polished wingtip shoes clicked against the tile as he crossed to the middle of the lobby to meet her. Visitors and employees strode to and fro, but their presence barely registered. Allie stood there transfixed by the gorgeous man who’d broken her heart.

It seemed there was no escaping him.

“Hi, Allie.” Marc had the decency to keep twelve inches of space between them, but he was close enough for her to notice his wrinkled clothes and crooked bow tie. It looked like someone had stuffed him inside a burlap sack and dragged him behind a pickup truck. “Thanks for coming.”

Devyn wrapped a protective arm around Allie’s shoulders. “She came here to get away from you, asshole. Get a clue.”

Marc held up both hands. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

“It’s okay,” Allie told her. “Just give us a minute.”

Devyn’s fists were still clenched, but she reluctantly nodded toward the lobby coffeemaker. “I’ll be right over there”—she jabbed a finger at Marc—“watching you.”

Once her sister had moved out of earshot, Allie tried to form a coherent sentence, but shock had tied her tongue. What was Marc doing here? Why was he dressed for prom? Who’d socked him in the eye this time, and what had he done to deserve it?

After a moment’s hesitation, she pointed at the ceiling. “So, the plane, that was you?”

He nodded and eased forward another inch. “It was my last hope. I’ve been tearing this place apart looking for you since yesterday.”

Allie’s brows shot up. “You’ve been here for two days?”

“Almost.”

“Why?”

Then he let loose the real shocker. “I came to get you back.”

Allie’s wounded heart leapt with hope, the sensation making her dizzy. Or maybe it was the booze. She touched her temple. “I need to sit down.”

“Of course.” Marc ushered her to a grouping of sofas in the center of the thoroughfare, then took a seat beside her. “I meant what I said,” Marc told her. “I’m here to make things right, if you’ll let me.”

Cautiously, she nodded for him to go on. “I’m listening.”

“I figured out why the cleansing ceremony failed.”

“Oh, no.” Not this again. Allie rose from the sofa while her spirits sank. Damn her for getting her hopes up again. “Enough with the curse. Go back home, Marc.”

“Please!” he begged, falling to his knees. “Give me one minute. That’s all. And if you still want me to go, I promise I will.”

He looked so pitiful kneeling at her feet, his hair loose and one eye half-swollen shut. She couldn’t say no. She took her seat and folded her arms. “Talk fast.”

“We couldn’t break the curse, because I failed you.” That got her attention. For once, he put the blame where it belonged instead of on some supernatural force of nature. “I had a chance to show faith in us, but instead I panicked. I offered a small piece of my heart instead of giving you everything—which is what you deserve.” He extricated one of her hands and held it firmly between both of his. “It’s what we both deserve.”

His confession made Allie’s throat grow thick while hot tears pressed against her eyes. “You hurt me, Marc,” she whispered. “I told you I loved you and then—”

He pressed a gentle finger to her lips. “I’m sorry, Allie. I was a coward.”

She nodded in agreement.

“But not anymore.” He jutted his chin toward the roof. “Remember that pea-sized plane you saw up there? I rode in that thing all the way from New Orleans because I couldn’t wait another second to be with you.”

Allie drew a breath. No wonder his tux was crumpled; he’d probably hugged his knees the whole way.

“And when I got here,” Marc continued, “I went to the wrong room and got my ass beat. But that didn’t stop me. I refused to quit.” He placed a kiss inside her palm. “And I mean to go on living that way—never, ever quitting on you—because I love you too much to give you anything less than forever.”

Marc’s stunning face was visible only as a wet blur, but the sincerity shone in his eyes. Allie told him, “Say that again.”

He didn’t hesitate. “I love you. I’ve never loved any woman but you, and I swear I never will.” He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a gleaming diamond ring. “This is what I should have done last week. This is how much faith I have in us.”

A gasp parted Allie’s lips.

“There’s a chapel down the hall,” he said. “Let’s get married right now. I’m asking you to be my wife. Take this leap of faith with me.”

She couldn’t believe it. Five minutes ago, she was missing him so much it hurt and now he wanted to marry her. It was too much. She couldn’t think straight.

Excited whispers sounded from nearby, and she noticed a crowd of gawkers had formed around them, including Devyn, whose pale cheeks said she was surprised, too. And old woman gave Allie the thumbs-up sign and mouthed Say yes! But it wasn’t that simple. Did Marc truly mean what he’d said?

“It’s so sudden . . .”

“Allie, please marry me.” Pure emotion choked him, blocking his words for a moment while melting all her doubts. “I can’t stand the thought of spending another night without you. I’m already yours. You own me, body and soul, and I want the whole world to know it. Please say yes.”

She glanced down at her bikini, which didn’t do much to cover her breasts. “But I’m not dressed. I can’t get married like this. What if we wait until we get back home, then—”