need me, call. I'll find a way to be there."
"What if you need me?"
"I'll find a way for us to be together." His eyes fill with affection. "You're going to be a great doctor one day. I'll always have music. That will change with the times, but it will always be in my heart. Right next to you."
"But I'm the only one here." I drag my fingertips over his chest, over the tattoo of my name.
"Yeah. You're the only one here." He leans down to press his lips to mine.
When the kiss breaks, I stare back at him. "Okay. Now, I believe you promised to show me your cock."
He laughs. "Princess, you know I always give you what you want."
He whisks me back to the limo.
And we make excellent use of our free afternoon.
Chapter Eleven
Miles
We barely make it out of the limo in time to pick up our marriage license. Damn. We're late. I check the clock when we stop at our hotel room to change. Again, I'm in slacks and a button-up shirt. Meg wears a knee-length ivory dress and silver wedges that give her an inch on me.
The woman lives in flats. I'm almost never looking up at her.
Well, not when we're dressed.
What the hell time is it anyway? I check the clock again. As hot as she looks with the dress hugging her chest and waist, this has to wait until after dinner.
The Japanese restaurant is packed to the brim. I lead Meg through the fray, straight to the reserved room in back.
It's through sliding screen doors. They're white and tan, a stark contrast to the dim room and its black accents.
Despite its lack of windows, the private room is bright. Paper lanterns hang from the ceiling. There must be a few dozen in shades of red, pink, and blue.
The room is full of friends. I'm sure I'll be sick of the three of them by the end of the tour, but I'm happy to see them now.
Tom, Drew, and Pete—they're my family. They get on my nerves, get in my space, and piss me off because they love me.
Everyone is seated at a long table. Tom's wife—fuck, I'm still not used to that—Willow is next to him in the back. Her magenta dress matches her magenta hair. Behind them are Pete and his fiancée, Jess. She lifts her head from his shoulder to nod a hello to me. She smiles at Meg.
Kara and Drew are on the other side of the table, next to Meg's parents. She jumps out of her seat to hug us hello, first me then Meg.
Kara whispers loudly enough I can hear. "Is this really happening?"
Meg nods.
Kara squeezes her tighter.
Drew is next. He offers Meg a quick hug. We make eye contact, a look that says, I'm happy for you, but I don't desire the proximity of your body. We shake hands.
The Steele brothers are wearing their usual trouble-making smiles. Tom brushes a hand through his sandy blond waves. The other hand is curled around a wrapped present.
He thrusts it into Meg's hands. "Don't open it in front of your parents."
"Oh." She looks at the purple wrapping then looks up at Tom. "Is it a sex toy?"
Tom laughs. Pete chuckles.
"I should kick your ass for that." I address both of them.
"Wait until you see what it is. You'll like it." Tom gives Meg a tight hug. He shoots me the same look Drew did.
"Oh, don't be a pussy about it." Meg pushes us into a hug.
It's quick. A second. Then Pete takes his turn.
He whispers something in Meg's ear. Her cheeks turn red. Damn. Knowing the dark-haired bassist, I'm sure he said something positively filthy. I should kick his ass for that, but Meg looks fucking adorable blushing. And she's eyeing me like she's already thinking about what we'll do when we get back to the hotel room.
Pete hugs me without any of Tom's shyness.
"You dirty talking my girl?" I ask.
He chuckles. "Offering some advice for later."
"Advice about pleasing a man?"
He chuckles, shakes his head, and pats me on the back. "Can't believe you're doing this."
"You got engaged after three months."
Pete shrugs as he pulls back. "Don't have commitment issues."
"That cuts me, Steele."
I glance at his fiancée. Jess plays with her long blond hair. Nervous or... no, she's antsy. She's got the look of a woman who wants to be alone with her man.
I can respect that. I did drag the two of them away from their bedroom. I catch her gaze