then he steps into me. Dipping his head, he murmurs, “Please,” his breath feathering over my lips with the word.
I want to bask in his nearness, relish the warmth of his body so close to mine. And without a second thought, I do. I brush my lips over his in a soft, barely there kiss. Wrapping my arms around his middle, I whisper, “I’ll do better. I promise. I love you.”
His shoulders sag, his eyes close, and his forehead rolls against mine as his hands rise to cup either side of my face. “No, baby, I’m sorry. So. Fucking. Sorry. Let me make it up to you.”
My mouth curls into a grin. “You already have. You’re here, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”
Hope blooms inside of me—hope and love and joy and gratitude. All the mushy emotions I normally avoid. My eyes well, but this time, I don’t fight the slow trickle of warm tears that coast down my cheeks. They’re happy tears, and I need to let Archer see and feel them with me.
His hands glide to my jaw, over my shoulders, and down my sides until he’s holding my waist in his big palms as he kisses away my tears. “Don’t cry, spitfire,” he murmurs against my skin. “I’ve got you, and I’ll never walk away again.”
I sag into him, letting him hold me like this in front of everyone. Letting them see this exchange between us. Now every soul here knows I belong to this man, and instead of panic, I’m filled with exhilaration.
The next two hours feel like an eternity as meals are served, speeches are made, and the cake is cut. Then, it’s finally time for the dancing. Atticus leads Kins to the dance floor as the opening notes of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” trickle through the tent.
And Jesus H. Christ, I’m crying again.
These two fit so seamlessly. It takes my breath away just watching them together. Their gazes remain locked with one another, their love radiating from them as they move and sway as one.
Warmth hits my back, and Archer’s hands slide around my sides, clasping in front of me. I place mine atop his and relax into his strong chest. He rests his chin on my shoulder and murmurs, “That’ll be us one day.”
My go-to reaction would be to scoff and tell him he’s lost his mind. But I don’t. Because I want that. I want what my friends have, and with Arch by my side, I’ve got it.
Arch, Bates, and I share a ride home, but the second we walk through the apartment door, Archer grabs my hand, tugging me toward his room.
Bates eyes us, a weird look on his face. Then, he shakes his head, claps his hands together, and declares, “I’m out! I don’t want to hear you two fucking.”
I pause in the hallway and grin at him. “You might want to invest in noise-cancelling headphones, big brother.”
“Ugh, fuck that. I’m moving back to my place soon as I can,” he says with a shudder.
“Don’t be like that, man,” Arch chuckles.
Bates scoffs then turns around, striding down the hall and away from us. “Toodle-oo, motherfuckers. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
My man wastes no time gripping my hips and lifting me off my feet. I wrap my legs around his waist, and he stalks inside his room before kicking the door closed behind us.
Heat fills his gaze as he deposits me on his bed, then the bastard sinks his teeth into that plump bottom lip of his and shakes his head.
His fingers make quick work of the buttons of his dress shirt, discarding it on the floor then kicking out of his shoes as he unfastens his suit pants. His eyes never leave me.
My skin prickles with anticipation, and I squirm beneath his intense focus.
Left in only his boxer briefs, he looms above me, his head tipping to the side as he asks, “Why aren’t you naked yet?”
Faster than I’ve ever moved before, I strip, throwing my clothes God knows where.
A satisfied smile lifts his perfect lips as he crawls from the end of the bed, coming to a stop between my parted thighs. A sexy-as-fuck smirk curves his mouth, and he drops on his back beside me then reaches for me.
I, of course, go willingly.
Once I’m straddling his hips, he says, “Sit on my face, Lennon.”
My eyes widen, and I swear to God, I get wet at the thought of it.
When I don’t move straight away, he quirks a brow.