Shiloh frowned and I watched her eyes in the mirror roam from her face down to her dress then back up to lock onto mine.
“What am I missing?”
Instead of answering I took my left hand from her hip, reached into the pocket of my slacks, and found what I was looking for.
I held the ring out in front of her.
Shiloh’s chin tipped down and I heard her suck in a breath.
“Marry me, baby.”
In the mirror, I saw her eyelids drift closed.
“Never thought I’d be this happy. Never thought I’d have this. Never in a million years did I think this existed.” Her eyes opened and came to mine. “We’re gonna get married.”
“Yeah, we are.”
Jesus.
“You’re gonna be my husband,” she whispered, and that burn in my chest blazed. “I’m gonna be your wife.”
“Yeah, baby, you’re gonna be my wife.”
Shiloh held out her left hand and wiggled her fingers. The gesture was so unlike Shiloh I smiled.
I slid the band on and she moved her hand farther away and stared.
Then she started bossing.
“As soon as River gets home. I don’t want to wait. I’ll wear a dress but it won’t be white. And I want to get two dogs. One would get lonely. He’ll need a friend to play with. And four kids. My brothers are a pain in my ass but every girl needs big brothers.”
“Whatever you want.”
“If we weren’t already late I’d take you back to bed and show you how much I love my ring.”
“You’ll show me when we get home.”
I gave her hip a squeeze and started to back away but stopped when Shiloh’s gaze came to mine. Even looking into her eyes through the mirror the pastel blue sparkled. One day she’d give those pretty eyes to my daughter. One day I’d watch her give to our children everything her parents never gave to her.
“If we weren’t already late I’d take you back to bed and show you how happy you make me.” Shiloh dropped her left hand and found mine at her hip. Once she had her fingers twined with mine she continued, “Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for breaking down the walls and not letting me rebuild them. Thank you for loving me.”
I swallowed the blockage that had formed in my throat and pulled her closer.
“You’re welcome, baby.”
“No one else would’ve ever been able to do it. Just you. Every day—I’ll show you how much I love you every single day. I promise every day to show you how thankful I am you never gave up on us.”
My eyes drifted closed and I let my future wife’s promise sink deep, and I did this with the platinum band inlaid with diamonds I’d slipped on her finger digging into my fingers.
32
Logan Haines
“Rolling Rock,” I ordered.
The cute brunette behind the makeshift bar flashed me a broad, flirty grin.
“Sure thing, darlin’.”
The woman pulled a bottle from the bucket of ice, popped the top, and placed it in front of me making sure I got a good look at her cleavage between the popped buttons of her white blouse. I took a moment to take in the sight that stirred not a damn thing. Not even a twitch of appreciation.
What the hell is wrong with me?
“Thanks.” I placed a tip next to my beer and lifted the bottle.
The next smile she gave me was one of understanding—I wasn’t interested. Which was a damn shame.
I turned to face the crowd of well-wishers. As weddings went, Drake and Liberty had done it right. No muss, no fuss. Just family and close friends. The ceremony had been short and simple, the party afterward the main focus. A big celebration.
My gaze scanned the happy faces and immediately I found Lauren. She was holding Shiloh’s left hand, staring at her ring and smiling. That was Lauren; always smiling, always happy, always upbeat and so goddamn chirpy. She was also seriously pretty in a girl-next-door way. If the girl next door had a rockin’ body, double Ds, a smile that warmed from the inside out, and a voice that was cheery and playful. A voice that made a man want to worship her body just to hear her moan his name.
I was about to look away when Guy came up beside Lauren and put his arm around her. Fucking dipshit. Without my permission my jaw clenched and I forced myself to watch the couple. Lauren went stiff before she relaxed. What she didn’t do was slide her arm