do you look so happy?” Annie asks, planting a hand on her hip.
I tear my gaze away from her teasing face to take her in, from her purple-painted toenails to her long legs to the curve of her hips, the dip of her waist, and the valley between her breasts, all outlined by the tidy black dress.
It should be cute.
It’s not. It makes me want to drag her against me and do unspeakable things to her.
“Because you’re marrying me.”
Her eyes darken, and she tucks a piece of the hair she finished curling in our huge en suite bathroom an hour ago behind her ear. “But I can’t find my phone, and how the hell am I supposed to buzz people up?”
“I’ll call it in a second. We’ll find it.”
I back her toward the windows, and her eyes widen. “Tyler, we have guests arriving any minute.”
“You already lost the phone. Can’t buzz them up. Let’s call it off.”
Her back meets the window, and she sucks in a breath.
I drop my mouth to her neck, loving her soft floral scent and the way she arches, offering up more of her—all of her.
I’ll devour every inch.
“We can’t call it off,” she pants even though her fingers thread into my hair. “It’s our engagement-previews-housewarming party.”
“Fuck it. They’ll just bring booze and say how happy they are for us. I can tell you how happy I am for us.”
My hand sneaks under the hem of her dress and under the scrap of lace she calls panties.
“You’re so wet,” I tell her as if she doesn’t know. “How long have you been like this?”
“Since you walked out wearing that shirt I bought you.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I like knowing I get to dress you. You’re like my own broody rock star Ken doll.”
I sink two fingers into her in retaliation, and she moans, squirming.
“We’ll have lots of time for that when we’re married,” Annie protests, but I know she’s joking because her hips lift to meet every stroke of my hand.
I glance at the clock. “We have at least ten minutes.”
Annie’s lips curve. “Well, in that case.”
I fuck her against the floor-to-ceiling windows.
I will never, ever get tired of her sounds, the way she feels around me.
This woman owns me.
She’s built me up, made me more than I thought I could be.
And everything I am, everything I will ever be, I’d give it to her.
I didn’t think it was possible to love another person the way I love her, but she’s shown me giving your heart can be worth it if you give it to the right person.
When we finish, we clean up quickly and track down her phone before our guests start arriving.
“This building is beautiful, Annie. I swear the entire thing is windows. And you!” Haley gushes as we open the door to the hallway, Sophie bounding beside her. Jax has the baby carrier in his arms.
“You’re glowing,” Haley goes on as she steps inside.
Annie’s face goes red. “Thanks.” She passes me the huge flower arrangement Haley gives her. “Can you take these to the dining room?”
“Sure.” But I can’t resist brushing my lips over her ear. “I love that now you’re blushing when I was inside you ten minutes ago against those windows.”
And as I head for the kitchen without waiting for her response, I love that I’ll be inside her tonight after everyone goes home, that I’m the one who gets to make this beautiful, strong woman soft.
Over the next hour, everyone filters in and mingles around our new apartment.
Elle’s here, plus Rae, plus Pen, and Beck. Elle catches us up on her stand-up performances and the news that she’s made it to the third round of a nationwide comic breakout competition. Rae’s been DJ-ing in New York and Miami but made sure she could be here for our party.
Even Beck’s sister, Serena, came since she lives in New York, with her boyfriend, Wes.
“Holy shit,” Wes states, unselfconscious as he takes in the views. “How big is this place?”
“Two thousand square feet,” I supply.
“My bedroom could fit in your bathroom,” Rae deadpans.
Annie doesn’t feel badly in the slightest. “Hey, that was my bedroom,” she points out to the woman who took over her spot in Elle’s apartment when Annie moved out.
“This is what Broadway money buys you,” Beck jokes. “And you’ve only started previews for the show.”
In reality, a good part of our income is from my royalties, including the new album that’s set to drop next week and is the best music I’ve