Roman (Raleigh Raptors #2) - Samantha Whiskey Page 0,85

trembled around the piece of paper I held.

I looked out on the crowd of people—family and friends dressed in their finest—sitting atop white chairs that were gathered in perfect rows in the gardens. The warm summer sky was clear above us, and the sun kissed my bare back as I stood at the altar across from Roman.

“House,” I continued with my vows. “But I’d always make him marry me first.” I laughed a teary laugh, and Roman smiled down at me, the memory showing in his eyes.

“I never had to beg that hard, though,” I said, grinning up at him. “And I wonder if it’s because even then, all those years ago, our hearts knew. Our souls knew. That we’d end up right here, just as we were supposed to be.”

Roman visibly swallowed, water lining his eyes.

“You’ve always been my heart, Roman Padilla,” I said, folding the paper and focusing entirely on him. “And I promise to take care of you, through ups and downs, fumbles and TDs.” The crowd laughed again, and Roman begrudgingly rolled his eyes as he shook his head. “I promise to love you unconditionally and wholly. No matter what.”

“Roman,” the officiate said, motioning to Roman.

“You’re right, T,” he said, launching into his own vows. “You didn’t have to beg me to play that game.”

I swallowed hard, my heart soaring for this moment, this day.

“Because the moment I saw you, I knew you were special. I knew there would never be another person so perfect for me. Never be another person who could make me laugh like you did, or get me into as much trouble as you did.” Another round of laughter, followed by a chiding look from his mother at me. “And we have a boxful of plastic rings to prove how insanely in love I was with you.” He cleared his throat. “You kept accepting them,” he said. “And wearing them so proudly. All throughout our years.” He slid the wedding band onto my finger. “And now—decades later—I can finally afford a real ring.”

I choked on a laugh, swiping at the tears underneath my eyes before I slid his wedding band on his finger.

“I’ll love you forever,” he said. “No matter what,” he echoed my earlier sentiment.

“Roman Padilla, you may now kiss the bride,” the officiate said the traditional words, and Roman gently tugged me toward him.

His lips lightly grazed over mine as his hands snaked around my back, tilting me slightly to get a deeper kiss.

The crowd disappeared, the officiate, everything faded as Roman claimed my mouth.

My heart.

My soul.

“Get a room!” Hendrix teasingly yelled, and the crowd laughed as we jolted out of the kiss. Roman righted us, and we smiled at our friends and family.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the officiate said. “I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Padilla!”

I grinned up at Roman as he led us down the aisle, thinking those words were the most beautiful I’d ever heard in my entire life.

And I couldn’t wait to hear them over and over again…

Forever.

THE END

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AXEL Chapter One

“Are you settling in?” I asked my brother as I pulled into the airport. At least it was the smaller, regional airport, so I didn’t have to deal with Stockholm traffic.

“Stop worrying,” Tage practically growled into the phone, which sent the sound vibrating through my Rover’s speakers.

The shiny black four-door piece of exquisite machinery was the first “just-because” money I’d spent on myself. Ever.

“I’m your brother. It’s my job to worry,” I reminded him. That’s all I did when it came to Tage. Worry. How the hell could I not when he’d been my responsibility since I was sixteen?

“Normal brothers get each other drunk.”

Normal brothers didn’t lose both their parents in car accidents.

“Tell me you’re not drinking. You know your coach is going—”

“Relax, Axel. I’m not drinking. Just giving you hell. I was, however, sleeping off a hellish morning practice.”

“I still wish you’d enrolled full time at Luleå.” I pulled up to the gate and