Chapter 49 The Langfield Brothers #2
The event tonight has been nothing short of a success. Josie is in the center of the dance floor with Beckett’s two older daughters, the three of them spinning in their pink dresses, having the time of their lives.
Vivi is at home with a sitter, but it’s hard not to picture her out there with them in a few years. Fuck, the thought makes my throat go tight.
The crowd tonight is made up of pro hockey and baseball players, their dates, and the who’s who of Boston here to help us raise money to support children fighting cancer.
We donate to research as well, but tonight’s purpose is to raise funds for the extras that insurance doesn’t cover.
The special days that kids with cancer often miss out on.
When Josie was in the hospital, Sara and Ava brought cupcakes and movies and board games to the hospital on Sundays.
Before Ava met her, she’d sometimes go days without visitors, and she’s talked openly about how such simple offerings brightened her day and made it a little easier to stay optimistic, to continue to fight.
Since then, Beckett has bankrolled all kinds of upgrades to the facilities at the local hospital, including a movie theater and monthly events, like bringing in musicians to play for the kids. But this event is for a national fund that will allow us to do the same around the country.
My big brother may be a grumpy bastard sometimes, but there’s a huge heart hidden behind that facade.
If I told him how proud I am of him, it’d totally go to his head, so I keep those thoughts to myself.
“Beckett did good,” Millie murmurs, echoing my thoughts.
I kiss her forehead and inhale her scent. “And this is a wonderful excuse to get my beautiful wife pressed up against me.”
She snorts. “My dad is right there.”
I don’t doubt that my best friend is shooting daggers at me as I pull his daughter even closer. She’s my wife now. He’ll have to get over it. “Like that’s ever stopped you before.”
Her eyes glaze over with lust and she sucks in a breath. “You are a bad influence.”
“Not as bad as you, Peaches.” I nuzzle her neck and nip at her ear. “Admit it, you’re wet right now.”
When she sucks on her bottom lip, I groan, determined to come up with an excuse to sneak out of here with her.
“Oh,” she says, her pouty lips parting.
I turn, guiding her with me so I can get a look at what she sees.
All I find is the table we just left, where Sienna is chatting with Beckett and Liv and Noah.
When I don’t see anything out of the ordinary, I turn back, assuming the little gasp must be in response to an idea that came to mind.
“You have a dirty thought you want to share?” It’s not unlike my wife to randomly come up with challenges for me that involve making her come, and I’m down for any suggestion.
Pregnancy hormones have been very good to the both of us.
She giggles. “No, Coach. Head out of the gutter. Did you see the way your sister was looking at Noah? I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile like that.” She nods to the table again.
Fuck. So much for getting laid. As all my excitement drains, I keep my focus on my wife. I’m still hard, so the last thing I want to do is look at my sister.
“Gavin,” she reprimands when I don’t immediately reply.
With a grunt, I adjust myself discreetly. Then I turn, following her instructions.
Noah’s chair is turned so he’s facing Sienna rather than the table, and he’s hovering close, whispering in her ear.
Her eyes light up, and as she tosses her head back and laughs, she clutches his arm.
What the fuck?
“They look so happy,” Millie muses. “Look at her. She’s glowing.”
My gut sinks. Sure enough, my sister’s smile is brighter than any I’ve seen since she was a carefree little girl. Shit. Does Sienna like Noah?
Beckett
“So Ollie’s more of a baseball fan, then?”
I rub slow circles on my wife’s bare shoulder, relishing the warmth of her skin.
She’s a fucking dream in the deep pink dress Sienna designed for her.
The silky fabric is ruched just below her breasts, putting her delicious cleavage on display.
It flows out from there, camouflaging the attributes my wife seems to think are less than perfect.
Every inch of her makes me weak in the knees, but I don’t mind knowing I’m the only one who gets to see the soft skin beneath the dress.
And I’m the only one who knows how her body feels beneath my palms as I hold her and take her from behind.
I’m just glad she didn’t force herself into a stupid contraption before slipping the dress on to hide those curves. She’s comfortable and gorgeous, and it’s all thanks to my sister.
Noah gives Sienna a quick assessment, wearing a small smirk like he thinks he’s getting one over on me. He hasn’t stopped looking at her like that all night. It’s the same way he watched her at the T-ball tournament last week. The man is smitten. As he should be.
“Yeah, he fell in love with baseball when Hannah worked for the Revs.” He runs a hand over his mouth. “He loves watching me play, but he doesn’t have any interest in doing it himself.”
Sienna places her hand on his wrist and squeezes.
She doesn’t even realize she’s doing it.
Like it’s a natural move. It takes a lot of fucking energy to hide how giddy that makes me.
With as often as she touches him like that, discreetly but with familiarity, I don’t know how my other brothers have missed it.
“I think it has more to do with how much hockey steals you away from him.”
Noah shrugs. “Probably.”
“Get him around Addie for a few days, and he’ll want to live on the ice,” Livy says. “I swear that girl would wear her goalie mask to school if we’d let her.”
I nod, shifting closer to her. “Yeah, our Little One is going to break some NHL records, I bet.”
Noah breaks into an easy grin. “That’d be awesome. I can’t wait to watch.”
I like the guy. He’s obviously a dedicated father.
He’s a great hockey player. And he’s always respectful in interviews.
And though I didn’t know him all that well until recently, he’s been around a long time.
He and Brooks lived together in college, so if he had any dark secrets or problematic personality traits lingering beneath the surface, I’m certain we would have seen them long ago.
But with this guy, it’s always seemed like what we see is what we get.
Aside from the secret he and Sienna share, of course.
But I’ll let them have it. She seems genuinely happy when he’s around, and considering all she’s lost and how hard the last year and a half has been, I’ll do anything to keep that smile on her face.
I went with her suggestion, seating Noah with us so Ezra could get a better feel for him. But our GM disappeared after entrees were served, and he’s been sitting at the bar talking up the bartender for the last hour, so I think it’s safe to move onto my plan for the night.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to take my wife out onto the dance floor. See how this gorgeous dress looks while I’m spinning her around.”
Scoffing, Liv bats at my chest. “Shut up.”
With a kiss to her shoulder, I push to my feet and hold out a hand to my wife. “Come on, Livy. Don’t make me beg.”
She looks up at me with those big, beautiful brown eyes of hers, and I swear my heart climbs into my throat. I’m so goddamn in love with this woman. “Okay, Bossman. Show me your moves.”
With my wife’s hand in mine, I turn back to the table. “Hey, Noah, mind taking my sister out on the dance floor? Don’t want her to be stuck watching us all night.”
With a whispered Beckett, Liv nudges me and gives me a warning look.
But my plan is already working, because Noah and Sienna are both blinking rapidly, like they’ve been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar.
I chuckle to myself. This is going to be too good.
Noah recovers first, clearing his throat and adjusting his tie. “Uh, of course.” He turns to my sister, his cheeks going red. “You wanna dance? I promise I only have one left foot.”
Sienna peers up at me, her expression uncertain, before turning back to him, unable to meet his eye. “Only if you actually want to. Don’t let my brother bully you into dancing with me. I’m fine on my own.”
“I’d love to dance.” He holds his hand up. “Scout’s honor.”
Her cheeks go rosy as she breaks into a bashful smile. “Okay.”
My wife drags me to the dance floor, so I miss the rest of the beautiful interaction. She squeezes my hand hard and whisper-hisses, “You promised.”
I press a kiss to my wife’s cheek, and she softens immediately, just like I knew she would. “Look at them, Livy.”
She doesn’t take the bait. She just glares at me.
I don’t lie to my wife. Ever. So I tell her the complete truth.
“You are the love of my life. And you make me happier than I’ve ever been.
” I rub my hands up and down her arms. “I just want that for my sister. I want her to wake up every day feeling like she’s won the lottery.
Feeling like because Noah exists in this world, she knows true love.
Because that’s how I feel every damn day with you.
Marrying you, loving you, was the best damn decision I’ve ever made. ”
“Beckett.” That single word is breathless, her eyes wide.
I duck, bringing my lips to hers. “I love you.”
She drapes her arms over my shoulders. “I love you too, baby.”
“Forgive me?”
“Always.”
Every word is true. Even six years later, I still sit in awe of this woman. Sometimes I can’t believe she’s my wife.
As we slowly spin, I spot my sister with her head tipped back and her arms looped around Noah’s neck, with a sneaky smile on her lips.
She thinks she’s gotten one over on me.
I don’t even care, because Noah is staring back at her with a look of complete adoration. My sister deserves what Livy and I have. And if I was a betting man, I’d put all my money on Noah Harrison being the one to give it to her.