Chapter 18
AVA
I used to dread attending film industry functions when I was married to Luther. The stuffy, snobby, shallow chitchat with executives, investors, producers, directors, and celebrities had often done my head in. The snooty glares and upturned noses from people when they’d found out I was a cop had been draining. I’d avoided cameras and the spotlight. But going to events with Cole and the band had completely changed my opinion. Now, I liked to be seen...with Cole. I couldn’t wait to be styled and dressed, pampered, and glammed up for an evening of fun. At every lunch or dinner, Cole was always determined to transform the occasion into a sexy, flirty, and often steamy affair, full of laughs.
He talked dirty, fucked dirty, and liked to get dirty when we went for a run through the hills or worked out in the home gym, or after he’d had a session on the drums. There was something about his sexy smile, his hot body covered in sweat, and his laid-back swagger that drove me crazy. Every day we grew closer, fell more in love, and made our life together better.
I’d grown comfortable and confident in our relationship. I never wanted to lose what we had.
After spending most of the day with Tia, Maddy, and Sutton in our hotel suite, getting our hair and makeup done for tonight’s Grammy Awards, I slipped into my long, maroon beaded gown. The plunging neckline was daring and bold but elegant and sexy. Some days I missed my simple security uniform and heavy flat boots, and carrying a concealed weapon or two, but today was not one of those days.
As Maddy and I sat on the sofa, sipping on champagne, Liliana, our new personal makeup artist and hair stylist, touched up Sutton’s gorgeous smoky eyeshadow and lipstick at the table. Tia stood beside us, swaying from side to side on her feet and rubbing her lower back. She was due to pop in two weeks, but had insisted on coming tonight. FOMO ran in the family.
There was a knock on the door.
“That’s the guys.” April rose to her feet from the desk and made her way over to the door. She opened it, and in strolled the guys in their suave designer dinner suits.
As Cole came toward me, my breath skipped through my lungs and my heartbeat doubled in speed. Every damn time I lay eyes on him. He wore formal attire like it was a second skin. He radiated pure perfection in Armani, Valentino, or Versace. But tonight, he was sex on legs in Dolce and Gabbana, with a black glittery shirt, tie, and pocket square.
Super sexy. Damn hot! I’d be the one instigating the dirty talk tonight.
Cole halted in front of me and held out his hand. I slid my palm into his, and he drew me to my feet.
“Ava?” His green eyes darkened as his gaze raked over the arch of my breasts. He slid his hands around my waist and kissed my lips. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. You’re very handsome too.” I leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “Are you going to keep your hands where I can see them tonight? And your eyes off my boobs? ”
He shook his head. “No fucking way.”
“Good.” I placed my hands on his hips and pulled him forward so our bodies were flush, and my groin pressed against his cock. “I’m gonna need that before the night is out.”
“Hmmm,” he moaned, low and soft. “How about now?”
“Can’t.” I straightened his pocket square, then gave his chest a tap. “We have to go.”
Flint, Lewis, and Slip greeted their ladies with a quick kiss. Whatever Flint whispered in Sutton’s ear made her blush...which she did often.
Slip’s soft murmurs to Maddy left a sexy smile stitched onto her lips.
Lewis sank onto the cushion beside Tia, bent down, and kissed her baby belly, then her cheek. “Hey, Tee. You good? No weird aches or pains? Don’t really want you to go into labor on the red carpet.”
“I’m in constant pain and uncomfortable, but I’m fine.” She ran her hands over her belly. “I’ll let you know if anything changes.”
I loved how close I’d grown to the girls, especially Tia over her pending motherhood and our constant talk about children. It was hard not to love her. Her dirty mouth, quick wit, and sexy banter had her outdoing the guys on many occasions. She was a female version of Cole ... God help us . But the four of us had become inseparable. I spent more time with them than my sister, who was more of a workaholic than me.
Cole played with one of my Cartier dangling earrings he’d given me for Christmas and softened his voice. “Have you called the kids?”
“Yeah. They’re good.” I struggled to contain my smile as images of mayhem at the kitchen table flitted through my mind. “Rex ate Charlotte’s dinner. Josh had a sore stomach after eating twelve chicken nuggets and two slices of pizza. Harper dropped a full bottle of ketchup on the floor, but otherwise, had everything under control. She was about to put the Super Mario movie on for the hundredth time.”
“Sounds like a typical evening.” Chuckling, he leaned in and pressed his lips against my temple.
“Yeah.” I slipped my hands inside his jacket, placed them on his waist, then rubbed them up and down. His silky shirt, cool beneath my touch. “Wish we were there.”
“No. It’s a work and date night.” Fire simmered low in his eyes as he arched one eyebrow. “You’re mine. Harper will be fine.”
“I know. She’s amazing.” Harper was the best nanny I’d ever come across. After a rough start with Maddy over her past relationship with Slip, they too now got along...well, they tolerated each other and were civil. Harper’s involvement with Sloane had eased the friction. They basically lived together in Cole’s guesthouse. I never had to worry about the kids, knowing they were in the best of care. So tonight, I could enjoy the evening with Cole, the band, and the girls.
Working for The Flintlocks had changed my life. It had tested my skills, my patience, and my time-management capabilities, and I’d added new areas of expertise to my resumé. I’d met some incredible people and couldn’t have gotten to this point without April’s and Blake’s help. I was now on a first-name basis with stylists, makeup artists, designers, flight and accommodation specialists, private jet operators, and car service providers across the globe. I’d never envisioned that happening within my lifetime. Yet, here I am .
My old security team was always on-hand when needed. I worked alongside event managers, production crews, and function organizers, executives at the Ashlem Entertainment Group who managed The Flintlocks tour and promotion and marketing campaigns, and the crew at Everhide’s record label. My cell phone had so many contacts in it to cater to the guys’ needs, I was sure it would melt down if I added one more number.
I could give Quill, Sutton and Flint’s wedding planner, a run for his money.
But I was in my element. I loved helping the guys, getting them to places, and ensuring their safety and that everything went off without a hitch. I was ready to step in and deal with any mishap or drama when it arose. But best of all, when it was time to enjoy an outing, I often joined my friends. I worked beside them, not from the sidelines.
I had the best of both worlds—work and play. Business and . . . oh, my . . . pleasure!
How had I gotten so lucky? How fortunate was I to find someone as kind, caring, and loving as Cole?
Now I’d found him, I never wanted to let him go.
“Are you ready to walk another red carpet with me, Aves?” Cole’s soft voice hummed in my ear.
“Always.” I entwined my fingers with his and drew him toward the door. “But before April cracks her whip, we’d better get out of here.”
The eight of us headed out of the hotel suite, with April and our security close behind. We slipped into a limousine and were chauffeured to the Dolby Theatre. The short drive was slow. The car queue, long. The waiting crowd of fans and photographers, huge.
After we stepped out of the limousine, Cole took my hand. Our group shuffled along the carpet, smiling and posing for the photographers. The guys weren’t up for any awards tonight, so they could just relax and enjoy themselves. But Flint’s energy skyrocketed when reporters asked him about plans for the next album, and he could finally say new material was in the works.
Oh, it was. Big time .
Over the past few weeks and after several meetings with their executive team, the band, Everhide, and Ashlem had locked in dates. The guys would record after Flint and Sutton’s May wedding and release their first single in November. Promo would roll out across the following months and into the new year, with their next global tour kicking off in September. Their schedule wasn’t rushed, crammed, or pushed to the limit. We’d get to spend a lot of time...together.
Cole kept his cool charm in place as we cruised down the carpet. Lewis and Tia gloated to anyone who asked about the approaching due date of their baby. Slip and Maddy glided along beside us, cracking jokes and posing when needed. There was never a dull moment.
As we reached the main media area, the camera flashes continued to blind me. The hollering reporters and photographers deafened my ears. Production crew and publicists hovered around us like shepherds herding sheep toward the entrance. But every time we had to wait in line to progress along the carpet, one devilish glance from Cole sent a fiery heat through my veins.
He drew flush against my side and smiled against my ear. “Every time you lean forward, I can see your nipples. That’s such a fucking turn-on.”
Shit! I lowered my voice so only he could hear. “The Hollywood tape isn’t sticking to the fabric.” I pressed my breast into his arm, trying to get the stupid tape to re-stick, but it didn’t work. I had some spare stripes in my clutch, but I couldn’t change them in the middle of the red carpet. “As long as it’s only you that sees my tits, I’m okay with that.”
“I want to do more than just see them.” His voice dropped to a dangerous, sexy low. “I want to lick them. Suck them. Fuck them.”
“ Shhhh .” My nipples hardened, itching against my beaded dress. Heat pooled between my thighs and crept into my cheeks. My body had a mind of its own around him. “Later. Behave.” I forced a smile onto my face and turned Cole toward the cameras. We waved, posed, and moved on.
Throughout the ceremony, Cole slid his hand up and down my thigh, inching dangerously close toward my panties. Tease. But each time he gave me a suggestive look, our arms brushed together, he ate something off my plate, or he kissed me, a wave of pure happiness washed over me.
I honestly couldn’t remember a time I’d felt like this before.
By the time we got to the after-party, champagne skipped through my veins and hummed through my soul. As a DJ pumped out the tunes, my friends and I hit the dance floor. Under a sea of disco lights, we laughed and swayed. Cole twirled and spun me ’round. Our bodies drew close, and we dirty-danced up a storm.
“When I get you to our room, I’m going to fuck you on every surface.” Cole growled low in my ear. “Is that okay?”
I ran my fingers up his suit-clad thigh, digging my nails into the fabric. “Will you be slow and gentle? Or rough and dirty?” Okay, maybe I’d had too much to drink...or not.
“Ava?” He tightened his hold around my waist. “Don’t tease.”
I grabbed his ass. “Will there ever be a time when I don’t make you ravenous?”
“I hope not. You fucking do it for me.” He pressed his hardened dick against my crotch. Only the thin layers of fabric stood between us. “You want me to make you come? Here, on the dancefloor?”
My body temperature dialed up ten notches, but I kept my voice calm and collected. “I’m sure you could, but the other guests might get jealous.” Or upset. I didn’t want the security team to haul us out of the room for indecent behavior.
“I don’t want that.” His hands circled my back, my shoulders, my arms. “So, how about the second we leave?”
My breath entwined with his. “We’re staying here in the hotel, so I’m sure we can make it to our room.”
His eyes narrowed into sexy slits. “Or the elevator. Whichever comes first.”
“I know the security team, so turning off the cameras can be arranged.”
“Hmmm.” He rocked his hips against mine again. My core clenched, craving to have more of him. Damn... “I knew I loved you for a reason. But I don’t care who sees us.”
“Me either, but without video evidence would be nice.”
“True. Although...” Sexiness embedded in his grin. “I’d keep a copy if we were filmed.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
I wrapped my hand around his tie and drew him closer. Our lips met. Our tongues teased and touched. Tasting the vodka on his mouth intoxicated me even more. His spicy cologne filled my head with a dizzy high. The music slowed. In the middle of the crowd, our dancing turned from provocative sexiness into a gentle sway. Our friends shuffled nearby. I slid my hands beneath Cole’s jacket, ran them around his waist, and pressed them against his back. My heart beat in time with his.
This was nice. No . . . this was perfect .
Cole cupped my neck. Kissed me. Held me close.
Every touch was soft. Sexy. Seductive.
“I love you,” he whispered against my mouth.
Could the night get any more superb? We’d laughed. We’d had fun. When I was with him, there was no one else in the room. He only had eyes for me.
I was his. He was mine.
Butterflies fluttered low in my belly. Warmth spread across my chest. There was only one thing that could make our relationship better. I’d never thought this day would come, yet...here it was.
Everything felt right. Aligned. Clear.
I touched my lips to his, then smiled from the bottom of my heart. “Ask me.”
“Ask you? What?” Confusion flitted across his eyes. “Would you like to sit down?”
“No.”
“Would you like another drink?”
“No.”
“You want to get out of here?” Hope shimmered in his eyes.
“No. Not yet.” My tone softened with seriousness. “Cole? . . . Ask me.”
His mouth quirked at one corner. “You want something to eat?”
“No . . . wait . . . yes, but later.”
“Then I’m not sure what you want me to say?” But then...he paused. His lips parted a fraction, and his eyes widened. He sucked in a slow breath that shuddered through his chest. His heartbeat quickened beneath my touch. He knew what I meant, but he shook his head like he had no clue. His gaze softened. A small smile touched his lips. “We have two amazing kids. You love your job. The guys and I are working on the next album...We live together. What more could you possibly want?”
“Cole...don’t be an asshole.” I yanked on his tie—a gentle but decent jerk.
He caught my hand and held it against his heart, drew me close, but a pinch formed between his brows. “A guy can only take so much rejection. You’ve said no to me many times.”
Shit . . . really? Crap . . . I had. “Are you serious?”
“No.” He grinned, running his thumb across the back of my hand in soft, swirling strokes. My past refusals hadn’t put him off. Thank goodness. “But are you sure? ”
“Yes. I am.”
“So am I. I have been since the first time I asked you to move in.” He drew my hand to his mouth and kissed my fingers. Fire, love, and warmth flared in his eyes. “Ava, I have no ring. Have nothing prepared. It’s too crowded to get down on one knee. I wish our kids were here to be part of this, because fuck...I love you and them so much. So...in the middle of this room full of friends, colleagues, and people I have never met in my life, I would like to ask you one question. With my hand on my heart and giving you all that I am...Ava Matthews, will you please ...marry me?”
Tears prickled my eyes. My heart swelled, filling my chest so much my boobs nearly popped out of my dress. My cheeks hurt from breaking out into the biggest of smiles. “Yes, Cole Tanner. I would love to marry you.”
He raised his arms into the air, pumped his fists, and hollered, “Fuck yes!”
Grabbing me around the waist, he lifted me, spun around on the spot twice, then lowered me back onto my feet.
Laughing, I brushed my fingertips down his cheek. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Aves. Woohoo!” he cheered, then kissed me.
Flint stopped dancing with Sutton and slapped Cole on the shoulder. “What’s up?”
“I proposed, and she said yes.” Cole hugged him sideways. “We’re going to get married.”
“Argh! Congratulations.” Sutton flung her arms around my shoulders, and we jumped up and down. Our other friends joined our celebrations.
The news spread like wildfire around the room. A few minutes later, the DJ bellowed into his mic, “Well, folks, it all happens at the after-party. The word is out, so let’s be the first to wish the very best to Cole Tanner and Ava Matthews. They just got engaged. Whoa! Alright! Yeah! Someone grab those two some champagne, and let’s celebrate.”
As music blared, people hugged and congratulated us. By the time we made it to our table, a waiter had brought us a bottle of champagne and had filled several glasses.
My heartbeat and head hadn’t come down from cloud nine.
I’d found the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
My friends and I took a flute each—Slip grabbed a water—and we chinked our glasses together.
“To Ava.” Cole raised his glass to me. “Life works in mysterious ways. It brought me Charlotte, Josh, and you. We’ve become a family, one that I will love and cherish forever. You’re a Flintlock, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together. Cheers.”
“I look forward to kicking your ass forever more.” I nudged my elbow against his ribs. “But most of all, I want to love you every day. Love our children. Follow our dreams and be happy.”
“Cheers to that.” Maddy tapped her glass against mine, then downed a sip of her drink. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I took a decent mouthful of my champagne, savoring the sweet, cold bubbles as they tingled on my tongue.
I would always be grateful these people had come into my life...and for Cole.
For him, being a decent, kind, and loving man.
I cuddled into his side. He draped his arm around my back, held me close, and kissed me on the cheek. My heart doubled in size.
I’d found love. Happiness. A home.
This was true love. Family.
After the hell I’d been through, I deserved to be happy.
This was my happily ever after.