Chapter 43
CARLIE
The ache in my chest at the sight of this man strung out and desperate for me is a new high I’ll never tire of.
I wander backward into the bathroom. Spinning back, I pad to the vanity, catching my reflection as my skin meets the cool surface.
Lawson crowds me from behind, his hard length digging into my ass as he folds me in his arms and meets my gaze in the mirror.
“God, I fucking love you,” he growls dipping his mouth to my neck.
“Show me just how much,” I whisper.
My legs are nudged apart by his knees.
His hold releases, and one hand wraps my long hair around a tight fist, the other wraps around my throat, tilting my head back.
He lines his cock with my soaked entrance.
“You want me to show you how much I love you, Princess?”
“Yes.”
My head is tugged back a little further.
“Every inch I give you is a million little ways of how I love you.” He slips inside me, rimming my entrance, stretching me with his tip.
My mouth waters.
I know he was just inside me, but fuck, this is different. I feel coveted. Wanted. His.
I cant my ass, wanting more.
I get another inch.
“Two million ways . . .” he rasps, his voice gravel.
My mouth falls open on a soundless gasp. His teeth find the soft flesh under my ear.
Another inch.
“More,” I whine.
“Greedy little woman, aren’t you. So much for that sassy little mouth. Give you a couple of inches, and you fall apart for it.”
“Fuck you.”
His low, heady chuckle rumbles through both of us.
But I get another inch.
Hell. I want it all. Now.
“Laws, please.”
I’m clawing at his neck, my arms cradling his head as he groans into my ear.
Another inch . . .
“Oh god,” I cry, my pussy clamping down with the first edgy feeling of an orgasm. He withdraws, and the words tumble from my lips, “I fucking hate you.”
He growls at me. The gravel tone sends my body into a frenzy. I buck my hips, wanting everything he can give me.
“You can take it all this way, baby?” His hand tightens around my throat as I nod.
“Good.” He slams all the way in. “Million to infinity. Don’t you ever forget it, Princess.”
“Infinity . . .” The word is a broken plea. A reminder of how deep this thing between us goes. How indestructible his promise to me is. I turn my head, hunting for his mouth. It drops to mine, his kiss searing.
I clamp down around him, my fingers frantically flicking over my clit.
“Not yet,” he rasps. His hand releases my throat for a second as he laces my fingers with his before reapplying our tandem grip around my airway again.
Every thundering thrust has my body shaking. I open my mouth to—
His thumb hooks in the corner of my mouth. I suck it in, and he bites down on the soft flesh where my shoulder meets my neck.
He thrusts deeper.
Oh god. Heat whips through my core, sparks uncoiling as I whimper a string of incoherent profanities.
“Fucking wait,” he growls.
“I—I can’t.”
“Christ, baby.” He grips my hips, slamming up into me as his movements turn sloppy and erratic. I unfold around him, the bliss starting in my core and spreading through every damn limb as wave after wave crashes through me and I come, dragging Lawson’s release along behind mine.
He growls, spilling warmth inside me as his grip on my throat wavers and his face sinks into the crook of my shoulder.
“Sweet Jesus, Carlie, the ways I love you are too many and not enough all at once.”
I roll my head back, letting it rest on his shoulder. “Lucky we have forever to work through every single one, Cowboy.”
“Yeah, lucky.”
Mills looks amazing in her new outfit, which we spent far too many hours to find. She looks full of life once again. Back to her normal, brilliant self. After months of recovery, she’s sprung back like no one else.
Her main motivator? Well, he’s currently waiting in the foyer downstairs with my own.
We have a double date.
The boys, as we have affectionately titled them, have been planning this dinner for two weeks. Apparently. I double-check my own outfit and reapply my lipstick before sliding into my heels.
“You look . . . stunning, sweetheart.” Mills pats my cheek as I turn back to her.
Long dangling silver earrings, almost touching my shoulders, tinkle as I move. My favorite spring dress sways around the tops of my knees.
Millie’s eyes swell with what I’m guessing are happy tears. I really hope they are.
“Mills,” I breathe.
“Look at you, all grown up.” Her head tilts.
I roll my eyes at her. “Very funny, little lady.”
She scrunches up her nose. “I’m so proud of you. You know that, right?”
I suck in a breath and hold it, hesitating before I say, “What’s this all about, Mills?”
She takes my hands in hers. “My life would have turned out so much different if it wasn’t for you.”
“No—”
“Let me finish,” she scolds, and I release a huffy laugh, tears now welling in my own damn eyes.
“This in here.” She presses a palm over my heart.
“You guard it well, and now I know why. It took a little while, but we all figured it out. You hid it well because it’s so stinking big.
The things you will do, the people you have helped .
. . will help. Honey, some angels walk this earth with us, and I’m certain you are one of them. ”
“Mills,” I breathe, a sob slipping out after the syllable.
“Now, no more tears. Two handsome men are waiting on us and I have no plans on disappointing either of them.”
Either of them?
Oh, Mills. I chuckle and sweep my fingers under my eyes to dry my cheeks. This little lady changed my life. She thinks I’m her angel, but she has no idea how much I think the same of her. I would have lived a meager, lifeless, and loveless existence without her.
I truly believe that.
Ten minutes later, the elevator doors ping and we stride from the small space, her arm looped through mine. In unison, Lawson and Henry turn, whatever conversation they’re having stalling as their gazes lock onto us and their faces go slack.
Mills squeezes my upper arm where she grips lightly and whispers, “I have a good feeling about tonight.”
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” I whisper into her ear.
She laughs, the hearty sound sending her head tipping back, her face stretching with the happy motion. We close in on our boys, and Mills extricates herself from my proffered arm, favoring the one Henry crooks for her. “Thank you, my love.”
He beams down at her.
“Geez, Henry, trying to show me up?” Laws chuckles, offering me his arm.
I slide my own through his, pressing into his side as he plants a kiss to my temple.
Henry glances at me before smiling at Millie. “Doubt that will happen tonight, young man.”
What is with all the cryptic bullshit?
“Do we need to order an Uber before they give away our reservation?” I ask Laws.
“Our ride’s already here.”
“Oh. Well, let’s go.”
“Let’s.” Millie walks for the doors, Henry keeping up—almost.
I chuckle a laugh at her. Someone’s hungry.
The double doors glide open, and we spill out onto the sidewalk, right in front of a new grey Chevrolet Colorado sitting by the curb. Lawson opens the front passenger door. “You ride up front with me . . .” He waves a hand, gesturing for me to climb in.
“Laws?” I glance between the luxurious interior and his handsome damn face.
“I’m your driver tonight.”
Millie’s hand presses over her mouth. The little shit is trying not to laugh, I swear.
“This is yours?”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Lawson,” I say, stunned, searching his face. The pickup is impressive. It’s so Lawson.
“Perk of the new job. You’re looking at the newest executive HR recruiter for Goldman Sachs.”
“That’s incredible!” I throw my arms around his neck. “Congratulations, Laws. You deserve it.”
I break away, and he ushers me into the car. With a slap to my ass, he closes the door with a wink and then helps Henry with Millie.
I twist in my seat. “Did you know about this?”
She shrugs in her seat in the spacious back row.
She damn well knew, alright.
I’m happy for Laws—I am—but something doesn’t sit right with his new job. Lawson’s the good guy, he’s the one people go to when they need an ally. He’s the one who fights for the right thing, always.
He’s a people person.
The man himself slides into the driver’s seat as Henry closes his own door. Laws fires up the pickup and slides it into gear. It rumbles, and he sits there for a moment, hands on the wheel, seemingly lost in some sort of trance.
“Young man, I am not getting any younger back here.” Millie’s words have the four of us cracking up.
Laws flicks the turn signal and pulls away from the curb.
And fifteen minutes roll by, along with the city lights of the only home I’ve ever known.
Finally finding a parking spot, Lawson swings the big pickup into the space like he’s been doing it his whole life.
I guess he has.
Maybe it’s true . . . you can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy. Or is it the man out of the mountains?
The little Italian restaurant is lit up. The red and white tables inside are almost full. It’s busy.
My door opens, and Laws extends a hand. “Come on, Princess. I’m starving.”
The memory of our countertop picnic floods back into my mind, but I manage to climb out of the truck and help Mills down.
Once inside, the ma?tre d’ checks our booking before taking us to our table for four. Settling in, I sit beside Lawson as Henry sits in front of me across the table.
“Nope this will not do,” Millie mutters. She pats Henry on the shoulder. “Carlie, honey, take my seat. I want to see this handsome face while I slurp up spaghetti.”
“Seriously, Mills?” I rise and take the spot by Henry. Now I’m facing Laws, and he shoots me a happy smile. These two are adorable. Millie sinks into the seat by Lawson, and Henry reaches across the table, taking both her hands as she sighs and says, “That’s better.”
“Evening, can I take your order? Perhaps start with some drinks?” a waiter in a black-and-white uniform says, his hand poised over his tablet.
“Give us a minute, will you, honey?” Millie pats his arm like he’s her long-lost nephew.
He gives her a forced smile and wanders to another table.
“Actually, I’m not very hungry,” Millie proclaims. “I’ll have the entrée, maybe a small glass of wine.”
She’s picking up the menu, studying like it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
We order and enjoy the world’s silkiest pasta with the most amazing sauce, and then dessert arrives, the richest chocolate lava cake that’s ever been created.
I swear it on my father’s grave. Whenever that blessed event should occur.
Millie’s looking around, like she’s looking for someone or something.
What is up with her tonight?
Henry yawns. “I could turn in early, actually. Long day and all.” The acrid scent of sulfur drifts through the large room.
“What? No, Henry.” I rest a hand on his arm. “Are you feeling okay?”
He tugs at his collar.
“Oh no. You need some water?” I pour the table water into a glass and shove it between his hands. I look for waitstaff, but they all seem to be busy moving around the room to each table, handing out something small before darting to the next.
“Maybe it’s this table. Bad feng shui or something.” He rises, and Millie does the same. I glance back at them, confused.
What is going on here? I stand and help Millie as she shuffles closer to Henry, now heading away from our table.
“Another table sounds good, Henry. I’m not in the mood for company now.”
“Mills, what are you up to?”
Henry guides her to a spot a few tables down. “Whatever you need, my love.”
It’s then I find the waitstaff lined up along the wall, their hands clasped in front of them and smiles on their faces. The house lights dim, and the many lit candles now burn brighter.
I turn, looking around the room. The other patrons have fallen silent as I notice the dozens of candles dotted around the restaurant and on every table. Some patrons are still lighting their table candles frantically.
“Mills, what’s going on?”
She smiles at me, happiness radiating through her gaze as she laces her fingers together in front of her chest.
The restaurant is a buzz of flickering candles, my now laden breaths, and the odd throat clearing. Henry swirls a finger in a stirring motion, telling me to turn around.
I—
My body moves of its own accord. I find nothing at first, then deep blues beaming up at me from . . .
Lawson is kneeling on the floor, on one knee.
Oh fuck.
“Hey, Princess.”
“Hey, Cowboy,” I choke.
“Tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
He smiles up at me, but I can see his chest heaving with every breath, his grip tight on the small velvet box in his hand. He runs a hand through his hair, messing it up a little. The sight takes my breath away.
“Tell me what would make you the happiest in the whole world, and I’ll make it happen.”
“I—” Emotion closes over my throat, but after a heartbeat, I whisper, “You.”
“Well.” He chuckles. “That’s really good to hear, especially since I thought you might want this.” He cracks the box open.
A princess-cut solitaire on white gold sparkles in the candlelight.
Tears spill now, burning their way down my cheeks.
I drop to my knees, taking his hands in mine.
He chuckles again. “You’re supposed to stand for this part, baby.”
I shake my head. “Nope.”
He dots a kiss to my forehead and slides the ring onto my finger.
“Lawson,” I manage. “You forgot—”
“Marry me, Carlie Marie Lamont.”
“That sounds like a statement, not a question, Lawson Rawlins.”
“Yes ma’am.”
I sob a huffy chuckle.
“Sassy Cowboy.”
He tilts his head, raising his eyebrows, as if needing to hear the answer he already knows is coming.
“Yes, of course. Always.”
“Christ, woman. Give a man a heart attack.”
I take his face in my hands, palming his jaw, pulling his mouth to mine.
Cheers break out all over the restaurant. Wolf whistles rip through the air. All of a sudden, the crowd behind us has an accent, straight out of—
“Congratulations, darlin’.” Harry pulls me into a hug as I huff a surprised sound.
Montana . . .
Louisa has Lawson in her hold. And that’s when I see his brothers, Ruby, Addy, and Grace standing behind his parents.
Oh my god.
I spin around when Harry releases me. “Lawson Rawlins, what if I’d said no?”
He chuckles, breaking away from Louisa. A beat later, my face is cradled between his huge, warm hands. “Then I really would have something to atone for.”
I gasp. He remembers that.
This man, my cowboy.
“As if you could ever say no to being my sister-in-law.” Ruby slides an arm around my waist before Lawson releases me to her hug.
Holy hell in a hand basket.
Now tears glide down my face freely.
“Sister, actually. No degrees of separation in this family,” Reed pipes up.
I chuckle and Ruby squeezes me before gravitating to her husband.
“Our last daughter, Harry. What do you think?” Louisa snuggles into Harry’s side.
“I think our last captain has finally found her way home.”
Sister.
Daughter.
Wife.
Lawson wraps around me from behind as I glance at the diamond on my ring finger, whispering, “Welcome to the ranks, Captain.”