Epilogue #2
The fact he proposed with her mother’s ring and had gone to all of her loved ones for approval . . . not to mention the video montage, T-shirt, and candles—could the man be any more perfect?
“They’ll love you,” he rasped, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, an easy smile resting on his lips. “And you just distracted me, didn’t you?”
She looked to the ceiling and gave him an innocent shrug. He leaned closer to set his mouth to hers, and she relaxed her thighs at the feel of his hand somehow sliding up between her legs despite the snug fit of the material of her dress.
“No panties? Again? Don’t you remember how that turned out for you last time you pulled that stunt?”
“Yes, I do. And I’m planning on a repeat performance,” she whispered as he feathered his finger along her seam. When he stopped, she let out a tiny groan and said, “You’re killing me, Roman.”
“What do you think you’re doing to me right now?” With his free hand, he placed her palm to the impressive bulge he was sporting in his black jeans.
Harper had convinced him to wear his “club best” tonight to match her ensemble.
For him, that meant black jeans and a crisp white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows.
The gorgeous two-toned gold Tudor watch she’d saved up to buy him proudly displayed on his wrist. He’d protested the price tag but finally relented.
It wasn’t his typical Teamguy watch, so he’d save it for special occasions.
Having him wear something she bought him made her happy, though.
But that watch was now hidden beneath the table where he held her hand on his groin.
The trident pendant that meant the world to her was currently hidden beneath the neckline of her sleeveless black dress, a daring choice she’d expected him to veto.
She blamed London and Paris, Roman’s sisters, for picking it out when they’d shopped earlier, hitting up 5th Avenue.
The woman at the store had called it a “bandage mock neck dress,” but Harper was sure she misspoke.
The thing was so tight she felt as if she were wearing some type of bondage device.
Not that she knew anything about bondage devices.
My brother will flipping die when he sees you in that, London had said, sipping champagne while Harper modeled the dress for them.
A slit ran down the middle from the neckline to the midriff with strappy details cutting sideways.
Her nude heels with an ankle strap had been Paris’s choice to complete the look.
And he’ll kill any man who looks at her in that. You sure this is a good idea? Paris had asked with concern.
But Harper went with the dress and shoes anyway. And when she’d walked into the living room modeling it before leaving for the club, Roman had been at a loss for words.
He’d mumbled a few gruff curses before brushing past her to go to the bedroom, then returned a few seconds later with a few of her gold bangle bracelets.
Wear these, he’d said with a sexy, playboy smile. This is all you’ll have on later tonight, too.
She smirked at the memory and stifled a gasp of pleasure as he continued to tease her under her dress. And she still had no idea how he’d managed to get his hand past the impenetrable defense of the tighter-than-tight fabric.
Tier One guys. Tactical and strategic. Nothing they couldn’t breach, not even a dress. Although, Roman had no patience for zippers. Not that she minded the fact he couldn’t wait to get her out of her clothes, but it inevitably resulted in a few rips and tears as he ravished her.
“So.” She arched a brow, guiding his eyes back to her face.
“Hey, is that Maddox?”
Both Roman and Harper flinched at the sound of Finn’s voice, and Roman quickly pulled her dress back down and brought his hands to the table.
“Maddox?” Harper swallowed, grateful for the dim lights to hide both her embarrassment and her arousal. But Roman always had her one level: turned on to the max.
“Yeah, the Marine turned tech genius who helps veterans start their own small businesses.” Finn pointed across the club to a man at the bar with a pretty blonde.
“Oh yeah, that’s Michael and Kate,” Roman said.
Harper nudged Roman in the leg, urging him to get up so they could say hi.
“Shit, small world.” Roman stood, discreetly adjusted himself, then helped Harper out of the booth. “Michael’s wife threw a holiday party for us a few years back, and Owen proposed to Samantha that night,” he explained to Harper.
“That was before you joined us,” Finn added. “They’re good friends with Jake Summers. He and Michael served together. And well, hell, Ben Logan, too.”
“Oh, right. Riley’s husband.” Harper was thankful Roman was seeing Dr. Riley Logan via chat once a week to do what he sucked at—open up and talk. But he was trying, and that meant everything to her.
“Last I remembered, they were living in Boston,” Finn said before his gaze zeroed in on a woman with brownish-blonde hair approaching Michael. The woman set a hand to his shoulder and whispered something into his ear.
“And that’s his sister,” Roman pointed out.
“No, that can’t be right.” Finn lowered his drink onto the table, seeming to be upset or worried about something.
“Yeah, that’s Julia Maddox,” Roman reiterated. “I mean, didn’t you meet her at that holiday party? I thought she was there, but maybe not. Why, do you know her from somewhere else?”
Based on Finn’s stunned expression, he wasn’t ready to go to the bar to say hello.
“You okay?” Now Harper was a bit worried for the guy.
“She, um.” Finn lifted his eyes to the ceiling as if lost in thought. “Well, you know that I teach self-defense classes here and there, right? It’s been more frequently since we haven’t been spinning up.”
Roman nodded. “Yeah?”
“Well, she started coming a few weeks ago, but she gave me a different name.” Finn frowned. “Why would she lie about her name? And why would she need self-defense lessons when her brother is Michael Freaking Maddox?”
Michael Freaking Maddox, huh? Yeah, Harper was familiar with the name. He also resembled Henry Cavill, the Superman-version of Henry.
Harper looked over at Julia now reaching for Michael’s wife’s hand, urging her to go out onto the dance floor.
“You think she’s in trouble?” Finn asked, and even with the DJ playing a Rita Ora song at high decibels, Harper detected the worry in his tone. Okay, more like she saw the concern in his eyes.
“I would hope not,” Harper responded before Finn abruptly left them without warning, starting for the bar.
Roman reached for Harper’s hand and they followed him over to where Michael and Kate were now standing and chatting with someone else alongside Julia.
“Hey, I know you two,” Michael said with a smile and stepped forward to greet Finn, then Roman. “You remember Kate. And I think you met my sister, Julia.” He jerked a thumb to the stranger at his side. “And Joe Decker here owns the bar.”
“Let me guess, Army?” Roman asked while shaking Joe’s hand.
“What gave that away?” Decker grinned, his gaze sweeping to Harper, causing Roman to bring her tight to his side.
“My brother,” Harper spoke up. “Do you know him? Jackson Hanover?” She tossed a thumb over her shoulder toward the dance floor.
“We served together,” Decker returned. “And Michael invested in the club.”
Harper looked around to see that Julia and Finn appeared to be deep in conversation, talking ten or so feet away, well out of earshot. Hmmm.
“I heard through the grapevine you two are engaged,” Kate said with a sincere smile. “Congratulations.”
Harper returned her focus to Kate, noticing Michael was now watching Finn and his sister. Brothers. Jeez. “Yes, thank you. My brother is throwing a party here tonight to celebrate.”
Decker twirled a finger in the air as if calling for a helo or about to request shots. She’d assume the latter. “I’m celebrating the club’s five-year anniversary tonight, and you’ve got the engagement . . . I say that calls for tequila. How about some Clase Azul Reposado? It’s amazing.”
“Sounds good to me,” Jackson said, joining them a few seconds later. “I see you finally met my little sister.”
Harper turned to see Finn on approach as her brother helped Joe with the shots. “Everything okay?” she asked Finn.
“Yeah.” Finn smiled and slapped his hands together. “What’d I miss?”
“Well,” Kate began, “Michael and I are here for the weekend without the kids, so I say we pretend like we’re still in our twenties and have these shots Joe’s suggesting.”
“I like the way you think.” Harper eased out of Roman’s touch and joined Kate and Julia at the bar while Joe set up a long line of shot glasses and began filling them.
“So, you work with Dalton?” Julia said in a soft voice, and Harper couldn’t help but smile at the fact Julia reminded her of the actress Emily Blunt, who happened to be married to Finn’s body double, John Krasinski, in real life.
“I do work with him. We call him Finn, though.” But from the sounds of it, he’d introduced himself as Dalton to Julia. “He’s a great guy.”
“He’s nice.” Julia’s tone was so soft Harper barely heard her over the loud, pumping bass now blasting throughout the club.
Mmhm. Just nice, or like real nice? But she’d keep those thoughts to herself.
“Come on, ladies, dance with us.” It was Paris, Roman’s sister tugging on Harper’s arm.
“I guess the shots can wait,” Kate said, and they all followed Paris out to the dance floor.
Not even a minute into the Dua Lipa song Fever did Harper have to wait for Roman to come up behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. But she teased, lifting her head back so he’d hear her, “Took you long enough.”
One year ago, she’d been desperate for this moment, and now here they were . . . Roman’s full arousal pressed against her ass as she rotated her hips, purposely driving him wild.
She reached back and found the nape of his neck and slid her hands up and into his thick hair as they moved.
“You keep dancing like that,” he whispered into her ear, “and we’ll be leaving our party a bit too early.”
“Mm. You just want me in only these bracelets,” she said before he spun her around in one fast movement and planted his hands to her hips, and she was now oblivious to everyone around her. Lost in the moment with this man. This beautiful, incredible, and amazing man.
He kissed her fiercely, neither of them giving a damn their siblings were there. Or that anyone else watched, for that matter.
He set her on fire and let the world know she belonged to him, and damn did she ever . . . and he belonged to her. It’d been a crazy ride, but it’d been theirs. “I love you,” she said against his mouth, then stilled as their song began to play.
“I think I still owe you that dance from last year. Well, in public, at least,” he said, drawing her gaze up to find him peering down at her with love burning in his eyes.
“I think if I dance with you to this song here,” she drawled out, pushing up on her toes to press her mouth to his ear so he’d hear her clearly, “we might put on too much of a show. And I don’t want to share you.
” You’re all mine. She eased back to find his eyes and lifted a brow, doing her best not to completely melt in his arms.
“Maybe later we get in some more baby-making practice?” he whispered, and she nearly had to read his lips as they began slowly moving in place.
“Mm. Later . . . I’m sick of that word. No more later.
” A small smile touched her lips. “They won’t miss us for twenty or so minutes.
We can come back.” She grabbed his hand, but he didn’t budge.
She looked back at him, a bit breathless.
Anxious for him to peel off her dress and plunge deep inside her. “Yeah?”
His brows knitted as he stared deep into her eyes the way only Roman knew how.
“I’ll be needing more than twenty minutes.
” He gathered her into his arms, ignoring everyone around them.
Love swelled deep inside her chest, and every nerve ending in her body lit up as he brought his mouth near hers and whispered, “I’ll be needing forever. ”