Chapter 29
The stereo system is pumping, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree when the boys appear.
Well, definitely not boys. They’re both muscled, deadly, and…
Both of them are men. Spence looks calm.
My brother looks… like he’s been pulling his hair out from the roots.
“Hey,” Spence says casually. “How’s the water?”
I instantly lose my breath. He asked me that before he got in the shower. Those exact words. “Great. Come on in.”
Justice isn’t looking at me. He’s silent, and Rosalie’s chuckling.
“What have you two been up to?” she asks them, but winks at me.
“We were throwing things,” Spence slides into the water, not even caring that he’s in his brIEFS in front of Rosalie.
Oh my god. I’m getting him some swim trunks ASAP.
Justice gets in, dipping down into the water up to his neck. He finally meets my eyes. “You okay?”
“Very.”
Spence pulls me onto his lap and I almost faint. “Honey,” I hiss.
He situations me so that I’m across his lap, my back resting against his chest and wraps two brawny arms around me.
Rosalie’s eyes nearly pop out of her head. “Well, I guess you two had a nice time alone?”
“For the love of god,” Justice groans, “Can we not talk about that?”
“What?” I ask, teasing, “You don’t want to hear about decorating the tree, and eating way too much food, and throwing knives, and watching a movie?”
Justice is shaking his head.
Spence chuckles next to my ear. “Don’t tease him too much. He’s pretty good with a hatchet.”
“Pretty good?” My brother scoffs.
“I’m thinking we should all head down there for a match after we kill some of that food? What do you think?” I look around at each of them.
Finally Justice relents. “Okay. Deal.”
And I know, that even though he’s grumpy and protective, that he’s totally onboard with Spence being my… boyfriend?
Rosalie winks as she links her hand with Justice’s. “I can’t wait for the wedding. Where are we going?”
I’m too speechless to answer. But Spence is quick to reply. “Wherever she wants to go. I have a passport and will go anywhere her heart desires.”
New Year’s Eve
The entire Agile Security & Rescue Team is crammed into the kitchen. And when I say crammed, that’s hard to imagine with a kitchen the size of most apartments. But when you have this crew together, it’s a LOT.
That’s not even counting the kids running through the living room with Simona chasing them, shouting in Czech.
Someone whistles. Oh, it’s Beast. He’s 6’6” and Team Falcon’s leader. He yells, “Rally up, people. Grab a dish and head to the table.”
His team snaps to it. As the original Agile team, Cole, Scotch, Andre, and Wolf, the SAS solider, Eli and Beckett all huddle over something on a table in the corner.
“What are you guys up to?” Spence asks, strolling to stand behind them, looking at whatever they’re up to.
There’s laughter and some muttered responses.
“Oh, Jesus,” Spence says, shaking his head. “Hope the fire suppression system is good in this place.”
He grabs my hand and tugs me from the room.
“What are they doing?” I jog to keep up with him as we make our way toward the massive dining area which has been set up to accommodate more than forty people.
“No one should ever trust special ops soldiers with food that involves fire.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.”
He ushers me to a seat at the far end of the table, presumably as far as possible from whatever is going on in the kitchen.
I’m laughing when Spence pulls out my chair, scoots it in for me and takes a seat next to me.
The entire dining room is chaos. Men joking, laughing too loud for polite company. Their gals shaking their heads or having conversations while they banter back and forth.
Justice even looks happy. Including when he glances over and sees me leaning against Spence shoulder. What he can’t see is my hand on my boyfriend’s thigh below the table or the way I’m creeping my fingers toward the danger zone.
Spence grabs by wrist. “Trouble maker.”
“I just like messing with you.”
He leans in, putting his mouth next to my ear. “Careful, it’s been almost eight hours since I had you wrapped around me.”
I give him a flirty looks. “Poor baby.”
His eyes drop to my breasts. “I like this dress,” he murmurs.
“I’m already imagining what you’re going to do with it,” I whisper, then sit back in my seat, primly folding my hands in my lap while his breathing gets faster.
I’m about to tease him some more when my eyes nearly pop out of my head. “Oh my goodness!”
A rolling cart is being pushed toward the table with a flaming something on top. And the flames are HUGE.
Spence is laughing, holding his gut. “You should see your eyes.”
“Is that safe?”
“Ta da!” Scotch does a Vanna White presentation. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Agile Security & Rescue Version of Saganaki.”
I look at Spence. “Is that safe?”
Then I see one of the wives, Willow, following behind with a giant fire extinguisher.
“Looks like she’s got things under control.”
There are no more fires, thankfully.
The meal is amazing, flaming cheese and all. But I get a little worried when Spence stands up and clears his throat. He’s got a glass of wine in his hand, lifted into the air.
“I’d like to make a toast,” he says with a strange tone. “To my family, the Agile Family. Here’s to success in every operation you pursue. Your mission of making me feel at home is complete.”
He glances down at me, smiling.
I reach for his other hand, lacing my fingers between his. But I’m not expecting him to tug me up until I’m standing next to him.
He lifts his glass again. “Here’s to the year ahead and to the next wedding. Hopefully ours. If she says, yes.”
I’m officially gaping at him when he drops to a knee.
“I don’t have a ring because, well… we’ve been busy here.”
There’s a lot of laughter, but I’m not laughing. I can barely stay upright. My heart has taken over my entire body.
These hours with Spencer McCallister have been fast. It’s definitely been wild. I’m definitely all in.
“Will your marry me, Liberty Cruze?”
“Yes!” I launch myself into his arms.
The dining room erupts with cheers so loud the alarm goes off and every light in the dining room turns on bright enough to burn retinas.
I’m off my feet a split second later, the bright lights whirring by as Spence spins me around.
“I love you, honey,” he says kissing me hotly. “I’ll ask again when I buy your diamond.”
“You don’t have to—”
He drops me to my feet, taking my face in his hands. “I want to, Liberty. I’ll ask you a thousand times if I can see that smile again.”