36. Epilogue
Two months later “Aren’t you glad we didn’t elope?” Rowan pulled Adalyn close as the band started another slow song.
She smiled up at him, completely glowing. Her long auburn hair was down and she had little white flowers woven all throughout it, courtesy of her sister. She’d decided on an ivory-colored dress that he was desperate to take off of her. “I actually am. I thought this was going to be a nightmare but Darcy really is magic.”
Darcy Alexander, wedding planner extraordinaire and wife of Brooks, one of the founders of Redemption Harbor Security, had pulled together what Adalyn had called a “lavish cocktail party with dancing” in a historic venue in the Lower Garden District. Now that they lived in New Orleans running the newest branch of Redemption Harbor Security, it made sense that they had their wedding here.
The ballroom had detailed herringbone floors, Italian chandeliers overhead, huge arches, gas lanterns, and some of the walls were reclaimed brick. Everything was open, historic and, okay, magical.
But those were details he didn’t care much about compared to getting his wife out of her dress. Just a simple zipper down her back and she’d be naked. Or mostly naked. He wasn’t sure if she had any undergarments on.
“And I’m really glad we did it this way so my aunt could still come.” A brief shadow flickered in her green eyes, but the sadness was quickly banished when she glanced over and saw her aunt talking animatedly to one of the guests.
“She’s certainly having a good time,” he murmured, laughing lightly when he saw her tugging one of his friends onto the dance floor.
“No doubt. And I think the dogs have stolen the show,” she murmured, continuing with a little chin nod to where Gumbo, Pumpkin and C-4 were sitting with the array of their friends’ kids—while Skye and Colt supervised the dogs—and getting a ridiculous amount of pets and attention. And probably too many treats.
Gumbo’s tongue was hanging out, her tail waving wildly as she watched them dance, and Rowan swore their dog was smiling at them. “Oh yeah, no doubt. I think ours is ready to go though.”
“You’re just saying that because you want to go.” She shook her head slightly, her grin wide even as she waved at Gumbo.
Aaand Gumbo lifted a paw in response. Because of course she did. Whoever had let that dog go was a fool because she was the sweetest, smartest, best dog ever.
“Are you naked under your dress?” he asked suddenly because he needed to know.
She blinked up at him, then let out a loud laugh. “You’ll just have to find out later, won’t you.”
Oh, he was definitely going to find out. “How long do we have to stay here, wife?”
Her green eyes sparked with heat, but followed with a bit of mischief. “I love when you call me wife,” she murmured, her voice going all raspy. But then she grinned. “And since you insisted on this giant affair, we’re staying until the very end.”
“We’re only getting married once. I didn’t want you to have regrets.” So he’d gone overboard, inviting practically everyone they knew, which had turned out to be a lot more people than he’d realized. Not to mention his family was there, along with her sister and aunt.
“Damn right.” She tightened her grip on him and oh god, they needed to leave ASAP.
They’d done their vows and eaten cake. It was time to roll out and get naked.
“Maybe we can leave a little early,” she whispered. “But I’m getting more cake before we go.”
He laughed at the expression on her face. “I just hope one day you look at me the same way that you look at cake.”
Her laugh was loud and wonderful and infused him straight to his soul. One of his goals in life was to make her laugh every day. He’d even put it in his vows. Because his Adalyn needed laughter in her life, needed to know that she wasn’t alone. And so far today he was kicking ass in the laughter department.
“Maybe we can lather you up in buttercream later and I’ll get the best of both worlds,” she whispered.
Now he laughed and crushed his mouth to hers, because how could he not. The woman he’d once thought had walked away from him and his team without a backward glance was everything he hadn’t realized he’d wanted. Needed. She was a fierce warrior who, once she decided you were part of her crew, that was it.
And their adventure was just beginning.Thank you so much for reading Fighting for Adalyn.