Ryan smirked. “I think she’s calling for you, Romeo.”
Me? What the hell? I passed Fliss to Ryan, stood up, and then walked to his sliding glass door. Pushing aside the curtain, I was stopped in my tracks at the sight of Maddie standing on the other side of the railing in a hot-as-hell dress, clutching a bouquet of roses.
I pushed open the sliding glass door and stepped outside. “Maddie? What’s going on?”
Maddie smiled tremulously at me. “Deny thy father, but keep your name. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I’ll continue to be a Roberts.”
“Okay.” I blinked. “I get that it’s a scene from Romeo and Juliet, but I have no freaking clue what’s going on. Do I have lines or something?”
“That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.” She passed the bouquet to me.
“This is like a really screwed up fever dream. What the hell is going on? Can you speak like a normal person?”
Maddie’s lips quivered as she smiled and a world of emotion pooled in her eyes. “Romeo and Juliet is a play about star-crossed lovers who are doomed before they even begin their love affair. Some people—” She turned and I noticed we had an audience collected around the pool made up of both our families. “Some people have said that the two of us being together would be just as disastrous, so I wanted to rewrite the play and give the two of us a happy ending.”
“I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks. I care about what you think.” I reached out and cupped her face in my hand. “I’m so sorry for—”
“No, that’s my line.” Maddie cut me off, her smile quivering. “I’m so sorry for lying to you, Nathan. I should’ve told you everything before it got to the crazy place that it did on the I-5. I should’ve made you my priority. And if you’ll let me, I will now until the end of time.”
My anger leached out of me in the face of her fervent apology. I knew we still had shit to sort out but her words went a long way to healing the pain that’d been nagging at me all week. And I knew what it took to be able to say those words, especially in front of all our family. “Thank you. That means so fucking much to me. I uh, I don’t know what to say.”
“Then let me say it.” Maddie’s eyes glowed with intensity. “I choose you, Nathan. I will always choose you. I love you.”
“Fuck yeah.” I leaned down and kissed her with everything I had, claiming her with my mouth, lips and tongue until we were both breathless while our families cheered from somewhere behind her. Finally I pulled away and gave her a smile. “I love you too. But I still don’t get all this.”
Maddie rolled her eyes. “I know your love language is acts of service, but I couldn’t think of anything that would be enough to make up for all the heartache I’d put you through. And since my love language is words of affirmation and I love literature—although I will literally kill anyone who thinks Romeo and Juliet is a romance—I thought this was cute.”
“Words of affirmation? Love language?” I blinked, so fucking confused. “Are you speaking English or is this still part of the Shakespeare thing?”
“Didn’t Ryan talk to you? He was supposed to tell you about love languages.”
“Yeah, sorry to interrupt.” Ryan stepped out onto the patio, holding his baby. “I didn’t get a chance to tell him, and he was getting pretty pissy so I—”
“Hey Ryan?” I called without looking away from Maddie.
“Yeah?”
“You mind getting the hell out of my makeup scene with my girl here?”
“Yup. No problem.”
I groaned, resting my head against Maddie’s. “Did you seriously have to invite my whole family?”
“This is me claiming you in front of everyone. No forbidden love here. I’m one hundred percent in, and I want everyone to know it.”
“I guess that’s all right. I’m in, too.” And because she looked so fucking gorgeous, I had to kiss her again. And again.
And about five minutes later, Austin shouted. “Do we have to stay here for this part? I’m not down for a floor show. Gah.”
I broke away from Maddie to turn my head and shout back. “Feel free to leave at any time, asshole.”
“Um, you know my parents are here, right?” Maddie buried her face in my chest.
Kim and Greg Roberts peeked out from behind Aunt Wendy and Brian. “Thanks for coming, Mister and Missus Roberts.”
They gave me an awkward wave back.
I turned to Maddie. “How about we take this party back to my place where we can be alone?”
“Parting is such sweet sorrow, so let’s never part again.”
“That at least I understand. I’m here and I’m never letting you go. I love you, Madison Roberts.”
“I love you, Nathan Burns.”
I kissed her with my arms wrapped around her as our family clapped and cheered.
Epilogue
Maddie
One month later
“Nathan!” I yelled as I shoved open his front door. “Nathan?”
“You’re back?” Nathan jogged down the hallway with a huge smile. “So? Don’t keep me in suspense.”
“I got the job!”
Nathan gave a whoop as his arms came around me. The room spun as we twirled around. “I knew it. They’d have been stupid not to hire you, baby. I’m so fucking proud of you.”
The grin that’d been on my face since I’d been offered the job didn’t waver. I could’ve flown across the room if I wanted. I felt so freaking high. I was the new librarian at UC Davis School of Medicine. Me.
I hadn’t waited.
I’d sent out resumes and filled out online applications per my plan. It’d been nail-biting, since I got the ax at my old job. Actually, both Elaine and I had, so no amount of fighting for my job would’ve saved me. The cuts had been deep. Elaine got the boot for being shitty at her job and I was let go since I’d been the last hired.
But I could give Elaine the metaphorical finger, since I’d be making way more money at my new job.
“So where do you want to celebrate?” Nathan asked with a smile.
I raised my eyebrows. “Who says I want to go anywhere to celebrate?”
Nathan’s eyes darkened with his arousal. I’d thought my love language was words of affection, but now that I had time to think about it and after taking an online quiz, apparently it was tied with physical touch. Heh.
Nathan swept me over his shoulder in the fireman’s hold and swung toward the hallway, I think. It was hard to tell, what with the way the room spun. But I loved it. I was giggling and squealing when I heard someone clear their throat behind us.
I lifted my head and peered at Dylan standing in Nathan’s doorway.
“Uh, you guys might wanna close this before you get too busy.” Dylan rubbed the back of his neck uneasily.
Nathan grunted. “Thanks for the tip. Bye now.”
“Wait.” Dylan lifted a hand. “I have something I wanted to talk to you about, Nathan. If it’s not a bad time.”
“It is. Bye now.”
I slapped Nathan’s behind. “Stop. Let me down.”
“Seriously? But we were going to—”
“Now, Nathan.” I snapped.
The room spun around again as Nathan whipped me around to my feet. I took a dizzied step and had to grab Nathan to stay upright. He smirked and slid an arm around my shoulders.
“What’s going on, Dyl?” I asked.
“I uh, it’s shop business, but I uh, had an idea about the receptionist position.”
I bit my lip to hold back my groan. If there was one thing that’d been the toughest hurdle for Nathan to get over, it was me not signing on to fill the receptionist role at the shop. But I’d been adamant. I was a librarian. I had a master’s degree, and I wasn’t ready to take just any job. I’d gotten by the last three weeks on unemployment and my savings. Plus I was saving a ton on rent since I was still floating between my parents’ house and Nathan’s condo.
“Does
the person you want to hire have at least three brain cells?” Nathan asked with a frown.
“Yes. She’s actually pretty smart. She—”
Nathan waved a hand. “Does she want to be an actress or a singer or something?”
“No.” Dylan smiled slightly. “She hates fake people and can’t carry a tune to save her life.”
“Fan-fucking-tastic. She’s hired. Now get the hell outta my living room.” Nathan took two steps to the door, dragging me along with him, and all but shoved Dylan out of the house. The door slammed shut and Nathan twisted the lock with a gleeful expression.
“I guess I’ll tell her she starts Monday?” Dylan shouted through the closed door.
Not that Nathan or I replied.
Because Nathan turned to me with that gleam in his eye.
I squealed and raced down the hallway away from him.
And into his bedroom.
“Ha. You ran right into my trap.” Nathan loomed in the doorway, looking like the villain in a movie.
I rolled my eyes. If anyone had laid a trap, it was me. And I had him right where I wanted him.
Nathan stalked me around the end of the bed then feigned to the left and grabbed me around the waist. He tossed me onto his bed with little effort and I couldn’t hide my glee as my back bounced on his mattress. My smile was so big my cheeks started to ache.
“I am so fucking proud of you. You know that?” Nathan asked as he crawled up the bed to loom over me.
I bit my lip and hitched my shoulder in a shrug. It was still surreal that after all my years of longing and wishing from afar had led to this. To him actually looking at me with all that love in his eyes.
“Don’t do that.” He shook his head slightly. “You deserve every good thing that’s happening for you. Because you’re amazing. And I’m the lucky son of a bitch who gets to call you mine.”
My eyes sheened with tears. “I love you so much.”
Nathan bent down and kissed me with a bruising force. His tongue and lips branded me as his. And then he pulled back and harshly whispered, “Move in with me.”
“Wait. What?” I blinked up at him, lust still fogging my brain.
“Live here. With me.”
“Don’t I already kinda do?”
“Yeah, but I want you here officially and always. No more bouncing back and forth between your parents’ place and here. I want you to live here. Get your mail here. Sleep here.”
“And fuck here?” I asked with a grin.
“Like we’ve ever fucked at your parents’ house. Do I look like a douchebag to you?”
“Well we screwed that one time in Wendy’s bathroom. How’s that any different?”
“It just is, okay? Now answer the damn question.”
“I didn’t hear a question. Sounded like a command to me.” I was big on boundaries now. I’d learned after my time with him that I had to let him know when he was pushing me too much. Like when he commanded me instead of asking me.
Nathan sighed and sat back on his heels. “Fine. Maddie, would you please move in with me? And live and fuck here with me always.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” I grinned back at him.
“Is that a yes?”
“That’s a hell yes!” I grabbed his shirt collar and tugged until he was lying on top of me again. Just how I liked him.
“I love you so fucking much.”
“Love you too.” I kissed him again. “But uh, you know what this means, don’t you?”
“That we’re not Romeo and Juliet?”
“Of course. But also, you’re going to need to rent another moving truck.”
“Should’ve just unloaded all your shit here to start with.”
“Aww.” I grinned up at him mockingly. “There’s all the romance that a girl dreams of hearing.”
“I’ll show you romance.” Nathan growled.
I squealed and tried to wiggle away. But I didn’t try hard.
We both knew I was exactly where I wanted to be.
The End
Acknowledgments
First, I have to thank you, the readers! I don’t have a job without you! I love hearing from you, how excited you are to read my books, and your eagerness for certain characters’ stories. You guys make my day with every email, FB message, and DM! You’re the reason why I do this! Thank you!
To my awesome husband, Dave—Thank you for making my writing a priority. I love you and all the wonderful things you do for me—like wrangling the tiny human and her minion puppy away from my office.
To my kickass crit partner, Amy Isaman—Thank you for all the thoughtful feedback over the phone since the world went insane and we couldn’t meet in person! You always keep me on track and true to my characters. And kick my ass to keep me motivated when I’m struggling. I hope I’m doing my share to keep you on track too.
To Dawn Mangum who was super quick and so thorough with her ninja proofreading skills. Thank you! I am totally buying you lunch next time I’m in town!
To all my amazing author friends! Sasha Devlin, I’m so glad we still talk after all the years and craziness. You have always been the sympathetic ear I’ve needed when I was feeling down. I’d have a lot fewer books published without you in my life! And Stina Lindenblatt. You have been so awesome sharing all your self-published knowledge with me. You’ve given me so much with your friendship—I hope it’s been at least somewhat reciprocated! And Dayna Hart. You were so awesome with your edits! I loved and agreed with all your notes. Thanks for all your hard work!
Also By Gillian Archer
Burns Brothers Series
Build
Fast
Spark
Torque
HRH Series
Reluctantly Royal
True Brothers MC Series
Ruthless
Rebellious
Resilient
Rough Ride
Pleasure Code Series
Wicked Weekend- Temporarily out of print
Up In Knots
Bio
GILLIAN ARCHER has a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering but prefers to spend her time on happily ever after. She writes the kind of stories she loves to read—the hotter the better! When she’s not pounding away on the keyboard, she can be found chasing her little girl, or surfing the couch while indulging in her latest reality TV fixation, or reading awesome romance ebooks by her favorite authors. Gillian Archer lives in the wilds of Nevada with her amazing husband, gorgeous little girl, and goofy dog.
gillianarcher.com
[email protected]
Facebook.com/GillianArcherWrites
Twitter: @gillianarcher
Instagram @gilliarcher
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In case you missed it, read on for an excerpt of
Reluctantly Royal
HRH Series, #1
Out now!
Order your copy here.
Reluctantly Royal Chapter 1
HRH Prince Lucien Alexandre Beauregard Mathieu Greiner
Le Palais Princier
Monaco
I couldn’t recall a time when my brother had summoned me to dinner at the palace with good news. I was doubtful that tonight would be any different.
The fact that he wanted to meet me in the York Room was enough to make my blood run cold. I think I could count the number of times I’d been in that room—all during official functions as a Prince of Monaco—photo ops mostly, when first mon Père and then my brother signed important legislation. The fact that my own brother, the Sovereign Prince, was treating me so formally did not bode well for my evening.
I searched my brain for anything I might’ve done lately that His Royal Highness the Sovereign Prince of Monaco would’ve considered scandalous, but I couldn’t think of a thing. I’d been a good little prince for a change. Although if I was being called to the carpet, I would rather have done some
thing worthwhile to earn it.
As I passed through the Mirror Gallery, I remembered all the times I played in here with my twin brother, Julien, when we were little. The dramatic aesthetic effect of the succeeding mirrors made the room look like a long series of rooms, and at the time each had a pair of identical little boys running around. Mum would pretend to get confused by all the boys in the “fake rooms” and we’d all giggle until we were gasping for air.
Of course, that was after our older brother, Bastien, had been sent to boarding school at Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. Until then, he’d been the leader of our motley crew. Older by two years, Bastien had been the one to instigate most of our hijinks—which was probably why mon Père had shipped him off so young. The person who came back on holiday breaks was not my brother. Bastien had become a pod-person replica of our father, all perfect posture and diction, no longer interested in roughhousing with me and Julien. Childhood over at the age of ten.
Fucking depressing.
Not that mine was much better, but at least Julien and I got to escape to Eton College in Great Britain together, and at the ripe old age of thirteen. I don’t think I would’ve survived those years away from home without Julien.
I had no choice but to survive without him now. My eyes burned at the reminder.
I left the Mirror Gallery, quickly passed through the Red Room, then nodded to the silent servant who pulled open the door to the York Room. Empty. Leave it to His Royal Highness the Sovereign Prince to keep me waiting.
My eyes immediately went to the marble table in the center of the room, where important documents were signed. I wasn’t sure how to feel when I saw it empty. At least if there were papers there, I’d have a clue about what this evening would hold. On the other hand, nothing involving me and papers on that hideous table would be a good thing. Knowing Bastien, he’d probably found a way to suck even more joy out of my existence as the spare.
Torque Page 22