by Amber Malloy
“There’s no way I’m the first woman you’ve met who’s not interested in the Flintstones’ guide to relationships.” Lexi snorted.
“Not what I meant. Sheesh.” He blew out a ragged breath and shoved a loose curl away from his face. “I should have been straight and told you I wanted an exclusive relationship instead of tiptoeing around the subject. I didn’t have any right to interfere with you and your company.”
“Which you apparently did again.” Lexi nodded at the office building behind her.
“Only to fix my initial fuck-up. I thought I would have to pull out every trick, but Frank and I had a two-hour conversation about his time in Vietnam.”
“And during this ‘bro chat’ you just happened to mention Josh’s plans if he got control of the company,” she pushed.
“His college ties to private contractors overseas may have come up. I honestly can’t remember.”
No words passed between them as they stared one another down. The few weeks they had been apart, she’d missed him terribly, but felt her neediness was one more character flaw she would have to address.
“Anyway, this might be a little late in coming, but do you want to be exclusive?”
The ridiculous amount of cuteness in front of Lexi tugged at her heart strings. She shyly smiled at the big man holding a puppy and nodded her head.
“There’s not a chance you’ll break up with me after recess, will you?”
The nervousness that had gripped her from the time she woke up until the board meeting finally dissipated within her laughter. “Depends on where you take me for lunch.”
“Well, in that case, do you want to road trip with me to Canada to celebrate your win?”
Shocked that she’d forgotten about the playoffs, Lexi’s covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, Hawk, I’m sorry. How bad was it?”
“We managed to keep up until game five, then the rest of the series was pretty tragic.”
Feeling bad about his loss, she drew her lips down into a pout.
“We’ll get them next year.” He stepped closer to her. “Now what do you say about Canada?”
“Hmm-m.” She nodded toward the puppy. “May I?”
“Yeah, but you have to give her back.”
While he passed the puppy over, Lexi did a little dance in place. “What’s her name?” Bright blue eyes stared back at her as she grabbed the cutie and nuzzled their noses together.
“Haven’t picked one yet.”
She studied her closely. The furry black-and-white beauty tilted her big head to the side. “How about Storm from X-Men?”
“That’s too on the nose. We’ll split the difference and call her Stormy.”
“That’s sort of pornish, but okay.” Lexi lifted her higher above her head. “Hey, Stormy, I’m going to make you love me.”
Lowering his head, Hawk grabbed her by the waist and kissed her. Hard and sweet, he moved his lush mouth against Lexi’s. The puppy struggled to work her way into their lip lock. “Trust me,” he murmured when he pulled away from her lips. “That won’t be hard.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Three months later
They had bumped around Canada for a month, then settled at his house. It was a work in progress. A million things on it still needed to be done, but nevertheless it was the closest thing he had to a real home.
Patiently he waited for Lexi to take Stormy out. Hawk counted to ten before he jumped out of the bed.
Less than four years before, he’d bought an acre on Knox’s family’s land. Construction on his house had been slow going but they were almost done. Hurrying to grab the champagne flutes out of the closet that he’d stashed there an hour ago, he set them on the nightstand. The third step on the stairs alerted him that his time was up. Dammit, Stormy! The runt usually took much longer to explore her territory, but apparently time wasn’t on his side.
When he had showed up to SugarTech’s offices three months before, he’d been willing to beg her to take him back. He couldn’t remember ever chasing after anyone, but their blow-up had made him realize how good they were together.
Of course, the girlfriend bar was super low in that area, but she made him happy. Not that he needed Lexington Waters to make him happy, but there was no one on this earth he would rather be happy with.
Hawk pulled opened his nightstand drawer and dug under his infinite number of T-shirts. He popped the diamond into his mouth as she pushed the half-cracked door open.
“She didn’t want to get off the porch.” Lexi put the fat furball on the floor.
Hawk admired the way his college jersey fell to the middle of her milk chocolate legs. She pushed her glasses farther onto her face and nudged the ridiculously cute pup with her foot.
Nervous, he tucked the ring inside of his cheek.
“What’s this?” Lexi accepted the bubbly drink from him before she bounced on the bed.
“Celebration.” He tried not to choke. “Our anniversary.”
“Three whole months, eh?” She snorted. “That’s Canadian speak.” Lexi tucked her legs underneath her and winked at him when he handed her a full flute.
“We’ve been together a year, but we finally got our shit together three months ago.”
“I’ll drink to that.” She clinked her glass into his and raised it to his lips. He gently covered the mouth of her flute.
“That’s not the toast.”
“Oh, okay.” She rolled her hand, signaling for him to wrap it up.
“Shit,” he hissed. What did he know about anything romantic? Shoving his hair back, he settled on the first thing that came to mind. “Marry me.”
Lexi opened her eyes wide in shock. They never discussed it before, and he didn’t even know if she wanted to get married again.
“Whaaa—?”
“The new season is coming up, I leave for camp in a couple of days, and…” He swallowed this hard lump in his throat and hoped it wasn’t the ring.
The silence that encompassed the room felt all-consuming. Of course, Stormy picked that moment to whine. Instead of answering him, Lexi turned around and picked the little cock blocker up from the floor. It felt like an hour had passed since he’d blurted out his word salad of a proposal.
“That was a lot,” she admitted, clutching the puppy to her chest. “So you want to marry me because you’re going off to camp?” Squinting her big, brown eyes at him, her pretty doll face held that analytical ‘thinky’ expression. His stomach twisted into a bow, then tightened into one hell of a knot.
“No. Shit, I’m bad at this.” He pulled the ring from his mouth. “Because I want to spend a couple of lifetimes loving you.”
“How long did you have that in your mouth?”
“Is that your answer?”
“No. I mean, my answer is ‘yes’.” The ends of her lips curled up, raising her cheeks even higher. Lexi put out her hand. Grateful, he slid the sparkler on her finger. Slipping his hand around the back of her slender neck, he brought her lips closer.
“Cool, you want to do it today?”
“Huh?” She pulled back before he could seal the deal with a kiss.
“It’s just that with the new season starting, I wanted my good luck charm with me.” Feeling he was losing his nerve, he sat up, forcing the sheet to slip off his lap. “Hey, eyes up here.”
Lexi glanced at his groin and licked her lips with a wink. “If you can pull of a wedding today, then I’m all in,” she huffed, falling across his chest.
“For real?”
“My day is free. Why not?” He snatched her little body up to his lips, kissing her whole face. Mad to be left out of the fun, Stormy hopped up and down on the bed, puppy barking her displeasure.
“Are the courts even open today?”
“No.” He stood up, tugging the sheet from underneath her to wrap it around his body.
“Hey!”
“Sorry,” he chuckled. He crossed the room, then opened the bay window.
“What
did she say?” Andre yelled. Hawk’s whole gang stood outside of the house, waiting for Lexi’s answer. They’d promised they would arrive a little past dawn, and they’d actually kept their word. Of course, it didn’t help that Andre held a sign that read, ‘Say no’.”
“You’re a real shithead, Dre,” he yelled down.
Lexi jumped off the bed to join him.
“What the hell?” She threw a confused wave at the crew.
“If you’d said no, we were just going to have a barbecue at the house,” he explained, “while I got drunk and pouted for the rest of the day.”
She held up her left hand, showing off her ring. “Let’s throw a wedding!”
As everyone cheered, he flicked off Andre, who dug into his pocket and passed over a roll of bills to his wife.
Knox had built a house on the farm next to his parents. Once they combined the land, there was enough left over for four more homes and a baby golf course. Since Hawk considered the Knoxes his family, he’d bought the neighboring lot to be closer to them. Not only did Lexi love their bond, but the property was a sight to behold.
The guys were pressuring Andre to join their trifecta to make it complete and buy an acre. She didn’t think they’d convinced him…yet.
After working through the initial shock of Hawk’s proposal, Lexi had been whisked to Remy and Knox’s Tudor home. It was designed in a fairytale manner that the family used for summers and Christmas holidays.
While she got glam for an impromptu wedding, the women flitted all around her. Lashonda had brought several dresses for her to choose from. After she picked one, they’d quickly tailored the gown to fit her.
Lexi had never had a wedding before. When she’d gotten hitched to that treacherous leech, they had gone down to the courthouse for one of those quickie numbers. No family or friends, and the whole thing had been over in less than ten minutes.
Holding Remy’s brand-spanking-new baby girl in her arms, Lexi cooed at her as the stylist curled sexy waves in her hair. Everything had been planned to a type-A degree. There was nothing for her to do but sit back and let everyone take care of her, “or be slapped silly”, which had been Remy’s exact words. Nails, hair and makeup technicians waved their fairy wands around her to make everything perfect.
Once she’d finished dressing, classical music played over the PA system. Lexi downed the rest of her mimosa before she took her spot at the back of the wedding party.
The Knox family had decorated their backyard with millions of candles and exotic flowers. A million may have been a smidge of an exaggeration, but it really did seem like a magical fire hazard.
How a wedding had been assembled in such a short amount of time she had no idea. Yet, she’d never been happier in her life.
The sun slipped under the horizon, coloring the world in brilliant purple hues. At the end of the aisle, Hawk stood in the white gazebo waiting for her. James Bond had nothing on this man. His tux fit his muscled body impeccably. He’d pulled his long waves into a bun.
Hawthorne Maze was hot as hell.
“Glad you two finally got your shit together.” Moe met her at the French doors.
“Pops!” She nearly melted at the sight of her old man. She threw her arms around him and held him close.
“Amazing.” He pulled back to admire her dress. Lexi had chosen a sleek, beaded 1920’s sweetheart bodice that hugged her body all the way to the floor.
The music changed from a recorded selection of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air to live blues. Recognizing the arrangement of Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World right away, she peeked outside. Pops’ band had assembled on a stage not too far away from the gazebo. “Dad, did—” Stuck in the muck of her own drama, she hadn’t put much thought into the next few minutes of her life, let alone her future. “Hawk asked you for my hand?”
“A while back.” Moe chuckled. “Never thought he’d seal the deal this quick. Hawk’s usually the ‘beat around the bush’ sort.”
“Pretty much,” she muttered.
“Well, shall we?” He offered his arm. Lexi slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow as they set off down the aisle.
Nothing could steal her attention from Hawk. His tawny skin glowed under the remaining rays of the sun. Mesmerized by the sexy-ass man in front of her, she almost missed her father kissing her cheek and leaving them alone.
“Wow,” he said. His warm hazel eyes softened when she took his hands.
As the magistrate read their vows, she burst into a peal of church giggles that couldn’t be controlled. “What?” he whispered, arching his eyebrow.
“I’m just happy.”
“Yeah?”
“Uh-huh.” She nodded, holding in a snort. “I’m happy I didn’t fire you.”
Getting lost in a world of their own, they both giggled at the irony of it all.
Chapter Thirty-Five
They had moved the wedding party to the back of Knox’s childhood home for the reception—a whimsical setup that incorporated nature seamlessly in their theme. The fir trees along the property were twinkling with lights, while floating candles covered the sky. Fire hazard once again crossed her mind, but she got lost in the dreamlike quality of the day. Honestly, she couldn’t have planned it better herself.
Most of the old-timers had headed off to the hotel after they’d cut one of the six cakes that layered the table. The wives and Hawk’s teammates had stuck around, enjoying the bar and crazy popular DJ late into the night.
Ting, ting, ting. Knox tapped his fork against his glass. “Best man here wants to make a toast.” Relaxed and laid back, all the men had taken off their suit coats. A lot of oily, hard muscles rivaled the glare of the candles that burned well into the night.
“Wait,” Andre said. “First, I’m going to need that DJ to dip his ass on out of that booth.”
“He’s a top ten DJ,” Hawk groaned.
“Yeah, well, he’s playing shit.” Andre shimmied his ass over to the booth.
“Leave him alone and sit your ass down,” Hawk demanded.
Hawk was more chill than she’d ever seen him, and Lexi didn’t want to change the trajectory of the day. Draped on her Hulk of a man’s lap, she placed her wineglass down on the table next to her and sat up. Rubbing her hands together, she was all set to solve their first martial problem.
“Dre,” she yelled. “DJ Boom.”
The kid’s rigid stance told her he was ready to go to blows with Andre. The guy looked no older than an eighth grader.
“Yell out which one you prefer…Champagne Supernova or Wonderwall?”
Andre scrunched his face up. “Wonderwall,” he cried, throwing his hands up.
“Clearly Supernova,” the DJ replied.
“Dre,” the crew yelled.
“Traitor.” Hawk nibbled on her ear.
“Now can I toast?” Knox huffed. His wife patted her husband’s back with her free hand as she rocked the baby to sleep. Considering she’d pushed out a seven-pound human being less than a month before, Remy appeared every bit a Mother Earth goddess. Gloriously perfect in their silver gowns, her bridesmaids struck one hell of a stylish pose.
“To my best friend, Hawk.” He raised his glass. “I love you like a brother and I never thought you would find someone who could be any sort of match for you. Lexi, you make our gang complete. Dahl and Bane, you are the sweetest of us all, whether you want to admit that or not.” He mentioned the couple who sat near the edge of the lawn. “Of course, me and Remy are the sexiest.”
“Damn right,” Remy cosigned him, to drunk laughter.
“And you two are the cool ones. All our partners are the halves we needed, and I’m just happy you guys found each other to make it complete… Congratulations.”
“Congratulations,” everyone followed.
“Hey, what about me and Shonda?” Andre yelled.
“Damn, man, I was trying to keep it sweet, but—”
“Crazy!” Hawk screamed back. “You two are the fre
aking crazies.”
“Nooo,” Lashonda yelled, while searching the faces of everyone left in the crowd. “Okay, whatever.” She waved them off.
“Thanks.” Hawk turned toward Lexi, nuzzling the crook of her neck.
“For?” Wrapping her hand into his curls that had escaped his bun, she pulled him closer to kiss the edge of his lips.
“Accepting this makeshift family, me—and most of all for being you,” he murmured. Even though she was immersed in the soft feel of his lips, his words finally caught up with her dreamy state of mind.
“Crap!” She pulled away from Hawk, frantically looking around the yard. “Time! Does anyone have the time?”
“Five a.m.,” someone called out.
Lexi swung her legs off him and stood. She walked to the end of the lawn that had a good view of the road between the properties.
“Babe?” Hawk called behind her.
The sky had turned a fire orange from the sun rising. Lexi had missed its initial arrival.
“Ah, promise you won’t be mad.” The houses were located off a dirt road. If anyone came toward the property, she would be able to see them.
“Today you have an unlimited pass.” He wrapped his arms around her body.
“Good, because I found your birth dad and he’s supposed to be coming, like soon.”
“Here?” Suddenly weightless, Hawk picked her up when he flipped her around to be nose-to-nose with him. “When?”
“Um, this morning. I meant to tell you yesterday, but then we got married and the day got away from me…” Lexi petered off as a myriad of expressions changed his handsome face. Confusion seemed to be the main one he settled upon before she continued. “Since I didn’t know how open you would be to the whole thing, I asked Knox to talk to him…with me.”
Hoping she would receive an assist from Hawk’s best friend, she looked over his shoulder, scanning the yard. Knox was nowhere in sight. Her eyes landed on Remy. “Baby brain.”
“That doesn’t apply for men!” Hawk hollered.
“Dads go through it too, you know.”