by Ciara Shayee
Grace squeaked and squeezed her friend in another tight hug, her excitement reminiscent of a sugar-fuelled Marley. “I’m so happy for us, Indie!”
“Me too, Grace. I love you.”
Grace’s baby-blues twinkled. Indie thought she saw mischief, but it was gone before she could be sure. “I love you, too. Go on then; you freshen up, and we’ll have a dance when you get back.”
Indie was only too happy to seek some peace and quiet in their suite on the fourth floor. If she’d paused for a moment, she might have seen the smug, hopeful smirk on her friend’s face.
Holding the skirt of her dress so as not to trip or tear it, Indie snuck away from the ballroom. The elevator ride to the fourth floor was blessedly short with no interruptions. Letting herself into the room with the muted click of the lock engaging behind her, she sighed and leaned back against the cool wooden door to soak in the silence.
Until it wasn’t silent anymore
The soft sound of movement reached her ears; her eyes flew open. The living area was a few meters ahead, though the wall separating it from the kitchen prevented her from seeing who, exactly, was in the room with her. Before Indie could consider running, before her heart could take off at a frightened gallop, she heard a muttered curse in her favourite accent. Stifling a smile by catching her lower lip gently between her teeth, Indie stepped further into the suite and paused at the entrance to the living area.
Her eyes roamed over the room, lit only by the stars and the moon. She quickly found him.
Smooth, tanned skin rippled over the muscles of a strong back as he shed his shirt and tossed it over his shoulder, not caring where it landed. Indie’s eyes followed the movement of sinewy arms as they reached up, his long fingers raking through chocolate curls highlighted with copper. Warmth curled in her stomach as her eyes ate up the view of the broad shoulders and fit physique of the man before her.
Moving so swiftly and quietly that he didn’t hear her approach, she reached out with her fingertips to trace a slightly raised, jagged pink line. It stretched five inches around his side from his abs to his lower-back and put a displeased frown on Indie’s face. Though her touch was feather-soft, he startled and spun, hands shooting out to grip her upper-arms.
“Cazzo, Pie!” Laker gasped with wide eyes, tightly pursed lips betraying his shock. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Sorry for startling you,” she whispered, suddenly ashamed of herself for creeping up on him while he was undressing. Mortification pinked her cheeks and chest.
“It’s okay.” His face softened as his hands loosened to caress rather than restrain. A shiver rippled through Indie’s body as his fingers skated down; over her bare arms, then back up to tease the edges of her satin sleeves. “Are you cold?”
“No,” she sighed happily, letting her eyes drift shut as he stroked her arms.
Laker didn’t bother hiding the glee on his face when she closed her eyes and leaned into him. It wasn’t the first time, but each time she demonstrated how much she trusted him by letting her guard down in his presence put him on cloud nine.
It helped that he was still buzzing from his new title. Daddy. He played Marley’s voice calling him ‘Daddy’ over and over in his mind.
It would never get old.
Unable to help himself, Laker lifted one hand and skimmed his fingertips over the apple of Indie’s cheek before sliding them into her hair. In return, she gently caressed the scar where the bullet had torn his skin a year and a half ago.
The wound was long healed, though sudden, loud bangs still startled Laker at times.
“Stop worrying. It doesn’t hurt.”
“I see you wincing and rubbing it sometimes. Don’t lie to me.”
Laker wore a boyish scowl, but it fell away when Indie opened her eyes and smiled wryly at him a few moments later. “Why didn’t you say anything if you’ve seen me doing that?”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Touché,” he grinned, chuckling.
Slowly but surely, the air around them began to heat, crackling with the intensity of their locked eyes. With his hands cradling hers, their wrists pressed together, he could feel her ever-increasing heart rate against his skin. Worried that he wouldn’t be able to contain himself after such a wonderful day, and with emotions still running high, Laker forced himself to release her and step away. He could feel her eyes on him as he picked up a fresh white dress shirt and pulled it on, his black bow-tie hanging loose against his bare chest.
“Did you want me to stay up here with you, or are you heading back down to the party?” he asked softly in an attempt to stop himself from saying something else.
Three little words he was desperate to say, but even more desperate to hear.
“I’m not sure…” Indie answered hesitantly from behind him.
“You’re not sure you want me to stay, or you’re not sure you’re going back down?”
“Both.”
Concealing his wince was difficult, but Laker just about managed as he turned while buttoning his shirt. When it became obvious that he was struggling with the tiny buttons, Indie stepped towards him and reached out, gently pushing his trembling hands out of the way to slowly press each button through its corresponding hole.
“Are you all right?”
“F-fine,” he stuttered. Berating himself as his throat burned with the effort it took to hold in the speech he’d been rehearsing for weeks. Months, actually.
To distract himself, he used his hands to map the dress Indie had poured herself into. The satin was soft and smooth under his exploring fingers. The look of wonder on his face as he rested one palm at the small of her back, right below that tease of a bow where the large expanse of exposed skin met the top of her behind, reminded Indie of the boy she’d once known. Back when they were both younger—both untainted by the world and its darkness.
The ruched material gave way as Laker trailed his free hand round and down to her hip, pulling her gently toward him just as she threaded the last button. Smiling shyly up at him, Indie rested one hand on his forearm while the other moved to cradle his short, neatly trimmed beard.
“What’s wrong? Don’t lie to me, Laker. I know there’s something going on in that head of yours.”
At five-four, back in her ballet flats having ditched the painful heels, Indie was almost a foot shorter than Laker—but he wouldn’t dare deny her at this moment. She felt oddly powerful and it showed in the steely glint of her eyes. He readied himself for whichever way she might take his words, hating that he had to protect his heart so strongly against this beautiful woman who wielded so much power over its every beat. He couldn’t afford to be naïve.
There was every chance she’d reject him. It was a terrifying possibility, but the chance was there and frighteningly likely, however much he wanted to hope otherwise.
Inhaling deeply, Laker cast his eyes around the room to prolong the time before everything changed—one way or another, they wouldn’t be leaving this room the same people.
Four floors above the ground and facing out over the Eastbourne seafront, the only sources of light to illuminate the suite were the bright moon and its blanket of stars reflecting back off the ocean. Far off planets blinked in the distance and combined with their moon-shaped lantern to cast a pair of shadows across the lush, cream carpet. Memories of the past year and a half filtered behind Laker’s eyelids in a poignant reel; memories of this beautiful woman showing him everything from her physical scars to her emotional ones. He remembered pictures the FBI showed them of the house where she’d spent her years of captivity with Grace—and later, given birth to Marley. He’d seen photos of the country roads they’d traversed when they finally escaped; the beginning of the desolate days when her depression worsened.
He’d seen all those things…but he’d also seen her since.
Memories of sunny days on Eastbourne beach with all the usual suspects, plus Marley, Bodhi, Carl-Roman, and Chase…
Of ra
iny days indoors playing board games and the kids’ first snow angels on the driveways in front of Reagan and Peter’s driveways…
Of watching Bodhi clap and laugh with delight as he took his first steps towards his first birthday cake back in August, the precious moment recorded to be watched over and over, forever…
It had been a magical year and a half. The very best.
Laker had discovered what it truly meant to embrace life and live it to its fullest—and that was all because of Indie, Marley, and Bodhi.
Returning his gaze to the woman he loved more than life itself, Laker realised she’d been staring up at him with her head cocked slightly to one side. Her expression was earnest as she waited for him to unload his troubles.
It’s now or never, McKinley, Laker told himself firmly.
“Indie, I need to tell you something, but I don’t know how you’re going to take it,” he began cautiously.
“I’m listening.”
He sighed, leaning his face into her palm with a quiet hum and a tiny, lopsided smile. “You always are, right?” With her amused nod, he continued, blowing out a long breath. “Pie, I…cazzo, this is harder than I thought it would be.”
“Laker, you can tell me anything, okay? Anything. You know I won’t judge you or think badly of you. Jesus, after everything that’s just happened I can’t believe you’re even struggling to trust me right now.”
Laker’s face momentarily lit up at the reminder of what he’d always think of as the most magical moments of his life. Hearing Marley call him ‘Daddy’ and knowing that she and Bodhi would call him that from now on…it was incredible. Indescribable—everything he’d imagined and more.
“I know, I know.” The cracked window nearby bade entry to a weak breeze, the air swirling Indie’s curls before resting them against her shoulders. In the dim light of the waxing moon, her chocolate brown locks seemed to glow and her eyes were reminiscent of the most beautiful tropical ocean.
Unable to help himself, Laker leaned forward and rested their foreheads together, their eyes just an inch apart as he breathed her in and reminded himself that he’d done this first part before.
“Indie, I love you. You know that. But I—” He bit his tongue, pausing. “I’ve loved you for a long time now, and I promised you that I wouldn’t push for you to feel anything for me in return. I just…you’ve enchanted me, Pie. I didn’t mean for this to happen and I don’t know what this will turn into, or even if it will turn into anything, but I can’t just wait and not know, especially not now…you know, with Little Sweet and Tesoro…” he trailed off, knowing Indie had caught on when her lips curled up into a beautiful half-smile.
“You’ve told me that you love me before. Why are you so nervous now?”
Laker gulped. “Because that’s not all I have to say. Pie, I know I promised I’d wait for you to decide what you want, but…is there any chance, any chance at all, that you’ve thought about it since then and might be able to put an impatient man out of his misery?”
As Laker’s heart pounded a rapid tattoo, he felt the first sprigs of hope blooming in his chest. Her smile didn’t fall, and she didn’t push away from him.
In fact, her smile widened and he felt her hold on him growing slightly tighter.
“Laker, do you know how much my babies mean to me? How much I love them?”
“Of course! You love those babies to death, I know you do. Those kids are everything—to you and to me.”
Indie’s lips twitched, her eyes crinkling at the edges. “So, then it shouldn’t come as any surprise to you that I couldn’t trust just anyone with them.” She exhaled breathily, her body relaxing against his. “Do you really think I’d let Marley call you ‘Daddy’ if I didn’t trust you completely? Do you think I’d let her and Bodhi get this attached to a man if I didn’t love with all my heart?”
“Pie, I—” He stopped. His brows furrowed into a tight frown. “Does—” He paused again, unable to speak through his throat. It was suddenly very tight. “Did you just say…”
Her small smile transformed into a fully-fledged, ear-to-ear grin as an almost delirious little giggle burst from between her lips. “Laker, I love you.”
For the longest moment, Laker’s mind froze and stuck on Indie’s words.
He couldn’t spare any attention for the glinting ocean beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows behind her, the star-spangled sky above, or the moon glistening pearly white like a beacon. His fingers trembled against the soft satin of her dress, the fine tendrils of her hair hanging down from her up-do almost hypnotising.
It was sensory overload in the best way. Laker’s heart thundered in his chest, desperately trying to work its way from his chest to get closer to the beautiful young woman in front of him.
My Pie, he thought tenderly, his adoring gaze roaming over her face. He could barely see the shell of a woman he’d pulled from the flaming Montana motel room. That frightened girl was gone; a courageous young woman standing strong in her place.
She’d become his best friend and the woman he’d grown to love with all of his heart.
“Laker…”
His eyes found hers. They were brimming with tears, her cheeks rosy pink and dotted with light freckles. Indie’s lips twitched upwards and sent a jolt to his heart.
“I’m sorry…”
Before Laker could panic, she inhaled a deep breath then released a year’s worth of explanations and thoughts in one long tirade.
“I’m sorry I waited this long to tell you. I’m sorry I couldn’t just be brave enough, but I wanted to make sure. I mean, I think I’ve known for…well, months, actually.” She blew out a breath, her lips twisted in a wry half-smile. “You’re kind of hard not to love, you know?”
Laker’s grin bordered on painful. “I’m kinda glad about that.”
“I guess I also wanted to be sure that you were sure. That sounds really dumb, I know, but…I had to be sure you weren’t just here and being so lovely because of obligation or something. I know Archie asked you to come to Montana with Dad and Uncle Pete.”
Memories of that day, that phone call from Archie asking him to go and support Reagan and Peter, were easy to come by. Laker regarded it as one of the most important days of his life. If he’d said ‘no,’ his life would be very different now. For as long as he lived, Laker would never forget that conversation.
The conversation that brought him to his heart.
“He did ask, and I did do it for him,” Laker admitted softly. “But when we got home, I thought about leaving a hundred times at first. Not because I didn’t want to be with you, but because I wanted to be with you so damn bad I could barely think straight. I might have come looking for you with your dad and Pete for Archie, but I stayed for you.” His lips twitched, “Well, you, Little Sweet, and Tesoro.”
Indie giggled, wearing her soft mamma-smile; the one that only ever appeared when she was thinking about her babies.
“Indie Ashby—Pie—I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone. You’re it for me, you and those babies.”
“I’m sort of a mess sometimes, you know? I don’t have my shit together, I’m almost twenty-three, and I still live with my dad and my kids, I have no job, no real education…I make mistakes all the time, and I’m stubborn to a fault. I’m no catch.”
Laker reached up to cup her face, letting his thumb caress the apple of her cheek, his pinky finger lightly tickling the soft skin behind her ear. “I just want you, that’s it. All your mistakes, smiles, giggles, tears, and laughter…everything. I just want you—oomph.”
She threw herself at him without warning, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face in the juncture between his shoulder and neck. His pulse thrummed against her forehead, grounding her. She sucked in a shaky breath and exhaled the three words she wanted to shout from the rooftops.
“I love you.”
A shiver rippled down Laker’s spine, goosebumps rising over his skin as he squeezed her tight. “I lo
ve you, too. I love you so damn much.”
Pulling back slightly and sliding down Laker’s body so her feet rested flat against the floor once more, Indie smiled shyly. She felt a rush of heat spreading through her veins upon realising where Laker’s eyes were focused.
Her tongue instinctively darted out to wet her lips; she watched as his minty green eyes darkened to jade.
“Laker?”
“Yeah?”
She shivered, nervous but sure.
I want this. I deserve this—I deserve to have this experience without fear or nerves. “Kiss me.”
It felt as though time ceased to pass, the world stopped spinning, and the air was sucked from the room. “Are…are you s-sure?”
Smiling at the adorableness of this man, so strong and confident in most ways but apparently nervous in this, Indie removed the last few inches of space between their faces. Her chest brushed against his as she adjusted her hands to rest on his shoulders. Her hand slid down to rest right over the spot where she’d resided for far longer than she realised; his heart thumped hard beneath her palm.
“I’ve never been surer of anything.”
Laker shuddered with restraint. The air crackled around them as he adjusted his stance slightly, tilting his head toward her. Their foreheads touched as he sought her gaze—mint meeting their beloved cerulean. Emotions that neither of them could identify, but both felt, swam within glassy eyes. For the briefest of moments, Laker spotted a hint of fear in Indie’s gaze; the urge to flee.
“Don’t run away. Stay with me. Please,” he pleaded in a murmur. “You don’t have to run from me.”
Exhaling, she nodded with just a tiny dip of her head. “I trust you…I love you,” she amended.
Their breath mingled in the small amount of space separating their faces, hands soaking in body heat while their hearts beat in tandem. Heavy anticipation saturated the lavish suite.
Laker barely managed to restrain himself from mauling Indie as he slowly bent his knees just a little, gently tilting her face up to his. Despite the fact that this moment had been months in the making, he couldn’t relax. Not yet. Not until…