“You have really great friends. I can’t wait to meet everyone from McKenzie Ridge.”
“You already met Blake yesterday. He flew with Ronan and Ryker to bring her back. He’s a good friend. We all go way back, served together and stuff.”
She shook her head. “How did I get so lucky? I know what brought me here is less than desirable, but it’s been so worth it. It’s like it’s piecing my life together for me.”
“Believe me, I would have laughed if you told me I’d be sitting here with a woman I planned to spend my life with who happened to be carrying my child. But…here we are.”
“It’s kismet”
“It’s what?”
“Kismet, fate, meant to be…” she explained.
“Well, whatever it is…I’m all in.”
With tears flowing from an overwhelming sense of joy, Daisy stumbled over her words. “Ugly cry.”
“Ugly cry?” he asked, scooting to the edge of his seat, afraid something was wrong.
“You made me ugly cry,” she sobbed. No one had ever gone to such lengths for her. To think, this moment was so grand, and she’d get a lifetime full of moments just like this. She was an emotional wreck.
With his hand hooked around the back of her neck, Luke pulled her close and kissed her. “I don’t like making you cry, but I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy, darlin’.”
“I knew he was a good one,” came an old, quiet voice.
Daisy gasped and flipped her head. “Gran!”
“Hi, baby.”
Hugging her Gran’s arm, as not to hurt her frail body, she replied, “Hi. Do you need anything? Are you comfortable enough?” Daisy tucked her Gran’s blanket around her a bit tighter and sat at the edge of her seat, ready to do whatever Gran needed her to.
“No, no…I’m fine, honey. I’m just so glad to see ya.” The twinkle in the older woman’s eye reflected just how glad she was.
“Me too, Gran. I’ve missed you.”
“I was worried ‘bout you. All they told me was you were safe and so was I when they took me to that place in the middle of the night.”
“I’m sorry you worried. I wish we could have talked, but it just wasn’t safe. I couldn’t live knowing anything happened to you on my account.”
“It’s okay. We’re back together now. Those boys came back for me. Had another handsome fella with’em. Some handsome doctor too. I thought he’d be lovely for you, but turns out, he’s married. Then I met your Luke and knew you already had a fella. Made for a nice trip here, though.” The older woman shrugged and winked at Luke. “I was hopin’ to see this one again. Had us a nice chat last night.”
“So you’ve already met,” she added, tossing a side-eye glance and smirk at Luke. “I thought you were working.”
“He kept me company for a bit while sweet Carly got things situated for me. He had to carry me to this bed.”
“You having more trouble walking? Has something changed?”
“No, darlin’, my legs are fine. Not worth much, but that’s just my age. Given the muscles on that one, wouldn’t you rather be carried?”
“Gran! Shame on you.”
“At my age, there’s no shame, baby.”
Luke laughed, enjoying Gran’s candor. “Well, I was happy to help.” Luke kissed the older woman’s hand before standing, then kissed Daisy’s head. “I’m going to give you two time to talk and catch up. I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”
Daisy watched Luke leave while Gran watched Daisy, until the sound of the door closing broke the spell.
“Looks like you’re busy for the rest of your life now…”
“Gran…” Daisy blushed.
“He’s a good boy. He don’t know it, but I see it. Back in my day, that’s what we called a keeper, honey.”
“He’s definitely a keeper. It’s only been a handful of months, but so much has happened. I have so much to tell you…”
Carly had returned after Daisy had a nice long visit with her Gran. It was time for Gran to eat and rest – she was tired. She seemed more tired than usual, maybe even smaller as she lay there in her hospital-like bed. She was frail. Time wasn’t on their side, Daisy could feel it. Of course the trip from Iowa couldn’t have been easy on her, despite medical precautions. Time would tell.
She told her Gran about the baby, and the tumultuous start to her and Luke’s relationship. Without too many details, because she didn’t want to worry her, she filled her in on what she was doing there and why she was under the protection of Brother’s Keeper. That seemed to worry her, as expected. When Daisy told her about Luke and all his brothers, cousins, and friends keeping her safe, Gran’s mood softened.
She was thrilled about the baby, and the wedding. There wasn’t a date set, and it was only mentioned days before, but she couldn’t wait to be Luke’s wife. Having Gran there just made it all feel complete. Under normal circumstances, she would have hesitated to leave. But knowing she was so well cared for by Carly, and that she could come see her any time, whenever she wanted, brought her a much-needed sense of calm.
Gran was only a few floors and elevator ride away – they hadn’t lived that close since Daisy was younger and still living at home. Gran seemed to like Carly too. That was a bonus. She could read people like nobody’s business. If she liked you, you were good people. If she didn’t, look out. Carly had nothing to worry about, though. Daisy liked Carly too. She was attentive, nurturing, and smiled a lot despite the broken heart Luke mentioned.
The elevator dinged, pulling her from her thoughts, but nothing could prepare her for what she was about to walk into. When the doors opened, her breath caught. There was a path of flower petals, all colors and types, lined with mason jars lit with small tea light candles leading all the way to her apartment with Luke.
She followed the path to an open door that revealed a dim, candle lit space full of floral arrangements. A beautiful table was set as the focal point of the room, adorned in more candles, flowers, and an ice bucket that had a bottle chilling. She walked to the table, looked at the bottle of what she thought was champagne, but found sparkling cider, making her laugh. She wiped a lone tear as she took in her surroundings. It was so beautiful, so romantic.
“Do you like it?”
Daisy jumped, startled by the deep voice emerging from the bedroom.
“I…I love it. What…what is all this for, Luke?” Surprise settling in, her hands flattened over her chest when she felt breathless. “When did you do this? How did you do this?”
“I had a little help.” He shrugged. “Gran might have been in on it too.”
“So that’s why she wanted to talk about everything from age five forward.”
Luke laughed. “I owe her one. I wanted to do something special, take you on a date, but…”
“I know…we can’t…” Her smile was weak when she saw the disappointment in his expression. She felt it too.
“I brought it all to you. A whole night planned, just for you.” He pulled out her chair and gestured for her to sit before filling their champagne flutes with sparkling cider.
“This is pretty fancy stuff,” she teased, referring to the cider. “What are we celebrating?”
“You, me, a baby…” Luke pointed to the silver domed plate in front of her, “that.”
She looked at the dome, then back to him. “I don’t understand.”
“Look underneath.”
She hesitated, but ultimately opened it to reveal a beautiful display of white and dark chocolate dipped strawberries and a small tiffany blue box strategically placed at the center.
Luke grabbed the box and took to a knee while Daisy gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. “I know you already said yes, but it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t do this the right way – with your Gran’s blessing and a proper ring.”
“Oh, Luke.”
“Daisy…you came into my life like a whirlwind of fire. You challenge me, you’re patient with me, and you’ve changed
me. You make me a better man – you make me want to be a better man. I don’t know how I managed to deserve you, but I’ve come to learn not to question it, also thanks to you. If you say yes, if you agree to be my wife, I will spend the rest of our lives making you happy, loving you, and protecting you. I will spend every day working on being the man you see in me.”
“You already are…and so much more, Luke.” She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “It would be my pleasure and honor to be your wife.”
He smiled and let out the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He slid the ring on her finger, then drew it to his mouth and kissed it. With his arms wrapped around her waist, he pulled her to the edge of her seat to kiss her the way she needed to be kissed.
Her fingers weaved in and out of his hair, her head falling back when his mouth trailed down her neck. From her hips, his hands seductively slid down her legs to her knees, earning a breathy, satisfied sigh. He spread her legs wide as she sat on the chair so his hands could drift back up the inside of her thighs, teasing her as he went.
In one swift tug, he ripped her panties away from under her skirt so he could touch her, skin to skin, with no barrier. The feel of his fingers caused her to spread her legs wider while tilting her hips up, giving him better access. He knew what she wanted, and she couldn’t wait to take it.
Not wasting a moment, he slid two fingers inside her while his thumb pressed on her sensitive bundle of nerves.
“Shirt,” he said between kisses, still on his knees. “Off.”
In a rummy state of ecstasy, she responded, slowly raising her shirt over her head by the hem, just as he’d asked. Knowing full well what he wanted a taste of, she removed her bra too, putting her breasts on display, at eye level, for him to devour.
And devour he did. She leaned with her back against the cool floor-to-ceiling window the table sat against, pushing her chest out for him. He paused, and looked at her, so sexy, so ready, so hot with nothing on but her skirt hiked around her waist.
“Give me that,” he said, pulling the skirt down and tossing it aside.
Sitting there in such an erotic and exposed state, she boldly opened her legs, exposing herself fully to him, reached for his head, and pulled him down – he was happy to give her what she wanted. With every taste he took, each lash of the tongue, every drag of his teeth, she moaned. Draping her legs over his shoulder, she gripped the table with one hand and her chair with the other while he pleasured her until she cried out his name and couldn’t hold herself up any longer.
Luke scooped her in his arms and stood, aimed for the bedroom, where he intended to make love to his fiancé until neither one could take anymore.
“What about dinner?” Daisy said in an intoxicating, satiated tone with heavy lids that pleased him.
“Dinner is in the warmer. It’ll hold, but…” Luke turned around and grabbed the plate of strawberries with one hand while holding her with the other. “I have plans for these.”
Well into the night, they ventured out to eat the dinner held in the warmer, sans clothes, wrapped in blankets.
“I can’t believe we left the candles burning.” Daisy was shocked Luke had driven her to such a state that she hadn’t even noticed they’d left them lit until now.
“They aren’t real. They’re the battery kind,” he said between bites.
“So you had this…” she waved, fork in hand, between them, “all planned out, down to candles that won’t burn the place down when you whisk me off to bed with you?”
“Pretty much.” Luke shamelessly shrugged, earning a laugh from Daisy.
They sat and ate, talked about potential wedding dates, whether they wanted to marry before or after the baby, and how they didn’t want to distract from Liam and Felicity’s big day that was right around the corner. It was important that they plan sooner, rather than later, though, so Gran could be there.
“Oh, that reminds me.” Luke stood and went to the door, peering outside. “All cleaned up.”
“Cleaned up?”
“The petals and candle stuff. My helpers cleaned them up out there.”
“You mean while we were in there doing…” she waggled her eyebrows, embarrassed to say sex despite their current state of nudity, “they were out there?”
He laughed. “It’s the hallway, it’s not like they were in our room. The stuff was on loan from City. She insisted. Then Eva and Lydia helped set up. Most of it is wedding stuff, I think.”
Daisy looked around at the remaining candle holders inside the apartment and her jaw dropped. “These are all hers? Oh no. We, like, ruined their wedding stuff.”
“No, we didn’t, I promise. I gave them my credit card, but she insisted. Said it would make these things more special and something about traditions and mementos so we’re all connected and love…I think she was a little hormonal because she cried, and then the other two cried. So, I left and bought the flowers they told me to get.” Luke shrugged one shoulder and went back to eating. Apparently, he’d worked up an appetite.
“How sensitive of you,” she teased.
“Ehhh, I’m a work in progress.”
“You’re perfect, Luke.”
“No…you’re perfect.” He leaned forward over their food and kissed her. “How about you get that perfect little ass of yours in the shower – no, make it the bathtub. I’ll be there in a few to join you after I pick some of this up.”
She looked around at the clutter scattered about and thought about the soaker tub waiting for her. “Don’t have to tell me twice. I could get used to this.”
As she moved toward their room, just out of reach, but before she was out of sight, she dropped her blanket and gave him a show.
All he could do was grunt in response.
Working fast, he cleaned up dinner and tucked it away in the refrigerator. He tossed the flower petals all over floors and tables in the trash. It didn’t take long to box up the candles and their accessories. He just sat them by the door for a morning delivery. Luke had already decided they had more flowers than they really needed in their space. He would deliver one bouquet to each of ladies tomorrow, and one for his Ma, and of course, Gran. Whatever was left would go to the lobby and any other common space, like the lair. It was time to spread the joy. They all had a lot to be happy about despite the hardship surrounding them.
After a quick text to the ladies, thanking them, he went to find his fiancé.
20
A loud, offensive, buzzing alarm sounded, abruptly interrupting Daisy’s sleep. She sat up straight, frightened by the foreign sound, unsure what it meant. Panic set in when she looked to her left and Luke was no longer in bed with her.
Luke rushed into the room and grabbed the first shirt and pair of yoga pants he found, not caring if they were clean or otherwise. “Quick. Put these on, baby. We’ve got to go.”
“Go? Luke what’s happening? Where are we going?”
“Just get dressed quickly.” He rushed to bathroom, returning with an armload of toiletries, and tossed them in her side of the closet.
“Wh-What are you doing?”
Luke reached inside along the closet wall, beyond her clothes, when there was a noise of sorts. A loud click. Then he pushed on the shelving of the closet organizer and it turned, hiding her clothes behind a faux wall, revealing a side with all men’s clothes in its place. He reached in along the same wall, and another loud click and quick push ensured it was locked in place.
“What the…?” Shirt on, she stood with her pants in her hand, stunned. “Where…where did my things go?”
“They’re still in there, we just have to be prepared for anything. Finish getting dressed. We’re almost out of time.” He moved around the room, quickly making the bed to conceal the fact that anyone had been there but him. A small bedside trash can became his next tool, placed at edge of her nightstand. In one swoop, he brushed everything from its surface into the can.
His phone rang, and the alarm silenc
ed. Daisy looked up, as if the sound of the now dormant alarm would somehow reveal itself.
“Yeah,” he answered, looking her way. “It’s cleaning day. Just tidying up.”
Tidying up. Daisy was utterly confused. He looked to Daisy and put one finger over his mouth, indicating she needed to remain quiet, then continued to move around the room tossing anything that remotely suggested someone besides him had been there in the trash can. That included the burner phone he had for her, and the iPad she had used.
“Yeah, I’ve got a package to deliver, then we can meet in the lair. Yeah, see you then.”
Confirming the call was indeed disconnected, he locked it before sliding it into his back pocket.
“That was Liam making sure we were on the move.”
“Cleaning day, Luke?”
“We talk in code because we never know who’s listening,” he said, matter-of-fact, trying to keep her informed without frightening her any more than she was.
He removed the trash bag from the can and tied it off, then placed the trash can in the powder room near the front door as they went by.
He held his hand out to her. “C’mon, baby, time to go. Gibby, c’mon, girl.”
Her hand in his, he proceeded to run out of the apartment to the elevator, dog on their heels.
When they approached the elevator, there was an explosion that shook the building. Luke immediately pulled her into his body and leaned over her, shielding her from whatever was coming for them.
“Shit!” When the rattle and noise settled, he hit the hidden button, the exit sign, indicating exactly where they were going.
“Oh my God, Luke…what’s happening?” Daisy was frantically choking on her sobs. She was terrified.
When the elevator opened, he turned her to face him. With his hands on her shoulders, he bent down to her level and told her everything she needed to know. “It’s going to be okay, baby. I promise. You need to go to the vault and stay there until I come for you. Got it? Don’t leave, not even to the rooftop. They’re watching.”
Brother's Keeper V: Wylie (the complete series BOX SET): NEW RELEASE + Series Box SET included! Page 85