by Claire Adams
He laughed heartily. “Of course, love. You want to keep it? Fry it up for dinner?”
It was my turn to laugh. “There wouldn’t be enough for us to have an appetizer out of.”
“This is true.” He worked to get the fish off the hook before wiping his hands on his pants. “It’s a good damn thing you’re not in charge of rounding up our dinner.”
I put a hand on my hip and lifted my eyebrow. “That so? Because I’m pretty sure that I’m the only one who’s caught anything today.”
“Touché.” He leaned over and picked up his pole and started to reel it in. “Let’s go grab some dinner over at Albert’s, hmm? He’s got the best fish and chips in town.”
“I’m down for not having to cook tonight. I’d rather spend my time washing this really hot guy I know. Then maybe taking some time to make him squirm?”
He glanced over at me, face a mask of indifference. “Do I know this guy?”
I giggled before wrapping my free arm around him and kissing the back of his shoulder. I pressed my cheek to his back and rested against him, letting the sexiness of his muscles flexing against me throw me into a horny lust. It wasn’t hard to do around him.
“You do know him.” I kissed his back once more before turning and walking away. “You know what I think?”
“Do tell.” He joined me in a slow, languid walk back toward the car.
“I think we should set up Logan and Peyton.” I stopped at the trunk and moved back as he put everything up for us. “She’s my best friend, and he’s yours. I think they would really like each other.”
He nodded. “I think you might be right. From what little I know of Peyton, she seems like the kind of woman that Logan would be thrilled to take out for a bite to eat.”
“Wait…are we talking food or him biting her?” I reached for him, pulling him close to me as he encircled me with his strong arms.
“Food for them, nibbling on flesh for me.” He leaned in and ran his nose by mine. “We could just wait for the two of them to meet.”
“Where in the world would that ever happen?” My stomach tightened at his nearness, and my pulse spiked.
“It could happen anywhere, I suppose, but it will most certainly happen at our wedding.” He leaned in and kissed me softly. “That’s assuming you’ll marry a chap like me.”
I smiled. “I can’t see myself with anyone but you. I don’t think you have much to worry about.”
“And you’re good with working at the company with me? I know it’s a little—”
I cut him off by pressing my lips to his. I was good with anything he wanted to do, and however he wanted to do it. I’d spent my life looking for love in the wrong places and never really feeling like I belonged.
He made my world different. Better. He completed me, and I still couldn’t believe we got our start the day I left my fiancé, and his best University friend, at the altar. Speaking of Harry…
“What happened with you and Harry the other day? You didn’t really tell me the story.” I slid my hands up his chest and around his neck as the wind blew around us.
“He just came up and apologized.” He shrugged. “I think he fell in love with his company and found his importance in that. It fucks up your love life when you do.”
“Yeah, I understand that. Every relationship starts to become an interview for what that person can do for you in your career.”
“Even your outlook on marriage.” He shook his head. “My mother and father got married because they loved each other, and my father took on his company as a mistress. It fucked things up. I’m so much like him that it scares me that I might accidentally do that too. Promise me that you’ll let me know if I ever start to neglect you in lieu of the business. Please?”
I smiled. “Of course, Alfie. There’s going to be times when the business has to be more important, for both of us, but we’ll pull through. I love you so much already. I can’t imagine where our future is headed.”
“Me either, but I’m looking forward to it for the first time since my father died.” He leaned down and kissed me, deepening it and stealing my breath. “That’s all thanks to you, so maybe I should be thanking you, hmmm?”
“For what?” I snuggled against him, finding home in his arms. Wherever he was, I would be too. There was no way in the world I was walking away from what he had together. It seemed almost fairytale-like, as if it had been in existence the whole time, and yet I was just discovering it for myself.
“For saving me.” He closed the small gap between us and kissed me until my knees grew weak. It was a theme in our relationship, and I had no doubt that it always would be.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Three Months Later
Alfie
“All right, so, you have everything ready?” Logan walked off the plane in London and pulled me into a hug, not greeting me at all. The concentration on his face told me one thing…he’d spent the entire plane ride running through the plans we had for the night.
Peyton had flown in the day before, and Molly thought it was just a coincidence that our best friends wanted to come visit at the same time. I’d been planning the day for over two months.
“Yes. The restaurant is rented out for the rooftop for the four of us, and a violin quartet will be coming by at eight. The waiter knows to leave us be with a bottle of wine and some chocolates at eight-thirty.”
“And the flower petals will be sprinkled everywhere before we arrive?”
“Yes.” I moved back and nodded toward the baggage claim.
Logan followed after me, ticking things off on his fingers. “And someone will light the candles?”
“Yes. The owner of the restaurant is a friend of mine. Well, a friend and a client.” I smiled, but Logan ignored me.
“All right. Sounds like everything is coming together nicely.” He jerked his face toward me, his expression tightening. “And you have the ring?”
“Bloody hell, Logan. You’d think you were getting engaged.” I laughed and pointed to the baggage claim. “Do you have a bag coming ‘round?”
“No. I packed light.” He reached back and rubbed the top of my back. “I just want everything to go off without a hitch for you. I know you’ve been dreaming of this day since we were kids.”
And I had.
“I just wish my father were here to help us celebrate.” I ran my hand down my face and headed for the exit. “He loved high-fashion stuff like this.”
“Must be an English term.” Logan laughed and pushed the door open. “I’ll be honest with you too, I’m a little nervous about meeting Peyton. You and Molly both have been beefing this poor girl up to me for three months.”
“I know. We shouldn’t have done that, though she is a beautiful woman, inside and out.” I shrugged. It was the truth. Molly and Peyton had started to talk on FaceTime every Sunday night, and I snuck into the convo most times just because it felt so damn good to be there with the two of them.
I’d always expected to finally find a wife, but to have her be my best friend, lover, and partner at the company Dad started? Never. I was beyond lucky, and later that night…I was sealing the deal. I wanted Molly to be my wife, and I’d been biting my tongue for three months, waiting for the proper time to ask her.
She’d want Peyton there, and I’d want Logan. Nerves ran through me, and I heard Logan mutter something, but I didn’t catch what.
“You still with me?” He patted the trunk of my car, waiting patiently for me to pop it open for him.
“Sorry. I was just thinking about how lucky I am to have Molly.” I took a deep breath and reached for his bag. “She’s everything to me. It’s a little scary.”
“Good. Then you’re in the right place.” He threw his other bag in the truck and walked around to his side of the car. “Everything at work going okay? Molly being there hasn’t been a tense situation, right?”
I’d forgotten that Logan and I spoke once a month or so. We weren’t like the girls, who includ
ed each other in a weekly summary of the happenings in our respective worlds. We just chatted to catch up briefly, but nothing too in-depth. We saved those rich conversations for when we had the catch to physically visit one another.
“It’s going great. She took the assistant marketing position, and Bill’s loving her input. She’s not only a brilliant mind but a hard worker too. The woman is a godsend. I’m not sure what the hell was going on with my marketing department, but before Molly jumped in, I was damn close to firing all of them.”
We got into the car and chatted a bit more about the office and my plans to take Molly on holiday to Switzerland. Logan corrected me ten times, calling the outing a vacation. I teased him about the silliness of American colloquialism.
We arrived at the house a little bit later and walked in to the smell of apples and cinnamon. Logan paused in the foyer, closed his eyes, and breathed in deeply.
“God, that smells like heaven.” He gave me a funny smile.
Molly's voice rose up from across the house as she walked in from the kitchen. “Not heaven. Just apple tarts.”
“I’m pretty sure they serve those once you get to heaven, love.” I moved out of the way as Molly hugged Logan and welcomed him to our home. She had never moved out after the day she appeared back in my life. We simply fit too well together to have her living across town and each of us pretending that we were fine with the separation.
“Peyton’s in the kitchen. Come on. Come meet her.” Molly slipped her arm into Logan’s and moved him toward the kitchen. She smiled over at me as he gave me a ‘help’ look. I laughed and followed them into the kitchen.
Peyton was in a simple cream-colored dress that fit her beautifully. Her hair was down, and she wore a little bit of makeup. Much like Molly, she was a natural beauty. I could hear Logan’s approval in the tone of his voice as he introduced himself.
“I’m Logan. Nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you from these two.” He shook her hand as Molly moved over to stand beside me. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to my side before leaning over and kissing the top of her head.
“I think they’re trying to hook us up.” Peyton glanced around Logan and gave me and Molly a knowing look. “Am I right?”
“No,” I responded as Molly said, “Yes.”
Brother. There was no being slick about anything with my bossy, over-the-top American girl. Everyone laughed in tandem until I broke up the moment.
“All right. We’re due at dinner in an hour. You girls go get dolled up. It’s a fancy place, and I know you’ll throw stones at us innocent guys if we don’t warn you ahead of time.” I ran my hand down Mol’s back and patted her butt. “Or wear whatever you want. I’m good with you going in a bathrobe if you wish.”
She rolled her eyes and turned to face me. “What are you wearing? That usually gives me a good idea of what I’m wearing.”
“A tie and sports coat.” I touched the side of her face and smiled. “Damn, you’re beautiful. Have I told you today?”
“Only ten times.” She lifted on her toes as Peyton made a sound of appreciation, and Logan gagged. It was quite fitting from the both of them. “All right. Let’s go get dressed, Peyton. Something tells me that we’re expected to be dressed to the nines, even if these boys won’t say it.”
Logan walked toward the fridge and got out a beer, offering me one as well.
“I’m good, thanks.” I sat down and let out a contented sigh. “I sure as fuck hope this works tonight. I think Molly has been waiting for a ring for three months.”
“No. Really?” He popped the top on his beer and sat down across from me. “I’m a little upset with you right now.”
“Why?” I lifted an eyebrow and gave him my full attention. He was rarely upset about anything. Had he finally judged me over Molly living at the house with me even though we weren’t married? Surely not.
“You waited three months to introduce me to Peyton? Why? We live in the same damn city. We could have already been engaged by now.” He winked and lifted his beer to his lips. “She’s a pretty girl for sure. If she’s half the woman you and Molly make her out to be, then I might be smitten before the night’s over.”
“She’s everything we’ve said, and then some. Good luck holding your own against her.” I leaned back and took in the moment. Within the next few hours, my whole life would change.
“Nervous?” Logan asked with a cocky grin on his face.
“Fuck yes.”
“Even more than you were when you took over the company as CEO?”
“Ten times as much.” I tapped the table and tried to still my racing heart. I wasn’t necessarily concerned that Molly would say, ‘no.’ We’d talked about getting married a million times over the last three months. I just wanted everything to be as perfect as it could be.
“Good. Then you’re right where you should be.” He lifted his beer as if I had something to hit against it. Instead, I reached out and grabbed the bottle, emptying it and getting up for another. I needed something to help calm my nerves, and Logan’s laughing wasn’t helping the matter.
*
“You like it, love?” I pulled Molly close to me as the violin’s played just beside us. Dinner had been steak and lobster, everything tasting divine. She’d scribbled down a few notes during the meal in hopes of recreating it for us back home, which was so her, and so endearing. I loved everything about her.
“I love it, Alfie.” She glanced over my shoulder as I moved her along the dance floor on the rooftop. “I think they’re getting along so well. You’re brilliant for setting all of this up. Does Logan know it was for them?”
“All of this?” I snorted and lifted my hand, motioning toward the candles, flowers, music and romantic ambiance.
“Yes.” She squealed with delight and pulled me closer. “You’re so romantic. You set this all up for them, didn’t you?”
“I spent months setting it up, yes, but it wasn’t for them.” I smiled and leaned down to brush my nose along hers as I stilled our movement. “I did this for one person…you.”
“Me?” she asked breathlessly, her eyes wide, her long hair blowing in the wind around us. She looked like a goddess in her white dress and dainty heels. I’d undressed her and made love to her a million times over the course of the night. She had me captivated, and something told me that those feelings wouldn’t soon stop.
“Of course this is for you.” I moved back and glanced over toward Logan and Peyton. “Hey. It’s time.”
“Time for what?” Molly looked around with confusion on her face.
Logan walked over and slipped me the black box as Peyton stepped up to the other side. Molly continued to pepper us with questions, but we did a good job of ignoring her. I reached out and took her left hand before moving down to one knee.
She gasped and pressed her free hand to her mouth as tears filled her pretty eyes. “Alfie. Really?”
“Yes, baby. Really.” I released her hand and opened the box, lifting it up between all of us toward my girl. “Marry me, Mol. I’ve dreamt of a love like this since I was a little boy and had always hoped that I would find you, and here you are. You’re my best friend, my fishing partner, my lover, and my girl. Wear my ring and steal my last name, hm? Won’t you?”
She nodded, not hesitating at all. “Of course I will.”
I stood and slipped the ring on her finger before I pulled her to me and kissed her with all the pent-up passion I had inside of me. Peyton and Logan whooped and hollered before clapping for us.
“Well done. I was a little worried there that she might say no, but—” Logan was cut off by a look from Molly that would make a grown man bite his tongue. “Kidding!”
“Alfie, that was beautiful.” Peyton reached over and gave me a quick hug. “I wasn’t sure what to think about Englishmen after all that shit Mol went through with Harry, but you’re changing my mind one day at a time.”
“We’re still rubbish.” I reached over and patted Log
an on the back. “I think you should stick with American men.”
She laughed and held out her hand toward Logan. “I’m willing to give a certain American man a try. Come on. Let’s go grab ice cream at the parlor down the street and give these two lovebirds some time to enjoy each other?”
“If you’re going, I’m coming.” Logan winked at me and Mol before taking Peyton’s hand and walking toward the stairs.
I pulled Molly close to me and leaned down to kiss her again. The sound of her soft moans mixed with the breeze blowing and the elation in my heart had my body hard and my mind racing toward all of the possibilities of who we could, no, who we would become together.
The sky was the limit when I had a woman like Molly backing me up, loving me the way that only she could.
“I didn’t expect this.” She smiled up at me. “I really thought this was for our friends.”
“Then my job was done well.” I reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wanted it to be a surprise, and intensely intimate, but I wanted our friends here.”
“I love it, and I love you.” She tilted her head to the side, watching me closely. “Can our wedding be the same setup? I don’t want anything big and extravagant, and I don’t want you having a bachelor party.” Her lip turned out into a cute little pout.
I chuckled. “We can have any kind of wedding you want, lass. I don’t need a bachelor party, but even if I had one, you have nothing to worry about. There’s only one woman I want in my life, and she’s in my arms right now.”
“Okay. When are we doing this?”
“When do you want to do it?” I pressed my hips forward, giving her a silent cue that I was ready to go home and make love to her for the next few hours.
“Tomorrow.” She grinned, her confidence mixed with cuteness almost too much to bear. “Logan and Peyton are already here, and they’re both staying for a few days. Let’s do it now and get on with it.”