by Ruby Shae
He silently vowed to never let her regret it.
Epilogue
One month later…
“Hi Scarlett.”
“Hey Scarlett.”
“What’s up?”
Scarlett moved through the crowd, smiling and nodding at the regulars who called out to her. A few people tried to hinder her path, but she was getting good at what Tristian liked to call, friendly ignoring. A quick smile, a nod, and a turn of the head usually kept would be problems at bay. If not, Aiden and Zach could get to her in seconds.
She sat down at the bar, and the guy behind the counter rushed over.
“Water?” he asked.
“Yes, please.”
He pulled a bottle of water out of the fridge and set it on the bar.
“Thank you.”
He nodded, and returned to filling drink orders.
She twisted the cap off the bottle, and turned toward the crowd. Tristian had shooed her out of his office so he could verify their reservations in private, and a shiver of excitement raced down her spine. Date nights were usually held on nights the club wasn’t open, and they usually involved familiar, comfortable places.
Whatever Tristian had planned; it wasn’t their usual scene.
“Scarlett?”
Two high pitched voices screeched her name in unison, and it took a tremendous amount of willpower not to cringe at the annoying noise. A few feet away, Aiden did cringe, and she turned toward the party twins with a smile on her face. As always, they wore the same outfit only in different colors.
“Hey guys,” she said.
“Ugh, we are girls,” Candi said.
“Yeah, seriously, Scarlett,” Amber added. “You can be such a loser.”
“Okay, well, have fun tonight,” Scarlett said, turning her head.
“Oh, wait,” Candi screeched.
Lord, the woman needed to tone it down a notch.
“I saw that super sexy guy you went out with once, and someone said he owned the place. I know you to didn’t hit it off, but do you think you could introduce us?”
“No.”
No explanation, no soft words to cushion the blow, just no. That’s all she said, and it felt amazing.
“No?” Amber questioned. “Why the hell not? It’s not like you dated him long enough for it to matter anyway, and we’ll make sure he has a good time, unlike you did when we set you up.”
“Yeah, come on, Scarlett,” Candi sneered. “He doesn’t belong to you.”
“Actually, he does.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Amber spat.
“The owner of this club does belong to me,” Scarlett said.
“Don’t be ridiculous. If you don’t want to help us, then just say so.”
“I did,” Scarlett said, “but I’ll elaborate. No, I will not introduce you to the owner of this, or any other club for that matter. Why? One, because I don’t like you, and two, as I said before, he’s mine.”
“Damn straight.”
She smiled up at Tristian, and he planted a chaste kiss on her lips.
“Hi ladies,” Tristian said, flashing them a forced smile. “The guy behind you is Aiden, and he’s going to show you the door. Please don’t ever come back here again.”
They both turned toward Aiden, and took an involuntary step back in fear.
“Go with the nice man,” Scarlett said, pushing them both forward with her palms.
Aiden pointed to the door, and the two women scurried toward the exit as fast as their heels would carry them.
She felt rather than heard Tristian’s low growl, and though he watched Aiden, waiting for the other man’s signal, she instantly forgot about the party twins. Her protective bear was taking her on a secret date.
“Soooo?” she asked, smiling up at him.
“So what?” he asked, still growly.
“Stop it,” she laughed. “Where are we going?”
“They just drove away,” Aiden said, whispering something into his mic.
He and Zach were always connected, and the other man must have been watching the parking lot. Tristian nodded, but before she could thank him, Aiden turned on his heel and returned to his post. She didn’t need to, but she made a mental note to visit Delilah’s in the morning.
“Dinner and a movie,” Tristian said, smiling down at her.
“A movie?” she asked. “But the theater isn’t open this late.”
“That’s the surprise,” Tristian beamed. “I know how much you wanted to see that new one, but it will still be a couple of weeks before we can go without a packed theater, so…I asked the owner for an after-hours showing, and he agreed.”
“Really?” she squealed, even though she knew he wouldn’t lie.
“Yes, really,” he said, grabbing her hand. “Let’s go get a light dinner so we still have room for the large popcorn and a big box of chocolate covered raisins.”
“And there it is,” she teased. “The reason I’m marrying you.”
He led her through the crowded club, and once they were outside, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
“Awesome movie seats?” he laughed. “That’s the only reason?”
“Yep,” she giggled, sliding her arms around his neck. “That’s the only reason.”
“Oh really?” He nuzzled her neck, and licked her mate mark.
“Cheater.” She tried to pout, but he wasn’t fooled.
“Movie seats?” he asked again, and she knew he needed to hear the words.
“That, and true love,” she said, kissing him softly on the lips.
“Phew, you scared me for a second,” he winked. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”
“Forever?” she asked, knowing exactly how he would answer.
“Forever and ever, and ever.”
The End
From the Author
Thank you for purchasing this book. Your support allows me to continue doing a job I love every day. If you liked this story, please consider leaving a review so more people can find and enjoy my books, and don’t forget to sign up for my Newsletter to stay up to date on all of my book news!
Hugs,
Ruby Shae
About the Author
I’m a USA Today Bestselling Author of sizzling, sexy, shifter romance.
Until I find my own tall, muscle bound, alpha shifter…I’ll keep writing about them.
Visit my website to learn more about my books (and me!)
www.rubyshae.com
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